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The Commander of God's Army · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Let's begin our worship now. We're singing, firstly, tonight, from Psalm 18.
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! In the Sing Psalms version, Psalm 18.
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! The tune is Rockingham. That's on page 19.
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And singing verses 1 to 6.
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I love you, Lord, you are my strength.
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A fortress is the Lord to me.
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My rock and my deliverer for refuge to my God I flee.
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He is my stronghold and my shield,
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the Lord who saves me by his might.
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I'll call on him and give him praise.
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I'm saved. He puts my foes to flight.
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The cords of death entangled me.
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Destruction hit me like a wave.
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Encircled by the snares of death,
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I faced the terrors of the grave.
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In my distress I called on God.
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I cried out to the Lord for aid.
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He from his temple heard my voice.
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He listened to the prayer I made.
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These verses in Psalm 18.
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I love you, Lord, you are my strength.
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I love you, Lord, you are my strength.
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A fortress is the Lord to me.
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I walk and I deliver
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For refuge to my God I flee.
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He is my stronghold and my shield.
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He is my stronghold and my shield.
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The Lord who saves me by his might.
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And call on him and give him praise.
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And save me through my foes to cry.
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The thoughts of death.
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The thoughts of death that I will be.
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His heart shall live may like a wave.
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And sacrifice the snares of death.
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I face the terrors of the grave.
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In my distress I call on God.
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I cry now to the Lord for aid.
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He confess the terrors of death.
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He confess the terrors of my heart.
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He listened to the grave I made.
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And let's now call upon the Lord in prayer.
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Let's join together in prayer.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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and we pray that you would fill us once again with a sense of wonder
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that we should be able to draw near to the holy God
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the God who exclaims his holiness to us so frequently in his word
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and we thank you that that oh Lord lies upon the heart and minds of your people
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as they come towards you they realize that it is by your grace alone
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that they are able and provided for as they come into your holy presence
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we thank you for all that makes you holy that makes you so far above us
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in the life that you have as the uncreated God
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and we thank you for the way that in your sovereign rule over us
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you are unique in yourself
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well we bless you Lord tonight that all your attributes that are set out for us in your word
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many of which we find it so difficult to comprehend
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that they are used Lord to the salvation of your people
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that they are for the furtherance of your own kingdom
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your wisdom and your power and your love and your might
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your judgment
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that all of these things together combine to make you God
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and we bless you that in the unity of your being
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you provide such a refuge and help for your people
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bless us we pray as we come once again into your presence
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we thank you for your word that guides us at all times
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that teaches us that shows us the way of life
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and we thank you that tonight we are privileged once again
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to come around your word and to come seeking
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that your word will place itself through your spirit in our hearts
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and we thank you Lord for the worship of your church
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for the way in which we can participate together
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in the worship of your name
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and we thank you for that corporate witness
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that we are able to bear
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in every community where your people worship
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to the Lord who presides over all things
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and we bless you Lord that you have in the past seen
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to bless the gatherings of your people
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not only to themselves and as they gather
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but also to the world around them
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we pray that that will be the case in our day too
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that people will take note of us
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that we have been with Jesus
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that our life may be day by day transformed
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so that it will conform to that
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which your word sets out for us
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is fit and appropriate for your people
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and we thank you for every aid that you give us Lord
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from day to day
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and as we sing your praises in regard to your greatness
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we give thanks that you have not stood aloof from us Lord
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though we deserve that you should turn your back upon us
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and we bless you that instead you have come into this world
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in the person of your son
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and done so in such a very personal and human way
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and we bless you for the affinity you have with your people
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and for the way that not only do you understand
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and know their situation and condition as God
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but you have entered in to take to yourself
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our human experiences
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even to the extent of being tempted
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to the extent of suffering as you suffered in this life
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and we give thanks that you went as far as to give yourself in death
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the death of the cross
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for the well-being and salvation of your people
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Lord we pray that tonight your blessing will be with all your people
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everywhere throughout the world
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and we give thanks that on this day
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many millions of people
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have gathered in your name like we do here
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and have come to seek to exalt and glorify
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the name of the same God we worship
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and we ask that your people everywhere will know your blessing
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in these days in which we find
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in our own locality and in our own nation
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such a downturn
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in the way in which people regard God
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and regard his day and regard his word
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and we do pray Lord that your kingdom will advance among us as well
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that you will be pleased oh God to bless your people
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in their witness
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and that you be pleased to send forth your light and your truth
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to draw people to yourself
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may many tonight Lord who have hearts closed against you
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and even those who publicly and vocally proclaim against you
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may they come to be converted and quickened
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and brought into your ways
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and may there be many Lord who will yet
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turn out to be great ambassadors for Christ
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and to that end we pray that you would raise up
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those who would come to preach the gospel
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not only in our own denomination
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and throughout our land
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but throughout the whole world
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that you would raise up those
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who will be heralds of the peace of Christ
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and will bring that message of the gospel
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to a lost world
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and we thank you for every encouragement you give us
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and we pray that we may build upon these
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to be all the more zealous and committed to your way
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and to serving you in this world
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and we think of those in your word
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who when they were confronted with your greatness
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and your holiness and your might
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not only did they come to bow in your presence
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and even prostrate themselves to the ground
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but Lord also asked you Lord what will you have me to do
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and so we pray that that will be the same for ourselves
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that our concern might be Lord
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to serve you faithfully
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and to exalt your glorious and great name
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bless we pray those tonight
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who have particular adversities and difficulties to face
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remember those belonging to this congregation itself
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who have at this time Lord
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difficult providences to contend with and overcome
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bless them we pray
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whether it be over the loss of loved ones
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or an illness or anxiety over loved ones
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in regard to their work
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or whatever else causes
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our anxieties from time to time
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oh Lord we pray that we may draw our strength from you
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and we pray that you would use even these times of trial
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affliction and difficulty for ourselves
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to be a means by which we will reach out
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and take hold of you by faith
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and so further our lives in relation with you
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bless we pray tonight the unsaved
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the many unsaved around us who care not
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for the things of God or for their own souls
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Lord we ask that you would send
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your own spirit to quicken and to awaken many souls
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and to bring us Lord to a sense of
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a realization of eternal things
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and so we ask that tonight your spirit will even be working
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whether it be through those who are at home watching
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online or in some ways not at all interested in the things of God
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you have raised up for yourself in the past
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a people who in certain times Lord did not
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look out for you or reach out to you
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and yet you came into their lostness
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you came into their darkness and you quickened them and brought them to life
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and so we pray that you would be abroad amongst all our communities to that end
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we thank you again for your day
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we pray that you would enable us oh Lord to
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not only enjoy it for ourselves but to continue
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to commend it to others
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and where attempts are made locally or nationally to further erode
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the importance of your day
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and the sanctity of your day
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oh Lord hear our prayer as we pray
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in regard to these things locally especially
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at this time
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we ask that you would be pleased to bless
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the crying of your people
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to hear us as we pray
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that you would ensure oh Lord
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by your own blessing
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and by your own power
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that we may continue to enjoy
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a restful and peaceful Lord's day
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and that many will come yet to make it
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a day of worship
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and a day of seeking the Lord
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while he is to be found
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and calling upon him
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while he is near
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now bless all the troubled places in the world
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that we hear of from day to day
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and those we don't hear of at all
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bless especially where there is war
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and the threat of terror
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and the massive loss of life
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we pray that you would bless oh Lord
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the people involved in such difficulties
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in such stressful times
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whether it be in the Middle East
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or in Ukraine or Yemen
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Lord we know that there is so much in our world
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that causes people to cry out in pain
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and so we pray that their cry may be addressed to you
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we pray that you would bring peace
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where there is war
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that you would bring stability
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where there is uncertainty
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bring assurance we pray
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where there is doubt
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and grant that you would reveal yourself Lord
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as one who is on the throne of the universe
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and presides over all things
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and is worthy
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that we should fall down
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and worship you
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and serve you
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continue with us now we pray
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hear our prayer
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and answer us we pray
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in Jesus name
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Amen
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I'm going to sing again to God's praise
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they're singing this time from
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Psalm 18
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this time from the Scottish Psalter version
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and beginning at verse 27
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June is Moravia
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that's on page 221
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verses 27 to 32
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for thou wilt the afflicted save
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in grief that low do lie
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but wilt bring down the countenance of them
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whose looks are high
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the Lord will light my candle so
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that it shall shine full bright
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the Lord my God will also make my darkness
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to be light
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by thee through troops of men I break
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and them discomfort all
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and by my God assisting me
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I overleap a wall
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as for God
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perfect is his way
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the Lord his word is tried
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he is a buckler to all those
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who do in him confide
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who but the Lord is God
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but he who is
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a rock and stay
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does God that girdeth me
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with strength
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and perfect makes
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my way
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these verses to the tune Moravia
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for thou wilt the afflicted save
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for thou wilt the afflicted save
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in grief and older life
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but wilt bring down the countenance
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of their blessings
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all their blessings
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and high
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the Lord will light my hand
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and his soul
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and he shall shine full bright
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the Lord my God
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will also make my darkness
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to be light
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by thee through troops of men I break
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and tear
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e
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!
