- Hey, Rockpoint. Good to be with all of you. And thanks for allowing us to be a part of your worship experience regardless of where you are. And I wanna ask you to do a couple things for me. I want you to grab a Bible and go ahead and take that out. Hopefully, you've already downloaded the notes that we're gonna be using this morning, as we unpack this last segment of the Unshakable Truth. And I want you to take your Bibles out, and I first wanna start with a Gospel account. I want you to jump into Luke chapter 19, and locate verse 28. So grab your Bible and go ahead and look to Luke chapter 19 verse 28. And we're gonna walk through a couple of passages, and then we're gonna have a chance to go through some specific verses that'll show up on the screen. Our focus today is, yes, on living in light of his return. But as you're going to your Bibles, let me just mention a couple of important details that are taking place this week. First, I hope you got the video and all of the information regarding setting aside Wednesday each and every week, just a time during that day on Wednesday to pray, and also joining us for prayer and fasting through the day on Good Friday this Friday. And that'll go all the way through our communion service. And it'll be a chance for us to pray for the items that we've listed there. The second thing that I wanna bring to your attention is we have couples within our church that are ready and willing to meet with you. If you feel like you need some help in your marriage, if you feel like you need to grow in your marriage relationship. You've got a good marriage but you want it to get better. Or you're really struggling, especially right now, as everybody is at home, and everybody is struggling with different things in their life. If you need some help, would you let us know? Just contact us online. Send a note to Pastor Kevin Block. And he is our pastor of adult and family ministries. And we've got a number of couples that are willing to connect with you, even online, talk with you via phone, and communicate with you to provide the help that you need, so I hope you let us know. And we wanna help you. And I also wanna thank each and everyone of you that are giving online. It is enabling us, or sending your check in, you can do that as well, so either online or through snail mail. It is enabling us as a church to continue to reach people, and continue to function as a church, to help you, to serve you, to pray for you, to connect with you, to provide ministries for you. And it's also enabling us to care for the needs within our body, in our community, and quite frankly around the world. And so I wanna thank all of you for giving so generously, especially during this financial crisis and COVID-19. Now, before we turn to living in light of the return of Christ. Now that you're in Luke chapter 19, I want you to look at verse 28, because it describes the events that we're going to be thinking about this next week, 'cause today is Palm Sunday. He says, and when he had said these things, he went on ahead going up to Jerusalem, and when he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples saying, "Go into the village in front of you "where on entering you'll find a colt tied, "on which no one has ever sat yet. "Untie it and bring it here. "If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' "You shall say this, 'The Lord has need of it.'" So those who were sent away those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owner said to them, "Why are you untying the colt?" And they said, "The Lord has need of it." And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And has he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near already on the way down the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice, and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, "Blessed is the King "who comes in the name of the Lord. "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest." And some of the pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." And he answered, "I tell you, "if these were silent the very stones would cry out." As Jesus entered into Jerusalem riding on this donkey, he was descending from the Mount of Olives, looking straight up right in front, if you can picture with me the temple mount itself in the old city of Jerusalem. He was going right into the very heart of Jerusalem. And it was all of these individuals just gathered around him, and saying, "Blessed is the King who comes "in the name of the Lord." The other Gospel accounts said that they cried out, "Hosanna," which means God save us, save us right now. It was the people, though, that weren't crying for a savior and a messiah, they were really crying out for a political leader. And Jesus knew it. And he knew that according to the plan of God, that God had established way back in the Book of Genesis, it was Jesus who would eventually go to the cross, because they would reject him as Messiah and Lord. And that's why in verse 41, we pick up the story again. And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it saying, "Would that you, even you, had known "on this day the things that make for peace, "but now they are hidden from your eyes. "For, the days will come upon you "when your enemies will set up a barricade around you, "and surround you and hem you in on every side, "and tear you down to the ground, "you and your children within you. "And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, "because you did not know the time of your visitation." They rejected Jesus as Messiah, the one who would bring them peace. And then he gives this prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in A.D. 70, again, confirming that he really was God. But they rejected him, and therefore in light of that, God knew it was gonna happen. God had a plan; it didn't change God's plan. This was according to God's plan. And it would allow Jesus to willingly offer himself to us as our Savior and our Lord. And it was because of this rejection, all within the very plan of God, that he would go to a cross, and he would pay the price for your sin and my sin. He would rise from the grave, so that he could bring peace to us on the inside, and then eventually come and bring peace to our world. It's fascinating that in Matthew, chapter 21, verse five, it's Matthew that describes