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Resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15 (5) - But In Fact Christ Has Been Raised · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We begin our worship of God this evening, and our first singing is Psalm 9.
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Psalm number 9 in the Sing Psalms version, that's page 9.
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The tune is Glasgow, and singing verses 7 to 12.
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The Lord forever reigns on high, His throne for judgment stands.
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He'll judge the world in righteousness, with justice rule the lands.
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Psalm 9a, page number 9, from verse 7.
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If you're able to stand, please stand, and we'll sing these verses.
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Amen.
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The Lord will be a hiding place for those who are in the land.
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With justice rule the lands.
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The Lord will be a hiding place for those who are in the land.
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And he will be a strong defense for those who are in the land.
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All those who know your name, O Lord, they knew their gospel place.
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For you do not have found the close, who sing your gracious ways.
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Sing praises to the Lord who says,
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And Zion on his throne.
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Among the nations of the world proclaim what he has done.
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For he, the Lord, he has done.
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For he, the angel of the land's blood, remembers evermore.
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The cry of the Lord, the cry of the Lord, he never will be more.
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Let's call upon the Lord now in prayer.
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Let's join our minds together in prayer.
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Our gracious and eternal God,
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we give thanks for this time again that we're able to gather around your word,
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that we're able to call upon your name and sing your praises,
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and to give our mind to the teaching of your word.
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And we thank you, Lord, for every opportunity we do have to worship you,
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and to worship you to the notice of the world around us,
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so that we may keep before the mind of the world
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the fact that we believe in you as our God,
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that we believe in your worthiness to be worshipped,
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and that we ourselves would prove as we hope to be the conscience of the world.
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And, Lord, we ask to that end that you would enable us in reaching out to the world,
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in different ways apart from our gathering together,
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that we may rely upon your own power and your own blessing.
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Lord, we ask again that you would guide us into your word of truth this evening.
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We thank you for these great words that we have already been singing,
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of the way in which you remember your people,
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and for the way in which your remembrance contains so much blessing for us.
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We thank you that your people are ever in your thoughts.
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There is never a moment in our passing of time when your people are out of your mind.
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And we bless you, Lord, for the peace that that brings to us.
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For we know how much we ourselves, Lord, are prone to forget,
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how much we are prone to wander from your ways,
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and need to be recovered.
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And we pray that you would grant us tonight, O Lord,
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that your word will speak to us,
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and that we will know, Lord, that our lives have once again been affected by it.
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Shape our minds and our thoughts, we pray,
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through the truth of your word.
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And give to us that we may be all the more burdened
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to convey the teaching of your word to the world around us too.
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We ask, Lord, that you remember every gathering of your people this evening.
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We pray that wherever they gather,
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and wherever your people gather and have gathered throughout the world,
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we ask that your blessing that we seek for ourselves will be with them.
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We pray that your Holy Spirit will be active amongst them.
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We pray that they may know your guidance and your counsel,
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and your strengthening of them to continue to live as your people.
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We pray, Lord, at this time that you would be pleased to bless us as a people,
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as a congregation of your people.
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Bless us in all the activities we engage in.
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Thank you for the privilege of being able to serve you
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in the different ways in which we as individuals do so
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in this congregation and in our community.
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And, Lord, we ask that all our efforts may prove to be blessed by you
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and pleasing to you.
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For we seek, Lord, that they will be so.
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That they will be used by you as means and as channels of blessing to others.
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And we ask that you would grant your blessing, therefore,
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to all age groups in the congregation
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in all their activities through each week.
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We thank you for your protective care of us.
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We pray that that will continue.
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And enable us, O Lord, at all our age groups to walk in your ways.
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And as we teach our children your ways, we ask that you would establish them in these ways.
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And that you would give to them, O Lord, to take up the work of the gospel in their own time.
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We pray that they may be faithful testimony to you and to your grace.
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As they would come by your blessing to be incorporated into the number of your confessing people.
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And we ask, O God, that you would grant blessing to those tonight who cannot be with us.
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Remember those who are confined to their homes.
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Those who are watching online.
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We ask, Lord, that you'd bless those in care homes.
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Those, Lord, in hospital.
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We pray that you'd grant your blessing to all such who belong to us.
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And bless us in our families and strengthen us.
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And the ties that bind us together as families.
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The ties that bind us together as a people in the congregation.
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We pray tonight that you'd bless those who are facing difficulties and struggles in life.
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We ask again that you'd bless those we know and those who belong to us.
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Who may be struggling financially.
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Who may have many anxieties, O Lord.
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Lord, in these days over different issues.
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We pray that those who are struggling also with health.
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Whether mental health or physical health.
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That they too may know your blessing.
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We pray for those who are preparing for surgery or for treatment in days to come.
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We commend them, Lord, to your care.
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And ask that your blessing will reach them too.
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We pray that you would prepare us all for eventualities that lie ahead of us in your providence.
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We pray that we may know the strength of your grace.
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So that whatever we need to confront, Lord, we may do so.
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In the confidence that the strength and grace of Christ brings to us.
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Remember those who are seriously ill.
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And who in likelihood are approaching the borders of death.
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We pray that you would grant them your blessing and strengthening too.
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And Lord, we ask that you would give them the faith that trusts in you.
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So that they may know that safe way and conduct of them into heaven itself.
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And we pray your blessing too, O Lord, for all who help us in our times of need in our community.
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And we give thanks for them.
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We pray for all the medical staff.
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For all who look after those in care homes and in the hospice.
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And we commit this to you and ask your blessing for each and all of them.
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And all the residents and all the patients.
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We pray for the Corlea, for those, Lord, who are counselors of the various districts of this ward.
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And we pray, gracious one, that you would grant your blessing to them and all other wards likewise.
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We pray for those who are officers of the council.
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We pray that you would bless them from day to day.
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And give them, Lord, in difficult and testing times.
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And we pray for those who are counselors of the people, both financially and otherwise.
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That they may come to depend upon yourself and provide for them, we pray.
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And for us as a people.
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We pray, Lord, in the wider sense for the people of our nation.
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And ask that you would bless us.
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We confess, Lord, to our shame that we have so departed from your ways so badly.
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That we have come to love the works of darkness in such a large measure.
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And we pray that you would deliver us, Lord, from that.
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We pray that the power and the grace of the gospel, the power and the grace of Christ may come to work among us through your Spirit.
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And we pray, gracious one, in your mercy that you would turn to us and turn us to you.
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That you would restore the many years the locusts have eaten, as your word describes it.
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Many years of wastage.
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Many years when we have looked to other means of sufficiency that cannot possibly be in your place.
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And we pray, gracious one, that you would return us to yourself and to your ways and to your gospel and to your truth.
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Remember your faithful people, Lord, throughout our land.
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As they cry to you for blessing.
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As they pray to you.
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Remember them each one and all of them alike.
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Remember our young people.
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Be with them.
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Those in preschool and those in primary and those in secondary.
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And as they too face so many challenges in life.
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Lord, we pray for them and ask that you would keep them and maintain them.
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And help them, Lord, to walk in ways of truth and righteousness and wholesomeness.
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We pray for our teachers, for all who teach our young people in school and children in primary.
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Oh, Lord, we pray for them too.
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And ask that you would be with them in the challenges that they face too.
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And bless especially our governments at this time.
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We pray for those who are in authority over us.
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And we ask, gracious one, that you'd be pleased to bless them with light from on high.
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With the wisdom that you alone are able to give.
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And with that which would enable them to rule wisely.
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To govern justly and in righteousness and in truth.
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We ask that you would bless our king.
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That you'd bless him towards his coronation shortly.
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Lord, we ask that you would keep him also.
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And grant to him that he may be faithful to the truth of the scriptures.
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That he may know, Lord, of your own guidance of him through that truth.
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We pray for those who help in other ways in our community.
