Our Worth to God, Part 1

Be with all of you on this cold, wintery Sabbath day in Cleveland, Ohio.

I'd like to begin the sermon today with a question. The question is this. What is your worth to God? When God looks at you, when he sees you, what and who does he see? That's one question. Here's another question. What is your own worth to yourself? When no one else is around, and you're looking into the mirror, and you're thinking, and you're examining your heart and your mind, what do you see? How do you feel about yourself? Well, your own sense of worth, what some people call self-worth, can affect the way that we live our lives. It can affect our level of joy. It can affect our level of personal fulfillment. It can affect our level of happiness. Sometimes the word self-worth is interchanged with words like esteem or self-respect. In my career, I've certainly known ministers who had sermons and railed against terms like esteem and self-respect and self-worth, and they would rail against it as very evil terms and things that are bad. They would bristle against those terms.

But I want to ask the question today, as we begin to prepare for the Passover season over about ten weeks away, I would like to ask the question, how you perceive your worth to God? Because what is really important is that if we want to have the mind of Christ, we have to start looking at ourselves in the same way that God looks at us.

Too many of us, brethren, have a perception of ourselves that is totally different than what God has when He looks at us. And we have to get in sync with God. He doesn't need to get in sync with us.

He doesn't need to conform to us. We need to conform to Him. But as I sent a minute ago, what we think about ourselves, what we've convinced ourselves, who and what we are, affects our actions and the decisions that we make in life, usually beginning in childhood. It directs our entire life. We enter this world as babies, and in childhood we are influenced, and our sense of worth, our sense of value and meaning, has been nurtured by the brothers and sisters we had, how our parents raised us, our friends in school, the relationship we had with teachers, ministers, other people that might have been in positions of authority.

All of those things created a self-image that created an image of who and what we are. There are two questions that I'm going to focus on today, and question number one is, what is humankind's worth apart from God because of sin? What is the worth of humankind? What is my worth? What is your worth apart from God? If we were apart from God, we're not. We obviously are disciples of Jesus Christ, and we'll get into that a little later. But what is the worth of humankind apart from God?

Let's go to Genesis 3, verse 16. If you'll turn there with me, and we'll see the results of what God told Eve and Adam because of their first sin. Eating of the fruit, which could have been a palm granite, could have been any one of a number of fruit. Traditionally, in our culture, it's looked upon as an apple. Because they ate of it, and we're told not to eat of it, here's what God said. Genesis 3, verse 16, to the woman, He said, I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception in pain, you shall bring forth children.

I don't know what God originally planned, but there's a reason that when a woman gives birth, they call it labor. It's painful. It is not a pleasure. But apparently, God, before this sin, had something else in mind, in which children could have been born to Adam and Eve, could have been born to humankind, without the severe contractions and all that a woman goes through in the process of giving birth. That was part of the curse, that He was going to multiply their sorrow in conception and giving birth, in pain, you shall bring forth children. And your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.

And this is exactly what happened. Eve, woman, was created from man's side to be his partner. Virtually every culture in the world has subjugated women to lower than males in their cultures. And women have been dominated by males throughout human history. And that God said that would be the curse. That would be a curse that would be upon them. No longer would they be looked upon as partners, walking side by side, but they would be looked upon as something to be ruled over and dominated.

Then the Adam, He said, because you have hated the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, you shall not eat of it. Cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Gone are the days, God says, that you walk with this beautiful garden I created you. Oh, I think I'm a little hungry. Well, I'll just pick a handful of these, and I'll just pick a handful of these.

Life is good. Yeah, I'd like to try that. And just eat to your... God says, those days, my friend, are gone. Cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall grow, or you shall eat the herb of the field in the sweat of your face. You shall eat bread till you return to the ground. No more the easy life.

Now you're going to have to actually take a field, and you're going to have to plant something in it, and you are going to continually have to fight against weeds and insects and all of these things that are going to snuff out your crops. You are going to sweat, and you are going to work and work hard to grow food. He said, and then when you're done with all of that, you get to die. Congratulations! Isn't sin wonderful? Isn't sin exciting? He says, you know, Adam, your name Adam needs red dirt.

