Acts chapter 2, beginning in verse 22, hear now the word of God. Men of Israel, listen to these words. Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through him in your midst, just as you yourselves know. This man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put him to death. But God raised him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for him to be held in its power. For David says of him, I saw the Lord always in my presence, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. Therefore, my heart was glad and my tongue exalted. Moreover, my flesh also will live in hope because you will not abandon my soul to Hades nor allow your Holy One to undergo decay. You have made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with Your presence. Brethren, I am confidently, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ. that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, brethren, what shall we do? And Peter said to them, repent and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. We've been in a series on Pentecost and in Pentecost specifically the baptism in the Holy Spirit. We have looked at John chapter 7, 37 through 39. We've looked at Pentecost itself in Acts chapter 2. And what we need to do is understand this truth. We ended last time of looking at what was the awesome event that took place after the baptism in the Holy Spirit. What happened? Peter preached. That's what happened. He preached Christ. So this morning as we begin, I want to begin with the question, what is the gospel? What is the gospel? I've heard this presented as the gospel. God so desires to have a relationship with you. God loves you so much and desires to give you what you need. He has a wonderful plan for your life. He thinks you're wonderful. Is that the gospel? There are some who would say that's the gospel. Is that the gospel? Can it be the gospel, the truth concerning Jesus Christ that saves if there is no talk about your sin? Can we present a gospel without presenting your sin? Can it be the true gospel if Jesus is only considered to be a man on this earth? that there was no deity in Jesus whatsoever. Can that be a saving gospel? If Jesus came as a man, then why did God anoint Him? asked Creflo Dollar. Jesus came as a man, that's why it was legal to anoint Him. Jesus came as a man, and at the age of 30, God is now getting ready to demonstrate to us and give us an example of what a man with the anointing can do. Is that who Jesus was when he came? He said that in his sermon, Jesus' Growth into Sonship, December 8th, 2002. He goes on to say, Jesus didn't grow up perfect. He grew into his perfection. In one scripture in the Bible, he went on a journey and he was tired. You better hope God don't get tired. In another occasion, he was sleeping in the back of the boat. My God neither sleeps nor slumbers. Jesus was not God. That's Creflo Dollar. He's in the Pentecostal movement. Can a Jesus who is not God save? He isn't the only one. TBN, the Trinity Broadcasting Network, is full of them. Why didn't Jesus openly proclaim himself as God during his 33 years on earth, asks Kenneth Copeland. His answer, for one single reason. He hadn't come to earth as God. He'd come as man. Does that gospel save? What about those who would proclaim that Jesus became a sinner on the cross? Some would even say he became Satan himself on the cross. This is from that movement. Now as we gather this morning, I'm not telling you that everybody in that movement is not a believer. I believe there are believers in the in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement. The danger is what is being preached and spoken. My wife and I have been listening to, it's just, I feel bombarded with all this information. I mean, I just am coming before God and just asking somehow to organize any of the thoughts that I come and scripturally look at them, but there's a podcast called Cultish, C-U-L-T-I-S-H, Cultish. I would encourage you to look at it. It's by Apologia. It is Cultish, and then type in Bethel after that. And there's three podcasts defecting from Bethel. Would I consider Bethel to be a cult? Absolutely. They lure you in with their music and teach you a false gospel. They lure you in with their music and proclaim power to themselves. The phenomena that we often see, some would take back to the 1960s with Parham, who believed that somehow the sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit was tongues, one day finally believed that one of their followers spoke in tongues. Eventually, when this group went overseas, thinking that they were speaking the language of the country, those in that country could not understand them because they were speaking no language at all. Some of the things that you will see concerning even Bethel, some of the things that you've heard maybe and seen concerning Pensacola, Toronto, IHOP, not the pancake shop, International House of Prayer, Some of the things that you begin to see in the chaos and the people rolling around, and there's a thing called Honey Barrel, and the Glory Cloud, and all these types of things, and the things that are happening in these movements, and it's just chaos of people thinking that they are slain in the Holy Spirit. Some think it wasn't Parnam that introduced all this. Some think it was Joseph Smith. Because the same things happened in 1836 at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple of Mormonism. We know they preach a false gospel, so what spirit was leading that chaotic movement? What is the gospel? We will look at that as we look into this book of Acts. The gospel is what Peter did after being baptized in the Holy Spirit, not what you see happening on television. And as we come into this, you need to understand, do I believe that God will heal today? I