WEBVTT

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In the name of Jesus.

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Amen.

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So what kind of son or daughter

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were you growing up?

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Did you do what your parents ask you to do?

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Or do you question their authority? Where you are trusting and obedient

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child or a rebellious one?

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When your parents told you to do something where you a, yes, Mom, Dad

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type of person or a no child.

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If we ask our parents, I'm sure they have both types of stories about

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us.

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What if we ask the Father in Heaven?

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What will God say about his children?

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The history of God's dealings with his children, with his people

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Israel is a mixed bag.

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God speaks to them through His prophets

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some listen believe follow the Father's will but many don't.

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They don't have ears to hear or eyes to see they question the

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authority of their Father.

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They do not trust him or the ones he sends for our good.

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He cals us to repentance to grant us the kingdom.

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And so we come to our text.

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A parable about two sons and two responses to their father. Their

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father tells him to go and work in his Vineyard.

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The first son says, no, there is nothing great about this one, it

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seems nothing that looks appealing.

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He appears disobedient, he is a disappointment,

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But then, he changes his mind and goes to the vineyard.

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He surprises us.

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The one who says no, at first ends up, saying, yes.

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The second son says yes right away.

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This one looks like a great son obedient a keeper.

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He looks appealing religious righteous.

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He must be his father's pride and joy.

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But then he changes his mind and does not go, he talks the talk but

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does not walk the walk.

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The one who says, yes ends up saying no.

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Two sons, two stories, story of faith and trust and obedience.

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And the story of lack of trust disobedience.

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The ones who say no at first are the sinners, the tax collectors,

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and the prostitutes, there is nothing great about them.

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They are the ones who from a human perspective

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we would think at least likely candidates to hear the Father's word,

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belief, in those, whom He sense and do, His will.

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But miraculously against

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all human expectations

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they end up saying yes. God, welcomes them into his kingdom.

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They say yes to God and His prophets, to John the Baptist and

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ultimately to Jesus.

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The ones who say yes at first are the chief priests and Elders of the

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people.

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They are the religious leaders of Israel, Israel's best hope.

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They should know better.

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But they end up saying no. The ones we think from a human angle, more

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likely to hear the Father's word

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believe His prophets

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and not outside the kingdom of God.

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So, who are you in the story?

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Which son are you the first one

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the other one?

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Imagine yourself in the future, you have received your call, you're in

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the midst of ministry, you are in the Lord's Vineyard.

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You're a pastor preaching teaching, offering spiritual counsel.

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You're a Deaconess serving in works of mercy, caring holistically for

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the vulnerable.

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You have become leaders of God's people. In your own vocations you have

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and now you're starting to look like that second son, a leader of

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God's people working in his Vineyard, people are starting to look up

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to you for counsel.

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You are the church's best hope.

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But if not careful leaders can become too self-confident

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self-sufficient.

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Self-reliant.

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Leaders can become less open to constructive

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criticism, less willing to receive advice and grow from it.

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Less humble to accept shortcomings and sins.

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And finally, less open to hear God's word and follow him

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wherever that may lead.

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Beware, lest you become that second son.

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Imagine yourself in the future, you have received your call, you are

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in the trenches of ministry.

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You are in the Lord's church and world.

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You are now leading us people.

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This is a great gift and blessing from God.

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But also remember to be on guard to be vigilant gifts and blessings

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can become idols. Times of spiritual attack

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will come your way to rely on yourself

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more on your own authority and depend less and less on God's word.

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And when that happens,

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remember these three lessons for current and specially future pastors

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and deaconesses.

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Lesson number one.

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Before you are a leader of God's

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people always remember that

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you are first a pastor or a Deaconess.

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You are first a servant in the vineyard, then a leader.

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You see, if you lead without a pastor staff or without the Deaconess

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Cross, you can become like those Chief priests and the Elders of the

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people. Trusting in their own power and authority

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they relied on their own ideas.

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Instead of listening to God's word and those whom he sent losing their

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way, they led others astray.

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Your vocation your authority

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comes from another.

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We depend on God alone.

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We work in his Vineyard. We rely on his spirit and power and any

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Authority that comes from our call is only given to us as a gift

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by God.

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So remember, you are a pastor first at Deaconess first and only, then

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you are a leader who Shepherds the flock or cares for the vulnerable,

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in all things

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with a steady, but gentle hand.

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Lesson number two.

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Before you are a pastor or a Deaconess always, remember you are first

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a sinner.

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A sinner whom God through baptism, miraculously brought into his

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kingdom.

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A forgiven sinner to whom has been given the blessing of working in

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the Lord's Vineyard.

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The chief priests and the Elders of the people thought too

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highly of themselves.

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They thought they were better than those sinners out there.

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We too could be tempted to think this way to play comparison games to

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see who's more religious and righteous among us.

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So remember

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you are a sinner first whom God brought into his kingdom and

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continuously maintains keeps in his kingdom, through the forgiveness

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of his sins, through life

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and

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salvation.

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First a sinner and then

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you're called to be a pastor and a Deaconess a worker and a servant to

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and among sinners like you.

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And finally, the third lesson. Remember that before you are a worker

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in the Lord's Vineyard you are a son, a daughter, a child of God.

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Remember that you have a Father in Heaven who has called you through

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His word and into His Vineyard and who sent you into His mission with

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His word and spirit to teach you what to speak, and how to lead.

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He loves you.

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You are his son and daughter.

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He will take care of you.

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He will provide you with all you need in life and in Ministry.

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And even in those times when he sends you and you say no at first,

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His spirit will work to change your mind.

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To turn you to God, and seek his word again and again, and again to

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say, yes,

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Then he will send you on your way

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again. Again and again to serve him and his people.

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So remember you are a child of God first and then you go to work to

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preach and lead to care for people in Works of Mercy and Justice.

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You are first loved by God

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in His Son.

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And so you love God's creatures in the name of His Son.

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So what kind of son or daughter

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were you growing up?

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More important.

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What kind of son or daughter has the heavenly Father made out of you?

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I have good news for you today.

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God, the Father has made you into the first son in the parable.

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In his story

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where no children are turned into yes

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children.

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In His story, where He gives sinners ears to hear and eyes to see His

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salvation,

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and to see sinners with compassion.

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In His story where he has made you into a child who trust him.

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Heeds the word of His prophets and apostles of his Son

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and gladly works in his Vineyard who says here I am

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send me.

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Send me.

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Yes,

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and as you begin the second half of the semester,

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and as you continue to be formed by the spirit of Christ

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into future pastors and deaconesses and leaders

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for work in the Father's Vineyard.

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Remember this now,

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and then remember when you enter Ministry and then again, through out your

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whole life of service in the church.

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Remember.

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You are servants

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before you are leaders.

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You are forgiven, sinners

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humbly serving among sinners.

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And you are sons and daughters of the heavenly Father

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prepared as his servants

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for his world.

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The Father has made you a sinner into his child.

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He has made you his child into a servant.

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He has made His servant into a leader of his people.

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In the name of Jesus.

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Amen.