WHEN BEING RELIGIOUS IS NOT ENOUGH

JOHN 3:1-13

INTRODUCTION

            Long ago, a pastor was visiting at a couple’s new home out in the country. The pastor spent the night. He was awakened the next morning by the soft voice of a soprano singing, “Nearer, My God to Thee.” He was impressed by the piety of the young hostess, since she evidently began her day in such a religious manner. At breakfast he spoke to her about it and told her how pleased he was. “Oh,” she replied, “that’s the hymn I boil the eggs by; three verses for soft and five for hard.” That is the same way it is with many people today. There are many people who sing Christian songs but have nothing in common with Jesus Christ.

            There are many people who play Christian music early every morning but do not know anything about Jesus Christ. That was the problem with David Koresh, and Appleman, leader of the Heaven’s Gate Cult. They formed a clique and isolated and insulated themselves from the world. They lived in their own paradise but there was something vitally missing in their lives. They were trying to get to heaven by their own efforts. They were being religious, but the fact of the matter is that it is not in trying that we are saved but in trusting Jesus Christ. It is not vain religious ritual but a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that saves you and me. This afternoon, I want us to take a look at “When Being Religious Is Not Enough.”

I.                   A SINCERE SEEKER VV. 1-2

            Nicodemus was a Pharisee. He was a religious man and a ruler of the Jews. This implies that he was a member of the Sanhedrin. The Pharisees were the minority group in the Sanhedrin. Majority of members of the Sanhedrin were Sadducees. Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. Perhaps he did not want his colleagues to see him with Jesus during daytime. Maybe he knew that Jesus was very busy with people during day time, therefore the only time he could get Jesus’ attention was in the night. When he came to Jesus, Nicodemus paid a compliment to Jesus. He said, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these miracles that You do unless God is with him” (v. 2).

            Nicodemus was a man of humility. Naturally, a member of the Sanhedrin would not seek a person of lower social and religious status, but he sought Jesus instead of expecting Jesus to come to him. Nicodemus was sincere in his quest to know more about Jesus. In essence, Nicodemus was saying to Jesus, it is common knowledge that you are a teacher sent from God because no one can do the signs and wonders that you do unless God is with him. Nicodemus was dogmatic in the sense that he and others have concluded that Jesus was sent from God as a Teacher. Even today many religions such as, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism consider Jesus as a great Teacher, but the truth is that Jesus was more than a great Teacher. Jesus is the God-Man; He is the Savior of the World. He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Nicodemus would soon find out that Jesus is more than what he and others have concluded. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus believed in the supernatural. He admitted that it was only by the demonstration of the power of God that Jesus performed the miracles. There are some people today who reject miracles; as such their hearts are cold. Miracles are supernatural events that defy natural laws. They are events that cannot be tested in a science lab. The Pharisees believed in the supernatural but the Sadducees did not.

            Nicodemus was deficient in his understanding of the person of Jesus Christ but he was not prejudiced towards Jesus like others who attributed Jesus’ words and works to the demonic powers (John 8:48, 52). There are three progressions in this passage between Nicodemus and Jesus. The first is that Jesus and Nicodemus came face to face.

II.    STRAIGHT TALK FROM JESUS V. 3

            After Nicodemus has given his compliment, Jesus minced no words. He puts before Nicodemus the demand of the kingdom. Jesus answered and said to Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (v. 3). Jesus was saying that no one could experience the reign of God no matter what his/her race or degree of piety might be, apart from the experience of the new birth. Why? It is because neither your racial privilege nor your religious observance can erase the sin that is inherent in every descendant of Adam. The word, “see” in verse 3 means “to discern.” You will never understand the kingdom of God unless you are born again. To be born again means, “To be born from above.” It means to be born of the Holy Spirit. “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11-13). Being always comes before doing. The Christian life does not begin with what you do. It begins with what Christ has made you to be. To be born again involves the abandonment of every attempt or effort to become righteous by anything you do for yourself, but the willing acceptance of the free gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The reason why many religious people will not see the kingdom of God is because they want to do something for God, instead of receiving the gift of God’s grace through His Son Jesus Christ. Let me bring it home to us. You ask a person, “Are you a Christian?” The person says something like, “my parents were Christians and I attended church with them since I was a child. I was even baptized as a child.” Another person might say, “I am a Christian, because I go to a Baptist church, I go to a Catholic church, I go to church of Pentecost, I go to a Presbyterian, or a Methodist church, etc.” What is the person saying? This person is equating what he/she does with the new birth. That is exactly what Nicodemus was doing.

