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okay let’s take our Bibles and turn to Hebrews chapter 12 I believe this will be the last time I’ll be in Hebrews uh and I’ll head back to the Book of Revelation and then the Gospel of John also so let’s um let’s look at this passage of scripture today HEB Hebrews chapter 12 and um as we continue today let’s bow in a word of prayer let’s pray father we we thank you this morning that you brought us together in this uh first part of January of two 2025 lord it’s a new year before us and I pray Lord that we would truly give ourselves to you um to be Sanctified to be obedient to your Holy Spirit and your word and Lord to give ourselves um fully to the endurance of the Christian race because Lord that’s what we’re in and I pray Lord we would run it faithfully and I ask you Lord to enable us and bless us to give us everything we need so we can make it to the Finish Line in Christ I pray amen Hebrews chapter 12 and it has I have been addressing you concerning the whole matter of the subject of Faith living by faith and he Hebrews has been addressing those who already have had an experience of justification by faith uh so therefore they’re Christians yes struggling under s certain persecution because they have come to know Christ a lot of them Hebrews and now everything has come against them but once one becomes a Believer the need for Faithfully running the Christian races and imperative it’s something that we need to pay uh close attention to and one thing that becomes very apparent about the Christian Life of faith is that at best it is like an unfinished synphony it was France Schubert started writing a very daring romantic symfony which apparently he never finished before he died some 30 years after his death it was recovered and those who found it began to play it and discovered that the move the first movement started to be low and dark it was a Dark Melody which led to all kinds of ideas and gave a sense of suspense the second and third movements built and builds and then explodes into an exciting magnificent and daring piece of music and then stops so those found it who found it named it Schubert’s unfinished synphony in the the same vein we are God’s Symphony and he has not finished yet even though most fulfilled Christian even the even the most fulfilled Christian Life In This World With let’s say every hope satisfied every prayer answered would be at best an unfinished Symphony the final movement of the symphony in our Christian walk is completed only when we stand Before the Throne of God and of the lamb in our glorified bodies and that is the goal and that’s where we’re heading but even though our sanctification is unfinished we will finish our Earthly race that is why we need to deliberately grow in our faith remember if you want your faith in God to increase then you must increase your knowledge of God so when you grow in your knowledge of God then you will know that the object of your faith can be unquestionably obeyed and of course that is Jesus trusted to be continually present with us absolutely can be relied upon and emphatically should be shouted In Praise from our own mouths to other people because of his unending faithfulness to us every single day of our life and for the present we all have this great essential need and that great character trait that we all need to continue is the character trait of endurance Hebrews 10:36 you have need of endurance and endurance means perseverance uh absolutely and emphatically moving forward under misfortunes under trials and holding one’s faith in Christ until the day you die the followers of Christ are to turn to Jesus and then to run the Christian race in order to reach the goal to finish and to receive the reward and you see the fullness of the promise is always yet future the master of the work is faithful who will pay you the reward of your work for the reward of the righteous is for a time to come but what is that reward it’s all over scripture we see it in Romans it’s the in comparable Glory that awaits all who are faithful to the end where it says I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us in heaven and then it’s the imperishable inheritance prepared for God’s redeemed people as mentioned in First Peter to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable undefiled and will not fail away re uh actually re reserved in heaven for you and then there is the crown of righteousness which the Lord will bestow on all who love his appearing where it says it in Timothy in the future there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day and not only to me but also to all who have loved is appearing so always looking for the coming of the Lord and those who live by faith treasure their future reward vastly more than they would treasure anything the world can offer them whether more than wives more than husbands more than children more than wealth Comfort security more than vacations more than houses and jobs and success and friendships see we Brethren should treasure our future reward a thousand times more than the treasure that this world can give us ever see Christ the one precious and most glorious one is our reward he is our treasure and so from last time there were three things that we were to consider to capture the essence of biblical Faith the first one is that someone who’s walking by faith accepts God’s word in Hebrews 11:1 secondly the person walking by faith gains God’s approval they know how to gain God’s approval like it says in verse 39 and all these this is Hebrews 11:39 and all these having gained approval through their faith did not receive what what was promised because God have provided something better for us so that apart from us they would not be made perfect so in the word of God those who