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We Have a Living Hope · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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I'll talk a wee bit and mention a couple of things from the end of the chapter as well.
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!
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And he said vehemently and clearly, I will die for you.
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And the Lord Jesus Christ replied by saying, you will deny me three times.
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And he did say, he would remind him also or predict that his untimely death would be very difficult as well.
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He would know what it is to suffer persecution.
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But when all of that happened, of course, Jesus is arrested.
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Jesus was eventually crucified, all of which Peter saw.
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Peter saw Jesus on the cross.
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Peter saw Jesus dying on the cross.
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Peter saw Jesus laid in a tomb.
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And Peter and the rest of the disciples, in a sense, scattered or disappeared and locked themselves away because of fear of what might happen to them.
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What happened to Jesus might also happen to them.
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What happens then is that some women came running up to Peter and the fellow disciples to tell them that Jesus is raised from the dead.
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They ran, and according to John's gospel, you can read it yourselves, and they go and they see an empty tomb.
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But it's really interesting that as they go from there, they lock themselves away in a room.
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And it tells you why.
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John records it for us.
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He was there.
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We were fearful of the Jews.
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They lock the room.
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There is nobody can get in.
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And what happens then is that Jesus, the resurrected Jesus, appears in the room.
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And, of course, they're terrified.
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And Jesus simply says, peace be with you.
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I'm not entirely sure it would be that easy to persuade me to peace, to be at peace, if I saw the person on the cross and in the tomb appear in the room with me.
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Of course, we know why.
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But he demonstrates to Peter the words of Scripture that the grave couldn't hold Jesus.
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Yes, he laid down his life as a ransom for many.
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The perfect Son of God gave his life to dead sinners that we might have life.
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But the wonder of what Peter now reveals to these suffering Christians is that Jesus didn't remain dead.
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He was resurrected from the grave.
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We met him face to face.
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In a locked room, the resurrection body is different.
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And what is even more amazing that Peter, when he writes these words, was also the same person that would meet Jesus on a beach a few days later and have breakfast with Jesus, the resurrected Jesus.
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And there, Jesus would restore the bungling Peter.
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And that's why we love Peter, I think.
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I don't know, maybe you don't, but I do.
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Because in my life, I see the mistakes and I see Peter's mistakes.
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And I have a sense of hope that I, too, can know the continual redeeming love of God for my mistakes, too.
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It's just amazing to see.
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But it's this thought that I want you to hold in your mind as we turn to 1 Peter.
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The one who writes the testimony of what it is to have a living hope is the one who saw Jesus die, breathe as last, shed his blood, and was raised again on the third day to life by the power of the Spirit.
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Who walked with the disciples, who talked with the disciples, who explained to the disciples that all of the Old Testament had been pointing to him.
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It is such a marvelous experience and insight.
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And now he writes to these Christians in the five towns, shall we say, that are being persecuted because of their faith in Jesus Christ.
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It was a time when Paul and Peter would be put to death, mid-60s, shall we say, of 60 AD, 65 AD, around that sort of time.
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And he is writing this to people who are experiencing great trial because of their faith.
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And they were probably beginning to either doubt or wobble in their faith.
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Now, who hasn't had a wobble in their faith?
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Maybe health issues.
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Maybe things that have happened to us and we have a wobble.
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We start to question.
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Lord, are you really walking with me?
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What is this?
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And it's interesting that Peter didn't turn around to the churches and say, I'm really sorry that you're experiencing great trial.
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It breaks my heart.
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What he does is, he doesn't diminish that, by the way.
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He goes straight to the very foundation of their lives and their relationship with Jesus.
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He goes straight to the fact that they have been called by God, saved by Jesus through the sprinkling of his blood, through the work of the Holy Spirit.
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Therefore, they have a living hope.
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Not a maybe hope.
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Now, I said earlier to the kids that we have this thing in Lewis, this hope in Lewis.
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You know, we can even say, yes, I believe in Jesus, but I don't know if I'll get to heaven.
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No, no, that isn't biblical.
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When we trust in Jesus for our salvation and have a living hope, we're trusting in him and what he has done, what he has completed, what he has fulfilled, that he has risen from the dead, that he ascends to the right hand of God the Father and continues to intercede.
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It is all dependent on our relationship with him.
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If you have Jesus as your Savior, you have a living hope.
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It's all to do with him.
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It's on him, through him.
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And so that's really important for us as we delve into this bit of scripture today.
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And the first thing, of course, in verse 3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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He's just oozing with a sense of joy and privilege and blessing.
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And it's just expressive.
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Praise be to God, as we would sing maybe the additional element to Psalm 100.
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Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
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Praise him, all creatures here below.
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Praise him above ye heavenly hosts.
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Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
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It's this expression of a believer who knows the Redeemer.
