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The Mighty Works of God · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We're going to read together in God's Word. Now we've got two readings this morning. Our first
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in the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. We're reading in Genesis chapter 11,
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and then our second reading is in the book of Acts. So our first reading in Genesis chapter 11.
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We're going to read from verse 1 to verse 9, where you see here God sending the people into
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confusion with different languages that they couldn't understand each other and then being
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sent out to all different parts of the world. So Genesis chapter 11, verse 1. Now the whole earth
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had one language and the same words. And as the people migrated from the east, they found a plain
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in the land of Shina and settled there. And they said to one another, come, let us make bricks and
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burn them thoroughly. And they had bricks for stone and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, come,
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let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens. And let us make a name for
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ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth. And the Lord came down to see the
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city and the tower which the children of man had built. And the Lord said, behold, they are one
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people and they have all one language. And this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing
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that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down. And there confuse their
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language so that they may not understand one another's speech. So the Lord dispersed them from
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there over the face of all the earth. And they left off building the city. Therefore, its name was
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called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there, the Lord
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dispersed them over the face of all the earth. And our second reading is in the book of Acts.
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Acts chapter 2. And we're going to read from verse 1 down to verse 13. Acts chapter 2
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verse 1. So we're into the New Testament.
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Here we read of this day when the Lord came down by the power of His Spirit into the midst of His people.
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And the gathering of His people is what we see here. So Acts chapter 2 at verse 1.
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When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.
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And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind. And it filled the entire house
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where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.
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And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave
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them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.
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And at this sound the multitude came together. And they were bewildered because each one was hearing
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them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying,
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Are not all these who are speaking? Galileans. And how is it that we hear each of us in his own
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native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites. And residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
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Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene.
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And visitors from Rome, both Jews and Proselytes, Cretans and Arabians. We hear them telling in our own
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tongue the mighty works of God. And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another,
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What does this mean? But others, mocking, said, They are filled with new wine.
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And so on. And may God bless that reading from his word. Let's again come to God in prayer. Let us pray.
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Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your word and how it reminds us that it is a word that
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goes out to all ends of the earth. And we thank you that that is true today in our day and age,
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that your word, perhaps like at no other time, is able to find and cross boundaries like never before.
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That there is access to so many people and places. That your word is powerful and mighty. And it tells
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us of the mighty works of God, of what you have done for your people down through all the generations.
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Even as we have read in our two passages together, a time so far apart and yet the same
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God. The same God who was able to throw people in all different directions and into the confusion of
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different languages. So that instead of bringing glory to themselves, that they would seek you with
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all their heart. We thank you that that is what we have read in Genesis and that we are reminded then
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as we come into the New Testament that you are a God of mission. A God who is calling a people to
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himself from all ends of the earth, that your gospel would be heard and understood and received with
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great gladness and wonder. And we know, Lord, too, that there are many challenges to your gospel.
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There are many who will dismiss it, that there are many who abandon it. There are many who receive it
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with gladness for a time, but are so distracted by the things of this world that it falls away from
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them. But we thank you, Lord, that you are the one who is able to prepare the ground, that you are the
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one who is able to give the increase and the blessing, that you are the one who has given the power of your
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Holy Spirit. As we will read of and see more of this morning, we thank you that we have the Spirit
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promised with us. And we thank you that it is not through our power or strength, but through the power of
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your Spirit that your Word is blessed. And so we pray that for ourselves here and for all your people who
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gather today, and for your Word as it goes out, that it will go out with the power of your Holy Spirit, that it
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will accomplish great things, and that we would rejoice and delight in your Word, being received with gladness,
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being heard with joy, a Word that brings a sense of joy into the lives of so many broken people.
