your congregation belonging to Christ, maybe you are surprised at the text for this service. Really just the last, that little phrase in the last verse of the 2 Samuel 23, 39, the phrase, Uriah the Hittite. How can a sermon be made on just those words? And why preach on this anyways? Well, let me tell you what brings us to this sermon this evening. During my regular daily devotions, a week ago Monday, I was at 2 Samuel 23. And this chapter is telling us of the time near the end of David's life. So the chapter begins telling us these were part of David's last official words. And the first seven verses of the chapter has David looking ahead ultimately to the time of the promised Messiah, the great son of David. The kingdom to come was clearly David's hope and comfort as he knew that his time and work on earth was was soon to be done and come to an end. And a study of those verses one to seven brings out the promised kingdom of God. Yes, with King Jesus himself as the ruler and the savior who who would come sooner or later, oh, that would be a kingdom of peace and of righteousness, most attractive, and his reign would be supreme and just, and all opposing him would be brought down to total defeat. It's in this setting, as David looks ahead, that he also reflects in thanksgiving on the past. So in this same chapter of 2 Samuel 23, we are given from verse 8 on a long list of some of the best and the mightiest and most loyal of David's soldiers during his 40-year reign. One commentator summarizes the verses 8 to 39 saying, hail to the chiefs, about 40 of them almost. Or you might say, honor and tribute to David's great men over the years of his reign. And the verses 8 to 12 mention one trio of mighty men whom David had. And then the verses 13 to 17 mentions yet another trio of great heroes among his men. And that's followed then by the telling of two other spectacular, strong soldiers on David's team in the verses 18 to 23. And then after that, they are given a whole list of men, 30, of distinguished soldiers in faithful, honorable service as warriors and strong men in David's army, David's loyal servants. As one put it, these verses give us an honor roll of kingdom servants during David's reign. Now you may ask me, well, how can this passage sweep us away in rapture's devotion? And how can it be of precious and practical gospel help for us today? Well, as I hope to make clear, especially from the last verse of the chapter, 2 Samuel 23, congregation, even a military list in scripture. One finds grace, lots of grace. And with God's help, I'm enthusiastic and excited to show you this. But before looking at the text more closely, it may be good just to mention, also because you're vacant, how important that also ministers don't just read and study the Bible for the writing of sermons, to do the work for Sundays. God willing, you as a congregation will continue in your search for looking for a new minister in the time ahead. Be sure to ask anyone who you look to serve here whether he reads the Bible also for his own mind and heart in personal devotions. When a minister only reads the Bible to make his sermons and not just to draw near to God for himself and to be taught of him and to glory in Christ the Savior of sinners also for himself, that is never a good sign of being a true under-shepherd for a congregation. Dear church family, a true minister and faithful pastor for a congregation needs the same Jesus he's preaching and teaching to the church family. The moment gospel ministry becomes merely professional, where the minister only reads the word because, well, he has to make his sermons, then the faithful pastoral spiritual element becomes lost. So be sure to ask, whatever minister comes, be sure to ask any potential future servant here among you in this congregation, do you read and love the word of God for yourself too, besides for your calling to write and preach sermons on the Lord's days? Well, here let me tell you now what brings us to our text and sermon this evening. As I was reading 2 Samuel 23 on a Monday a week ago in the morning, the last verse just jumped out at me in a way that I could not stop thinking about it and meditating upon it. And there are precious gospel gems here, congregation, worth pondering for good, without doubt. I thought to myself, this is something too, to highlight and to reflect with the whole congregation, for all our prophets, spiritually speaking. Oh, my prayer and care now is that you too see. The marvelous grace even in this military list in 2 Samuel 23. And that you with me are melted by God's word and own its spirit, its spirit-inspired riches and gospel power as God surely intends for us with all his word. So here's our sermon theme and points this evening. Pondering David's listed most honored soldiers including Uriah the Hittite. Let's notice three observations under this theme. One, how here we find something in congregation ever-convicting. And something, secondly, always instructive. And thirdly, something infinitely glorious. With our first point about Uriah, the Hittite mentioned among David's most honorable men, to learn that this is something ever-convicting, we need to know the story about this man. And that's why we read also from 2 Samuel 11. You probably knew that story. I'm sure you did. It's a story, you could say, of David's blackest chapter. his