            However, for Nicodemus to experience the new birth, he must destroy the foundation of his religion. The new birth becomes a reality when you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Nobody can do this for you. You have to receive Christ into your life by yourself. Jesus was saying to Nicodemus, being a Jew does not get you into heaven. Being a Jew does not make you a child of God. Being a member of the Sanhedrin will not get you into heaven, Nicodemus. In the same way being a member of this church will not give you an entry into heaven, except you are born again. Nicodemus needed a new birth because he had relied on his natural birth as a Jew. That is the problem with people who say they are Christians but there is no evidence of the new birth in their lives.

III. SOBERING QUESTION FROM NICODEMUS V. 4

            In modern terms, Nicodemus was a professor of theology but he did not understand Jesus’ statement. Nicodemus was steeped in theological education but lacked spiritual insight. He misunderstood Jesus’ statement. Many people today are like Nicodemus. They think that they know God but they do not have a clue as to what His Word says. The reason is that they do not have spiritual insight to the Word of God. Until you are born of the Holy Spirit, you cannot understand the things of the Spirit (1 Cor. 2:14). For the things of the Spirit are spiritually discerned. Nicodemus failed to grasp that Jesus was not talking about natural birth but rather spiritual birth. It is not by chance that Jesus is called the Master Teacher. Since Nicodemus has failed to understand Him, Jesus unfolds the meaning of His statement in a plain or clear manner. It is the same statement but Jesus says it differently with the hope that this time Nicodemus would understand it. This brings me to my fourth point.

IV. SIMPLE BUT ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATION FOR ENTRY

INTO THE KINGDOM VV. 5-8

            Jesus again emphasized the necessity of the new birth as the only qualification for entrance into the kingdom of God. It is like applying for a job that requires a certain expertise or qualification, or skill. Sometimes you are required to show your certificate or transcript before you can be accepted. In the kingdom of God, the requirement is the new birth. The new birth becomes a reality through “water and the Spirit.” The word water is symbolic of the physical birth. Birth comes before life. Physical birth is important but it is not enough to usher you into the kingdom of God. You also need the spiritual birth. It is like asking a dead person to walk. God’s argument with this world is that we are dead. Though you are alive physically, but in the sight of God you are dead because of sin (Eph. 2:1). It is the new birth, which the Holy Spirit produces that gives you life, real life--eternal life.

            In verse 6, Jesus goes on to throw more light on His statement. Jesus says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.” By natural birth you become a member of an earthly family. You are a member of your parents’ family. In the African context, you are a member of a clan, or a tribe. In the general sense you are a member of the human race.    However, to become a member of the family of God, to receive the spiritual nature, which alone can earn you admission to the kingdom of God, you need a birth from above. This birth from above is a divine necessity. This new birth is not by human efforts. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus gives a contrast between physical birth and spiritual birth. It is because of the spiritual birth that Jesus came into the world. Jesus became a human being for the regeneration of fallen humanity.