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e
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This is me, the Lord is glorified.
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He is a father to all those who live in him all night.
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Who are the Lord, this hope of me, who is an all-nast day?
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This hope that earth did me which served and perfected my way.
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Now please turn with me to Joshua, where we're going to read God's Word this evening.
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Joshua chapter 5.
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And we'll read through the whole of the chapter.
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Joshua chapter 5, from the beginning.
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As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west,
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and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea,
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heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over,
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their hearts melted, and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.
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At that time the Lord said to Joshua,
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Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.
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So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gebeeth Haraloth.
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This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them.
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All the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war,
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had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt.
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Though all the people who came out had been circumcised,
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yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness,
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after they had come out of Egypt, had not been circumcised.
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For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness,
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until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished,
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because they did not obey the voice of the Lord.
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The Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land
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that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us,
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a land flowing with milk and honey.
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So it was their children whom he raised up in their place that Joshua circumcised.
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For they were uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way.
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When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished,
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they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed.
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And the Lord said to Joshua,
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Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.
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And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.
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While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal,
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they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month,
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in the evening on the plains of Jericho.
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And the day after the Passover, on that very day,
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they ate of the produce of the land,
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and leavened cakes and parched grain.
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And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land.
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And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel,
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but they ate the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
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When Joshua was by Jericho,
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he lifted up his eyes and looked,
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and behold, a man was standing before him
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with his drawn sword in his hand.
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And Joshua went to him and said to him,
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Are you for us or for our adversaries?
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And he said,
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No, but I am the commander of the army of the Lord.
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Now I have come.
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And Joshua fell on his face to the earth
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and worshipped and said to him,
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What does my Lord say to his servant?
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And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua,
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Take off your sandals from off your feet,
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for the place where you are standing is holy.
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And Joshua did so.
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Again, may God, with this blessing,
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follow our reading of his word.
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Now we'll sing now some verses from Psalm 66.
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Psalm 66 on page 83, verses 1 to 7.
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Tune this time is Selma.
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Shout loud with joy to God,
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all earth your chorus raise.
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Sing loud the honor of his name,
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and glorious make his praise.
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Speak thus to God the Lord,
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how great your works of power,
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so overwhelming is your might,
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that falls before you cower.
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All earth bows down to you,
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they sing aloud your fame.
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They never cease to celebrate the glory of your name.
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Come, see what God has done,
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his mighty works of old,
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his deeds towards the human race.
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How awesome to behold!
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To let his people pass on foot
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through waters broad,
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he turned the sea into dry land.
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Let us rejoice in God.
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With might and power he rules,
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on nations sets his eyes.
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So let not rebels in their pride
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against him turn and rise.
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These verses in Psalm 66,
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shout loud with joy to God.
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singing singing singing
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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and now they've begun to enter the promised land and to settle in the promised land
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and to face the adversaries that they meet and met within the promised land.
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It's the final phase of their journey towards this land that God described for them
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as a land flowing with milk and honey.
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So in chapter 3 and 4 you find an emphasis on the crossing itself,
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on the way in which they set up a memorial of stones.
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And then in this chapter 5 we come to read about the circumcision of those who had been born since they left Egypt
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and also the Passover that they kept when they reached this place at Gilgal.
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And so all of these details are deliberate links with the past.
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And that's important in the teaching that you find in the book of Joshua
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in regard to the people coming to establish themselves under God and under Joshua's leadership in the land of Canaan.
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There are links here with the past.
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You find it in, as we said, in the Passover, the crossing of the Red Sea mentioned, and circumcision.
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So everything you find now in verses 13 to 15 must fit into the emphasis that you have here of links with the past.
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And links with the past are important because Joshua and Moses especially are actually linked in the passage.
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Things you read about here about Joshua are also things that you read about in terms of Moses
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and how God had used him to lead the people out of Egypt.
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The conquest of Canaan begins with this supernatural appearance
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on the part of the man who calls himself the commander of the armies of the Lord.
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And that means that it's a continuation really of God guiding his people,
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being with his people, leading his people, blessing his people,
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making them powerful in the face of their enemies.
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All of that follows through from the time of Moses to the time now of Joshua under his leadership too.
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The emphasis really is something that's very important for ourselves.
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The Lord of Moses is the Lord of Joshua.
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The Lord of Moses' day is the Lord of Joshua's day.
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And the Lord of Joshua's day is the Lord of our day.
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That principle of continuation of the Lord's provision for his people,
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the Lord going before his people as their commander,
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is something that's so crucial for us today as a church.
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In that sense, nothing has changed.
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The same God who delivers his people is the God who goes before them.
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The God who brings them out of adversity and out of darkness
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is the God who goes before them in whatever remains of their journey.
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And so there are all these important links with the past,
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but there are links that give them an assurance for the future.
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And isn't that how it is for yourself tonight?
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We look back over the history of this congregation,
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even not to go beyond that,
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or the history of our community,
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and can reflect upon, as we're singing,
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come and behold the works of God,
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the great things which God did in the past,
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the times of special blessing,
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the times of revival,
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the times of God coming in power amongst his people
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and bringing many others into his kingdom.
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Well, that same God is our God tonight.
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He has not changed.
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And we can look to him as one,
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just as Joshua did in his day.
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He looked to him as the God of Moses,
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and we look to him as the same God
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who has always been with his people down through the ages.
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And whatever's been in your own life,
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personally leading up to where you are tonight
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in the providence of God,
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be assured of this,
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that the God who has been in the past with his people
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is the God who will be with his people in the future.
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And as you, if you're a follower of the Lord,
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a Christian, someone who knows the Lord as your Savior,
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this is really one of the precious things
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that you've come to know, isn't it?
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That the God who was with you yesterday
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is the God who is with you today.
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And the God who is with you today
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is going to be with you,
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God willing, if you live to see tomorrow.
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He's going to be with you tomorrow as well.
