Let us open our Bibles to the New Testament, to the book of Acts, chapter 24. Acts, chapter 24. And after five days, Ananias, the high priest, descended with the elders and with a certain orator named Tertullus who informed the governor against Paul. And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, we accept it always, and in all places most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. Notwithstanding that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, who also hath gone about to profane the temple, whom we took and would have judged according to our law. But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands. commanding his accusers to come unto thee, by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things whereof we accuse him. And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so. Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do. the more cheerfully, answer for myself, because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship, and they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues nor in the city, neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me, but This I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets, and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men. Now, after many years, I came to bring alms to my nation and offerings, whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude nor with tumult, who ought to have been here before thee, and object if they had ought against me, or else let these same here say if they have found any evil doing in me while I stood before the council. except it be for this one voice, that I cried, standing among them, touching the resurrection of the dead, I am called in question by you this day. And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lycius, the chief captain, shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter. And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty. and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him. And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled and answered, Go thy way for this time. when I have a convenient season I will call for thee." He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him. Wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and commune with him. But after two years, Porcius Festus came into Felix's room, and Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure left Paul bound. The text for this New Year's Eve service is taken from this chapter that we've read together, Acts 24, verses 24 and 25. And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Priscilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, Judgment to come, Felix trembled and answered, Go thy way for this time. When I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. It does happen every once in a while that we let an opportunity slip by, something of which later on we say, I should have done it. But I didn't. Or I should have bought it. The price wasn't too bad, but we didn't buy it. For some reason we let the opportunity slip. And later we realized it was an opportunity that got away. We let it slip away. And how many do not do that also with the things that matter for eternity? We meet Such a man like this on the last day of the year. Felix. And you can write over this sermon, Felix, a missed opportunity. Felix, a missed opportunity. And we'll see three things. First of all, a meeting in Providence. Secondly, a message in preaching. And thirdly, the mistake in his procrastination. Felix, a missed opportunity. First of all, meeting in Providence. Secondly, the message in preaching. And thirdly, the mistake in his procrastination. In this book of Acts, dear congregation, Luke tells us how the Lord carries on his work of gathering a church unto himself. To that end, the Lord Jesus instructed his disciples in the opening verses of this book already to bring this message in Jerusalem. but they must not stay in Jerusalem it must be spread to Judea and to Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth and at the end of the book of Acts it has made its way all the way to the center of the earth at that time Rome but how will the gospel get to Rome? well to that end the exalted Christ has laid hands on a soul of Tarsus and This evening he is one of the men that we meet with in Acts chapter 24. Actually, in our text we meet with three people. Felix, Drusilla, and Paul. Of those three, we know Paul the best. Paul, the man who had been an enemy of the Lord Jesus and of his people and who had persecuted the church as Acts 9 will describe him breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the church. But the Lord met him on the way to Damascus and brought him down, humbling him before the exalted Christ. Paul we meet. Paul, who was converted. Paul, who would be a preacher of the gospel, of that gospel which he had once resisted. Paul. who would, as the Lord had said, come before kings and governors. And here he is, as a prisoner of the Lord, one who after his third missionary journey has met with those in Jerusalem set against him and who created an uproar, a riot in Jerusalem, and for