life. Yes, with his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite, and then his horrible cold-blooded murder of Uriah. Congregation, if there's one story in the Bible that should make even the godliest person in any day, in our day, also here in this church, if there's any story that should make us tremble in our boots considering our potential to sin and potential for wickedness and hypocrisy and treachery, it's this account. It's this account of David's fall into sin as told us in 2 Samuel 11. I mean, it has to be one of the saddest chapters in the Bible. How David, a man after God's own heart and one so blessed by God and cared for by God, could so dismally fall and fail in horrible lust and then in terrible cold-blooded defense of his lust for months and months. You know, when later convicted of his gross sin and evil, and when returned to God in true faith and repentance, we know David became most sorry for his guilt and evil. The Bible makes that clear. But the Bible also makes clear, repentant David could never forget all his life what a monster of wickedness he was in himself. by nature. But now, in as much as David in 2 Samuel 11 shrivels before us in his gross, evil ways, don't we have to say, Uriah the Hittite, he shines in this chapter as such a godly man and devoted, strong servant-soldier of David and of God. is a Hittite, meaning he came from the heathen nations around. This Uriah became a true believer in God, in the one true God of Israel. We're not told when and where and how, but he did, and he joined himself with God's covenant people, and he was welcomed by them, and in God's providence even, he became a devoted soldier of David in the army of Israel. Now that Uriah was a true believer in the God of Israel, we can know for certain from verse 11 of 2 Samuel 11. When David asked him, why don't you just go back to your wife, back home? I'm giving you a holiday. Go to your wife. Go home. Then Uriah says in response, He can't just go home. Not when the Ark, that's the first thing he says, when the Ark of the Covenant and the other soldiers and the rest are on the battlefield fighting the wars against the enemy nations of Israel, God's covenant people. He can't just be relaxing as if everything's okay, no. How could he take it easy when the Ark of the Covenant was dwelling in a tent? And many of his soldier comrades were dwelling in a tent on the battlefield. Oh, as one Bible study note stated about this clearly here, quote, Uriah's godly self-control and loyalty to the cause of the Lord stands out here in sharp contrast to David's lust and deception at this very time. And Uriah, he proves himself such a man of God really too, in that even with the temptation of abundance of food and drink, which David lavished upon him, and with David even looking to get him drunk we're told, and the text says he made him drunk, I think we should take that in the context of what's said here, we can know he wasn't totally drunk. Maybe his alcohol level was a bit high, but he was not totally inebriated, no. He never drank too much, because he kept his composure, we're told. He kept his composure, and he still wouldn't go to live with his wife, to be with his wife. He still slept with the soldiers. This explains Uriah again, yes, he stayed composed, not going to be with his wife as David so wanted him to do, for a cover-up, yes, for his own sin, so that it might look like Bathsheba's pregnancy was from Uriah, her husband, and not from David, the guilty adulterer. Well, we all know, don't we, the rest of the tragic downward spiral of evil. David not succeeding in getting Uriah to go home with his wife Bathsheba. He then plotted Uriah's death. on the battlefield. And so when Uriah returned to the battle the next day, David gave him some things, including a letter for Joab, the general, who was leading the armies, the Israelite armies, against the enemy neighboring nation of the Ammonites. And this letter, unknown to Uriah, was a letter instructing General Joab to make sure that Uriah get killed on the battlefield. And Joab got the letter. Joab obeyed his king. He shouldn't have, but he did in this. And he did what the king commanded. And then we're told, indeed, Uriah was killed. And so were some others along with him. And we're told when David learned of Uriah's death, he took Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, to become his wife. And what David all did in secret and in sickening hypocrisy It was all known by God. It was all seen by God. Resulting in the telling, incriminating last sentence of the chapter, but the thing that David had done displeased the Lord. By the way, let's learn from this. You may do things in secret, but don't be a fool to think God doesn't know. God sees everything. And we're accountable to Him. Now, 2 Samuel chapter 12, we didn't read that, but that chapter tells about the rest of the story, especially of the fallout of David's sin and evil. And while mercifully brought to conviction, as 2 Samuel 12 brings out, by God also sending David, you know, that prophet Nathan, to show him his sin, And while truly forgiven all his sins and sinfulness in this most sad and bad chapter in David's life, congregation, yet the consequences of his sin were devastating. And for his whole earthly lifetime, not as punishment so much as chastisement, but they were still