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It doesn't matter what adversaries stand in the way,
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whether they're Canaanites
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or present-day equivalents.
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This remains very true.
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And whatever changes in your providence
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actually come your way,
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however, things might change unexpectedly.
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This is not going to change.
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The same God will go before you into the future.
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Well then, as you look at that,
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there are three things here
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that we can briefly look at.
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First of all,
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the passage speaks about a confrontation
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where Joshua comes to see
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this man with a drawn sword in his hand
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and Joshua went out to him with this question.
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So there's a confrontation there.
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They come to meet together in this unexpected way.
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Secondly, you find a revelation
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because this man whom Joshua sees here
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comes to reveal himself
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as the commander of the armies of the Lord.
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And he says to him,
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I am the commander of the Lord's army.
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Now I have come.
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And thirdly,
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there's an instruction given to Joshua.
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As Joshua went to him,
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what does my Lord say to his servant?
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How often do you find that in the Bible,
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don't you?
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People who come in the presence of God
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and virtually overtaken by the awesomeness of God,
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instead of actually being repelled,
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instead of what you might think
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would be that they would just fall down dumb
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and not really have anything to say,
33:06
just here in Isaiah chapter 6,
33:08
you find that same emphasis.
33:10
What will you have me to do?
33:13
What does my Lord say to his servant?
33:16
What command, what instruction,
33:18
what information do you have for me?
33:20
What do you require of me?
33:22
And the Lord answers,
33:24
this man answers,
33:24
take off your sandals from off your feet,
33:27
for the place where you are standing is holy.
33:30
And of course,
33:31
that again ties up,
33:32
doesn't it,
33:32
with Moses in the wilderness
33:35
at the burning bush,
33:37
at the outset of God's revelation of himself
33:40
in this way to his people,
33:42
as they're in Egypt at that time.
33:44
Of course,
33:44
here is God coming to reveal himself to them
33:47
and to say,
33:48
I've heard their cry.
33:49
I've come down to deliver them.
33:53
And he said to Moses,
33:54
take off your shoes from off your feet,
33:56
for the place on which you're standing is holy.
33:59
And just to link up again,
34:01
here's Joshua,
34:02
the new commander,
34:03
well,
34:03
the new leader,
34:04
with this commander of the Lord.
34:06
As we'll see,
34:06
it's the Lord himself in this form.
34:09
And he's given the same instruction,
34:11
as if to say,
34:12
God is still the same God in his holiness
34:14
as he was with Moses too.
34:19
A confrontation,
34:21
sudden,
34:21
dramatic,
34:22
unusual.
34:23
When Joshua was by Jericho,
34:25
he lifted up his eyes
34:27
and looked,
34:27
and behold,
34:28
a man standing before him
34:30
with his sword drawn in his hand.
34:34
And it's emphasizing
34:35
that it was a man.
34:37
He had the features of a man.
34:39
It was a human form.
34:41
And although we read
34:42
as you go through
34:43
the rest of the chapter,
34:45
it's obvious that this is God
34:46
in this form
34:47
that has revealed himself
34:49
here to Joshua.
34:51
Something that has anticipated
34:53
the coming of the Son of God
34:55
permanently in human form
34:56
in the incarnation,
34:58
the New Testament age.
35:00
But here it is,
35:01
this man.
35:01
It's emphasizing,
35:02
a man was standing before him.
35:04
Joshua saw a man.
35:06
Joshua saw a human form.
35:07
There's an important emphasis in that.
35:12
It wasn't an angelic form.
35:15
It wasn't anything other than human.
35:18
It wasn't something different
35:19
to God or to man.
35:20
It was a man that he saw.
35:22
So you see,
35:23
there's an affinity there
35:24
with Joshua and with his people.
35:27
As we said,
35:28
it's something that anticipates
35:29
the coming of the Lord
35:31
in human form
35:33
as he was born as a human.
35:35
And that's an important emphasis,
35:39
of course,
35:39
in so many ways.
35:41
It applies to Jesus especially,
35:45
the Son of God incarnate,
35:47
taking our human nature to himself.
35:49
Now through the Old Testament,
35:51
you find this figure
35:52
from time to time appearing.
35:55
Very often he's called
35:55
the Angel of the Lord.
35:57
But he has a human form
35:59
and you find him at different times
36:02
revealing himself
36:03
in the Old Testament.
36:04
And as always for a particular reason
36:07
in certain circumstances.
36:10
And theologians believe
36:11
that it's right to see this
36:13
as God in human form,
36:16
anticipating the coming
36:17
of the Son of God,
36:19
Jesus,
36:20
who came to be Jesus of Nazareth.
36:22
But here is something down
36:24
through the years
36:24
of the Old Testament
36:25
that anticipates that,
36:27
that prepares a way for that,
36:29
that really instructs the people
36:30
that God is going to come
36:32
and he's going to come
36:33
in a way that closely ties himself
36:36
to them,
36:37
even in a human sense.
36:41
And where is there
36:41
a more important truth tonight
36:44
for you and for me
36:45
than the fact that God
36:47
has come in the person
36:49
of his Son
36:50
and he's taken
36:52
and he's taken our human nature
36:53
to himself.
36:54
He's united our humanness
36:56
to his deity
36:58
and he remains God
37:00
and man.
37:02
You see,
37:02
when the Son of God
37:04
came into the world,
37:06
he came into the world
37:07
to die the death of the cross
37:09
and to rise from the dead
37:11
on the third day.
37:12
But he came into the world
37:13
as part of that
37:14
to engage with
37:16
our circumstances
37:17
as human beings
37:19
in this world.
37:20
He was,
37:21
as Hebrews puts it,
37:22
tempted in all points
37:24
like as we are
37:25
and yet without sin.
37:27
Tonight you can go to Jesus
37:29
and you don't need to be afraid
37:31
that he doesn't understand
37:32
your circumstances.
37:34
Because whatever
37:35
your circumstances are
37:36
as human circumstances,
37:38
as human sufferings,
37:39
as human situations
37:44
in this life,
37:45
Jesus has been there
37:46
before you.
37:48
And not only has Jesus
37:49
been there before you,
37:50
but he's been there
37:51
before you
37:51
so that he can take
37:52
from that
37:53
allied with
37:54
and joined
37:55
to his deity
37:56
to be the saviour
37:57
that you and I need.
37:59
We need a saviour
38:00
and we have a saviour
38:02
who is himself
38:03
touched with the feeling
38:05
of our infirmities,
38:06
who understands
38:07
what we're going through
38:08
and who's able
38:09
to deal with it
38:10
as the God-man
38:12
that he is
38:12
in a way that
38:13
nobody else can.
38:16
Here is a man
38:17
revealed to Joshua
38:19
with a sword
38:21
in his hand,
38:22
a drawn sword.
38:23
In other words,
38:24
what Joshua saw here
38:25
was a man ready
38:27
for combat.
38:29
Somebody was just
38:29
going out
38:30
to take on
38:31
his enemies.
38:33
He's ready for action.
38:35
His sword is in his hand.
38:37
And that draws
38:38
Joshua's mind
38:39
to ask him
38:40
this question.
38:40
Are you for us
38:43
or for our adversaries?
38:46
Now,
38:47
there's a question.
38:49
And you know,
38:49
in the experience
38:50
of Jesus,
38:52
there was never
38:52
a question
38:53
as to whose side
38:54
he was on.
