Why Evangelize

To twenty nineteen beautiful singing to start off the day. Please bow with me. I want to start us off in prayer. Father in heaven. We are here because of your divine providence and caring for not only your children, but making sure that we continue to be informed in growing in our knowledge of who Christ is and what you have done, strengthening our faith, Almighty God, as we learn to trust in you, the one true, powerful God who controls everything. Father, we take great comfort in the things that were discussed last night, the teaching that we receive. We thank you Father for that faithfully given. And Lord, we pray that more than anything, that you are glorified by our worship, by the affections of our heart or God where we pray that you be with doctor Bacham and doctor Askell as they continue to teach us this morning, that your spirit would be guiding their words. It's in Jesus, and then we pray and ask these things. Amen. Well, I have the privilege again to introduce our next speaker, Uh, doctor Vode Bacam, who caught the red eye last night. Thank you brother for doing that once again. Well. Vodi is first husband to bridget father of nine so you barely lost that battle with Tom on that. But that's okay. Those are bragging right still, number of grandchildren growing. Vodi received his his formal education in the in theology from a West Southwestern Baptist with his MDiv. And Southeastern Baptist with his doctorate ministry, So I guess you could say he's geographically balanced there south and east and southwest. He's authored a number of books and which are available in the bookstore, so we would invite you to also check that out later. But he also is an avid conference speaker, which I'm sure you well know, and so we welcome here today. So he's serving currently as Dean of Theology at African Christian University. We mentioned him last night and they do have a table back there and they'll be mentioned again. But Vodi Baka more affectionately to here. At Grace Family Baptist Church, we referred to him as pastor voting a father in the faith in many ways to us here, as he's introduced so many things of Reformed theology to many of us, so we're always glad when he's back here with us. He planted his church thirteen years ago, so it's a blessing to see him here again. Well, Vodi, I could go on and on and I might even. Shed it here, so I'll stop there. So if you'll please come up and save me. Thank you. Well, good morning it is. How do I say that? I guess it's okay. It's good to be here this morning. It's difficult to be here this morning. A flight got in yesterday at midnight. I had the privilege of preaching in Los Angeles this week at the Truth Matters Conference at Grace Community Church there with doctor MacArthur, and so I had preached there yesterday morning and then flew in here. Flight got in at midnight. And then my dear dear friend Tom Askell is doing a documentary and the only time that we could film was yesterday. So we filmed here, you know, to about two thirty three with my dear friend. Some Mascal. And the video team, and then went over to the hotel and went over to the hotel and got to lay down, you know, about three, and then my beloved wife called me a five thirty. So it's wonderful that we're talking about God's decree and God's providence and all of these wonderful doctrines that I guess God wanted to make sure that I really believed this morning. If I say something crazy that doesn't make any sense, it is because I've fallen asleep. I have two assignments today, and one is to address the issue of evangelism. Whenever we start talking about God's decree, whenever we start talking about sovereignty, providence, and these things, one of the questions that magically comes up is the question of evangelism. Why would we do evangelism if God has decreed whatsoever comes to pass. It just doesn't seem to make sense that we would exert ourselves in the area of evangelism and a number of other areas, but specifically in the area of evangelism. And it's interesting when people are introduced to reform theology, that's where they go. They go to the issue of evangelism. They run straight to the issue of evangelism, because that's the one thing in our mind that pops up and it says, okay, wait a minute, I get it. I'm okay. Sovereignty of God, the providence of God. God is in control of all things. God's decree, you know. Election, the doctrine of election, Okay, fine, I'm great doctrine of election. But if that's the case, why bother? I bother? And I'll give you a short answer to that before I give you the more complex answer. We're going to look at the doctrine itself, and then we're going to do some exegetical work on the doctrine, and then we're going to sort of apply and explain this doctrine in practical ways. But before before I do that, I can answer that I could. I could do this in five minutes and then go sleep. But let me give you the five minute version. Let me just knock that down real quick. And this is how I help people right who say, if we believe this, you know that God is sovereign over this, why would we why would we exert ourselves, why would we put forth that effort? It just it doesn't matter, right, And I say, well, do you believe that God is sovereign over the number of people who are going to be born? Yes? And yet you exert yourself and participate in the process. You don't just sit there and go, well, if he's sovereign, they'll just show up, right. But we want to run straight to the evangelism issue. Because that's the place where that's the only place where we feel that this sort of applies. But it doesn't. It applies to every area and aspect of our lives, every area and aspect of our lives. And yet and still in all of those other areas and aspects