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Welcome to the Good Shepherd Sermon for Sunday,

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January 11th, 2026.

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This week's sermon is given by Pastor John Milky

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and his title is God's MVP.

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This is the day the Lord has made,

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let us rejoice and be glad in it.

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The National Football League is ready to announce their MVP

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for this football season.

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I think the votes are already in before the playoffs began,

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and it'll be announced on the

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Thursday before the Super Bowl.

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And you would guess that the winner's probably going

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to be a quarterback because well they've won

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the last 12 years in a row.

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And I wonder if it might be Matthew Stafford,

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my favorite football player of the past.

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He's no longer my football player

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because he no longer plays for my Detroit Lions.

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But he might win

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because he is got lots of touchdowns, lots of passing yards.

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It'd be his first chance to win the MVPI think.

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But there's also a chance that another quarterback might win

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from the New England Patriots.

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No, not Tom Brady. Uh, a guy named, uh, Drake May,

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I don't know him, but apparently he's doing really well

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as a fairly new quarterback in the National Football League.

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He might win because of what he's done on the field.

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As you look at those uh, athletes in the football field,

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you might ask yourself what makes them so special.

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I think it's the sports writers that pick the

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winner of the MVP.

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They look at the stats, they look at

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what they've accomplished on the field.

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And this reading from Isaiah is like an announcement,

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like it's gonna be made on the

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Thursday before the Super Bowl.

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We find here that God reveals his MVP

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and I hope that we're gonna learn why he chose

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the person he chose and

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how he went about making that choice.

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So one of the things

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that the sports trainers do is they look at the stats.

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How many yards did he throw?

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How many touchdowns did he throw?

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How well did he do if he ran the ball?

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And he's a running back 'cause running backs won the MVP

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award in the past as well.

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Well, when we look at these words from God, we understand

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that he also wants to look at statistics.

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You look at other portions of God's word, he,

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he labels these as what he looks for us in each one of us.

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He says in Galatians to the fruit of the spirit is love,

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joy, peace, patience, kindness,

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goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

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When you look at those stats

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and compare them to how you've done with those stats, those

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attributes, you might say,

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I guess I should have thrown a few more touchdowns.

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I should run for a few more yards.

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Should have caught the ball for more receptions.

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'cause you know that we have often failed those things

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that God has asked us to do.

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We have not exercised patience.

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We have not shown ourselves to be loving and kind.

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We have not exercised self-control.

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And well, the fact that we have not been able

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to show gentleness is, is pretty clear when I look at myself

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and my actions and words in the past in my life.

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Sportswriter also look at the negative statistics.

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If someone has a bad day, throws a number of interceptions

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that might take 'em outta the running for the MVP.

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If they fumbled the ball

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and lost the chance to go on to the playoffs for Super Bowl,

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they may just lose that chance.

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And what does the God say?

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He says when he looks at the negative statistics

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around us, he sees these things.

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He sees in our hearts, sexual immorality, impurity

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and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft.

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Then there's the highlight of errors that he finds out

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that Peter tells us in God's word.

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Also, hatred.

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Discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,

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dissensions factions and envy.

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If you look at those negative statistics in our own lives,

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we're almost as bad as that football player

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who picks up the fumble but runs in the wrong end zone

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and scores to the pointing team.

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Not as bad for them, but how bad it is

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for us when we make those mistakes

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over and over and over again.

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So God sent into plays, God sent in the playbook.

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Here's what we are to execute. Keep your thoughts pure.

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Think the best of somebody no matter

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how they've wronged you in the past and forgive them.

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And when you do those things, what's your success rate?

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How well have you competed on the field?

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I've only played flag football in college.

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That's why I have good knees. I guess.

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Didn't play the rough sport of actual playing football.

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But I'll tell you the truth. I stink. I stink.

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I stunk when it comes to these words of our God.

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I fumbled so much. I ought to be benched.

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I don't deserve to be on God's team.

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You see, that's what happens when a player doesn't perform

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well in the football field.

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He gets benched. The owner might

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say, I don't want him on my team.

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I'm not gonna pay him any more money. He's gone.

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So it is with God too when he says,

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look at those statistics, look at your errors.

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It's all 'cause of our DNA for sure.

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It's also because we simply, this will be our God.

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We have a falling out with our owner,

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our master chief of the universe.

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Now God says, you can't be my MVP.

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You could be the least valuable player you could be.

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You could receive the choker award. That's what you deserve.

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But that's what we are by nature, sinful, unclean.

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Now truth be told, you may have your favorite team

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with a favorite player and he is not maybe doing the best

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statistics wise, but you wanna keep him on your

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team 'cause you like the way he acts.

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He made up performance as well as the quarterback

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or the running back wide receiver coaches sometimes do that.

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They see the mistakes in practice,

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but they still leave him on the field for their actual game.