            In verse 7, Jesus says to Nicodemus not to be surprised or amazed that He tells him to be born again. Jesus repeats “born again” for emphasis. He is telling Nicodemus and you and me that the new birth is absolutely crucial if we are to become the children of God. This is the second progression in the text. Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus from mind to mind. Jesus is appealing to the intellectual understanding of the ruler of the Jews, but Nicodemus seems not to perceive what Jesus is saying. Then Jesus uses the metaphor of the wind to explain the activity of the Holy Spirit in reference to the new birth (v. 8). Most of us have seen the cyclone before. When the cyclone is blowing you can hear it. When you are outside you can even see it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. Jesus is saying to Nicodemus, and He is saying to you, don’t be afraid to accept what I am telling you without understanding it all. The problem with many people who want to become Christians is that they want to understand everything about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit before they become Christians. If you can figure out God and explain everything about Him, then God is not God. How can the finite understand the infinite completely? Jesus is saying that the hidden work of the Holy Spirit in your heart cannot be controlled or seen but its effects are unmistakably evident. Even though you do not see the coming of the wind you can feel its effects when it is blowing, so is the Holy Spirit. Jesus is saying to Nicodemus, you cannot fully comprehend what I am saying to you. You must accept My word by faith. Poor is the man or woman who lives only by the five senses. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6).

            In verse 9, Nicodemus is even more confused. He is perplexed. He asks, how can this be? Nicodemus like you and I, has a limited knowledge of God. He has an inadequate understanding of the power of God. Therefore, Jesus responds, with all your theological degrees and your respectability in Israel, you don’t understand these things? Though Jesus has used the symbol of the wind to explain the work of the Holy Spirit, Nicodemus did not get it. This brings us to the third progression in the text. Jesus begins to speak to Nicodemus heart to heart (v. 11). Jesus is saying to Nicodemus that the gospel is not hearsay, but rather a message based on personal experience and testimony. God Himself bears witness of the Son. The Holy Spirit also bears witness of the Son by authenticating His works and words. We who are Christians testify of Christ based on the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles and the early Disciples bore witness of Jesus on the basis of the supernatural activity of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Jesus says, “We tell you what We have seen yet you do not receive Our witness” (v. 11b). Then, in verse 12, He gives Nicodemus a tender satire. He says, “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” Nicodemus is like many people today. They conclude that seeing is believing but to Jesus believing is seeing.

            In Jesus’ teachings the new birth belongs to the elementary stage. There are more things to be learned but how can those who fail to appreciate the new birth go on to understand the fullness of God’s revelation? The new birth is like the physical birth in certain respects. When a child is born the mother feeds the child with milk—liquid food. The child learns to crawl, talk, and walk. Nevertheless, if the child reaches ten to twelve years and is still using feeding bottle and cannot speak clearly, then something has gone wrong. The same thing applies to someone who claims to have been a Christian for about five to ten years and does not understand the basic tenet of the Christian faith. If you have been a Christian for five, ten, or twenty years and you cannot pray, you do not understand the Bible; then, something has definitely gone wrong. By prayer, I don’t mean praying publicly in a church, because I know that public prayer is not for everybody. Rather, I am speaking of private prayer. If you do not study the Bible and pray daily at home, then you are like a ten or twelve year child who cannot talk to his parents.

            In verse 13, Jesus is saying to Nicodemus, you and me that nobody has been to heaven except the Son of Man. In effect, Jesus is saying, Nicodemus you are an earthly person. You cannot understand heavenly truth. It is only Jesus Christ who can unfold heavenly truth to you and me. That is why the Bible classifies those who reject Jesus as “blind people who sit in darkness.” Jesus alone is the Light of the world. He alone can open your eyes, mind, and heart to the truth of God’s Word. There are pertinent lessons to be learned in the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus.

1. We must not be afraid to witness to prominent people, because they all need Jesus Christ.
2. For those who entertain false hope, we must tactfully show them that their present object of faith is inadequate and suspect.
3. We need to know that some people are going to be reached through intellectual approach. Jesus meets people at the level of their personhood. He meets people where they are.
4. You do not need to understand all of what happens when one becomes a Christian.
5. This ought to show us that there is hope for the most sinfully depraved person.

Invitation

1.      To the lost persons. Maybe you are reading this message but do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and personal Savior. The Holy Spirit has convicted you to give your life to Jesus Christ, please do it without delay.

2.      To the religious. Maybe you are a religious person. You are like Nicodemus. You do good things. You go to church but the Holy Spirit has revealed to you that the object of your faith is not Jesus Christ. You are leaning on the wrong wall. If the winds of testing blow you will fall down. Like Nicodemus come and place your faith in Jesus Christ.

