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Portraits of the Church (1) - The Church of the Living God · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Now, we're going to begin our worship today singing in Psalm number 57.
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Psalm 57, that's in the Scottish Psalter version.
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That's on page 288.
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We're singing verses 5 to 11.
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Be thou exalted very high above the heavens, O God.
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Let thou thy glory be advanced o'er all the earth abroad.
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My souls bow down, for they a net have laid my steps to snare
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into the pit which they have digged, for me they fallen are.
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My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed, O God, I'll sing and praise.
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My glory wake, wake, psaltery harp, myself I'll early raise.
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To the end of the psalm from verse 5, and we'll stand to sing.
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Be thou exalted very high above the heavens, O God.
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Let thou thy glory be advanced o'er all the earth abroad.
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My soul's burden, for they a net have laid my steps to snare.
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into the pit which they have digged, for me they fallen are.
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My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed, O God, I'll sing and praise.
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My glory wake, wake, sultry harp, myself I'll early raise.
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I'll praise thee among the people, Lord.
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Among nations sing with I.
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For great to heaven thy mercy is, thy truth is to the sky.
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O Lord, exalted be thy name above the heavens to stand.
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Do thou thy glory far and land above the sea and land.
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Now we're going to call on the Lord in prayer.
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Let's all join together in prayer.
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Our eternal and gracious God,
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you have reminded us in these words we have been singing in your praise,
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that we exist to glorify your name,
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that you gather us together in such a way as this,
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to exalt you and to lift up your holy name and worship.
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We know, Lord, that this is our great privilege to be able to do so
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and to recognize that we, O Lord, have this incumbent upon us,
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that we should glorify you and enjoy you as the chief end of our creation.
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We thank you today, O Lord, that you have brought us into being
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and sustained us in our being from day to day.
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The Word tells us that it is in you we live and move and have our being.
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And we give thanks for the recognition of this, Lord,
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as you reveal yourself to us and as you come to draw our minds in your Word
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to that great teaching about your eternal existence
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and about your relationship with your people and with the creation itself.
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And we thank you today that we gather here to worship you
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in a way that willingly would give to you the praise
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and the honor and the glory that is due to you.
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We thank you for your Word to guide us,
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for your Word to teach us, Lord, about those great issues of this life and of eternity,
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especially of these matters of eternal salvation for your own people.
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The eternal life that you lay out for us in your Word
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that we find deposited especially in the Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.
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We thank you today, Lord, that we come in His name.
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And we thank you, Lord, our Father, that you sent Him as your Son into this world
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so that He might take the sin of His people and die the death that they deserve,
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that death which we all deserve,
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but also as a great atonement for the sin of your people.
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And we thank you today that we can come expectantly,
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believing that you are here
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and believing that you have delight in blessing your Word to your people.
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And, Lord, we ask that your blessing today will be known by us,
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that our hearts will truly be quickened and gladdened,
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like the heart of the psalmist in whose words we have read
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and in whose words we find such a great challenge for ourselves
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to have our hearts lifted up and quickened
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at the thought of coming into your presence.
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We pray, Lord, today for each of us here
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and for our life as a congregation.
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We pray, O Lord, that you would bless us in this week that we have entered
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when so many activities are anticipated by us.
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We pray that you would guide us and bless us through these,
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each and every one of them,
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services of worship,
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other meetings in association with the congregation,
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with the young people, and with others alike.
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We pray, Lord, in anticipation of the induction this coming Friday
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that you would bless this occasion.
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We pray that you would bless Mr. MacLeod
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as he anticipates preaching and presiding over the service.
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We pray especially for Calimurdo and for his family
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as they come to join us
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and as we anticipate him becoming our assistant minister.
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We thank you, Lord, for the prospect.
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We pray that you would grant your blessing to them as a family.
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We pray that as they settle among us
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and as the children settle into school,
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we ask, O Lord, that you would bless them
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with this new chapter beginning in their lives.
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And we ask that you would make yourself known to them
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and give them peace in their hearts
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as they take this step into a new chapter in their experience.
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And we pray in anticipation, Lord, of their presence with us
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and of Calimurdo's ministry and Johan as well
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that a great blessing will follow
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and that we will see further steps taken by us
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under his ministry as a congregation
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into further avenues of service for the Lord.