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Praise be to the Lord, the one who has provided salvation, who has redeemed his people.
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So what does he then express?
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It's so important for us to understand that when we are going through trials in life,
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the challenges that each and every one of us face, the questions that we have,
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whatever it might be, here Peter underlines again the foundation.
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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ because of his mercy.
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Because of his mercy.
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It's a great challenge to us hearing that because of his mercy.
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Justice is getting what you deserve.
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Mercy is not getting what you deserve.
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Grace is getting what you do not deserve.
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That is what we receive.
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Grace, we don't deserve it.
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But in Jesus Christ, we also get mercy.
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Mercy is such an amazing blessing given through the sacrificial work of Jesus.
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Everything that we are as believers,
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if you are a believer today,
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you know the mercy of God.
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You know that steadfast love.
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And God's steadfast love isn't in the absence of judgment.
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It's in the presence of it.
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They work hand in hand.
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What do I mean?
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There is not a person in here that surprises God.
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There is not a person.
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I mean, when I had backslidden way years ago,
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I would always try and persuade myself to come to church and do better.
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You've got to do better, Barvis.
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Do better.
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And I would come in and try and hide wherever I would be.
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And I would just turn up in church,
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which is a good thing, by the way.
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But the battle was much deeper.
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A lack of understanding of what it meant just to understand the mercy of God.
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And Lord, I'm sorry I messed up.
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I messed up again.
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Lord, help me.
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And in his steadfast love,
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he does again and again and again.
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And gives me and every believer the grace of repentance.
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Daily repentance.
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That great term named in a book,
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St. Claude B. Ferguson wrote,
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the grace of repentance.
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Go get it.
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It's worth reading every word of it.
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True love.
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The love of God doesn't exist in the absence of judgment.
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There are no surprises here today.
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There are no mistakes here today.
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Not one of you.
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We might make mistakes,
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but there are no mistakes.
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God knows everything.
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And he demonstrates his mercy for you.
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Wherever you have been,
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there is nothing that you have done
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that God's mercy can't redeem
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because of the powerful, sacrificial love of Jesus.
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Nothing.
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Nothing.
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There's not one person,
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the sin of one person here today
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that overwhelms the steadfast love of God in Christ Jesus.
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Not one.
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So that is this mercy that he speaks about.
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He understands that God has always been active
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right from the beginning of the fall.
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At the fall,
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when he exclaims,
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the seed of the woman
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will crush the head of the serpent.
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The serpent will bruise his heel.
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That whole picture of mercy
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is strewn right through the Old Testament
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until the arrival of Jesus,
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the seed of the woman.
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Hence why Peter calls him here
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as the seed,
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the imperishable seed.
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He is the seed of the woman
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who would overcome the world,
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who would overcome sin
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and our rebellion within us
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and bring us home
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because he is merciful.
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And it is the great joy of every Christian
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to know today that mercy.
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And it is exactly that mercy
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that is always, always on offer
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for every moment you take,
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for every breath you take in your life.
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That mercy,
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if you haven't trusted in Jesus,
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King Jesus,
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it's on offer constantly.
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But there can be a time
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when that ceases,
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when it evaporates
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in our final moments.
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If you haven't,
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I beg you to follow him,
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to receive this mercy,
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to understand what he is doing.
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That mercy then is explained
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that he has given us new birth,
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born again,
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born again,
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not of Adam's seed,
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but the imperishable seed,
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God,
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the Christ,
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the Savior,
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the seed of the woman.
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Through him,
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we're born again.
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We start again.
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We have a restoration
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of our relationship.
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Now,
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when we talk about the great sin,
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in churches,
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we talk about sin.
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Now,
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almost inevitably,
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we're thinking about things
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that we do.
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But the great sin,
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ultimately,
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is unbelief
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or inner rebellion.
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That is the great sin.
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Other things are follow-ons.
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As Jesus would say,
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you deal with the heart.
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The other things are from the hand,
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what flows from the heart.
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That's essentially what he's saying
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in the Beatitudes,
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the Sermon on the Mount,
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I should say.
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And so here,
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you understand the call
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to new birth,
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to a new start with him.
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If you haven't,
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that is the blessing
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that you are being offered,
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a new birth.
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And what does that mean?
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It means that through
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new birth in Christ Jesus,
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you believe in him,
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you have a living hope.
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And I'm just going to quote
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a person first of all,
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and then two or three scriptures
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afterwards.
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I want you to understand
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the power and the depth
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and the majesty
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of this mercy,
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this new birth,
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this call for you
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to follow him.
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And if you're a believer
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here today,
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I want to challenge you.
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I will challenge you
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at the end.
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But it's a challenge for you.
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How now shall you live?
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In the title given
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to one of Chuck Colson's book,
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how now shall you live
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in light of this?
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Do we hide?