38:56
But as he came
38:57
into this world
38:58
and went into
38:59
the desert
39:00
to be tempted
39:00
by Satan,
39:02
and you have that
39:02
in Matthew's gospel
39:03
and Luke's gospel,
39:06
the specific temptations
39:07
with which the devil
39:09
came to assault
39:10
the Lord,
39:11
trying to get him
39:12
to be deflected
39:13
from the path
39:13
he was on,
39:15
trying to get him
39:15
to leave this path
39:17
of obedience
39:18
to the Father.
39:19
That's really what
39:20
the temptations
39:21
essentially were about.
39:22
Because the devil
39:23
knew if he could
39:24
manage that,
39:25
then he would
39:26
disqualify Jesus
39:27
from being a savior
39:28
of his people.
39:30
I'm not saying
39:30
in any way
39:31
that there's any danger
39:33
of Jesus doing that.
39:34
Can you just imagine,
39:37
let's just say,
39:39
the inhabitants
39:39
of these angelic
39:41
armies of the Lord
39:43
of which he is
39:45
the commander,
39:46
just imagine,
39:48
if you like,
39:49
as it were,
39:50
as they look at
39:51
the Son of God
39:52
in our nature
39:53
in the desert,
39:55
tempted by the devil
39:56
and saying,
39:57
if you are the Son of God,
39:59
command these stones
40:00
that they be made bread.
40:04
You can just imagine
40:05
them holding their breath.
40:06
What's he going to do?
40:09
Whose Messiah
40:10
is he going to be?
40:13
Whose servant
40:13
is he going to be?
40:15
Who is he going to obey?
40:17
The Father who sent him
40:18
or the devil
40:20
who's tempting him?
40:22
There was never a question
40:23
in Christ's mind,
40:24
of course.
40:25
But remember,
40:27
the temptation
40:27
for him was real.
40:29
Something we cannot
40:30
fully enter into,
40:31
but we mustn't think
40:32
that because Jesus
40:33
never sinned
40:34
and couldn't sin
40:35
in that sense
40:37
that he was therefore
40:38
not really subject
40:39
to temptation
40:39
like you and I are.
40:41
He was tempted
40:41
in all points
40:43
like as we are,
40:44
yet without sin.
40:45
That means he was
40:46
truly tempted,
40:47
really tempted,
40:48
tempted as a human being.
40:51
And here he is,
40:52
and there's the question.
40:54
Are you for us
40:55
or for our adversaries?
40:58
Jesus in the wilderness,
41:00
tempted by the devil,
41:01
is he there for his people?
41:04
Will he continue
41:05
in that path to the cross?
41:07
Will he capitulate
41:08
to the devil
41:09
and so leave us
41:11
in our lostness?
41:13
And of course,
41:13
you know what happened.
41:15
He dismissed the devil
41:16
and not in any way at all,
41:20
giving heed to
41:20
obey his temptation.
41:24
And isn't it a wonderful
41:27
truth for you tonight?
41:29
Not only that you can go
41:31
to one who knows
41:32
your circumstances,
41:34
but one who's been in them
41:36
and has overcome them.
41:38
One who has faced the devil
41:39
and overcome him.
41:41
One who knows what it is
41:42
to be tempted
41:42
and yet never yielded.
41:44
One who knows
41:45
the power of temptation,
41:47
especially in the hands
41:48
of the evil one,
41:49
and yet who in himself,
41:51
not for one single iota
41:52
of a second did he capitulate
41:56
to what the devil
41:58
was asking him to do.
41:59
Now when you come
41:59
to your temptations
42:00
and you come like I do
42:02
to have to confess to God,
42:03
Lord, I shouldn't have done that.
42:05
I shouldn't have listened to that.
42:06
I shouldn't have capitulated
42:08
and given in to the temptation,
42:10
whatever it was.
42:12
You take that to the Lord.
42:14
You express your sorrow.
42:16
You express your repentance.
42:18
You come to the Lord
42:19
and how thankful
42:20
and how relieved you are
42:22
that the God,
42:23
the Lord,
42:24
the commander
42:24
that you bring
42:25
your concerns to,
42:27
that you bring
42:27
your confession to,
42:28
is one who's been there
42:30
and overcome
42:30
and says,
42:32
thank you for bringing
42:34
this to me.
42:36
I can deal with the problem.
42:37
Leave it with me.
42:39
I will give you
42:40
the capacity
42:41
because that's something
42:43
that I've proved
42:45
already to be mine
42:46
in overcoming your enemy.
42:48
this confrontation
42:51
and this question then
42:53
from Joshua,
42:54
are you for us
42:55
or for our adversaries?
42:56
And then you find
42:57
in answering that,
42:59
that this figure said,
43:01
he came to reveal himself.
43:03
There's a revelation
43:04
following the confrontation.
43:06
Are you for us
43:07
or for our adversaries?
43:08
And he said,
43:09
no,
43:10
but I am the commander
43:12
of the army of the Lord.
43:14
Now I have come.
43:15
And that seems
43:17
rather a strange answer
43:19
because he didn't answer
43:20
the question directly.
43:21
He didn't say,
43:22
no,
43:22
I'm here for you
43:24
and I'm here for the people
43:26
that you're the leader of.
43:28
He simply said,
43:29
no,
43:30
but I'm the commander
43:31
of the army of the Lord.
43:32
Now I have come.
43:34
Why such a strange reply?
43:38
Why didn't he answer it
43:39
directly yes or no?
43:42
Well,
43:42
I think one of the reasons
43:43
for that is that
43:44
here is the Lord,
43:46
as we said,
43:46
revealing himself
43:47
in human form,
43:49
but still saying to Joshua,
43:51
I am here as the commander
43:53
of the armies of the Lord.
43:54
Therefore,
43:55
I am here to direct you.
43:57
You're not here to direct me.
43:59
You ask me,
44:00
am I here for you
44:01
or for your adversaries?
44:03
I am here as the commander.
44:06
I am here to do my will.
44:08
I am here not to actually
44:09
meet your questions as such
44:13
because you don't control me.
44:16
I control you.
44:19
No,
44:19
but I am here
44:20
as the commander
44:22
of the armies of the Lord.
44:23
In other words,
44:25
he's not bound
44:26
by Joshua's questions.
44:28
He's not himself
44:30
duty bound
44:30
to answer Joshua's questions
44:32
the way Joshua
44:33
would like them answered.
44:35
He's demonstrating
44:36
that whatever Joshua
44:37
says to him,
44:38
he's not in charge
44:40
of this person's life.
44:41
He's not in charge
44:42
of the situation.
44:45
It is the commander
44:46
of the armies of the Lord.
44:48
The Lord himself
44:49
is in command
44:51
of the armies
44:52
of the angels of heaven.
44:54
He's now saying,
44:55
this is why I'm here.
44:56
I'm the commander
44:57
of the Lord,
44:58
of the army of the Lord.
44:59
Now I have come.
45:02
And that's an interesting
45:03
reference as well.
45:05
Now I have come.
45:06
He is for them,
45:09
but he's not under
45:11
Joshua's command.
45:12
Joshua is the commander
45:14
in human terms
45:15
of the people.
45:16
He's the leader
45:16
of the people.
45:17
He's taken over
45:18
from Moses.
45:19
He's been appointed
45:19
by God.
45:21
But here this person
45:22
is saying to him,
45:22
this figure is saying to him,
45:24
yes,
45:24
you're the commander
45:25
of the people.
45:26
That's what you've been
45:27
placed as.
45:28
But I am here
45:29
as your commander.
45:30
You don't command me.
45:31
I command you.
45:34
I'm in charge
45:35
of the situation.
