May the grace of God be multiplied to you this evening. I'm thankful that we could just pray together. And as we were praying, I thought of those words in Corinthians that are talking about the person in whose name I desire to greet you in this evening. It tells us there where you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. What a verse that is and what a truth and so much to think about and consider. The one that came not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom for many. And so it is in his name that we greet you this evening. Thankful for the words that were shared in the devotional meditation. And my prayer is this evening, I've prayed this, and I just desire that what I would say this evening, that I would only say those things that the Lord could take and somehow touch our hearts, minister to our hearts here tonight. That is my desire. want to use filler words, but just, you know, what the Lord would use to touch our hearts. Mine with yours, that we might all be drawn together at the feet of Jesus, to Jesus, the Savior, and the one that died to redeem us. And so tonight, I draw our attention to Him. And even as I think of a text verse and some words to share here just in the beginning, it's about Jesus. And something that he did that so amazing and so challenging and so good and I pray that that that what he did and the expression he gave and what it what it exposed or what it expressed is a better word. I believe would be in our hearts. And that it would be to the praise of his glory. We think of something another instance that took place on that great day of atonement. Our minds go back there again this evening. And if you'd like, you could turn your Bibles to Luke chapter 22, and we want to notice two verses here. Luke 22, something that happened on this great day of atonement. I'd like to read verse 61 and 62. Here in the Bible, we find these words. It says, and the Lord turned, that was Jesus. The Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out and wept bitterly. Tonight I would like to, by the grace of God, think about the turn of the heart. And that means about the direction the heart is looking and feeling, the turn of the heart. And to me, it's just so extremely important to consider, you know, the turn of the heart, in which direction our heart is turned. And tonight, as I look out among you, it looks like most of you are looking up this way somewhere. It's not so important about which way our eyes are turned. It's not nearly as important as it is which way our heart is turned. And we go back in just a little background of what happened before this experience and what happened here. And when I'm saying this title, The Turn of the Heart, I'm drawing that from what Jesus did here. Something that is so amazing to me and so challenging. An expression of deepest divine love. This was just a few hours after one of Jesus' closest friends, one of his 12 disciples, led a band of angry men down through the Kidron Valley out of Jerusalem and up into the Garden of Gethsemane where Judas knew that Jesus often went to pray. And one of Jesus' own very close friends, disciple, led this group of people And he had made an agreement with them. If they would give him money, he knew where he would be. He was willing to go with them. And he would mark the man. It might be in the middle of the night in the dark, but I'll make an agreement with you is what Judas did. And I will go and look, you know, I'll go, I'll kiss him. I'll go up to him and kiss him. And you will know that is Jesus. And so Jesus is there in the garden, and here comes Judas with this group of men. And they come into the garden, and here comes Judas up to Jesus. Judas that saw him feed thousands of people with a few fish and a few loaves of bread. Judas that saw him heal the blind man that was laying beside the road, found it within his heart The turn of his heart was certainly wrong. He found it within himself somehow to make the agreement and the ability to go and to betray Jesus. And that's hard to imagine. And yet, there lies within every one of us tonight the ability to turn away from Jesus. You see, Judas went, his eyes were turned toward Jesus, but where was his heart? Where was his heart? Was his heart turned toward Jesus? Certainly not. Not a heart of love and commitment and dedication to Jesus. And that's tonight we think about the turn of the heart. And it's so very important. That band of soldiers took Jesus, they tied Him up as though He was some criminal, the one that on the only person ever lived a perfect holy life on earth and healed sick and done all those wonderful things. They led Him back down through the Kidron Valley into Jerusalem, to Caiaphas' house, and one step by step. And here, in these two verses that we just read. If we had picture that happening here tonight, it would be like they brought Jesus in and some of the things that happened there in that setting, they took him, they was tied up, they blindfolded him and they would slap him and tell him, say who it was that hit you. And not just that, they even had the, what is the word, to spit in Jesus' face, to spit in his