Immanuel Baptist Church

Ephesians 2:1-3

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This sermon was preached by Rev. Chris Roberts during the morning service on April 19, 2009. Continuing through Ephesians, Paul discusses the lives of unbelievers.

Today we resume Ephesians, picking up in Ephesians 2:1-3. We’ve been away for almost a month now. Before we move into today’s text I want to briefly recap what we’ve already seen.

Chapter one opens with a greeting and blessing from Paul in verses 1-2. Verses 3-14 are a single sentence in the Greek, an extended praise in which Paul glorifies God for his greatness and mercy in saving us. And in verses 15-23 Paul offers a prayer for believers, ultimately asking God to reveal to them the hope we have in Christ, the riches we inherit through Christ, and God’s immeasurable power at work in us.

On into chapter two, like 1:3-14, verses 1-10 are one sentence in the Greek. Here Paul is teaching the people about the mighty work of God for them. This follows from what he just said about the power of God. God in his power took children of wrath, dead in their sins, and made them alive together with Christ.

In our passage today, verses 1-3, Paul tells us who we are. Before Paul tells us what God has done for us, he tells us what God had to work with. If we were already pretty decent people in need of a little information or a push in the right direction we might not be too impressed by what God has done. But if we were rotting corpses, unable to even think nice things about God, and God took us and made us alive with Christ, and adopted us as his children, and secured an eternal future of hope for us, then we see that God has truly done something amazing.

We have recognized in past weeks that Ephesians is written to Christians. The readers of the letter had already experienced the joys of saving grace. They were regenerated, brought from death to life. But they had once lived the way of all other unsaved people. Paul wants them to understand the depth of what God in Christ did in saving them, so in verses 1-3 he identifies three things about the unsaved person: (1) The condition of the unbeliever; (2) The nature of the unbeliever; and (3) The allegiance of the unbeliever.

The passage open with a bleak pronouncement: and you were dead. This is the condition of the unbeliever. Paul goes on to explain why the unbeliever is dead but let’s take a moment to look at the condition itself.

Paul describes unsaved humans as dead. Paul’s focus here is spiritual, not physical. Of course the readers are not physically dead. They will someday die but haven’t yet. The death they have experienced is spiritual. When it comes to spiritual matters they are corpses.

Paul is also clear about the condition. Is there any more medically definite condition than death? There is no ambiguity with death, no need for followup questions: “Well, doctor, how will this affect me tomorrow?” Dead is dead. You were not sick, you were not feeling bad – you were dead. A rotting corpse. No life left in that body. Unable to think, move, act, perform – you were dead.

Paul says we were dead in the trespasses and sins in which [we] once walked. As we see in Romans 6:23 the wages of sin is death. This lines up with what we find in Genesis 2:17 when God commands Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree: for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. Sin leads to death – immediate spiritual death and eventual physical death.

Spiritual death means you were unable to make any movement toward God or in any way please God or desire God. A corpse does not desire life, a spiritually dead person does not desire God. This is your condition without Christ – dead, hopeless, unable to move toward God. This is why we are helpless to save ourselves. We cannot lift a finger for our own salvation. We need a savior!

So the condition of the unbeliever is death. What is the nature of the unbeliever? This passage tells us two things. First is in verse 2, we are sons of disobedience. Second is in verse 3, we are children of wrath.

As sons of disobedience our every action is characterized by rebellion against God. The unsaved person does nothing good. From birth his condition is opposition to God’s holy commands. Those who are sons of disobedience are unable to please God.

Children of wrath are those who fall under the wrath of God. Paul includes all unsaved people in this category. In verse 3 he says the Ephesians were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. There are three significant points in this.

First, that they were children of wrath. How does one become a child of wrath? The same way one becomes spiritually dead – sin. In Romans 1:18 Paul says For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Sin leads to wrath. Wrath is the just anger of God toward acts of disobedience against his holy plan. When God created the world he had specific intentions for how his creation should act and behave. Plants and animals, stars and planets were made to follow God’s purpose for them. Only angels and humans had the capacity to rebel. Humans were given the freedom to follow or rebel. When Adam and Eve rebelled in the garden it led to a complete corruption of the human will, changing freedom to slavery. The will was still free, but ever since Adam and Eve humans have only desired evil so humans have only chosen evil. This is what Jonathan Edwards meant when he spoke of the freedom of the will. All people are indeed free to choose, but the unsaved person will always only choose sin. He has no inclination for pleasing God. Because of our continued rebellion we repeatedly violate the intentions of God for his creation. We are in sin. And the wages of sin is death, and God looks with wrath upon all sin. This does not reduce his love. God has an amazing capacity to love even children of wrath. Paul is writing to Christians when he says they were once children of wrath. Later we will see that despite their sin and rebellion God still loved them and sent his son to rescue them. Objects of wrath, yes, but still loved by God, loved so much that the Ephesians were rescued, saved out of their sin, plucked from the darkness of their depravity.