Paul's safety he was taken into prison. and to deal with his case, Paul is now in Caesarea before the highest dignitary in Judea, Felix. The second person that we meet here, Felix, a man who actually had a lot to be thankful for. He's a man who should have been happy according to the standards of our world, and his name also means just that. happy, or fortunate, or maybe what today people would say, happy-go-lucky. Merci. should have been happy. After all, he was a man with power. He was a man who had a high position in the empire of Rome, and he didn't always have such a high position. In fact, at one time he had the lowest place. History books tell us he had been a slave, but he had been set free by Caesar through some connections that he had. Maybe he would have said, what? that he had these connections but having been set free he began to take up positions of responsibility and quickly was promoted and he kept being promoted till he was governor of Judea and you would think indeed he would be happy-go-lucky but he wasn't On top of that, he was a man that was known to be cruel, a man who was out for his own riches and honor, a man who was out serving the god of mammon and pleasure. Yes, the god of pleasure, and that's why he took Drusilla. Drusilla, a woman with great beauty, stunning beauty, who was young. When we meet her, she is probably not even 20 years old. And Felix, who has had several wives already, has seduced Drusilla away from her own husband. And Drusilla didn't mind. She let it happen. Yet today, they would say she loved to flirt. Felix and Drusilla. When you hear of both of them tonight, you might say, These are people of our world, of our time, two modern people seeking after position and possessions and pleasure. For that's what man still seeks today, doesn't he? Yes, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die, but let's not think about that today. And let's make the best of the short life that we have. After all, you only live once. And that's how people pass through this short life. Not knowing that it is with God they have to do. And it's God they have to meet. And you know what? It's God too who stretches out his hands to such people. Even to people who pursue such pleasure. Sinful pleasure. And he tells us what he takes pleasure in. In the words of Ezekiel 33, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but in this, that they would turn from their evil ways and live. And that's also what the Lord says in Acts 24. and it's remarkable that the Lord would say that also on this page to such people people like Felix and Drusilla maybe especially to someone like Drusilla for we know her family and we know her family actually quite well for she comes from the famous family of Herod her father was Herod Agrippa the man who saw to it that James was put to death and who had wanted to put Peter to death too and her grandfather was Herod the one who had beheaded John the Baptist and her great great grandfather was Herod the Great the king of whom we heard yesterday who sought to slay the Lord Jesus and in his attempts to slay him saw to it that all those to and under in Bethlehem were put to death you might say Drusilla she has the most depraved DNA the most depraved genius coming from a family that has sought to extinguish the Christian church. But the Lord even says to someone like her, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. I really don't. And perhaps Drusilla fascinated and curious with Paul as her family had been with the Lord Jesus and with his disciples. She wants to hear him. And she and Felix are given the opportunity. And we're told a little bit about the history of how Paul came into their midst. For Paul has been directed to come to this place. To come in that place where he would stand accused by the Jews of And that's what we read in the opening verses of this chapter. He stands accused really of being a pest, a troublemaker, someone who stirred up riots among the Jews all over the world. And there are serious accusations in the Roman Empire, an empire that wanted things to be peaceful and to be a stir up of riots. was a serious thing that was deserving of the death penalty, if guilty. Paul, we heard him briefly. He answers to the charge before Felix and he tells Felix that there is no substance to this charge. He was not in Jerusalem to stir up any trouble at all, but to give help, to give relief to the needy in Jerusalem. He can say, you know what I've done, Felix? I've been going throughout the world to gather money for the church in Jerusalem. I was on a mission of mercy. And he says plainly that he is an Orthodox Jew because he believes in the resurrection. And he says in verse 16, If I should be convicted of anything, then let me be convicted of this, of having a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men. Then you realize that Paul is quite different from Felix. Felix. who doesn't have such a conscience, void of offense. And that's how Felix has come to hear Paul the first time. And Felix, yeah, he postpones judgment for another time, and Paul remains a prisoner, although under relaxed conditions, as verse 23 tells