of our lives, we don't have a problem with the idea that we engage ourselves in the process recognizing the fact that God is indeed sovereign. The other thing that I'll address is another question that we have, which is the question of suffering, question of suffering, evil and suffering. So, okay, if we believe in God's decree, if we believe that He's decreed all things, then is he the author of evil? Is he the author suffering? And that's one that we really want answered, because it feels a lot better if I can say something other than God did this. Amen on our worst day. That's not what we want to say, and that's not what we want to hear, and so we usually try to skirt away from that, from the doctrine in that regard as well. Well. Let me state this first. In our confession, the second London Baptist Confession of Faith sixteen eighty nine, and what time is this session over? By the way? Ten? Cool? All right, Okay, I've got seven twenty. So we're good, man, we're good, all right. So paragraph one of chapter three of the Confession. God hath decreed in himself from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably all things whats whoever comes to pass? Again? Every word there, every phrase there is rich with meaning and incredibly important. Let me read that again. God has decreed in himself. God decreed in himself, in himself, nothing outside of himself from all eternity. God is not figuring this thing out as he goes along. God is not responding to things. God is not surprised by things. He's not cut off guard by things. There is not a single rogue molecule in all of the universe, not one. He has decreed in himself from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will. God didn't have to be informed by anyone. God doesn't have to be informed by anyone. He lacks no information. He lacks nothing. He's God by deafai condition. He lacks nothing, and he needs nothing freely and unchangeably, not changing all things whatsoever comes to pass. Air thing. Yet, so as thereby is God, neither the author of sin nor have fellowship with any therein. Nor is violence offered to the will of the creature. That's interesting, the sinful things happen if he's decreed all things and that would have that would have to include those things. Right, But he doesn't have fellowship with sin. He's not the author of sin doesn't have fellowship of sin. Nor is violence offered to the will of the creature. The creature, You and me. We act in accordance with our desires, with our wills. Does that mean our wills are free? Nope, our wills are not free, are there not? Because we're slaves to sind amen? And the only thing we cannot will righteousness. We won't will righteousness. It's like a cow. Can a cow eat meat? Sure? Is he going to do it? Nope? Not unless there's you know, an ant that happens to be on a blade of grass, right, I mean, he'll do it, But no, no, he won't do it. It's like you and me and righteousness. Nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established. What's that idea of second causes? The second cause is this, so God decrees that whatever will happen, God decrees that that that that I'm going to experience uh some kind of uh success or some kind of failure or whatever. God decrees that I'm going to have a windfall from investing in Apple Back in the day, wouldn't that have been nice? Somebody asked me, you know, at the conference, this is a complete aside, but you know, at the conference I get these questions from young guys all the time. You know, young guys will come up and there you know, they're young, and I'm in college, and you know what, what would you say to your twenty year old self wanting some spiritual answer? And I was like, apple stock, So let's say God decreed that I would have some windfall from that stock. Well, the first cause is God's decree. Right. The secondary cause is the success of the company. Right. God doesn't negate that second cause. That secondary cause, it's established as part of his decree. All of that is established as part of his decree, in which appears his wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing his decree. And as look at paragraph six, because this gets down to what we're talking about, specifically as it relates to evangelism. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, So he hath, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, foreordained all the means thereunto. And that's incredibly important. Again, we're going to go to the text and flesh out all of this. But He has ordained all the means there unto. Wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by His spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power through faith unto salvation. Either are any other redeemed by Christ or effectually called justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved. But the elect only. Now, with all of that in mind, let's look at the text. I'm going to look at the same text for both of these sessions. Open your bibles. Will need you the Book of tewod Timothy, second Timothy, chapter one, Second Timothy chapter one. And before we look at our text in particular, let me just sort of let me give you this sort of bird's eye view. I've done this with and for some of you before, but I think it bears hearing again. There. It's interesting that I'm giving these two ideas to address, and these two ideas are the central theme of the Book of two Timothy. The theme of the Book of two Timothy is Paul telling Timothy to preserve and proclaim the Gospel. That's number one. To preserve and proclaim the gospel. That that's his message. In every chapter he reminds Timothy to preserve and proclaim the gospel. This is of the utmost importance because, as we see at the end of two Timothy, Paul recognizes that his time