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Why He Came · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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  1 Timothy chapter 1 at verse 15.
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  This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners sinners of whom I am foremost.
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  !
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  Those who are at either the holiday club or the family service, it's nice to see some of the young ones who were there last week out here tonight as well.
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  You may remember that this was one of the verses that we were looking at, one of the passages that we looked at during that service last week.
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  And it reminds us in a week when we are remembering, it's Christmas time, is remember the birth of Jesus, that our focus is to be on that, that Jesus came into the world.
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  That amazing wonder of Jesus coming into the world, of God sending his son.
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  Because we are a forgetful people, one of the things that we thought about looking at this verse was how easy it is to forget.
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  And we're asking the young ones a question, what did you get for Christmas last year?
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  Some could remember, some forgot.
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  But then when you start going back further and further in the years, it's often we've forgotten what we got in these previous years because we are very forgetful people.
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  And in this week we can become so distracted by these things that we forget the main purpose of what it is we are to remember.
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  There's a well-known, very famous Christian book.
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  It's called The Pilgrim's Progress.
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  Many will have heard about it.
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  Many of you, I'm sure, have read that book.
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  It's a book about a man called Christian.
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  And it's a journey he's going on.
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  And it's full of different characters, people who have given names, and each name has meaning, and different places that the journey takes him from and leads him to along the way.
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  He begins his journey in a place called the City of Destruction.
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  That's a place where he is just lost.
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  And his journey ultimately takes him to another city, to the celestial city, which is really what we would call heaven.
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  And the Christian is taken there.
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  But on the journey, he passes through many different places and meets many different people.
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  And at one point in his journey, he comes to Forgetful Green, a place called Forgetful Green.
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  But in this place, there is someone who is able to remind all who are on this journey of what is important.
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  And the man is called Great Heart.
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  That's the man's name, Great Heart.
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  And it really means this man called Great Heart.
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  He's almost like a preacher who is there to guide people along the way.
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  He's got a heart for the people to guide them along the way.
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  And when they come to Forgetful Green, Great Heart says to those on the journey that Forgetful Green is the most dangerous place in all of these parts, he says.
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  For if at any time the pilgrims meet with any pressure, it is when they forget what favors they have received and how unworthy they are of them.
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  We forget the favors that we have received, all that God has done for us.
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  It's a dangerous thing.
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  And how unworthy we are of them.
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  And so it's important for us to remember what is right, what is important at this time of year.
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  And indeed all throughout the year.
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  Because as we approach Christmas time, we can be forgetful.
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  And at other times in the year, we can be so forgetful.
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  When you think of the two really most significant dates in the Christian calendar, when the birth of Jesus Christ is remembered at Christmas, and when his death is remembered at Easter time, where our focus should be clearly on the wonder of these things,
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  it is the two times in the year that have almost become the most materialistic.
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  Where it becomes all about gifts and giving, and we so easily forget about the Lord Jesus.
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  And it's something we can all be guilty of.
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  It's something we've maybe been guilty of in this past week, and maybe guilty of in this coming week.
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  We're caught up in the busyness of everything that's going on, and we forget what we should be really remembering.
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  How significant it is that Jesus came into the world, that he was born into this world.
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  And how significant it is that he had a purpose in coming into this world, that he would ultimately give his life for his people.
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  So we are a forgetful people.
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  But when we turn to the Word of God, to the Bible, it reminds us of the real significance of all of these things.
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  So that when we have the likes of the first chapter of John, and you start to read there, it says,
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  The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
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  That Jesus came into this world, that God sent his Son into this world.
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  Isn't it amazing to think of that?
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  How we've forgotten the wonder of it, that Jesus came into the world.
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  It's not just a story for Christmas.
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  It's not just a story for Easter time.
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  It's not a story confined to the history books.
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  It is the most important thing we can hear today and every day of the year.
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  The love of God towards us.
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  The grace that he has shown to us in providing a Savior.
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  Giving a Savior for all who will put their trust in him.
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  And here in 1 Timothy 1, verse 15, Paul is showing just how important, just how significant this was for himself.
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  And how it is to be important for us too.
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  Why did Jesus come into the world?
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  Why do we remember his birth and his death, his resurrection and his ascension?
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  Well, Paul reminds us here in this verse, the saying is trustworthy, deserving of full acceptance,
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  that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
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  Why did he come to save sinners?
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  To offer every one of us that hope of salvation through faith in him.
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  We looked at it last week, but I want to just look at it in a little bit more detail this evening, this verse.
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  And really we're going to break it down into three bits, using the words that we find in this verse.