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We thank you that it is a power to heal and to heal to the utmost. So we pray, Lord, that you would
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continue to pour out your blessing on us, to be with us as a people, as homes, as families, as a
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congregation. We ask, Lord, that you will direct us in all our ways, that you will help us even in this
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coming week, that we would go into it with a sense of anticipation, that we would rejoice that you
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are the God who hears us, that you are the God who is able to answer prayer. And as we look ahead to a
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day of prayer for our denomination, we pray that our times together will not be times that we enter into
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without prayer, but that today and in the days leading up to it, we will draw near to you, that we will
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commit ourselves and our church and our denomination as a whole, all your people far and wide, Lord,
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that we would come praying for one another, praying for your blessing on us, praying humbly as sinners
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such as we are, confessing our sins, but thankful for the forgiveness that you have shared upon us
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through your Son, Christ Jesus. And so we come, Lord, seeking your face, asking as the psalmist,
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Lord, bless and pity us, shine on us with your face, that the earth, thy ways, and nations all
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may know your saving grace. We ask these things humbly before you. And we pray too, Lord, for our
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communion weekend ahead as well, Lord, that you will prepare our hearts for that, that you will encourage
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us, Lord, and strengthen us as a people, that you will increase our faith. Lord, we may become here
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today with our faith seeming so small, but we thank you that your word says that even if our faith is
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like a grain of mustard seed, so small and insignificant in many ways in our eyes, and yet able to flourish and
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blossom into the greatest tree in the garden, we thank you that you are the one who is able to make our
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faith flourish, that you are the one who is able to give it the increase and help us, Lord, to lean
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upon and look to you in each and every day. So we ask your blessing upon us in all of these things, and we
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ask your blessing on our homes and families and our different needs at this time as well. Those who are
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mourning and grieving, Lord, we commit to you, asking for your comfort, your grace, and your blessing to
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them. Praying for those who are unwell, those who are in hospital and homes, those who have
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anticipating hospital visits even in the coming weeks ahead as well. And we do remember in that
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mind, Lord, we pray for Donna and James just now. We commit them to you, Lord, asking for your
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grace and your peace towards them, that as Donna will await surgery in these coming weeks, Lord, that you
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will still our heart and give our calm and help us all to surround them with prayer at all times.
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So, Lord, we commit them to you and all others like them, Lord, who have times of anxiety and worries
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just now, Lord, that you will shower your blessing upon them, that you will bring comfort and help in all
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different times of need. We pray too, Lord, for Reverend Ian Morrison in Oban. We know he's been unwell this
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week and is in hospital just now, and we pray for him in his recovery, Lord, that you will strengthen him
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and uphold him, Lord, and that you will restore him in health. We pray, Lord, for the wider denomination
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too, Lord, that you will guide us and help us as a people, as a denomination that seeks to reach out
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with the gospel, that you will direct our steps and our paths and help us to do all for your glory.
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So, remember us, we pray, Lord. Remember all your people, all our loved ones, near and far,
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those who serve you in the gospel around us here and throughout all ends of the earth, Lord, that we
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would see that the harvest is great, but that we are praying to the Lord of the harvest to provide in
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every way. So, may you shower us with your blessings and pardon us in all our sin. That's all we ask. We ask in
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Jesus' precious name and for his glory. Amen.
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Well, again, sing to God's praise. This time we're singing in Psalm 85 in the Scottish Psalter.
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Psalm 85 and at verse 6, page 340 of the Psalm books.
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We'll sing from verse 6 down to the end of the Psalm.
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That in thee may thy people joy, wilt thou not us revive? Show us thy mercy, Lord, to us do thy salvation give.
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We'll sing from verse 6 down to verse 13 and the tune is Denfield.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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God, in thee may thy people joy, wilt thou not us revive? Show us thy mercy, Lord, to us do thy salvation give.
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I'll hear what the Lord will see. To his hope he'll seek peace.
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And to his sins, but let them not return to foolishness.
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Good, then, not fear him, surely near him, is his salvation.
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But glory in her loving heart, her habitation.
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のはemployed.
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Amen.
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Hash Messiah, O valor, to the關 capitalism, Lord, to us dev one of his wounded children.
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Amen.
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Can glory in his knees be his mercy become the лучше of God.
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That in Editionposts, upon his true life of the death, deliver him good to us weel hisinction and being Reynolds.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Jesus, I, means, our frase豈 ego, to us in sic死, son of Gleich cai.
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Amen.
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Thank you, O also, to the end of thisakukan block on earth, that is over met colourful BeWorld,
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Нам Captain, to us write.
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For this good the Lord shall build, our land shall yield in peace.
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Justice to set us in his steps shall go before his grace.
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We can turn back to our reading in the book of Acts chapter 2.
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Acts chapter 2.
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We can just read again at verse 11.
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Where we see a reminder of how the people are hearing each other speaking.
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Although they would not normally understand, they were understanding one another.
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And it says there, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians.
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We hear them telling in our own tongue the mighty works of God.
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And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, what does this mean?
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So they were hearing about the mighty works of God.
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As we begin this new week, we look ahead in many ways to the week ahead and what lies before us.
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And it is a time of national prayer as a denomination.
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We have the National Day of Prayer on Wednesday.
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It's a time of thanksgiving.
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It's a time of year when we look back over the year with much thanksgiving to God.
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And then we look ahead to the end of the week.
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We would, God willing, come together around the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
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When we come to remember the Lord's death and all that he has done for us there.
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So how do we go into the week ahead?
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Are we going in our own strength?
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Are we looking to ourselves?
