Please be seated. It is good to see all of you here this evening. And as we come forward tonight to our second message in our mini-series entitled Nine Foundations for Biblical Evangelism, I invite you please to turn with me in your copy of the scriptures to Matthew chapter 28. Matthew chapter 28. Here is our risen Lord, gives his great commission to his church. For all generations, we read the words which say, picking up in verse 18 of this chapter, and I'll read to the end. Matthew chapter 18. At verse 18, Matthew writes the following and says, Matthew 28 at verse 18, and Jesus came and spoke to them saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Verse 19, go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. Well, let's pray and ask the Lord's blessings on our time. Our great and wonderful God, we are so thankful that we can be here once again this evening. On your day, the Christian Sabbath, so thankful, O God, that you have ordained that this one in seven would be for our good, for our edification. For indeed, Lord Jesus, as you said, the Sabbath was made for man. And we ask, therefore, O great God, that as we read in the opening hour, that we in fact would call the Sabbath a delight. That as we do, according to that great promise, you would cause us to ride upon the high hills of the earth and feed us with the heritage of Jacob. What a spiritual feast is ours, oh God. That's why we're here tonight. That's why we don't miss services, even when it's hot. We thank you, Lord, for giving us such a desire to be in your house, to worship you in the beauty of holiness. Father, as we continue to do this, we're asking that you would send the Spirit to us, for, as Jesus said, it is the Spirit that giveth life. It is the Spirit that quickeneth. And so, Holy Spirit, we pray that you would come, invade this place with your presence and power and your person, and give us of the things of thy holy word. Oh, God, do us good in this hour. Change us and challenge us, we pray. We ask all of these things. in that wonderful name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Now I begin this evening by asking all of you here this night who is to be the focus of our evangelistic efforts. Who are to be the specific targets of our evangelism. Now of course, of course, being the smart Bible people that you are, you know no doubt according to scripture that the scope of our evangelism which is the focus of our attention for this evening, is to be all people everywhere and this without distinction. This is the case and I trust and I know that all of you agree. Now having said this, I must pause to ask all of you here this night, how is it then that oftentimes we actually find ourselves making distinctions among people when it comes to evangelism. I mean, church, how often do our personal biases or even our resentments keep us from sharing the good news of Jesus Christ our Lord to the lost, which, as we considered last time together, is what the heart, the core, and the sum of biblical evangelism is all about. Now while I sincerely believe again that all Christians would readily, quite easily acknowledge that the gospel should go to every person regardless of who they are or where they're from, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, males or females, rich persons or poor persons, black or white persons, plumbers or professionals. However, sadly, brethren, At times, functionally, this is not how things always go. I mean, dear ones, in times like ours, in our day when polarization seems to be at its peak, it's really quite easy for you and I to exclude those whom we don't really like from the scope of the gospel. It's easy for us, for example, to see liberals, homosexuals, or abortionists, etc. as our enemies, rather than as potential recipients of God's free grace in Jesus Christ, our Lord Now, having said this, of course, none of this justifies such people's sins, nor is it to deny at all that their lifestyles are wicked in the sight of God, no. But rather it is to say that political, sexual, and even ethnical barriers often blind us to the fact. that according to the word of God, no one, underscore it, no one, including the worst of sinners, are to be outside of the reach of Jesus Christ, our risen and exalted Lord. Now again, we can say this with our lips, but unfortunately, at times, and if you know your heart well, I know you know it's true, At times, our prejudices cause us to be just like Jonah of old, who was so outraged by the prospect of God's grace being extended to the evil, pagan Ninevites that he immediately jumped on a ship and headed in the opposite direction to where God had called him to go and speak. You recall all of these things in our expositions through Jonah some months ago. Well, in light of this, brethren, I wonder how many of us in this place this evening have been like Jonah in this regard and have done something similar. Well, as we approach our subject, for this evening. Concerning the scope of biblical evangelism, I believe that each of us must ask ourselves some hard questions. I believe that we must honestly ask ourselves who are certain individuals that we struggle to see as potential recipients of God's amazing grace in Jesus Christ our Lord. I mean, again, brethren, I ask you, which people would you have a hard time sharing the good news of Jesus Christ our Lord with? Would it be the LGBTQ plus community? Would it be Muslims, or Catholics, or your mother-in-law, or your father-in-law, or perhaps the bully from high school who used to steal your snacks, et cetera? Well, I trust that you