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Coaches do those things, but not God.

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God's not that kind. He's not that kind of a coach.

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He demands something. He expects the best.

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He expects to be perfect.

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He demands perfection 100% of the time.

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So we hear these words from our text.

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We find where God's MVP truly lies.

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One who's 100% perfect all the time.

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Here's my servant whom I uphold,

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my chosen one whom I delight.

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I am placing my spirit on him.

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Can't help but draw that picture to the gospel ring

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for today, correct for our loving God in the form

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of a dove lighted on Jesus, the Holy Spirit.

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The voice thundered from on high

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and Jesus heard him say, this is my son whom I love.

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I'm well pleased with him. Those words taken at Jesus'

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baptism reminds us that God delighted in his son.

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He delights in his perfect he MVP.

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In football, you can probably name an athlete,

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a former MVP

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who you still think can still do the job on the

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field, though he's getting older.

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But what happens because he has a new

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contract, he gets a little lazy.

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He takes the playoff, he takes the game off.

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Maybe he doesn't think he's needs to spend all this energy

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to prove himself anymore.

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And so he as a fan might say, well,

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he doesn't really belong in the field anymore.

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He should be punished. And the sportswriter might take him

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off that list for being an MVP because he is sluggish.

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Or maybe he is using some illegal product

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that makes him unworthy to be on the field.

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Jesus never took a day off. Jesus never took a playoff.

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He continued to focus on what he needed to do.

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Our text says he will not falter or be discouraged.

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He never let his thoughts wander.

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He never straight away from the will of his father

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be the savior of the world.

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He always assumed the best in people.

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He never gossiped about anybody. No.

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He lived that MVP life perfectly 100% of the time.

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Pretty obvious that only one person could live up to being

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that MVP for God.

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Our father used a baseball analogy.

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He threw a perfect pitch every day, never once failed.

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Our loving God is our savior God who says what now listen.

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Are you willing to follow this MVP he?

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God's MVP will announce a just verdict for the nations.

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Ooh, that could kind of hurt.

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If Jesus is going to be the kind of MVP that servant

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that his father expects of him,

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then there's no doubt he's going to reveal some things.

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How closely tied I am to those unholy three, the world,

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the devil, and my sinful flash.

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He's gonna call us out on that.

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He's gonna condemn us for being despicable in his sight,

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unworthy to be in his holy presence.

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Well, I know you may have some evil thoughts,

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so at least those won't get out in the

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world by our words and actions.

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So those are still sinful. God knows what they are.

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You may be the other one besides him.

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He's gonna bring justice on earth.

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Are we willing to follow that MVP

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with his demand to be perfect?

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What is your reaction If this is God's choice at MVP?

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What is your choice?

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What are you gonna do when he comes to you?

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God says here a couple pictures to describe this scene.

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A bent read. He'll not break a dimly burning weak wick.

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He'll not snuff out. He will faithfully bring

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forth a just verdict.

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He'll not burn out and he'll not be broken

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until he establishes justice on the earth.

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The coastlines will wait for his law.

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A bent wick, a burning rut.

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Uh, wick tends to have strength only when it's complete.

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But if you do some damage to one side of

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that, what's gonna happen?

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It's not gonna be functionable, it's gonna break down.

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It has no value. It might just be

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thrown in the fire and be burned.

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Now you know something about Wix.

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Those who still don't use electricity will take the flask

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and put it inside a, a little lamp with some,

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um, oil inside.

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And what happens? It burns for a while, eventually goes out

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and they have to replace it with more.

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But it doesn't last forever, does it?

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So we find ourself being described as

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the least valuable player.

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We ought to be stuffed out from God's holy presence.

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'cause our lives are only here for a moment.

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And we deserve God's justice.

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So as you think about that, only left to do is

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to acknowledge who we are, the least valuable player,

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ones who suffer and deserve suffering, eternal hell,

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fire 'cause of who we are by nature.

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Sinful, unclean,

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but remember the word

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but from a previous sermon.

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But there's also the second half.

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Things changed in the second half. Sorry guys. It's true.

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In the second half, what happens? Open your eyes.

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Don't miss what happens in the second half

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'cause God says this, but his MVP, he will not cry out.

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He'll not raise his voice.

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He'll not make his voice heard in the street.

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Jesus was not like a superstar who says, I'm flying in here

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with my limousine or my airplane.

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I make a big scene as the MVP.

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Jesus does not say, guys, I deserve the MVP.

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Look how great I am. He does not say I'm going

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to live over in this part of the of the neighborhood.

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I don't wanna be so, so close to those imperfect people.

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No, your MVP comes as a little child born, a little stable,

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born in a little town of Bethlehem.

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He came in order

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to stop you from being fearful or in despair.

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What were the words of the angel

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when they announced to the shepherds?

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What's going on? Fear not right.