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Or are we looking to God, thankful for the mighty works of God?
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And who is with us as we go into the week ahead?
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That we do not go alone, but that we have the Lord with us.
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And especially as we will see in this passage that we have the promise of the Holy Spirit with us.
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And that it is through him and his strength that we seek to do all things to his glory.
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Now as you look at the book of Acts in this chapter here, chapter 2 or chapter 1 and 2 really,
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you could take together.
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You see what the people have witnessed of the power of God.
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The mighty works of God that they have already seen.
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They have been three years with Jesus and his public ministry, seeing his miracles,
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seeing all that he was doing, hearing his teachings and everything that they had
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over these last number of years together.
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They had enjoyed a real time of blessing.
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But then you think of what they'd seen in just the previous few days to this.
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How they'd seen the Lord crucified, put to death on the cross.
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How they'd heard about the resurrection.
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How they'd seen the risen Lord.
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And then as chapter 1 shows us how they'd seen his ascension.
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How they'd seen him go up to glory to be with the Father.
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And you think to yourself the wonder of all that they had seen,
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the amazement of all that they had seen,
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that this would be enough for anyone's lifetime to see all of this
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and to try and understand it.
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Where do you begin?
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But what we see here in chapter 2 is that God still had a purpose and a plan for his people
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and to see and continue to see the mighty works of God
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and to show the mighty works of God to others as well.
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There's more to come.
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This is just the beginning.
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In chapter 1 and verse 8,
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the people had been reminded as they were gathered together,
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just a small number of them.
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They were told that you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you
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and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria
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and to the end of the earth.
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That God was going to continue to send his people out on this journey,
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this journey that takes the gospel to all ends of the earth.
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So they were waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit
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and they didn't have to wait long.
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They have been waiting as instructed by Jesus,
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waiting with a sense of anticipation as to what was to come.
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Not thinking, well, we've got to take things into our own hands,
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we've got to do something about this ourselves.
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No, they had been given instruction by God
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and they were waiting on his coming,
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on the Holy Spirit coming and seeing what God would do in their midst.
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But they haven't just been waiting without doing anything.
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They've been waiting in prayer.
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They've been waiting and looking to God's Word.
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They've been waiting together as well.
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There's this sense of unity and oneness as they are together waiting on the Lord's coming in this way
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through the Holy Spirit.
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And then the day comes when the power of the Holy Spirit is poured out upon them.
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That's what we've read of here in the beginning of chapter 2.
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There's this sense of amazement and wonder among all the people there as to what's happening.
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And they're left with this question in verse 12,
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when they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another,
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what does this mean?
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And that's the question that so often is asked today as well.
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What does all this mean?
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What does this pouring out of the Spirit mean for us as a people?
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What does it mean for the church today?
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And so many people look at this seeking the same kind of experience once again,
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seeking another day of Pentecost as it is,
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a pouring out of the Spirit that we have to wait again for another day
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of the Holy Spirit being poured out,
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or that we are to come and speak in tongues to one another.
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But that's not what this is about.
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This is not about waiting for another time,
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but looking and seeing that God has given His Spirit,
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that He has poured out His Spirit on His people
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to be His witnesses to all the ends of the earth.
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And so that as we come together in His name here today,
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as we go into the week ahead in all that we do,
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whether it's in our own homes, in our workplaces,
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as we come together for prayer on the National Day of Prayer,
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as we look ahead to a communion weekend,
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that whatever we are doing,
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we are doing it knowing that we have the promise of the Holy Spirit,
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that He is with us,
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and that He is the one who is able to bless.
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You see, Acts chapter 2 must be understood
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in light of what was said in Acts chapter 1,
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verse 4 to verse 8.
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Well, there it's going through that He has told them
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to wait on the promise of the Father which He said,
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that the Holy Spirit, not many days from now,
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will come upon you.
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So they were waiting for it,
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and that after that,
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that they were to be witnesses to all the ends of the earth.
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That is what we see being accomplished and done
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in Acts chapter 2.
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And if you go on in Acts chapter 3 from verse 14,
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you have that great sermon,
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at Pentecost of Peter,
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which again explains it more clearly for us too.
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But what we want to think about just now
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is just the sense of wonder of the Holy Spirit,
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of the power that we have as a people,
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the power that we should depend on
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and look to in all that we do.
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And so we want to think of three things for ourselves
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as we look to all that's ahead of us,
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thankful for God's past faithfulness and goodness
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and looking ahead in God's sense of anticipation to God.
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So three things I want us to take from this passage.
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As we think of the day of Pentecost
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in the light of their experience then
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and ourselves today,
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first of all,
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that it was something that it was anticipated.