The second point about the children of wrath is that this was their nature. Things part of your nature are things you are born with, they do not develop later. It’s in your genes, something you cannot change. Some people today have the view that sin and lawlessness are learned behavior. We start off tabula rasa, blank slates that learn sin through the example of other people. But Paul says that something in our nature causes us to be children of wrath. Sin is not something we learn, sin is something we are born into.

The third point about the children of wrath is that this is the condition of all mankind. Paul says the Ephesians were by nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind. There are no exceptions to this condition. Everyone is born in sin and everyone is born under the wrath of God. God still loves all people, that’s why Romans 5:8 says that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, but his love does not negate his wrath. The modern notion seems to be that love and wrath cannot go together but they do go together with God. He loves us, but we will still experience his wrath if we die in our sins.

So we have seen the condition of the unbeliever and the nature of the unbeliever, let us now look at the allegiance of the unbeliever. This is one of those points sure to start an argument if you bring it up with an unbeliever. Paul says in verse 2 that unbelievers are following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. In short, those not saved are followers of Satan.

His description of Satan is interesting: the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. In 2 Corinthians 4:4 Paul describes Satan as the god of this world.

Satan does not have ultimate authority over the world, but he does rule the world. God has ultimate authority and Satan is powerless to act without God’s permission. But Satan wields tremendous influence and control over the world, tempting people to sin and blinding millions upon millions of people. And all lost people serve him. Think about the shock of this. Would you want to be in service to Adolf Hitler? Osama bin Laden? These are wicked, evil men committing evil acts of sin against God. But they pale in comparison to Satan. It was Satan whose will Hitler served when he sent millions of Jews to their deaths. It was Satan bin Laden followed when he sent the planes into the World Trade Center.

It is Satan you cling to when you turn from God. You join the ranks of Hitler and bin Laden and Pol Pot and Abimael Guzman and on and on go the ranks of his servants. You join the Pharisees who were condemned by Jesus in John 8:44 with these words: You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. John tells us in 1 John 3:8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.

The allegiance of the unbeliever is to Satan. Even for Christians, every act of sin and rebellion we commit serves the purposes of Satan against God.

The condition of the unbeliever is death, the nature of the unbeliever is disobedience and wrath, and the allegiance of the unbeliever is to Satan.

In Romans 7:7-24 Paul is wrestling with sin. Even as a Christian he continues to battle the lusts of the flesh. He feels how great the struggle is and he knows how weak he is, even as a follower of Christ. Consider then the condition of the unbeliever. He is not just weak, he is dead! He is not just occasionally disobedient, his every act is evil! And he does not struggle between good and evil, he is an unwitting but willing servant of Satan. Seeing this predicament before us we could well cry out with Paul in Romans 7:24: Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? The answer is in the next verse: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! The picture of humanity is dismal, but God has done something to rescue us from this condition. We will start to see that with next week’s passage.

As we wrap up this passage I want to give you three points of application from the text.

First, embrace God as your only hope. We have seen how dismal our condition is. Without God you are a corpse facing the wrath of a holy God, unable to make one movement to save yourself. But rejoice! God has sent a redeemer! Two of the greatest words in the Bible are found in verse 4. After painting such a bleak picture of humanity Paul goes on in verse 4 to say But God… Yes, your situation is dark and terrible! But God has an answer to your sin!

Second, rejoice because of the work of God in your life. We will see this in more detail next time. For now, if you know you are saved, and you know your condition before you were saved, this should lead to constant rejoicing. If you were drowning and someone dove in and pulled you from the waves, how long would you be grateful? Give thanks to God that you now have life! He raised you with Christ and filled you with life that cannot end.