I took red dirt, and I formed it together, and I breathed on you, and you became a living being. Because of your sin, you are going to return to red dirt. Dust. Ashes.

So God tells Adam and Eve that they and their descendants shall die and return to the basic elements of the earth that they were created from. They are promised that life will be hard, and then you die. Doesn't sound very encouraging at this point. What caused this situation? Sin! Is what caused this situation? A gulf between mankind and its creator. Empathy between mankind and its God. Now let's go to Genesis 6 and verse 5 and continue to see, as we answer the question, what is humankind's worth apart from God because of sin? Genesis 6 and verse 5. We're familiar with this story in just a few generations. Mankind corrupted himself itself to such a degree that God decided to destroy all life on the earth, mankind, and to start again through a family. Here's what it says, Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of his thoughts, of his heart, was only evil continually. Now we're almost there yet. Jesus talked about the days of Noah. And trust me, our values in our Western culture are in a free fall. We are not far from this condition here. It says, Now this word, sorry, is from a Hebrew word, nachhem. It's spelled N-A-W-K-H-A-M, nachhem. And it means to sigh heavily. My wife will be happy to hear about that. My wife and I kind of have a running joke. When I'm frustrated, I go, I sigh heavily. My wife came in no more than a couple weeks ago. It says, Little did she realize that I'm just following God's example. But that's literally what the Hebrew word means. God sighed. He breathed heavily. I'm so disappointed. I'm so frustrated with what's going on. And what was going on was the wickedness of man continually. That's all humankind thought about. God has all wisdom and knowledge, but even the depravity of humankind at this point in time discouraged God. In a few generations, it had advanced so much that God decided to destroy mankind and start again through one man and his family. And the human race that we know of today is descended from Noah and his family. If you look at world history, what will you see? You will see a pathetic saga of war, conquering, oppression, misery, and destruction. That is the history and the mankind in a nutshell. So we're not seeing some very positive qualities of man, are we? When we ask the question, What is humankind's worth apart from God because of sin? The answer is nothing. Isaiah 55 and verse 8. I'll have you turn there anyway, even though this scripture was brutally stolen by my very own son-in-law, Joe Mango. It just goes to show you can't trust anybody. Isaiah 55 and verse 8. Since God owns the Word, I guess I shouldn't complain. In looking at the human condition apart from God, the prophet Isaiah was inspired to write, The thoughts of humankind are uncontrolling and manipulating others. To be first, to get on top. That's what makes our world function. It's to use and abuse. And if that means I get more and better and everyone gets less, that's okay. The thoughts of mankind are centered on the get principle. To ways of life, give and get. And mankind is centered on the get principle. And this is in stark contrast to God, whose values are based on sharing and giving. Think about it. God owns everything. And He is giving away, free of charge, eternity and glory and familyship, willingly, voluntarily giving it away to those whom He calls, who possess Jesus Christ in them, the Spirit of God and Jesus Christ in the Father, in their lives and are going to live their lives, God's way of life. God gives. It's the cultures and the philosophies of mankind that takes away.

Very important concept. Job said in chapter 25 and verse 6, we won't turn there, but Job said, man is a worm. And again, apart from God, that is exactly because of sin what mankind is. Let's go to Isaiah chapter 64 and verse 6. Isaiah chapter 64 and verse 6.

Again, the prophet wrote, we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses, the good works that we can do of our own, apart from God, all of our righteousness are like filthy rags. We all fade as a leaf. And our iniquities like the wind have taken us away. Who have they taken us away from? They've taken us away from God, and they've taken us away from life. Anyway, they've taken us away. Verse 7, We'd like to read what the meaning of this phrase is, filthy rags, that we saw in verse 6. And please, if you feel this is crude, please excuse me, since I'm quoting from someone else. Filthy rags, again, this is from the Believer's Study Bible, is a reference to dressings employed by women during menstruation. Notice that it is the best with which men have to offer, which is compared with these things." So that is how much our own righteousness is to God, a bunch of soiled, bloody rags. So yes, we're all sinful and we're worthy of death, and you don't want the consequence of that is humankind? One by one, we all die. Don't we? For generations, for thousands of years, except for Jesus Christ, for thousands of years, people are born. If they're lucky, people grow old, live that long, and people die. And that cycle continues over and over again. Without salvation, we are totally cut off from God, and all the good that we can do is like a filthy, defiled rag in the presence of God.