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We pray for our street pastors.
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We commend them to you, Lord.
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Especially those of them newly inducted to the office of street pastor in recent days.
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And we pray that your blessing will be with them.
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And to that end we commend them to you.
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And we pray too, O Lord, that your blessing will be with those in Tolstah.
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And with Donald himself.
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As he prepares to be married spiritually to that congregation.
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We thank you for the way that you have brought this about.
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And we pray for himself.
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And we pray for the congregation.
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We pray for him too in his personal life.
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That you will bless himself and Emma as they anticipate marriage.
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O Lord, we commend them to you as a couple.
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And pray that your blessing will rest upon them in these new chapters in their lives.
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And we commend them to you and to your grace.
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Remember too, Eoin and Don.
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You have recently become engaged.
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We thank you for them.
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And for the happy news of their engagement.
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And Lord, we ask that your blessing will be with them.
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As they come to anticipate married life together.
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We thank you for them and for their testimony.
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To your grace and to your goodness.
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And we pray that you would keep them and help them, Lord.
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As they together now show their love for each other to the world.
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Maintain them, we pray, in walking in your ways.
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Grant these blessings to us now, we pray.
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Pardoning our many sins for Jesus' sake.
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Amen.
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Let's continue to praise God.
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This time we're singing in Psalm 63.
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Psalm 63.
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Again, this is the Scottish Psalms.
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The Sing Psalms.
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That's on page number 80.
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Verses 1 to 8.
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The tune this time is Rockingham.
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O God, you are my God alone.
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I seek your face with eagerness.
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My soul and body thirst for you in this dry, weary wilderness.
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Psalm 63.
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To the tune Rockingham.
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Verses 1 to 8.
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Amen.
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O God, you are my God alone.
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I seek your face with eagerness.
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My soul and body thirst for you in this dry, weary wilderness.
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I've seen you live in your holy place.
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Your power and glory held my gaze.
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Our day the midst you're loved and mine, and so my lips will sing your praise.
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I'll bless you, Lord, throughout my life, and praise my love to you in prayer.
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My joyfulness will sing your praise.
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My soul is fed with riches dear.
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Upon my bed I lie awake, and in my thoughts remember you.
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I meditate throughout the night, and keep your constant love in view.
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Because you are my help alone, in shadow of your wings I sing.
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You hold me up with your right hand.
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To you, O Lord, I so will bring.
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Let's turn to read God's Word.
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The reading this evening is in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 28.
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And reading through the whole chapter, we're going to turn again this evening to 1 Corinthians 15,
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to that great chapter about the resurrection.
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So in Matthew 28 we read about the resurrection of Jesus himself from the dead.
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Now after the Sabbath towards the dawn of the first day of the week,
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Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
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And behold, there was a great earthquake,
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for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven,
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and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.
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His appearance was like lightning,
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and his clothing white as snow.
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And for fear of him the guards trembled,
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and became like dead men.
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But the angel said to the woman,
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Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who was crucified.
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He is not here, for he has risen.
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As he said, come, see,
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he has risen, as he said,
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and come, see the place where he lay.
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Then go quickly and tell his disciples
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that he has risen from the dead.
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And behold, he is going before you to Galilee,
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there you will see him.
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See, I have told you.
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So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy,
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and ran to tell his disciples.
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And behold, Jesus met them and said,
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Greetings.
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And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him.
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And Jesus said to them,
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Do not be afraid.
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Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee,
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and there they will see me.
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While they were going,
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behold, some of the guard went into the city
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and told the chief priests all that had taken place.
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And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel,
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they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said,
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Tell people his disciples came by night
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and stole him away while we were asleep.
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And if this comes to the governor's ears,
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we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.
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So they took the money and did as they were directed.
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And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
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Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee,
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to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
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And when they saw him,
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they worshipped him,
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but some doubted.
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And Jesus came and said to them,
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All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
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Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
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baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
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teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
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And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.
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Again, we pray that God will bless to us that reading of his word.
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Once more, let's sing before we come to 1 Corinthians 15.
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And this time it's in Psalm 68.
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Psalm 68 on page 303 of the psalm books.
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And the tune is Sheffield.
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Singing verses 18 to 20.
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Thou hast, O Lord, most glorious, ascended up on high,
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and in triumph victorious led captive captivity.
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Thou hast received gifts for men for such as did rebel,
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yea, even for them that God the Lord in midst of them might dwell.
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Psalm 68, the verses marked 18 to 20 to God's praise.
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The Lord in the midst of the psalm books.
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The Lord in the midst of the psalm books.
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Thou hast, O Lord, most glorious,
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ascended upon high,
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and in triumph victorious led captive captive captive captive captive captive.
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Thou hast received gifts for men for such as did rebel.
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Thou hast received gifts for men for such as did rebel.
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And yet he for them that God the Lord in midst of them might dwell.
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The land's deep, the Lord who is to us,
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all our salvation, all.
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Thou hast, O Lord, most glorious, ascended upon high,
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and in triumph of the Lord in the midst of the Lord's name.
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Thou hast, O Lord, most glorious, as did rebel.
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He of salvation is the God, who is our God, O song.
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And that to God, the Lord from death, the issues to belong.
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Well, let's turn now to 1 Corinthians 15 and reading at verse 20.
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1 Corinthians chapter 15 and at verse 20.
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But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
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For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
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For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive, but each in his own order.
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Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
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Then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father,
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after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
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For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
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The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
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Now we're going to confine our thoughts this evening to verses 20 to 22.
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Because there's enough in these three verses to keep our minds occupied for some time this evening.
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Now you see in verses, remember,
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previously we've looked at the early part of the chapter up to verse 20 here.
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And verses 1 to 19, we've seen the consequences in different ways.
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Described the consequences.
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If there were no such thing as resurrection,
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Paul has been dealing with some of the consequences,
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both with regard to Jesus himself.
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He must not,
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if there's no resurrection,
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then he could not have been raised from the dead.
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And also there is no such thing as resurrection for us to anticipate either.
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So all the way through,
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he's been dealing with these if-then sort of statements.
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If this is the case,
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then this is what follows.
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And you get the impression that he was longing,
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and I'm sure he was longing in many ways,
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to get to verse 20 here,
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where he says,
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but in fact,
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is this really what he wants to get to now?
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And for the following verses in the chapter,
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he wants to really get to this point
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where he can demonstrate assuredly
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that Jesus has, in fact,
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been raised from the dead.
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That there has been such a thing as resurrection
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in the case of Jesus himself.
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And therefore, that things follow on from that also.
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So in a sense,
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he's reversing the argument.
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Previously, he said,
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if there's no resurrection,
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then Christ is not raised,
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then we are still in our sins,
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then there's no hope for us for eternity.
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Now he's turning that round and saying,
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but now that Christ has been raised from the dead,
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then this is what follows now
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by virtue of that.
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But in fact,
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Christ has been raised from the dead.
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And the first thing we want to look at
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is how he says that in such an assured way,
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but also describes it in terms of Jesus being
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the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
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And then we'll come secondly
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to look at something Paul speaks of elsewhere,
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as we'll see in Romans chapter 5 especially,
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where he brings out the relationship
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between Jesus and Adam,
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the first man created by God.
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And now there's a particular relationship there
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in terms of those that they represent,
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Adam being the head of the whole human race,
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apart from Jesus and his humanity,
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and Jesus being the head
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of all his redeemed people.
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And now that's important for the apostle
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as far as resurrection is concerned,
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and the resurrection in the future too,
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of God's people,
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how that also is taken account of
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in what he's saying.
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So we're going to confine ourselves
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to those particular aspects of the passage.
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Christ, the first fruits,
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and then Christ, the last Adam,
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as called elsewhere in Romans.
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So here is what he's saying,
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but in fact Christ has been raised from the dead.