is limited. He is in prison again. He's what you call a repeat offender, right, And there is a sense when you read chapter four that he understands that it's likely that he will not get out, that he is going to lose his life. And he is writing to young Timothy. And imagine this, folks, think about this. That Christ has come, he has lived, he has died, he rose again on the third day, and then he ascended into heaven. They have Pentecost breaks out and the church is being established there and it's spreading abroad, and Paul is now part of spreading this abroad. And there is apostolic authority as those who've heard the message from Christ have preserved the message and are communicating the message and are establishing churches. But as they establish churches, these churches have huge problems. I'm always fascinated when people say, you know, we just need to get back to the first century church? Really, which one Corinth Galatia, that's another no. So the epistles are written in order to correct huge errors in the first entry church. So the apostles, it's like they're playing whack a mole, right, They established a church and a problem raises its head, and they're writing and traveling and trying to deal with all these problems everywhere. And these are not small problems. There are heresies that are cropping up. And so the apostles are preaching the gospel, establishing churches, making disciples. Some of them are falling away, and churches are going off into rank heresy. They're having to write letters or make repeat visits in order to deal with heresies, and then lo and behold, they start to be martyred one by one. The church is in trouble. Paul absolutely believes in this sovereignty of God, absolutely believes in God's providence and his power, in God's decree. Absolutely he believes in it. But as he surveys the scene, he recognizes that in order for the church to survive, the gospel is going to have to be preserved and proclaimed. So he tells Timothy in every chapter, in every chapter, to preserve and proclaim this gospel. Look at Chapter one in verse thirteen. Follow the pattern of sound words that you have heard from me. In the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you, Guard the good deposit entrusted to you. Preserve and proclaim Chapter two, verse two started verse one. You, then, my child, be strong or be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, in trust to faithful men who will be able to teach others. Also go with me to chapter three and verse fourteen. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to make you wise for Sava through faith in Jesus Christ. Preserve it, proclaim it. Look at Chapter four, verses one and two. I charge you, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who's to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching. So in every chapter of this short letter, Paul encourages, admonishes, and reminds young Timothy to preserve the Gospel and to proclaim the Gospel. That's the only way this is going to happen. Now, you and I can't wrap our heads around this for a couple of reasons. Number one, because we can't even comprehend what it's like for Christianity to be small. Amen. Everywhere you go in the world you find Christians. It's I mean, there's millions and billions, there's billions of Christians on planet Earth. So we can't we can't comprehend the idea of Christianity being small. And then we live, you know, in this country where I mean you you throw a rock and you hit a church, right, So we can't comprehend this. There's another reason that we can't comprehend this. We can't comprehend the urgency of the apostle who is about to die, as he writes to young Timothy, And that's because we have the New Testament. They didn't. In fact, it's these letters that they're writing that become the New Testament. Just try to wrap your head around that for a. Minute, because for us, you know, we had hope that okay, fine, even if a generation goes crazy, we got the word. Amen, and there's a New Testament, and we've seen it. We've seen it in the Reformation. People have the word, they find the word, they read the word. Martin Luther reads Romans and it doesn't matter how crazy everything is around him. He reads Romans and Galatians and it shocks him back to the truth. Amen, what happens when you don't have those and craziness a bounds. Hence the urgency Paul telling Timothy to preserve and proclaim. That's the first part of this message, and that's my first assignment, right is to deal with the idea of the evangelism proclaiming the gospel. My second assignment is to deal with suffering. Right, That's the second part of the theme of two Timothy one. Preserve and proclaim the truth of the Gospel. Number two. Endure the suffering that will follow inevitably as a result of preserving and proclaiming the Gospel. So again in every chapter. Watch Chapter one, verse eight. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the Gospel by the power of God verse twelve, which is why I suffer. Chapter two. We looked at verses one and two. Now get to verse three. Verse three says share in suffering as a good soldier in Christ Jesus. Chapter two, verse nine, for which I am suffering bound with chains as a criminal. Go to chapter three, verse ten. You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, which persecutions I endured. Yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Chapter four, verse five. As for you. Always be sober minded in your suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. What I love about the last one is that the last one sort of it bookmarks all of this, and it brings the two of them together right and during suffering and doing the work of an evangelist. So this is the two pronged message of the Book of Two Timothy. Preserve and proclaim the truth of the Gospel, and endure the suffering that will follow inevitably as a direct result of preserving and proclaiming. These two things go together. This is why it's incredibly important. Essentially, Paula is saying, listen, they're about to kill me for preaching the gospel. And I'm writing to say to you to preach the gospel till they kill you. But before they do, find somebody else to whom you can pass off the task of preaching the gospel till they kill them. This was his reality. How do you live within the context and confines of this reality by understanding the decrees of God? And we see that here. Look with me, beginning at verse eight. Again, we've we've we've read the doctrine. Okay, we've we've we've perused it. If you will now I want you to see it in the text again, Chapter one, verse eight. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share and suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace. Remember that, Remember the doctrine. God's decree is not a result of anything that he sees. It's not a result of any outside information. And Paul says this here. He's very clear about how salvation happens. He saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace. Watch this which he gave us in Christ before the ages. Began. Let's go back quickly to the doctrine, Chapter three, paragraph one. God hath decreed in himself from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably all things whatsoever comes to pass. Yet as thereby God is neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship. Therein. So Paul is essentially saying this same thing. It's great that our confession comes from the scriptures. Amen. And God saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, an eternity past. He gave this to us, an eternity past. It called us to this salvation and to this holy calling. There are three ideas, and I've alluded to them our number of ideas. One is God's sovereignty. We talk about sovereignty, but sovereignty is God's authority. Sovereignty refers to God's authority. God's power refers to the exercise of God's authority, God's God's ability to exercise his authority. God's providence is God's governance of all things. God's providence has to do with three ideas. One. God creates all things and gives them their properties and sees to it that they maintain their properties. Amen. Ali, that's a good thing. Right. When I woke up this morning, the phone was ringing. It hit five point thirty, Right, there's a lot of things that I had to think about. I didn't have to wonder whether or not gravity was still working. Amen. I have a dear friend, and he also spoke at the conference this week, Colonel Jeff Williams. He's a NASA astronaut who's spent some five hundred or some days in space, a number of tours on the International Space Station. And I was there on his last launch in Kazakhstan, and he launched on the soy Use. They launched from Kazakhstan and go up and link up with the space station right, and then they go and he spent six months on the space station. And then when he was finished with his six months on the space station, they get back into their module and they're sent back down boom they land. If we lived in a universe that didn't maintain its properties, that wouldn't be possible. The precise mathematical equations necessary to get something as small as a rocket into the vast expanse of space at a specific location at a specific time requires a precision that could not exist if God did not create this world, give everything its properties, and see to it that they maintain those properties. Secondly, not not only He's created and given their properties, and he sees to it that they maintain their property. The second thing, but he also cooperates them with them in order to accomplish his will. That's providence. That's providence. And so we have his sovereignty, we have his power, and we have his providence. How does how does God execute his decrees? He excuses his decrees in the works of creation and providence. How he executes his decrees in the works of creation and providence. So the salvation of sinners is a byproduct of this before the world began verse ten, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our savior Christ Jesus. That phrase there. Now it has been manifested. So God decrees it in eternity past. But somehow it's got to happen. Amen. We live in a real material universe. We don't believe like some religions do that all of this is just a myth, okay, that it's not real. No, we live in a real material universe. We live in space and time. God created space and time. So if we live in a material universe, God created space and time. He decreased things in eternity pa as they have to actually come to pass in space and time. That's what he means here by them being manifested through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ. Notice in verse nine, he saved us and called us to this holy calling through this purpose and grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Now in verse ten, how did he do this? This truth? This has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who abolished death, brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. It happened in time through the Gospel for which I was appointed a preacher and an apot and a teacher. Which is why I suffer as I do. But I'm not ashamed, for I know whom I believed, and I'm convinced that he is able to guard until that day. What has been entrusted to me. Verse eleven is the key we're talking about evangelist. We so why do evangelism? And I think we've proven. I think we've established the fact that Paul believes in God's decree, Amen, And he's teaching that clearly. We've teased it out here in the text. Paul