That is why humankind needs a Savior. That is why humankind needs Jesus Christ, the Savior. And you know when he preached that can change this concept of how God views mankind apart from him because of sin? What changes is how God looks at us because of a very important decision that we make.

And that decision changes not only our lives, it should not only change how we think and how we process the world around us, it changes how God looks at us. And it's very powerful. Let's go to Luke 13, beginning in verse 1, the words of Jesus Christ.

Let's see what Jesus said about the worth of humankind apart from God and what he offered as a solution to the fact that humankind, apart from God because of sin, is a worm, a low life, because God is so much higher. And the world and the plain presence that he has is so much higher than the human level. Luke 13 and verse 1, it says, There were present at that season some who told him about the Galileans whose blood pilot had mingled with their sacrifices. Now, there is no history that writes about this event. This is the only thing we know. And I'm just going to assume that it was probably a mini-riot. You know how the Roman soldiers were rather brutal. Some people probably went to the temple to worship. They took their animals with them. There obviously was some kind of mini-riot, and the Roman soldiers pulled out their shields, their swords, and probably hacked these poor people to death, holding their sacrifices in their hands.

Verse 2, Jesus answered and said to them, Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered such things? Do you think because such bad things happened to them that they died that somehow they were more evil than you are or anyone else?

Verse 13, he said, I tell you no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish because man is a worm. Mankind, apart from God because of sin, is a low life.

Verse 4, Or those 18, on whom the tower of Salome fell and killed them, do you think they were worse sinners than all the other men who dwelled in Jerusalem? Verse 5, I tell you no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. All of you will once again, like Adam, like Eve, return the dust and perish, and your existence will cease.

You see, brethren, Christian conversion is demonstrated by real change and growth, and it all begins with repentance. Becoming a better human being and more like God doesn't make us righteous. It doesn't save us. Only the grace of God can do that. However, becoming a better human being and more like God is a natural byproduct of conversion.

We should come to God for forgiveness, and we should come to God as we repent as an unconditional sacrifice if we want to have a truly deep and meaningful relationship with Him. And though we repent before we are physically baptized, we certainly should go to God's throne of grace every day and repent of things that we may have done during the last day since our last prayer, perhaps of sins of omission, maybe things we neglected, or overt sins. And we should be in a repentant attitude. That is a good thing. Conversion occurs when we have examined ourselves, and we have seen that of ourselves, apart from God, of ourselves, we are worthless and we are lost eternally without the forgiveness and the grace of God. And that should prompt us to come to God contrite as a prisoner on death row, so thankful that we've been given a reprieve, so thankful that as sitting there in death row, the phone rings off the wall, and someone takes up the phone. It's God! Your sins are forgiven! You now have a new life! Go! Get out of here! And make sure you don't live like that anymore, as Jesus said to the woman caught in the act of adultery. Go and sin no more! You've been given a reprieve! Do something positive with your life! And that's what happens at that point of conversion. So, brethren, to answer the first question, what are we, humankind, apart from God because of sin, worthless, worms, dirt? That's what we are. But, when we are converted, that is a game changer. It changes everything. And I think, and I believe in my heart, that some of us still look at ourselves as the first question. We may have been baptized for 20 years, and we still look at ourselves as worthless. We're still looking at ourselves as underachievers, as losers, as worms. And I want to address that subject today because that is not how God looks at you. And we need to get in synchronization with how God feels about us, rather than brooding, and rather than looking into our heart of hearts and putting ourselves down and demeaning ourselves. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 26. So now I'm going to answer the second question. What is our worth when we become a child of God? Why is it a game changer? Why should everything change, including how we are looking at the value of our own lives? 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 26.

So what Paul is saying here is that from the eyes of the concepts of the world, we are nobodies. Who has pooled together their resources to send out 9 million booklets? In the eyes of the world, a group of nobodies. We're not celebrities. I was kidding the owner of this building Thursday. I said I keep sending out emails to Mr. B. Gates at Microsoft.com asking for a donation, and he never answers my email. There are no celebrities in the Church of God. The closest thing I'll ever get to the Grammy Awards are when Mark and Taya Graham ask me over to their house.