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The second thing,
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it was something that was amazing.
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And the third thing is,
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it was something that was awakening.
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And as we look to God,
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these are three things
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that we should have in our own hearts as well.
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A sense of anticipation,
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what God can do in our midst,
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what God can do for us and others.
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A sense of amazement
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as to who God is,
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the wonder of what he has done for us through Christ,
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which is what Peter goes on to preach
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in that sermon in Acts chapter 2 later on.
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How the Lord Jesus died for our sins.
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The sense of amazement.
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And then thirdly,
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the sense of awakening.
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That he would stir us up in our hearts.
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That in our deadness of our hearts,
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that we would see the Holy Spirit
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as the one who gives life to us
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and to all that we do.
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So the first thing we want to see
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is the sense of anticipation.
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The point of Pentecost here is mission.
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Mission.
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That the gospel would go out
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to all ends of the earth.
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Because what is the goal of mission?
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Mission.
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It is what Habakkuk spoke of
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in the Old Testament
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in Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 14,
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where it says,
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That the earth be filled
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with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord
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as the waters cover the sea.
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That is the sense and power of mission.
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That the earth be filled
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with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.
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Just like Psalm 67 says to us,
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Lord, bless and pity us.
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Shine on us with your face.
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That the earth thy ways
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and nations all may know your saving grace.
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There is a sense of anticipation
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that God is blessing his church
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to all ends of the earth.
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And so to understand what Pentecost means
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here in Acts chapter 2,
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we have to think of it in light
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of what it meant in the Old Testament.
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And Pentecost was all to do
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with the harvest time.
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Pentecost, which means 50th,
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refers to 50 days after the Passover festival.
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And it's called different things.
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In the Old Testament,
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it's called the Feast of Wicks
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or the Feast of Harvest.
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It's known as these things.
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But very much it is a harvest theme behind it.
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Because at the Feast of Pentecost
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would be when the first fruits of the harvest
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were brought and offered up to the Lord.
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And so there was a sense of thanksgiving
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and anticipation.
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The people would bring the first part of the harvest,
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but it would be an anticipation of more to come.
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So there would be a sense of thanksgiving to God,
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but also looking to God
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and trusting Him that the full harvest would come in
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and that it would be successful.
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Remember what we were looking at last week
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in Matthew chapter 9,
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where Jesus was looking on the people with compassion
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and He saw the fields white to harvest.
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And He says,
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The harvest is plentiful,
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and the laborers are few.
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Pray to the Lord of the harvest.
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So the harvest anticipated in the Old Testament
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is now being signified here on this Pentecost
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as the harvest of God's people
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that is to come in.
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And so behind that is a sense of anticipation
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that God is able to save
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and save to all ends of the earth.
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That He is sending out His gospel
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to all people everywhere
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that they may be gathered in
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as part of the harvest.
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that they might hear and understand the gospel
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and receive it with gladness
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and rejoice in the Lord.
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And we ask ourselves,
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is that how we come to worship God today?
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Is that the sense in which we go into the week ahead
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as we anticipate a day of special focus on prayer
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in our national day of prayer?
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As we have a day of thanksgiving?
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As we have a weekend of communion?
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In all of these things,
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are we going into it with a sense of anticipation?
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That God has been good to us.
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That God has been rich to us through Christ.
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That God can bless us as we go forward as a people.
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That the harvest is there,
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but God is in the business of gathering in His harvest.
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That the earth be filled with the knowledge
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of the glory of the Lord.
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That that is what we would see in our midst.
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Anticipate as a people
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and seek and long to go out from here with it as well.
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So the people here,
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they were gathered in one place.
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It says that in verse 1 for us.
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When the day of Pentecost arrived,
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they were all together in one place.
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They had that sense of anticipation.
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Prayer of expectation, of faith,
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and the wonderful things that God can do.
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And shouldn't we be like that as well?
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Shouldn't we have that sense of anticipation?
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What God can do for us.
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The second thing we see here,
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it was something that was amazing.
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You get the sense in which Luke is almost struggling
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for words at times to describe
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what he is seeing in their midst here.
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In verse 2 it says,
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Suddenly there came from heaven a sound
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like a mighty rushing wind.
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And it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
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And divided tongues as or like fire
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appeared to them and rested in each one of them.
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There was this sense of amazement at what was happening.
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The sense of, what is this?
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This is the mighty works of God.
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This is what God has promised for his people.
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That he would pour out his spirit upon them.
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And God showed himself to them in this way
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that just left them with this sense of wonder.
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There was this mighty rushing wind
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like a spirit had come in.
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There was this fire that came down.