Third, be aware of the war being waged against the children of light. It is not easy to live as a follower of God. Throughout our passage Paul identifies three things that can lead a person to sin: (1) the flesh; (2) the world; (3) the devil. The flesh because we never lose our sin nature. We have the same capacity to sin as believers that we had as unbelievers. And the flesh will continue to tempt us. In Romans 8:7-8 Paul says For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. How do we fight this? Put on Christ: Romans 13:14: But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. How do you put on Christ? Study him in his Word, stay close to him in prayer, and follow his example every day.

The world because it is full of fallen people who delight to see others follow their evil ways. You know what it is like to live according to the ways of the world. You have seen it in your own lives and you see it in those around you. The world says pursue pleasure, pursue self, pursue comfort and worldly goods. God says put off all of this. Follow God! Romans 12:1 tells us Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. This also happens through Scripture, through prayer, and through faithful living. It also takes the community of believers, as we guide one another in the word of God and help each other live faithful lives.

The third thing that would lead us astray is Satan himself, the devil, the adversary. In 1 Peter 5:8 we are told Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Play with him and he will devour you. Do not think to stand against him, he is more mighty than you. In Martin Luther’s hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God he describes Satan by saying “His wrath and power are great / And armed with cruel hate / On earth is not his equal”. On Earth there is no equal to Satan’s power. But fear not! 1 John 4:4 tells us that he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Your protection from Satan doesn’t come from your wit. It doesn’t come from incantations from the latest book on spiritual warfare. It comes from God himself. When you feel the devil near turn to God for your deliverance.

Matthew 26:30-28:20

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This sermon was preached by Rev. Chris Roberts during the morning service on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009.

Today we recognize the culmination of the most earth-shattering event in human history. The death of Christ, his burial, and his resurrection. But what do these events mean? It is not enough to know a story, you need to know what the story means, why the details are important. What is so significant about the death of Christ? That is what we will focus on this morning. We will not focus on the passage in your bulletin, per se. Rather than talking about the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection we will talk about what it all means. I do hope that some time today you will gather your family or just yourself or some friends and read together the account of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. The reference in your bulletin, Matthew 26:30-28:20, would be a good place to go for that.

Today is a celebration but it is also a grim call to salvation. Like a doctor telling a cancer patient that he will have to undergo painful, humiliating, crushing treatments in order to kill a disease trying to kill him, I am here to tell you about the sin that has you dead, and I am here to tell you that there is a cure. This is good news! The cancer patient sits sweating while the doctor describes his body consuming cancer. All is despair until the words come from the doctor’s mouth, “There is a cure.” Rejoice! A cure? Then I might yet live? Praise God! What is the cure? Sinner, the disease is sin and the prognosis is death, but there is a cure and the cure is Christ and his work at the cross.

Before we get to the cross let’s back up to look at the disease.

Throughout Scripture we learn that the fundamental problem of humanity is sin. It is not lack of education, lack of resources, or lack of cognitive ability. We are sinners, sinful from birth, and our sin stains everything we do. Things have been this way since the time of Adam and Eve. Those first parents committed the first sin that plunged them and all their descendants into a state of rebellion against God. Paul talks about this in Romans 5:12 when he says, “just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…” Here we find the condition of man combined with the ultimate fate of man. We are all sinners and because of our sin we will all die. In Romans 3:10-12 Paul writes: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

Some might protest that most people don’t know God’s commands and are innocent in that they don’t know they have sinned. In human law ignorance of the law is not an excuse. Much more so with God’s law. Paul recognized this in 1 Corinthians 4:4: I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Paul knew that even if he was not aware of sin in his life, God is the judge and God will hold Paul guilty even of those sins he unknowingly commits. Paul tells us in Romans 1:19 that what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Then in Romans 2:15: They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts… God has revealed to all people the truth about himself and the expectations of his justice. Everyone sins, and no one has an excuse for their sin.

So our condition is sin. What is the prognosis? The prognosis of sin is death, physical and spiritual. Physical death as one day each of our bodies will fail and we will fall to the dust. Spiritual death as each one of us is born separated from God, cut off from him because of sin. God is a holy God and no sin can be in his presence and there must be a penalty for wrongdoing or God would not be just. God’s holiness and justice demands judgment against sin. We have sinned against an infinite God. Our penalty is thus infinite, the punishment unending.