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We pray your blessing for the North East congregation
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that he has left.
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We ask, O Lord, that you would grant your blessing to them
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through the gospel as they continue to serve you
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and testify to you there.
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We thank you for their willingness
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to part with their minister,
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though we know that this was a great wrench for them.
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Nevertheless, Lord, you have in the past so many times
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blessed such things to congregations and to individuals,
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and we pray that that will be so for them.
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We pray your blessing too for our young people
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and our children today asking as we come
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to the end of the Sunday school session
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and as we come to the prize giving later,
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Lord, we pray your blessing to follow these months
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of teaching and of fellowship
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and of being together in the various classes
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and activities that they have engaged in.
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We ask, Lord, for each and every family,
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as well as the children themselves,
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that you bless them in their homes as parents
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and grant, Lord, that they may continue
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to flourish under the gospel.
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And we ask that as we give thanks
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for their participation in the congregation
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and for their being so much a part
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of the congregation's life,
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Lord, that you would continue
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to lay your good hand of blessing upon them.
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Remember those who have given of their time
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to teach in the Sunday school,
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to look after the creche and the tweenies.
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Lord, we pray for them too
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and give thanks for their service.
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We give thanks for their willingness
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and for their talents used in this way.
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And we ask, O Lord,
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that we may appreciate more and more
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all who give of their time so willingly
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to help in the different ways
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in which the life of the congregation
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is manifest in our community.
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Remember us now, we pray,
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as we continue here in your presence today.
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We ask that you would bless your word to us.
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We pray that you'd open up our minds
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so that we will understand further
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the things of your salvation
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and of your kingdom.
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We pray for the world at large
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in which we live.
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We pray today for our own communities.
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We pray for our schools
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as they come to the end of another session.
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We give thanks for the education of our children.
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We pray for the teachers
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and for the head teachers.
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We pray for the education authority.
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We pray for all who are involved, Lord,
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in the instruction that our children receive
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by way of support teaching
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and by way of other services
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that are given in our schools.
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Lord, we pray that we may give thanks
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to thee constantly
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for the provision that you continue
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to make for us.
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We ask, too, that you would bless
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our nation at this time.
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Lord, we acknowledge so much
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that has been done
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and is done in departure from your ways,
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things which we know are offensive to you.
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We ask, O Lord, that you'd be merciful to us.
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We ask that you'd grant to us
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through your Holy Spirit
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a spirit of repentance in all our hearts
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so as to turn to the Lord
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and pray for ourselves as a people,
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for our governments
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and for those in authority
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in different ways,
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in places of influence
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and authority in our land.
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Be pleased to bless us, we pray,
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and in your pity remember us,
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though we deserve not any mercy from you.
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Bless the world in which we live.
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Bless the troubled spots of the world
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in Yemen, in Ukraine,
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in different places where war rages,
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where terrorism is rife.
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Bless the people of Afghanistan
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in the wake of this terrible earthquake,
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having so few resources.
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O Lord, our God,
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provide for them, we pray.
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Grant at this time
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that you'd show your compassion
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and your love in providing for them.
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Help us to open our hearts
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and to open our resources
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to send them relief.
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O Lord, we ask that you would
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continue with us here.
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Bless us and hear our prayer
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and pardon our sins
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for Jesus' sake.
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Amen.
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Let's continue our worship singing again
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in Psalm 40 this time.
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Psalm 40 and sing Psalms on page 50.
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Singing verses 1 to 5.
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I waited long upon the Lord.
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He heard my cry and turned to me.
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He raised me from the slimy pit
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and from the mire
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He pulled me free.
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He set my feet on solid rock,
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a place to stand both firm and broad.
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He put a new song in my mouth,
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a joyful hymn of praise to God.
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Psalm 40 verses 1 to 5 to God's praise.
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I waited long upon the Lord.
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I waited long upon the Lord.
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He heard my cry and turned to me.
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He raised me from the slimy pit
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and from the mire.
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He pulled me free.
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He set my feet on solid rock,
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a place to stand both firm and broad.
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He put a new song in my mouth,
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a joyful hymn of praise to God.