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And all of these things that are mentioned,
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we think of how it relates to the Old Testament.
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And how God so often shows his presence in these amazing ways.
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When you read through the Old Testament,
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you find places where you think,
29:48
that's only possible by God.
29:51
And that's the whole point of the gospel.
29:55
Salvation is only possible through God.
29:59
Life eternal is only possible through our Lord Jesus Christ.
30:03
You think here how it speaks of this sound,
30:08
like a mighty rushing wind.
30:11
The sound that came into their midst,
30:13
this presence of God.
30:17
It's so often how we see the presence of God
30:19
in the Old Testament.
30:22
In the book of Ezekiel chapter 37,
30:25
where God commanded the prophet to prophesy
30:28
in the valley of dry bones.
30:31
He said, prophesy.
30:33
And it brought life.
30:35
The breath of life came upon these dry bones.
30:38
And it brought life to them.
30:41
And that's exactly what we're seeing here as well.
30:44
That the Lord, through his Holy Spirit,
30:47
is able to give life to what is dead.
30:51
And that's how we are described.
30:52
We are dead in our trespasses and sins.
30:55
But he is able to give life.
30:58
And he's able to give life to his church,
31:01
to his people.
31:03
And it's amazing how he does it.
31:07
How even when we seem so far from God
31:10
and so distant from God,
31:12
that God in a moment can come and revive
31:16
and quicken his people.
31:19
And so here they were waiting in a sense of anticipation.
31:21
And then they see these amazing things taking place.
31:26
The tongues of fire coming down upon them.
31:30
And you think of fire in the Old Testament,
31:32
how again it symbolized the presence of God.
31:36
Moses in the wilderness,
31:38
he saw the burning bush.
31:40
It wasn't consumed because God was in the midst of it.
31:45
And God spoke to him there.
31:46
And you think how God led his people
31:50
through the wilderness journey.
31:52
How did he do it?
31:53
He guided them by a pillar of fire.
31:57
He was with them.
31:58
He was guiding them at all times.
32:01
And so there's this sense of God with us here
32:04
through his Holy Spirit.
32:07
He will be with us.
32:10
And then you think back to a reading
32:12
in Genesis chapter 11.
32:14
What happened there when there was so much confusion
32:18
that people were cast into chaos?
32:22
They'd all been speaking one language,
32:25
but God confused them
32:26
so that there would be a multitude of languages
32:28
so they couldn't understand one another.
32:32
Well, what we see here is
32:34
that there will be a language
32:35
that everyone can understand.
32:38
That God is bringing his people back together.
32:42
You look at the list of all the different people
32:44
and places mentioned here.
32:47
Between verse 7 down to verse 11 there,
32:51
there's a number of different places.
32:53
And the question is,
32:54
how are all these people understanding?
32:57
They have their own language.
33:00
Well, because God is restoring
33:02
and bringing his people back together.
33:04
You see, in Genesis,
33:12
they had been building this tower
33:14
for their own glory,
33:15
their own mighty works.
33:18
But now they are talking about
33:20
the mighty works of God
33:21
in a language they can all understand.
33:24
And that is the language of the gospel.
33:28
That as the gospel goes out,
33:31
it goes out with power.
33:32
And it leaves a sense of amazement
33:36
at what God is able to do.
33:39
That he is able to bring people back together.
33:43
That he is able to restore and heal
33:45
in a way that we cannot do.
33:48
Because it's all about the mighty works of God.
33:52
It's all about the power of his Holy Spirit.
33:57
We cannot do it ourselves.
34:00
We look to him.
34:03
And that's the way that they were to go on
34:06
from this Pentecost day.
34:08
And to go out to all ends of the earth.
34:10
That is the way that we are to go on
34:12
in the strength and power of the Holy Spirit.
34:17
Albert Einstein once said,
34:19
He who can no longer pause to wonder
34:23
is as good as dead.
34:26
And how easy it is for us
34:28
to lose our wonder of God.
34:32
Our amazement of God
34:34
and his mighty works.
34:37
Imagine coming to look
34:40
to the Lord's death on the cross
34:42
and to feel nothing.
34:45
We have done it ourselves in the past.
34:51
Perhaps we're doing it even now.
34:53
We're looking at the cross
34:54
and hearing of the cross
34:56
where Christ died for sinners
34:58
and nothing.
35:01
There's no wonder.
35:03
There's no awe and amazement
35:05
because we're dead.
35:07
But
35:09
the mighty works of God
35:12
are that he brings life
35:15
through his Spirit.
35:17
That the Holy Spirit
35:18
is what revives us in our hearts.
35:20
What quickens us to see
35:22
the cross of Christ
35:24
for what it is.