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When you have this living hope,
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do you hide?
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So we're going to challenge
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ourselves at the end for that.
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I don't know,
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as I do,
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I'm like a kid in a sweetie shop,
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and I don't say
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what I'm going to do
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for the last,
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and I just chuck it in now.
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But we're challenged with this.
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And of course,
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if you're a non-Christian,
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that's the case today.
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Edmund Clowney,
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in his commentary,
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writes,
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Peter writes a letter of hope.
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The hope he proclaims
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is not what we call
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a fond hope.
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We cherish fond hopes
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because they are so fragile.
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We hope against hope
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because we do not really expect
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what we hope for.
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But Peter writes of a sure hope,
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a hope that holds our future
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in its hands,
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a current hope
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that is anchored in the life
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and death and resurrection of Jesus.
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Peter knows that God's salvation
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in Christ means deliverance
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from sin and death
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and on God's fulfillment
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of his promise for salvation.
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That is because God has accomplished
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his salvation
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in the resurrection of Jesus Christ
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from the dead,
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and you are through him
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ready for his return.
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You, in Christ,
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are ready for his return.
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Now, very often,
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I get the question
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about end times.
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And I've stopped
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really thinking about it
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other than this.
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Exactly what he said
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at the end.
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Be ready.
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Be ready now.
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Be ready.
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Be ready for his return.
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We don't know the time
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or the hour.
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You can be near the kingdom.
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You might have been sitting
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in the pew here for,
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in the pew that you're sitting in
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for many years
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because your family has.
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But here's the answer.
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Be ready.
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Be ready for his return.
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And to be ready for his return
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is not to be found in church,
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in a pew,
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but in your relationship
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with him who is merciful
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in his great mercy.
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Come to him and be ready.
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That's how you're ready.
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Now, the rest is,
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I don't know when he's going to return.
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There might be indications.
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I don't know.
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But in Christ,
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I'm ready for whatever happens,
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whether it's trials,
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sickness,
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or whatever.
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I am ready in Christ.
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That's the answer
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that Clowney here says.
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He gives you.
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Be ready for his return.
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The only way to be ready
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is in Christ.
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Now, in a couple of bits
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of Scripture,
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Paul writes,
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first of all,
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in Corinth,
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he talks about the challenge
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of those people
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who were beginning
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to bring doubt
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about the resurrection.
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And he really challenges them
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about that.
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And he writes this.
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He says,
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For if the dead are not raised,
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then Christ has not been raised
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either.
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And if Christ has not been raised,
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your faith is futile.
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You are still in your sins.
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Then those who have fallen asleep
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in Christ are lost.
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If only for this life
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we have hope in Christ,
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we are to be pitied
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more than all men.
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But Christ has indeed
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been raised from the dead,
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the firstfruits of those
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who have fallen asleep.
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For since death came through a man,
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the resurrection of the dead
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comes through a man.
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For as in Adam
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all die,
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so in Christ
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all will be made alive.
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All in Christ
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will be born again.
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Now, to one of my favorite chapters
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in the New Testament,
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I need you to hear
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the cast iron guarantee
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of a living hope.
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I need you to hear
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what it's saying.
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And in many ways,
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it would have been suitable
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for Paul to write
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to these struggling,
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suffering Christians
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as well in these five towns.
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Romans 8,
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verse 33 and onwards.
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Who will bring
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any charge
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against those
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whom God has chosen?
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It is God
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in his mercy,
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that's my added bit,
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who justifies.
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Who is he
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that condemns?
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Christ Jesus
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who died.
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More than that,
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was raised to life,
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is at the right hand
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of God
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and also interceding
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for us.
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Who shall separate us
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from the love of Christ?
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Shall trouble
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or hardship
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or persecution
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or famine
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or nakedness
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or danger
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or sword?
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As it is written,
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for your sake,
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we face death
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all day long.
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We are considered
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as sheep
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to be slaughtered.
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No,
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in all these things,
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we are more
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than conquerors
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through him
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who loved us.
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For I am convinced
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that neither death
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nor life
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nor angels
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nor demons,
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neither the present
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nor the future
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nor any powers,
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neither height
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nor depth
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nor anything else
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in all creation
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will be able
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to separate us
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from the love
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of God
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that is in Christ
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Jesus our Lord.
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God.
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If there is a bit
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of scripture
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I would like you
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to read
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when you go home
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today
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before you eat
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your lunch,
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read it together.
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Read it together.
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Chew over it.
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Meditate
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on these words.
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This is the power
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of Christ.
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The grave
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couldn't hold him
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and in him
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it cannot hold you.
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Sin cannot hold you.
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It puts it to death.
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We are raised
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with Christ.
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We have new life.
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It is incredible
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to understand this
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because on this
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foundation
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you live out
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the Christian life.