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Many will look with godly fear,
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and on the Lord alone rely.
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Blessed are they who trust the Lord,
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who shall not proud and gods that lie.
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The wonders you have done, O Lord,
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how many and how great they are.
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Your plans for us are far beyond.
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God's word is now,
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our heart to now,
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our Lord declare.
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Now reading of Scripture,
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God's word is today in the book of Acts.
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The book of Acts in chapter 19.
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We're going to read from verse 21
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through to the end of the chapter.
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Acts chapter 19 at verse 21.
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Now after these events,
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Paul resolved in the spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia
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and go to Jerusalem,
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saying,
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After I have been there,
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I must also see Rome.
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And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers,
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Timothy and Erastus,
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he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
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About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the way.
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For a man named Demetrius,
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a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis,
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brought no little business to the craftsmen.
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These he gathered together with the workmen in similar trades and said,
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Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.
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And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus,
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but in almost all of Asia,
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this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people,
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saying that gods made with hands are not gods.
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And there is danger,
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not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute,
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but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis
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may be counted as nothing,
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that she may even be deposed from her magnificence,
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she whom all Asia and the world worship.
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When they heard this,
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they were enraged and were crying out,
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Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.
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So the city was filled with confusion,
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and they rushed together into the theatre,
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dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus,
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Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel.
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But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd,
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the disciples would not let him.
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And some, even some of the Asiarchs,
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who were friends of his,
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sent to him and were urging him
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not to venture into the theatre.
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Now some cried out one thing, some another,
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for the assembly was in confusion,
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and most of them did not know
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why they had come together.
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Some of the crowd prompted Alexander,
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whom the Jews had put forward,
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and Alexander, motioning with his hand,
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wanted to make a defense to the crowd.
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But when they recognized that he was a Jew,
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for about two hours they all cried out with one voice,
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Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.
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And when the town clerk had quietened the crowd,
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he said,
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Men of Ephesus,
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who is there who does not know
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that the city of the Ephesians
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is temple keeper of the great Artemis,
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and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?
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Seeing then that these things cannot be denied,
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you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.
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For you have brought these men here
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who are neither sacrilegious
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nor blasphemers of our goddess.
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If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him
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have a complaint against anyone,
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the courts are open,
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and there are proconsuls.
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Let them bring charges against one another.
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But if you seek anything further,
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it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
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For we are really in danger
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of being charged with rioting today,
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since there is no cause that we can give
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to justify this commotion.
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And when he had said these things,
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he dismissed the assembly.
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And that forms the background
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to the text we're going to look at later
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from 1 Timothy.
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We'll sing once again to his praise
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before we turn to that passage,
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and this time in Psalm 122.
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Psalm 122, again in St. Psalms, page 169.
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To the Lord's house they were calling,
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and with joy I went with them.
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Now at last our feet are standing
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in your gate, Jerusalem.
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See, Jerusalem like a city
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built compactly, close and strong.
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That is where the tribes assemble,
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tribes which to the Lord belong.
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And so on, we'll sing the whole
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of the Psalm, these verses,
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To the Lord's house they were calling.
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To the Lord's house they were calling,
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and with joy I went with them.
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Now at last our feet are standing
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in your gates, Jerusalem.
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See, Jerusalem like a city
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built compactly, close and strong.
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That is where the tribes assemble,
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tribes which to the Lord belong.
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To the Lord's name praise they offer,
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as for Israel decreed.
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There are set the thrones for judgment,
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thrones of David's royal seed.
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Pray for Zion's peace and safety.
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May your friends securely dwell.
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Peace within your walls continue.
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Strength within your citadel.
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For the sake of friends and brothers,
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peace be in you, I will say.
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For the sake of our God's temple,
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I seek your prosperity.
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Now if you turn with me please
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to the first letter of Paul to Timothy,
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and chapter 3.
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We're looking today at verse 15.
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First Timothy chapter 3,
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and we'll read from verse 14.
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Verse 14.
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Verse 14.
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Verse 14.
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Verse 14.
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Verse 14.
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Verse 14.
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I hope to come to see you soon,
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but I'm writing these things to you,
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so that if I delay,
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you may know how one ought to behave
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in the household of God,
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which is the church of the living God,
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a pillar and buttress of truth.