get the point. And the point is that while on the one side of our mouths we could very easily acknowledge that the scope of Our evangelistic efforts are to be all people, in all places, at all times, everywhere. However, it's often just as easy for us, at the same time, to build high walls of resentment that keep us from earnestly sharing Jesus Christ with all people. Well, this is why. This is why, beloved ones here this night, it's absolutely vital for us to drill down this evening on what it really means for our evangelism scope to be all people without distinctions. It's crucial that we do this so that we could truly be doing what God calls us to do, to whom he calls us to do it, and this. so that we might be well-pleasing in his sight as his redeemed people. Now, of course, the classic passage, which highlights to us this whole matter concerning the scope of evangelism, is that passage which I had you turn to just a few minutes ago in Matthew chapter 28. In Matthew chapter 28, is generally seen by most believers as that passage where Jesus speaks to us about worldwide evangelism as that which is to be taken up by all Christians in every generation. However, it's interesting to note that such an understanding of this passage was not always so obvious to all, for as church historians tell us, In the 18th century, the Northampton Shire Baptist Association of England met to discuss the meaning of this passage, Matthew chapter 28, and whether or not it actually commanded that the gospel should be taken to the lost all over the world. Now, interestingly enough, the future father of missions, named William Carey, that great particular, Reformed Baptist minister was there on this occasion and he believed that Matthew 28 gave a very clear command for all Christians in every generation to take the gospel to all the nations. For he questioned how it would be that the gospel could go to all the world apart, separate from human instrumentality. Well, While this was so, sadly, an older man who was also at this particular meeting named John Ryland, who was a pastor of a nearby church, unfortunately, he rebuked Carey, saying, Carey, you are a miserable enthusiast for asking such a question. For what, sir? Can you preach in Arabic? and the Persian language, et cetera? And Mr. Carey, do you think that it is your duty to send the gospel to the heathens? Well, after this, Mr. Ryland followed up with perhaps the most regrettable rebuke in all of church history, when he said to Carey next, quote, young man, sit down. For when God pleases to convert the heathen, he will do it without your aid or mine. And so you see, brethren, for Ryland, who had hyper-Calvinistic tendencies, by the way, For Ryland and others, this great commission passage of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 28 was not for the church in all generations. No, but they viewed it as that which was only for the apostles at that particular time. They viewed it as being exclusively for them and that it was not to extend to the generations that followed. Ah, but having said this, we must ask ourselves here this evening, is this correct? We must ask, is this a proper, a right, a true understanding of Jesus' words here? Well, as we come to consider them for tonight, notice with me three things. And the first is Jesus' authority in verse 18b of this chapter, Jesus' authority here in Matthew's gospel as our lovely and living Lord Jesus Christ has just been gloriously raised from the dead just as he said he would be in Matthew chapter 17. He now announces, look at the language, he says that all authority has been given to him. That is given to him from his father above and this authority, he says, extends in heaven and on earth. And so beloved ones here this evening understand in the outset of our considerations for tonight that this is no localized authority that the Lord Jesus has by the appointment of his father, no, but rather it's expansive. It's universal in its scope. Consequently, we see here that Jesus, having defeated sin, death, and the grave, is proclaiming to us that as the royal and regal king of all the world, absolute rule has been given to him. Cosmic rule. Even as I spoke of this morning, as we considered the overview to the Ephesians. Cosmic rule has been given to Christ. And this, beloved ones here this night, is not something that he's waiting to receive in some so-called millennial age, as some tell us, no, but rather he says that after his resurrection, this has already been given to him. He's not waiting to be king, he's king already. Well, notice with me next, in the passage, Jesus' assignment, his assignment. In verse 19 to 28 of this chapter, since our Lord is now the great king of heaven and earth in a formal way, and has sovereign rule and reign over all things, he says in these words, not by way of a suggestion, no, but rather by way of a command, yes. He says to his followers, look at the language, go therefore, there's the command, and do what? Make disciples of all the nations, followers of me. baptizing them, these disciples. How? In the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Doing what? Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. Now, it is this particular part of this passage that says that the early disciples were to go, look at the language, quote, into all the nations. that I want us to focus on for a few minutes together with reference to our subject this evening concerning the scope of biblical evangelism. I mean, brethren, here our Lord did not say that we are merely to go into some nations with the gospel, no. Nor did he say that we're just to go into the Jewish nations with the gospel, no. But what does he command? What does he say? Well, here he says that because he has all authority, rule, and sovereign reign in heaven and on the earth, that we are to go, therefore, to all places and make disciples through the preaching of the gospel. And so, brethren, the point is, and never forget it, listen, Jesus' universal lordship means that there is a universal mission for us at all times, to all people, and to all places. Shall I repeat it? Jesus' universal lordship means that there is a universal mission for us at all times, to all people, and in all places. Simply stated, beloved ones here this night, wherever there are people, regardless of their backgrounds, regardless of their ethnicity, etc., the glorious message of Christ's sacrifice for sinners is to be proclaimed to them by us. Well again, this is to be the scope of our evangelistic efforts. Thus, differences in culture, backgrounds, temperament, or even locations, et cetera, are to be no obstacle to what our Lord has commanded us. Now, thanks be to God that the church over the centuries has in the main understood these words in this way. Or if not, beloved, you and I who are here this night would have never heard the gospel, right? I mean, dear ones, if the gospel only stayed in Jerusalem in the first century and died out there, guess what? All of us would wind up in hell. Ah, but again I say, thanks be to God that everyone who has read Matthew chapter 28 correctly has understood that although Jesus was originally speaking to his original followers there, he saw nonetheless in them every other one of his followers, which were to then follow in their footsteps. Well, again, all of this makes complete sense. It makes absolute sense. Thus, shortly after this, our Lord says to his disciples in Acts chapter 1 and verse 8, that they were to be what? They were to be his witnesses, literally his martyrs. That's what the word means. They were to be his witnesses, his mouthpieces, his spokesmen. How far? Well, he said, quote, in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and, quote, to the ends of the earth. Now, of course, in saying this, we ask, was it possible for these early disciples to get the gospel of Jesus Christ literally to the ends of the earth? The earth? Well, of course not, church. This is why, again, all disciples after them are to be involved in this great and wonderful and vitally important task of evangelism. And so, having seen from our passage for tonight Jesus' authority and his assignment, come with me now thirdly to note his assurance his assurance in 20b of this chapter. Here is our Lord clearly puts forth the fact that his Great Commission words are to be for all disciples at all times, not only his first century disciples. He says now, look at it with me there in your Bibles, he says, and lo, I love how he begins with the word go, and then he ends with and lo. Go and lo, what a great heading for a sermon. Go and lo, or look and see, Jesus says, I am, quite literally, I myself am, quite emphatic in the Greek text, and lo, see, Jesus says, I myself am with you always. And then he says, I'm stating how long always is, quote, even to the end of the age, and Matthew's so excited about this that he can only say one word, amen, amen, Lord Jesus Christ. Now, surely, it seems clear that these ending words here in this particular section of scripture, were originally given by our Lord not only to encourage his original followers, it would have done that, no doubt, but not just them, no, but also all of his followers after them, right? I mean, here, beloved, Jesus is saying that even as we ourselves go out and obey him in this great commissioned work toward all people everywhere, that he himself will also be with us. just as he was with the early church. And this, he says, even to the consummation of the age. Listen then to commentators Jameson, Fawcett, and Brown at this point. Here, as they paraphrase our Lord's words in Matthew chapter 28, concerning making disciples of all the nations, they say, quote, go conquer the world for me. Again, paraphrasing our Lord's words. Carry the glad tidings into all lands, into every ear. And deem not this work at an end until all nations have embraced the gospel and enrolled themselves, my disciples. Then these helpful commentators ask, quote, now, was all this meant to be done by the 11 men nearest to him of the multitudes then crowding around the risen Redeemer? Well, they reply by saying, impossible. Well, next they ask, was it to be done even in their lifetime? To which they reply saying, surely not. And then, in expounding and expanding on this, they say, quote, in that little band, the disciples, Jesus virtually addressed himself to all who, in every age, should take up from them the same work. They say, quote, before the eyes of the church's risen head, namely Jesus, or spread out in those 11 men all his servants in every age. And one and all of them received his great commission at that moment." Well, my dear ones, here this evening to that excellent statement, I say with Matthew, amen. I say amen. To this I say that the commentators have nailed this point head on. Now, as clear as these words are from Jesus, here in Matthew's gospel, and then again in Mark's gospel in chapter 16, where Mark records there that our Lord said that we are to, quote, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, none excluded. As clear as these words are, it's sad, but it's true that the early church in the first century needed a bit