us he has some liberties. And that would happen that on a separate time they call for Paul, whether it was Drusilla who suggested it out of curiosity or Felix said, Drusilla, let's go and listen to this man Paul. I don't know how it came about, but they sent for him. And whose hand should we see here? Whose hand should we see in this page of Scripture or in any page of the book of Acts for that matter? Like when Paul came to Philippi and the Philippian jailer comes in contact with Paul in the message of salvation? Whose hand should we see? Or that time when Herod came in contact with John the Baptist? Or when Pilate met Jesus? Or... Tonight, you and I have been brought to church here. And now, under the Word of God, Who's done that? It's not the hand of a man. It's the hand of God. It's a meeting just like tonight in Providence. But we also hear a message in the preaching. Suddenly there is an opportunity for Paul to bring the gospel. A pulpit has been set up. It's in a strange place. We would not have expected a pulpit in the palace of Felix in Caesarea, and we would not have expected the congregation to be made up of the people that it's made up, but it is made up of just two people. Felix and Drusilla and Paul were told in the last words of verse 24, preached of the faith in Christ. You can say that was the theme of his sermon. The faith in Christ? Was that the theme maybe that Felix and Drusilla gave him when they sent for him from his prison cell? Did they explain that they wished Paul might say something about the difference between the Christian religion on the one hand and the Jewish religion on the other hand? People are ready to hear about those kind of differences and what's the difference now between your religion and the religion that I grew up with? What's the difference now between your church and my church? People still do that today. Was that how it came to Paul, this theme? Or was it that Drusilla, like the Hollywood stars of today, that they wanted to hear something of a new cult and maybe some tips on spirituality, others might be willing to give, and that would be interesting. Maybe Drusilla said to Felix, let's ask him about this new cult, about this faith in Jesus. But whatever it was, they said to Paul, he took the opportunity to speak of the need of faith in Christ. Again, I think that was his theme. And I think he preached in a very simple way. He spoke of a person, Christ, the one whom the Father had promised in the Old Testament and the one whom the Father sent in the fullness of time, the one expected, for the believers of the Old Testament were an expectant people. The Old Testament people were waiting for the Messiah to come. the one who would save sinners from their sin, Christ who came and who went about doing good and who taught the things of the kingdom of heaven. But that's not all. He ended up nailed to a cross. And, Felix, Drusilla, this was not done in a corner. It was done by another governor, Pontius Pilate. Yes, he was hung on the cross to die the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God. And Felix and Drusilla, this Christ who died, is not dead. He's risen from the dead. He's alive. And He's at the right hand of the Father, and He is the Savior of sinners. I think He preached very simply of a person. And there must be faith in that person. Faith, a word that we in church hear often about, and maybe sometimes be asked, but what actually is it? And then you can say that Luke uses especially the word for trust. The sinner must come to entrust his life into the hands of the Lord Jesus. Or if I can use an illustration so that the young people also understand it this evening, and I don't think that it is that hard for the young people, but imagine a ship that's in trouble. It's sinking. It can't stay afloat. But while it's sinking, a lifeboat comes alongside of the ship. And that lifeboat will give you safety. And that lifeboat will bring you safely to the shore. But then the boy on the ship that's sinking, or the man that's on the ship that's sinking, he must also jump. into the lifeboat. And there are those arms stretched out for somebody in the lifeboat will catch you. And then being persuaded of the safety of that boat, you don't stay in the sinking ship anymore. Into the lifeboat you go. That's what's needed to enjoy the salvation in the Lord Jesus. that rests in the lifeboat, Jesus. The need for faith in Christ, that's his theme. And then he has a three-point sermon. His first point was of righteousness. That's what we're told. reasoned of righteousness. And that's what God requires of us. That we give to God what is right. And that we give to our neighbor what is right. And Luke uses a word that we all understand when he uses this word righteousness. It's a word that describes walking straight. Walking in a straight path. The path that God has set out in His law that we love Him above all and that we love our neighbor. And this has something to say to you and me, and it also has something to say to a judge who should be concerned about what is right. A governor, in the words of Isaiah 56 verse 1, keep judgment and do justice. After