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Great indeed, we confess,
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is the mystery of godliness.
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He was manifested in the flesh,
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vindicated by the Spirit,
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seen by angels,
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proclaimed among the nations,
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believed on in the world,
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taken up in glory.
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But especially these words you find
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today in verse 15,
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a description of the church,
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which we have as the church
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of the living God.
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God willing,
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we're going to begin
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a series of studies
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on the church,
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but scripture portraits
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of the church
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as the title we've given
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to the series.
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I don't know how long
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it'll last for.
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God willing,
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probably something like
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10 or 12 studies
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because we're following
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the passages in the Bible
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that give us portraits
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of the church.
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In other words,
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descriptions such as
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the description you find
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in this verse itself.
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In fact,
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there are three descriptions
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of the church in this verse.
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The one we're looking at today
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is the church of the living God.
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You can see also
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that it's called
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the household of God.
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And thirdly,
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it's called a pillar
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and buttress of truth.
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And these three descriptions,
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each of them,
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very picturesque.
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They set out by way
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of a portrait of the church,
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certain things that are
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so true of the church
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that we need to know
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and appreciate for ourselves.
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And to have a biblical view
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and understanding
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of the church
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is a truly important matter
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for us.
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There are so many different views
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of the church,
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what the church is,
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what the church should be like,
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what the church should be doing.
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Currently across our society
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and throughout the world,
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it's really extremely important
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for ourselves
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that we know
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what the Bible says
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about the church,
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that we keep to the biblical picture
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the church gives us
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or descriptions
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that the Bible gives us,
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rather,
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of the church
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so that we have
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in our understanding
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a biblical view of the church,
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a view of the church
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that is indeed
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as God has set it out
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for us
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in the Scriptures.
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And so we're going to examine
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these various descriptions
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that you find.
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You have descriptions
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like the body of Christ,
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the bride of Christ.
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These three descriptions
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you find in this passage itself.
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God's people are called
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the light of the world,
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a city set on a hill.
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And so we're going to see
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various descriptions like that
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that are very much
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portraits of the church.
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And we'll see some of the teaching
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that's built into these descriptions
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so that we can come
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and appreciate ourselves
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what it means to belong
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to the church,
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how important it is
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to belong to the church,
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what are the advantages
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of belonging to the church.
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And today we're looking
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at the church
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as the church
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of the living God.
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And there are two things
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within that
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that stand out.
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First of all,
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the word church itself.
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And then now it's described
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as the church
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of the living God.
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So there's the word church.
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And then our second point
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will be the church
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as it's described,
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the church of the living God.
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Now the word church
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is, as you know,
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frequently found
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throughout the New Testament.
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But you must never think
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of the church
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in terms of a building
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or a structure.
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I know we do speak
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of the church
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in those terms,
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but it's so important
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that we actually
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always think of the church
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as people,
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not mortar,
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not buildings,
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not bricks and stone,
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though we describe
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the church,
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are you going to church?
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The church is the people.
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What is Stornoway Free Church?
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Stornoway Free Church
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is not this building.
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This is the building
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in which Stornoway Free Church
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regularly meets
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in order to come together
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to worship God.
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So that's the very foundational
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matter for us,
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firstly, to remember.
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The New Testament
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never uses,
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as far as I'm aware,
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the New Testament
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never uses the word church
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for any building,
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such as the building
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in which we are today
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gathered to worship the Lord.
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Throughout the New Testament,
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you actually have
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the word church used
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for the people
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that are, as we'll see,
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called by God
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to exist in the world
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as His own
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worshiping,
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believing people.
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So when we say to people,
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are you coming to church with me?
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If they think that the church
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means the building,
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you have to say to them,
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well, what I mean is,
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are you coming to gather
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with us the church
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in the building
26:57
in which we regularly worship?
26:58
Because we can get into
27:00
so many wrong ideas
27:03
if we just confine
27:04
our thinking of the church
27:06
and what the word church means
27:07
to a building
27:08
or a structure of that kind.
27:11
Now, the word that's used
27:12
in the New Testament
27:13
mostly for the church
27:14
is the word in Greek,
27:17
ekklesia.
