So today's message is called A Life Full of Days, and we're taking it from 1 Chronicles 23, verse 1. When David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel. Well, that's the Word of the Lord and almost certainly add His abundant blessing to the reading of His Holy Truth. And I know Brother Walt has prayed, and I know we've had other prayers up here, but let us go again before the Lord in prayer. Our most blessed and gracious Father in God, as we look into the text, as we look into the chapter, as we're reminded of David's life, be glorified Heavenly Father may Christ be exalted and may we take away from just this little verse here and even from all those names of the Levites may we May we be richly blessed so that we may bless you, so that we may praise you, we may worship you in spirit and in truth. We love you, Lord, and thank you for this time and the opportunity that we could worship you in spirit and in truth. In Jesus' name and for his sake, we do pray, amen. Also, thank you to everybody, as you can hear, thank you to everybody who's been praying for my weakened voice. I had a real bad case of laryngitis on Wednesday, but apparently my voice is somewhat back, has some volume, and I'll make sure I don't yell at my dogs again for a while, until they go back into the highway again, and now they're getting into all kinds of other mischief. Anyway, the background that we see that's in your handout here, we start and we're reminded as we see the text when David was old and full of days, what are those days about? And we go back to 1 Chronicles 17 just to be reminded that it is a picture of salvation's blessings. David is a man after God's own heart. Now he's king. He's king in Jerusalem as it's been captured. It has been captured. It was owned by the Jebusites. They couldn't drive out the Jebusites for years, and then David came in. Now Jerusalem is the capital. David had been reigning in Hebron for seven years until he goes to Jerusalem. So in 1 Chronicles 17, he desires to build God a house. He has a palace. but the Lord dwells in a tent. And so he wants to build a house, but the Lord says, no, you're not gonna build a house. I'll build you a house. And so he makes the promise of a Messiah to come, which is a promise that had been going on and building up and the details been filling out since Adam's sin in the garden. And that the seed of a woman by a virgin birth, there would be an anointed one that would come And so we see this from the word to David from the Lord in chapter 17. In chapter 18, we see him strong in Christ, that although the Lord is going to build him a house, he doesn't rest upon his laurels. He goes in and he goes into battle. that though God has promised peace in the days of his son, well, he's going to do his part. And we even had looked at that last week as well with a companion verse to 1 Chronicles 22. We looked at Psalm 127 verses one and two, unless except the Lord build a house, they labor in vain who build it. unless the Lord keeps watch over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain, but is vain to rise up early and to stay up late to eat the bread of sorrows or the bread of toil or labor. In other words, it doesn't stop us from working, but it is the Lord's work and then we participate also. And we don't, In verse two, where it says the bread of sorrows, we don't have to have anxiety over it. It doesn't mean that we don't have to work hard. And here David does that in chapter 18, all the way through, if you will. First Chronicles chapter 19, we see the wickedness against David. And so we understand this from the New Testament. that it's reflected even in the Old Testament, that if you're in Christ, you are going to suffer tribulation. Jesus said so in John 16, in the world, you shall suffer tribulation. Through Paul, through the Apostle Paul, Paul tells Timothy that if you want to live godly in Christ Jesus, you'll suffer persecution. And here David experiences this in 1 Chronicles 19. Then there are wars and rewards and repetition of things as we see in chapter 20 with the fighting of the giants, that though David slew Goliath, there were four others. Four other giants that were champions of the Philistines, and they were taken care of and put down. And the blessings that David received from that, and the greatest blessing he received from that that we see in Chronicles, that it completely wiped out his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah the Hittite, when he had an adulterous affair with her. It's not mentioned at all in Chronicles. And so that reflects the forgiveness that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. That as far as the East is from the West, so is the Lord taken your sin and he remembers them no more. And just as Chronicles, as it was recorded in 2 Samuel, and we see the depravity of David as a sinner, though he was a man after God's own heart, and though he was king, and he had every blessing to be bestowed upon him by God's grace, and yet he sinned, we see how that through the truth of the gospel in 1 Chronicles, that that isn't even mentioned. Likewise, will your sins in that time, when if you have given your life over unto Christ, because he has saved you by his grace. When you appear before him, that even if you were to try to mention it, I believe, if you were to try to mention the sin, Jesus would say, what? What sin? Because when he said, it is finished, when he died upon the cross, in Greek it's recorded in John chapter 19, verse 30, to telestai, paid in full. It was indeed paid in full. Praise God is right. Amen. Then in chapter 21, we see the worldly arrogance of David. The flesh must be crucified. Though that sin was forgiven, 1 Chronicles records that when he numbered the people, David was lifted up in