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Now this is really a burst of triumphant positivity,
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you might call it,
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in light of following all that he's been saying before.
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He now comes to this where he's saying,
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but in fact,
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and the language is really stronger
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than is easy to convey in any translation of it.
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It's really Paul just bursting out positively
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and triumphantly in what he's saying,
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so that he's now saying,
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no longer if this is the case,
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then this is also the case,
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but he's now saying,
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this is in fact the case.
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This is the certainty of the matter.
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And all the arguments that follow on from that
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are actually based upon the reality
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of this being true,
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of this being factually true,
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of Christ having indeed been raised from the dead.
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Now we mentioned earlier
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in going through the earlier verses
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that this is important for us
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in terms of what our present life consists of
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and what sort of outlook we have in the present life
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and how we view things not only for our present life,
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but on into eternity itself.
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Because to deny the reality of this resurrection of Jesus
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and therefore to deny the reality of resurrection at all
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is really to extract the element of hope from human life.
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Now we often say this,
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that hope in the biblical sense,
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in the New Testament sense,
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and Old Testament too,
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hope in the biblical sense
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is much more than the kind of hoping for the best
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that we have in the ordinary sense in the course of life.
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We could hope for the best tomorrow.
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We could hope that something would really happen
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and that this would be a great thing
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if we could actually participate in something.
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We can hope that that would be the case,
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but we can't have any guarantee that it will.
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But this hope that the Bible speaks about,
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the hope that's connected inseparably with the resurrection of Christ,
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it's a certain hope.
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It's what Peter in his first epistle calls a living hope.
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It's a hope that will never be disappointed
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because it will always result in what God has promised of eternal life.
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And if you take away the resurrection of Jesus,
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you're leaving human life without this hope.
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There is no other place where you can find hope.
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And friends,
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when you look at the world in which we live,
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when you look at its grayness,
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when you look at its darkness,
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when you look at its hopelessness,
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when you look at the elements of despair
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and near despair in people's lives,
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we have to actually realize
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that that is because they don't have this hope.
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However positive people might be in their lives,
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it's a very different matter to have
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the positivity that Paul is speaking of here,
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the positivity of forward-looking
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in hope for the resurrection and to eternal life.
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A life that's not based on Jesus
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and on the resurrection of Jesus,
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on the risen Jesus,
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is a very sad life.
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It's a very hopeless life.
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Indeed, the Bible talks about it as a very dark life.
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We'll read Ephesians,
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a bit from Ephesians 2 later,
31:48
but you remember how Ephesians 2 begins,
31:50
you who were dead in trespasses and sins.
31:56
Because when a human life is not connected
31:58
vitally to Christ,
32:01
there is no life spiritually in that life,
32:04
in that person.
32:08
And friends, tonight,
32:09
as we look out over the world,
32:10
this is surely the message
32:12
the world needs to hear,
32:13
the message the world needs to accept
32:15
by the blessing of God,
32:17
the message of hope,
32:18
the message of the risen Christ,
32:21
Christ risen from the dead,
32:22
death being vanquished,
32:24
death overcome,
32:25
death defeated,
32:27
death put beneath his feet.
32:28
That's why we have a Bible.
32:33
That's why we need the Bible.
32:35
That's why we need the Bible
32:37
not just preached to us,
32:39
but witnessed to us
32:40
in our lives in the world.
32:42
That's why our testimony in the gospel
32:44
is crucial to the world in which we live.
32:47
That's why evangelism is so important.
32:50
Because this is really holding out
32:52
the message of life,
32:54
the message of hope.
32:55
And it's no accident
32:58
that we find
32:59
the three sessions
33:00
that we look forward to
33:02
in the congregation,
33:05
where they,
33:06
in turn,
33:07
these three evenings
33:08
are going to be dealing
33:09
with the issue of hope.
33:12
The resurrection of the life of Jesus,
33:14
the resurrection of Jesus,
33:16
the death of Jesus,
33:16
the resurrection of Jesus,
33:18
where you find that as hope.
33:22
In one word,
33:22
it's hope that describes
33:24
all of that
33:25
and the result of that
33:26
for us as a people.
33:29
And that's what the world needs.
33:31
And that's why we would like to see
33:32
you bringing others
33:34
to these meetings as well,
33:36
to hear about this hope,
33:38
to learn about this Jesus,
33:40
to learn about his life,
33:41
his death on the cross,
33:43
and his resurrection from the dead,
33:46
the very basis of the hope
33:47
that the Bible speaks about.
33:49
But in fact, he says,
33:53
Christ has been raised.
33:56
He wants the Corinthians
33:57
who have certain disputes
33:59
or uncertainties about resurrection.
34:01
As he says in verse 12,
34:03
how can some of you say
34:04
there is no resurrection of the dead
34:06
if Christ is proclaimed
34:07
as raised from the dead?
34:09
Why are you saying,
34:10
he's saying to them,
34:10
why are you saying,
34:11
why are you thinking
34:11
there's no such thing as resurrection?
34:13
Because if and then
34:14
Christ has been raised.
34:16
But now he's saying
34:17
Christ has been raised.
34:18
He wants them to take
34:19
this tremendous truth,
34:22
this great fact,
34:23
into their consideration
34:24
more and more
34:25
and to live it out
34:26
in their lives
34:27
so that the risen Christ
34:28
will be seen through them.
34:29
And isn't that why we live?
34:32
Isn't that what his church is about?
34:34
Isn't that what
34:35
bearing testimony to Jesus is about?
34:38
Isn't that why
34:38
he's made you a Christian?
34:41
Isn't that why
34:41
he's given you this hope?
34:43
Not so that you'll keep it to yourself,
34:45
but that you'll say
34:47
to this world
34:49
that's so devoid
34:50
largely of hope,
34:51
look, I can tell you
34:52
where hope is found.
34:55
I can speak of a hope
34:56
that I've been given,
34:59
that I haven't created,
35:00
but that can be yours as well.
35:03
Say that to the world.
35:04
Bring that to the world.
35:06
That's what
35:06
the message of the gospel
35:08
and the testimony
35:09
of God's people is about.
35:11
And he goes on to speak there
35:14
about Jesus
35:15
as the first fruits
35:17
of those who have fallen asleep.
35:19
What does he mean here
35:20
by the first fruits
35:22
of those who have fallen asleep?
35:23
Well, we saw earlier
35:24
in the chapter in verse 18,
35:26
those who have fallen asleep,
35:29
those who have fallen asleep
35:30
in Christ have perished
35:31
if there's no such thing
35:32
as resurrection.
35:33
We saw that that describes
35:35
those who have passed on
35:37
from this life,
35:39
who've died,
35:39
but whose bodies
35:42
have been laid out
35:44
in sleep, as it were.
35:46
They themselves continue
35:48
to live in their souls
35:49
in eternity,
35:51
but they are asleep
35:53
as far as their bodies
35:54
are concerned.
35:55
They are awaiting
35:56
the resurrection
35:56
when Jesus comes.
35:59
And what he's saying here,
36:01
he has been raised
36:02
the first fruits
36:03
of those who have fallen asleep.
36:06
Now, you need to go back
36:07
to the Old Testament for this,
36:09
to get an insight
36:11
into the meaning
36:12
of the words first fruits
36:13
or this description
36:15
of Jesus
36:16
as the first fruits
36:17
of those who have fallen asleep.
36:19
I need to go especially
36:20
to the likes of Leviticus
36:22
chapter 23
36:23
and verse 10.
36:25
And that short passage
36:26
talks about
36:27
when the harvest
36:28
was brought in
36:28
by the people of Israel
36:30
having settled in Canaan,
36:32
having come to enjoy
36:33
the fruits,
36:33
the harvest of the land.
36:35
When the harvest
36:36
was being taken in,
36:38
they would take
36:38
a sheaf of the harvest
36:40
and bring it to the priests
36:41
and that priest
36:42
would wave it
36:42
before the people.
