Father, I thank you for the testimony of your grace in Gus’ life.  We know that saving faith is not about cleaning up one’s life.  It’s more than that.  It’s not about our efforts to do good or earn our salvation through good deeds or works.  Even our good deeds are filthy rags.  We even see the danger of how apparent good works can lead to pride and self-reliance instead of dependence and trust in You, our Father.  We know salvation is not about the goodness of man but instead the goodness of Christ.  The gospel is about the application of Christ’s righteousness to our account.  It’s about our recognition of our need for His righteous life.  It’s about the substitution of his perfect life for our due punishment.  This is our need and the reality of every person regardless of our past or current situation.   

Father, make us repent of our self-motivated goodness in addition to repenting of our more blatant sins.  We each must acknowledge our need for Christ.  Remove the blinders of anyone in this room who thinks otherwise.  Our goodness is never sufficient.  Our rule-following is woefully inadequate.  We each need Christ.  Repenting of our sins and trusting solely in Christ is necessary for our redemption.  We need your mercy, God.  Please grant us what we need most.   

Thank you Father too for reminding us of your kind sovereignty.  It was your kindness to bring Gus to this church.  It was your kindness to give him ears to hear the gospel.  It was your kindness to use a faithful sister in Christ to point him to scripture.   It was your kindness to place men and women in this church who have modeled Christ-like steadfastness and patience toward Gus.  We praise you for seeing fit to use some in this room as tools in your redeeming hands to bring another soul to yourself.  May we never stop marveling at your kindness in using wretches like us to come alongside men and women who need to hear the gospel proclaimed and then be grateful observers who witness the fruit of gospel transformation.  Make us faithful proclaimers of your gospel truth wherever you might place us or give us influence in our homes, neighborhoods, schools, or places of work.   

As Gus proclaimed in his testimony, the gospel is real.  It is real indeed.  For that, we praise you and thank you Father.  We need your gospel and celebrate your saving activity among us.  You have shown us again today, that your gospel is real indeed. We praise you and pray you are glorified.