all, that's what the King of the universe, God Himself, does. That's what he concerns himself with, for righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne, who executes judgment for the oppressed. God is such a God, concerned for righteousness, and he will not overlook any injustice and wickedness. And he will avenge the poor and the oppressed. He is such a judge. Does Paul maybe speak of the wickedness of a judge like Felix who accepts bribes? Does he speak of the wickedness of a judge like Felix who lets the wicked off and who punishes the innocent? Does he speak of the wickedness, the great evil of cruelty of soldiers who at Felix's command, just like at Pontius Pilate's command, killed innocent people, he reasoned of righteousness. The second point of this sermon was of temperance. temperance, and then Luke paints a picture of self-control. It's the same word that is used in 1 Corinthians 9, verse 25, of athletes. Young people, you understand, athletes who train for their events at the Olympics or in their sports. And then, if you're such an athlete, then you don't just eat whatever you want. You don't just do anything you want. You don't just do it whenever you want. No, then you're trained, you're careful, you're self-controlled. There is this strict life in which you deny yourself instead of taking everything that is set before you and grabbing what your eyes see. You see, that's what God calls of us, a life of temperance. self-control, that we serve Him and not the idols that our hearts want us to pursue and the wildlife, which is the opposite of temperance, following the desires of the flesh and of the mind and giving in to those lusts of the flesh and the pleasures of sin for a season. Temperance. No, I don't think that Felix and Drusilla were counting on a sermon like this. Maybe you weren't either tonight. Maybe Felix and Drusilla were looking just for some information. What are the differences between the Jewish religion and the Christian religion? What are the differences between this and that? And Paul could have given such a sermon. He could have given a doctrinal sermon. He could have given a great doctrinal sermon with a lot of information. with a lot of little teaching that people today might want. That kind of teaching that doesn't have so much to do with them, but some theoretical debate about this, that, or the other thing. Paul could have. The preacher could have. But there are times when a very practical sermon is needed. And Paul knew a little bit about the life of Felix and Drusilla. And he knew they needed to hear a painfully practical sermon. For the administration of Felix has been full of dishonesty, full of extortion, full of injustice. And now Felix hears of God. God, who will not overlook the wicked deeds by governors and rulers. And Felix thinks now of the bribes he's paid, and the bribes he's received, and of the innocent blood he has shed, and of the acts of violence that he has commanded, and of the people whom he has left desolate, and the widows that are now grieving because he has seen to it that their husbands were put to death without cause. And temperance, maybe Felix, remembers the loss he pursued. And Drusilla, yet Drusilla is reminded of her shameful escapades, and how she had abandoned her first husband, and she is reminded under the preaching of her adultery, and their pasts come before their consciences, and that's what happens still, so that we all of a sudden begin to think differently about the lies that we have told. and about the way that we cheated in school, and of the bullying that we took part in. And we think differently about the lusts that you pursued, and how you were in those places you should not have been, and how you did those things that you should not have done. shameful things that are even too shameful to speak about when no one was looking and you didn't. And maybe Drusilla had hoped that Paul would have said a little, some theoretical things about the Jewish religion, but she ends up hearing a sermon on the seventh commandment. And maybe Felix and Drusilla were not very happy, and maybe they were hoping that now Paul will end his sermon. But Paul has one more point. He reasoned of righteousness and of temperance and of the judgment. For this life is not all there is. There will be a judgment day coming. Maybe he said what he would later on write in his second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 10, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of God. Yes, Paul would come there to the judgment. But so also would Felix and Drusilla, and they who had chased their pleasures, and they who had sought for happinesses. But remember, Ecclesiastes 11 says that for all these things, God will bring thee into judgment. And maybe Paul said that the Lord Jesus spoke so often about this subject. And maybe he quoted those words of Matthew 25. when the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all His angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory, and He will separate the sheep from the goats, the just from the unjust, and then Judge Felix will be judged, and then people who have been