In the Bible no one talks about Hell more than Jesus. He came to rescue people from Hell, it makes sense that he would warn people about the judgment they would face without him. In Mark 9:43 Jesus describes Hell as unquenchable fire. In Matthew 10:28 Jesus tells people do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. In Matthew 25:46 Jesus says that the wicked will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

So sin merits judgment, God is the judge, and eternal suffering in Hell is the punishment. In the words of Romans 6:23 the wages of sin is death, and Revelation 20:15 says And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire and Revelation 20:10 describes the lake of fire as the place where those under punishment will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Take these words seriously. Consider your future. Consider your eternity. Because of your sin you fall before a holy God and will be cast into the lake of fire for eternal torment.

This is why the cross and the resurrection are so precious to believers. Romans 6:23 says For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. A gift of eternal life! Something has been done so that judgment does not have to be our lot.

In 1 John the apostle writes at length about God’s love for us and the love we ought to have for God and for one another. In 1 John 3:1 he writes: See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God… The love of God the Father is such that some people will be the children of God. Not everyone is God’s child. Many people remain in rebellion against God, sinners who face wrath and judgment. But something has happened for some so that they have God for their Father.

In Romans 5:8 Paul tells us but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. In his love God makes some of us his children, and the love of God is demonstrated in the death of Christ. Something in the cross opens the doors to the Father so that we might be the children of God. John 1:12-13 tells us how to become his child: …to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. Becoming a child of God takes belief in Jesus Christ. It means being born again by the will of God the Father.

Earlier we saw that only the righteous will receive eternal life, but we also saw that no one is righteous. We can cry out with the disciples in Mark 10:26: “Then who can be saved?” The requirements for salvation are huge. Perfect holiness, always. Never any sin. Perfect obedience to God. Who could possibly be saved? Jesus responds in verse 27: “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

What did Jesus do that enables us to be adopted as children, enjoying life with our Father? What has God done to make us righteous? The answer is found at the cross.

Justice must be satisfied. God is not just if he ignores sin. A debt has been incurred by your sin and it must be satisfied. Hebrews 9:22 tells us …under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Blood must be shed, punishment must be dealt. Either you must suffer your punishment or someone must suffer it for you.

Isaiah 53 is one of the most amazing chapters in the Bible. It is the good news about Jesus Christ, written before anyone knew anything about him. When you do your Easter Scripture reading today I would encourage you to include Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53:3 refers to Jesus as a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Jesus is God in the flesh, the holy creator of all things, and he is described as a man of sorrows? Isaiah goes on to tell us why, verses 4-6: Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 

The perfect, spotless lamb of God was crushed for our iniquities. Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Can you imagine that? God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us. And he did this because he loved us. What wondrous love is this! Here I am a sinner, waging war against God by my disobedience, and the perfect Father sends the perfect Son to bear our griefs, to take up our transgressions, to be crushed for our iniquities, to have all our sin laid upon him.

This is what happened at the cross. There the innocent Son of God was crucified. As 1 Peter 2:22 says, he had committed no sin. Then in verses 24-25: He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

It was Jesus’ blood that was shed to bring you forgiveness. It was Jesus who bore your sin upon the cross. It was Jesus that paid the price for your iniquity, satisfying the wrath of God. This is the hope we have as Christians. Those who would deny this deny the heart of the gospel. I am deserving of wrath and Jesus took the wrath for me! Despite my sin, from before the world was created the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit knew the terrible dilemma sin would create and before the foundation of the world they had purposed to send the Son to save me.

But we still face the problem of death. What is your hope beyond the grave? It is the cross, the grave, and the empty tomb. We read in Hebrews 9:15 that …he [meaning Jesus] is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. In 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 Paul tells us But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

The old Puritan John Owen has a book entitled The Death of Death in the Death of Christ. Death suffered a defeat at the cross. Thus Paul can rejoice in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57: When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have not talked much about the law, but it is the only means by which a person could be righteous through his own effort. But no one is capable of fulfilling the law. None of us can satisfy the law’s demands. Only Jesus Christ brings the victory. And the victory brings life! Death has been overcome! Hey death, you old enemy? Where is your sting? Where are the terrors of the grave? They are no more! Destroyed by the work of Jesus Christ!

All of this comes to the one who has faith in Jesus. It is not automatically applied to every human, it is given only to those who receive it. The call is given to everyone. In 2 Peter 3:9 we read that the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. Perish you will if you continue in your obstinate rebellion against God. Turn to him and trust in him and receive his salvation!

