The Glory Of The Son

As we return to our study of the Trinity again this Sunday, I want you to take your Bibles and turn with me to a couple passages in the book of John, the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John, Chapter 4. John chapter 4 Jesus has been speaking to the Samaritan woman and she's gone back into the village and the disciples come back to Jesus with some food and this conversation ensues chapter 4 verse 31 meanwhile the disciples were urging him saying Rabbi eat but he said to them I have food to eat that you do not know about.

So the disciples said to one another, Has anyone brought him something to eat? Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work. Next chapter, chapter 5. Verse 25. Truly, truly, I say to you, Do not marvel at this. For an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out.

Those who have done good to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. Lastly, chapter 6, verses 35 through 40. Listen carefully again about what Jesus says about his relationship to his Father. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

But I said to you that you have seen me, and yet do not believe. all that the father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me i will never cast out for i have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me and this is the will of him who sent me that i should lose nothing of all that he has given me but raise it up on the last day For this is the will of my Father that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day Let's pray. Father once more we are here in this place as your people to listen to your voice in the word of God we pray that you would give us ears to hear Father as we speak of the glory of your son and his relationship to you and to the spirit and his relationship to us we pray that you would give us the ability to think through these things and to put together what is true as we hear it from the word of God. Help us now, we pray in Jesus name.

Amen. Let's take a quiz. All right. Let me ask you some questions. Children, are you equal to your mom and dad? wives are you equal to your husbands you workers are you equal to the ceo of whirlpool or honda or for that matter are you equal with even let's say your department head now my guess is that most of you would respond with no not equal to my boss not equal to my husband not equal to my mom and dad.

So let me ask you this. Do you mean to say that your parents are more human than you are, children? Or wives, you're less valuable than your husband? Or maybe you laborers or the bosses better people than you? And the answer, of course, again, would be no. We don't have equal authority.

We submit because someone else has more authority than we do, but that has nothing to do with our value or our humanity. Okay, good. You're exactly right, A. But what about the things you do in each of those roles? Okay, children do not work and provide for the family. Husbands do not bear children Laborers do not develop international marketing strategies All right So if you can do certain things if you can do certain things does that decrease your value And I guess you would say to me, no, it doesn't decrease our value.

Our functions may be different, but we are still essentially the same. all of us are equally human and equally valuable all right so it is with god so it is with god even though each person of the trinity serves different functions and each person of the trinity relates differently to the other persons of the trinity that does not make one member more valuable than the other nor more important than the other nor does it make one more god and the other less God. Even though they serve different functions, even though members of the Trinity submit to others, members of the Trinity, it does not mean that they're any less God, any less valuable, any less important. How do I know that?

Because of the relationship of the Son to His Father and to His Spirit. let's take a quick review here of our study in the trinity time for a quick review here's our definition if you haven't written it down yet here it is god eternally exists as three persons father son and holy spirit and each person is fully god and there is one God. Okay, let me say it again. God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

And each person is fully God, and there is one God. God is three persons. Each person is fully God. There is one God. Question, how can God be three, yet one? Because his nature, his nature is undivided.

We cannot say that the Father is more powerful or wiser than the Son or the Spirit, nor can we say that the Father and the Son are more powerful and wiser than the Spirit, nor can we say something like the Father existed before the Son and the Spirit None of those are true There are no differences in deity There are no differences in attributes or the essential nature between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each is fully God. Each has all the attributes of God.

God is in one essence, yet three in person. one divine essence one divine nature yet three persons well then another question comes up and that is how can god be one yet three because they differ in their relationships to one another and how they function towards the creation how can they be one yet three because they differ in their relationship to one another, and they function towards creation differently. The Father does not do what the Son and the Spirit do. The Son and the Spirit do not do what the Father does.

The Spirit does not do what the Father and the Son does. There is equality of essence, but difference in function. And that's one phrase I think that helps us the most. equality of essence, all divine, difference in function. All right? Now this morning we want to understand the second person of the Trinity. Last time we talked about the glory of the Father.

Today we want to talk about the glory of the Son. We're going to do it in three ways. First, we need to consider the glory of the Son in His work, in His work of creation and salvation. then we want to see the glory of the son in his relationship to the other persons of the trinity and finally we want to see the glory of the son in the pattern that he gives us okay so first of all see the glory of the son in his work right what we want to see is the is the difference in the function what does the son do what what distinguishes him he's god just as much as the others.

What distinguishes him then? Well, the first place we need to look is in creation. We need to see the glory of the Son in creation. All right, now look, in order to do systematic theology, you've got to turn in your Bibles to lots of places, and we put it all together. So be ready to go, all right? If you don't know the order of the books of the Bible, stick your thumb in the table of contents.