do. I do believe that God still heals. I know some that have been healed. But does He heal in the same way that Jesus healed or the disciples or the apostles healed? Is it the same? Does Benny Hinn have the gift of healing? If Benny Hinn had the gift of healing, he would not be having people come to him and then discerning who to bring up and who not to so that those who really needed healed would stay in a corner so that he could get their money. If Benny Hinn truly had the gift of healing, Benny Hinn should be in the hospitals and healing people. Benny Hinn does not have the gift of healing. One of the main differences between the traditional or the Reformed group and the Pentecostals and some Charismatics is a belief that, of the latter two, the belief of the Pentecostals and the Charismatics concerning the Book of Acts. And that's what I want to look at this morning is the Book of Acts. Can we look at the Book of Acts as the blueprint for what is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? And how the church is to operate out of that today. They believe that the special gifts of apostles, they still believe that there are apostles, they still believe that there are prophets. In fact, if you pay enough money, you can become an apostle yourself. We're gonna look more into some of these things. Prophets, I was in Denver, part of a vineyard movement. If you knew that before you hired me, you wouldn't have hired me. The Vineyard Movement had the Kansas City prophets, Paul Cain, Bob Jones, even Bruce Bickle will tell you, even Jack Deere who left Dallas Theological Seminary. They would tell you that 80 to 90% of the time their prophecies are wrong. According to Deuteronomy 13, if their prophecy is wrong are you to follow any prophecy of those people. No, they are false prophets. I could probably prophesy with that same percentage with you. Eventually some of the things will come true, somewhat. Apostles, prophets, the speaking in tongues, literally languages is what we're talking about when we talk about speaking in tongues. That's what happened in the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. And direct healings. as we see in the book of Acts. All as a result of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. And so what they say is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in four places. There's the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts, and we're gonna look at those. Acts chapter two, Acts chapter eight, Acts chapter 10, Acts chapter 19. They say that is a model for Christians today and for the church today. They do not see these events as a transition from the Old Testament to the New Testament or the beginning of the church. They believe it is the blueprint for the church. We looked at Acts chapter 2 verses 1 through 13 last week, which took place at Pentecost and it took place in Jerusalem. We saw this as a fulfillment of Jesus' words in Acts chapter one. So in Acts chapter one, verse four, gathering them together, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, which he said, you heard from me, for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. This is before Jesus' ascension, and he's telling them that they're going to be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now. We know now that it was 10 days later at the day of Pentecost that this took place. But notice what he says in verse 8, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest part of the earth. That is significant of the baptism in the Holy Spirit of what's going to happen as a result. We need to understand that these are Jesus' words. And so at the day of Pentecost, verse two of chapter two, there suddenly came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind. This is the only place that that happens in the four accounts of this noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting, and there appeared on them as of tongues distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And so these tongues were not speaking in tongues. These tongues were little, flames that look like tongues of flame, the glory of God resting on them, the significance of what was taking place of the presence of God, the temple of God, the glory of God coming in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And so we need to understand that those things didn't happen in any of the other cases. And we know from John 7, 37 through 39, that this would not take place until after Jesus was glorified. Yet, these 120 believers believed in Jesus Christ before this promise was given. These were ones who had followed Christ before and after His crucifixion, His death, His burial, His resurrection, and His ascension. And so there is this delay. They had trusted Christ. They had been regenerated. They had trusted Christ. They believed in Him and trusted in Him as their Lord and Savior. And yet, there is this delay because Jesus had not yet ascended. And so here's this specific group of people. There's no more groups like that today. Understand that. There's nobody else like that. There's nobody here today that lived in the time before Jesus was crucified and his ascension. It was just these 120. And what happens after they are baptized in the Holy Spirit? What takes place? Not a bunch of healings, not a bunch of people getting slain in the Spirit. They were speaking in tongues and other languages, and what were they doing? They were preaching Jesus Christ. That's what they were doing. To be what? Jesus said, My witnesses. They received the power to preach Jesus Christ. To preach the gospel. And he preaches the gospel, and after they all were saying, what must we do? Peter says to them, verse 38, Notice what he says there. Now he combines the two. He says, you repent, trust in Jesus Christ, being