36:44
It was the first fruits
36:45
of the harvest.
36:48
And it was important
36:49
as the first fruits
36:51
of the harvest.
36:51
Why did God
36:52
actually
36:53
command that this
36:55
be done?
36:56
What was this instruction
36:57
about?
36:58
Well, the first fruits,
36:59
this first sheaf
37:00
of the harvest
37:01
is really
37:02
the representation
37:03
of the whole harvest
37:05
and it's saying
37:06
a number of things
37:07
to the people of Israel.
37:08
It's saying,
37:08
first of all,
37:09
that whole harvest
37:10
actually belongs
37:11
to God.
37:13
But apart from this sheaf,
37:15
He's given it to you
37:16
to enjoy.
37:18
And it was also saying
37:19
to them,
37:19
not only is that the case,
37:21
but this first sheaf
37:23
of the harvest
37:24
is expressive
37:25
of its quality
37:27
because Canaan
37:28
was a place
37:28
of abundant produce,
37:30
abundant growth.
37:32
And when they were
37:33
bringing in this
37:33
first sheaf of the harvest
37:35
and showing its quality,
37:37
then the Lord
37:37
was saying to them,
37:38
this is the quality
37:39
of the harvest.
37:40
This is the first installment,
37:42
but it tells you
37:43
what the rest is like.
37:46
And the third thing
37:47
it said was that
37:48
because this is
37:50
the first fruits,
37:51
now you're seeing
37:52
with your own eyes
37:53
in this sheaf
37:54
what represents
37:55
the whole harvest,
37:56
the rest is then
37:58
guaranteed to you.
37:59
it's here
38:01
in this sheaf
38:02
the rest
38:04
is going to follow
38:06
in due time.
38:08
And what Jesus is
38:10
is the first fruits
38:11
of those who have
38:11
fallen asleep
38:12
because Christ's
38:14
own resurrection
38:15
from the dead
38:16
is itself
38:18
the first fruits
38:19
in the sense
38:20
that all of God's
38:22
redeemed people
38:23
are bound up
38:24
in His resurrection.
38:25
He is the first fruits,
38:28
really the first
38:29
pledge of the whole harvest
38:30
if you like.
38:31
He is the first one
38:32
risen from the dead.
38:34
The rest are then
38:35
going to follow.
38:37
And because He has come
38:38
to be raised
38:39
from the dead,
38:40
there's an assurance
38:41
given by Him
38:43
being the first fruits
38:44
that the rest
38:45
inevitably will follow.
38:47
There is not
38:48
a single person
38:49
for whom Christ died
38:51
that will be left out
38:53
at the resurrection
38:54
unto life.
38:56
Why?
38:57
Because they are in Christ.
38:59
Because when He rose
39:01
from the dead
39:01
as the first fruits,
39:03
God was saying,
39:05
this is the first
39:06
of my harvest
39:07
of salvation.
39:09
My own Son
39:10
risen from the dead
39:11
is a pledge
39:12
that the remainder
39:14
will in fact
39:14
be taken in
39:15
in due time.
39:17
He is the first one.
39:18
He has established
39:19
that the rest
39:21
will follow.
39:21
But there's this too.
39:22
just as it was
39:24
with the ordinary harvest,
39:25
so it is
39:26
with the resurrection
39:27
of Christ.
39:28
And this is dealt
39:29
with later on
39:30
in the chapter.
39:31
We're just anticipating
39:32
it very briefly.
39:34
The quality
39:35
of Christ's resurrection,
39:37
if we can put it
39:38
that way,
39:39
is the guarantee
39:40
of the quality
39:41
of the resurrection
39:42
of His people.
39:44
In other words,
39:45
Christ has been raised
39:47
to the other side
39:48
of death completely.
39:50
Death is behind Him.
39:52
Nothing of that
39:53
will ever enter
39:54
into His experience again.
39:55
He's at the right hand
39:56
of God.
39:56
He's in heaven.
39:58
And as the first fruits
40:00
of His own saved people,
40:02
He is guaranteeing,
40:04
look at my resurrection.
40:06
Look at what's through
40:07
about my resurrection
40:08
from the dead.
40:09
Look at what's through
40:10
of my risen body.
40:12
And that guarantees
40:15
the quality of your own.
40:18
There will be no more death.
40:20
No more crying.
40:21
No more sorrow.
40:22
No more tears.
40:24
No more temptations.
40:26
Nothing of what we associated
40:28
living bodily in this life.
40:32
He is the first fruits.
40:34
And He's the guarantee
40:35
that the whole harvest
40:36
is certainly going to follow.
40:40
This is why Paul
40:41
was so anxious
40:42
to get to this point,
40:43
this positive point
40:45
in his exposition.
40:46
In fact,
40:47
Christ has been raised
40:48
from the dead,
40:50
the first fruits
40:51
of those who have fallen asleep.
40:55
You can tell in 1 Thessalonians 4
40:57
that he deals with that as well.
40:59
There were some in Thessalonica
41:01
that were asking the question,
41:03
well, what's happened
41:04
to those believers
41:05
that were with us
41:06
and are no longer in this world?
41:09
What's going to happen to them
41:10
when Jesus returns?
41:12
Will they be left out of
41:14
that resurrection
41:15
that will take place
41:16
at His coming?
41:17
And Paul is saying
41:18
that of course they will.
41:19
No, they certainly will not
41:21
because they will participate
41:23
through resurrection
41:25
from the dead.
41:27
They will participate
41:28
as Christ returns
41:30
in the overall resurrection
41:32
of His own people
41:35
who are asleep
41:35
and who will be joined
41:38
with those who are left
41:39
living in the world
41:40
to celebrate His return,
41:43
to participate in His return,
41:46
to be glorified at His return.
41:51
Christ is indeed, He says,
41:53
in fact,
41:54
He has been raised
41:55
from the dead,
41:57
the first fruits of those
41:58
who have fallen asleep.
42:00
And then He comes to speak
42:04
about Christ and Adam.
42:06
For as by a man came death,
42:08
by a man has come also
42:10
the resurrection of the dead.
42:13
For as in Adam all die,
42:15
so also in Christ
42:17
shall all be made alive.
42:20
We'll confine it to that
42:21
for the remainder
42:23
of our study this evening.
42:25
As by a man came death,
42:27
well, obviously,
42:27
that's Adam.
42:29
The moment Adam sinned
42:30
against God,
42:32
he brought death
42:32
not only on himself
42:33
but on his posterity.
42:36
As our catechism reminds us,
42:37
on all his posterity
42:39
who descended from him.
42:41
There's a wonderful way
42:42
in which the catechism
42:44
describes this
42:44
in Shorter Catechism 16.
42:47
Did all mankind fall
42:49
in Adam's first transgression?
42:52
Then it says,
42:53
the covenant being made
42:54
with Adam,
42:55
not only for himself
42:56
but also for his posterity,
42:58
all mankind descending from him
43:01
by ordinary generation,
43:03
that leaves out
43:04
the humanity of Christ,
43:06
by ordinary generation,
43:07
sinned in him
43:08
and fell with him
43:10
in his first transgression.
43:13
And that's from Romans 5.
43:15
Romans 5 verse 12
43:16
says as follows.
43:20
I'm going to flick through
43:21
a number of passages
43:22
from Paul's letters
43:24
for the next few minutes.
43:25
Romans 5 verse 12.
43:28
Therefore just as sin
43:29
came into the world
43:31
through one man
43:32
and death through sin
43:33
and so death spread
43:35
to all men
43:36
because all sinned.
43:40
See what that's saying?
43:42
It's not all have come
43:43
to sin since Adam
43:45
but all actually sinned
43:47
in Adam.