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First words don't fear

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because Jesus has done all the things as an MVP

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that he's supposed to do as a servant of God.

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He promises to bring you life and salvation.

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Sometimes it is easy for us to

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think about the player who can live up the rest

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of the team and carry them to victory.

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Who's probably considered the weakest on the football field,

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probably the kicker or the punter.

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Did you know that out

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of all the times the NFL has chosen an MVP,

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there's only been one kicker Who's won?

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The MVP actually won.

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Mark Moseley won in 1982. You know why?

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There were nine games, they had a player strike.

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That's probably why he won it.

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But remember, I know you guys like the New

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England Patriots so much.

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Do you remember Adam Nita Terry?

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He was able to kick field goals to win two Super Bowls.

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Did he get to become the MVP of those Super Bowls? No.

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Tom Brady won it. Anyway, you see, sometimes

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no matter how much value you bring to the team, you think

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you don't become the MVP.

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So it is with our God, we are considered the weakest

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in all humanity 'cause of our inability

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to follow our god's will.

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So God took a team of sinners like you and me,

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and he put us on his back like he placed

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our sins on his shoulders.

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And he said, I'm gonna accomplish what needed to be done.

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I'm gonna save the world. I'm gonna rescue the world

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and put them on my shoulders to die for them.

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'cause that's what I came to do as your Savior and king

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and Lord, as he does those things, he does

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what superstars are supposed to do.

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He leads the team to victory.

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We hear on our text, this is what the true God says,

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the Lord who creates the heavens

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and stretches the Mount who spreads out the earth

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and everything that it produces, who gives breath

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to the people on it and life to those who walk on it?

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I am the Lord. I have called you in righteousness.

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I will hold onto your hand and I will guard you.

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I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people,

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to be a light for the nations, to open the eyes

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of the blind, to bring the prisoners out from the dungeon

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and to bring those who sit in darkness and of prison.

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Jesus would not have been much of a MVP if he had simply

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come to this earth, under this earth as a baby,

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lived a decent life and then gone back to heaven.

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That would not accomplish the saving purpose

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of saving lost mankind.

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So we find that he came to forgive, he came to redeem.

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He came to eliminate our sins, and he does that as our MVP.

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He says in our text, to put his arm around you.

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Let's have a good cry on my shoulder.

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And as you do that, trusting me to bring you solace comfort

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and strength through my gospel promises.

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Isaiah the prophet said what?

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In another portion of his letter, his book, he was crushed

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for our inqu.

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That's your MVP. He stuffed out our sins on the cross.

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He paid the payment in full.

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He brings justice so that all people can be blessed

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and received the salvation of their souls.

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He punished sin. We might redeem the world.

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I don't know where you were spiritually

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inside when you came into this church to worship today.

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Maybe you're still bothered by that pet sin

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that keeps on plaguing you.

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Maybe you said, Lord, I'm gonna stop that pet sin.

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I'm gonna stop doing it. Please

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gimme the strength to stop it.

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And then you keep on doing it anyway.

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And you say, Lord, how can you forgive me?

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Over and over and over again.

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Jesus takes his position on the field, gently wraps you

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around his shoulders and says, I die for that sin too.

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I went to the cross to forgive you for that sin as well.

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So the Lord God says it is finished.

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I did not come to take care of just a few of your sins.

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I came to wipe them all clean. The slate is gone.

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You are as pure as snow white as snow pure

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in the righteousness of Jesus that he earned for you

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by his life, his death and his resurrection.

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That's the guarantee is God's MVP.

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So he says, I not come to reject you. I came to restore you.

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I not come to break you, but to build you up.

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I not come to stuff you out but to start a fire.

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That's your MVP,

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God's MVP Pastor.

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Are you sure? You sure that my pet sin can be forgiven

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by Christ Jesus alone?

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Think of that parable of the lost son, prodigal son.

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He loved money, his inheritance.

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He loved self, he loved envy.

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But he was led to know the truth.

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And he came to his father begging.

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His father said, you are my son.

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You're back in the family again.

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God changes hearts through his word.

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He changes our convictions

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to know that it's nothing about us.

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I'm the least valuable player,

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but Christ is the most valuable player of my life.

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We once were lost and now found.

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I don't know who your favorite MVP in football might have

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been in the past, who might be in the future.

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They'll hold onto that title for a while.

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It'll be in the record books

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for as long as it's world exists.

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But they can't play forever on the field.

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They're gonna wear out, break down and retire and go away.

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Not Jesus. He's your

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MVP by God's grace.

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He allows you to be his MVP with him

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'cause he sees us as equal in his sight, equal and glory

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and power in the last day when he brings

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us to himself in heaven.

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So no matter what happens in the football season to come,

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your MVPs may change, but God never does.

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Amen. Now with peace of God,

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which passes all human understanding, keep

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and guard your hearts through faith in Christ Jesus.

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Amen.