But let's go real easy, Genesis 1. Everybody knows where that one is. Genesis 1, verses 1 and 2. Okay, and by the way, I'm going to ask you to turn quickly, speedily. Alright? The length of this sermon depends on you.

Genesis 1, verses 1 and 2. in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth the earth was without form in void and darkness was over the face of the deep and the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters now we see that God created everything notice verse 3 and God said let there be light and there was light verse 6 and God said let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters and let it separate the waters from the waters verse 9 and God said let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place and let the dry land appear. Verse 11, and God said, let the earth sprout vegetation, plants, yielding seed and fruit trees, bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind on the earth. Of course, that happened and it was so.

Verse 14, and God said, let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And it was so. All right. Verse 20, and God said, let the water swarm and swarms living creatures and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens. And it happened. Verse 24, and God said, let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds.

And that happened. And then finally, verse 26, then God said, let us make man in our image after our likeness. And again, that's what happened. So we see God created everything. God says, now turn over to John chapter 1. John chapter 1.

And we read this in the first three verses of the Gospel of John. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. this word this word of God who is God yet distinguished from God this was the person who created everything and nothing that you see I mean absolutely everything that you see was created by Him What do we see there?

We see that Jesus is the Creator. Now again, Colossians 1.16. Here's what we read in Colossians 1.16. For by him, referring to Jesus in this context, for by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him. Speaking of Jesus, he created all things.

Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1 and 2, the last passage. Hebrews 1, 1 and 2. Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. But in these last days, he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. Now, what do we see? We see at the very beginning that God the Father spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being.

God spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being. But it was God the Son, the eternal word of God, who carried out those creative decrees. God said it, the Son carried it out. The Son accomplished or carried out God's creative decrees. and then we read in Genesis it seems that the spirit hovering over the face of the waters is apparently there to sustain and maintain God's immediate presence in the creation father the decrees son accomplishing it the spirit making the immediate presence of the father known all right let's let's think of it this way let's say this company called Kavanaugh's architectural concepts draws up the plans for Marion's first skyscraper, Audrey Towers.

And Parker Home and Pro Home Solutions gets the contract to build it And you work for Parker At the end of the day who created that tower They all did. From the architect to the contractor to the laborer, it's their creation, right? All of them are involved in that. What's the point here? The point is simply this. Jesus, God the Son, the second person of the Trinity, is the creator of the universe in the sense of he's the one who carried out the work of creation.

He functions within the Trinity as the one who carried out the work of creation. He can be distinguished from the other two persons of the Trinity by his work. God decreed it. He did it. The Spirit makes the presence known. All of that is true.

All of it involved in the creation. but he is the one who builds it if you will it's his work that's his function so when it comes to creation Jesus is the creator in the sense that he's the one who accomplished what God wanted accomplished now what about our salvation turn to Ephesians chapter 1 Ephesians chapter 1 you'll see a pattern here as we read through three Ephesians 1 3 through 10 what do we see about Jesus here in terms of his work what work what function does he have in the trinity blessed be the verse 3 blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the beloved in him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to Unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. What we see here is that God the Father plans the work of redemption. God the Son accomplishes it.

He accomplishes what the Father planned The Son obeyed the Father and accomplished redemption for his people Neither God the Father nor God the Spirit came to die for your sins Jesus did. This was the particular work of the Son. Is he God? Yes. Is God the Father God? Yes.

Is God the Spirit God? Yes. They are all God. But the function of the Son is different from the other two. He accomplished what the Father planned. That's not all.

Turn to John chapter 16, verse 7. This is Jesus talking. Quickly, quickly, quickly. John 16, 7. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. This is Jesus now.

It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. Now we know that when the Spirit comes, this helper, he comes to give us new birth. He regenerates us. It's the Spirit who regenerates us. It's the Spirit who sanctifies us.

It's the Spirit who empowers us for obedience and for service. So it seems, then, that the Father plans it, the Son accomplishes it, but the Spirit brings it to completion. that is the spirit applies the redemption that Jesus has accomplished the work that was planned by the father and accomplished by the son you see the father planned it the son accomplished it the spirit applies it or completes it again we distinguish the son in the trinity by the particular work he does in our salvation so by the particular work he does in creation by the particular work that he does in salvation. This is how we know the Son.

Same in essence, difference in function. So although equal with the Father and the Spirit in his nature, equal with them in his deity, the Son has a different function in creation and salvation than the Father and the Spirit. Right? Difference in function, equal in essence. alright so we see the glory of the Son in His work of creation and salvation now we need to see the glory of the Son in His relationships within the Trinity how does He relate to the Father how does He relate to the Spirit Okay?