3.      To Christians who want to share your faith. You don’t have to know everything about Jesus Christ to share your faith.

           

THE RESULTS OF OBEDIENCE AND SURRENDER TO CHIRIST

LUKE 5:1-11

INTRODUCTION

A little boy was riding his tricycle furiously around the block, over and over again. Finally, a policeman stopped and asked him why he was going around and around. The boy said that he was running away from home. Then the policeman asked why he kept going around the block. The boy responded, “Because my mom said that I am not allowed to cross the street.” The point is clear—obedience will keep you close to those you love.

A little boy walked down the beach, and as he did, he spied a woman sitting under a beach umbrella on the sand. He walked up to her and asked, “Are you a Christian?” “Yes.”

          “Do you read your Bible every day?” She nodded her head, “Yes.” “Do you pray often?” the boy asked next, and again she answered, “Yes.” With that, the boy asked his final question, “Will you hold my quarter while I go swimming?”

          I would like you to explore with me, “The Results of Obedience and Surrender to Christ.”

Background

          Luke sets the scene. The crowd, eager to hear the word of God, pressed in on Jesus as He stood by the lake of Gennesaret. This lake was also called the Sea of Galilee or the sea of Tiberias. It measured roughly 13 miles by 7miles and situated about 700feet below sea level. Jesus saw two boats from which the fishermen have gone out to wash their nets. After each fishing trip the equipment had to be checked and cleaned in readiness for the next. Jesus got into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to thrust out a little from the shore. Jesus sat down, which was the customary position for teaching, and taught the people from the boat.

          Jesus was best known among His disciples as the Master Teacher. Preaching and teaching were the priorities of Jesus’ public ministry. Whenever people gathered around Him, Jesus used it as an opportunity to teach divine truth. Jesus used Peter’s boat as His pulpit to teach the Word of God. He would not let any opportunity slip by without sharing divine truth with others. In Luke 5, three miracles are recorded: a nature miracle, then a couple of healings. These miracles emphasize Jesus’ mastery of the situations in which He found Himself and show His compassion. The Nature miracle is the focus of our message.

I.                  THE REQUEST OF FAITH V. 4

            When Jesus had finished His teaching lesson to the multitudes, He suggested to Peter that they go fishing. Jesus commanded Peter “to launch into the deep and let down the net for a catch.” Peter as would many of us have done raised an objection, Peter said, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing.” The word “Master” (Epistata) is used only in the Gospel of Luke in the entire New Testament. The word, “Master,” means, “a person of authority.” Underscore that word because I will come back to it later on. Peter’s objection to Jesus’ command was reasonable. The best time for fishing with nets was during the dark night and the worst time was during the morning with glistering rays of the sun on the waters. This was daytime. Peter and his counterparts were washing their nets. They were getting ready to go home. I believe Peter and his friends were exhausted after the sleepless and fatigue night on the lake, they were ready to go home and sleep. Perhaps there was even a rebuke at the sound of Peter’s voice as he responded to Jesus. Do you see what I see here? Peter was saying, “I am the expert fisher man, fishing at the right time, and had caught nothing.” It is useless to respond at the request of a Carpenter at the wrong time. Peter was saying to himself, after all, this is not one of your areas of expertise. After all, Peter is a seasoned fisherman, and Jesus as a Carpenter. There is a vast difference in their area of expertise. Can anybody teach an old dog a new trick? What is this all about? After all, I have been in the fishing business since I was a boy. This is a mark of a person who has an unteachable spirit. When God puts a period, don’t change it into a question mark.