exactly a quote that was given to us over in Zechariah chapter nine. And he describes exactly what Luke mentioned in the passage we just read. And yet, Matthew quotes a couple of verses, well, actually it's just one verse here, which I'll show you in a second. Notice what he says: Say to the daughter of Zion, behold, your King is coming to you, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden. He's quoting from Zechariah chapter nine verse nine, saying, this Jesus, who is our Messiah and Lord, coming into Jerusalem on a donkey is actually he's actually fulfilling this prophecy given by Zechariah, a prophet in the Old Testament. Notice what he says: Rejoice greatly. It's almost exact. Oh daughter of Zion. Shout aloud, oh daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your King is coming to you, righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. But it was the nation that rejected him. So that, again, by the plan of God he would go to the cross, and he would bring peace both to Jews and Gentiles, but that would be because he would become the suffering servant, which is described in Isaiah 53. And it's what we'll look at on Good Friday together. But now that Jesus has come, and he is our Savior and he is our Lord, he ascended to heaven, and we're living in this time period where God is doing some miraculous things. Now, we begin to look at his second coming, and it's fascinating because in Zechariah chapter nine, the verse just following, verse nine, Zechariah gives his second coming. And so within two verses you have his first coming and his second coming. And he says, I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations. His rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. He's speaking of his second coming. And he's telling us that, yes, he came in his first coming. But just as certain as his first coming is his second coming. And so today we have to ask ourself the question, then how shall we live? How do we stay on mission with the message of Jesus Christ? Well, first, we have to embrace a Christian worldview. Now, this summarizes everything we've done over the past several months. And if you've been with us, you've unpacked these 12 essentials of our faith in this series called Unshakable Truth. If you haven't been with us, you can dial up the sermons online. But we looked at 12 essentials, which really act like lenses in our eyes to allow us to see our world, to allow us to understand the truth of what God is revealing to us about who he is, and about who we are, and how we relate to him, and how we come into a relationship with him, through Jesus Christ. And then how we experience the transformed life of the Holy Spirit living in us. And then as we see today how we are to frame our life on this planet, this temporary life, how we are to frame it, with the perspective that Christ is coming again. And so as we take a look at this Christian worldview, or these lenses, we begin to see how life really is. You see, Jesus came to give us truth. It was Jesus that came to point us to truth, to live by a different set of values that we've been unpacking over the past several months, so that we can understand how to have a relationship with this God who created us to live in his image, and understand who Jesus Christ is, embrace him as Savior and Lord, and then begin to live it out, to know the truth, to defend the truth, and to share the truth. But we also wanted you to understand over the past several months that it's not just understanding knowledge and truth, it's actually living a new life. And that's why as we look at his second coming, and how we should live our lives, we are encouraged to live a life of integrity that honors God in every way. Now, you're already in the Book of Luke, and so I'm gonna ask that you turn over to 1st Peter. It's just to the right. Chapter one. 1st Peter chapter one. And I want you to locate verse 13. Now, for many of you that were with us this past summer, last year, we went through the entire Book of 1st Peter. And it is a book that Peter wrote to a group of suffering followers of Jesus Christ, to teach them how to live a life of integrity that honors God. And for those of you that were with us, you'll remember these words, if not, they'll be new to you, but we'll bring you right up to speed. In 1st Peter chapter one verse 13, he says: Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded. Notice, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. In light of the suffering, in light of the trials of life, the temporariness of life, we are to focus on the coming of Jesus, as obedient children. So in other words, to live a life of integrity and honor. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. Leave that stuff behind. But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy for I am holy." The word holy means to be set apart. We're supposed to live a set apart life that's different. Now, look over to 1st Peter chapter four. And I want you to locate verse seven. Peter continues his message after he talks about practically what does this holy life look like, as I live in the midst of trials and difficulties, as I live in my marriage, as I try and obey the government. All of those issues are very similar, what we experience in this life. And eventually when he gets to chapter four verse seven, he says, the end of all things is at hand. He says, therefore, be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Pay attention, listen. It's important to live a life of integrity that honors God. And he says, above all, keep loving one another earnestly since love covers a multitude of sins. It's why oftentimes say at Rockpoint, "Live differently and love radically." To stay on mission with the message of Jesus Christ is to live differently and to love radically, even in the midst of a crisis like we experience today. And then he says, show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as a good steward of God's varied grace. Now, hospitality could be done even within your home, and hopefully when the crisis is over, we'll be able to get outside and enjoy hospitality with one another. But his whole point here is that we begin to live a different kind of life. Now, I want to encourage you, if you've not been with us over the past several months, go back and view the message on a transformed life. We've got