arrogant pride. And our flesh does that too. And so we're reminded in 1 Chronicles of the gospel truth that though we're saved, we still gotta battle with the flesh. That's a truth that is day by day and moment by moment. that we need to give ourselves and surrender ourselves to the power that is Christ and Him crucified. And then in chapter 22, we look at that last week, the wonderful counsel of David. He has now been serving nearly 40 years as king over Israel, and his son Solomon has been born. And that his encouragement too, All the leadership there, all those elders, as we saw in 1 Chronicles 22, verse 19 last week, that a mind and heart must be set upon Christ and Him crucified. A heart set upon Christ, a heart and mind set upon Christ. And we gleaned from that the wonderful counsel of David, even in his latter years. And so he finishes the race here in chapters 23 to 29. Basically, it's the works of David in his last days. And though he is made, pronounced Solomon, the king of Israel, He still goes to work. He organized the Levites in chapter 23. He organizes the priests in chapter 24, which we'll look into and find some blessings for us from those chapters with all those names. Organizing the priests in chapter 24. Organizing the musicians in chapter 25. Organizing the gatekeepers and officials in chapter 26. Organizing the military and tribal leaders in chapter 27. makes his official charge to Israel and to Solomon in chapter 28, and then 1 Chronicles is closed out in chapter 29 with David's offering to the Lord and his final prayers. So here is a life, as we see, this kicks off a life that still hasn't gone to be with the Lord, but the Lord has us reflect upon it by this one verse. David was old and full of days. And here's the blessing and application from our text. And we'll have a companion verse, as you can see from your handout, Ephesians chapter 5, verse 16. In the English Standard Version, it says making the best use of the time because the days are evil. For those of you who use the old King James Version, it says redeeming the times. Redeeming the time for the days, because the days are evil. And either one of those translations are good. And in fact, we're gonna cover them both. What does it mean to be full of days? Well, as it reflected in David's past, as we saw there, chapter 17 to 22. his days were fulfilled with the truth of the gospel, that though this was a history of his life as the Old Testament is, this is a historical account that actually happened, but it's laid out in the scriptures so that we could see pictures of the gospel. The gospel is what is primary. The truth of Christ and Him crucified is that which the whole Bible is about. However, the Lord unfolds it in His sovereignty to take these historical, actual events with these real people. And I emphasize that because in Sunday school, as we've been marching through church history, we came, the last couple of weeks, it's like we have Sunday school class and we want to run off and take a bath or a shower immediately because it seems like we're so soiled at this time where people don't believe that this is the authoritative word of God. that they don't believe Jesus is a real person or if they believe he's a real person that he didn't speak the truth he didn't know what he was talking about when he quotes the Old Testament that they have a wrong view of mankind that when Adam fell we need a Savior outside of ourselves so we reflect upon David's past that though he was in a real historical person and chapter 17 to 22 capture that that every one of them presents a glimpse of the gospel that is to come. And that gospel that we have seen, that the Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with salvation, eternal life, and the truth of his Presence by just a glimpse until that day that he comes and we can see him face to face as John tells us in first John chapter 3 that it does not yet appear what we shall be but when he does appear we shall see him as he is for we shall be like him and Then in the meantime before we're like him he transforms us day by day to be conformed to His image, waiting upon Him, desiring to see Him, sometimes even anxiously awaiting in our prayers or hastening His coming, Lord, come quickly. But as we wait day by day, David's life is reflected in us, because we see types of Christ in his life, we see types of humanity as saved by Christ in his life, and those reflections, as we look in the Old Testament, they bear resemblance to our lives. Maybe not the exact details, because I don't think David's gonna go dip netting tomorrow, which David loses out, and that's my blessing. I might not go dip netting tomorrow, I don't know. I know, it's shocking both Larry and Buzz and Eric. They were out there on the river yesterday. Where's Pastor John? Normally we'll see him out here. What a blessing that is. It's also rendered by David's continued actions in chapter 23 to 29. that though his life was full of days, he didn't just, well, okay, let me just wait for the Lord to come or wait for the Lord to take me. That's not what the Christian life is about. We're now full of life. Eternal life isn't just, well, I'm gonna live with the Lord forever or I'm gonna be in the six flags over Jesus when heaven happens. It is a, The Kingdom of Heaven is right now readily available, and so that blessing is to continue to work for Him, to plant trees for Him, even if He comes tomorrow and we don't eat the fruit of that tree six months from now. So He organizes the Levites and the priests, the musicians, the gatekeepers, the officials, and then even offers sacrifices as Solomon is ordained to be king in David's final prayer. It's revealed Also in the text today, and that's where we're really going, we see that in 1 Chronicles 23, verse one, it says, savah yamim is the Hebrew term there, full of days. Savah yamim. Yom is the word for day. Yamim is days, plural. And savah means full, or more literally, satisfied. His days were full, they were satisfied, and that reminds us the satisfaction, the satisfaction that is in Christ. Why? Because Christ is sufficient. We are satisfied. When Christ does truly save us, we should be satisfied because he saved us completely. He has forgiven us immensely by the truth of what he has done on the cross. That even if trials, tribulations, a thorn in the flesh should bother us, should pierce us, that Christ's grace is sufficient for us and that He as a Savior also is sufficient. He satisfies. 