face. That's something I've never have happened to me. That's never happened to me. I don't know exactly how that would be. They spit in his face. And there is Jesus up there before all these angry people. And they're doing all these terrible things. They're looking for someone to come in and say something about him, you know, so that they have just cause to have him put to death and crucified. And while that's going on, another one of his disciples come in the back. And there it's cold. And so he's back there in that corner. He's warming himself back there in the corner. And a maid comes in. And she sees Peter. And you know, he talks a little. And all the things happen there. He looks like a Galilean. He even talks like one of them. And she says, you know, something like that he must also, he must be one of those disciples. And Peter denies, and Peter says, I don't know the man. You know, I don't know him. And this happened again and again. It happened three times. And the Bible tells us, you know, Peter, another one of Jesus' disciples, he even cursed and swore and said, you know, he cursed and swore, I don't know the man. Do you know how it feels when someone, when you have tried your best and you have loved someone, you've reached out to someone in love and dedication, you have their best interest at heart and they don't want to be identified with you. They go the other way or someone betrays you. There's few things that hurt as badly as being betrayed by someone you love and someone you've poured out your heart for. But some of you know how that feels, not in the way Jesus did, but you know what it feels like. And that's what was going on. And what would we do in a moment like that when one of our very closest friends have betrayed us and turned against us, spoken against us? I don't know that person. And denying any type of connection there. Well, tonight it's just amazing to me that Jesus up here in the front, in front of all these angry people, the Bible tells us He turned. He turned and looked upon Peter. And that is just really amazing. In that hour, and there was once a message I preached many years ago titled The Savior's Look, and it was taken from this same portion of scripture. And we think about the Savior's look as Jesus turned and looked upon Peter. And what was coming from his eyes that night, what kind of look Did he give Peter? There are different words we could use to describe it. But it was a look that touched Peter's heart. It was a look that helped remind Peter of his sinfulness. And Peter's heart was touched. And he went outside and he wept bitterly. How many times have we, when we have been hurt? You know, the saying is, hurt people, hurt people. People that are hurt tend to hurt others. And I hope we can bring that out with those few little cups and those stones here tonight sometime. How many times, when we have been hurt and betrayed and denied, have we passed that hurt on? I hope tonight I don't think it hurts to just have it come up right now, to look a moment at that picture. Those hurts that we have, what are we going to do with them? How many times are we going to pass it on? Are we going to cast it off at the feet of Jesus? Jesus' look touched Peter's heart, I believe. Along with the crowing of the rooster, of course. How many times has my look or your look been one that has passed on the hurt to another? And that can happen so many times in so many ways. It can happen in a minister's meeting. It can happen in a church service. It can happen around the table with the family. How many times Has our look, when we were going through the most difficult, strenuous test of our life, still been a look that just ministered grace? To the person that hurt us the worst and the most, only feeling love coming from our hearts I pray that would be us. I pray that would be you. I pray God would give you the grace to be just that kind of a person. And we could start right here in this front row tonight and just go down the line. And everyone has a story. All of you have a story. There's something to say. You could, story after story, hurts and pains and difficulties we've faced and you've faced, and it's been hard. How have we responded? The turn of the heart. Bringing this into practical areas of life, please bear with me. I hope you can. It's just to bring out a point. I know it's rather crude and simple, but it's to bring out a point. That's why I share it. The turn of the heart. I had to think of this today. It is sad that when company is at another house, visitors are there for over three days. It's kind of like fish, you know? Fish start stinking after three days, it is sad. Okay? We've been at Javin's house over three days. And Javan could say all the same things he's been saying all along. But I just want you to know, you know, if his heart would turn, he could still say all the same things. He could even say, I love you. But I believe Bertha and I would would sense if his heart has turned. You could just you could sense and feel that. And I want to say, I think we should think about that and consider that in light of what Peter felt when Jesus turned and looked upon