II.   THE RESPONSE OF FAITH V. 5

          However, Peter had a change of mind. Peter is now willing to act on Jesus’ command. You also do the same thing sometimes. The Lord asks you to do something but you try to come up with every excuse conceivable. Then, you change your mind and begin to do what the Lord has asked you to do. Why did Peter change his mind? Peter may not agree with Jesus but he can obey what the Master says. Peter had had a brief encounter with Jesus through his brother Andrew (John 1:41-42). Peter obeyed Jesus even though all circumstances pleaded against it. In your walk with Jesus Christ, He would sometimes ask you to do things, which would not make sense to you. The basis of faith is not in knowing but in trusting. Some of you are trip up in your Christian life at this point because you want to know before you act. Many of you want to be in charge of your circumstances, your work, family, life, and marriage. But the truth is that you are not the one who must be in charge in all these. The one who must be in charge is Jesus Christ. The one who must be in control in all these areas of your life is Jesus Christ. When Jesus is in charge, you are a winner. When you insist on seeing and knowing where God is leading before making a commitment to trust Him, you are living by only human reason and not faithful obedience to God.

III.           THE RESULT OF FAITH VV. 6-7

          Contrary to all human expectations, they caught so many fish in their nets that they had to seek the help from other fishermen to be able to load the fish. They filled both ships and the boats began to sink due to the weight of the fish. Obedience to Christ brings results. You cannot lose when you are obedient to Christ. But you will always be a loser when you live in defiance to Jesus Christ. Are you trusting Jesus Christ or reasoning your way through life? When you live by faith, things may not always turn the way you anticipate, because God answers your prayers according to His will and timing. Where was Jesus when Peter and his companions were toiling during the night? Had Jesus gone there during the night and instructed them to launch their net down for a catch, they would have rationalized the miraculous catch of fish. God will do only what is best for you but you must trust His wisdom. God does His best for us when we come to end of ourselves. This year are you going to step out of the way and allow God to do His work in you and through you? Are you going to interfere with what God is going to do in your life? It is when all our natural resources are depleted that the Lord steps in and takes charge of things. Some of you are busy but barren. You work hard but you produce little. Your life is filled with activities but no lasting results. Can it be that Jesus is the missing link in your life? Personal efforts without Jesus Christ are like a car without engine. A car without engine is going nowhere. It does not matter how hard you turn the steering wheel, or how much you push the accelerator. Personal efforts without the person and power of Jesus Christ lead to discouragement and despair.

          Jesus ordered Peter to “launch into the deep” not only because He wanted them to witness a miracle, but more importantly that they might be caught up in the reality of His power and personal care for them. When your faith and obedience to Christ collide with reason, choose faith and obedience.

          The catch of fish by Peter was not to be explained along usual lines of fishing techniques. The catch of fish was abnormal. It was a supernatural event. It was a miracle pointing to Jesus’ power over nature. Jesus has power over the sea, lake, and the fish. At His command, the fish yield to Him. At His word, the raging sea becomes quiet. At His word, diseases leave their victims. At His word, lepers are cleansed. At His word, the demonized are set free. At His word, the insane are clothed in their right mind. At His word, Satan and his demons shudder and leave their victims. Whatever problem you are facing in life, Jesus has a solution for you. What a Savior and Lord that we serve! Jesus knows where you are. He knows what you are going through. He knows what is in your life. He knows the problems in your marriage. He knows the problems you are facing at your job or business. He knows your disappointments and He is willing to help bring the best out of you. The reason many Christians are ineffective, the reason many Christians do not experience the blessings of God is because we want to stay in the shore. We don’t want to “launch into the deep with Christ.” We want ease and comfort, but Jesus wants those who will risk their lives for Him. Jesus is looking for those who will take the step of faith. He is looking for those who would surrender in obedience to Him.

          Had Peter not yielded to Jesus, they would have gone home empty-handed. They would have been losers. Faith and obedience to Christ always brings results. Does it seem that your life is going nowhere? Examine your life whether you have surrendered to Jesus Christ. Is Jesus in your lifeboat? If Jesus is in your lifeboat, there is nothing that you cannot do.

IV.           THE RECOGNITION OF FALLENNESS VV. 8-10

          When Peter saw what had happened, he fell down on his knees before Jesus. Peter who was an expert fisherman is now worshiping Jesus and confessing his sin to Him. Peter recognized the miracle and reacted as one in the presence of God. Now listen to Peter’s response to Jesus’ miracle: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” Peter’s words echoed some of the saints of old. When Abraham caught a glimpse of the glory of God, he said, “I am but dust and ashes” (Gen. 18:27). When Job saw the glimpse of the glory of God, he said, “Therefore, I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). When Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up and the train of His robe filled the temple, he said, “Woe is me, for I am undone! I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). Peter had experienced the unimaginable grace of God, and that drove him to realize his own sinfulness.