27:18
And you can tell
27:19
from the sound of that word,
27:21
it's very closely related
27:22
to the word ecclesiastic,
27:26
which we use as an English word
27:28
to describe some things
27:29
to do with the church
27:30
or a person belonging
27:31
to the church.
27:32
You can find the same
27:33
in different languages.
27:34
The word in Gaelic
27:35
is Eglish.
27:36
The word in French
27:38
is l'eglise.
27:39
You can see how like
27:40
that is to ekklesia.
27:43
And the ekklesia
27:44
in the New Testament,
27:45
the word for translated church
27:47
is a word that literally means
27:49
the ones called out.
27:51
And you can see immediately
27:53
that refers to people.
27:55
It refers to people
27:56
that have been called out by God
27:58
to be His people.
28:00
Different ways in which
28:01
being called out is described.
28:03
But that's really
28:03
what essentially it means.
28:06
They are called out
28:07
and we can see now
28:09
where they're called out from.
28:10
Well, you remember
28:11
that Jesus said of His disciples
28:14
that they were not of the world
28:16
that He had called them
28:17
out of the world.
28:19
And that's the same idea
28:20
you find in the word ecclesiastic,
28:21
as the called out ones.
28:23
You today are the called out people.
28:26
You are called out
28:27
from the world around you
28:28
so that they are aware today
28:30
that you are gathered here today
28:31
as a worshiping people.
28:33
You are actually different
28:35
in that respect
28:36
to the world
28:37
that does not worship God.
28:39
You are called out by God
28:41
to be a distinct group of people
28:43
in the world
28:44
that are associated
28:45
with the worship of God,
28:47
associated with believing in God,
28:49
and all that that entails.
28:52
You are separated
28:52
from the world
28:54
in that way.
28:55
But not only does God
28:56
call His people
28:57
out from the world,
28:59
and we'll see
29:00
in the course of our studies
29:01
some of what that actually means
29:03
in practice,
29:05
they are called out
29:06
from the world,
29:06
but they are also
29:07
called together.
29:10
They are the called out ones,
29:11
but they are called together,
29:13
to be together
29:14
as a group
29:15
that actually
29:17
have the name of God
29:18
or something associated
29:20
with God
29:21
and His worship
29:22
attached to them.
29:24
God never calls anyone
29:26
or any people
29:27
out from a situation
29:28
without calling them
29:30
into a new situation.
29:32
We read in Psalm 40,
29:34
He took me,
29:35
said the psalmist,
29:36
out of a fearful,
29:38
slimy pit.
29:39
But He didn't just say,
29:40
He took me out of the pit,
29:42
He then placed my feet
29:43
upon a rock.
29:45
Think back to the Old Testament
29:47
where the people of Israel
29:48
gathered there in Egypt
29:50
as slaves in Egypt
29:51
and burdened
29:54
by the persecutors in Egypt,
29:56
and God came
29:57
and rescued them
29:59
from that situation.
30:00
He called them out
30:01
under the leadership of Moses
30:03
from that situation
30:05
in Egypt.
30:06
Now, that's a picture for you,
30:07
really,
30:08
of God calling His people
30:09
out of a certain situation,
30:10
but He didn't just
30:12
call them out of there
30:13
and leave them scattered
30:14
any old way
30:15
without organization,
30:17
without order.
30:18
He called them out
30:19
and He called them together.
30:21
Under Moses,
30:22
He called them together
30:23
to be a people
30:25
that were following
30:27
the ways of the Lord,
30:28
although sadly,
30:29
like ourselves,
30:30
they failed
30:30
in many respects
30:31
in that regard.
30:33
But this is what they were.
30:35
They were no longer
30:35
in Egypt.
30:36
They had been called
30:37
out of that place.
30:38
They had been called
30:39
out of that situation.
30:40
And these circumstances
30:42
and called together
30:44
to be the Lord's people,
30:45
to have the Lord's name
30:47
and to be in covenant
30:47
with the Lord
30:49
who rescued them.
30:50
That's what we are
30:51
engaged in today.
30:52
That's why we're called out
30:53
and called together.