baptized, you will receive the Holy Spirit. Now, baptism by water is not the necessity. We're going to see that later on. But conversion was a necessity, and at their conversion and trust in Christ, Peter says, you're going to receive the Holy Spirit. That's the pattern. And so those, verse 40 on, who had received His Word were baptized, and on that day were added 3,000 converts, 120 to 3,000, a work of the Holy Spirit. And those who were converted at the same time received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. And where did this happen? Where were they at when this happened? Jerusalem. Where did Jesus say in verse 8 of chapter 1, you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem? Here it is. It's happening in Jerusalem. And in Jerusalem were those who were even from Judea. They heard Him in their language. And so, They received the Holy Spirit at conversion. It doesn't say that they too spoke in tongues. Nor did they do spectacular signs and wonders that we see the apostles doing in verse 43. That everyone kept feeling a sense of awe and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. Affirming the message. What about the second account? We find that in Acts chapter 8. Acts chapter 8 beginning in verse 5. Philip went down to the city of what? Samaria. Ok, remember Samaria. And he began proclaiming Christ to them. And the crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. And many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them, shouting with loud voice, and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. And so there was much rejoicing in that city. And then there was a man who practiced magic, was astonished by all this, Simon. We're gonna get to understand Simon a little bit more. So here is Philip, he's preaching in Samaria, and he preaches who? Who was he preaching? Verse 5, he was preaching Christ, right? He was preaching Jesus Christ. It's important. And the result is found in verse 12. But when they believed Philip, preaching the good news about the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike." Meaning that they had trusted in the message of Jesus Christ. They trusted in the gospel and they were being baptized, men and women alike. And even Simon himself was baptized. Alright? Verse 14, now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, right? Peter and John, the apostles, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. So Peter and John are sent down in order that they might receive the Holy Spirit. So here are believers who had trusted in Christ, all of that has happened, their conversion has happened, but they have not yet received the Holy Spirit. Right? So now, here it looks like one of those events when it happens apart from conversion. And it does happen apart from a conversion. Why? So they began laying their hands, verse 17, on them and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. So we may ask, why didn't these believers then receive the Holy Spirit when they trusted in Jesus Christ at their conversion, but instead, it didn't happen until the apostles Peter and John came from Jerusalem and laid their hands on them. Why? Turn back with me to John chapter four. Here we have the woman at the well. Where's the woman from? Anybody know? Samaria, right? The woman's from Samaria. Who are we talking about in Acts chapter 8? Samaria, right? Samaritans. She says in verse 20, That's correct. Jesus said to her though woman believe me an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem Will you worship the father why because there will no longer be the temple in Jerusalem. It's going to be the temple which is the believer We become the temples we begin to worship in spirit and in truth But notice what he says Verse 22, you worship what you do not know, we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. Remember Paul's words in Romans 1? 16, I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God to salvation, to who? The Jew first, and also to the Gentile. So salvation is from the Jews. There's this aspect of the Samaritans understanding that salvation was coming out of Jerusalem. Salvation was coming from the Jews. Salvation was coming from Jesus Christ, who was a Jew, and understanding that truth. And so I believe this was to unite the Samaritans and the Jews, right? They were enemies. They hated one another. The Jews hated the Samaritans. They were half-breeds. And here we see this unifying power coming, and that the Samaritans needed to realize that salvation is from the Jews, and so Jews being represented by the apostles Peter and John, they come, they lay hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit that they understand it is from the Jews. And at the same time, Peter and John realize that salvation is going to the Samaritans. Right? What did Jesus say would happen? In 1.8, you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. Here it is. It's happening in Samaria. In fact, the belief for Peter and for John Verse 25, so when they solemnly testified the spoken, the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem and were preaching the gospel in many villages to the Samaritans. Because the gospel was coming to the Samaritans. And I would tell you that any that would receive Christ in the Samaritans when they went from that point on at conversion received the Holy Spirit. Let's look at the third account. Just over to chapter 10. The third account of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Trying to understand is this a pattern for the church today? Or is it different? So far it looks different. Acts chapter 10. This is Cornelius. Man of Caesarea. He's a Gentile. He's called the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God and all his household