And I think this is particularly important, because the Bible itself says we have something to learn from this relationship of the Trinity that has an immediate application to you. 2 Corinthians chapter 11. I'm sorry, 1 Corinthians chapter 11. We already read 2 Corinthians 11. 1 Corinthians 11. notice what the apostle paul says in verses two and three now i commend you because you remember me and everything and maintain the traditions even as i deliver them to you but i want you to understand that the head of every man is christ the head of wife is her husband and the head of Christ is God.

Referring to God the Father. The head of Christ is God. Here's an absolutely clear declaration of the fact that the Son is under the authority of the Father. How do I distinguish the Son who's equally God with the Father but what function does he have he submits to the father he is under the authority of the father now Paul in this chapter is about to deal with the importance of women acknowledging the authority of men in the community of faith but before he does that he makes the point that authority and submission in human relationships reflects the authority and submission that is that exists in the Godhead there is an authority and submission dynamic a structure of authority and submission within the trinity itself there exists this authority and submission among us because an authority and submission structure exists in the very being of God.

Therefore, it exists among us. Do you see that? He's saying, he's going to develop in this chapter the fact that women must acknowledge the authority of the men in the congregation And what does he base that on He bases it on the fact that God the Son exists in an authority relationship to God the Father He is submissive to the Father. Well, how and when?

Well, first of all, the Son submitted to the Father during his incarnation and his earthly ministry. Now, we've already read in John chapter 4. What did we see in John chapter 4? We saw this. Jesus said to them, my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. You know what Jesus is saying there?

He's saying, you know what, my food and my drink, the very thing that keeps me alive if you will is to do the will of my father what he says that's what i'm here to do right what would happen if you had no food and drink you would cease to exist now god jesus isn't saying he'd cease to exist what he's trying to get across is this idea of man this is so important it's like food and drink i've come to do the will of my father i've come to accomplish what he has said. I've not come to do my will. I've come to do his will.

Saw the same thing in John chapter 6. Do you remember? For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. So when Jesus says, believe in me and you'll have eternal life. Why does he say that? Because that's what the father will.

That all who would look on him would have eternal life. I have come to do the will of my Father. Turn over to John chapter 8 now. John chapter 8, verses 28 through 30. This is Jesus in this really knock-down, drag-out fight with the Pharisees. This is the chapter where he calls them, you know, these most holy men in the nation of Israel, where he calls them sons of the devil.

Not a way of gaining popularity. But in this discussion with them, he makes this claim. or he says this in verse 28 through 30. So Jesus said to them, when you have lifted up the Son of Man, when you've crucified me, then you will know that I am He, now know, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak just as the Father taught me And he who sent me is with me He has not left me alone, for, note, I always do the things that are pleasing to him.

As he was saying these things, many believed in him. Now, in verse 23, he's already made a claim to deity. in verse 23 he has said you are from below I am from above you are of this world I am not of this world clearly Jesus is saying I am God there but even after he says that even after he says I'm from above I'm God he goes on to say that he does nothing but what the Father tells him to do and he has said this a number of times we've seen in chapter four we see it in chapter five we see it in chapter six we see it in chapter eight he says i have come to do the will of the father he said this a number of times and look at the level of this submission all right look at the level of this submission what does he say i do nothing on my own authority what else does he say I always do the things that are pleasing to my Father. Wow!

When you talk about submission, there it is. I do nothing on my own. The only thing I'm doing is what my Father has told me. That's everything I do is in submission to Him. That's quite a level of submission, isn't it? That's incredible.

Well, someone might say, but Jesus came as a man. Of course He was submitted to the Father back then. But what about eternity past? And what about now and eternity future? Is he still submissive? This is a good question.

Many are asking that question today, by the way. And what we find is the son submitted to the father in the eternal ages of the past. Before he ever came, he was submissive to the father. Now, some today would reject that. There are some today that reject that and say that Jesus was only submissive to the father when he was here on earth during the period of his incarnation.

There's a group, and I want to talk about this. I don want to you know be a theology wonk right here and bore you to death But I think you need to know this There a group of people within evangelicalism that call themselves evangelical egalitarians Okay? What does that mean? Evangelical. What does that mean? Evangelical is the shorthand term used today that says these are people who believe that the Bible is true.

They believe it's the word of God. And evangelicals believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ. That's the shorthanded definition of evangelicals. So these are people who say, we believe that the Bible is true. What does egalitarian mean? And egalitarian means that this is a term that means that these people say there is no authority submission structure within the church and the family.