Because I'm not on the invitation list there.

You see, we are not celebrities. God called those of this world who the world looks upon as middle class, low class, poor. These are the people that God has called to give them spiritual discernment to humiliate those who think they're wise in this world. And they don't understand yet the calling that we have, but they will in time and they will understand what this was all about. Verse 29, that no flesh glory in His presence, but of Him you are in Christ Jesus who became for us.

You say, well, Mr. Thomas, I'm not very wise. I'm not very righteous. I'm not growing fast enough. And I'm struggling with issues. Here's the answer to that. Certainly keep working, keep growing, keep developing the mind of Christ, keep keeping God's laws and sabbaths and holy days and be obedient to God. That certainly is part of our discipleship. It's part of our calling. But as it says here in verse 30, but of Him you are in Christ Jesus who became for us wisdom from God. You see, Jesus Christ becomes wisdom for us when He lives, when He dwells in us because of God's Holy Spirit and righteousness. You see, our own righteousness are filthy rags. But when Jesus Christ lives in us and dwells in us through the power of the Spirit, He becomes for us righteousness. He becomes for us sanctification. He becomes for us redemption by living in us. So God looks at us. Do you think God would ever think negatively of anything where the presence of His Son dwells? His very Son who said, I'm well pleased. His very Son who was obedient throughout His entire life and shed His blood so that mankind could be saved. Do you think God could have a negative thought about anything where the presence of His Son dwells in? I don't think so. And that is what Paul is saying here. And if Jesus Christ dwells in you, God looks at you favorably. You are His child. He loves you. He's working with you. He cares for you. Verse 28, I'm going to read this from the New Century version. He chose what the world thinks is unimportant and what the world looks down on and thinks is nothing in order to destroy what the world thinks is unimportant. What the world thinks is important. And sometime that day will come when Jesus Christ will return to earth and the whole world order will be turned upside down. And those who are looked upon by this world as the fools, as the foolish, the people who believe in God.

That the whole world order is going to be turned upside down, and we will be servants, and we will be part of God's family with Jesus Christ, building a new world in a new kingdom, in a new world order. Let me continue here in verse 30 from the New Century version. Because of God, you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom from God. In Christ, we are put right with God and have been made holy and have been made free from sin. So, brethren, God states that from the world perspective, we're not the intelligentsia. We're not the influential. We're not the important from the perception of the world. And he emphasizes that the world by its standards looks down on us, but not God. And God, how God looks at us is what is really important, because every human being in the world that looks down on us has a rendezvous with not destiny, with dust. Because everyone lives as their moment in the sun fades at the heat of the day and everyone dies and goes back to dust. But the promises that we have and the glory that we are offered are eternal. They're not something that is such shallow celebrity orientated like our culture is today. I want to make sure that we understand this Scripture does not say we're special to God because we're fools.

I've heard people say that in the past. It says that the world looks upon us as foolish, that in the standards of the world we are fools. It doesn't say God says we are fools. It explains how the standards of the world picture us. To God, we are the disciples of wisdom and holy in His sight.

Because of Christ, we are intelligent and influential and important to God because we're part of His family. 1 Corinthians 2, 1 Corinthians 2, and 1 chapter over. We'll expand upon this a little bit. 1 Corinthians 2, verse 13. These things we also speak not in words of which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches. In other words, Paul says we're not talking about man's wisdom. We're going to be talking about godly wisdom in the next few sentences that I write about.

What the Holy Spirit teaches. Comparing spiritual things that is spiritual wisdom with spiritual.

You believe in God? Fool! You believe in that Sabbath? Fool! You believe those holy days picture the plan of God? Fool!

That's how the world looks at us. It's foolishness to them that you would commit your life to a belief system. That you would commit your life to a value system that every day that you would pray to a God that they don't think even exists. Who are you talking to? Who are you praying to? Why are you opening this book of myths up and studying these obsolete stories? That's how the world looks at us. Foolishness to them.