and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. Cornelius was not a believer. We're going to see that. But he was a God-fearing man. He was a Gentile. And so Peter, after being persuaded by God, remember the vision that he had of the clean and unclean animals that God says kill and eat, and then God lets him know that there are going to be men who are going to come to take him to Cornelius' house and that he's to go and preach. So we pick it up in verse 34. Opening his mouth, Peter said, I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcomed to Him. The word which He sent to the sons of Israel preaching peace through Jesus Christ He is Lord of all, he's preaching Jesus Christ. You yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all these things He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. And God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible. not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he ordered us to preach to the people, to solemnly testify that this is the one who has been appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead, of him All the prophets bear witness that through His name, everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins. And so, Peter is preaching Christ. Notice what happens. While he is still speaking these words of preaching Christ, the Holy Spirit fell upon them of those who are listening to the message. All of a sudden, they're baptized in the Holy Spirit. They haven't been baptized with water yet. They're baptized in the Holy Spirit, though, at this moment. because they had trusted in Jesus Christ. They had come to faith in Jesus Christ. And so all the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they were hearing them speak with tongues and exalting God. And so here they are, and they're trusting in Jesus Christ, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and they begin to speak in tongues, in other languages, in order that the apostles understand that the Holy Spirit has now just fallen on the Gentiles. And so what's Peter say? Surely no one can refuse the water of those to be baptized, who received the Holy Spirit, just as we did, Kenny. So Peter says, man, we need to baptize these men now. They trusted Christ. Reason why we know they trusted Christ, how did they know they trusted Christ? It's because the Holy Spirit, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. And they asked him to stay a few days. But drop down to Peter's report. I mean, they weren't happy when he'd go back. Why are you preaching to the uncircumcised? Why are you preaching to the Gentiles? Notice what Peter says in verse 14, or verse 15. And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, notice what he says, just as he did upon us at the beginning. Do you see that? The same baptism in the Holy Spirit that the apostles received after waiting 10 more days after the ascension that they received is the same baptism in the Holy Spirit that these Gentiles received even before they were baptized with water. They were converted. They had come to Christ. They received the same baptism. And I remember the word of the Lord, how he used to say, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So here we see the Holy Spirit coming upon them right away. And we know that Cornelius wasn't a believer yet because verse 13 of chapter 11 says, and Cornelius reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, send a Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and your household. They weren't Christians yet until Peter preached. And while Peter was preaching, they trusted Christ. They became believers and at that moment were baptized in the Holy Spirit. What did Jesus say would happen? You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, even to the remotest part of the earth, even to Gentiles. Now the last account is found in Acts chapter 19. This is a different account. In Acts chapter 19 verses 1 through 7, Paul happens to be going to Corinth, or it happened while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus and found some disciples. So Paul goes to Ephesus, and he said to them, did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? And they said to him, no, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit. And he said, into what then were you baptized? And they said, into John's baptism. And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus. And so, these are not believers. These are still those who are part of the baptism of John. They had repented, but they had not trusted in Jesus Christ. They had not heard of these truths. And so, they have not trusted in Jesus Christ. And so, upon believing, verse six tells us, and when Paul had laid his hands upon them, Verse 5 says, when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then look what happens. And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them. Now, was that a separate thing than their conversion? I don't think so, because of language here. Paul laid his hands on them. It's in the Aorist tense, meaning, I believe, that when Paul laid his hands on them to baptize them with water, that at that moment, They received the Holy Spirit. It was at their conversion. They received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. How did Paul know? Because they began speaking with other languages and prophesying. And so here we see in this that the Holy Spirit coming upon people who were just of the baptism of John. Let me ask you this question. Do we have people who just have the baptism of John today? No. And so as you look at these four accounts and acts, you cannot say from these four accounts, that's the model that the church, they're different. They all lead to the baptism in the Holy Spirit, but there's different aspects that take place for specific reasons in