him. And I'm thankful we felt nothing of that. And it's just been a wonderful being there. But that is just to bring out a point. The turn of the heart. It can be under the umbrella of what appears to be righteousness and holiness that we can put a jab against someone. And it appears like I'm so holy, you know. But I can use that as a means of putting a little, just a little dagger in your side. It has been such a blessing having Brother Mark and Brother Christian leading our singing and leading us in ways to harmonize together and to sing for part You know, some are singing the melody, and there's the harmony, and there's the rhythm, and it all works beautifully together. The turn of the heart, we're thinking tonight about how pride affects that turn of the heart. What if Brother Mark and Brother Christian would be proud men and were having this revival meeting, and this happens in not in this, maybe this exact way, but it's these kinds of things happen, and they like position and power, and us men, we're tempted with that at times, and it is so sinful. And they would both come up here. And they'd both have a wonderful song, a good song, but one on this side and one on this side. And Mark over here would think we really ought to sing this song that's on the screen. This is a most fitting song. And Christian would be on this side and no, he thinks this song would be the best song to sing. And Mark and Kristen can't really agree on that, and so they decide, well, you know, they're just, Mark's going to lead this side in singing, and Kristen's going to lead this side in singing. Good songs, good words, wonderful words, but think about the confusion. I mean, who would be ministered to? Yes, you're right. No, it's it would just be confusing. Good songs, good words, good ethics, good. But but nothing to minister to our hearts. But the way this has been, it seems they've worked together and it has flowed beautifully and it has been a blessing for all of us. I remember so well the day at home and and I really appreciate at home the teaching we receive for our children, even in school, and singing, and four-part singing. And we had a teacher many years ago, she's not living anymore, but taught for 40 years, and she taught singing and music, and so the congregation enjoys singing. I would say 95% of the people can read notes, follow notes, and can sing. And I remember very well, so well the day that a brother in the congregation that sings well, he knows music, he knows how to read music, but several years ago we bought a new hymnal, and we have a different hymnal in our church, and so he gave out this song number, and we turned to this song. And this brother, he led this song, a very beautiful song. I have the title of the song here somewhere. Yes, Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross. And he led this song on the tune that we had sung it on for many years. But on this particular page number, just about everybody knew very quickly the tune. It's completely not being sung by this tune on this page. A complete different tune is here. We were not following the notes at all. The turn of the heart. The turn of the heart. And I use that at home. And I would just say basically I'm just so blessed that I can tell you tonight that at home it's just a brotherhood of believers that are this way. And it's such a blessing. It is such a blessing for me, for them. I just want to bless them, even tonight, for being those kind of people. You know what? We sang that whole song, not just one verse. We sang all four verses beautifully, just sang it. And you know, some critic who would have had a heart turned the wrong way could have said, look, you're not even following the notes of the song. That's not how you sing this song. and could have, you know, stopped the message of the song. And that again is just to bring out a point. And where am I? Who am I? And even tonight, we do not mean we know wrong is wrong and right is right. It's not to overlook something that's wrong and just anything goes. But it's so many times the turn of the heart that makes such a difference in our lives. And I would like to, to Christ's glory tonight, also just bless the four other ministers of our congregation. I'm thankful that I can just tell you tonight I hadn't planned to say this, but Bertha could just tell you how many times I come home after a minister's meeting, and I just bless the Lord, and I bless those four men. There's no one there that's vying for, or I hope I don't, but sure those four do not vie for position or power. They're sharing their thoughts, and even when there's disagreements, it's compatibility and working together, and I just bless them for it. Even minister's meetings with hard things are just pleasant. And that's just something I can share from my heart to you, because that is how it is. They're just so humble. And I just love those brethren. And the turn of the heart just makes such a difference. For me in my life, it's a blessing. I would say tonight also, and I don't know you, I don't know your situations here, I don't, and so I'm not pointing fingers at any person, I don't know that, anything, but