felt, those consequences. But we know God wonderfully sustained and upheld David in the faith, nevertheless, till journey's end. Yes, the congregation, don't we see this exactly now, without a doubt, in this fact, that Uriah the Hittite is mentioned as among the most honorable of David's men? He's one of those almost 40 men mentioned as exceptional, wonderful soldiers and servants of the king. In fact, being given mention last of all, it's like the list wants to emphasize this Uriah as among surely the honorable. Last mentioned here does not mean the least of them, but rather one especially to be noted. And Uriah the Hittite, he's added and recorded in the Bible, being wonderfully a fact loaded with gospel significance and reflecting tons of grace beyond measure. And here, let me explain further. Who of us here would not agree there was every reason Humanly speaking, for David not to include Uriah the Hittite in the list of his most honorable men. I mean, regardless how noble Uriah may have been and truly was by God's grace, why add him to this list when doing so would only make all remember David's own terrible sin and sinfulness? Why mention someone else as most honorable when doing so can't help remind everyone again of how David had acted so dishonorably and unfaithfully and indeed most sinfully and shamefully before God and his neighbor. What loss if David hadn't, if he had not, included Uriah here in the list? And what gain was there in him now including him, Uriah? the Hittite congregation surely adding Uriah to the list and even prominently so with again having him last on the list shows shows to us the whole sad story of David's sin was something ever convicting to David and you know what it's not a bad thing for us when true Christians always to be convicted of what sinful people we are of ourselves, by nature. And are left to ourselves. You and I can go so wrong, so quickly, so easily. You know what? It's spiritually healthy always to remember the sobering and humbling reality about ourselves, even when godly Christians for many years already, as David had been by this time now, do. Don't we too show actually maturity in the faith by God's grace in this way, that dimension of past sins we don't by all means try to avoid? And then we don't shy away even and prevent in every way possible even the slightest reference to some sin that we have done ever being repeated again? No, but a true believer, for always in this life, by God's grace, is humbled low with the reality of who we are by nature. You know what? It was God's grace of true conviction of sin, even of sin long forgiven and truly forgiven, that had David include Uriah the Hittite in his list of mighty and honored men here in his reign. Don't you think too that David was ever convicted, ever convicted of how Uriah was such a devoted and steadfast servant in God's service and army. And as a soldier, his responsibility in the Lord's army, he was such an example when David himself was anything but that. Uriah was a man, as I mentioned, from a heathen nation, one of the heathen nations around Israel, who by God's grace, this Uriah was more faithful and diligent in his role in God's kingdom than David had been in that very time in his role as God's appointed and anointed king of Israel. Oh, when we know the grace of God in our lives, we don't shrink from those who outshine us. in their zeal and devotion to God no matter where they come from. But we are humbled. We are humbled by such godly fellow soldiers and we honorably and selflessly hold them up before others as such Christian examples to follow. Do you know about that too? Clearly with David, including Uriah in this list of his extraordinary heroic soldiers, we see David, don't we here, not out for himself, no, but for the glory of God and for the glory of his grace and goodness and mercy as shown to himself and as evident also in the lives of other believers. Do you see with me how there's something most graciously beautiful and selflessly noble in David here being sure to add Uriah the Hittite to the list of his most honorable men? Oh, let it be ever convicting for him of his sin to add Uriah. Let that be okay. If it would only help highlight the amazing grace of God in his own life and God's boundless mercy for sinners worldwide, whoever will turn from sin and trust and follow after him in spirit and truth. Dear congregation, each one here, when you think of your past sins, and sinfulness, can you face them? And even the mention of them and the repeated mention of them, perhaps, in the humble and honest and gracious way that David does here in our text. It's worth pondering just these words of 2 Samuel 23, 29, Uriah the Hittite. added to this list, included in this military list. Don't you think it's pretty amazing? Yes, not only is something ever-convicting, but secondly, let's notice there's something always instructive, indeed, gospel instructive for us if we have ears to hear and eyes to see. With adding at the end here, Uriah the Hittite, in the list of the mighty men, wasn't David's congregation, wasn't he, wasn't David in a real way actually confessing, you know, with myself as king of Israel, and with all my mighty men, these 40 or so, therein, therein cannot lie our hope and our confidence and our comfort, no, no. We're all just needy sinners, waiting, yes, for that promised