critical of others But it didn't like this about that person and that about someone else. On that Judgment Day, it will be clear their opinion will not matter, for then we are not judge. God will be judge. And do we not do well to remember that tonight? We will be judged for all that we have done this past year. all that we've thought, all that we've said. And then it will be eternal well or eternal woe. Then it will be heaven or it will be hell. But now that is not such a nice message to hear. No. But it's not Felix and it's not Drusilla who determine what the message will be. It's not even Paul's task to determine the message. It's God's. And Paul preaches in love. Yes, the love of Christ constrains him. Love makes him say what he says. For it is so unloving not to tell people of the God with whom we have to do. And it's so unloving to not speak of the judgment that is coming to whom everyone will have to, before whom everyone will have to appear. After all, the sinner needs to see his need of the Lord Jesus. That's what had to happen with the Jews on the day of Pentecost. That's what has to happen to Gentile and Jews alike still. For herein the Lord seeks our good, that before Judgment Day come, He wants us to see that we have sinned against Him and that we can't blame God anymore. that we begin to blame ourselves as David did in Psalm 51, that David begins to say against thee, thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight. Lord, in thy judgment thou art just and in thy sentence right. That's where Paul wants to bring Felix. Shall I put it simply, Paul wants to bring Felix and Drusilla to the cross. That's his theme, remember? The faith in Christ. Christ he wants to bring before the eyes of Felix. The cross. The Lord Jesus. The Righteous One. Who lived a life of temperance. A life of holiness unto the Lord. But upon him fell the judgment of God. So that sinners like you, Felix, so that sinners like you, Felix, if you embrace him by faith, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. That's the blessing of faith in Christ. for sinners still today. And did Felix partake of this blessing? No. That's her third point. The mistake of procrastination. What effect did the preaching of Paul have? It did have an effect in the life of Felix. Apparently not in the life of Drusilla. Maybe Drusilla just thought she was, as a Jewess, I'm a child of Abraham somewhere. People do that in church still today. I'm a covenant child. Having a false peace, thinking that everything is fine with them as a church member and thinking, ah, pastor, it's not us who need to hear that tonight. It's others outside of the church who need to hear that. Whatever went through Drusilla's mind, she is a real great-granddaughter of Herod. Yes, I mean of that Herod who gladly heard John the Baptist, but who didn't repent. You can say that she comes from a family that loved to hear solemn preaching. Herod heard John and heard him gladly. And John was a fire and brimstone preacher. But it did nothing to her. There are families like that still today who like a solemn preaching. But it has no effects. Why not? Because it's not mixed with faith, Hebrews 4, verse 2 says. And then it's a sign that Drusilla, already at such a young age, is being hardened. It's sad that she's so hard while she is still so young. But it seems that with Felix, things are better. For Felix, It's a surprise, don't you think, that this cruel man, this judge, trembles. But it shows that the Word has had effect. It has awakened his conscience, and it's speaking, and it's making Felix restless. And Felix knows Paul is right. There is a day of judgment coming. And he has lived a wicked and sinful life. And what now? What will Felix do now that he is trembling? Will he do what Paul did on the way to Damascus? Also was made afraid. Or the jailer in Philippi who not only trembled but fell down and asked, what must I do to be saved? And the Philippian jailer came to faith in Jesus and he partook of the salvation. But that has consequences and Felix knows that. It would have consequences for his life. He would have to change the way he serves as judge. He would have to stop with the bribes. He will have to give up Drusilla. He will have to break up the relationship with her and send her back to her lawful husband. And that's how Felix begins to halt between two opinions. And maybe Felix breaks out in a sweat. And Drusilla was maybe surprised and said, what's the matter with you? And maybe you've had the same thing. You thought the same thing, uncovered to your sin, you knew things were not right in your life and you were shaken. But you didn't fall on your knees before the Lord. You didn't confess your sins before a good-doing God. And you begin to halt between two opinions and you begin to argue inside your conscience. And you think about all the things that you have to give up. The world and the pleasures of sin for a season. No, you can't do that. Maybe later. It's surprising, don't you think? I mean, if a boat is sinking and a lifeboat comes alongside and it offers to rescue you, you don't say, well, let me think about it. Or if a house is on fire