the Ancients who the Ancients who have gone before us who have finished the race have gained approval from God and you see that biblical faith is not really a a a blind leap in the dark it is it is immersed in the nature and the character of God and rooted in objective truth and historical reality and that the people of God are God actually live and die by faith and those are the ones who did not shrink back uh to destruction to something that really displeases God also in Hebrews chapter 10 verse number 38 and 39 if you’d like to look there it says but my righteous one shall live by faith and if he shrinks back my soul has no pleasure in him verse 39 but we are not of those who shrink back to destruction but to those who have faith to the persevering of the Soul so here is being descri described a Christian who has believed in Christ who’s gotten into the Christian race who begins to understand this race is not easy and they need Divine help to run it but the goal of the race is all the promises of God and God himself is the goal for us as we consider those who drop out of the race and shrink back to destruction the Bible says and those who just keep going and finish the race to the persevering of their own Eternal Soul so that is the the admonition for us as Believers to be in that race because we accept God’s word we gain we know how to gain approval from God by being faithful and then we re recognize God’s power so the bottom line would be the key to successful endurance is Faith you know when I was in the Marine Corps uh we had a commanding officer we used to call him take it to the Limit JD he was a captain and he was um the kind of guy who just uh pushed you and pushed you and pushed you to the point where you didn’t think you could do it but you ended up doing it anyway and so he would run us uh four miles a day four miles a day he would run us and um that’s Monday through Thursday and then on Friday he said okay you don’t have to run in combat boots or fatigues or your pack you can run with your you know as light as you want to wear and uh he says we’re going to be running 20 miles and of course the first couple uh times we did that um men were um dropping out after the about the sixth or seventh mile they’re puking they’re throwing up their breakfast they’re they’re dropping out they’re they just can’t do it and they don’t end up doing it and then the next time we do it which would be the next Friday a 20 m run then people would endure more and more and then by time we got into about the second month at end of the second month people were um realizing if I’m going to run this race on Friday I better watch what I eat on Thursday and how much sleep I get on that night and that I keep myself mentally prepared for that run and it ended up at the end of about 2 months we ran 20 miles and nobody dropped out but it took endurance and it didn’t happen right away it happened by people considering what they were going to get into and how to finish at the end and so I believe the Christian Life is a lot like that it really is and it’s our term as I mentioned last week to Live Now by faith to endure by faith to believe the Unseen to trust God’s promises to wait and hope expectantly that our great God and savior will bring all he has promised to Ultimate fulfillment he will do that and why will he do that because we have a great cloud of witnesses that have finished the race and are waiting for us to finish look at Hebrews 12 verse number one it says therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us let us also lay aside every incumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance there’s that word the race that is set before us so this Lord’s day this Lord’s day let’s learn three vital considerations to Faithfully run the Christian race with endurance and here’s the first one the race is the same as those who have gone before us it’s the same race God hasn’t changed anything in it so this is the kind of faith that the Ancients had in that enabled them to endure through all kinds of difficult situations right till the end of their life now if you notice in verse number one it says we are we are grouped in with those who have gone before us says therefore since since we have so great A C uh cloud of witnesses surrounding us and we run the we run with endurance this race that is set before us that these have gone before us and they finished and they’re in heaven now with the Lord now so their their race is just like our race and and why is that because in many ways we are just like them we are we are the same kind of people our faith comes to us the same way our faith has the same object our conflicts are similar because we both live in a sin cursed world with its current it its current thoughts and in in opposition to God and God’s ways and God’s rightful rule we our weaknesses are the same we’re flesh and we die and we need strength that comes on high our spiritual needs are the same we both need a savior and we both need the holy spirit of God to sanctify us and we both need the word of God to guide us and direct us our hope in is the same God’s promise our destination is the same the city of God and our Crown is the same we will receive the crown of righteousness so in all the Old Testament figures who were examp examples of enduring Faith even though their life of faith is presented and as unfulfilled in the sense that they didn’t receive the promise they actually had the Promise by faith see the goal of their Journey the Fulfillment of their faith was found in the person of Jesus Christ so will it be for us we are called to emulate their faith we are called to press on just like them right to the end and if they finished we can finish now what is the rac’s witness it says in verse number one therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses the cloud refers to a large uh group of people a massive flock of the faithful that have gone on ahead of us and in heaven is a large flock and on Earth can be considered a small flock of God’s people at any given time and this great crowd of witnesses they are not necessarily surrounding us like Spectators they have gone on to their Heavenly rest and but their past life and their death still speaks to us about what faith really is that’s what you have in the whole chapter of L of he of Hebrews telling us about their faith about who they were about what they went through and Witnesses who have gone before providing provide meaning and present uh to our present struggle here on Earth right now for us and also Witnesses who have gone before us bear testimony to the certain certainty of our success they bore witness to the possibility of a life of faith and they bore witness to the faithfulness of God’s promise even before the some of them before the Incarnation before even Jesus came they were faithful to God and they showed that living by faith in God’s promises and in his presence and available to his power gives us an example that it will be all worth it all the struggles that we go through will be worth it and the nature of the race in verse number one of chapter 12 let us run with endurance the race that is set before us in other words the nature of the race is that you are in it have you realized that you’re in it yet have you realized the Christian Life is Like This enduring race that you have to prepare for you have to do things to make sure that you’re doing the best you can in running the race see you’re in it and you are to give all your effort to cross the finish line but get this it is not a race to determine how fast you run neither is is it a race to determine uh whether or or it’s not a race of competition with others this is not the kind of race that this is but it is a race to determine success and completion or failure success or failure of reaching the goal and the point of the race it is not the one who is first but the one who finishes and all have to finish with endurance so you see we need to think that the Christian Life is a foot race it is more like a cross country race than any other kind of race with his with it its ditches and with its rugged fields and with its Hills and with its steep declines and Briars and with its protruding roots and obstacles of all kinds that are laid before us and the purpose of the race is just to finish fin the course finish this longdistance race despite with anything that could be thrown in your path all the hardships the exhaustion even the pain just to finish see this is not a a new race and it’s not new every time someone becomes a Believer this race is the same as those who’ve gone before us and the the point is they finished through all the obstacles and and some of the obstacles they had were far greater than we’ll ever hurdle and yet they finished so we run the same race of Faith so we are able to finish also here’s the second thing the hindrances are similar to those who have gone before us number two also in verse number one there’s two general areas which we must pay close attention and then be deliberate about being resp responsible to lay those things aside part of running the race well is removing things which will slow you down and hinder you and make hinder you from making good progress and what are the racist hindrances look at verse number one let us also lay aside first of all every encumbrance an encumbrance is a weight it’s something that weighs you down it’s it’s a burden an athlete who strips for Action both by removal of extra body weight through not only rigorous training but by removing of clothing too where they can run their race without any kind of encumbrance without any kind of weight or in uh hindrance so Runners don’t run with a backpack on they don’t do that you know my daughter Elizabeth just uh got done finishing the Camino day Santiago hike um that’s where it’s a 500 milei hike from France to Spain and she ended up finishing it took her a little over a month to do it but one thing that she told us is that she had she studied it all she was ready to do it and she had her specific pack on and she says by the first day 3/4 of the stuff is my in my pack I gave away because it was weighing her down it was way too much for her see we have to lay things aside if we’re going to run this race and one of the things we have to lay aside is incumbrances that’s what we must do we must strip off everything that will impede our performance in this Christian race which we are in and if you are to travel far you must travel light and before you were Christian these things really didn’t hinder you at all but soon as you got into the Christian race you have to start discarding things and a hindrance is something otherwise good that weighs you down spiritually so these first part and encumbrance may not be anything sinful and matter in fact it may be a very good thing for you in your life at least before you became a Christian but now that you become a Christian the things that were profitable to you before are no longer profitable they have to be dropped off and the things that you must discard could be things like bad habits maybe you uh don’t have a good ability to get up early in the morning or to get up and get out and get going you have a habit of sleeping in and being a little bit lazy it could be just Earthly Pleasures that you enjoyed while you were an unsafe person but once you became a Christian you can’t do those things anymore because they take up too much of your time you know whether it be it could be a sport that you’re in love golf you love uh fantasy football or anything like that you love doing those things but they just