two of them there. We talk about how God has called us to live differently, to understand the power of the Holy Spirit. And we jumped into passages in the Book of Ephesians, chapter four and five, that talk about walking in love, and what that looks like as we forgive, and as we are kind, as we put others first. Go back to Galatians chapter five, verses 22 and 23, where it describes the fruit of the Spirit, where Paul is actually calling us, but the first of the Spirit is love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. You're living a life that honors God. Even this week as a family you can select one of these, and say, "Hey, this week we are gonna live out "a life of patience or kindness or goodness "in everything that we do." And then every night review it together around the table. Well, not only are we to live a life, but part of living this life that honors God is also to serve him by serving others. It's in 1st Corinthians chapter 15, in 58, verse 58. Paul is summarizing this incredible passage on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And as he is telling us he's actually referring to this point, to serve him by serving others. So fill it in in the outline form. We are to serve Jesus by serving others. And Paul says, since we know that Christ is alive, since we know that death has been defeated, and we now have the ability to live out a new Christian life, he says, therefore, notice this, my beloved brothers, all those who have received Christ as Savior and Lord, they believe in his death and physical resurrection, be steadfast, immovable. In other words, be secure in him, and continue to endure in the midst of this temporary life. Notice how he frames it. Always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain. Why, because when he comes again we'll be rewarded. Notice, he says in the midst of this world continue to serve. Reach out to others. Make sure that they know how much Jesus Christ loves them. And because we have that great hope, and our eternity is secure, we can focus off of our needs, and begin to focus on the needs of others. Now, I want you to go from where you are in your Bibles, and I want you to find the Book of Titus. It is right after 1st and 2nd Timothy. I want you to go to Titus. And I want you to find chapter two. Chapter two, and locate verse 11. So you're gonna be learning over the next several weeks how to move around in your Bibles. And we're specifically gonna land in one book here in a couple weeks, which I'll explain at the end of my talk today. But here in Titus, Paul is writing to an individual to help him as he leads a church. And in chapter two verse 11, he really pulls together all of the points that we've talked about at the beginning of our time here. And he says in verse 11: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, that's his first coming. We learn about that through this Christian worldview. And then as we learn to live it out and serve one another, now, notice what he says. Training us to renounce ungodliness, that's living the truth that we talked about, and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope. That's the coming of Christ. The appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself up for us to redeem us from all lawlessness, and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, who are, now notice this, who are zealous for good works. In other words, once we have a secure relationship with Christ, to live in this world in light of his second coming means that we are serving him by serving others. Well, the next point is absolutely essential, because we begin to move into a time that really parallels what we're talking about right now in the midst of this crisis. Now, do you realize that in light of major pandemics and plagues and all kinds of sickness and things that happen throughout the ages, it was the Christians who stepped forward to serve other people, not only people within the churches, but people outside of it? It's Christians that actually stepped forward and formed hospitals. They were behind the hospital movement. As a matter of fact, in the first couple centuries, after Jesus Christ died, was crucified, buried, rose, and ascended to heaven, there was a major black plague that hit the Roman Empire. And people from the Roman Empire moved out of the cities. It was the Christians that moved into the cities that helped support and care for them. It was Christians because of their faith in Jesus Christ, in the midst of suffering and trials, who were behind caring for people. They're behind the pro-life movement. They cared for the sick. They created hospitals and literacy and education, and the list goes on and on. Why? Because they learned how to persevere under trials. We're experiencing a time of trial, a time of crisis right now. Our current situation tells us that life is not perfect, that trials come to all of us. And here's what Jesus said, in John chapter 16 verse 33, he said, "I have said these things to you, "that in me you may have peace." Interesting, it's Jesus as we said in the beginning that came to offer peace on the inside, and then in his second coming, he's going to establish worldwide universal peace when he comes again. But in the meantime, his presence has come to be our Savior and our Lord, to be our King on the inside, so that we can begin to experience peace. Why? Because he says, "In the world you will have tribulation." We'll have trials. This is a time to persevere, even in this moment. "But take heart," he says, "I've overcome the world." Why, because he conquered sin and death. And he'll give us the ability to have peace in the midst of our circumstances. And I want you to go from where you are in Titus, and I want you to go to another passage. It's in 2nd Corinthians. So if you go left of Titus, I want you to go to 2nd Corinthians, and I want you to locate chapter four. 2nd Corinthians chapter four. I want you to see what happens in the midst of the trials that we experience in life. 2nd Corinthians chapter four, I hope you're there, verse seven, Paul says this: But we have this treasure in jars of clay. He's talking about his body that is temporary. He says, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not us. It's his life living in and through us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair. Persecuted but not driven but not forsaken. Struck down but not destroyed. Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. "It's his death that's showing up in my current life," Paul says. So death is at work in us, but life in you. What's he talking about here? Well, sure, he's talking about how his physical suffering is similar to the physical suffering of Jesus Christ that eventually led to the death of our Savior. But Paul is talking about something more here. He's talking about the continual death that happens in my life as I grow and become more like Jesus Christ. And when he says that he is carrying in the body the death of Jesus, and then down in verse 11, that he is always being given over to death, what he's talking about there is that the very death of Jesus allows him to live a different life. You see, in Romans chapter six, Paul talks about how the old life, the old person who didn't have a relationship with God that was subject to the penalty and the power of sin was crucified. In other words, when Christ died on the cross, and I accepted him as my Savior and Lord, and he rose from the grave, my old life died with Christ. So, in other words, I've been delivered from the penalty and power of sin. I can now choose to say no to myself, no to my selfishness, no to my own will, and begin to follow after Jesus Christ. I can finally have the freedom to do what is right. And it was the cross that enabled him to do that. Now, that's your position in Jesus Christ, however practically we still struggle with sin. That's why Paul wrote Romans seven. There's a struggle that goes on inside of us, that old person, yes, I'm no longer under it's power, and I've been freed from the penalty and the power of sin in my life, but I still have a struggle in this life, and that's why it is the death of Christ that enables me, even within that struggle, to start living out a new life. When Jesus Christ was going to the cross, he was in the Garden of Gethsemane, and we'll reflect upon this on Good Friday. And actually it was Thursday night, late, and he was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, and it was right then and there that there was a major battle going on in his life, because he knows he's going to the cross. And he says, "Father, if there's any way "with this cup," and he meant the cup of God's wrath being poured out upon him. Yes, physical crucifixion but physical death with my sin and your sin laid upon him, and separation from his Father in heaven. He would experience a death that we don't ever have to experience, with all of the weight and guilt of the world's sin. And he was asking if that would pass. And the answer was no. He had to go to the cross to be our Savior and Lord. And that's why he uttered these words right at the end of his prayer. Notice this, he said, "Father, not my will, "but yours be done." You see, there was a death to his human will. There was a sense of I'm submitting to you, and quite frankly when Paul is talking about the continual death of Jesus, it is the death to his pride, his will, his independence, his selfishness, and it is from that he experienced new life. He begins to live like Jesus and love like Jesus. And that's why he goes on, and he says that it is because of this at the end of verse 15, that there's a grace that extends to more and more people. Others are beginning to see the difference in Paul's life as he spreads Jesus Christ throughout the world, and they come to know Christ as Savior and Lord. And then he encourages us in verse 16. He says, so we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day, for this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comprehension, as we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. He's saying because of the focus of the coming of Jesus Christ, we are able to persevere in these trials, knowing that we are becoming like Jesus. We are living and acting and loving like him, in attitude and actions, and then we are beginning to share Jesus Christ to our world. It is so powerful. Nothing would stop the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. James puts it this way, the half-brother of Jesus, he says, count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith, notice, produces steadfastness, that means endurance under trial. And let steadfastness have its full effect. In other words, stay in that trial until God continues to develop your character to become more like Jesus. That's why he brings trials into our lives. That you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. It is often in times of crisis and suffering and difficulties that we are able to reach people for Christ more effectively. We can show the godly characteristics of Jesus Christ in our life. I mean, it's easy to be a follower of Jesus Christ when life is going really well. It's been life is not going well, like now, that people will sit up and take notice that we have courage and not fear, that we display gratitude and thankfulness and patience and endurance and optimism. And people today are more open to the Gospel than they have been in a long time. And therefore, we have to focus on sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ was just about ready to ascend up to heaven, he told the disciples this verse. We referred to it several times in our series. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth. It is through the times we face now, through the times we're gonna face after this is over, that as we live in light of the second coming of Jesus Christ, we continue to share his hope to people who are ready and willing and listening. We have to be ready to live holy lives and to communicate the message of Jesus Christ, and give an answer for what we believe. And then finally as we wrap up, not only today's time together, but also our entire series, we are to be ready and long for his return. We are to be ready and to long for his return. Pandemics and pestilence are oftentimes used by God, and they are from God that we read in the Bible why they're given to us. And pestilence and pandemics and trials and difficulties are oftentimes used by God from what we read in the Bible to wake us up spiritually, and to remember him, and that it is oftentimes even a form of judgment, but they're also spoken of by Christ as an indication that he's coming again to judge and he's coming