2 Corinthians 12, verse 9, as many of you know, that when Paul, he had this thorn in the flesh, this actual physical ailment, and he prayed three times that the Lord would release him from this painful trial that he was going through. But the Lord said to him in 2 Corinthians 12, verse nine, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. And then so Paul tells the Corinthians, he says, the Lord told me this. His grace is sufficient for me, that even though I'm going through this, therefore, I will boast all the more gladly by my weakness so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. He says, then, if that's the case, Lord, I don't need that thing taken from me because you're all I need. That's a question that I would have for you today, because it's a question that I ask myself daily. Is Christ all I need? Not just Christ all I want. Is Christ all I need? Because if I need something added to Christ, then Christ isn't everything to me. He's not what Paul says in Colossians 3, that He is all and in all. That He's all in all. That He's everything, in other words. He tells the Philippians, while He's imprisoned, In Rome, he writes this wonderful letter of friendship, fellowship, of love to this church, this little church, this poor church in Macedonia, the church in Philippi. And in chapter four, verse 11, he says, not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. Why? Because Christ is contentment. Christ is satisfaction. He is sufficient. And so our days being full means that our days are satisfied. We have a Christ that fills those needs. Though we may hunger in the temporal realm, that hunger will come again once I've satisfied it momentarily, but Christ satisfies eternally. That even in the depth of despair, if I open up the Scriptures in the morning and I am in the presence of Christ through prayer, my day is full, my day is satisfied. He takes away those things. I say, Lord, those things aren't going to remain. Those difficulties, those trials, they're an opportunity for me to still lift you up within my own soul. and I've gone through a couple this week, some difficulties. Days, notice that it says that he's old and full of days, not years, not months and not weeks, they're full of days. And by saying that, by reminding us and using that term, sevayimim, I recognize that There is a brevity to life, as I mentioned last week, and I think I've been, this verse has come up several times over the last several chapters. James chapter four, verse four, where James reminds us as Christian readers, what is your life? It is but a vapor that appears for a little while and vanishes away. And then also because of that, because of that brevity, Ephesians 5, verse 16, where it says, making the best use of my time because the days are evil. I only have a few days on this planet. There are only a few days. The Lord may come and that's good because as we see that the days are evil, the days are wicked, you don't have to turn on your computer for more than five minutes to see some news that it's not godly out there. And Jesus said in Matthew chapter 24, he said, unless those days are shortened, unless those days are quick, even the elect wouldn't be saved if that were possible. and also my life. I only have so many moments and I don't know how many moments there are. I don't know how many days that the Lord has given me. He knows. But because I don't know, I should make every day count for Him. You should make every day count for Him. And in David's life, we see also in the verse where we consider that it is followed by the sound word of the Lord. I'm saying this between the lines in verse one, because when we were here last week in chapter 22, we saw what he had done, that he was going to, he prepared the materials for the temple and then he charges his son, before he charges his son, he says, look, I was obedient to God's word. He follows the sound word of God that was given to him. You wanna build me a house, David? I'll build you a house. And then he lives this life full of days. And in chapter 22, verse six, then he called for Solomon, his son, and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. Because God told him that this is the son that was going to do it. In verse seven, he says, David said to Solomon, my son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God, but the word of the Lord came to me saying, you have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth, which actually is a prophetic foreshadow of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ, though He said that He would build His church in Matthew 16, it wouldn't take place until after He shed His blood on the cross, was buried three days and three nights, ascended into heaven, and now He's building His church, sending the Holy Spirit to build it through our hands, through our feet, through our hearts. Then in verse nine, he says, behold, the son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. That's not told us in 1 Chronicles chapter 17 or in 2 Samuel chapter 11. That's not told to us, or excuse me, chapter 12. No, 