take too much time and you have to lay them aside you have to control them because they are holding you back from running the Christian race it could be Facebook or blogging or just being on the internet all the time behind a computer screen uh so you have to evaluate all your social media that you’re taking in because it’s draining you from of spiritual life that you are not uh running the race the way you ought to it could also be uh enter entainment you the entertainment that you had before you have to drop off because you just don’t have the time to do it it’s not profitable for you running the race it could be things like uh gaining money Prosperity investing all those things I don’t know if you ever try to do any kind of investing on your own to go on and Sh uh sell and buy stocks you know how much time that takes let somebody else do it all right let somebody else make some money for you all right you don’t have to be involved with all all those things uh just Desiring uh you know good times worldly ease vacations people save all year long to go on a vacation and then they’re broke uh see it and it and they go into debt and then that becomes a burden to you and it holds you back from running the Christian race you you you don’t have having money to give give to others you misuse your time and all those things friendships some friendships have to end when you become a Christian because they drag you down they do not benefit your Christian walk and you’re moving forward in Christ likeness groups of people clubs uh just all kinds of things you have to look at your life and say what’s holding me back how come I’m not growing the way I should be growing so these are all weights I mentioned some of them but there are many more of them but they’re not necessarily sin but they do hold you back personally from running the race so you must shed them as the athlete sheds his tracksuit when he goes to the starting Mark that he has the lightest amount of things on him so he can put his eyes on that finish line and take off and move as fast as he can to that go line that’s the Christian of course that’s the fast rate but the Christian race is a Long Hall and it’s something though we have to consider but if you notice in our text in verse number one not only incumbrances do we need to lay aside notice what it says let us lay asight every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us and this race definitely is set before us so what do we allay side where lay where to lay aside the sin there’s a particular sin that so easily entangles you that needs to be laid aside because it prevents you or [ __ ] your running so what must you do you must actually put it off because it hampers it entangles you and these could be any sin particular to you the easy the easily it entangles you that is the sin you want to get rid of so what is the sin that easily entangles you it could be anger you’re used to getting things by anger it could be hatred you hate people it could be criticism you think you’re the judge of everything it could be laziness or covetousness or Envy or lust you got caught in the Sin of lust and it is crippling you and you need to cast that off it could be complaining and grumbling slander the word the use of the mouth can be a ve a thing that is sinful and it causes you to not be able to run the race could be hypocrisy and pride you think you know better than even God himself about decisions you’re making it could be unthankfulness just people uh who don’t we need to have a long list of things we’re thankful for and go over them every single day and then you do that you’ll never have to Grumble about a thing yourself because you’ll be so overwhelmed by how thankful you are to God then you will not be grumbling or complaining and when you do Grumble and complain it’ll be gone in the second because that’s not right before God I have no reason to complain I have no reason to Grumble God’s been so good to me he’s given me everything far beyond whatever I could ask or think no reason to complain it could be greed people are greedy it could be unbelief they just you know Lord help my unbelief right it could be unbelief it could be just a bitter Spirit never happy ever joyful you think that’s not sinful that’s sinful Christians should be the most joyful person on the earth now we can’t be like that all the time all right but if we’re going to run the race properly if we’re going to lay aside these things that entangle us they have to go they have to go or you’re holding yourself back from from the blessings and the joys that God will give you when you discard that sin and whatever it is it must be laid aside and left behind see the word of God often brings to our attention this principle this is not only in um in Hebrews this is all over the place for example in Romans chapter 13 this is what Paul said at the end of his book and Romans the night is almost gone he said the day is near therefore lay aside the Deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light let us behave properly as in the day not in carousing or drunkenness not in sexual prom promiscuity or sensuality not in Strife or jealousy but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the Flesh in regard to its lust see those are things that become very clear to a Believer when they are running the Christian race walking by faith listening to the word of God hearing preaching being in the studies when the Bible is being taught and God is showing you what the things that you actually need to discard in your life I don’t know about you but there are things that even in my own life in the past that when I first became a Christian I was doing all these things but I realized no I can’t do that every day I used to work out out every single day of the week and I said no I’m