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  The first thing is that it is a trustworthy saying.
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  And then it says it's deserving of full acceptance.
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  So these are our first two points.
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  A trustworthy saying.
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  Let's think a little bit about what this means.
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  As Paul writes here, he's writing to Timothy.
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  And Timothy is much younger than Paul.
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  Paul is an older man now.
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  He's experienced much in life.
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  And now he's passing the gospel on to Timothy.
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  And as he's doing so, he's not just someone who has been at a distance from life and all that it means.
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  All the challenges and now having faith in the Lord Jesus.
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  It's not just something that he's heard about or just learned in a classroom or anything like that.
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  It's through very practical experience.
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  His life has been full of thinking he was doing right with God only to realize he was miles away from God.
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  But he says to us here that something changed his life.
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  Verse 12 to verse 17.
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  It's almost like a small digression.
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  A little diversion that Paul takes.
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  And it's really reminding us and speaking about his own experience of the wonder of the grace of God.
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  In verse 14 it says,
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  The grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
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  He's got this amazing testimony to give.
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  The grace of God has overflowed to him.
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  This grace that is in Christ Jesus.
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  It is what has completely transformed his life.
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  So here is someone who knows what he's talking about.
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  He's experienced it in such a wonderful way.
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  His life has been totally changed and transformed by this grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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  And so he's saying here in verse 15,
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  This saying is trustworthy and true.
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  I'm sure Paul maybe at times came along to this forgetful green himself.
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  Times when he was maybe distracted and was starting to forget things.
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  But what you often find with Paul as he's writing is he takes frequent trips down memory lane.
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  He always comes back to reflect on his life in a way where he doesn't forget what he was.
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  He realizes how far away from God he was.
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  How bad a person he was.
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  But then he comes to marvel at the grace of God.
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  He's reminding us of his past, of his sins.
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  It says that in verse 13,
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  He was formerly a blasphemer, persecutor, insolent opponent, but I received mercy.
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  So he's talking about his past, but he's seeing the wonderful mercy of God.
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  And as he goes on speaking in this way, he's speaking about it in this grace.
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  It is something that is trustworthy.
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  Something that you can rely on.
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  Because it comes from God.
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  Paul uses this phrase, this is a trustworthy saying, five times.
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  As he writes to Timothy and also to Titus.
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  And as he's writing to them, he's trying to put across a particular point saying,
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  This is so important for you to remember.
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  This is a trustworthy saying.
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  It's important for you.
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  And he's saying this in light of others who are coming and telling lies and seeking to lead them astray.
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  You see that in verse 3 and 4 of this chapter.
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  Where he's saying to Timothy,
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  I urged you when I was going to Macedonia,
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  Remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,
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  nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies.
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  So there's all of these other things that people are teaching.
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  And they're not trustworthy.
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  They are lies.
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  They are taking them away from God.
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  But here is Paul saying,
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  But this, this is trustworthy.
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  This is the very word of God.
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  This is God speaking to us.
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  And so it's important for us to listen.
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  Do you believe the Bible?
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  Do you believe everything that the Bible says?
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  Do you see it as trustworthy?
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  When you think of the wonder of Jesus coming into this world,
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  when you think of the suffering of Jesus,
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  when you think of all of the people that are mentioned throughout the Bible in the Old and the New Testament,
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  do you believe what it says?
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  Do you believe that God is speaking to us?
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  Well, it is all trustworthy.
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  Every word that God has given is trustworthy for us.
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  To give you an example,
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  there was a man called Matthew Morrie.
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  And he was a naval officer in the 1800s.
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  He had been at sea for many years.
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  But as he was getting older,
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  he became unwell.
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  And during his time of being unwell,
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  he was reading the Bible.
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  He was a Christian man.
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  And as he was reading the Bible,
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  two things stood out to him.
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  One was Psalm 8 and verse 8.
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  And there it speaks about,
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  whatsoever walketh through the paths of the sea.
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  And this resonated with him,
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  having been at sea,
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  whatever walketh through the paths of the sea.
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  And he started repeating this phrase,
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  the paths of the sea,
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  the paths of the sea.
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  And what he began to realize was
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  that there were paths in the sea.
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  There were currents in the sea.
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  And he realized this over his years at sea,
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  that there were places where
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  there were times when you were going against the current
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  and it was slowing you down.
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  And other times you were going with the current
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  and it was helping you go faster.
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  So this verse began to speak to him.
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  And another verse spoke to him as well.
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  Ecclesiastes 1 verse 6.
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  The wind blows to the south
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  and goes round to the north.