45:39
And
45:39
where he says,
45:41
I am the commander
45:43
of the army of the Lord,
45:44
the commander
45:45
of the Lord's
45:47
army of angels,
45:49
I think he means.
45:50
It's really the same
45:51
as we said earlier,
45:52
a reference to
45:53
the angel of the Lord,
45:55
where you find that
45:56
in the Old Testament
45:57
described.
45:58
And he says,
45:59
now I have come.
46:01
And you see,
46:02
again,
46:02
he doesn't say,
46:03
now I have come
46:03
to help you.
46:05
Now I have come
46:05
for this or that purpose.
46:07
He simply says,
46:08
now I have come.
46:11
And through the Old Testament,
46:13
I'm sure these references
46:15
and these statements
46:16
lived with the people
46:18
of God
46:19
in their memories,
46:20
those of them
46:20
who could recall them.
46:23
And that itself,
46:25
too,
46:25
was for them
46:25
a sign of hope.
46:27
a sign of anticipation
46:29
or anticipation
46:30
of something
46:31
which was going to happen
46:32
as it did
46:33
in the coming
46:33
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
46:37
And you remember
46:37
how Psalm 40 puts it.
46:40
Now I have come.
46:43
Hebrews picks that up
46:44
and says,
46:45
now I have come
46:46
to do your will,
46:47
O Lord.
46:48
There's Jesus
46:48
from the days
46:49
of the Old Testament,
46:51
the anticipation
46:51
of Jesus,
46:52
the servant
46:53
of the Lord.
46:54
And there is the voice
46:55
put in the mouth
46:57
of Jesus
46:57
before he became human.
46:59
And nevertheless,
47:00
it's there in prophecy.
47:02
It's there in the Old Testament
47:03
anticipating his coming.
47:05
Now I have come.
47:07
This is what the Old Testament
47:08
was waiting for
47:09
all these years.
47:10
And here's an anticipation
47:12
of it
47:12
on the lips
47:13
of this commander
47:14
of the army
47:15
who's speaking
47:16
to Joshua.
47:18
You find the same thing
47:19
in other parts
47:20
of the Psalms
47:22
as well.
47:23
Psalm 50 verse 3,
47:24
Psalm 98
47:25
and verse 9.
47:27
And so when he says,
47:28
now I have come,
47:30
as that anticipates
47:31
the coming
47:32
of Jesus.
47:33
So you can look
47:34
back tonight
47:35
and say,
47:35
it's actually
47:36
really happened.
47:38
This very act
47:40
that the Old Testament
47:41
anticipated
47:42
through these events,
47:43
it's actually happened.
47:45
It's now in the past.
47:47
And it's a reality.
47:48
The Lord has come.
47:51
He's come as the commander
47:52
of the armies of the Lord.
47:54
He's come as the Son of God
47:55
in our nature.
47:56
He's come into this world
47:58
and He's come permanently.
48:03
It's God's arrival
48:04
to lead His people.
48:08
Is there anything
48:09
more precious to you tonight
48:11
than that the Lord has come?
48:16
That this weary world
48:17
so full of sin and sorrow
48:22
has somebody
48:24
who's come into it
48:25
who is set above it,
48:29
who is the commander
48:30
of the armies of the Lord,
48:32
who has come into this world
48:34
and now permanently remains
48:36
God and man
48:37
in the person of Jesus?
48:39
Is there anything
48:42
more precious to yourself
48:44
than to know this person?
48:47
Than to know this commander
48:48
of the armies of the Lord?
48:51
Is there anything
48:52
more wonderful
48:52
than to realize tonight
48:54
that the Jesus
48:56
you serve,
48:57
the Jesus you believe in,
48:59
the Jesus you've come
49:00
to trust in
49:00
by His grace
49:01
is none other
49:03
than this great figure
49:04
who was seen
49:06
by Joshua
49:06
and by Moses
49:07
and by others
49:08
in the days of the Old Testament
49:10
as the angel of the Lord?
49:11
Now I have come.
49:14
And here He is assuring you
49:15
through this very passage
49:16
of Scripture
49:17
and His fulfillment
49:18
in Jesus
49:19
that that coming
49:20
is permanent,
49:21
that that coming
49:22
is something
49:22
that's decisive
49:23
and definitive
49:24
in the history of the world.
49:26
it lies really
49:28
as the pivotal
49:29
point of history.
49:31
Whatever people
49:31
will say to you
49:32
as the most important
49:34
events in history
49:35
and there are many
49:36
events in history
49:37
that are historic,
49:39
that are really
49:40
crucial events.
49:42
Many times
49:43
in the history
49:43
of humanity
49:45
where discoveries
49:46
have been made
49:47
that people will say
49:48
surely that's one
49:49
of the pivotal moments
49:50
in history,
49:51
the discovery
49:52
of whatever it is,
49:53
whether it's some kind
49:54
of cure for this,
49:55
that or other
49:56
or some event
49:57
that demonstrates
49:58
the ingenuity
49:59
of human beings
50:00
and their inventiveness
50:01
and so on.
50:03
But here is
50:04
the event.
50:07
Now
50:07
I
50:08
have come.
50:12
I have come.
50:14
God
50:14
has entered
50:16
this world.
50:18
He's done so
50:18
in the person
50:19
of His Son,
50:20
the very God
50:21
of Moses
50:23
and of Joshua
50:24
and tonight
50:26
this reality
50:27
remains a reality
50:29
and will be
50:30
forevermore.
50:32
I have come.
50:34
Now here is
50:35
something
50:35
for you
50:37
and for me
50:37
that really
50:38
surely
50:38
instills
50:40
a sense of
50:41
dependence
50:42
upon this person.
50:45
Because here
50:46
you are
50:46
and I am
50:46
tonight
50:47
without human
50:48
needs.
50:50
Here we are
50:51
needing somebody
50:52
who can understand
50:53
our situation.
50:55
Somebody who
50:55
can appreciate
50:56
what we're
50:57
going through
50:58
in this world
50:58
whether it's
50:59
temptation
51:00
or suffering
51:01
or whatever.
51:02
Here is
51:03
somebody who
51:03
knows what
51:04
it is to
51:04
bear the
51:05
sin of
51:06
his people
51:06
successfully,
51:08
vicariously,
51:09
powerfully,
51:10
permanently,
51:11
forevermore
51:12
in the result
51:13
of it
51:13
on the cross.
51:15
Here is
51:16
somebody who
51:16
can deal
51:17
with your
51:17
situation
51:18
as nobody
51:19
else can.
51:21
Here is
51:21
somebody who's
51:22
saying,
51:22
by these words
51:23
I have
51:24
come.
51:26
He's saying,
51:26
I have
51:27
come so that
51:28
you can say
51:28
he's here for
51:30
me.
51:31
He's here for
51:32
me in my
51:33
situation
51:33
and I can't
51:35
do without
51:36
him and I
51:38
can't get help
51:38
from anyone
51:39
else the way
51:40
I get it
51:40
from him.
51:42
Lo, I
51:44
have come.
51:46
And the
51:46
fact that he
51:47
has a sword
51:47
drawn in his
51:49
hand, of
51:49
course that
51:49
was relevant
51:50
to Joshua's
51:51
situation,
51:52
the people's
51:52
situation then
51:53
when they
51:54
had to do
51:55
battle with
51:55
various inhabitants
51:56
of the land
51:57
to drive them
51:58
out and to
51:59
actually settle
52:01
in the land
52:02
and the
52:02
various ways
52:03
in which in
52:04
the following
52:04
chapters you
52:05
see the
52:06
defeats as
52:07
well as the
52:07
ways in
52:08
which the
52:09
overcame.