the planting of the church. There are special situations. This is not a model for the church to follow. This is the history of how the church began. We are in the position of those who Peter said in Acts 2.38, repent, each one of you, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. That's who we are. The baptism in the Holy Spirit takes place at conversion. There's not two-tier Christianity. There's not the elite who have the baptism of the Holy Spirit and then those who do not. It is a unified, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12, verse 13. He confirms that. And so, besides the baptism in the Holy Spirit, what do we see is consistent in all of these cases? It isn't tongues, because it didn't happen in all the cases. What's consistent in all the cases? Preaching the gospel. It's the preaching of the gospel. and the importance of getting the gospel right. When we preach a false gospel, there is no baptism in the Holy Spirit. So when the gospel is not preached right, and the things that are happening may be by some spirit, but it is not the Holy Spirit. You understand that? That's why that movement now, Peter Wagner wants to include the Mormons in. That's why that movement will include the Catholic Charismatics, even though they do not hold to a gospel of faith alone in Christ alone. It's because they don't preach the true gospel. What is the true gospel? Peter preached it. Paul preached it. What is the true gospel? The true gospel confronts sin. The true gospel lets us know that Jesus is God as well as man. The true gospel turned to Romans chapter 3. Paul says, verse 9, are we any better than they? Not at all, for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all alike under sin. And you need to understand, it's not just this movement. There are others who are preaching false gospels. And I need to understand, do I hold to the true gospel? I need to ask that question. As it is written, there is none righteous, there's not even one. There's none who understands. There's none who seeks for God. All have turned aside. Together they have become useless. There is none who does good. There is not even one. Their throat is an open grave. With their tongues they keep deceiving. The poison of asps is under their lips. There's no fear of God before their eyes. That's our sin. That's our depravity. Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law. So that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God. You need to understand that if you have not trusted Christ, you are under the law today. And you are under the law and when judgment comes, your mouth will be closed because you will realize that you are guilty for not keeping the law and you are worthy of eternal condemnation in hell, which will not be a party. Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. We understand how sinful we are. But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe, for there is no distinction for all who sin and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. understanding that it is only the righteousness of Christ that we are saved. It's through faith in Jesus Christ and His righteousness that we are saved. whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation, meaning that He appeased God's wrath. That God's wrath fell upon Jesus Christ for my sin and for yours. The sin that we deserve condemnation because God is perfect. He demands perfection. He created it perfect. We were the ones that sinned. We were the ones that went astray. We were the ones that became enemies of God. And Jesus had to come as a man and as God. He had to come as a man and as God, fully God, fully man, so that He could become the propitiation in order that He could appease. Only an eternal God could take the eternal wrath of my sin. And only a human Jesus who lived the perfect life could win for me the righteousness that I needed. This was to demonstrate his righteousness because in the forbearance of God he passed over the sins previously committed for the demonstration, I say, of his righteousness at the present time so that he would be just and the justifier. God needs to be just. He's just. He therefore must punish sin. And the penalty of sin is eternal death, condemnation, separation from God in hell. Scripture's very clear. And if you do not trust in Jesus Christ, you need to know that's where you're headed. It's only those who have trusted Jesus Christ, because he is just, Jesus paid the penalty of the sins of every person who would ever believe. And so God remains just as well as he's the justifier. He himself did it. That's the gospel. You understand that? That's the reason for the baptism in the Holy Spirit, is that the gospel would go forth into the world with power, not with signs and wonders, with power of the Spirit to transform a life to be saved. That's who we are. Have you trusted Christ? If you have, you have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Father, Lord, help us to understand this truth, Lord, to know that any gospel that does not proclaim Jesus Christ as God and man, any gospel that does not confront our sin is not a gospel. Any gospel that leaves out all of that and says that you just want to love us and want us in a relationship with you, Lord, that's from the enemy himself. The enemy doesn't want us to know the gospel of Jesus Christ. The enemy doesn't want us to understand the crucifixion, the death, the burial, the resurrection, the ascension. The enemy wants us to overlook our sin and think that we're okay. But the true baptism in the Holy Spirit and the true gospel leads us into true repentance of sin and confessing Jesus Christ alone, the God-man who redeemed us and has reconciled us to yourself. May we be filled with the Spirit to proclaim your truth. In Jesus' name, amen.