35:25
That Christ
35:26
died for my sin.
35:29
That he gave his life
35:31
as a ransom
35:33
for me.
35:34
And when the Holy Spirit
35:36
awakens us
35:37
and breathes life
35:39
into our hearts.
35:40
No longer
35:42
do we dead to that.
35:45
But we are made alive
35:46
to Christ.
35:48
We weep
35:49
over our sin.
35:51
And we rejoice
35:52
that Christ died
35:54
for our sins.
35:56
And we marvel
35:57
at the mighty works
35:59
of God.
36:01
That is how
36:02
we should be.
36:05
But are we dead?
36:07
Have we lost
36:08
that sense
36:09
of awe
36:09
and amazement?
36:11
Well we need
36:12
the mighty works
36:14
of God
36:14
through his Spirit
36:15
to revive us
36:17
and to bless us.
36:21
So the third thing
36:22
we see here is
36:23
it's awakening.
36:26
This is awakening.
36:29
And this is
36:29
what we want
36:30
in our own hearts
36:31
as well.
36:33
We see here
36:34
the church
36:35
awakening.
36:37
We see here
36:38
the people of God
36:39
awakening.
36:41
When they're asking
36:42
these questions
36:42
in amazement
36:43
and perplexity
36:44
in verse 12
36:45
saying
36:46
what does this mean?
36:48
We ask ourselves
36:50
that question today.
36:51
What does this mean?
36:54
When you see
36:55
all these places
36:56
and people
36:56
mentioned
36:57
what does this mean?
37:00
It means that
37:01
there's good news
37:02
for all.
37:03
For everyone
37:04
and for all
37:05
the nations.
37:08
And this is
37:09
what awakens
37:10
the church
37:11
of Christ.
37:12
The Holy Spirit
37:13
bringing life
37:14
and to see
37:16
and know
37:16
that Christ
37:17
died
37:17
for all.
37:19
In the book
37:20
of Revelation
37:21
chapter 5
37:22
verse 9
37:24
John is there
37:24
proclaiming
37:25
to us
37:27
what Jesus
37:28
has done.
37:28
that Jesus
37:29
has purchased
37:30
it for God
37:30
with his blood.
37:32
Men from
37:32
every tribe
37:34
and tongue
37:34
and people
37:35
and nation.
37:38
That there is
37:39
a mission
37:39
for the church
37:41
today as well.
37:42
That we are
37:43
awakened
37:43
to this end
37:44
to bring the gospel
37:45
to all ends
37:46
of the earth.
37:49
And the people
37:49
in this day
37:51
of Pentecost
37:52
and Acts
37:52
here
37:52
have been asking
37:53
well how is it
37:54
possible?
37:56
How can we be
37:56
your witnesses
37:57
in Jerusalem?
37:59
Far less
37:59
Judea
37:59
and even more
38:00
so the ends
38:01
of all the earth.
38:02
How is it
38:02
going to be
38:03
possible?
38:05
We have the
38:05
great commission
38:06
of the Lord
38:07
Jesus
38:07
and he says
38:08
go to all
38:09
ends of the earth.
38:10
He says go
38:11
but what else
38:12
does he say?
38:13
He says
38:13
I am with you.
38:16
I am with you.
38:19
And that's
38:20
the great question
38:21
that we have
38:22
for ourselves
38:23
as well.
38:24
How can we
38:25
so small
38:25
and insignificant
38:26
a people
38:28
here?
38:29
How can we
38:29
possibly go?
38:32
Well it's
38:33
to be awakened
38:33
and to know
38:35
the power
38:35
of the Holy
38:36
Spirit
38:37
with us.
38:38
It says
38:39
in the Old
38:39
Testament
38:40
it's not
38:40
by might
38:41
nor by power
38:42
but by my
38:43
Spirit
38:44
says the
38:45
Lord.
38:47
That is
38:48
how we
38:49
are to go.
38:51
He has
38:51
poured out
38:52
his Spirit
38:53
upon us.
38:55
He has
38:55
given the
38:56
Spirit
38:56
to his
38:57
church.
38:58
Pentecost
38:59
was about
38:59
mission
39:00
and empowering
39:01
because we
39:01
are powerless
39:02
without the
39:03
Holy Spirit
39:04
but we have
39:06
him promised
39:06
with us.
39:09
So let us
39:11
look to
39:12
him.
39:14
Let us
39:15
pray
39:15
to God
39:17
our Father.
39:18
Pray
39:19
through our
39:20
Lord Jesus
39:21
Christ
39:21
and pray
39:22
for the
39:23
Holy Spirit
39:24
with us.