That is to say, we believe the Bible is true, but we do not believe that the Bible teaches that wives should submit to their husbands. And we do not believe that women should not hold the office of elder within the church. We don't believe the Bible teaches that. okay well why would anyone say this why would anyone say that Jesus was only submissive during the period of his incarnation because if you can say that because if the son because if the son was submissive in eternity past and if the son will be submissive in eternity future then authority and submission are eternal realities.

Right? So if you say, well, Jesus was only submissive when he was here on earth, then you open up the door to, so we don't have to have this authority submission thing going on in the family and the church because Jesus wasn't submissive in the past and before he came and he's not submissive, he won't be submissive in the future. That was just a temporary thing.

Is that true though? Is it true? well 1st Corinthians 11 verse 3 again what does it say the head of Christ is God it doesn't sound like Paul is saying you know for a short time for only the 30 years he was here he's saying he is the head of Christ and then you look at at the gospel of John in particular turn over to real turn over to John 3 let's look at that John 3 and John 6 real quickly. All right, now look, in the Gospel of John, Jesus says 30 times, 30 times in the Gospel of John that the Father sent him.

Okay? So if you would say, look up, get on your computer program and look up Father sent in the Gospel of John, you would see that Jesus mentions it 30 times in that gospel. Things like this. John 3 verse 16 and 17. For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. God what?

Gave his son. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him. God sent his son to deliver us from condemnation. John chapter 6. We read this once already, verse 38. For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

Now, I don't know about you, but when I send somebody to do something, right? Typically that person's under my authority. Right? If I would say to one of you, let's say, you know, we're downtown at the post office and I meet you and I say, oh, shoot, I got to go to Marion. I got to talk to somebody, go to my office and go get such and such. You would say to me, I don't have to do that.

What did we all say to our to our brother or our sister when they said, you go do this? What would we say to them? you're not come on am I the only one who said it you're not my boss I don't have to do it but Jesus was sent what does that say it's like the son obeyed the father in eternity past by saying essentially yes father I will accept the mission you have designed for me to take on human flesh and to bear the guilt and the shame of sinful humanity. To send someone certainly means they're under your authority.

The fact that Jesus obeyed in eternity past is the reason why he was here So yes in the past Jesus was submissive as the Trinity worked before even creation The Son was submissive Look at 1 Corinthians 15 To me, this talks about the future. To me, there's just, it says it absolutely clearly. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, starting in verse 23. Watch what he says. for he that is jesus must well wait a minute that's 25 verse 23 but each in his own order christ the first fruits first fruits then at his coming those who belong to christ then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to god the father after destroying every rule and every authority and power for he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet the last enemy to be destroyed his death for god has put all things in subjection under his feet but when it says all things are put in subjection it is plain that he is accepted that is the father is accepted who put all things in subjection under him that is christ when all things are subjected to him then this to christ then the son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him that God may be all in all.

Clearly in the future when all things are subjected to Jesus then the son will again hand it all over and show his subjection to the father. So Jesus incarnation is nothing more than the manifestation here and now of what is eternally true of what is eternally true now how does the son relate to the spirit turn over to john chapter 16 for a moment just as the son speaks by the authority of the father and he speaks only what the father tells him so the spirit speaks by the authority of the son and what the son tells him now i want you to listen to two passages here first of all we've already read this in john chapter 8 listen carefully and you'll see the the parallel kind of language that's used about the son to the father and the spirit to the son listen to the what it says about the son to the father so jesus said to them when you've lifted up the son of man then you will know that i am he and that i do nothing on my own authority but speak just as the father taught me now listen to what jesus says about the Spirit in John 16 I still have many things to say to you but you cannot bear them now When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on what? His own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. You see the parallel? The Son only says what the Father teaches him. He does it under the authority of the Father. The Spirit only says what the Son says to him and under the authority of the Son. So the Spirit is submissive to the Son.

The Spirit submits to both Father and Son. John 15, turn over just a few more pages. John 15, verses 26. John 15, verse 26, here's what Jesus said, But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about me. Note, both send the Spirit. The Father is the ultimate sender, while the Son is the subordinate sender.

In Acts chapter 2, verse 33, listen to what Peter says. Listen carefully to what Peter says. He's talking about Jesus when he says, Before being, therefore, exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. So Peter kind of draws the picture of the Father giving the Spirit to the Son, and the Son sends it.

All right? So the Spirit, then, is submissive to both the Father and the Son. Bruce Ware, a theologian, wrote this. The Spirit is sent by the Son as from the Father that the Spirit might honor the Son to the glory of the Father. See that? so in the triune God the son is under the father over the spirit that how they relate to one another in the trinity so is the Son then any less God any less deity because of his subordinate position under the Father Is he?