again to reign, and we need to be ready, because his return is increasingly imminent. Therefore, we have to evaluate our lives. We've gotta seek his forgiveness. We've gotta live for him in light of this. We've gotta be obedient and share his message of hope to others. Paul reminds us in Philippians three, verses 20 and 21: But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savoir, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. How do we get ready for his return? Well, there's a single verse I want us to focus on. It's Matthew chapter 6:33, and it's in Matthew six starting in verse 25 that Jesus is talking about an overconcern of worldly things that creates anxiety and fear in our lives. And he says, "Don't focus on those things." Instead he says, "Seek first the kingdom of God "and his righteousness, and all these things "will be added to you." What does he tell us to do? In the midst of a trial, in the midst of a crisis, in the midst of this time, whether good or bad, living for the second coming of Jesus Christ, he says, "Put God first in your life." Seek first his kingdom and that begins when you finally commit your life to Jesus Christ as Savior. And I would invite every person that's listening right now. If you have never come to that point in your life, where you have in your own words acknowledged that you are a sinner, and you've done a whole lot of bad things. We sin by our attitudes and our actions. But acknowledging before God what he already knows is true about you. That, God, I'm a sinner and I deserve to be punished because of my sin. And then you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sin, and rose from the grave. And this is the important step: You transfer your trust. You are turning to Jesus Christ, putting your whole trust in him as a person that he paid the price for your sin, so that you could be forgiven. And he rose from the grave, which proves that everything he said was true and that God accepted his sacrifice. And by turning to Jesus and accepting him as your Savior and your Lord, you will put him first in your life. And then by following him, you continue to put him first, because next you trust his plan and you trust his ways. You begin to follow him. And it's in the midst of a crisis like this that all of the sudden we realize, what a minute, maybe I've had some idols in my life. Maybe, I've been focused too much on the material things of life, and right now quite frankly they're being stripped away from all of us. But we trust his plan and we trust his ways, because there's a promise here. In Matthew chapter 6:33, he says, "Seek first the kingdom of God." Put him first and his righteousness, and then all these things will be added to you. So if we put God first, he's at the center of my life. I'm living for him now. And the key question you need to ask yourself is whose kingdom are you building? Have you been building your own kingdom? And now in the midst of this crisis it's being stripped away. Why is it being stripped away? So that you'll put your trust back in God. It's every day waking up and confirming, Jesus Christ, you're my Savior and my Lord. I'm putting you first in my life. I'm gonna let you drive all of my priorities, everything in my life, so that I can begin to live for you and follow you and walk in obedience. And then the promises he provides for our needs when we do so. Let me ask you this, are you ready for his return? Have you put your trust and your faith in Jesus Christ, as Savior and Lord? And then are you making yourself ready? Are there some character issues that he's working on in your life right now? Are there some things in your life that need to change? Maybe, you need to serve one another more. Maybe, you need to give up the control that you've had on your life, and let him have complete control as your leader and your Lord. Maybe, it means serving him more with your time, talents, and treasures right in the midst of this crisis and also after that. I want to encourage you all this week, maybe it's going back and reviewing these passages, sitting down as a family and talking about them. Maybe, it's taking Galatians chapter five verses 22 and 23, and locating the fruits of the Spirit that are found there, that need to show up in your life. And talk as a family about what that looks like. As you're living together in your house and just a little bit of difference from your house but not able to go anywhere. What does it look like to have self-control and kindness to one another? And the other next step that I wanna give you is I hope you bought the book Unshakable Truth, because if you have, in the back of the book there are several different family celebration events that you can actually participate in as a family during this crisis. You got a lot of time at home. So after the kids do their school, and after work is all done, take some time each and every evening. Go to the back of Unshakable Truth written by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell, and there are some family celebration events that tie right into Easter and this week. And I hope you can pull those out and go through those. I hope you've enjoyed our series. And it's next week that we're gonna celebrate Easter, and we're gonna come back and talk about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And then after that, we're gonna start a brand new series. We're gonna talk about what it means to live the Christian life in the midst of times when we are discontent, when we're struggling through trials, and find the very peace of God in the midst of a pandemic. And we're gonna take a look at the Book of Philippians. Well, God bless you. Let me pray for us, and then we'll wrap up our time together. Father, thank you for our time here this morning. We ask that you would move in our hearts and lives, that we would live lives that are ready when Jesus comes again, excited, longing for his return, knowing that we have allowed you to change us from the inside out, so that we can become more like Jesus Christ, that we have shared our faith, that we are living this faith in front of others, even in the midst of our neighborhoods, but eventually in our world. As this crisis ends, may we take the lessons learned now, living in light of your return, so that we are ready when you come again. It's in Christ's name we pray. Amen.