43:49
Because you see,
43:49
Adam was set by God
43:52
as the representative head
43:54
of the human race
43:55
so that whatever he did
43:58
as he represented
43:59
the whole human race
44:00
would pass on
44:01
to the human race.
44:03
Either he would stand
44:04
the test
44:04
in the Garden of Eden
44:06
and the whole human race
44:08
would then come
44:08
to be saved.
44:11
Although,
44:12
that of course
44:12
isn't what happened
44:13
and there are mysteries
44:15
of course associated
44:16
with this.
44:17
But we know what happened
44:18
was he disobeyed God
44:19
and therefore
44:21
when he fell
44:22
and when he brought
44:23
death on himself
44:24
all those he represented
44:26
he brought death
44:27
upon as well.
44:28
All sinned
44:30
in Adam.
44:32
You and I are taken
44:33
as having sinned
44:34
in him.
44:37
And I know
44:37
that's difficult
44:37
for us
44:38
both to understand
44:39
and to accept
44:40
but that's
44:41
how the Bible
44:41
teaches us
44:42
our relation
44:43
to Adam.
44:45
That by a man
44:46
came death.
44:48
by a man
44:49
also has come
44:50
the resurrection
44:51
of the dead
44:52
he's saying.
44:53
So in other words
44:53
when you find
44:55
Adam
44:55
driven out
44:56
of the Garden of Eden
44:58
and he was
44:59
driven out
45:00
it wasn't a kind
45:02
invitation
45:02
or a gentle invitation
45:04
that God said to him
45:05
now look
45:06
you've done something
45:07
really drastic
45:08
so I invite you
45:09
now to leave
45:10
and I'm going to
45:11
close the gate
45:11
behind you.
45:12
He drove him out.
45:14
The seriousness
45:15
of what he had done
45:16
we cannot appreciate
45:17
we cannot estimate
45:18
because we're now
45:19
sinners
45:20
and our mind
45:21
is blinded
45:21
to an extent
45:22
to the seriousness
45:23
of sin
45:24
to the seriousness
45:24
of rebellion
45:25
against God
45:26
to the seriousness
45:27
of unrighteousness
45:29
and of living
45:30
contrary to the
45:31
will of God.
45:33
And so God
45:33
drove him out
45:35
of the Garden
45:36
along with Eve
45:37
and he put a barrier
45:40
there
45:40
so that he could not
45:42
return
45:42
to the Garden
45:43
of Eden.
45:44
Well there you see
45:46
is the human race
45:48
there is adamantous
45:50
posterity in him
45:51
and they're outside
45:53
of the Garden
45:54
of Eden now
45:55
they're no longer
45:57
within the confines
45:58
of life
45:58
they are now
46:00
in death
46:01
they're embroiled
46:03
in death
46:03
they're encased
46:04
in death
46:05
you know that
46:06
famous passage
46:07
in John 11
46:08
when Jesus came
46:09
to the tomb
46:09
of Lazarus
46:10
he groaned
46:12
within himself
46:12
because he knew
46:14
that that body
46:15
of Lazarus
46:16
in the tomb
46:17
was itself
46:18
emblematic
46:19
of what mankind
46:20
had done
46:20
to themselves
46:21
in Adam
46:22
all sinned
46:24
in Adam
46:24
and the result
46:25
of that
46:26
the wages of sin
46:27
is death
46:27
and when Jesus
46:28
came groaning
46:29
to the sepulcher
46:30
of Lazarus
46:31
he wasn't just
46:32
showing a sympathy
46:34
with Mary and Martha
46:35
because their brother
46:36
had died
46:36
there was certainly
46:38
that
46:38
but he was thinking
46:39
at the time
46:40
was death
46:41
and Lazarus
46:42
encased in death
46:44
he was
46:44
as it were
46:45
if we can
46:46
put it in such words
46:48
he was saying
46:49
within himself
46:50
I created
46:53
human beings
46:55
to live forever
46:57
and this is what
46:59
they've come to
47:00
this is where
47:03
they are
47:04
they're encased
47:07
in death
47:07
by one man
47:10
death came
47:12
into the world
47:13
all sinned
47:16
in Adam
47:16
but then he goes on
47:18
positively to say
47:20
that because
47:22
there's no way back
47:23
in Adam
47:24
or for ourselves
47:25
so also
47:27
by a man
47:27
has come
47:28
also
47:28
the resurrection
47:30
of the dead
47:31
now there's
47:34
quite a bit
47:35
of serious theology
47:36
involved in all
47:37
of this
47:37
when you think
47:39
of us being
47:40
in Adam
47:41
and the whole
47:43
human race
47:44
apart from Jesus
47:45
we said
47:45
the whole human
47:47
race coming
47:48
to be constituted
47:49
sinners
47:50
and in death
47:51
because of what Adam
47:52
did as a representative
47:54
head
47:54
now he's saying
47:56
all who are
47:57
in Christ
47:58
will also
48:00
participate
48:00
in his
48:01
resurrection
48:02
as all
48:04
humankind
48:04
participated
48:05
in Adam's
48:06
fall
48:07
Adam's sin
48:08
Adam's
48:09
condemnation
48:10
so all
48:11
who are
48:12
in Christ
48:13
not all
48:13
the human
48:13
race
48:14
but all
48:14
who are
48:14
in Christ
48:15
will participate
48:17
in Christ's
48:19
resurrection
48:19
in resurrection
48:21
where Christ
48:23
is foundational
48:23
to it
48:24
in his
48:25
own
48:25
resurrection
48:26
in other words
48:28
we're talking
48:28
about union
48:29
what the Bible
48:30
calls union
48:31
with Christ
48:32
just as we have
48:34
a union
48:34
with Adam
48:35
which led
48:36
to death
48:37
so we have
48:38
a union
48:39
all God's
48:40
people have
48:40
a union
48:41
with Jesus
48:42
with Christ
48:42
which leads
48:44
to life
48:45
through his
48:46
resurrection
48:47
as by man
48:48
came death
48:49
by a man
48:50
has come
48:50
also the
48:51
resurrection
48:51
of the dead
48:52
for as in Adam
48:53
all die
48:54
so also
48:56
all in Christ
48:57
shall be made
48:58
alive
48:59
I think is how
48:59
we have to
49:00
understand it
49:00
not all who
49:01
died in Adam
49:02
will come
49:02
to live
49:03
not all who
49:04
died in Adam
49:05
will come
49:05
to be in heaven
49:06
Bible makes
49:07
that clear
49:08
but all who
49:09
are in Christ
49:10
and this is a
49:11
great wide
49:13
subject
49:13
our union
49:14
with Christ
49:15
because way
49:16
back to our
49:16
being chosen
49:17
in Christ
49:18
in eternity
49:19
as Ephesians
49:19
1 puts it
49:20
being joined
49:21
to him
49:22
as he comes
49:23
into the world
49:24
being in him
49:25
being in him
49:26
spiritually that is
49:27
as he dies
49:28
the death
49:29
of the cross
49:29
being in him
49:30
as he rose
49:31
from the dead
49:32
and there are
49:33
passages in Romans
49:34
and in Ephesians
49:35
that teach this