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  Around and around goes the wind.
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  And on its circuit, the wind returns.
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  And again, he began to realize this.
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  This is trustworthy saying.
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  This is the truth of God.
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  He's speaking about the paths of the sea
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  being these currents that are in the oceans.
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  And the wind,
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  how the wind has a prevailing direction it comes in.
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  And all of these things helped him
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  to draw charts for seafarers.
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  And if you look at the currents,
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  there are general currents in all the oceans of the sea
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  that have a general direction that they go in.
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  You think of the North Atlantic drift,
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  that current that comes across from America and Canada,
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  across to our own nation.
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  When you're in that drift, it's pulling you along.
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  It's helping you to go fast.
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  If you're going against it,
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  it's slowing you down.
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  And there is God speaking of these things in his word.
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  And this man realized it and made up charts
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  that showed it to seafarers.
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  God's word is trustworthy.
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  That's just something that seems a little maybe simple to us.
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  But every word that God speaks is trustworthy.
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  So when you think of words like in John,
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  the word became flesh and dwelt among us,
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  it is trustworthy.
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  Christ Jesus came into this world.
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  When you think of reading of Jesus dying on the cross,
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  it is trustworthy.
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  Because he died on the cross for sinners such as we are.
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  And so Paul is speaking from his own experience here
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  that the gospel, the word of God,
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  is all trustworthy.
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  Through experience, he has realized it for himself.
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  Is that what you can say today?
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  Is this word of God trustworthy to you?
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  Because it is what speaks about our greatest need
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  in this world,
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  which is a savior who is Christ the Lord.
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  So the word of God is trustworthy.
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  The second thing we see here is Paul says
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  it's deserving of full acceptance.
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  Deserving of full acceptance.
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  So before he actually comes
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  to what the trustworthy saying is,
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  he says it is worthy of full acceptance.
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  It needs to be accepted.
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  It needs to be believed.
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  What does Paul mean here?
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  What he's about to say?
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  What this message is going to be?
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  This trustworthy saying?
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  He's saying the hearer,
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  the one who hears it,
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  needs to listen and needs to respond.
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  Needs to accept this word.
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  It is deserving of full acceptance.
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  He is speaking about as one who heard
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  the word of God.
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  But not just heard it in the sense of
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  he listened and did nothing to him.
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  But he heard it in light of what it was really saying.
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  The warnings it was giving.
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  We all get warnings in our lives.
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  We see it often at this time of year.
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  Heavy rain warnings.
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  Gale warnings.
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  We hear of them and sometimes we pay attention.
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  But other times we choose to ignore them.
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  There are many warning signs,
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  excuse me, that you see around us.
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  One of the ones I often see and think,
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  well, how can people not listen?
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  It's the warning on cigarette packs.
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  It used to be that cigarette packs
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  didn't have any warnings.
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  And then it went to,
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  it can cause you harm.
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  But then it went to something else.
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  It went to cigarette packs.
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  It now say smoking kills
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  in big, bold writing.
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  And yet people still choose to smoke.
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  And you think to yourself,
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  but why?
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  The warning is clear.
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  In front of you,
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  there's smoking kills.
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  But so many will have that attitude,
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  but not me.
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  And that's the way we are
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  with the warnings
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  that the Word of God gives to us.
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  Warnings that we are sinners,
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  that we need a Savior,
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  that without Him we will perish.
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  And yet so many will say,
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  no, not me.
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  Sin won't touch me.
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  Sin won't kill me.
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  But the reality is
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  it doesn't matter who you are.
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  We are all sinners.
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  But the reality of that too is
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  that it doesn't matter who we are,
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  that there is a Savior on offer.
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  That this trustworthy saying
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  is deserving of full acceptance.
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  So it doesn't matter your background,
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  it doesn't matter your nationality,
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  your age,
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  your education,
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  whatever it is in life.
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  This is for all.
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  This is to be accepted
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  by all.
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  There's no reason,
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  no valid reason
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  by anybody who could turn around
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  and say,
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  but it's not for me.
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  This is not speaking to me.
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  It is speaking to every one of you,
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  to myself as well.
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  God is speaking,
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  a trustworthy saying
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  that's worthy
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  of full acceptance.
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  Can you imagine
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  a world
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  in which these words
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  were not given?
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  Can you imagine
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  a world
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  without the Bible,
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  the Word of God?
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  Imagine you wake up
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  one morning
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  and there's no Bible
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  to read.
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  Not just that you've lost
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  your own copy,
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  but there's no Bible
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  anywhere.
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  God has stopped
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  speaking.