we would say it can be a school board, it can be a ministry, it can be in a family, and one person that is One person that just would really like to have a position of power and responsibility and push for that can make it very difficult. The turn of the heart we draw from what Jesus did. When he. Turned and looked upon Peter. The testimony of Robert J Baker. the turn of the heart. Only God in heaven knows. Tonight, how many of us sit here with — I hope no one does, but maybe, maybe there's someone here tonight that's sitting here with bitterness in one's heart. Sometimes experiences of life are so extremely difficult. Since being here, I heard a story that's so painful. I mean, how do you work through that? It's so hard. And yet, Jesus came to minister grace to you and your situation in where you are. This cup, and maybe more later, The black cup full of stones represents in some small way the one that Jesus was talking about in John 10 when he said, the thief cometh not but for to steal, to kill, and to destroy. We, at least I, do not understand all of what happened in the heavenlies when He was cast out of heaven. But one thing we have a picture of is Him being cast to the earth, and He's making war with the people of God. And if you're a child of God tonight, then you are a target of His. And He wants to spread disarray and confusion and a breakdown of relationship everywhere He can. And so the black cup there is just in some little way, that's why it's black, a little picture of the devil. But more later, this would be the picture of a person that's full to the brim of hurts and pains and things that they've experienced. You know, like Jesus did when two of his very closest friends in the same night, he was betrayed by one, denied by the other. What happens with this? What do we do with that? We would want to look at a little later. This is the story of a man that at one point in his life. He was like that red cup there and the red represents anger, bitterness, ill will and hatred. And so we ask an important question tonight. You know the person that has hurt you the worst. If he or she would be in the back, would we have the grace, the love to, you know, not just keep looking this way and what's going on up here and just not wanting to really look back there. Would we have the grace to even look with grace in our hearts and love for that person? Something that would reach the heart of that person. What a challenge that is. Robert J. Baker's testimony, the title of this testimony is The Rich Experience. And he says, the most impressive act I ever witnessed in the fellowship of believers, in a church service, the most impressive thing he ever witnessed in a church service. And later he says he was in many of them. It occurred at the Prairie Street Mennonite Church when I was a teenage boy. That is over 35 years ago and yet the experience is as fresh in my mind as if it were happening this moment in this very room. That's just how fresh it seemed to him. 35 years have passed and I have never observed a more significant or more meaningful event in any church service. that I ever attended, and I have attended a lot of them. This was more impressive to him than all the messages he heard. I was sitting near the rear of the church when the tall man came down the aisle. He stopped several benches ahead of me. He signaled to a particular man leaned over and whispered a few words. I was close, but I could not hear the words. Yet, I know what he said. The expression on his face was one of great tenderness and love. I thought he was about to cry. Later, he did cry. I didn't hear the actual words he spoke, but I could read his slightly moving lips. The words the tall man said to the older brother on the church bench, the words I could read were the whispered words, may I wash your feet. It was known that these two brethren did not get along. They had periodic misunderstandings. Voices were at times raised, and anger was present. As a new Christian, Baker's testimony was, I couldn't understand these differences, the harsh words. I was puzzled, disturbed, and hurt. It was a moving, meaningful scene I watched those two brethren walk to the front of the church. The tall one took the towel from the bench and gently motioned the other to be seated. Both were barefoot. The tall man knelt down. He girded himself with the towel and tenderly washed his brother's feet. Then they exchanged places. and the act was repeated. They both arose. The towel was laid aside as they stood facing one another in front of the church. The clock seemed to stand still, time frozen for a moment. It was like a beautiful painting It was because these were two men that it was known they had big problems with each other. There was resentment and bitterness. There were times they would express, even vent their anger. And here they were, standing in front of the church, facing each other. Their faces glistened with tears. Praise God. Then action. Once more, gentle action, they pressed their lips to one another's cheeks. And by that brief act of washing one another's feet, they dissolved all the puzzlement, disturbance, and hurt