49:36
great fact
49:38
for us
49:39
Ephesians 2
49:40
for example
49:40
I know the time
49:41
is passing
49:42
but just let me
49:43
read this one
49:44
for you
49:45
Ephesians 2
49:46
verses 4 to 6
49:48
having begun
49:50
by you being
49:52
dead in trespasses
49:53
and sins
49:53
but then he goes
49:54
on to say
49:55
but God
49:56
being rich
49:56
in mercy
49:57
because of
49:57
the great
49:58
love with
49:58
which he
49:59
loved us
49:59
even when
50:01
we were
50:01
dead in
50:02
our trespasses
50:03
he made
50:04
us alive
50:05
together
50:06
in union
50:07
with Christ
50:08
and raised
50:09
us up
50:10
with him
50:10
and seated
50:11
us with him
50:12
in the heavenly
50:13
places
50:13
in Christ
50:15
Jesus
50:15
now what is he
50:16
saying there
50:16
he's talking
50:18
and writing
50:19
to Ephesian
50:20
Christians
50:21
who are still
50:21
in this world
50:22
why is he saying
50:24
they've been
50:25
raised up
50:25
together with
50:26
Christ
50:26
in his
50:27
resurrection
50:27
why is he
50:29
saying they
50:29
have been
50:29
seated with
50:30
him in the
50:31
heavenly places
50:32
in Christ
50:32
because what
50:33
he's saying
50:33
is because
50:34
they are in
50:35
Christ to
50:36
begin with
50:36
spiritually in
50:38
Christ
50:38
spiritually in
50:40
Christ as
50:40
their
50:40
representative
50:41
therefore
50:44
whenever Christ
50:45
died
50:46
not only did
50:48
he die for
50:49
them
50:49
but there's a
50:51
sense in which
50:52
they are accounted
50:53
as having
50:53
died
50:54
the death
50:54
which he
50:55
died
50:56
the atoning
50:57
death for
50:57
sin
50:58
which he
50:58
died
50:59
and his
51:00
resurrection
51:01
from the
51:01
dead
51:02
because they
51:03
are in
51:03
him
51:04
they are
51:05
accounted
51:06
as if
51:06
they
51:07
had risen
51:08
from the
51:09
dead by
51:09
their own
51:10
strength
51:10
you see
51:12
that's
51:12
what the
51:13
Bible
51:14
teaches
51:14
with regard
51:15
to
51:16
substitution
51:17
you can't
51:17
keep
51:18
substitution
51:18
out of
51:19
the
51:19
picture
51:19
let me
51:21
just finish
51:21
the point
51:22
by saying
51:22
this
51:22
when you
51:25
think of
51:26
Jesus
51:26
on the
51:27
cross
51:27
and then
51:28
Jesus
51:28
being
51:29
raised
51:30
from the
51:30
dead
51:30
following
51:31
that
51:31
and think
51:33
of his
51:33
people
51:33
in him
51:34
well this
51:35
is how
51:36
it works
51:36
the
51:38
sin
51:38
of his
51:39
people
51:39
the sins
51:39
of his
51:40
people
51:40
having been
51:42
taken
51:43
by
51:43
Jesus
51:44
they are
51:45
accounted
51:46
as if
51:47
they were
51:47
his
51:47
from the
51:48
beginning
51:48
as if
51:49
he had
51:49
done
51:50
these
51:50
sins
51:51
himself
51:51
that is
51:52
why God
51:53
visited
51:53
him
51:53
with
51:54
his
51:54
wrath
51:55
he took
51:57
our
51:57
sins
51:58
he took
51:59
the sins
51:59
of his
51:59
people
52:00
God
52:01
viewed
52:02
him
52:02
as the
52:03
substitute
52:03
of his
52:04
people
52:04
as if
52:05
all of
52:05
these
52:06
sins
52:06
had been
52:06
committed
52:07
by
52:07
himself
52:07
but on
52:09
the other
52:10
side
52:10
of it
52:10
when he
52:12
rose
52:12
from the
52:12
dead
52:13
so that
52:15
resurrection
52:16
God
52:18
because his
52:19
people are
52:19
in him
52:19
they are
52:21
raised with
52:21
him
52:22
spiritually
52:22
they are
52:24
looked upon
52:24
by God
52:25
as if
52:25
they had
52:26
risen from
52:27
the dead
52:27
themselves
52:28
and there's
52:30
a wonderful
52:31
transaction
52:32
there
52:32
the sins
52:34
of his
52:35
people
52:35
are laid
52:36
upon
52:37
Jesus
52:37
they become
52:38
his own
52:38
he never
52:39
sinned
52:40
he never
52:41
could
52:42
but these
52:43
sins are
52:44
looked upon
52:44
as his
52:45
federally
52:47
representatively
52:49
substitutionary
52:50
and on the
52:52
other hand
52:53
the righteousness
52:54
that he has
52:55
accomplished
52:56
the righteousness
52:58
in fact
52:58
that he
52:59
is
52:59
by his
53:01
death and
53:01
resurrection
53:02
that is
53:04
accounted
53:05
the righteousness
53:06
of his
53:07
people
53:07
as if they
53:08
had created
53:09
it themselves
53:10
that's at the
53:12
heart of the
53:13
gospel
53:14
that's what
53:16
makes Jesus
53:16
such an
53:18
immense
53:19
figure
53:19
and why
53:21
union with
53:22
Jesus is so
53:23
important
53:24
why faith
53:25
in Christ
53:25
is so
53:26
crucial
53:27
so let's
53:29
ask
53:29
what use
53:30
is this
53:31
to us
53:31
now
53:32
surely this
53:34
is just
53:34
something
53:35
looking ahead
53:36
to the
53:36
resurrection
53:37
well it
53:37
is
53:37
it is the
53:38
resurrection
53:39
of the
53:39
body
53:39
that Paul
53:40
has in
53:41
mind
53:41
here in
53:41
1 Corinthians
53:43
15
53:43
especially
53:44
this resurrection
53:45
of the dead
53:46
anchored in the
53:47
resurrection of
53:48
Christ
53:48
a certainty
53:49
of that
53:50
bodily
53:50
resurrection
53:51
of Christ
53:53
is making
53:53
certain
53:54
the resurrection
53:55
of all God's
53:56
people
53:56
ultimately
53:57
but let me
53:59
just take you
53:59
back to Romans
54:00
briefly
54:00
Romans 6
54:02
and verses
54:02
11 to 14
54:04
because here
54:06
is what Paul
54:07
is saying
54:07
with regard
54:08
to
54:09
again
54:10
to
54:11
with regard
54:12
to Christ
54:12
and his
54:12
people
54:13
Romans 6
54:15
and verses
54:16
11 to 14
54:17
well let's
54:25
go from
54:26
verse 10
54:27
for the
54:27
death he
54:28
died
54:28
Jesus died
54:29
he died
54:30
to sin
54:30
once for
54:31
all
54:32
but the
54:33
life he
54:33
lives
54:34
he lives
54:34
to God
54:35
so you
54:36
also
54:36
must
54:37
consider
54:38
yourselves
54:39
dead to
54:39
sin
54:40
and alive
54:41
to God
54:42
in Christ
54:42
Jesus
54:43
he's talking
54:44
about them
54:45
presently
54:46
as they are
54:46
there and
54:47
then
54:47
not just
54:48
as they were
54:49
simply
54:49
in Christ
54:50
when he rose
54:50
from the dead
54:51
but as they
54:52
are now
54:53
as believers
54:53
in Christ
54:54
having accepted
54:55
this Christ
54:55
having received
54:56
this Christ
54:57
so what's
54:58
the outcome
54:58
of that
54:59
what are
54:59
the implications
55:00
of that
55:00
what are
55:01
the requirements