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You live it out.
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Far too often
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we go into our shells.
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We end up fighting
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cultural wars.
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Everybody's waving
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their flags
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anti this,
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pro that
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and we're getting
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swallowed up
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in it all
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and we're getting
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quieter and quieter
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as believers.
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But we have
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this living hope.
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You have it
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in Christ
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and there is nothing
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nothing means
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nothing.
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Absolutely nothing
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can separate you
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from the love of God
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that is in Christ Jesus.
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It's truly fabulous.
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It changes everything.
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And we're all concerned
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about the changes
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that happen
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in our culture.
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You have them here.
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We have them elsewhere.
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But nothing
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can rob you
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of this.
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Not even Satan.
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He lost
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the battle.
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He can damage you
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but you can't
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lose this.
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It is cast iron.
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Nothing
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can separate you
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from
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the Lord,
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the love of God
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that is in Christ
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Jesus.
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And I pray then
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that it would work
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in you.
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Mold that into
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your thinking
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and understanding
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and you're looking
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at people around you
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and storing away.
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How many people
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I see
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and I work with
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or used to work with
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or play football
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with or fight with
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or whatever.
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All of these things
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back in the day.
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Now I'm seeing
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all these people.
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Many of them
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don't even come to church.
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They don't engage.
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But that is our calling.
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We have this message
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that is our calling
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to go.
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Not to retreat.
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To get into fight mode.
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To bicker.
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This is our calling.
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This is what we're called to.
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Paul also said,
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we were therefore
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buried with him
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through baptism
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into death
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in order that
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just as Christ
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was raised from the dead
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through the glory
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of the Father,
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we too
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may live
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a new life.
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Very quickly then.
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You're thinking
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how am I going to finish
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in this time?
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Probably not.
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I might go over
23:46
a minute or two
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or whatever.
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If the clock
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bothers you
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I'll go over it anyway
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probably a wee bit
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but not much.
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The joy then he says
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to these people
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is this
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that you have
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an inheritance.
23:59
Now my wife
23:59
often tells me
24:00
you're the only
24:01
Lewis man I know
24:02
that has never been
24:03
left a croft.
24:06
That's true.
24:07
I haven't
24:08
but I don't know
24:08
if I'm the only one.
24:09
I doubt very much
24:11
that I'm the only one.
24:12
But we are heirs
24:14
of God.
24:15
What an incredible
24:17
privilege we have.
24:20
We are heirs
24:22
through the work
24:23
of Jesus
24:23
the atoning work
24:24
of Jesus
24:25
the resurrection
24:26
power in our lives
24:27
we have an inheritance
24:28
that cannot
24:29
perish.
24:31
It's undefiled.
24:32
It's unfading.
24:33
It feels like
24:36
the Christian
24:37
witness is
24:38
fading in the
24:39
church
24:40
of Christ.
24:43
But God
24:44
hasn't changed.
24:47
He's still
24:48
sovereign.
24:48
He's still
24:49
ruler.
24:50
He's still
24:50
the merciful one.
24:51
He's still
24:51
the one who
24:52
brings people
24:53
to life.
24:54
I had the
24:55
opportunity
24:55
a few months
24:56
ago to speak
24:57
about Mission
24:57
International
24:57
and to share
25:00
incredible stories.
25:02
One of them
25:03
in Malawi
25:04
when the
25:06
second blast
25:07
of Cyclone
25:07
Freddie
25:08
absolutely
25:08
obliterated
25:09
Malawi.
25:11
And the
25:11
pastor we were
25:12
working with
25:12
we were working
25:13
with several
25:13
but he was the
25:14
main guy
25:14
he was a
25:15
translator
25:15
he starts
25:16
preaching
25:17
in these
25:17
camps.
25:18
Tens of
25:19
thousands
25:19
and he
25:20
proclaims
25:21
Christ
25:21
and all I
25:23
get was a
25:23
message
25:24
pray for me
25:25
for the
25:26
Muslim
25:26
leaders
25:26
are looking
25:27
for me
25:27
with red
25:28
eyes.
25:29
They're
25:29
full of
25:30
rage
25:30
because over
25:30
50 Muslims
25:31
became Christians
25:32
and nearly
25:33
600 came
25:34
to faith.
25:35
Is God
25:35
working?
25:36
Yes he
25:37
is.
25:39
And he
25:40
still uses
25:40
you as
25:41
the body
25:42
of Christ.
25:43
It's not
25:43
just ministers
25:44
who stand
25:44
up here
25:45
and preach.
25:46
He uses
25:46
you and
25:47
your testimony
25:48
and this
25:49
reality in
25:50
your life
25:51
is what he's
25:52
calling you
25:52
out for.
25:54
There is
25:54
no hiding
25:55
under the
25:55
bed.