going to only work out five days a week then it went to three days a week now it’s only two days only because I can’t even do more than two days but those are things that hinder you they were incumbrances to me and so you have to lay those things and adjust your life so you’re available to do God’s work you’re available to use your spiritual gift to build up God’s church so so you’re available to live and serve God so this race is far more important than you think because it has Eternal consequences everything that handicaps you must be cast off and laid aside so that you are not needlessly hindered to run at Peak Performance so these things and things like them can no longer be our focus it can no longer be our Focus so not only is the race the same as those who have gone before us but the hindrances in the race are the same as those who have gone before us but this last one is that the source and focus of the race is the same in verse number two of Hebrews chap 12 it says this very clearly fixing our eyes on Jesus fixing our eyes on Jesus the word actually fixing warns us it’s a warning to be proactive in other words look away from the distractions and the sins and fix your eyes and your focus and the focus of your life on Jesus alone and why is that because Jesus is our high priest and he imparts to us all the necessary help to finish the race he’s are the medi one mediator between man and God and that is Jesus Christ so if we have needs we go to Jesus when we pray we pray to Jesus when Jesus because he’s finished the race will give you what you need to finish the race that’s his promise so the focus on Jesus and that focus is is because he is the source of the race it says in verse number two it says he’s the author and perfector of Faith the author and Pioneer of faith for it says it is fitting in Chapter 2 in verse number 10 of this same book it says for it is fitting for him for whom all things and through whom are all things that is that the son Jesus Christ had undergone infinite de debasement in order to be in a position to meet the need of undeserving sinners like you and I and but but why is it fitting to do that it is fitting because the grace that saves hell deserving Sinners does not come without a price see Jesus must be served to be a holy God and payment cannot be simply overlooked because God is just so by the grace of God it was necessary that Jesus fully tasted death for us and why is that well because again in Hebrews chapter 2:1 in bringing many sons to glory to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings in other words Jesus is the one we keep our eyes upon because he is the one who has given us salvation he is the perfector he is the completer of it and the saving role of Christ as high priest accomplishes what no other priest could accomplish and what did he accomplish it says in Hebrews 5:9 and having been made perfect he became to all those who obey him the source of Eternal salvation so when Christ gives himself as a propitiatory sacrifice he satisfies what God requires because God requires the death penalty for sin and his Justice demands the life is poured out and that means when a repentant person obeys Jesus the source of Eternal salvation that God’s Wrath and Justice toward that person is satisfied and is removed so Christ sacrifice then sets aside sin it purifies the people of God it delivers men and women from judgment and averts the wrath of God so Jesus as the great and eternal high priest takes care of everything that pertains to our relationship with God he’s taking care of everything and then in Hebrews 10:14 it says for by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are Sanctified so see Jesus is our Focus as to the source of the race he is our Focus also as to his Humanity in verse number two for the joy set before him so Jesus is the Supreme encouragement to persevere because Jesus in his Humanity in order to win the race set before him meant the way of the Cross and the joy setar before him was what was after the cross glorification kingship enthronement see he had to endure the cross the pain the extreme suffering the humiliation and he had to endure the despising that came with the cross the shame that came with the cross and the shame of dying the death of a criminal who was accounted as a cursed by God and to P persevere in the face of crucifixion is the ex Supreme example that Jesus sacrifice was so perfect and so final and so sufficient that it gave to all who believe a permanent justification and a continuous position before God that will be enjoyed forever and that is laid before us as the goal and then also there is the focus on jesus’ exaltation and enthronement in verse number two of Hebrews 12 that he is the glorified one he’s not only the crucified one he is the glorified one for it says at the end of verse two and has sat down at the right hand hand of the Throne of God that Jesus is has finished he’s sitting and after the work is accomplished Jesus assumes the position of authority that Jesus is the exalted one he is the king the right hand signifies might and majesty and deity a seat at the right hand and a seat on the left of the king are just other words for the most dignified station in the Kingdom sitting on the throne at the right hand of the king indicates that he who sits there Reigns along with the king so we see the Lord Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of the father and what is he doing there he is reigning in the hearts of Believers yes he is doing that but he’s interceding for us he’s praying for us why so we can finish the race so can endure to the end so the point wherever we he takes us out we will have been faithful not perfect faithful and when we go into heaven we’ll be perfect so for so for Jesus the son to bear this designation