believes in God's sovereignty, in God's election, in God's providence. Paul believes in this, and yet Paul also believes and is passionate about preaching the Gospel. He essentially says to Timothy, We're saved because of God's decree before the foundation of the world. Amen, Hallelujah, Praise the Lord. It was decreed, it was done. Whoever else is going to be saved is because of God's decree before the foundation of the world. Amen. And yet, and yet. He says in verse eleven, part of that decree is that I was appointed a preacher and apostle. And teacher verse twelve, which is why I suffer us I do so. This adds another piece to it, because we just say, well, you know why evangelize right. Not only is Paul saying, I believe in the decree of God. I believe in the sovereignty and the providence of God. I believe in this doctrine of election, and I preach the Gospel, but also suffer to preach the Gospel. Why would you do this? The answer is simple, because God ordains not only the ends but also the means. Not only the ends, but also the means. We see that here in this text those first few verses, Paul talks about the ends. God saved us, He called us to a holy calling. He you know, gave us. And look at the verbs here. God saved us, God called us, God gave us, got abolished death, brought life and immortality to light. Right, God did these things. God did all these things. Some of these things he did in eternity passed, but he did them according to his decree and by his power through the works of creation and providence. God did these things. But then, looking verse eleven, there's another verb appointed, appointed, for which I was appointed by whom, by God, by God. How are people saved? Well, they're saved through hearing the gospel. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of Christ. Amen, look, if you will at the Book of Romans. A couple of places in Romans. First look at Romans Chapter eight, Good chapter eight, the beginning of verse twenty six, and we'll see these things working together. We'll see God's decree and his sovereignty and his providence all working here together verse twenty six. Likewise, the spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know what to pray for as we ought. But the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the spirit, Because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. So you see this the will of God. Here's this idea of God's will, God's decree. Right. But in time we see the Spirit interceding in accordance with that will. Verse twenty eight. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose, for those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Do you see the process there, God providentially superintending the whole process. Go to chapter ten and look at beginning at verse eight. But what does it say. The Word is near you in your mouth and in your heart. That is the word of faith that we proclaim. Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised them from the dead, you will be saved. There's the means. There's the means. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Now it sounds like that depends completely on me right. Chapter eight, however, makes it very clear that this whole process, from beginning. To end, is dependent on God Verse ten. For the heart one believes and justified, with the mouth one confesses in a save Verse eleven. For the scripture says everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame, for there is no distinction between you and Greek. For the same Lord as Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Is that true? Yes, it is true. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. What seems like that puts it in man's court. No, it doesn't, because Chapter eight makes it clear who's gonna call Verse fourteen, How then will they call on him and whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him? Of whom they have not heard, and how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written? How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News? Imagine that in the same letter, Paul is upholding the absolute sovereignty of God and salvation. God saves sinners from beginning to end. Amen, Hallelujah, Praise the Lord. Monargistic work. God saves sinners. Sinners don't help God save them. Sinners don't save themselves. God saves sinners period. Our God is enthroned into heavens. He does whatever pleases him. He's God. He's not running for God. He's God. And then two chapters later, Believe, Confess and be saved. Just two chapters later, and not only two chapters later, as he's saying Believe, Confess and be saved, but he's also saying that those who preach the gospel her beautiful feet. Why because it is the means that God has foreordained in order to achieve his ends. It's the secondary cause, and it is established by God's decree. Let me. Put this in words superior to my own, and then we'll apply this. This is Lorraine Bettner and his classical work on predestination. Here, he's. In chapter eighteen answering objections, and one objection to the doctrine of predestination is that it discourages all motives to exertion. In other words, why evangelize. It's a common objection to the doctrine of predestination. You start talking about God's decree right, and about God's sovereignty and God's providence, all these things, you start talking about election predestination, and the question inevitably comes. Then why bother parents come? Parents come, and parents are like, you know, I got I got all these. Kids, I got I got all these kids. We got nine kids, I got all these kids. This doctor of election thing worries me. Why what if one of my kids is not? What? I can't tell you how many times I've been asked that question, But what what if? What? What? Am