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  What kind of world
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  would it be?
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  What kind of life
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  would we live
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  if we didn't have
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  God speaking to us,
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  a trustworthy saying,
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  worthy of full acceptance,
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  all of these warnings?
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  Our world
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  would soon tumble
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  into chaos.
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  We don't have to think
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  about it as
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  what if
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  because we see it
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  with so many people.
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  They want nothing
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  to do with the Bible.
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  Let's get rid of it.
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  and our world
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  just descends
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  into chaos.
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  Values
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  become meaningless.
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  Life
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  becomes
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  of little importance,
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  of little value.
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  So many things
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  are meaningless,
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  tragic,
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  tedious.
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  Nothing
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  would make sense
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  without the Word
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  of God.
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  We'd have
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  no direction.
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  Some would be
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  happy enough
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  to say
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  that's the world
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  we should have,
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  but it wouldn't
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  benefit us.
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  And that's why
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  this week
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  is so important
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  to us.
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  The Word
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  of God,
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  the Word
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  became flesh
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  and dwelt
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  among us.
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  It says
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  in other parts
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  of Scripture
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  that in the past
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  God spoke
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  through the prophets
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  in the Old Testament,
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  but now
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  He has spoken
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  to us
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  through His Son,
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  Jesus Christ.
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  God is speaking
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  and thankful
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  He is
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  that He has not
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  turned His back
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  on us,
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  but that we have
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  God's Word,
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  that it is
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  trustworthy
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  and that it needs
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  to be accepted.
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  Here,
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  Paul is saying
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  this is what
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  gives life
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  purpose.
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  This is what
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  gives meaning.
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  This is what
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  should be the
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  foundation
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  of everything
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  that we look at
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  in this world.
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  The Word
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  of God
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  contained in the
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  Scriptures of the Old
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  and New Testament.
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  It's the only rule
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  to direct us
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  how we may glorify
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  and enjoy God.
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  So we need
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  this Word.
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  I've mentioned
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  recently the woman
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  at the well
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  in Samaria.
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  There's another point
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  in that account
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  where Jesus meets
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  with her
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  and He says
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  this to her.
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  Whoever drinks
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  of the water
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  that I will give
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  him will never
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  be thirsty
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  again.
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  The water
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  that I will give
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  will become
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  in him
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  a spring
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  of water
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  welling up
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  to eternal life.
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  There is this
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  offer of the
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  water that
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  springs up
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  to eternal life.
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  What is the
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  response of the
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  woman?
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  The woman said
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  to him,
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  Sir,
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  give me this
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  water so that
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  I will not be
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  thirsty or have
• 22:24
  to come here
• 22:25
  to draw water.
• 22:26
  Give me this
• 22:27
  water.
• 22:28
  And here
• 22:30
  is Paul
• 22:31
  saying,
• 22:31
  this is the
• 22:32
  water of life.
• 22:33
  This is the
• 22:34
  Word of God.
• 22:35
  This is a
• 22:36
  trustworthy saying.
• 22:37
  It is deserving
• 22:38
  of full
• 22:39
  acceptance.
• 22:41
  Let us not
• 22:42
  ignore this
• 22:43
  Word.
• 22:44
  Let us not
• 22:44
  ignore the
• 22:45
  importance
• 22:46
  of Jesus
• 22:47
  coming into
• 22:48
  this world
• 22:49
  when all
• 22:50
  around us
• 22:51
  is the
• 22:51
  temptation
• 22:52
  to get
• 22:53
  distracted
• 22:53
  away from
• 22:54
  the real
• 22:55
  meaning of
• 22:56
  Christ coming
• 22:56
  into this
• 22:57
  world.
• 22:58
  Let us
• 22:59
  remember that
• 23:00
  Christ came
• 23:01
  into this
• 23:02
  world with
• 23:03
  a purpose.
• 23:05
  And that's
• 23:05
  the third
• 23:06
  thing that
• 23:07
  Paul tells
• 23:08
  us here.
• 23:08
  He tells
• 23:09
  us the
• 23:10
  reason why
• 23:11
  Jesus came.
• 23:13
  It is a
• 23:13
  trustworthy
• 23:14
  saying.
• 23:14
  It is
• 23:15
  deserving of
• 23:16
  full acceptance.
• 23:18
  Now what
• 23:18
  is it?
• 23:20
  That Christ
• 23:20
  Jesus came
• 23:21
  into the
• 23:22
  world to
• 23:23
  save sinners
• 23:24
  of whom
• 23:25
  I am
• 23:26
  foremost.