55:02
that follow
55:02
on from that
55:03
being in Christ
55:05
having Christ
55:06
as our Savior
55:06
now
55:07
being joined
55:08
to him
55:08
him in his
55:09
resurrection
55:09
well he says
55:10
let not sin
55:12
therefore
55:12
reign in your
55:14
mortal bodies
55:15
to make you
55:16
obey their
55:16
passions
55:17
do not
55:18
present
55:19
your members
55:19
to sin
55:20
as instruments
55:21
for unrighteousness
55:22
but present
55:24
yourselves to
55:25
God
55:25
as those
55:26
who have been
55:26
brought from
55:27
death to life
55:28
and your members
55:29
to God
55:31
as instruments
55:31
for righteousness
55:33
for sin
55:34
will have
55:35
no dominion
55:36
over you
55:36
for you
55:37
are not
55:38
under the
55:38
law
55:38
but under
55:39
grace
55:39
not going to
55:40
look it up
55:41
but you can
55:41
follow
55:41
Colossians chapter
55:43
3
55:44
as pretty much
55:44
the same
55:45
emphasis
55:45
if you read
55:47
that through
55:47
for yourselves
55:48
later
55:48
but what is it
55:49
saying
55:49
it's saying
55:49
that the
55:50
dynamic
55:51
of the
55:52
Christian
55:52
life
55:53
the dynamic
55:55
the energy
55:56
that enables
55:56
us through
55:57
the Holy
55:57
Spirit
55:58
to live
55:59
a God
55:59
pleasing
56:00
life
56:00
to live
56:01
a life
56:02
that in
56:02
this world
56:03
as itself
56:04
the life
56:06
that God
56:07
requires of
56:08
us
56:08
to live
56:09
that life
56:10
is by virtue
56:11
of the power
56:12
of Christ's
56:13
resurrection
56:13
that is what's
56:16
operating
56:16
through the
56:17
Holy Spirit
56:18
in every
56:19
Christian
56:19
in every
56:20
saved person
56:21
you see
56:24
that's why
56:25
you need to
56:25
know your
56:25
theology
56:26
there's a lot
56:27
of this
56:27
that I
56:28
know
56:28
is deep
56:29
a lot
56:30
of this
56:30
that really
56:31
passes my
56:32
own
56:32
understanding
56:33
and yet
56:34
I need to
56:35
preach from
56:36
these passages
56:36
as you know
56:37
but the
56:37
dynamic of
56:38
this Christian
56:39
life is
56:40
from your
56:40
union with
56:41
Christ
56:41
in his
56:42
death and
56:42
resurrection
56:43
and that
56:44
dynamic
56:45
that energy
56:46
that's in
56:46
your life
56:47
is exactly
56:48
the energy
56:49
that raised
56:50
Christ
56:51
from the
56:52
dead
56:52
and you
56:55
see that
56:55
in Paul's
56:55
own experience
56:56
when he
56:57
gave his
56:58
testimony
56:58
in
56:58
Philippians
56:58
chapter 3
56:59
why did
57:01
he count
57:01
all things
57:02
but loss
57:02
why was he
57:04
pleased to
57:04
count everything
57:05
but loss
57:06
for the sake
57:07
of Christ
57:08
well he
57:08
says so
57:09
that I
57:10
might know
57:11
him
57:11
and the
57:13
power of
57:14
his resurrection
57:14
and fellowship
57:16
with his
57:16
sufferings
57:17
that if by
57:19
any means
57:19
I might
57:20
attain
57:20
unto the
57:22
resurrection
57:22
of the
57:23
dead
57:23
see isn't
57:25
it wonderful
57:25
Paul is
57:26
saying I
57:27
can count
57:27
all things
57:28
now but
57:29
loss
57:29
everything I
57:31
once saw
57:31
as gain
57:32
in my
57:32
life
57:32
I'm more
57:34
than happy
57:34
to just
57:35
let them
57:35
drop and
57:36
fall away
57:37
they're no
57:37
use to me
57:38
anymore for
57:39
righteousness
57:39
I have
57:41
Christ
57:41
that's all
57:42
I need
57:43
to be
57:44
right with
57:44
God
57:45
so that
57:47
I might
57:48
have
57:48
his
57:50
righteousness
57:50
that comes
57:52
by faith
57:53
in him
57:53
but so
57:56
that I
57:57
might
57:57
ultimately
57:57
attain
57:59
to the
58:00
resurrection
58:01
of the
58:01
dead
58:02
he's got
58:03
the power
58:03
of his
58:04
resurrection
58:04
working in
58:05
him now
58:06
he is being
58:08
brought by
58:09
that towards
58:10
the resurrection
58:12
from the
58:13
dead
58:13
that awaits
58:15
him when
58:16
that resurrection
58:17
takes place
58:18
and it's
58:20
all to do
58:21
with Jesus
58:23
if you are
58:27
joined to
58:28
Christ tonight
58:29
by faith
58:30
you are
58:31
joined to
58:32
his
58:32
resurrection
58:33
what a
58:36
blessing it
58:36
is to be
58:37
united to
58:38
Christ
58:38
what a
58:40
blessing it
58:40
is to
58:41
know the
58:41
power of
58:42
Christ's
58:42
resurrection
58:43
making you
58:44
first of
58:45
all into
58:45
what you
58:46
are as
58:47
alive in
58:48
Christ
58:48
having
58:49
brought you
58:51
from
58:51
spiritual
58:52
death
58:52
raised you
58:55
spiritually to
58:56
be joined
58:56
to Christ
58:58
what a
58:59
blessing you
59:00
have
59:00
now that's
59:03
what's true
59:03
of your
59:03
life
59:04
what
59:07
incalculable
59:08
loss
59:09
God
59:10
if it
59:11
should be
59:11
otherwise
59:12
with you
59:13
because
59:15
unless you're
59:16
joined
59:16
vitally to
59:18
Jesus
59:18
it doesn't
59:20
matter how
59:20
much you
59:21
know in
59:21
your head
59:22
of theology
59:22
it doesn't
59:25
matter what
59:25
standards of
59:26
attainment you
59:26
may have
59:27
academically or
59:28
otherwise
59:28
in this
59:29
life
59:30
you are
59:31
dead in
59:32
your
59:32
trespasses
59:32
and sins
59:33
that's the
59:37
reality
59:37
that God
59:39
tells us
59:40
about
59:40
but focus
59:43
on Christ
59:45
himself
59:45
as by a
59:47
man came
59:48
death
59:49
we all know
59:51
about that
59:51
that's where we
59:52
all are
59:52
coming into
59:53
the world
59:54
so also
59:56
by a
59:56
man has
59:57
come
59:57
the
59:57
resurrection
59:58
of the
59:58
dead
59:59
as in
59:59
Adam all
1:00:00
die
1:00:00
so also
1:00:01
in
1:00:02
Christ
1:00:03
shall all
1:00:04
who are
1:00:04
in Christ
1:00:05
be made
1:00:05
alive
1:00:07
now
1:00:10
which is
1:00:10
it
1:00:10
which is
1:00:13
it for
1:00:13
yourself
1:00:13
have you
1:00:18
come to
1:00:18
trust in
1:00:19
him
1:00:19
to the
1:00:20
extent
1:00:21
that you
1:00:21
now know
1:00:21
his power
1:00:22
in your
1:00:22
life
1:00:23
have you
1:00:24
given your
1:00:25
life over
1:00:25
to him
1:00:26
so that
1:00:27
it's now
1:00:28
governed by
1:00:28
the power
1:00:29
of his
1:00:29
resurrection
1:00:30
are you
1:00:32
trying to
1:00:32
deal with
1:00:33
sin in
1:00:34
your life
1:00:34
through
1:00:34
anything
1:00:35
other than
1:00:36
the power
1:00:36