and a fireman comes through the fire at the risk of his own life to rescue you, you don't say, no, don't don't come for me. Not now. Maybe come back later. Maybe tomorrow. That's what Felix does. He does it politely. That's true. We can push salvation away politely. Go thy way for this time. When I have a convenient season, I will call thee. And maybe that's what you've said this past year. I'm too busy. I'm up to my ears in my work. First, my business. A man has to live. First, my schoolwork. First, my career. It's just getting interesting. I really don't have time. I do have plans to seek for salvation later on, hopefully, when life is not as busy as now, when I'm older. And maybe that's what you've been saying. for some time already, and you tell yourself later, there's a little bit better time in my life, maybe when I'm retired. I can even wait till my deathbed, maybe you say. I still have time. But it's not about our time, whether it's convenient for us. It's about God's time. And often God's time is an inconvenient time, but it's His time, because it's now, and today is the day of salvation. Even this New Year's Eve, it's His time. Well, Felix did call Paul again, but not to hear about the Messiah, but about money, verse 26. He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him. Wherefore, he sent for him the offener and communed with him. But Felix, Paul doesn't have money. And maybe Felix says, well, precisely, Paul, why don't you do what you did for the church in Jerusalem? Why don't you ask the churches to take a collection for you? I could use the money and I might let you go free. You see that with everything that Felix has experienced and with everything that Felix has, he still wants more money. And Felix goes on in his own, in his old way, He's left to himself. He's hardened his heart. And maybe that's what we've done. Silenced our consciences. We hear the gospel, but we say, not now. Still can do without God. And we have our own gods. Maybe the same one that Felix has. The God of money. And Felix remains just as unjust because he leaves Paul in prison to do the Jews a favor. He's still unjust. He's still corrupt. After all, a tree is known by its fruits. And Felix, he is not happy-go-lucky. How can he be? He's without the Lord. He has an idol that moth will corrupt and rust and destroy and thieves break through and steal. Remarkable meeting. And if you see them standing over against each other, Paul, maybe he's chained. And Felix, Felix, who has a high position in the world, who has possessions, but he's not happy. He wants more. The other a prisoner. He has another year in jail. Should he write to the churches for a collection so that he might be set free? No. And he takes up his cross. And maybe that's how it has been for you, dear child of God. Every day this past year, you've had to take up your cross. Those troubles in your life. Paul will tell us. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. That's the way to look at the end of the year, at your reflections, dear child of God. I'm Felix and Drusilla. No, things did not go so well for them. History tells us that Felix lost everything in the days of Nero. And Drusilla, that stunningly beautiful woman, she was 41 years old when she died by the explosion of Mount Vesuvius buried under the lava of the volcano. They thought they had tomorrow. But they miss the opportunity. And then the day of grace is past. Tomorrow, it's the word of the devil. The Lord says today. He stands before us this evening. Your conscience speaks. The Lord is knocking. Don't push Him away. Don't just tremble. Go on your knees. If we don't, then there will come a time, as Felix, that it will be too late. But while he proffers peace and pardon, let us hear his voice today, lest, if we, our heart should harden. we should perish in the way. Amen. Let us give thanks and pray. Lord, what love Thou didst show in coming to those two modern people and coming still today to people just like them with the overtures of grace, convincing of sin, righteousness and judgment Church people also need that. And thou knowest, Lord, how excuses have been made, how postponements have been made, how opportunities slip away. Another year of gospel has passed us by. One of two things has happened. Either our hearts have been softened or they have been hardened. We pray Thee that we might take Thy word back to Thee and say, Lord, keep me from going my own way. Keep me from making one more excuse, letting it slip by one more time. Even though it's most inconvenient, Lord, for me, it is Thy convenient time to save. Even if I get a tomorrow and I grow old and I may have beauty now, one day it will lie in the dust and I need Thee through this life. Without it, I cannot be happy nor safe. Lord, thy word has been brought in weakness also tonight, this whole year. Will thou accompany it with power from on high? Show us how to close out the year and to begin a new year and grant that it may be in thy favor that thou will gather us again tomorrow morning. and that it may be with humbled hearts. Christ is needed. Forgive us of our sins, Lord, and hear us for Jesus' sake. Amen.