Is he any less God because of his subordinate position? No, he is still fully God, is he not? Yet, he is subordinate to the Father in authority. Not in essence, but in authority. He's the same as his father in his essence. But in his function, in his function, he submits.

He is not equal in authority. But he is certainly equal in essence. He is still God. One theologian wrote this. I want you to listen carefully to this. Because I think this answers a lot of problems that we have today.

Subordination is not inferiority. and it is godlike. The principle is embedded in the very cohesion of the eternal trinity and it is inseparable from the unity, fraternity, and the true equality of men. It is not a mark of inferiority to be subordinate, to have an authority to obey. It is divine. Alright? Right?

Now, lastly then, see the glory of the Son in the pattern that He gives us. First of all, I'm going to give you four things here, okay? You can tick them off. You know we're getting near the end. Four things. Number one, marvel at the nature of submission.

Listen, if we learn anything, learn this. submission is God-like. Submission is God-like. We have no problem with saying exercising authority is being like God. But you know what else is true? You know what else is true? Submission is being like God.

It is a divine characteristic. It is not that, oh, I exercise authority, I'm like God, I'm submissive. you're like God when you're submissive you're like God the Son you're like the second person of the Trinity submission is not a swear word it's a God-like thing so if you're in a submissive position Not just women here, but you men. All of us are in positions of submission.

We've got to stop thinking that it's God-like to exercise authority, but it's like second-level citizenship to be in a submissive position. That's not true. That is not true. Jesus teaches us that submission to authority is also a divine exercise because God himself in the person of Christ submitted in everything, in everything. To submit is to be like God.

Second thing, rejoice at the truth that the son's submission teaches. Now listen carefully, would you? I think that the Trinity, the whole doctrine of the Trinity floods into the gap here. And here's what it is. You live in a culture that consistently hammers into your head this lie. If you are not equal in authority, then you are not equal in value.

That is what you hear all the time. That is why these evangelical egalitarians are gaining strength. You know why? Because what they're saying is if you don't let women be pastors, then you're saying they're less valuable. No, we're not. Jesus is not less valuable because he submitted to the Father If you not equal in authority you are not equal in value is a lie It is a lie and we need to keep that in our heads We need to respond to that lie with the truth of what is true in the Trinity.

There's another lie, and that is this. Any authority that requires submission is evil. of course no one lives consistently with that even though they might preach it they don't live consistently with that we live in a culture now that is so that is so sensitive to the abuse of power and by the way I'm against the abuse of power too but what's happening and please don't ever hear me say power is right it's not, power is often evil In fact, most of the time the way it's used is evil. But the point I'm trying to make is don't buy the lie that says if you have an authority submission structure, that's evil in its nature because it's requiring submission.

Not so. That is not the case. The truth of Jesus' submission says the opposite. Please listen. I think this is something that we have to understand. Jesus is no less God than the Father even though he submits to the Father.

He's no less God. Jesus is not less valuable because the father has authority over him. Is he? No. No. When the scripture says that the husband has authority in the home or that only men may serve his elders it is not asserted that women are less valuable And that what our culture is saying Unless you have equal authority you do not have equal value The Trinity says just the opposite.

Okay, third thing. Be encouraged by the fact that unity and harmony are possible in an authority submission structure. Unity and harmony are possible. The world is going to tell you power always brings evil. And the Bible says, no, authority and submission can be a relationship of great harmony and unity. And then lastly, have confidence in the fact that one in a subordinate position can accomplish great things.

We are here every Sunday to worship the triune God and to exalt the name of Jesus the one who is in a subordinate position. Right? People in subordinate positions can accomplish great things. Just because you have to submit to an authority does not mean that you can't do anything. Look at what Jesus accomplished when he did this Father's will. so how then do we see the trinity we see the Son submitting to the Father Not being any less God but performing a particular function.

Being in a particular relationship. This is the God that we have. And if you walk out of here this morning with anything, leave here thinking this. submission is like Jesus and you can never go wrong being like Jesus father thank you for your word this this day thank you that in all of these things we see the glory of the son father we don't equate glory with someone in a subordinate position.

And yet you have said that because your son was submissive, you're going to give him the name that is above every name in heaven and earth. Help us to remember that. Help us to think that. Help us to remember and to fight the lies of our culture. And whatever position we're in, whenever we're under authority, help us, Lord, men and women, all of us, to remember that this is a God-like quality.

And so we commit ourselves to you to live in the truth of our triune God. And we will thank you for the work that you will do in us and through us. In Jesus' name, amen.