that swirled within a young boy's heart." Wow. That meant more. to Robert Baker than the most astounding message he had ever heard. The Prince of Peace is the one that has made it possible for the walls between Jews and Gentiles to be broke down. And he came to set the captive free, bring deliverance as we thought about from those scriptures earlier to the captives. And tonight, if I am a captive in the chains of bitterness and anger, then Jesus came to set us free. I really appreciate, I like this book that Brother Pablo wrote, From Contra to Christ. What I really like, or what is amazing in this story. is the fact that Tomás and Marcelina were at one time in their life in opposite armies in Nicaragua. Marcelina was a part of the army of the government. Tomás was a part of the Contra soldiers. And so they fought each other. They would, of course, were out to kill each other and destroy each other's lives. The time came when they came to Jesus, the Prince of Peace. And and the story is especially about Tomas. And he went from being a contra. He came to Christ. I like the picture there, the cross in the background. And that's where he found deliverance. And it's the beautiful story here as well. A foot washing service. And just reading briefly here, Tomás seated himself behind the basin, and Marcelino hunched down in front of him. Marcelino tenderly took Tomás' right foot in his left hand and splashed water over it with the other. And after Marcelino was finished, he and Tomás switched places, and it was Tomás' turn to tenderly wash Marcelino's feet. Tomás remembered that he and Marcelino had fought on opposite sides in Nicaragua's civil war. He smiled as he dried Marcelino's foot with the towel lying across his knee. Now Marcelino and I have been recruited in Christ's kingdom. We are soldiers in a great spiritual warfare. And this time, we are not on opposite sides. We are comrades united in the battle against Satan that Jesus Christ, our captain, will win. The two men stood their hearts throbbing with love for Jesus Christ and the Brotherhood, as they also greeted one another with the kiss of charity as an expression of their love. Yes, their swords were beat into plowshares, as it were, and those two men were reconciled. And even so, we can be reconciled. What happens in our life when we have these hurts and pains? And this is just a little, again, a very simple illustration of what so many times happens. Now, the devil, he has, his bags are full of stones and things that he throws at us to destroy us. He wants to destroy your life. As Jesus said, he came to steal, to kill, and to destroy. This is a picture of a person that is full of bitterness, and that destroys a person's life like few things do. These are hurts and pains and struggles that one is facing, and this is just, this is just a very simple little illustration here, but I'm just wanting to bring out this point. What happens? What happens? How do we handle this? And I'd just like to share, even right now, we think of the cross, the three crosses. We think of Jesus hanging on the middle cross and the two thieves hanging there. On the one side, there was a thief that was throwing things in Jesus' teeth, the Bible says. You know, asking why He doesn't save Himself in them and throwing mockery into His teeth. Thankfully, on the other side, there was also a thief. There was also a person that knew sin and had committed sin. He knew, I'm sure, what hurts were. How do you think it felt? How do we think it felt to be hanging on a cross as a result of the sins you actually committed? And how difficult that is. Sometimes the reaping we receive as a result of our sins are very, very hard. And so he's hanging there as a result of his sin. But isn't it just wonderful? And at the 11th hour of his life, he found a way to cast it off. We are going to be either casting it off at the feet of Jesus or we're going to be passing it on. And this is a picture of, I don't know what to say here, but tonight I'm going to just call this a husband for the moment. A husband that faces life and the reality of life, and there's more bills than money, and the lawnmower broke down, and there's all kinds of things that happen, and he's filled with coldness, and hardness, and bitterness, and oh, that's so sad when that happens. And he comes into the house, and he's angry, and what does he do? He throws those stones. And here's his wife, a precious, virtuous woman. And it has many ways you can apply this tonight. And she's walking with the Lord. She loves the Lord. Cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. That's what this clear cup signifies. A clear cup. And he is throwing those stones. And that hurt in his heart. And he's throwing it at others. And here's one of his children. And they do something he doesn't appreciate and he's angry and he throws a stone at them and their lives start filling up with these stones. And the devil is certainly going to keep this jug right here full. He's going to keep trying to fill you, this person, Ken B., with bitterness and anger that festers because of something someone has did to us. And so here is, you know, what