• 23:28
  So here
• 23:29
  is the
• 23:30
  trustworthy
• 23:30
  saying.
• 23:31
  Here is
• 23:32
  what needs
• 23:32
  to be
• 23:33
  accepted.
• 23:33
  Christ
• 23:34
  Jesus
• 23:34
  came into
• 23:36
  the world
• 23:36
  to save
• 23:38
  sinners
• 23:39
  for our
• 23:40
  salvation.
• 23:42
  You see
• 23:42
  the birth
• 23:43
  of Jesus
• 23:43
  it's not
• 23:45
  an excuse
• 23:45
  for a
• 23:46
  party.
• 23:47
  His
• 23:48
  death
• 23:48
  and his
• 23:49
  resurrection
• 23:50
  is not
• 23:51
  important
• 23:52
  because it
• 23:52
  gives us
• 23:53
  an Easter
• 23:53
  holiday.
• 23:54
  it is
• 23:56
  not meant
• 23:56
  that we
• 23:57
  should give
• 23:58
  and receive
• 23:58
  presents at
• 23:59
  Christmas time.
• 24:01
  Easter time
• 24:01
  is not just
• 24:02
  about Easter
• 24:03
  eggs.
• 24:05
  Now you
• 24:06
  would say
• 24:06
  here comes
• 24:07
  the Christmas
• 24:08
  Scrooge.
• 24:09
  He's going
• 24:09
  to tell us
• 24:10
  why we
• 24:10
  should not
• 24:11
  enjoy any
• 24:12
  of these
• 24:13
  things.
• 24:14
  But when
• 24:15
  you look
• 24:15
  back to
• 24:16
  Pilgrim's
• 24:16
  progress and
• 24:17
  think of
• 24:17
  that man
• 24:18
  Great Heart
• 24:19
  as he was
• 24:20
  warning the
• 24:21
  people on
• 24:22
  forgetful green
• 24:23
  what was
• 24:23
  his purpose.
• 24:25
  Not that
• 24:26
  their fun
• 24:26
  would be
• 24:27
  spoiled
• 24:28
  but that
• 24:29
  their joy
• 24:30
  would be
• 24:31
  complete.
• 24:33
  And
• 24:34
  saying these
• 24:35
  things
• 24:35
  that Christmas
• 24:37
  is not
• 24:38
  just about
• 24:39
  parties or
• 24:40
  families being
• 24:41
  together that
• 24:42
  is not the
• 24:42
  reason for
• 24:43
  saying these
• 24:44
  things.
• 24:45
  But it's
• 24:46
  to get
• 24:46
  things right.
• 24:48
  To get
• 24:49
  things in
• 24:50
  order.
• 24:50
  because you
• 24:52
  see to
• 24:53
  enjoy these
• 24:54
  things to
• 24:54
  the full
• 24:55
  what you
• 24:56
  need to
• 24:57
  see is
• 24:57
  the importance
• 24:58
  of why
• 24:59
  Jesus came.
• 25:02
  Christ Jesus
• 25:02
  came into
• 25:03
  the world
• 25:04
  to save
• 25:05
  sinners.
• 25:07
  If we
• 25:08
  acknowledge
• 25:09
  that,
• 25:10
  if we
• 25:11
  receive that,
• 25:12
  if we
• 25:12
  trust that,
• 25:14
  if we
• 25:14
  accept that,
• 25:15
  then we
• 25:17
  can enjoy
• 25:18
  all of
• 25:19
  these things
• 25:19
  in a much
• 25:20
  fuller sense.
• 25:23
  That our
• 25:23
  life may
• 25:24
  be full,
• 25:25
  that our
• 25:26
  life may
• 25:26
  be complete
• 25:27
  with Christ
• 25:28
  at the
• 25:29
  very heart.
• 25:30
  Putting him
• 25:31
  first in
• 25:33
  all of
• 25:33
  these things.
• 25:35
  Paul's
• 25:36
  trustworthy
• 25:36
  saying is
• 25:37
  not something
• 25:38
  he made
• 25:39
  up himself.
• 25:40
  He is
• 25:41
  reiterating
• 25:42
  what Jesus
• 25:42
  taught in
• 25:44
  the Gospels
• 25:45
  in Mark
• 25:45
  chapter 2
• 25:46
  verse 17.
• 25:48
  Jesus
• 25:48
  told them
• 25:49
  it is not
• 25:49
  the healthy
• 25:50
  who need
• 25:50
  a doctor
• 25:51
  but the
• 25:51
  sick.