Continuing, but he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. In other words, we have the discernment to understand what's right, what's wrong, what's good, and what's bad. And the reality is that Paul is saying it's the one who really judges us as Jesus Christ, not any man, not any culture, not any celebrity.

God is our judge. Verse 16, for who has known the mind of Christ that he may instruct him? That comes from Job, chapter 40 and verse 2. Paul is quoting from the book of Job. And then Paul gives the answer. Who's known the mind of Christ? He says, but we have the mind of Christ. Maybe not to a great degree. We're certainly not there yet, are we? We're struggling with our own problems. We're struggling with our own instincts. Struggle with attitudes. Well, we're not there yet. But we have, through God's Holy Spirit, a little bit of the mind of Christ in us that wants to grow and expand, wants to overwhelm our carnality so that we become more like Christ himself. Paul further states that we have godly wisdom. We don't have human wisdom. We don't care about human wisdom. The wisdom that he gives us is the ability to judge between the values of what is right and what is wrong. Why and how can we have that discernment? Because he says we have the mind of Christ. So, at conversion, we repent. We're baptized. We receive the gift of God's Spirit that is laying on of hands. How does that change us? How does that change us in God's eyes? Because, again, we want to make sure that we are looking at ourselves, that we are looking at our mates, that we are looking at our brothers and sisters in Christ in the same way that God is looking at us. 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17, if you'll turn there with me.

2 Corinthians 5 and verse 13.

Paul says, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away.

Behold, all things have become new. Now, all things are of God who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf to be reconciled to God. Paul is saying here that upon conversion, we should come out of that baptismal water and new creature. We should have a new attitude, a new approach to life, a new way that we view ourselves and our purpose for being. And again, that has to be lined up with God's view of us. It says all things have become new, and one thing that is new is how we should view our own worth in God's eyes. When we candidly look into our hearts and minds, what we see and how we feel about ourselves should also be new because we are a new creation. The children of God need to begin to see themselves as God sees us. That's so very important. We're now to become ambassadors for Jesus Christ. Have you ever seen an ambassador on television? What is an ambassador? An ambassador normally is someone who represents positively their nation. Have you ever seen an ambassador on television? Yeah, my nation stinks. We're just a bunch of warmongers, and we have no idea what we're doing. We're clueless. Have you ever seen anyone say that in the United Nations? I haven't. I felt that way about a lot of them, but I've never heard them say it. An ambassador, in a positive way, represents the values of their nation. They are articulate. They've memorized the talking points. If someone asks them a question, they know how to answer from their nation's perspective what the political doctrine is of their nation. And they're good at it. They're articulate because they are an ambassador. They represent that nation. Well, brethren, we represent a nation. It's called the kingdom of God. We are ambassadors for Jesus Christ. And in a similar way, our personas, the way that we live, the way that we communicate with our neighbors, people while we're shopping, and everyone that we run into in our community should be that of a positive ambassador for Jesus Christ. Because God is pleading to the world through our example. He is saying, look at the example of this new creature. Look at the example of this person who has turned around and is now going in another direction and has changed their life because of the good news of Jesus Christ of the coming kingdom of God. Philippians 4 and verse 10. Read the Scripture above Paul. Was Paul vain? Was Paul somehow get carried away and start thinking he was special or superior?

We're going to read the Scripture here eleven times in this group of Scriptures. He uses the word, I. Wow! Doesn't that sound rather vain? I, I, I, me, me, me? Is this what Paul is all about? Philippians 4 and verse 10.