30:56
Now, being called out
30:57
and called together,
30:59
which really amounts
31:00
to the same thing
31:01
in essence
31:02
in terms of the result of it,
31:04
it has both
31:06
challenge
31:07
and privilege,
31:10
privilege
31:10
and challenge
31:12
attached to being
31:13
called out
31:13
and called together
31:14
to be the people
31:16
of God.
31:18
If we take these
31:18
in turn,
31:19
you can see something
31:20
of the privilege
31:21
of it
31:22
and something
31:23
of the challenge
31:24
of it as well.
31:25
The privilege,
31:25
you could say,
31:26
is the privilege
31:27
of being,
31:27
as 1 Peter puts it,
31:29
called out of darkness
31:30
into His marvelous light.
31:34
This is what's happening
31:35
all the way through
31:36
the letters of the New Testament,
31:37
whether it's Paul
31:38
or Peter,
31:39
whether it's to Timothy
31:40
or to a church
31:40
that you find them written,
31:42
this is constantly
31:43
the emphasis
31:43
that these people of God
31:45
that are being written to
31:46
are people that have been
31:48
called out by God
31:49
out of the world
31:50
to be the people of God,
31:51
to be together,
31:52
the people of God
31:53
and the witnesses of God
31:54
called out of darkness
31:56
into His marvelous light.
32:00
And it's only after
32:01
you come out of darkness
32:02
that you realize
32:04
that you were in darkness,
32:06
spiritually and morally,
32:08
I'm saying,
32:09
because it's as the Lord
32:11
opens our hearts,
32:12
as the Lord gives us
32:13
a true understanding
32:15
of ourselves
32:16
and of Himself
32:16
and of what life is like
32:18
and what salvation is,
32:21
it's only then
32:21
that we begin to realize
32:22
as God works in our hearts,
32:24
as God individually comes
32:26
and as we get to grips
32:29
with His truth
32:30
through His own Spirit
32:31
working in us.
32:31
It's then that we realize
32:33
that we thought
32:34
we were actually
32:35
in the light,
32:36
we thought that we were
32:36
in the clear,
32:37
we thought you understood
32:38
things properly
32:39
until God says,
32:40
no, I'm calling you
32:41
out of darkness,
32:44
out of spiritual darkness.
32:45
And in Ephesians,
32:47
we'll come to refer
32:49
to Ephesians in a minute,
32:50
but in Ephesians,
32:51
Paul actually says
32:52
to the Ephesians
32:53
not only that they were
32:55
in darkness,
32:57
but that they were darkness.
33:00
You were once darkness,
33:03
but now you are light
33:04
in the Lord.
33:06
You were once darkness.
33:08
That's what they were.
33:09
That's what they were constituted
33:11
as, as fallen,
33:13
sinful human beings
33:14
like we all are
33:15
until God comes
33:17
and rescues us
33:18
and brings us
33:19
to see the light
33:20
as we often have it put
33:21
and brings us
33:23
into the light.
33:24
So there's the first aspect
33:25
of the privilege,
33:26
called out of darkness
33:27
into His marvelous light.
33:29
Or take another way
33:30
of describing it,
33:31
as Paul wrote
33:31
to the Corinthians,
33:33
God, he says,
33:34
has called you
33:35
into the fellowship
33:37
of His Son.
33:39
That's Jesus Christ.
33:41
To have fellowship
33:42
in the New Testament
33:43
sense of it
33:44
means much more
33:46
than just knowing
33:47
somebody casually
33:48
or having an acquaintance
33:50
with someone.
33:51
Fellowship in the New Testament
33:53
really is all about sharing.
33:55
Sharing in
33:56
or sharing with
33:57
or sharing out.
33:59
And what Paul is saying
34:00
to the Corinthians is,
34:01
this is your great privilege.
34:03
God has called you
34:04
into the sharing
34:06
of His Son,
34:07
sharing life together
34:08
in His Son.
34:10
He has called you
34:11
into the fellowship
34:11
of His Son,
34:13
Jesus Christ.
34:18
There is no greater privilege.
34:20
There is no greater privilege
34:23
than to be called
34:24
to be joined to Christ,
34:28
to have fellowship
34:30
with Jesus Christ,
34:32
to know the Savior
34:33
personally for ourselves.