• 25:52
  I have
• 25:52
  come not
• 25:53
  to call
• 25:53
  the righteous
• 25:54
  but sinners.
• 25:56
  In Luke
• 25:57
  19
• 25:58
  verse 10
• 25:59
  Jesus
• 25:59
  says for
• 26:00
  the Son
• 26:00
  of Man
• 26:00
  came to
• 26:01
  seek and
• 26:02
  to save
• 26:02
  that
• 26:03
  what was
• 26:05
  lost.
• 26:07
  So
• 26:08
  there is
• 26:08
  the purpose
• 26:09
  of Jesus
• 26:09
  coming.
• 26:11
  And so
• 26:11
  to enjoy
• 26:12
  all of
• 26:12
  these things,
• 26:13
  to enjoy
• 26:14
  the birth
• 26:15
  of Jesus,
• 26:15
  the word
• 26:16
  becoming
• 26:16
  flesh,
• 26:17
  to enjoy
• 26:18
  the fact
• 26:19
  that Christ
• 26:19
  died for
• 26:20
  our sins,
• 26:21
  to get
• 26:22
  the real
• 26:22
  blessing
• 26:23
  out of
• 26:23
  us,
• 26:24
  to have
• 26:24
  our focus
• 26:25
  right,
• 26:27
  not to
• 26:27
  forget him
• 26:28
  but to
• 26:29
  remember him
• 26:30
  in the midst
• 26:30
  of it all,
• 26:32
  to give
• 26:32
  thanks to
• 26:33
  him,
• 26:35
  to praise
• 26:36
  him who
• 26:36
  has come
• 26:37
  to save
• 26:38
  us from
• 26:39
  our sins.
• 26:41
  And Paul
• 26:42
  here says
• 26:43
  in verse
• 26:44
  15,
• 26:44
  that he
• 26:45
  has come
• 26:45
  to save
• 26:46
  sinners.
• 26:47
  And look
• 26:47
  at the way
• 26:47
  Paul describes
• 26:48
  himself,
• 26:49
  of whom
• 26:49
  I am
• 26:50
  the foremost,
• 26:51
  of whom
• 26:52
  I am
• 26:52
  the chief.
• 26:54
  He sees
• 26:54
  himself as
• 26:55
  the worst
• 26:55
  of sinners.
• 26:58
  We can
• 26:58
  see ourselves
• 26:59
  as the worst
• 27:00
  of sinners.
• 27:00
  You might
• 27:01
  feel like
• 27:01
  the worst
• 27:02
  of sinners
• 27:02
  here tonight.
• 27:05
  But as
• 27:06
  he's saying
• 27:06
  these things,
• 27:07
  he's reminding
• 27:08
  us this
• 27:08
  trustworthy
• 27:09
  saying,
• 27:10
  this saying
• 27:11
  that is
• 27:12
  worthy of
• 27:13
  full
• 27:13
  acceptance,
• 27:16
  that Christ
• 27:16
  Jesus came
• 27:17
  to save
• 27:18
  sinners.
• 27:19
  It rules
• 27:20
  nobody out
• 27:21
  because it's
• 27:23
  given for
• 27:24
  all.
• 27:26
  And so
• 27:27
  what is
• 27:27
  important for
• 27:28
  us to
• 27:28
  remember in
• 27:30
  this coming
• 27:30
  week and
• 27:31
  in all our
• 27:32
  days is
• 27:34
  this trustworthy
• 27:35
  saying and
• 27:36
  to accept
• 27:37
  this word
• 27:38
  of God,
• 27:39
  that he
• 27:39
  came,
• 27:41
  the Lord
• 27:41
  Jesus Christ
• 27:42
  came into
• 27:43
  this world
• 27:43
  to save
• 27:45
  sinners.
• 27:47
  That is
• 27:48
  what we
• 27:48
  need.
• 27:49
  A minister
• 27:50
  reflecting on
• 27:51
  this time of
• 27:52
  year said
• 27:53
  this,
• 27:53
  none of us
• 27:54
  want to
• 27:54
  appear
• 27:55
  ungrateful
• 27:56
  when someone
• 27:57
  has taken
• 27:57
  the trouble
• 27:58
  to buy,
• 27:59
  wrap,
• 27:59
  and deliver
• 28:00
  to us
• 28:00
  a present.