          Now get this; the address, “Lord” replaces “Master” of verse 5. It is the Master whose orders must be obeyed, and the Lord whose holiness caused moral agony to the sinner (Dan 10:16). Peter the veteran fisherman knew how humanly impossible it was to catch fish successfully in the lake in the early morning hours. Jesus’ revelation of power in Peter’s area of expertise as a fisherman consequently made a profound impression on Peter. That is why he fell prostrate before Jesus with a deep realization of his own sinfulness. Ladies and gentlemen, you don’t fall on your knees before mere humans and confess your sin. You do that only when you are in the presence of the Lord. Hence, Peter changed from addressing Jesus as “Master” to addressing Him “Lord.” The Lord deserves your worship, confession, and repentance. At the presence of Jesus, Peter acknowledged his sin. What was Peter’s sin? His sin was his unwillingness to give the priority of his life to Jesus. Jesus had called him to be His disciple but Peter loved his vocation more than he loved Jesus. Do you know why you are afraid of giving the control of your life to Jesus Christ? Because you think that, He may ask you to give up your vocation, unhealthy habits, and some illegitimate relationships. Ladies and gentlemen, whatever you give up to follow Jesus Christ, He will replace it with something that is far better.

          Because of this miracle a great fear and awe gripped not only Peter but also all the fishermen present. They feared for their lives because they knew they were in the presence of God. However, Jesus in His usual way calmed their fears and assured Peter that he would no longer be catching fish; rather he would be catching people. This event formed a turning point in the life of Peter, Andrew, James, and John, who were partners in the fishing business. When you look back, what event caused you to give your life to Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Every one of us can point to an event that brought us to Jesus Christ. The turning point of Moses’ life was the Burning Bush experience at the backside of the wilderness.

          When Jesus steps into your life things become different. The old and unproductive life gives way to the new and productive. The Bible says that Peter would be catching men. The statement “You will be catching men” is a present continuous tense, signifying a habitual practice. Peter would no longer be concerned with fish but people. Brothers and sisters no matter your line of work, people are more important to Christ than everything else. Christ died for people. He did not die for things. Therefore, take time to tell a family member, a coworker, a friend, or a neighbor about the unfailing love of Jesus Christ. When Peter and his partners brought their boat to land, they forsook all to follow Jesus. There is always a forsaking of something before you can be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Have you forsaken your old ways of life? Who is the boss of your life? Is it yourself or Christ? If you are still occupying the throne of your life, then you have not forsaken all. If you are still in charge of your life, then I can guarantee you that your life is going nowhere. Your life is like a toy plane that can’t fly because it does not have what it takes to fly. Let me ask you a question: “Do you still miss the things that you gave up when you became a Christian?” You can testify that God has given you better things than when you were lost in sin. Peter and his counterparts would not regret for leaving all to follow Jesus.

          Bruce Larson, in Believe and Belong, tells how he helped people struggling to surrender their lives to Christ:

          For many years, I worked in New York City and counseled at my office any number of people who were wrestling with this yes-or-no decision. Often I would suggest they walk with me from one office down to the RCA Building on Fifth Avenue. In the entrance of that building is a gigantic statue of Atlas, a beautifully proportioned man who, with all his muscles straining, is holding the world upon his shoulders. There he is, the most powerful built man in the world, and he can barely stand up under his burden. “Now that is one way to live,” I would point out to my companion, “trying to carry the world on your shoulders. But now come across the street with me.”

          On the other side of Fifth Avenue is Saint Patrick Cathedral, and there behind the high altar is a little shrine of the boy Jesus, perhaps eight or nine years old, and with no effort he is holding the world in one hand. My point was illustrated graphically.

          We have a choice. We can carry the world on our shoulders, or we can say, “I give up, Lord; here is my life. I give you my world, the whole world.” Amen!

is