25:58
You are
25:58
a body
25:59
of Christ
25:59
you work
26:00
together
26:00
and you
26:02
share this
26:03
reality
26:03
together
26:04
and it's
26:05
a living
26:06
testimony
26:07
of it being
26:07
together.
26:08
It's
26:08
imperishable
26:08
it's
26:09
undefiled
26:09
it's
26:10
unfading
26:10
this is
26:11
kept
26:12
in heaven
26:12
for you.
26:13
That's the
26:14
promise.
26:15
It's kept
26:15
in heaven
26:16
for you.
26:17
It's like
26:17
an anchor
26:17
into eternity.
26:18
Why?
26:19
Because Jesus
26:20
is alive.
26:21
He's
26:21
resurrected
26:22
he is
26:22
alive and
26:23
at the
26:23
right hand
26:24
of God
26:24
the Father
26:24
interceding
26:26
for you.
26:26
That's
26:27
how certain
26:28
it is.
26:30
And finally
26:31
you get to
26:31
this verse
26:32
in verse
26:32
5
26:33
where it
26:36
says
26:36
what's
26:36
really
26:37
together
26:38
unfading
26:40
and kept
26:40
in heaven
26:41
for you
26:41
who by
26:42
God's
26:43
power
26:43
are being
26:44
guarded
26:44
through
26:45
faith
26:45
for salvation
26:46
ready
26:47
to be
26:47
revealed
26:48
in the
26:48
last time.
26:49
Now
26:49
I think
26:49
I've
26:50
talked
26:50
enough
26:50
about
26:50
the
26:51
ready
26:51
to be
26:51
revealed
26:52
stuff.
26:53
Okay?
26:53
Jesus
26:53
is coming
26:54
again.
26:55
You now
26:55
understand
26:56
all of
26:56
that
26:56
from what
26:57
I've
26:57
already
26:57
said.
26:59
But it's
27:00
interesting
27:00
to me
27:00
that as
27:01
you go
27:02
on in
27:02
this
27:03
chapter
27:04
and then
27:05
into
27:05
chapter 2
27:06
it became
27:07
very clear
27:08
through
27:08
Peter's
27:09
writing
27:09
that there
27:10
were things
27:11
happening
27:11
within the
27:12
church.
27:13
He talks
27:13
about
27:14
loving
27:15
your
27:16
brother
27:16
intently
27:17
loving
27:19
each
27:19
other
27:19
deeply
27:20
and
27:23
driven
27:23
by
27:24
love
27:24
the
27:24
body
27:25
of
27:25
Christ
27:26
driven
27:26
by
27:26
that
27:27
unifying
27:28
love
27:28
that
27:29
keeps
27:30
him
27:30
together.
27:31
Now
27:31
I've
27:31
heard
27:31
various
27:32
comments
27:33
about
27:33
love
27:33
in my
27:34
time
27:35
as a
27:36
preacher.
27:37
Oh
27:37
love
27:37
love
27:38
love
27:38
love
27:38
what
27:38
about
27:39
the
27:39
law
27:39
or
27:39
something
27:40
derogatory
27:41
as
27:41
if
27:41
love
27:42
was
27:43
some
27:44
thing
27:45
just
27:45
you know
27:46
wavy
27:47
thing.
27:48
But isn't
27:48
it interesting
27:49
that when
27:49
Jesus was
27:50
asked to
27:50
give a
27:51
synopsis
27:52
of the
27:52
Ten
27:52
Commandments
27:53
isn't
27:53
it interesting
27:54
that he
27:54
says
27:54
love
27:55
the
27:55
Lord
27:56
your
27:56
God
27:56
with
27:56
all
27:56
your
27:57
heart
27:57
mind
27:57
soul
27:57
and
27:57
strength
27:58
and
27:58
love
27:58
your
27:58
neighbor
27:59
as
27:59
yourself.
28:00
Interesting.
28:02
What is
28:03
the first
28:03
fruit of
28:04
the Spirit
28:04
mentioned?
28:06
Love.