• 28:02
  But my
• 28:02
  suspicion is
• 28:03
  that most
• 28:03
  of us
• 28:04
  have experienced
• 28:04
  that sense
• 28:06
  of disappointment
• 28:07
  or even
• 28:07
  bewilderment
• 28:08
  when opening
• 28:10
  a parcel
• 28:10
  to find
• 28:11
  that either
• 28:11
  we already
• 28:12
  have the
• 28:12
  item in
• 28:13
  question or
• 28:15
  we simply
• 28:15
  have no
• 28:16
  need for
• 28:17
  such a
• 28:18
  thing in
• 28:18
  the first
• 28:18
  place.
• 28:19
  Isn't that
• 28:20
  true?
• 28:22
  Bewilderment
• 28:23
  on opening
• 28:23
  parcels when
• 28:24
  we either
• 28:24
  have the
• 28:25
  item or
• 28:26
  we have
• 28:26
  no need
• 28:27
  for it.
• 28:27
  How many
• 28:27
  of us just
• 28:28
  put things
• 28:28
  to one
• 28:29
  side and
• 28:30
  say,
• 28:30
  oh,
• 28:30
  that's
• 28:30
  lovely,
• 28:31
  forget
• 28:32
  all about
• 28:32
  it.
• 28:34
  But he
• 28:34
  went on to
• 28:35
  say this,
• 28:35
  yet the
• 28:37
  great
• 28:37
  leveler
• 28:38
  of the
• 28:39
  Christian
• 28:39
  gospel
• 28:40
  is that
• 28:41
  there is
• 28:41
  not one
• 28:42
  person in
• 28:43
  the history
• 28:43
  of civilization
• 28:44
  who does
• 28:46
  not need
• 28:47
  the gift
• 28:48
  of God's
• 28:49
  Son,
• 28:50
  Jesus
• 28:50
  Christ.
• 28:52
  The greatest
• 28:53
  gift of
• 28:54
  all is
• 28:55
  often the
• 28:56
  most neglected,
• 28:58
  that Jesus
• 28:59
  came into
• 29:00
  the world
• 29:01
  to save
• 29:02
  sinners.
• 29:02
  the light
• 29:05
  has come
• 29:05
  into the
• 29:06
  world.
• 29:07
  The darkness
• 29:08
  cannot
• 29:09
  overcome
• 29:10
  it.
• 29:11
  But you
• 29:12
  decide.
• 29:15
  Do you
• 29:15
  accept
• 29:16
  or do you
• 29:18
  reject?
• 29:20
  Do you
• 29:20
  put it
• 29:20
  away for
• 29:22
  another
• 29:22
  time?
• 29:23
  Or do
• 29:24
  you see
• 29:24
  the importance
• 29:25
  of these
• 29:26
  words?
• 29:27
  This saying
• 29:28
  is trustworthy.
• 29:29
  It can
• 29:31
  be believed.
• 29:34
  But it
• 29:35
  is also
• 29:36
  deserving
• 29:36
  of full
• 29:37
  acceptance.
• 29:40
  To
• 29:40
  receive
• 29:41
  the Lord
• 29:42
  Jesus
• 29:42
  Christ
• 29:43
  through
• 29:43
  faith
• 29:44
  is to
• 29:46
  recognize
• 29:46
  that he
• 29:48
  came into
• 29:48
  the world
• 29:49
  to save
• 29:50
  sinners.
• 29:51
  We are
• 29:52
  all
• 29:52
  sinners.
• 29:53
  We all
• 29:54
  fall
• 29:55
  short.
• 29:55
  but Jesus
• 29:57
  came
• 29:58
  to save
• 29:59
  us
• 29:59
  from our
• 30:01
  sins.
• 30:02
  Let us
• 30:02
  remember
• 30:03
  that
• 30:03
  in this
• 30:04
  coming
• 30:05
  week.
• 30:06
  Not just
• 30:06
  remember
• 30:07
  it,
• 30:08
  but accept
• 30:09
  it.
• 30:10
  And as
• 30:11
  you accept
• 30:11
  it,
• 30:12
  may you
• 30:12
  realize
• 30:13
  then the
• 30:14
  greater
• 30:14
  meaning
• 30:15
  of Christmas,
• 30:16
  of Easter,
• 30:18
  of life.
• 30:19
  That Jesus
• 30:20
  came that
• 30:22
  we might
• 30:22
  have life
• 30:23
  to the
• 30:24
  full.
• 30:24
  let us
• 30:26
  pray.
• 30:29
  Lord,
• 30:29
  our
• 30:30
  gracious
• 30:30
  God,
• 30:31
  we do
• 30:31
  thank you
• 30:32
  for every
• 30:32
  gift that
• 30:33
  we have
• 30:33
  in this
• 30:34
  life.