shall we do? What shall these people do? What shall this dear wife and these dear children do that know the Lord? The only way to handle this is to cast it off, to take it to the cross, and to pour it out at the feet of Jesus and not let it build up in one's life because this cup can turn black. If we allow those things coming into our lives that are so hurtful and painful to fill our life, then that's what's going to flow from our life. And again, the tendency is for hurt people to hurt people. This little cup right here, it represents innocent children. I think it was Thursday evening we talked about children and their innocency. an innocent child, safe in the arms of Jesus. But what's going to happen? What is happening in that little child's life tonight? I just, one of the things I enjoy here as much as anything is when the children come up here, even after service. I just love those children. And, but what's happening in their lives at home? And, and surely If we throw things into their lives that are hard, those stones and the things that we're facing that are difficult, then their lives will be affected and we hold responsibility in those areas of life. Where do we go? We go to Jesus. We cast it off. We sang the song tonight. What a friend we have in Jesus. All our sins and griefs to bear. We take it to Jesus and we pour it out at the feet of Jesus. We don't pass it on. Don't pass it on. The hurt, the mistreatment. You've been mistreated so badly. Don't pass it on to your wife, your children, or the next person. Take it to Jesus and may that be the end of it as you pour it out there. Life is hard. Life has its difficulties. At the most recent ordination that I had, this is a list of questions that I was asked. There's one that stood out to me more than any other. I try to keep it in my Bible. It is so important, I think. I was asked if I would Maintain Christian composure in all trying circumstances you may need to face. Maintain Christian composure. So important. And it's only by the grace of God that that can be done. This is a story. Not a true story, really, I guess, but something that brings out a good point. As we think of. Not being filled with bitterness, but just being a person that God can use to reach out and help others. The title is restore. A man fell into a pit and couldn't get himself out. That's a picture of life at times. And if it's someone we struggle with, we can easily just push them down just a tad further instead of helping them up. and lifting them up. But I trust you don't do that here in Holmes County, Ohio. But it is possible for that to happen. This man fell into a pit and couldn't get himself out. It is said, like this, just to bring out a point, a subjective person came along and said, I feel for you down there. And an objective person came along and said, it's logical that someone would fall down there. A Pharisee came along and said, only bad people fall into pits. A mathematician came along and calculated how deep the pit was. A news reporter came along and asked for the exclusive story on the pit. An IRS agent came along and asked if the man was paying taxes on the pit. A self-pitying person came along and said, you haven't seen anything until you've seen my pit. A Christian scientist came along and said, well, really, the pit is just in your mind. A psychologist came along and said, your mother and your father are to blame for you being in the pit. A self-esteem therapist came along and said, believe in yourself and you can get out of the pit. An optimist came along and said, well, things could be worse. But finally, there was a spiritual man that came along. He knelt down, he reaches his hand down into the pit, and he gives the man a hand and picks him up out of the pit and helps him again to be able to walk and be free and to be delivered from the pit. And that's just a beautiful story. And we think of how the Bible tells us how that if a man is overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such in one. How? In the spirit of, this is not what the Bible says, but the opposite would be in the spirit of, well, you know, you really should not have done that, and that really was a bad mistake. And those things are true in reality, but do we, do as the Bible says, restore such in one in the spirit of meekness, lest thou also be tempted. And there's a song writer that has penned these words something about a person that has fallen in the path that you have in weakness trod and how true it is. And I'd hate to think tonight of where I could be right now. If it weren't for the grace of God and the mercy of God and so I have nothing to boast in tonight and I have nothing to look down on you out about. But I pray. that you would find the grace in your life to always cast it off at the feet of Jesus. Don't pass it on. Don't pass it on to your neighbor, your children, your wife, your co-ministers or anyone else. Let it be cast off at the feet of Jesus. There's another Scripture I'm looking for, Mark chapter 10. I won't read all of verses 35 through 45, but just drawing a few thoughts there, Mark chapter 10. There we have the account of James and