28:08
Now
28:08
Peter
28:09
said this
28:10
to a
28:10
people
28:10
who
28:11
by all
28:12
accounts
28:12
were
28:13
beginning
28:13
to
28:13
he
28:14
says
28:15
in
28:15
chapter
28:15
two
28:16
briefly
28:16
and I
28:16
want
28:17
to
28:17
go
28:17
to
28:17
John
28:17
to
28:17
finish
28:17
put
28:18
away
28:19
all
28:19
malice
28:20
and
28:20
all
28:20
deceit
28:21
and
28:21
hypocrisy
28:21
and envy
28:22
and slander
28:22
put it
28:28
away
28:28
put it
28:30
away
28:30
chuck it
28:31
get rid
28:32
of it
28:32
get it
28:34
out of
28:34
sight
28:35
because
28:35
that
28:36
should
28:36
not
28:36
belong
28:37
in the
28:37
body
28:38
of
28:38
Christ
28:41
that
28:41
is
28:42
giving
28:42
Satan
28:42
a
28:43
foothold
28:43
to
28:44
bring
28:44
division
28:45
in a
28:47
time
28:47
of
28:47
great
28:48
trial
28:48
which
28:49
is
28:49
probably
28:50
bringing
28:50
doubt
28:51
about
28:52
their
28:52
relationship
28:52
with
28:53
Jesus
28:53
and
28:54
the
28:55
certainty
28:55
of a
28:55
living
28:55
hope
28:56
hence
28:56
why
28:57
he
28:57
emphasizes
28:58
all
28:59
of
28:59
that
28:59
get
29:01
rid
29:01
of
29:01
it
29:02
put
29:04
it
29:04
in
29:04
the
29:04
bin
29:04
if I
29:05
can
29:05
use
29:05
all
29:05
the
29:05
descriptions
29:06
you get
29:06
the
29:06
idea
29:07
get rid
29:08
of it
29:08
it's
29:08
just
29:08
destructive
29:09
it's
29:09
just
29:10
damage
29:10
it breaks
29:11
friendships
29:11
it breaks
29:12
churches
29:12
that's
29:14
what he's
29:14
saying
29:14
to them
29:15
now
29:16
where have
29:16
we heard
29:17
that before
29:17
this
29:17
love one
29:18
another
29:19
deeply
29:19
well it's
29:21
in John
29:21
13
29:21
isn't it
29:22
in the
29:23
upper room
29:24
where Jesus
29:24
powerfully
29:26
just after
29:27
he revealed
29:28
that Judas
29:28
will be the
29:29
one to
29:29
betray
29:29
him
29:29
he says
29:30
the words
29:31
now the
29:31
son of
29:32
man
29:32
has
29:32
lifted
29:32
up
29:33
it's
29:34
time
29:34
to
29:35
prepare
29:35
for me
29:36
to
29:36
return
29:36
to the
29:37
father
29:37
to
29:38
fulfill
29:39
what
29:39
God
29:39
has
29:39
called
29:41
me
29:41
to
29:41
do
29:42
to
29:42
lay
29:43
down
29:43
my
29:43
life
29:43
final
29:44
few
29:45
hours
29:45
are
29:45
here
29:46
before
29:46
I
29:46
return
29:46
then
29:47
he
29:47
says
29:48
this
29:48
to
29:50
love
29:51
one
29:52
another
29:52
deeply
29:53
as
29:57
I
29:58
have
29:58
loved
29:59
you
30:00
love
30:02
one
30:03
another
30:04
the
30:06
world
30:06
will
30:07
know
30:07
me
30:07
by
30:07
the
30:07
way
30:08
you
30:08
love
30:09
one
30:09
another
30:09
it's
30:11
a
30:11
variant
30:12
that
30:13
lasts
30:13
a little
30:13
bit
30:13
but
30:14
essentially
30:14
saying
30:14
the
30:14
same
30:15
thing
30:15
how
30:19
would
30:20
you
30:20
like
30:20
to be
30:21
known
30:21
today
30:23
is
30:26
it
30:26
as
30:27
someone
30:27
who
30:27
attends
30:28
free
30:28
church
30:28
chemistry
30:29
or a
30:31
disciple
30:32
of
30:32
Jesus
30:32
surely
30:33
that's
30:33
the
30:33
answer
30:34
surely
30:35
that's
30:36
secondary
30:36
whatever
30:38
value
30:39
and
30:39
joy
30:40
we
30:40
have
30:41
meeting
30:42
together
30:42
here
30:42
the
30:43
first
30:44
principle
30:45
has
30:45
to be
30:45
I'm
30:46
a
30:47
disciple
30:47
of
30:47
Jesus
30:47
if
30:49
you're
30:49
a
30:49
disciple
30:49
of
30:50
Jesus
30:50
then
30:50
how
30:52
do
30:52
you
30:52
love
30:53
one
30:53
another
30:53
how
30:55
do
30:55
you
30:56
love
30:56
one
30:56
another
30:56
because
30:58
I
30:58
believe
30:59
in the
30:59
first
30:59
principles
31:00
here
31:00
there
31:00
are
31:00
plenty
31:01
other
31:01
things
31:01
that
31:01
we
31:02
can
31:02
challenge
31:02
ourselves
31:02
with
31:03
but
31:03
here
31:03
is
31:04
the
31:04
basis
31:05
the
31:05
foundation
31:05
that
31:06
is
31:06
built
31:07
upon
31:07
the
31:08
way
31:08
we
31:09
love
31:09
one