• 30:34
  We thank
• 30:35
  you for
• 30:35
  all the
• 30:35
  good
• 30:35
  things
• 30:36
  that we
• 30:37
  enjoy
• 30:37
  from day
• 30:38
  to day
• 30:38
  and all
• 30:39
  the many
• 30:39
  blessings
• 30:40
  that we
• 30:41
  will have
• 30:41
  in these
• 30:41
  coming
• 30:42
  days ahead.
• 30:43
  But Lord,
• 30:44
  help us
• 30:45
  not to be
• 30:45
  forgetful.
• 30:47
  Help us
• 30:47
  to remember
• 30:48
  the real
• 30:48
  purpose
• 30:49
  for which
• 30:50
  your Son
• 30:51
  came into
• 30:51
  this world,
• 30:53
  that he
• 30:53
  came,
• 30:53
  that sinners
• 30:55
  might be
• 30:56
  saved.
• 30:57
  And so we
• 30:57
  pray to
• 30:58
  know that
• 30:58
  joy of
• 30:59
  salvation,
• 31:00
  to know
• 31:00
  that delight
• 31:01
  in the
• 31:02
  word that
• 31:02
  became flesh
• 31:03
  and dwelt
• 31:04
  among us,
• 31:04
  so we
• 31:04
  might receive
• 31:05
  him with
• 31:06
  all joy
• 31:07
  and gladness
• 31:08
  and be
• 31:08
  blessed
• 31:09
  through faith
• 31:10
  in him.
• 31:11
  So hear
• 31:12
  our prayers
• 31:12
  and go
• 31:13
  before us
• 31:14
  as we
• 31:14
  ask all
• 31:14
  in Jesus'
• 31:15
  name.
• 31:16
  Amen.
• 31:16
  We're
• 31:23
  going to
• 31:24
  conclude
• 31:24
  by singing
• 31:25
  to God's
• 31:26
  praise
• 31:26
  in
• 31:26
  Psalm
• 31:27
  111,
• 31:28
  Scottish
• 31:29
  Psalter
• 31:29
  version,
• 31:30
  page 391
• 31:31
  of the
• 31:31
  psalm
• 31:32
  books.
• 31:33
  We'll
• 31:33
  sing from
• 31:34
  verse 6
• 31:35
  down to
• 31:36
  the end
• 31:37
  of the
• 31:37
  psalm.
• 31:37
  Psalm
• 31:38
  111
• 31:38
  at
• 31:39
  verse 6,
• 31:39
  We're
• 31:57
  going to
• 31:57
  sing from
• 31:57
  verse 6
• 31:58
  down to
• 31:58
  the end
• 31:59
  of the
• 31:59
  psalm.
• 32:00
  The tune
• 32:00
  is
• 32:01
  forest
• 32:01
  green.
• 32:02
  It's
• 32:03
  not a
• 32:03
  tune we
• 32:03
  sing very
• 32:04
  often,
• 32:04
  but you'll
• 32:05
  recognize
• 32:05
  it as
• 32:06
  we sing
• 32:07
  it.
• 32:07
  So we
• 32:07
  stand to
• 32:08
  sing these
• 32:08
  verses to
• 32:09
  God's
• 32:09
  praise.
• 32:16
  He did
• 32:17
  the power
• 32:19
  of his
• 32:21
  works
• 32:22
  and to
• 32:23
  his
• 32:24
  people's
• 32:26
  show.
• 32:27
  When
• 32:28
  he
• 32:29
  like
• 32:30
  he
• 32:31
  and
• 32:32
  he
• 32:32
  and
• 32:33
  he
• 32:34
  and
• 32:35
  the
• 32:36
  and
• 32:37
  his
• 32:39
  up
• 32:55
  up
• 33:07
  He sent redemption to his soul, his son of a man for the day.
• 33:20
  He did come unto his spirit, and heaven and his soul be.
• 33:33
  With what he did in his love to give, good understanding may.
• 33:46
  And all that is called and fulfilled, his grace endured for thee.
• 34:00
  We'll close in prayer.
• 34:03
  Lord, we do thank you for your goodness to us.
• 34:07
  We pray your safekeeping over us in these days.
• 34:10
  We ask your blessing to continue with us as we go from here this evening.
• 34:15
  And as we go through to the hall, Lord, we ask for your grace and your blessing in all that we do there.
• 34:20
  We thank you for the food prepared for us.
• 34:23
  May you bless it to us and watch over us in all of these things.
• 34:27
  And now may grace, mercy and peace from God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you all now and forevermore.
• 34:36
  Amen.
• 34:36
  Amen.
• 34:37
  Amen.
• 34:38
  Thank you.