is equivalent to saying that he is the ruler of the universe that’s who our Lord is so in all this we will need the help of Christ so that we don’t become slack so that we don’t gradually let down our effort and give out so that we don’t get off out of the race and sit on the bench see we don’t want to see ourselves sitting on the bench we want to be in the race and sometimes in the race you’re running you’re walking sometimes you’re running a little slower than normal because of things going on in your life but you’re still going forward you’re still putting one foot in front of the other you’re still doing that see that’s what we want and God gives us the help to do that so this is what we’re asked to do in our text in verse number three it says for consider him who has endured such hostility by Sinners against himself so that you will not grow weary and lose heart so the Bible is is really saying listen consider him think about this consider the way of what I’m saying here because that is the most important thing you can be doing Jesus is the goal of our race and he is the companion along the way in the race and he has reached Glory because he already made the journey endured to the end and reached the goal and now is praying for us consider that see consider the per perseverance and suffering Jesus underwent for you consider the opposition that he encountered for Sinners against him see consider that and what it really means is to carefully estimate one one’s object with regard to another or in other words compare his unparalleled sufferings with the little that you and I will really pass through in our life compared to him for in verse four it says you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding of blood in your striving against sin so we therefore are to rely on him for support and help and we know that Jesus is the perfector of Faith who is seated at the right hand of God having endured the cross and the shame for you and me not for himself for you and me he finished and won so here the purpose for considering Jesus why do we consider that so we don’t grow weary and lose heart because you know what we will grow weary sometime we will get faint of heart sometimes but you don’t stop you have a bad day you get a good night’s rest you get up the next day and you do the next thing that you should be doing as a Believer because Christ starts our faith and leads it to an intended goal and consummation that Jesus fills us with faith that Jesus Keeps Us in faith and Jesus perfects our faith that’s what he does so in other words don’t slow up don’t sit down but pace yourself to Finish Well lay aside everything that restricts endurance streamline streamline your life and think daily upon Christ’s sufferings on your behalf and also think upon his finished work and his exaltation on your behalf because as it says in the of Hebrews he’s bringing many sons to glory to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings Jesus had to suffer so we can be saved so by virtue of je of Jesus suffering in death he has achieved the crowning glory for himself and the crowning glory for us so you and I can finish this race and go to Glory by the grace of God that that is God’s blessing in Christ towards helpless Sinners who deserve only his curse so where are you in the race have you considered it as a race you should and no one has to have a dictionary to really someone to explain to what a race is about we all know what a race is so if you’re in it and you are in it how are you running it what incumbrances have you have to have you do you have to put off this year to run it better what sins do you have to put to death to run it better see those are the things we have to consider and while you’re considering those consider all the things that Christ did for you and accomplished for you and finished for you so you can make it to Glory so you can be in heaven one day so you can receive your inheritance so you can receive your glorified body see that’s going to be the goal and that’s the admonition for us in this new year to be looking at your life honestly and to be doing those things so you can run the race with faith right and remember you can’t finish without endurance and God gives you the endurance to finish the race let’s pray Lord thank you this morning that as we considered again the subject from your word just some simple U simple things to consider um not always simple to put into practice Lord but Lord we we know that you give us everything that we need to not only be saved but to go on to glory to persevere right to the end and Lord we we thank you so much that you’re you love us in that way and you are are faithful to us and um we know Lord you’ll never leave us or forsake us that we can always come to the the place where we um bring our prayers before you knowing that you hear us and you’ll answer us knowing Lord that your word um transforms our mind to know the will of God knowing Lord that the holy spirit is given to us to sanctify us and make us holy and I pray Lord that as we are given our part in running this race I pray that we would take it on seriously and Lord this this coming year we would prioritize our life and we would put you first and we would seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and Lord and we’ll let our past worries go and that we would just continue to trust you by faith and Lord we need your help we know we can’t do this by a strong will we know we can’t can’t do this by our own personal strength but Lord we do it by the strength that you give us and so Lord grant that to us so we can be faithful every day every day we wake up and run this race better putting off those things that weigh us down putting to death that sin and keeping our eyes upon you and I pray this in Christ’s name amen amen