31:09
another
31:10
unifying
31:11
one
31:11
another
31:12
facing
31:12
challenges
31:13
together
31:13
have
31:15
difference
31:15
of opinion
31:16
with
31:16
each
31:17
other
31:17
by
31:18
how
31:19
we
31:19
love
31:19
one
31:20
another
31:20
like
31:20
Christ
31:21
loved
31:21
us
31:21
Christ
31:24
had
31:24
just
31:24
revealed
31:25
a
31:25
betrayer
31:26
and his
31:26
words
31:27
to the
31:27
disciples
31:27
is
31:28
love
31:28
one
31:29
another
31:29
why
31:29
because
31:30
he
31:31
knew
31:32
the
31:32
enemy
31:33
would
31:33
divide
31:34
he
31:34
knew
31:35
the
31:35
enemy
31:36
would
31:36
maim
31:36
that's
31:37
why
31:37
he's
31:38
saying
31:38
love
31:38
each
31:39
other
31:39
like
31:39
I
31:40
have
31:40
loved
31:40
you
31:41
that
31:44
surely
31:45
is
31:45
the
31:45
first
31:46
building
31:47
block
31:47
of
31:48
everything
31:49
that we
31:50
should
31:50
have
31:50
as a
31:51
body
31:51
of
31:51
Christ
31:52
we're
31:54
putting
31:54
we're
31:54
imitating
31:55
Christ
31:55
that is
31:56
essentially
31:57
the fruit
31:57
of the
31:57
Spirit
31:58
imitation
32:00
imitating
32:02
Christ
32:02
in our
32:03
lives
32:03
that should
32:04
be our
32:04
joy
32:04
that is
32:05
our
32:05
privilege
32:06
and he
32:07
equips
32:07
us
32:07
and intercedes
32:08
for us
32:08
and helps
32:09
us to do
32:09
so
32:09
that's
32:10
the
32:10
challenge
32:11
that you
32:11
face
32:11
so you
32:12
go from
32:13
here
32:13
ready to
32:13
be
32:13
challenged
32:14
what
32:14
comes
32:15
next
32:15
ask
32:16
the
32:16
question
32:17
you've
32:18
got
32:18
great
32:18
preachers
32:18
around
32:19
here
32:19
ask
32:20
the
32:20
question
32:21
how
32:22
do
32:22
we
32:22
grow
32:22
in
32:23
Christ
32:23
how
32:23
do
32:24
we
32:24
have
32:25
stronger
32:25
bonds
32:26
together
32:26
you pray
32:27
with
32:27
one
32:27
another
32:27
you
32:29
love
32:29
one
32:30
another
32:30
that's
32:30
the
32:30
foundational
32:31
principles
32:32
to
32:32
mission
32:33
the
32:34
trouble
32:35
is
32:35
we
32:35
get
32:36
so
32:36
engrossed
32:36
with
32:37
the
32:37
culture
32:37
and the
32:37
wars
32:38
that we
32:38
have
32:38
in
32:38
the
32:38
culture
32:39
we're
32:39
forgetting
32:40
to
32:40
mission
32:40
the
32:41
culture
32:42
we're
32:43
forgetting
32:43
the
32:43
calling
32:44
to
32:44
go
32:44
ye
32:45
therefore
32:45
into
32:45
all
32:46
the
32:46
earth
32:46
including
32:47
our
32:47
own
32:47
town
32:48
and
32:51
go
32:52
and
32:52
proclaim
32:52
the
32:53
name
32:53
of
32:53
Jesus
32:54
the
32:55
good
32:55
news
32:56
of
32:56
Jesus
32:56
to
32:57
whomever
32:58
even
32:59
people
32:59
that we
32:59
might
33:00
have
33:00
fallen
33:00
out
33:00
with
33:01
over
33:01
the
33:01
years
33:01
it's
33:02
time
33:02
to
33:03
learn
33:04
to
33:04
put
33:04
these
33:04
things
33:04
right
33:05
now
33:05
another
33:06
thing
33:06
and I'll
33:06
close
33:06
with
33:07
this
33:07
I
33:07
promised
33:08
I'll
33:08
close
33:08
just
33:09
about
33:09
on
33:09
time
33:10
now
33:11
I did
33:12
have the
33:12
privilege
33:13
again
33:13
I mentioned
33:14
this but I want to do it again because I feel myself that I learned so much of this moment in Rwanda
33:21
!
33:21
that I want to try and show you that God can work even in extreme circumstances and obviously if you are at the prayer meeting you'll know exactly what I'm going to say.
33:32
When we were out last year in Uganda
33:34
When we were out last year in Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, in that middle trip we went to the genocide museum and it's truly heartbreaking, terrible, there's just nothing that you can say that even remotely gives you a good feeling.
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It was just terrible. 800,000 people dead, killed in about 100 days.
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After that we went to a church.