of a kick in the pants when it came to this topic concerning the scope of evangelism. I mean, brethren, just recall with me what was going on there in the early part of Acts when our great God was wonderfully converting a whole bunch of people. Now there in Acts chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost, we're told that 3,000 souls were wonderfully saved and added to the church in Jerusalem. And to be sure, no doubt, these were exciting times. These were great and glorious times as God was doing great and glorious things. And the early disciples were devoting themselves to what? Well, we told in Acts chapter two to the apostles, quote, doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayers. Ah, but having said this, dear ones, for all of that, for all that God was doing among them, In the early church, there were still no Gentiles in their ranks as of yet. As we're told in Acts 6 in verse 1. There were none at this point. And the sad part was that no one seemed to see this as a problem. No one, that is, except God. Except God. Well, how do we know that no Gentiles had officially been added to the church's number there in Jerusalem, at least in terms of a formal connection? Well, the answer is because of the utter shock when it finally happened, right? Now, while it's true that some from the church in Jerusalem were evangelizing the Samaritans in the area, and we considered that together many years ago when I preached the Book of Acts, and it's true that the Ethiopian eunuch had been converted, et cetera, it's true. Ah, but brethren, the point is, and listen carefully, nothing major in this regard took place until a Roman soldier named Cornelius came on the scene around 10 years later after Pentecost as recorded in Acts chapter 10. Now most of you are familiar with that account, I'm sure, but remember with me that this man, Cornelius, who was a Gentile, God-fearing man, with all of his household, was still considered by Jewish standards in that day as what? As unclean, even though he was a God-fearing Gentile. In fact, this was the case so much so that when the early apostles in Jerusalem found out that Peter went into this man's house, which is to say Cornelius, they were outraged, utterly outraged, saying to him in Acts chapter 11 in verse 3, you went into uncircumcised men and ate with them, and ate with them. You could see them pulling out their beards. Again, beloved ones here this night, all of this highlights to us what? Well, it highlights to us the particular bias that the early church had. It shows us their prejudice and their limited understanding of the true scope of evangelism. Well, thankfully, after God, showed Peter that he was not to call common what God had cleansed, which means that God himself deemed Gentiles to be just as fitting for the gospel as the Jews. We're told that after Peter shares this news with the other apostles, to their credit, Luke says in Acts chapter 11 and verse 18 that, quote, At that moment, they glorified God, saying, then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life. Ah, but brethren, please, don't miss the practical point at hand. And it is that very often you and I can also see certain individuals as unclean, as common, and even as our enemies. We can see, for example, those neighbors, even our neighbors across the street, who have a rainbow flag hanging in their yard. or signs with godless politicians on them as those who should not hear about Jesus' love for the lost. Well, brethren, these are just a few examples out of a thousand, right? But again, the point is all of us have prejudices against certain people or certain people groups. And this dramatically and radically affects our evangelism to them. And this is because we often don't see people as those that should hear about Jesus. We often become reluctant to share the gospel with such ones. In fact, sadly, sometimes we even feel that such people are unworthy of our time. unworthy of our effort in this regard. Which of course I know in a sense everyone's unworthy of hearing the gospel, but you get the sense in which I use the word unworthy. Sometimes we feel that such people are unworthy of our effort to them in this regard, thinking maybe that it's just better that they burn in hell. Let them rot in hell. Oh, but brethren, I ask you here this night, should this really be our disposition as Christians? Should this really be our attitude? Should it be your attitude? Should it be my attitude? I mean, especially since our Lord Jesus Christ has a heart that is wide for all kinds of people, all sorts of individuals. commanding us to go and to share the gospel with them. Don't you see that this should cause us as well to have same good gospel disposition in us toward them? If this was Christ's heart, the point is it should be our heart as well. Now, having spoken of some of the skepticism regarding the scope of the gospel. In the early church, surely such a disposition as this was inexcusable for them in light of the Old Testament, right? Inexcusable for them in light of the Old Testament. I mean, church, the idea of the gospel, which is to say the good news of Jesus Christ our Lord, being for all the world, and not just for one particular people, group, It's not just some New Testament idea, no. But rather, it's the very thing that God had told Abraham would be the case. Thus, for example, in Genesis chapter 12, God said to him, in you, Abraham, all the families, not just some, not just the Jewish ones, no, but all the families, Abraham, of the earth shall be blessed. Now, how would they ultimately