Messiah, the great Son of David to come, Christ Jesus, the Savior of sinners. We're so in need of Him. You know, something always instructive in whatever lists of great people and magnificent achievements that we may do or perform of ourself Let's always remember, as to be instructed, what does it gain us? What does it gain us if the Lord God Almighty doesn't come to our rescue to save us from our sins and sinfulness? When I wrote this sermon just a week and a half ago about this meatloaf guy died. I never heard of meatloaf. Shows how protected I was, I guess, in my youth. His real name is Michael Lee Day. All kinds of praises were being blasted over the screen of my computer about his accomplishments. He was a great singer and actor. Yeah, lots of wonderful things were said of him, and even that his death is heaven's gain, as it were. But when I looked up a little bit, some things about him, including a famous song, which, again, I did not know, but a song called A Bat Out of Hell. And I read that, and I think, wow, this man was sure not living for God. I don't know how he died. I don't want to say anything about that. But his life did not show that he sought the Lord. So you can boast all about his achievements and his trophies and his wonderful record of songs and whatever, but what's the surveil if you don't have God as your Savior, Jesus Christ, saving you from your sins? And so, you see, it's like in this last verse of the chapter of 2 Samuel 23, with David mentioning Uriah the Hittite amongst David's nobles. It puts everything in gospel perspective. You get that with me? And it fits again very well with what we read in the opening verses of the chapter. And thinking about David reflecting on his life coming to an end, but the kingdom of heaven was coming, the Messiah was coming, the promised Redeemer. And David is saying here, we can mention, have honorable mention of great men and lots of things to be thankful for, but it avails nothing except God send the Savior, the great Son of David, the great King of kings, that He promised to come, send, to come to deliver us from our sins and sinfulness and from Satan and the dominion of death and hell. Didn't David actually die by God's grace over all? Live and die, we can say, in this faith. In this faith, consciousness and conscientiousness, in spite of his sins and sinfulness. And mentioning Uriah the Hittite in his list here, We have to say it was clearly for the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's why the Spirit has it added to the list. My David. It's something like the Apostle Paul, you know, in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 9 and 10. There Paul says, for I am the least of the apostles who am not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am. Isn't Paul testifying there with these words? What makes all the difference in this life is Jesus. Jesus, his Savior, mercifully and mightily saving also a sinner like him, formerly such a proud and murderous persecutor, even of God's people. And later in 1 Timothy 1, the same apostle again mentions his past sinful life. Now he was such a persecutor, all the more to glory in Christ the Savior and to proclaim with all his heart and being for whoever would hear one of the greatest gospel invitations in the Bible, 1 Timothy 1 verse 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. Do you see with me? Wasn't David doing something similar in 2 Samuel 23 by the Holy Spirit when adding also Uriah the Hittite to his list of military heroes? David before Christ's coming, Paul after Christ's coming. They're not afraid to have their sins mentioned and even exposed, if it may all the more bring glory to Christ, the promised Messiah, and the one and only Savior of sinners for us all. You know, David and Paul's sins could forever haunt them. if not humbled before God on account of them and finding their refuge and salvation in that promised, all-sufficient Saviour, the great Son of David, the Captain of our salvation, Jesus Christ, the Lord. Then you know when you look to Him and you are repentant and believing in Him, even the knowledge and the memory of sins long past, they can actually serve to help us in the way of ongoing humility and ongoing grace and godliness and carefulness and wholehearted devotion to the Lord and His service. I'm actually reminded here with our text just Uriah the Hittite to question and answer two. of the Heidelberg Catechism. You know the question answer one about what is your only comfort in life and death, and that's belonging to Jesus Christ as your only Savior and Lord. And then question two asks, well, how many things are necessary for you to know that you enjoying this comfort may live and die happily? And then what's the answer? Three things. First, how great our sins and miseries are. not just were, what they are, in and of ourself, always by nature, how great our sins and miseries are. Second, how I may be delivered from all my sins and miseries, yes, in and through Christ, the promised Messiah, the Savior of sinners. And then third, how I shall express my gratitude to God for such deliverance. Can you see with me, congregation? Without reading into the text, but actually drawing out from the text, especially also in its immediate context, this faithful teaching of the Heidelberg Catechism is exactly what we see and can