52:10
But all of
52:10
that is
52:10
important in
52:11
this context
52:12
of this man
52:13
being seen
52:13
with a sword
52:14
drawn in his
52:15
hand.
52:15
In other
52:16
words, Joshua
52:17
has been
52:18
assured that
52:19
this person
52:20
is here to
52:21
lead them,
52:22
to lead them
52:23
to be the
52:24
conqueror of
52:25
their enemies.
52:29
And that's
52:30
so true of
52:32
everything you
52:33
face as far
52:33
as Jesus is
52:34
concerned.
52:36
When the
52:36
Lord is your
52:37
Savior,
52:37
whatever you
52:39
have to
52:40
meet with,
52:42
whatever
52:42
enmity you
52:45
meet with,
52:45
whatever
52:45
opposition you
52:46
meet with,
52:46
you may
52:47
think,
52:47
I'm never
52:49
going to be
52:49
able to
52:50
overcome this.
52:52
The powers
52:52
in the world
52:53
are so great,
52:55
far greater
52:55
than I can
52:56
handle myself,
52:57
you might
52:57
say.
52:59
The things
52:59
that I see
53:00
in my life
53:00
loom so
53:01
large and
53:02
make such a
53:03
dark shadow
53:04
in my soul.
53:04
how can I
53:05
overcome
53:05
this?
53:07
Well,
53:07
look to
53:07
this person
53:08
because this
53:10
is how you
53:10
must always
53:11
see him,
53:12
with a
53:13
sword drawn
53:14
in his
53:14
hand,
53:16
ready to
53:17
conquer all
53:18
your foes,
53:19
all your
53:19
adversaries,
53:20
everything that
53:21
causes you
53:21
concern.
53:23
I mean,
53:24
in the
53:24
Gospels,
53:27
you find the
53:27
record of
53:28
the exploits
53:29
of Jesus,
53:30
the way
53:32
in which
53:32
he demonstrated
53:33
himself to
53:34
be someone
53:34
unique,
53:36
healing
53:37
diseases,
53:38
raising
53:39
people from
53:39
the dead,
53:41
all of
53:42
these things
53:42
demonstrating
53:43
that he
53:43
had come,
53:44
and he
53:45
had come
53:45
for the
53:45
benefit of
53:46
his people,
53:47
and that
53:48
such a
53:48
person is
53:49
worthy of
53:50
your trust,
53:51
such a
53:51
person surely
53:52
is someone
53:53
whom you
53:54
cannot bypass
53:55
to put your
53:55
trust in
53:56
anyone else.
53:58
Lo,
53:58
I have
53:59
come,
54:01
and not
54:01
only for
54:01
individuals,
54:03
but also
54:03
for congregations,
54:04
for denominations
54:05
as a church,
54:07
who do we
54:07
need tonight
54:08
to guide us
54:08
into the
54:09
future?
54:10
Who do we
54:10
need tonight?
54:11
Who do we
54:12
have tonight
54:13
to go before
54:14
us into the
54:15
advance of
54:16
his cause?
54:17
Who do we
54:18
have to take
54:18
on the forces
54:19
that we see
54:21
are seeking
54:21
to destroy
54:22
the gospel
54:23
and the
54:23
Lord's day
54:24
and the
54:24
Ten Commandments
54:25
and all the
54:26
things that
54:26
are precious
54:26
to the
54:27
Lord's
54:27
people?
54:28
Look to
54:28
Jesus,
54:29
because as
54:29
you see him
54:30
tonight,
54:31
he has his
54:31
sword drawn
54:32
in his
54:32
hand,
54:33
he's still
54:33
the commander
54:34
of the
54:34
Lord's
54:34
army,
54:35
he's still
54:35
the one
54:36
who has
54:36
the capacity
54:36
to be
54:37
on your
54:38
side,
54:38
to lead
54:38
you,
54:39
to guide
54:39
you,
54:39
to take
54:40
you through.
54:41
And that's
54:42
the case
54:42
for the
54:43
whole church
54:43
as well.
54:45
One of
54:46
Satan's
54:47
favorite
54:48
devices
54:49
is to
54:50
cause
54:51
discouragement
54:52
and
54:52
disconsolation
54:54
and doubt
54:55
in your
54:56
mind.
54:56
God's
54:57
It was
54:57
like that
54:58
from day
54:58
one when
54:59
he came
54:59
to Eve
55:00
in the
55:00
garden,
55:01
has God
55:02
indeed
55:02
said?
55:03
He wants
55:03
you tonight
55:04
to doubt
55:04
his word.
55:05
He wants
55:06
you tonight
55:06
to doubt
55:07
the validity
55:07
of the
55:08
Sabbath day,
55:09
of the
55:09
Lord's
55:10
day.
55:11
He wants
55:11
you to
55:11
doubt
55:12
whether it's
55:12
profitable
55:12
anymore.
55:13
Does it
55:14
fit into
55:14
the present
55:15
day in
55:15
our society?
55:17
He wants
55:17
you to
55:17
doubt the
55:18
importance
55:18
of actually
55:19
maintaining
55:20
not just
55:21
that but
55:21
every other
55:22
commandment
55:22
in terms
55:24
of your
55:25
moral integrity
55:26
!
55:26
And the
55:27
well-being
55:27
of our
55:28
community
55:29
and our
55:29
people.
55:32
And you
55:32
must look
55:33
to Jesus
55:33
who has
55:36
the sword
55:36
drawn in
55:37
his hand
55:37
ready for
55:37
battle,
55:38
who's always
55:39
prepared,
55:40
who's never
55:42
caught out,
55:43
who's always
55:44
fitted out
55:45
to lead
55:47
his people
55:48
in whatever
55:50
they meet
55:51
with,
55:51
in his
55:52
life.
55:54
And Joshua's
55:54
reaction is
55:56
the reaction
55:56
that shows
55:57
he realized
55:58
this was
55:58
God.
56:00
Joshua's
56:00
response is
56:02
he fell
56:03
on his
56:03
face to
56:04
the earth
56:04
and worshipped
56:05
and said
56:06
to him,
56:06
what does
56:07
my Lord
56:07
say to
56:08
his servant?
56:09
Now Joshua
56:10
would never
56:11
have offered
56:11
worship to
56:12
anyone other
56:12
than God.
56:14
And yet he
56:14
falls down
56:15
before this
56:15
figure and
56:16
worships and
56:18
says, what
56:18
does my
56:19
Lord say to
56:20
his servant?
56:21
an instruction
56:25
then comes
56:27
from this
56:28
figure.
56:30
Take off
56:30
your sandals
56:31
from off
56:31
your feet
56:32
for the
56:33
place where
56:34
you are
56:34
standing is
56:34
holy.
56:35
holy.
56:39
It is an
56:39
amazing thing
56:40
in many
56:40
ways that
56:41
a person
56:42
who comes
56:43
to realize
56:43
the holiness
56:44
of the
56:44
Lord,
56:45
whatever
56:46
measure we're
56:47
able to
56:47
realize and
56:48
appreciate the
56:49
holiness of
56:49
the Lord,
56:50
it doesn't
56:51
actually thwart
56:52
your desire to
56:53
serve him.
56:54
It's the very
56:54
opposite.