39:26
When you
39:26
go back
39:27
to verse
39:27
1 of
39:28
chapter 2
39:28
here it
39:29
gives us
39:29
a reminder
39:30
of the
39:31
starting point
39:32
of this
39:32
journey
39:33
and the
39:34
starting point
39:35
for ours
39:35
as well.
39:37
When the
39:37
day of
39:37
Pentecost
39:38
arrived
39:38
they were
39:38
all together
39:39
in one
39:40
place.
39:42
They were
39:43
all together
39:44
in one
39:45
place.
39:46
They were
39:46
all tuned
39:48
in to
39:49
God.
39:51
It was
39:51
A.W.
39:51
Tozer
39:52
who once
39:52
said
39:53
a hundred
39:54
pianos
39:55
all tuned
39:55
to the
39:56
same
39:57
fork
39:57
are
39:58
automatically
39:59
tuned
40:00
to each
40:01
other.
40:02
And what
40:03
was the
40:03
point that
40:03
he was
40:04
making
40:04
there?
40:06
Well he
40:06
was making
40:06
you could
40:06
try and
40:07
tune
40:07
your own
40:08
piano
40:08
and somebody
40:09
else could
40:09
tune
40:09
their own
40:10
and everyone
40:11
could just
40:11
go ahead
40:12
and tune
40:12
their own
40:12
piano
40:13
but they're
40:13
not going
40:13
to be
40:14
in tune
40:14
because they're
40:15
all individual
40:16
but tune
40:16
it to one
40:17
tuning fork
40:18
and they're
40:19
automatically
40:20
playing the
40:21
same tune
40:22
the same
40:23
note.
40:25
The point
40:25
he's making
40:26
is this
40:26
that when
40:28
we all
40:29
tune in
40:29
to God
40:30
first and
40:31
foremost
40:32
then we
40:33
are all
40:33
in tune
40:34
with one
40:35
another.
40:37
That is
40:37
what makes
40:38
things possible
40:39
to be in
40:40
tune
40:40
with God
40:42
to be
40:42
together
40:43
in one
40:44
place
40:44
with God
40:45
in our
40:46
hearts.
40:47
knowing
40:49
the blessing
40:49
of the
40:50
Holy Spirit
40:51
with us.
40:53
So as we
40:53
go into
40:54
this week
40:55
ahead
40:55
may we
40:56
go with
40:57
a sense
40:57
of
40:58
anticipation
40:59
of what
41:00
God can
41:01
do for
41:01
us.
41:02
May we
41:02
go with
41:03
a sense
41:03
of amazement
41:04
at what
41:05
God has
41:06
done for
41:07
us.
41:08
And may
41:08
we go
41:09
with a
41:09
sense
41:09
of awakening
41:11
knowing
41:12
the life
41:12
giving
41:13
power
41:13
of the
41:14
Holy Spirit
41:15
of God
41:16
that we
41:16
would see
41:17
his mighty
41:18
works
41:18
in our
41:19
midst.
41:22
We will
41:22
at the
41:23
end of
41:24
this week
41:24
we will
41:24
be focusing
41:25
on the
41:26
Lord's
41:27
death.
41:29
And that
41:29
is our
41:29
focus
41:30
in all
41:31
that we
41:31
do
41:32
that Christ
41:33
died
41:34
for us
41:35
that we
41:36
might have
41:36
life.
41:38
And the
41:38
more we
41:39
look to
41:39
that
41:40
the more
41:41
we are in
41:41
tune with
41:42
that the
41:42
more we
41:43
are in
41:43
tune with
41:43
one another
41:44
the more
41:45
we are in
41:45
tune with
41:46
all that
41:47
is around
41:47
us.
41:49
And the
41:49
words on
41:50
your notice
41:51
sheet this
41:52
week with
41:53
regards to
41:54
the communion
41:54
the words
41:55
that Matthew
41:56
Henry had
41:56
I want to
41:57
leave you
41:57
with these
41:58
words because
42:00
they remind
42:00
us of
42:01
what it
42:02
means to
42:02
come.
42:04
Come to
42:05
the Lord's
42:05
Supper.
42:06
It says
42:06
let us
42:07
come to
42:07
the Lord's
42:08
Supper with
42:09
rejoicing and
42:10
thanksgiving.
42:11
these two
42:12
must go
42:13
together for
42:14
whatever is
42:15
the matter
42:15
of our
42:16
rejoicing
42:17
must be
42:18
the matter
42:18
of our
42:19
thanksgiving.
42:20
Holy joy
42:21
is the
42:21
heart of
42:22
our
42:23
thankful
42:23
praise and
42:25
thankful
42:25
praise is
42:26
the language
42:27
of holy
42:27
joy.