John. Disciples again, the sons of Zebedee, coming to Jesus and telling him, you know, Master, they even had a right way of addressing him. Master, we would that you would do for us whatever we ask. And so then Jesus asked them what they want. Well, they wanted one of them to be sitting at Jesus' right hand and the other at his left hand. Wow. Was anything wrong with that? Well, it was the turn of the heart that really mattered. It's good to want to be close to Jesus, but to want position and power and fame and whatever else goes with that is wrong. And Jesus had words of instruction for them. And we're thankful that Jesus said, He, you know, actually the other 10 disciples, they were displeased when they heard about it. They heard what John and James were asking for. In verse 42, but Jesus called them to him and saith unto them, ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and their great ones exercise authority upon them. That is the way it's done. But what does Jesus say next? He says, but so shall it not be among you. But whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister, the lowest, and get down and serve, and do the foot washing, and do the lowliest of jobs, and responsibility, and whatever it is. doing the most lowly, looking for the most lowly, looking for the humble, and ministering to the needs of people, and not looking for prestige or power or position. So important in the church of Jesus Christ. And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, he shall be servant of everybody, the greatest servant of all. The one that will serve anyone, anywhere, anytime, every person you meet. I told our children when they were growing up, you owe it to be friendly to every person you meet. They might be Handicap, they might be more conservative than you are. They might be many other things you could say, but we owe it to be a friend and to love and express it and to be warm in heart. At least that's how I believe the Lord would have us to be. And I want to be corrected for anything, anytime that I would say that's wrong. This 45th verse then says, for even the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. I'm thankful that Jesus did. Indeed, he washed the disciples' feet. And I believe he washed all of their feet as an example of servanthood, the turn of the heart, How and where is my heart turned tonight? Is my heart turned toward God first of all? Toward the Lord Jesus Christ? Have I passed it on or cast it off? And is my heart toward every person? Or is there someone that I would just as soon not meet and greet? Someone that has hurt me and wronged me and I just would really just as soon not need to talk with him or her. And those are real things. And when we can bring those things to the Lord and overcome them by the grace of God. Then there is peace and redemption. And I love this song. You know, our theme song, I just appreciate that it's sung and it's so beautiful. These words we sing. Hear the vow be sealed by thy spirit, Lord. Hear the sick be healed and the lost restored. Hear the brokenhearted. Thy forgiveness proved. Here, here in this place and under the leading of the Lord, friends long parted, be restored to love. Now that excites me and I pray that could happen. Maybe you love everybody and maybe everybody has love flowing from your hearts in every situation, but if not, let's bring it to the Lord. Let's cast it off and let's love. The Bible says we should love one another with a pure heart fervently. the turn of the heart. May it be toward God and toward your brothers and sisters and toward your fellow man. God's blessings to you. For closing the service this evening, I think we would want to have a song. And thank you for the mark He will lead us in a song. And what do we say? I would just say no one should ever at any time feel, you know, Jesus just says, come unto Me. He never pressures anyone, and I certainly, I would just say, you know, if there's a need in your life and heart, you can just tug someone's arm after the service is over. and share with them and tell them you want to pray, you need someone to pray with you, or you can slip right into that room and pray there, but you don't have to go in there. You can meet the Lord wherever you are. But as we sing this song, I would like if, is it just as I am tonight? Yes. So we know that song by heart. And so I would like if we would just close our eyes tonight and just give the benefit of anybody that might would like to get up and go into that room tonight without being seen by everybody in taking this step. And just that you have that opportunity. I don't know if you feel a need of going into the room tonight when this invitation song is sung or not, but just that you surely know the door is open. If it's a need in your life, you'd like to talk with someone and pray with someone. There's something on your heart. You have some stones in your heart tonight. You're a picture of this red cup. And, you know, it's some bitterness there, and anger, and ill will, and hatred. And you want to bring it and cast it off at the feet of Jesus, then you're most welcome to come in here as we sing this song.