I kidsen? Not elect? First of all, not your department. But you do have a department. And that is the proclamation of the gospel. Listen to Bettner, and this is a rather lengthy quote. But I think it's worth our time. The objection that the doctrine of predestination discourages all motives to exertion is based on the fallacy that the ends are determined without reference to the means. It is not merely a few isolated events here and there that have been foreordained, but the whole chain of events, with all their interrelations and connections, the whole chain of events. You come to faith in Christ that did not happen just in a moment in time. It's kind of like a you know, a m Night Shyamalan movie, right, we revealed something at the end and you. Go like, wow is that? And you look back at your life and it's like this moment, oh, by the way, which wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for this moment, Oh, by the way, which wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for this moment, and this moment and this moment and this moment and all these things that brought you to that place. And inevitably you will find. Pain and heartache and suffering and great loss in your story that God used to bring you to that place. All of the parts form a unity and divine plan. If the means should fail, so with the ends. If God has purposed that a man shall reap he has also purposed that he shall sow. If God has ordained a man to be saved, he has also ordained that he shall hear the Gospel, and that he shall believe and repent. As well. Might the farmer refuse to till the soil according to the laws disclosed by the light of nature and experience until he had first learned what was the secret purpose of God to be executed in his providence in regard to the fruitfulness of the coming season. As for anyone to refuse to work in the moral and spiritual realms because he does not know what fruitage God may bring from his labor. In other words, he said, it's crazy. It's crazy for you to say, well, no, no, no, I want to know whether or not my kids are elect before I will commit to preaching the gospel. That's like the farmer saying no, no, no, no no, I need to know if the rain's going to be good next season before I decide whether or not I'm going to plant. Until and fertilize and water. I want to know. It's ridiculous. Nobody does that. What do you do? What does the farmer do? The farmer does everything that he knows how. To do recognizing that he's dependent upon the providence of God to bring forth the fruit. What does the parent do sit there and pine. Over whether or not all of my children are elect or recognize that God has ordained the ends as well as the means, and that He's put them in a place where they're going to see the means. I just don't. I just don't know. I just I just don't. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. What if one of my kids are not an election? Just don't know. I just don't know. How are the elections? Say through hearing the gospel? Okay, So that means that one of the ways that God gives us evidence of people's election is by putting the gospel before Yes, I know. I know, but one of my kids are not elected. What about Do you know the gospel? Yes? I do, I know the gospel? I don't know. So so you know the gospel? Yes? And and God sent him to your home, yes, where they would hear the gospel. Yes, that's necessary for salvation. Yes, but what if they're not. Stop preach. Tell this well, plant the seed, water it, expose it to the light. Of the sun, fertilize it, get after the weeds, nurture it, Talk to it. If you want to write, you do whatever it is that you you know, get out there with a little sprit. Certain now you do do whatever it is. He continues. We find that the fruitage, however, however, is commonly bestowed where the preliminary work has been faithfully performed. If we engage in the Lord's service and make diligent use of the means which he has, we have the great encouragement of knowing that it is by these means that He has determined to accomplish his great work. That's why we do it. You see, there's a problem with the question, why do we exert ourselves in the proclamation of the gospel? If God is sovereign, if he operates according to his decree. And the answer is, you exert yourself in the proclamation of the Gospel because God is sovereign, and he operates in accordance with his decree, and that includes the ends as well as the means. And He's given you the means. So we preach, and so we trust, and so we preserve and proclaim the Gospel and endure the suffering that will follow inevitably as a result of doing so. Because it's worth it. Amen. Here's the other beauty. This guarantees our success. Why because it's not dependent upon me. It's dependent upon the one who does not fail. Oh Amen. Not ashamed of the gospel. Why because it is the power of God unto salvation. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all those who believe that you first, and also to the Greek It's the Gospel, the Gospel, the Gospel, the Gospel, And so we unleash it, all the while trusting and recognizing that we are utterly dependent upon the God who gave us this good news, and rejoicing always when he gives fruit. Let's pray, a gracious God and heavenly Father, thank you and praise you for your goodness and kind and mercy toward us. We thank you the person in work of Christ and the good news and power of the Gospel. We thank you that you ordained not only the ends but also the means, and rejoice in the fact that you have made those clear. Grant by your grace that we might employ those means, as though we believe that you will be faithful because you will, because you are and you always have been. And we praise you for this in Christ's name. Amen.