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After that we went to a church.
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My predecessor, Hugh Henderson, did a commissioning of a building that were over a thousand people in African style. Don't complain if you've got an hour and five minutes. Just saying. We were five and a half hours. And it was just incredible. Right? So the next two days, four of us had the opportunity to preach.
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And I was the last of the four. And afterwards we went for lunch and I'm sitting beside Stephen. It's just like I'm still there. Stephen and Bonnie, the other African guy who's the assistant with the Bishop of Kigali, Bishop Amoti. Brilliant, brilliant people.
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And then Stephen starts telling us his story. That he lost his whole family in the genocide. Every single one. Close family, extended family, all killed.
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And I'm looking at the other three guys across the table and I'm going, what do you say now? What do you say in this moment?
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And it's just, I'm looking at them and they're looking at me. Well, you're a team leader, mate. I didn't know what to say.
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And then he says, you know, Roddy, so when you were preaching today, two or three of my elders and some of that congregation were the people who killed my family.
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I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to say.
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I didn't know what to say.
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Then he explained, after the genocide, I became a Christian.
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And there was one time I was praying to the Lord.
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And the Lord made it absolutely clear to me, hear this.
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This is what he said to Stephen.
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Rwanda will never survive unless you forgive.
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Now, anybody who knows my past will know that my instinct will be to fight.
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I was struck dumb at what this guy was saying.
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As we came away that day, there are more things I could say, but as I came away that day, all of us in the car were silent.
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And what we discovered was this.
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We just saw the power of Christ in someone's life.
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That he wouldn't allow Satan to get a foothold to bring division.
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To bring an end to the potential of the work of the church in that area.
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Absolutely incredible.
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That he understood.
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Every day he would stand in the pulpit.
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They wouldn't have one like this.
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It's a lower platform.
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But he would be speaking to the people.
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And you know what?
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Every day is an opportunity to give Satan a foothold.
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Every day is an opportunity to allow bitterness to overwhelm him.
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Just bitterness.
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Enough bitterness to bring hate.
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But 26 years later.
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And a school of 2,000 people.
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And a thriving church.
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Testimony.
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Testimony.
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To the magnificence of the power of God in someone's life.
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Imitating Jesus.
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Because you see, he knew forgiveness.
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His forgiveness through Christ.
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He knew what it meant to him.
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And he knew that through the power of Christ.
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He could forgive others.
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That is something we need as believers.
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To stand out from the crowd with.
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God bless you.
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Let's pray as we close.
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Lord God, our Heavenly Father.
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Lord, we thank you today for the incredible sacrifice of Jesus.
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That we are covered in him.
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That you have us covered.
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And through him we have this living hope.
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This imperishable, undefiled, unfading, living hope.
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We're also so delighted, Lord, that you are holding us now.
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That your power is holding us now.
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Helping us now.
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Strengthening us now.
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And we know that in your power.
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Forgiveness is possible.
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Transformation is possible.
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All of these things we've spoken about today.
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Are all possible because of your majestic grace and love.
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And so we pray for every person here.
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That we would rest today in Jesus Christ.
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The Savior of our soul.
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The Savior who was raised from the dead.
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Defeating sin and defeating the enemy.
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The grave and the evil one.
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Lord, in him, in you, we have a living hope.
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And I pray that each and every one of us would rejoice deeply in our hearts today as we leave here.
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And may you be the glory.
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And may all the glory be to you today.
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You are an awesome God.
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And we love you and we thank you for your radical love for us.
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In Jesus Christ's name we pray.
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Amen.
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Okay, we're going to sing from Psalm 93.
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Oh, is it Sing Psalm, is it?
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Yeah, Sing Psalm 93.
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It's on page 123.
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We'll sing the five verses.
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The Lord is King.
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His throne endures, majestic in his height.
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The Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength and might.
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These five verses to God's praise.
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Amen.
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The Lord is King.
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His throne endures, majestic in his height.
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The Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength and might.
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The world is broken, firm and sure.
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The world is broken, firm and sure.
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We moved it cannot be.
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Your throne is strong.
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And you have brought from all eternity.
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The seas, O Lord, have lifted up.
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They lifted up their voice.
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The seas have lifted up their waves.
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And made a mighty voice.
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The Lord is broken, firm and strong.
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The Lord is broken, firm and strong.
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The Lord is broken, firm and strong.
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Royal statutes, Lord, stand firm
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of changing His pure word
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and holiness and virtue of ours
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for endless days.
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Praise the Lord.
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May your mercy and grace and peace
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which we find in you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
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one God, may these blessings rest upon each
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and every one of us, not only now,
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but for every day as we wait patiently
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for your return, because we know in you,
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Lord Jesus, we have a living hope.
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Lord, we thank you, and may the glory be all yours
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in Jesus' name. Amen.