11, chapter 11. Behold, the son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surroundings for his name shall be Shlomo. which means peaceful, his name is Solomon in English, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days, verse 10, he shall build a house for my name, he shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever. So David was obedient to that command, and he told Solomon this, and he raised Solomon, which is the next point, there he fathered a son to the Lord, because his son was the Lord's. The Lord named Solomon that name, and David gave him that name, and he knew that this was the son who was going to rule and reign and also build the temple, and so he raised that son of his that the Lord gave him because he was told by the Lord that that son of yours is gonna be my son, foreshadowing the only son of God, the only begotten son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, so Solomon becomes the Prince of Peace foreshadowed. Because Jesus, another title for Jesus from Isaiah 9 is Sar Shalom, the Prince of Peace. And so David now fathers a son for the Lord because it's the Lord's son. And that's a lesson unto us. We have a progeny unto us as well. Ephesians 6, verse 4. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. And this is what David did. That though he sinned in 2 Samuel, as recorded, and that he totally blew it with multiplying wives to himself, which went against the law in Deuteronomy chapter 17, at or 18 he multiplied wives to himself and then he committed adultery and there was war within his family among his children he was still able to redeem the time that he had for this son who came forth whom he named shlomo peaceful and he raised And he raised them, not just to raise them for the Lord, but raise them with purpose in the Lord, because he forsook not the people of the Lord, because he made Solomon, his son, king over Israel. And we see a New Testament truth there. Second Timothy chapter two and verse two says, Paul tells Timothy, what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust the faithful men who will be able to teach others also. So the things that David grew up with he instilled in his son. How do we fill our days? We make the best of the time as Ephesians. I'm gonna ask you to turn with me to Ephesians chapter five and to look at a couple things there. Coming from that one verse and We make the best of our time, we redeem the time, but look at, make the best of our time in Ephesians chapter five, it's beginning in verse 16. The reason I'm having you turn there and it's in your handout, you know, I have it in the new. in the English Standard Version there, and you may have it in your version, but we're gonna look at verse 15, and we'll look at verses 17 and 18, 19, 20, and so forth. If you're there, say amen. If you're not, say amen, I'll wait for you. All right, verse 15, start at verse 15 though, we'll get a running start at verse 16. Verse 15, look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil. We fill our days to make the best use of our time. Well, what's the best use of our time? Well, I'm glad you asked, I'm gonna tell you. One of the ways is to, as we read in verse 15, look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise. Wisdom is built upon the truth of faith, because James tells us, and it's not in your notes, but if you wanted to write this down, James 1, it says, if anyone lacks faith, let him ask of God who gives to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it'll be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering, for he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. Let not that man think he shall receive anything from the Lord, A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Because it's built upon faith, trusting in God through Christ, that that's where wisdom comes from. It's based upon our faith that Jesus Christ saved me, he died for me, to forgive me of my sins through his shed blood, to suffer the penalty of God's infinite and eternal wrath, spiritually speaking, as he hung upon that tree, and he took my place as a man. Though he is fully man, or though he is fully God, he is also fully man, and he took my place upon that tree, suffering eternally and suffering so greatly. so that by his suffering, suffering far greater than any human being can even fathom, that that satisfied, like satisfied days, it satisfied the penalty that we owe for the sins we've committed against an infinitely holy God. Even the smallest, slightest sin, the littlest white lie, is infinitely sinful. Now, the penalty for that is not as great as, say, becoming a serial killer and a murderer and murdering all kinds of people. That has a greater penalty. However, every sin is infinitely sinful because by virtue of who we sin against, an infinite God, a holy God. And so we reflect upon the wisdom of the truth of the gospel. We walk in that way, making the best use of our time. Also, redeeming the time. The King James Version says redeeming the time. In verse 16 where it says making the best use of the time, the King James Version has a good translation of that too. From the original Greek word, it actually literally means to redeem, to purchase, to buy. And it reminds me of this parable, and I'm not gonna get into every nuance of the parable, but many of you know this parable that the Lord spoke in Matthew chapter 13. In verses 44 to 46, he says, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who on finding one pearl of great price or great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Now, the thing that I wanted to focus on, and we could dissect it and look at other things, but that's for another time. The thing we should focus on is they both took, when they found this treasure, found