42:29
Both
42:29
these are
42:30
very seasonable
42:31
when we
42:32
are coming
42:32
to this
42:33
ordinance
42:33
which is
42:34
instituted
42:35
both for
42:36
the honor
42:36
of the
42:37
Redeemer
42:37
and for
42:38
the comfort
42:39
of the
42:40
redeemed.
42:41
Isn't it
42:42
a wonderful
42:42
way of
42:43
putting it?
42:44
It is
42:45
both for
42:45
the honor
42:46
of the
42:47
Redeemer
42:47
for the
42:48
honor of
42:49
Christ we
42:50
do it
42:50
but it is
42:51
for the
42:52
comfort
42:52
of the
42:54
redeemed.
42:55
The comfort
42:56
of doing
42:57
it in
42:58
remembrance
42:58
of him.
43:01
May we
43:01
come into
43:03
this week
43:03
with a
43:04
sense of
43:05
knowing the
43:07
Holy Spirit's
43:08
leading and
43:08
guiding and
43:09
blessing in
43:10
all that
43:11
we do
43:11
and knowing
43:12
the mighty
43:14
work of
43:15
God in
43:16
our midst.
43:17
Let us
43:17
pray.
43:19
Our
43:19
Father in
43:20
heaven we
43:21
give you
43:21
thanks for
43:22
your goodness
43:23
to us as a
43:24
people and
43:25
deserving as
43:25
we are
43:26
Lord we
43:26
thank you
43:27
for the
43:28
blessings that
43:29
are ours in
43:29
Christ and
43:30
for the
43:30
blessing that
43:31
we have in
43:32
the comfort
43:33
of the
43:33
Holy Spirit
43:34
with us.
43:35
And we
43:35
pray Lord to
43:36
know his
43:37
mighty work
43:38
in our
43:39
midst in
43:39
all that
43:40
we do
43:40
and there
43:41
will be
43:41
for your
43:42
glory and
43:43
yours alone.
43:44
So we
43:44
ask it in
43:45
the name
43:45
of Jesus.
43:46
Amen.
43:50
We're going
43:50
to conclude
43:51
by singing
43:52
to God's
43:53
praise in
43:54
Psalm 104
43:55
Psalm 104
43:57
page 138
43:58
of the
43:58
psalm
43:59
books.
44:01
Psalm 104
44:03
we'll sing
44:04
from verse
44:04
31 down
44:05
to the
44:06
end of
44:06
the psalm
44:07
and the
44:07
tune is
44:08
Hifredal.
44:09
Psalm 104
44:10
verse 31
44:11
May the
44:11
Lord's
44:12
majestic
44:13
glory always
44:14
last and
44:15
never fade.
44:16
May the
44:16
Lord rejoice
44:17
and triumph
44:18
in the
44:19
works that
44:19
he has
44:20
made.
44:20
We'll sing
44:21
these
44:21
verses to
44:22
God's
44:22
praise.
44:25
May the
44:30
Lord
44:31
majestic
44:32
glory
44:35
always
44:36
last and
44:38
never
44:40
fade.
44:41
May the
44:43
Lord
44:43
rejoice
44:44
and triumph
44:48
in the
44:49
works that
44:51
he has
44:53
made.
44:54
When
44:54
he
44:56
gives
44:57
his
44:57
song
44:58
creation
45:00
earth
45:01
begins
45:03
to shake
45:05
and
45:05
fear
45:06
as
45:08
it
45:08
touched
45:09
the
45:10
mountains
45:11
tremble
45:13
smoke
45:14
and flames
45:16
of fire
45:17
appear.
45:19
to the
45:21
Lord
45:23
throughout
45:23
my
45:25
lifetime
45:26
to
45:27
my
45:28
God
45:29
I
45:30
will
45:30
sing
45:31
praise.
45:32
May
45:33
my
45:34
meditation
45:36
be
45:38
said
45:39
as to
45:41
him
45:42
my
45:42
song
45:43
I
45:44
raise.
45:45
but
45:47
with
45:47
sinners
45:48
free
45:49
before
45:51
and
45:53
the
45:54
wicked
45:55
be
45:56
no
45:56
more.
45:58
Praise
45:59
to
46:00
the
46:01
Lord
46:02
almighty
46:04
O
46:05
my
46:06
soul
46:07
the
46:08
Lord
46:09
adore.
46:12
After the
46:13
benediction I'll go to the door to my left.
46:15
We'll close with the benediction.
46:17
Now may grace, mercy and peace from God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore. Amen.
46:27
Amen.
46:57
Amen.