learn also here in 2 Samuel 23, 39, and having Uriah the Hittite included among David's renowned warriors. I found myself confirmed in this interpretation of the text when reading also from another person, quote, this list of men who were David's mighty bodyguard and his co-patriarchs ends with the name of the one who did not betray the king but was betrayed by him. The end of the list is meant to tell us thus, wrote this person, do not forget the name of the last of David's mighty men. We are thus prohibited from making heroes of David and his men. Even here, history is not made by men, but by the grace of God, whose help and forgiveness was needed even by David and his time. Indeed, yes, dear congregation, so that we can say here, this inclusion of Uriah the Hittite, it might bring up, yes, the raunchiest of memories about David's wicked sin. Yet, for God's people, it doesn't leave room for despair, but for hope. looking to that promised Redeemer King to come, and for His almighty saving mercy and grace and power, sinners like us, you and me, to save. And again, beloved, is this not good news? Good news for us? And that this good news, we know, is not just for kings and apostles, no, but the gospel message is for all people, whoever will hear, whoever will hear and repent and believe the good news for us too. You and me, as stated by another, when our most appalling memories are immersed in divine grace, looking to Jesus, then there's still a holy sadness and a godly grief, yes, and a broken heart, but the memories no longer need to haunt us. Rather, they serve by God's grace and spirit to have us glory in God's grace and in Christ, our Savior King. Does this make sense to you? Two additional factors that reinforce this interpretation of our text, this redemptive historical interpretation, you might say, of our text, and how always instructive it may be in God's gospel way, are the following. For one, while we didn't read through the list of all the men, and I encourage you to do that yourself. It's rather interesting. But we didn't read it. All the specific names of David's heroic men, but when you read through it, there's a name missing, which you might have thought would be included. The person's name is mentioned, all right, but only to say that two brothers of him, Abishai and Asahau, are among the mighty. But this man not. Who's that man? Who am I referring to? Well, Joab, Joab, the main general of King David's army, of whom we read also in 2 Samuel 11. He served David most of David's life. But while his history is told us in the Bible, it's described to us as being one who served in David's army, yes, but he proved to be a ruthless man and very self-serving and unbelieving. And he didn't mind taking shortcuts for his own fame and his own gain. He was someone trusting in his own military might and wit and power and never someone who repented of sin before God and before men and never someone who believed in the coming Messiah as the one he needed to save him. In the end we're told He's left hanging on the horns of the altar in the tabernacle, at best looking for refuge just in religious ritual ceremony. But we know there he perished in his sins and sinfulness, and he was slain for all his treachery before God and men. And he's not on the list. I only mention this now, congregation, to say how futile to trust in ourselves and to think we can succeed before God and our neighbor on our own. No, without God in Christ as your Savior and ruler of your life, without Jesus as crucified and risen Redeemer, the Lord in whom you trust, without that you will die in your sins and be banished forever from God's kingdom of grace and glory and righteousness and peace. Yes, regardless of your many mighty feats and accomplishments in this life, even in association with God's people and in outward service with them, Let the absence of General Joab in the military list of David's heroic men call us one and all congregation, myself included, not to live and die depending on ourselves and living out just for ourselves, but rather repenting of sin and becoming truly devoted to Christ the Savior in spirit and truth. Well, will you hear this earnest gospel call even in this sermon on the words of 2 Samuel 23, 39 about Uriah the Hittite? You know, when you read through the list again of David's great men that he especially prized It's striking, something else to notice is striking, how many came from other nations, from other nations. And doesn't that by itself reinforce for us congregation, even from the Old Testament perspective, the gospel call is to all peoples, to whoever, let them take of the water of life freely. And the fullness of salvation has freely offered us in all God's Word. Whoever has ears to hear, and repents and believes in Christ, the promised Messiah, Savior, King over all, won't that King receive you? The second factor yet that further so reinforces the redemptive gospel focus also of our text telling of the inclusion of Uriah the Hittite amongst David's honored men being so meaningful is that what we find in the New Testament, Matthew 1. Did you know that there, in giving the family tree of Jesus, the great son of David, in his opening chapter, Matthew, among the many names listed, he includes this Uriah. Uriah the Hittite. It's moving to find it there in Matthew 6, there when David gets mentioned