that great pearl of immense value, They took everything they had and sold it in order to have it. They sold all they owned to purchase, to redeem, redeeming the time. Jesus redeemed you and me. He laid down all He was, giving all He had to purchase our souls for Himself. And because He has redeemed you and me, we must redeem the time for His exaltation. for his father's glory. And here's the beautiful thing about this, what do you have that you haven't been given by God? A sovereign God in his In His magnificent wonder and amazing grace, He has given us whatever resources that we have. He's allowed us to live in this place of plenty that, okay, so the kings were running a little lighter this year, but I hear the reds up in Kassilov are so plentiful, they're practically on the surface shimmering and shining. The Lord gives so abundantly unto us. What do we have as resources that he hasn't given us in the first place? And then we give that over to the Christ who should be exalted, the Father who should be glorified for the sacrifice that they made. I mean, the offerings that we give unto the church each week. The blessings that we, they're only blessings that the Lord has given us. He says, you know, I'll still bless you if you give. And so we see this redeeming the time. We render also, finally, we render every day to God's will. That seems actually, some of it seems, well, wisdom. Wisdom is just standing upon the truth of the gospel in everything you do, that first thing. And then redeeming the time is making sure that everything we have is given over to the truth of that gospel. So there is wisdom there. But in verse 17, it says, therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. You want to know what the will of the Lord is? Again, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record from the Department of Redundancy department. I've gone over this a couple times, Isaiah 53 verse 10. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him, or it pleased the Lord to bruise him. Isaiah 53, speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, the suffering servant, that was the will of the Lord, the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, the redemption that he purchased through his own person. And I mentioned before a couple of weeks ago when I brought this up, in fact, I even wrote a devotional on it for you that get my daily email devotionals, this idea that the Lord, the sovereign God has a permissive will, that he would rather, that there is something that is, that he'd rather not have happened. That was silly. So that we could justify our own sins. And so we call it a quote unquote permissive will. But Isaiah 46 verse 10 says, my counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my pleasure. Using the same word as it was the will of the Lord or it pleased the Lord to crush him, to bruise him. Same word, I will accomplish all my purpose or all my pleasure. Same Hebrew word. It's the Hebrew word khafeitz. It actually is khafeitz. You don't have to try to pronounce it. Let me do all the spitting from that Hebrew. Khafeitz. See, the will and pleasure of the Lord are one and the same. God is pleased to do his will and wills to do his pleasure. And our Lord is not divided, unstable, or wishy-washy in any and all his activity. And so this permissive will attributed to Jehovah God is merely sinful man attempting to justify his rebellion to God's laws and holy standard. And that person, he or she, will be held accountable for such a response unless his or her pardon comes by the crushing of God's servant, the Lord Jesus Christ. See, God's not letting anything go. Either your sins are covered under the blood of Jesus Christ because you're pardoned from Christ and Him crucified, or in the day that He comes, those sins will be held to count. God doesn't have some permissive will. He's long-suffering. But it'll all come to head. Finally, the rescue. We are to rescue each moment from the world and the flesh. That's verses 18 through 21. And I wanna close it because it's getting a little long here. Verse 18, it says, and do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the spirit. A lot of people get caught up on the drunk with wine thing. The point is, quite opposite to what the world is doing, be filled with the Spirit. Verse 19, addressing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. Verse 20, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 21, submitting to one another out of reverence of Christ. The flesh hates the gospel. I mentioned this in Sunday school. The flesh hates the gospel. But in Ephesians 5.18, it says, be filled with the spirit. If you want to have days that are full, have a life that is full of days, be filled with the spirit. The flesh hates that. Again, Galatians 5.17 says, for the desires of the flesh are against the spirit and the desires of the spirit are against the flesh. For these two oppose each other. to keep you from doing the thing that you want. And if you're saved, you want to glorify God through the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. You want to redeem the time. So we have to rescue each day from the flesh that wants to take us away from Christ, take us away from the cross, take us away from the bloodshed of Christ. You know, see the world wants a Christless cross and they want a bloodless cross. Come down from the cross if you're the Christ. Remember that's what they said in Matthew chapter 27. Then we'll believe you. That's the irony. If Jesus came down, they still wouldn't believe. Plus they would have no salvation if he did come down from the cross. Ephesians 5.19, where it says, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord in your heart. We address one another with the word of God. It's good news to say to a beloved believer, the Lord Jesus Christ has died and risen, hallelujah. And we do so with a joyful heart because he's coming again. We do so melodiously and joyfully. 