56:56
The better you
56:57
know the
56:57
Lord,
56:59
the more we
56:59
appreciate his
57:00
holiness,
57:01
holiness,
57:02
the more we
57:02
come to
57:03
realize that
57:03
this is none
57:04
other than
57:05
the holy
57:05
God,
57:05
our creator,
57:07
and this
57:07
commander of
57:08
the Lord's
57:08
army who's
57:09
here before
57:10
us,
57:10
who actually
57:11
comes to
57:12
bring us
57:12
into his
57:13
presence,
57:15
the more we
57:16
realize the
57:16
immensity of
57:17
God,
57:18
the holiness
57:19
of God,
57:20
the uncreated
57:21
being of
57:22
God,
57:24
the more in
57:25
realizing that
57:26
properly and
57:27
believingly and
57:27
lovingly,
57:28
the more you
57:29
will fall
57:29
down and
57:30
say,
57:30
Lord,
57:30
I'm here,
57:31
send me,
57:32
what will
57:32
you have
57:32
me to
57:33
do?
57:34
What does
57:34
my Lord
57:35
command of
57:36
his servant?
57:41
Let that
57:42
question be
57:42
your question
57:43
tonight.
57:45
Let that
57:46
request be
57:47
your request
57:48
and my
57:48
request.
57:52
The same
57:53
God who
57:53
was there in
57:54
the beginning,
57:55
who created
57:56
all things,
57:56
the God
57:58
who was
57:59
with his
57:59
people,
57:59
Israel,
58:00
at the
58:00
beginning of
58:01
their journey
58:02
from Egypt
58:02
to the
58:02
promised land,
58:03
who was
58:04
with them
58:04
through the
58:04
years of
58:05
the wilderness,
58:06
who was
58:06
actually here
58:07
with them
58:07
as they
58:08
entered the
58:08
promised land,
58:09
that same
58:09
God,
58:11
that's the
58:11
God tonight
58:12
who's seeking
58:13
your response,
58:16
who's looking
58:16
for your
58:17
question in
58:17
your heart,
58:18
Lord,
58:18
what will
58:19
you have
58:19
me to
58:20
do?
58:21
What does
58:22
my Lord
58:23
say to
58:24
his servant?
58:26
And as
58:28
it assures
58:28
Joshua of
58:29
the continuing
58:30
leadership of
58:31
God,
58:32
so Joshua
58:33
falls down
58:34
and worships.
58:37
And he
58:37
hears these
58:38
words,
58:38
take off
58:39
your sandals
58:39
from off
58:40
your feet,
58:41
for the
58:42
place where
58:42
you are
58:42
standing is
58:43
holy.
58:45
That's what
58:45
Moses heard
58:46
at the
58:47
beginning of
58:48
his leadership
58:48
of Israel.
58:50
This is what
58:51
Joshua hears
58:52
in this new
58:53
chapter,
58:54
with all of
58:55
these links
58:55
to the
58:55
past.
58:57
This is what
58:58
you and I
58:58
are hearing
58:59
tonight.
59:02
Many millions
59:03
of people
59:03
tonight in
59:04
our nation
59:04
would ridicule
59:06
you for
59:06
believing in
59:07
God.
59:08
I would
59:09
think you
59:09
are stupid
59:10
for emphasizing
59:12
the holiness
59:13
of someone
59:14
you cannot
59:14
see physically.
59:19
But friends,
59:20
you know
59:22
better than
59:22
that.
59:23
you know
59:25
better than
59:25
to think
59:26
that this
59:27
God is
59:27
just under
59:28
somebody's
59:28
control,
59:30
whatever way
59:30
you want
59:31
him.
59:32
And there
59:33
are people
59:33
who use
59:33
the Bible,
59:35
who use
59:36
Christianity
59:36
for that
59:37
purpose,
59:38
who come
59:39
to turn to
59:40
God at
59:40
certain moments
59:41
in their
59:41
lives,
59:43
who maybe
59:43
cry out to
59:44
God in
59:44
their extremities,
59:45
and then
59:47
when the
59:47
issue is
59:48
gone,
59:49
when things
59:49
have improved,
59:50
God recedes
59:51
into the
59:51
background,
59:52
if he's
59:53
really been
59:53
there
59:53
realistically
59:54
at all.
59:58
Hence,
59:58
let's make
59:59
sure tonight
59:59
we're not
1:00:01
serving God
1:00:02
in a way
1:00:04
that just
1:00:04
uses him
1:00:05
for our
1:00:05
benefit,
1:00:07
that uses
1:00:08
him for
1:00:08
our advantage,
1:00:09
to gain
1:00:10
something out
1:00:11
of the
1:00:11
moment.
1:00:12
if you
1:00:14
worship God,
1:00:16
you worship
1:00:16
this God.
1:00:18
If you
1:00:19
think of
1:00:19
God as
1:00:21
God,
1:00:21
then this
1:00:21
is the
1:00:22
God you
1:00:22
think of.
1:00:24
If you
1:00:25
really want
1:00:25
to know
1:00:25
what it
1:00:26
is to
1:00:26
serve the
1:00:27
Lord,
1:00:28
first of
1:00:28
all,
1:00:29
get to
1:00:29
know him
1:00:29
in his
1:00:29
holiness.
1:00:31
And as
1:00:32
you get to
1:00:32
know him
1:00:32
in his
1:00:32
holiness,
1:00:34
respect him
1:00:34
in all
1:00:35
his ways.
1:00:37
And ask
1:00:38
this question
1:00:39
each and
1:00:39
every day,
1:00:40
Lord,
1:00:41
what does
1:00:43
my Lord
1:00:43
say to
1:00:44
his servant?
1:00:46
What can
1:00:46
I do for
1:00:47
you today?
1:00:48
What will
1:00:49
you have
1:00:49
me to
1:00:50
do with
1:00:51
my life
1:00:52
today?
1:00:54
Maybe
1:00:55
here you're
1:00:55
tonight here
1:00:56
and you
1:00:57
haven't yet
1:00:57
started following
1:00:58
the Lord
1:00:59
for yourself.
1:01:03
Maybe you
1:01:03
still don't
1:01:04
know him
1:01:04
as your
1:01:05
own personal
1:01:05
savior.
1:01:07
Maybe you're
1:01:08
hearing these
1:01:08
words and
1:01:09
saying,
1:01:09
I'm,
1:01:09
I know
1:01:11
what they're
1:01:11
saying,
1:01:11
but I'm
1:01:12
not sure.
1:01:14
Should I
1:01:15
or shouldn't
1:01:15
I?
1:01:17
Is he
1:01:18
for me or
1:01:18
against me?
1:01:19
Am I
1:01:19
for him
1:01:20
or against
1:01:20
him?
1:01:22
Well,
1:01:22
don't leave
1:01:23
your mind
1:01:23
questioning.
1:01:25
Just do
1:01:26
what he
1:01:26
requires.
1:01:28
Trust in
1:01:28
him.
1:01:29
Receive
1:01:30
him.
1:01:31
Accept
1:01:31
him.
1:01:33
Give
1:01:33
your mind
1:01:33
and life
1:01:34
to him.
1:01:36
Believe
1:01:36
his word.
1:01:37
serve
1:01:39
him in
1:01:40
whatever
1:01:40
way you
1:01:40
can.
1:01:41
You
1:01:41
don't
1:01:41
have to
1:01:42
occupy a
1:01:42
pulpit.
1:01:43
You
1:01:43
don't have
1:01:44
to be
1:01:44
an elder
1:01:44
or a
1:01:45
deacon.
1:01:47
But in
1:01:48
some way
1:01:48
or other
1:01:48
you do
1:01:49
need to
1:01:49
serve him.
1:01:51
And he
1:01:51
is calling
1:01:52
for your
1:01:52
service
1:01:52
tonight.