Lost person, you are dead in your sin. Christian, you have been made alive! Live, then, as those who have been set free from sin, those who have been filled with the life of Christ, those who have received his righteousness. Be imitators of Christ.

This is what Easter is about. It is not about eggs or a family meal. It is not about pretty dresses and flowers. It is about being rescued from the dead, being plucked from the fires of Hell and brought into the family of God. Because of this day every day is about life and hope and salvation and resurrection and living as a child of God as one who is finally alive. For those who reject Christ this day is a reminder of what they will face. The sufferings of Christ are their own sufferings if they do not receive him. But they are not the infinite God who can pay for the sins of all his people after three days in the grave. Their punishment will be unending. If you are among them, turn to Christ. Receive him today. Don’t reject him any longer.

The following is our menu for the Wednesday evening fellowship meal on April 15th.

Roast beef
Corn
Green beans
Mashed potatoes
Dessert
Roll

The meal will begin at 5:30 in the fellowship hall. Those unable to attend can still come at 6:15 for the prayer time and Bible study.

Cost for meals is $5.00 per adult or $3.00 per child.

Our next monthly meeting will be April 14th. The Sunshine Singers with the Panama City Women’s Club will be here as our guests. Bring your Bible for Bible study and a covered dish for lunch. Remember we will have extra guests.

We are then planning to go and take the bus on May 9th to the Baptist College of Florida. They will present Big River, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Tickets are $5.00. Let me know if you would like to attend. We still have space so please let me know this Sunday so I can order tickets.

Be involved in all our activities.

Martha

In our deacon’s meeting last night I listened to some of our men express a desire to see us be people who pray for revival. This morning I joined with a group of pastors who have met every week for the past 15 years to pray for revival. Tonight during our Wednesday service we will spend some time praying for revival.

I hope this desire continues. It is exciting to see. It shows me three things. First, people realize that revival comes from God. We do not create revival, God sends revival. Second, people know that God hears and answers prayer. Why pray if God does not listen? He does listen, and he often uses our prayers as the catalyst of his action. Third, God will often prompt his people to pray for something he is about to do. The Spirit tells us what to pray for and God uses our prayer to prepare us for what is about to happen. A widespread passion to pray for revival could show that God is about to answer that prayer.

Revival is a work of the Holy Spirit to bring many people to God. In a true revival many lost people turn to Jesus as their savior and Lord and many believers shake off complacency to follow Christ faithfully.

Revival starts with us, the people of God. It starts when we live like Christ and are faithful to proclaim the word of God, the Bible. I hope you want to see revival. If you do, pray for it. And let revival take hold in your own heart by living a holy life in service to God.

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The choir of Immanuel Baptist Church performed our Easter Cantata on Sunday, April 05, 2009 during the morning service.

Our next monthly meeting will be April 14th. The Sunshine Singers with the Panama City Women’s Club will be here as our guests. Bring your Bible for Bible study and a covered dish for lunch. Remember we will have extra guests.

We are then planning to go and take the bus on May 9th to the Baptist College of Florida. They will present Big River, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Tickets are $5.00. Let me know if you would like to attend. We still have space so please let me know this Sunday so I can order tickets.

Be involved in all our Easter activities.

Martha

What a stormy time we have had lately! Those of you who were able to be with us Sunday morning heard me express my love of storms. God’s power is on display in a storm. So is God’s grace. In Mark 4:35-41 we read about Jesus and his disciples sailing across the Sea of Galilee. During the trip across the sea a sudden great windstorm struck their boat. Jesus was asleep but the disciples were terrified. When they woke him they pleaded with him to do something. He turned to the wind and the waves and called out, “Peace! Be still!” Immediately the seas were calm.

What comes next should astound us. The disciples faced a very real danger. Their fear is easy for us to understand. But Jesus rebukes them. Turning to them he said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” Why would Jesus rebuke his followers for fearing a dreadful storm?

Quite rightly people have used the stormy sea as a metaphor for the storms of life. We face so many struggles and obstacles in life, so many tumultuous storms in our jobs, our families, our communities, we too would run and shake Jesus awake. But Jesus is always with his people, just as he was with his disciples. What is the lesson for the disciples? In my own words, Jesus might say to them, “I am with you. Why do you fear? Can any true calamity fall on you when I am with you? Trust in me. Trust in my mercy and grace. Trust in my all-pervading power. You are my child, not one hair on your head will perish.”