1 Peter 4, verse 11 says, whoever speaks, speaks as one as the oracles of God. And now the context of that is the person has been given the speaking gift. That's a command to me that I should speak as the words that fall from my lips should honor God when I speak. But that shouldn't be released from anybody. That if you're a Christian, One who is saved by God's grace, shouldn't those things fall from your lips to honor God? Joyfully, melodiously, as if they were pen psalms, like David or Moses. Penning those, or Habakkuk with his psalm in the little minor prophet book of Habakkuk. Blessings there. To give thanks. The world doesn't do that. The world isn't thankful for the things that are going on, the blessings that they receive, even the breath in their nostrils. But we give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5, what is it, verse 18 or 19? I think it's 18. Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. to be thankful that God has saved us by his grace, to give thanks. And when you, each time you give thanks, do you realize the power of thanksgiving? That when you give thanks, the world doesn't have a hold on you. The flesh can't grasp thanksgiving for a sovereign God, because remember, since the flesh hates the gospel, every time you speak the word of God to someone in encouragement or comfort or even the giddiness of joy in Christ, when you speak that word, it causes the flesh and the world to lose its grip upon you. And every time you give thanks, there's power in thanksgiving. Every time you give thanks and praise God for the love of God in Christ Jesus, the world loses its grip upon you. And as that one hymn goes, the things of the world grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. And then finally, where it says this, this is an interesting thing, and I wish I could really get into this, but we don't have the time. Verse 21, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Reverence for Christ, in other words, the fear of the Lord. And then when we submit to one another, it's an exercise in humility, because then when I esteem somebody better than myself, I'm really showing the truth of the cross in my life, and I'm doing so in godly fear when the truth of the cross is my life. Paul said it this way in Philippians chapter 2. He starts off with, let nothing be done from selfish ambition or conceit. But in humility count others more significant than yourself. Which is exactly what Jesus did when he became a man. He was God, eternal God, and he became a man. And he considered you and me whom he died for as better than himself. Which will blow your mind because he's God. And then he's sinless, perfect man. And then he says, and Paul says, let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Because since Jesus saved you, and not just because I'm your pastor, because I'm a Christian, when I look upon you, I should see that the Lord Jesus shed his blood for you. And men, when you have a wife, you have a daily, constant, full of days reminder of, sister in the Lord whom God has saved by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ how important should that person be now in my life to look not on my things on the things of myself but on the interest of my wife or those children that the Lord had given me by his grace or grandchildren or fellowship with other believers, the friendship I have with you, how blessed is that? And the opportunities I lose when I don't take, I don't grasp that friendship and submit myself to it. Have this mind in you. Paul continues to say in Philippians 2, which is also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but emptied himself, or in the King James Version, was made of no reputation. By taking on the form of a servant and being born in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. In other words, all that stuff is based upon the truth that Jesus Christ became a man, went to the cross, and so it's all about the cross of Christ. This is why Paul in 1 Corinthians 2 says, for I determine not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The power of that truth upon which our faith is built, that Christ is God who became man, walked the righteous life that you and I can't, went to the cross and died for our sins, and took the penalty in his person for you and me, was buried three days, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven with the promise of coming again. And our days being filled with that, will be a blessing that the Bible promises that I can't even wrap my head around or even explain. But even before the Lord comes, that being full of days, it'll organize our lives in a way that chapters 23 through 29 will bring you a blessing far beyond what you could imagine. Because this is also a blessed truth of the Lord. Are you not in Christ the things that He is blessing you with, you don't recognize. And because you're in Christ, being out of Christ is so far removed from your realm, you couldn't even imagine, now that the Lord has saved you, what your life would be without Him. That's a life full of days. Let's pray. Our most blessed and gracious Father in God, may our days be full. I ask, Father, that while Everyone is sitting here that that you will minister. And as you have been ministering, but I ask also, Lord, even publicly before these people you're ministering to that your your word will fill them. Fill me, fill us with the truth of how Christ is exalted by the cross and that he is coming again. and oh, what a day that are full of days will be when we see Him face to face. Make that so, Lord, in Jesus' name and for your sake, amen.