He said, But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly. Now that at last your care is flourished again, though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Paul's talking about the congregation's desire to help him when he was going through a trial. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned that whatever state I am in to be content, I know how to be abased, I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. That does not sound to me like a man who looks in the mirror and says, I am a worthless loser. I'm a nobody. I'm a worm. I'm a bag of dust. And you know of himself, apart from God, he is. And I am. And you are. But when Jesus Christ dwells in you through God's Spirit, that is the game changer. I'd like to read this from the translation, God's Word for Today. I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me. He isn't using the word I eleven times because he's vain or cocky. He simply understands that with Christ in him, Paul can achieve or adapt to anything in life. He can achieve anything because he's got the greatest power of the universe residing inside of him. That same power that God said, let there be light. And that spirit that had hovered above the waters made light and made matter, fashioned on earth. And that same power that did everything that God told it to do dwells in you. It's unlimited! It's incredible! Jesus said, if we had enough faith, we could say to that mountain, move into the sea! And that mountain would move into the sea. Paul believed that. He knew that he could adapt to anything in life. He could live in poverty and learn to be content. He could live quite well and learn to be content in that as well. How about us, brethren? How do we view ourselves? Let's take a look at what Peter said. 1 Peter 2 and verse 9. 1 Peter 2 and verse 9. Paul had a very balanced perspective of his self-worth. He understood the need for humility and meekness. And meekness is simply modesty and behavior, modesty and attitude and spirit. And we should always continue to be meek and humble. But you can be meek and humble and dynamic and productive and achieve great things through the Spirit of God at the same time. 1 Peter 2 and verse 9. Peter said, but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, who once were not a people, but now are now the people of God, who had not attained mercy, but have now or now have obtained mercy. He says, to God you're special. And you were all in your own little worlds, but now God has made you a special people. He's called you out of darkness, and you're a spiritual family. You didn't even know each other before you walked through that door or whatever door it was when God called you 20, 30 years. You didn't know the people in that room, but now you're family. You are special in God's eyes. You are the people of God. These words are so encouraging, because God tells us that we are people with a purpose. We are people with balance. We are people whom he is called to do great things. Let's take a look at one more scripture, and then we will conclude the sermon today. Next Sabbath, I hope to continue this theme and continue a very similar subject as we prepare for the Passover this coming year. Romans 8, 28.

Paul wrote to the congregation in Rome, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose, for whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Jesus Christ was the first one to walk out of that grave and transcend death, the firstborn into the family of God. But it says there are a lot of others, brethren of his, who are going to follow him. He is just the firstborn among many brethren, and those brethren are you. Moreover, whom he predestined, whom he called these he also justified, he made just in God's eyes, in other words, and whom he justified these he also glorified. We're special people. We are special in God's eyes. What then shall we say to these things, if God is for us, who can be against us? I'd like to conclude the sermon today, I should say, with a story. The story is about a poor man who received a wonderful gift. He won a raffle at work, and he received a gift, a cruise ship. He was so excited. He was getting a free cruise that he could never afford, a three-day cruise, and he was just absolutely delighted. It was a gift. However, there was a service fee for the cruise, there was a tax involved, and he had to pay the taxes. So he sold everything he had, and he paid the taxes, and he went on that cruise ship. And he met some new friends on that cruise ship, and they had a great time, but his friends noticed something interesting, and that is, every time they had a meal on the cruise ship, that man never showed up for any of the meals. The first day went by, he never went to a meal. Second day went by, he never went to a meal. Third day, the entire cruise is almost over, he had never gone to a meal, and they ran into him, and they said, we noticed that you were not eating meals with us. And the gentleman said, well, he said, I don't really have much going for me, I'm kind of a poor man. As a matter of fact, he said, I appreciate this gift. I gave everything I had to pay the taxes for this, I can't afford to eat meals. I go back to my cabin, and I eat crackers. And his friends said to him, you just don't seem to understand. You were on a cruise ship. It includes the cost of your meals. The price has already been paid. And brothers and sisters in Christ, we've got to stop eating crackers. Stop living in guilt and shame. Stop looking at ourselves and putting ourselves down. Stop thinking that somehow we are worthless. We've got to realize that the price has already been paid by Jesus Christ. Whatever sins we committed, wherever we were at, whatever we have done, the price has already been paid. So let's enjoy the journey of discipleship that God has given us. And let's use his Spirit in a positive way and become the people of God and reach the potential that God has for each and every one of us. I hope you'll think about that story. And I hope during the next week that you will think about your calling and how precious and important you are to God, his chosen people, his children, his flock. And I hope that we can begin to think about ourselves differently, in a more positive way, in getting in sync with how God looks at us. So think about that, and we'll continue this subject next Sabbath. Meanwhile, have a wonderful Sabbath day, a great week, and we'll see you next time.