of Christ's
1:00:37
resurrection
1:00:38
is your
1:00:40
hope towards
1:00:41
eternity
1:00:41
based on
1:00:43
anything
1:00:43
other than
1:00:44
this
1:00:46
Jesus
1:00:46
in his
1:00:47
resurrection
1:00:48
friends I
1:00:50
hope not
1:00:51
I hope it
1:00:52
for myself
1:00:53
I hope it
1:00:54
for yourselves
1:00:55
I hope that
1:00:58
this Jesus
1:00:58
is your
1:00:59
Jesus
1:00:59
that this
1:01:01
risen Jesus
1:01:02
is your
1:01:03
risen Jesus
1:01:04
I hope that
1:01:06
this hope
1:01:08
of eternal
1:01:08
life
1:01:09
is your
1:01:11
hope as
1:01:11
well
1:01:12
it's the
1:01:13
only hope
1:01:14
the Bible
1:01:15
knows of
1:01:16
as a
1:01:17
true
1:01:18
living
1:01:19
hope
1:01:20
let's
1:01:21
pray
1:01:21
Lord our
1:01:25
God our
1:01:25
Father in
1:01:26
heaven
1:01:26
we thank
1:01:29
you for
1:01:29
your word
1:01:30
we thank
1:01:32
you for all
1:01:32
that it
1:01:33
contains
1:01:33
for that
1:01:34
which we
1:01:35
can
1:01:35
understand
1:01:36
in a
1:01:36
measure
1:01:37
and for
1:01:38
that which
1:01:38
carries us
1:01:39
beyond our
1:01:40
understanding
1:01:40
and Lord as
1:01:42
we consider
1:01:43
these great
1:01:44
aspects of
1:01:45
the resurrection
1:01:46
of our Lord
1:01:46
from the dead
1:01:47
and the
1:01:48
resurrection
1:01:49
that awaits
1:01:50
his people
1:01:51
bodily
1:01:51
we bless you
1:01:53
for that
1:01:53
spiritual
1:01:54
resurrection
1:01:54
that has
1:01:57
taken place
1:01:57
in the
1:01:57
experience of
1:01:58
all who are
1:01:59
saved
1:01:59
and we bless
1:02:01
you tonight
1:02:01
Lord that
1:02:02
through the
1:02:03
gospel
1:02:03
this is still
1:02:04
proclaimed to
1:02:05
us as the
1:02:06
avenue to
1:02:07
life
1:02:07
bless us
1:02:09
we pray
1:02:10
as your
1:02:10
word again
1:02:11
touches our
1:02:12
lives
1:02:12
bless us
1:02:14
so that we
1:02:14
may respond
1:02:16
believingly
1:02:17
wholeheartedly
1:02:18
and honestly
1:02:18
and seriously
1:02:19
bless the
1:02:21
young people
1:02:22
here tonight
1:02:22
Lord
1:02:23
if you
1:02:24
spare them
1:02:24
they have
1:02:25
their whole
1:02:25
life ahead
1:02:26
of them
1:02:26
to serve
1:02:27
the Lord
1:02:28
we pray
1:02:29
that they
1:02:29
may know
1:02:30
you in
1:02:30
their young
1:02:30
days
1:02:31
make the
1:02:32
power of
1:02:33
your resurrection
1:02:34
live in
1:02:34
their lives
1:02:35
give them
1:02:37
Lord to
1:02:37
love you
1:02:38
as the
1:02:38
one who
1:02:39
has now
1:02:39
risen from
1:02:40
the dead
1:02:40
who is
1:02:41
alive forever
1:02:42
more
1:02:43
and who
1:02:44
invites us
1:02:45
to come
1:02:45
and place
1:02:46
our life
1:02:47
in his
1:02:47
hands
1:02:47
receive us
1:02:49
we pray
1:02:49
in Jesus
1:02:50
name
1:02:51
Amen
1:02:52
We're going
1:02:56
to conclude
1:02:56
singing
1:02:56
Psalm 93
1:02:57
Psalm 93
1:02:59
in the
1:03:00
Scottish
1:03:00
Psalter
1:03:00
on page
1:03:02
123
1:03:04
We'll sing
1:03:07
to the tune
1:03:08
Argyle
1:03:08
we'll sing
1:03:09
the whole
1:03:09
psalm
1:03:09
the five
1:03:10
stanzas
1:03:10
a psalm
1:03:12
that celebrates
1:03:13
the power
1:03:13
and the
1:03:14
strength
1:03:14
of God
1:03:15
over all
1:03:16
the forces
1:03:16
in creation
1:03:17
and of course
1:03:18
that we know
1:03:19
includes the
1:03:19
power of death
1:03:20
itself
1:03:21
in the ways
1:03:22
in which the
1:03:23
psalm
1:03:23
while it doesn't
1:03:24
speak of death
1:03:24
as such
1:03:25
it's nevertheless
1:03:26
indicative
1:03:27
that that's
1:03:28
included in
1:03:28
all the powers
1:03:30
that God
1:03:31
has overcome
1:03:31
the Lord
1:03:33
the Lord is king
1:03:34
the Lord is king
1:03:34
his throne
1:03:35
endures
1:03:36
endures majestic
1:03:38
in its height
1:03:38
the Lord is robed
1:03:40
in majesty
1:03:41
and armed
1:03:42
with strength
1:03:43
and might
1:03:44
Psalm 93
1:03:45
on page
1:03:46
123
1:03:47
to the tune
1:03:49
Argyle
1:03:50
the Lord
1:03:51
is king
1:03:52
the Lord
1:03:58
is king
1:04:00
his throne
1:04:03
endures
1:04:05
majesty
1:04:08
gave his
1:04:12
height
1:04:12
the Lord
1:04:16
is
1:04:17
bold
1:04:19
in majesty
1:04:22
and armed
1:04:26
with strength
1:04:27
and might
1:04:30
the world
1:04:33
is
1:04:34
his throne
1:04:36
is
1:04:37
firm
1:04:38
and sure
1:04:41
we could
1:04:43
it
1:04:44
have
1:04:45
not
1:04:46
be
1:04:47
your
1:04:50
glorious
1:04:51
song
1:04:54
and
1:04:55
you
1:04:55
are
1:04:57
gone
1:04:59
from
1:04:59
only
1:05:01
eternity
1:05:03
the
1:05:08
seas
1:05:09
o
1:05:10
lord
1:05:11
have
1:05:12
lifted
1:05:14
up
1:05:15
they
1:05:17
lifted
1:05:18
up
1:05:19
their
1:05:20
voice
1:05:21
that
1:05:22
seas
1:05:23
have
1:05:24
lifted
1:05:25
up
1:05:26
their
1:05:27
voice
1:05:28
that
1:05:29
lifted
1:05:30
up
1:05:31
their
1:05:32
ways
1:05:33
and
1:05:35
make
1:05:36
a
1:05:37
mighty
1:05:38
noise
1:05:39
Lord
1:05:40
and
1:05:42
own
1:05:43
the
1:05:44
highest
1:05:45
strong
1:05:46
for
1:05:47
powerful
1:05:48
is
1:05:49
he
1:05:50
and
1:05:51
thunder
1:05:52
of
1:05:53
the
1:05:54
ocean's
1:05:55
waves
1:05:56
are
1:05:57
makers
1:05:58
of
1:05:59
the
1:06:00
sea
1:06:01
and
1:06:02
thunder
1:06:03
of
1:06:04
the
1:06:05
ocean's
1:06:06
waves
1:06:07
are
1:06:08
makers
1:06:09
of
1:06:10
the
1:06:11
sea
1:06:12
the
1:06:13
sea
1:06:14
the
1:06:15
sea
1:06:17
you
1:06:19
your
1:06:20
royal
1:06:21
statues
1:06:22
are
1:06:23
sand
1:06:24
firm
1:06:25
and
1:06:26
changing
1:06:27
is
1:06:28
your
1:06:29
word
1:06:30
and
1:06:31
holiness
1:06:32
your
1:06:33
word
1:06:34
and
1:06:36
holiness
1:06:37
that
1:06:38
adores
1:06:39
your
1:06:40
hearts
1:06:41
all
1:06:42
endless
1:06:43
days
1:06:44
o
1:06:45
Lord
1:06:46
can I say how uplifting and encouraging it is to see so many out this evening and so many young people as well.
1:07:01
nothing gives me or callum or greater joy than to know that you are set your mind you're setting your mind on the gospel on the message of the gospel on the worship of God publicly as we have opportunity in this life.
1:07:17
So let me just say how gratifying and comforting that is to me.
1:07:21
Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you now and always. Amen.
1:07:51
Let me up celebrating a happy cat
1:08:00
Thank you.