be blessed? Well, ultimately, they would be blessed through Abraham's royal savior seed. Not seeds plural, but seeds singular, as we're told in Genesis chapter 22. And who is this royal savior seed, even the Messiah of God, who would come from Abraham's ancestry? Well, that seed, as you know, beloved ones here this night, is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, And Paul confirms this plainly in Galatians chapter three. And so brethren, once again, the point is, even in the old covenant, God was teaching his people that the good news of the Messiah Jesus was not just a Jewish thing. No, but rather it's a worldwide thing. Yes. Indeed, this is the case. Consequently, when the prophet Isaiah spoke with reference to our Lord Jesus Christ, who was to come, he called him in Isaiah chapter 42 and chapter 49, quote, a light for all the nations and one who would bring salvation, quote, to the ends of the earth. Now, of course, all of this All that I've just said, all that I've just articulated makes perfect sense. Thus our Lord Jesus Christ even pressed this very point home to Nicodemus of old, as set forth in John chapter three, right? He did, and brethren, what you must understand is that Jesus' statement there to Nicodemus concerning God so loving what? The world. comes on the heels of an age-old debate in Jewish circles. You must understand that. If not, you missed the whole point of the passage, making it say something that it does not say. It comes on the heels of an old age rabbinic debate. And what was that debate centered in? Well, it was centered in our very theme for this evening, the scope of salvation. It was centered in the question, is salvation for Abraham's physical descendants only, or is it also for all the nations? Is it also for others outside of our Jewish community? And so you see, even though Nicodemus was, quote, the teacher in Israel, as our Lord Jesus Christ identifies him. He still nonetheless needed to be instructed with reference to the fact that although Jewish people generally viewed non-Jewish individuals as filthy and barbaric, God nonetheless still has a people among them. God has a people for himself. And this out of every tribe, nation, tongue, and kindred who will be redeemed through the gospel of Christ and will worship him forevermore, glory be to his name. That's what the Bible teaches. Ah, but having said all these things convincingly, I trust Who knows? But maybe, just maybe, there's someone here this evening, or perhaps someone listening to my voice online, who might be objecting to this whole worldwide scope, every person idea of evangelism, And this on the grounds of the doctrine of election. The doctrine of election, as I mentioned it earlier today. I mean, someone might argue, how could it be possible for a person who holds to the biblical doctrine of election, as we do in this place, to also believe that we are to share the gospel with all people everywhere? For if we believe that only a certain number of people are going to be saved, as we do, how is it that we should preach to all? Now perhaps you've heard this argument before, as typically this is laid against us who are Calvinistic. Well, brethren, be that as it may, what you and I must understand and never forget, nonetheless, is that believing that God has an elect people whom he will save through the preaching of the gospel is not at all contrary to preaching the gospel to all people. And why? Well, the answer is because it's through the preaching of the gospel to all people that the elect hear and are saved. Right? You see, church, you and I don't need to know who the elect are. We know they exist. We don't need to know who they are. To be honest, it's none of our business. But in obedience to Jesus, we are to be faithful to preach the gospel to every creature, trusting that as we do this, Jesus' elect sheep will hear his voice and follow him. Now, surely this is what Mr. Spurgeon meant when he famously said that, quote, if God would have painted a yellow stripe on the backs of the elect, I would go and lift up their shirts to see if they had a yellow stripe. But since he didn't, Spurgeon says, I must preach whosoever will. And whosoever will believes, I know that he is one of the elect. Well, this then, dear ones, is why there is absolutely no inconsistency at all between Reformed soteriology and Reformed evangelism. No contradiction at all between our understanding of salvation and the fact that we are to preach to all men everywhere. In fact, this is the most consistent thing in all the world. For when we understand that evangelism is the means, the preaching of the gospel is the means that God uses in order to bring his four ordained people to himself for salvation, this doesn't dull our passion to preach to the lost, no, this energizes it. This makes us eager to preach to all people everywhere, saying what the apostle Paul, In 2 Timothy 2 and verse 10, I endure all things for whom. He says for the sake of the elect, or some versions, the sake of the chosen ones. To what end, Paul says, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus. Now of course, and this is a vital point, Of course, this is why, if you check church history, you will see that the greatest, underscore it, the greatest evangelists and missionaries were all reformed in their theology. They were all Calvinists. They were not false teachers like Charles Finney, having revivalistic meetings and decisionisms going on in the house of God, leading multitudes astray, no. But they were all reformed in their theology, preaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I