1:01:55
Lord,
1:01:56
what will
1:01:56
you have
1:01:56
me to
1:01:57
do?
1:01:58
Will
1:01:58
that not
1:01:59
be your
1:01:59
question?
1:02:01
So that
1:02:02
you also,
1:02:03
like Joshua
1:02:04
and the
1:02:04
people,
1:02:05
will go
1:02:06
forward in
1:02:07
the strength
1:02:08
of the
1:02:09
Lord.
1:02:10
Let's
1:02:10
pray.
1:02:14
Lord,
1:02:14
we continue
1:02:15
to worship
1:02:16
you as
1:02:17
God,
1:02:18
the
1:02:18
commander
1:02:18
of the
1:02:19
armies
1:02:19
of the
1:02:19
Lord.
1:02:21
And we
1:02:21
give thanks
1:02:22
that you
1:02:22
did come
1:02:23
into this
1:02:23
world,
1:02:25
that you
1:02:25
fulfilled all
1:02:26
these times
1:02:27
of anticipation
1:02:28
throughout the
1:02:29
long years of
1:02:29
the Old
1:02:30
Testament age.
1:02:32
We thank
1:02:33
you,
1:02:33
Lord,
1:02:33
that you
1:02:33
came in
1:02:35
a way
1:02:35
that was
1:02:36
prophesied
1:02:37
and yet
1:02:37
in many
1:02:37
ways
1:02:38
unexpected,
1:02:39
that you
1:02:40
came to
1:02:40
be born
1:02:40
into this
1:02:41
world as
1:02:42
a human
1:02:43
infant
1:02:43
child,
1:02:44
that you
1:02:45
developed
1:02:45
in a
1:02:46
human body
1:02:48
and mind
1:02:48
and soul,
1:02:50
that you
1:02:50
came into
1:02:51
this world
1:02:51
so that you
1:02:52
would face
1:02:53
temptation and
1:02:54
suffering and
1:02:54
trial,
1:02:55
but do so
1:02:56
in a way
1:02:57
that overcame.
1:02:58
We thank
1:02:59
you that you
1:02:59
never sinned.
1:03:00
we thank
1:03:01
you that you
1:03:02
overcame
1:03:02
temptation
1:03:03
and death
1:03:05
and the
1:03:05
devil and
1:03:05
the world
1:03:06
and we
1:03:07
thank you
1:03:07
tonight that
1:03:08
you are our
1:03:08
saviour,
1:03:10
that you are
1:03:10
our God,
1:03:11
that you are
1:03:12
our commander
1:03:12
and we pray
1:03:14
all these
1:03:14
things,
1:03:15
O Lord,
1:03:15
seeking that
1:03:16
each and
1:03:16
every day
1:03:17
it may be
1:03:17
our delight
1:03:18
to do
1:03:18
your will
1:03:19
as it
1:03:20
was your
1:03:20
delight to
1:03:22
do the
1:03:22
will of
1:03:22
the Father.
1:03:23
Here is
1:03:24
we pray
1:03:24
for your
1:03:25
name's
1:03:25
sake.
1:03:26
Amen.
1:03:27
Let's
1:03:30
conclude our
1:03:30
service this
1:03:31
evening singing
1:03:31
in Psalm
1:03:34
97.
1:03:37
Psalm 97,
1:03:38
page 128.
1:03:42
We're
1:03:43
singing
1:03:43
verses 7
1:03:44
to 12
1:03:45
to
1:03:46
Tunis
1:03:46
Warrington.
1:03:48
All those
1:03:48
who worship
1:03:49
images are
1:03:49
put to
1:03:50
everlasting
1:03:50
shame.
1:03:52
Their
1:03:52
worthless
1:03:52
idols are
1:03:53
their
1:03:53
boast.
1:03:54
You
1:03:54
gods bow
1:03:55
down before
1:03:56
his name.
1:03:57
All the
1:03:57
way through
1:03:57
the Old
1:03:58
Testament,
1:03:59
the prophecies,
1:04:00
but also in
1:04:00
the Psalms,
1:04:02
you find
1:04:02
idolatry
1:04:03
mentioned so
1:04:04
frequently because
1:04:06
the idolatry
1:04:07
then and
1:04:07
now is
1:04:08
idolatry that
1:04:09
challenges the
1:04:10
Lord's right
1:04:11
to rule and
1:04:12
challenges the
1:04:13
uniqueness of
1:04:14
God as
1:04:15
who alone
1:04:15
is to be
1:04:16
worshipped.
1:04:17
So we'll
1:04:18
sing these
1:04:18
verses to
1:04:19
Tune
1:04:19
Warrington
1:04:19
from verse
1:04:21
7,
1:04:21
All those
1:04:22
who worship
1:04:22
images.
1:04:23
are
1:04:37
good to
1:04:39
ever
1:04:41
asking
1:04:43
shame.
1:04:45
Their
1:04:46
worthless
1:04:47
idols
1:04:49
are
1:04:51
their
1:04:52
holes
1:04:53
new
1:04:54
gods
1:04:55
by
1:04:56
hand
1:04:57
before
1:04:59
his
1:05:00
name.
1:05:02
To
1:05:03
Zion
1:05:04
and
1:05:05
Judah
1:05:09
stand,
1:05:11
your
1:05:12
justice
1:05:13
Lord,
1:05:15
rejoice
1:05:18
and
1:05:18
die.
1:05:20
love
1:05:21
of the
1:05:22
earth
1:05:24
and
1:05:25
all
1:05:26
the
1:05:27
God
1:05:28
exalted
1:05:31
in
1:05:33
the
1:05:34
Lord
1:05:35
whose
1:05:36
time
1:05:38
he
1:05:39
gave
1:05:40
the
1:05:41
youth
1:05:42
who
1:05:43
loved
1:05:44
the
1:05:45
Lord
1:05:46
who
1:05:48
stayed
1:05:48
for
1:05:50
once
1:05:51
he
1:05:52
will
1:05:53
de
1:05:54
him
1:05:55
and
1:05:57
from
1:05:57
the
1:05:58
hands
1:05:59
of
1:06:00
wicked
1:06:02
may
1:06:04
to
1:06:05
him
1:06:06
he
1:06:07
liberals
1:06:09
he
1:06:10
will
1:06:11
say
1:06:12
!
1:06:14
upon
1:06:15
the
1:06:16
righteous
1:06:18
light
1:06:20
will
1:06:21
shine
1:06:22
and
1:06:23
joy
1:06:24
of
1:06:25
those
1:06:27
of
1:06:27
our
1:06:29
life
1:06:30
who
1:06:31
righteous
1:06:33
in
1:06:35
the
1:06:36
Lord
1:06:37
rejoice
1:06:39
and
1:06:41
to
1:06:41
his
1:06:43
holy
1:06:44
name
1:06:45
him
1:06:47
praise
1:06:48
I'll go
1:06:51
to the
1:06:51
door down
1:06:51
to my
1:06:51
right
1:06:52
this
1:06:52
evening.
1:06:54
Now may
1:06:54
the grace
1:06:55
of the
1:06:55
Lord
1:06:55
Jesus
1:06:56
Christ
1:06:56
the love
1:06:57
of God
1:06:57
the
1:06:57
Father
1:06:58
and the
1:06:58
communion
1:06:59
of the
1:06:59
Holy
1:06:59
Spirit
1:07:00
be your
1:07:00
portion
1:07:01
now
1:07:01
and
1:07:01
ever
1:07:01
more.
1:07:02
Amen.