in verse 6. We read then in the second half of that verse, David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. That's what it says there. And again, you see, David's sin is not glossed over, but God's grace is magnified and Uriah once more is especially named, not in dishonor, but in honor for the Lord's sake as a true soldier in the Lord's army. Oh, without a doubt, dear congregation, how amazing is the Bible. I'm finding that out more and more. How amazing is the Bible. Something only God could compose by the Holy Spirit. That we run into so much grace and gospel tidings, even in a military list. Does it fill your mind and heart, and with humble reverence and thanksgiving for the Holy Bible too? You know, without this book, God's special revelation. We could and would never learn the gospel way. We would all perish in our sin. But now, blessed be God, by His Holy Spirit, we may have the Bible, and He works by the gospel, that we might learn the Bible, and that we might know the Bible, and love the Bible, and learn the Christ of the Bible, and believe in Him, and want to live by the Bible, and tell others, too, about Him. And here, let's turn yet briefly to one more point with pondering David's listed most honored soldiers, including Uriah the Hittite. We've seen this is something ever-convicting and always instructive, but consider yet with me, it's something infinitely glorious. What do I mean with this point? Well, in the end, doesn't the gospel of Jesus Christ level us all? Whatever our status, whatever our achievements, it levels us all. in the end, so that in the end, no one can exalt himself or herself above another. In the end, all the redeemed are guilty, lost sinners, saved by sovereign grace alone, through Christ alone, the great Son of David. That all those who are ever believing and finding refuge in that Ark of the Covenant, yes, that's fully represented and revealed to us in and with the crucified and risen Redeemer, Jesus Christ, the Lord. You know, and the Bible teaches us, doesn't it, in the end, every redeemed person will throw their crowns of glory at Jesus' feet. before the highest throne of glory, where he sits testifying, as told us in Revelation 4, 11, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive power and glory and honor, for thou has created all things. And the book of Revelation goes on further to say, he is the creator not only, but the recreator. And he's Lord of lords and king of kings. And there's no other savior but him alone. And his is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. So I ask you, dear congregation, with David ending his military list of prized men with Uriah the Hittite, isn't it glorious? And can you just imagine with me These two men in glory worshiping and fellowshipping together as sinners, redeemed by grace and boasting forever as saints in glory in Christ Jesus, the Savior, the forever King of kings and Lord of lords. You know, when I tried to picture these two men, David and Uriah, together, around the throne in glory, praising the Lord and mutually rejoicing in Him, it moved me to tears. Why? Because it promises and tells us, congregation, such good news about the world to come for all believers, for all who come there by God's amazing grace. The joys there in all in praising God our Savior and the captain of our salvation and Redeemer King will be unending. and the Christian fellowship there with the Lord and all his people in glory tell of gospel tidings infinitely glorious, regardless what all God's people may have gone through here, bitter and sweet, good and bad in this life here and now. How important to keep this heavenly perspective in our journey as confessing believers. Oh, dear congregation, in this regard, it's probably best to end this sermon saying just this. Let's learn from God's word, God's gospel word. Even in the military lists it records, yes, even from these three words of the Holy Spirit-inspired scriptures, Uriah the Hittite, there's so much gospel. Oh, how I love 2 Samuel 23, and especially verse 39. And it's another part of my salvation lifeline, till journeys end, for you too? Amen. Let's pray. Lord, thank you so much for your word. It's really marvelous. And we know your people will forever be glorifying the Christ as the word made flesh. But also we will be so thankful for the scriptures. And Lord, please help us to be having an ear to hear and to want to keep learning. Keep us from being disinterested in your word. but open your word to us and open us to your word that we can't help but find its treasures by your spirit and can't help but talk to each other about the wonderful word of God and the beautiful Savior and the wonders of salvation in and through him, no matter how great sinners we are in ourself. Lord, let no one continue in sin and unbelief. Also in this congregation, work by your Holy Spirit. Oh, hear our prayer. Forgive all our sin, even in our most devoted worship, Lord, and wash it away in the name of Jesus. Help us in the week ahead in all our responsibilities to live as unto the Lord. Help us in our struggles and our troubles. Remember us for good. And to you be all the glory. Lord, bless the consistory here. Strengthen them, enable them for their task, give them joy in their task, and prosper their work. hear our prayer, receive our praise, in Jesus' name alone, amen.