mean, church, this is what was so for the great Puritans. This is what was so for Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, Jim Elliott, David Brainerd, again, William Carey, Judson, and Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones, et cetera. In fact, brethren, this is why John Calvin himself, who, by the way, was also a Calvinist. What did he do? He sent missionaries to Brazil. And this is because he understood the basic truth which I've been putting forth this evening, namely that the scope of the gospel is all people everywhere regardless of who they are and regardless of where they are from. Well, this, brethren, is why you and I must not leave anyone out when it comes to sharing the gospel. This is why you and I must make sure that our hearts and minds are in tune with the heart and mind of our lovely Savior, Jesus Christ, who said, for example, in John chapter four and verse 35, behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields. Why? He says, for they are already white for harvest. Well, by way of application then, as I begin to wind down for this night, let me ask all of you here this evening, Well, name the name of the Lord, just one question. It's hot, so you're getting a break. Just one question. And it's this, have you looked up recently? Have you looked up recently? Lift up your eyes, Jesus said. Look at the fields where they are already white for harvest, I ask you, Christian. Have you looked up recently? Let me ask, have you considered who is to be the focus of your evangelistic efforts? And why? And have you gone after them with the gospel? Well, I hope that this has been the case. If not, I hope that it'll be the case going forward from this night on. And in view of it, I pray that God will cause all of us in this church to be very useful in the lives of all kinds of people, all sorts of people, even those people that we might not particularly like them too much. Regardless of their sexual perversion and their political positions, all those things that get under our skin. They're lost, brethren. They're heading to hell. Church, I say, lift up your eyes. Christ has given us a great commission. None are excluded. So be like Jesus and have a heart for all sorts of people. And this for their good and ultimately for the glory of our great God. I close then with a word to any non-Christian here this night. To you who don't know the Lord Jesus Christ savingly, what can I say to you but simply this? Listen, since you fall into the scope of those for whom Jesus came to save, You absolutely have no reason at all for not going to Him to be saved. Right? A friend, this is the case. And so since the Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrected and exalted Messiah of God, since He's willing to save all who come to Him by faith alone, regardless of their backgrounds and regardless of what they've done, May it be that even this night you will be found going to him since his heart is open, since his heart is wide to all kinds of people. This is why our Lord said in Matthew's gospel, come to me all, all, all, none are excluded. Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I myself will give you rest. If you're not a Christian here this night, I know one thing about you. You're restless, spiritually speaking. So come to Jesus and find rest for your soul. Come to him, you say, oh, But you don't know what I've done, Pastor. You don't know my background. You don't know the evils that I've been involved in. Oh, my friend, you're right. I don't know and I don't need to know. But in the truest sense, it doesn't matter to Jesus. He's the Savior of sinners. Sinners? Paul says, of whom I am chief. He's the Savior of sinners. What kind of sinners? all kinds, all kinds. So come to Christ by faith, even this night, owning your sinnerhood before him. Oh, Lord, cleanse me, wash me. I'm full of lies. I'm full of deceit. I'm full of immorality. I'm full of theft. Oh, God. Great Savior, you who hung and died for the guilty, cleanse me and wash me. You who made satisfaction for sinners on the Calvary and paid their debt in full there 2,000 years ago, cleanse me of my sin. Oh, great Savior. You come to Christ, even this night, my dear non-Christian friend, and find in Him all that you need, all that you're looking for, it's found in Him. True forgiveness, true mercy, true grace, true love, true acceptance with God, it's all found in Christ. So come to Him and find Him to be You're all in all. Let's pray together. Our Father, we thank you for the challenges of your word. We're thankful that tonight perhaps you've kicked against some of our prejudices and our biases. And we ask you, Lord, to forgive us of our own sins as your people. for our narrowheartedness. And even our narrowheartedness, Lord, when you save great sinners, and then sometimes we're slow to receive them. Indeed, oh God, that is an affront to your grace. Forgive us, Lord, we pray, and renew in us a steadfast spirit. that has your heart and that sees all people, even the worst of people, as those whom we should speak to? For indeed, O Lord, you told us that you didn't come into the world to call the righteous to repentance which is to say the self-righteous, but you came to call sinners to repentance. Oh God, help us then to do the same and to tell those same sinners that if they turn from their sins and turn to you by faith, You will abundantly pardon for that is your very nature. Oh God, we pray and we ask all of these things in and through that wonderful name of Jesus Christ, our wonderful Lord, amen.