34:35
That's what God
34:36
calls us to.
34:38
But He calls us to that
34:39
just not only individually,
34:41
but to be a people
34:42
who together enjoy
34:44
what it means
34:44
to be in fellowship
34:45
with Christ,
34:47
who help one another
34:48
through the experience
34:49
of the life
34:50
that Jesus gives us.
34:53
And the difficulties
34:54
that we face,
34:54
the challenges,
34:55
as we'll see in a minute,
34:56
of living like that
34:57
in obedience to Him
34:58
in this world.
35:00
But that's our great privilege.
35:03
He has called us
35:04
out of darkness
35:05
into His marvelous light.
35:07
He has called us
35:08
into the fellowship
35:09
of His own Son.
35:12
Now today,
35:13
I have to ask myself,
35:16
you're preaching
35:16
this gospel,
35:17
you're preaching
35:18
these truths
35:18
to these people,
35:20
is this what is
35:21
true of yourself?
35:22
And of course,
35:22
I have to analyze that
35:24
for myself,
35:25
but you have to do that too.
35:27
Because being called out
35:28
by God
35:29
to be together
35:30
a covenant people,
35:31
which we are here today,
35:34
is not the same thing
35:35
as to know Jesus
35:35
saving me for ourselves.
35:37
And within the covenant
35:39
people of God,
35:40
within the called out
35:42
people of God,
35:43
there exist people
35:44
who are born again,
35:46
and there exist people
35:47
who have the privileges
35:48
of the gospel,
35:49
but who are not born again,
35:51
who still don't know Jesus
35:52
as their own Savior.
35:55
That's why I'm saying
35:55
that's why it's incumbent
35:57
upon us,
35:58
as those who are called
35:59
to preach the gospel,
36:00
to set before you
36:01
that very important distinction,
36:04
the great privilege
36:05
of belonging to the church,
36:07
of being within
36:08
the covenant body
36:09
of the church,
36:10
being a member
36:11
in that sense
36:11
of the covenant people
36:12
of God.
36:14
You have to then
36:15
ask yourself,
36:16
but do I know Jesus
36:17
for myself?
36:19
Have I come
36:20
to embrace Him,
36:21
to welcome Him,
36:22
to receive Him
36:23
into my own life?
36:25
As I hear
36:26
all these things
36:27
about Him
36:28
and about what
36:29
His church is
36:30
and what His church
36:31
is like
36:31
and what God
36:33
has described
36:33
His church as,
36:35
it's for you
36:37
and for me today
36:37
to look at our
36:39
relationship
36:39
to Christ,
36:40
to Jesus
36:41
and to make sure
36:43
that you know Him,
36:45
that you know Him
36:46
personally,
36:47
that you know Him
36:48
savingly,
36:50
that you know Him
36:50
in such a way
36:51
as enjoys the privilege
36:53
of being called
36:54
out of darkness
36:55
to be joined
36:56
to Christ Himself.
36:58
But of course,
36:59
that means
36:59
there's a challenge
37:00
as well
37:01
along with the privilege.
37:02
It's always like that,
37:03
isn't it?
37:04
I don't know
37:04
if you can think
37:05
of any privilege
37:06
that you have
37:06
in this life
37:07
that doesn't have
37:07
a challenge
37:08
associated with it
37:09
or along with it.
37:10
Certainly the case
37:10
in the Christian life
37:12
and the challenges
37:13
must never obscure
37:15
the magnificence
37:16
of the privilege.
37:18
That's not why
37:19
they're highlighted
37:19
for us
37:20
but so that,
37:21
as Jesus did say
37:22
to the disciples,
37:23
we will have
37:23
a realistic view
37:25
of what a Christian is
37:26
and what a Christian life
37:28
is like.
37:29
It's not to put us off.
37:31
It's not so that we'll say,
37:32
well, that's not for me
37:33
but it's to say,
37:34
well, that is for me
37:35
but I have to recognize
37:37
that there's a challenge
37:38
in following Jesus.
37:40
That it's not
37:41
the easiest life
37:42
at many times
37:43
but nevertheless
37:44
it's one
37:45
that's above all others
37:48
a privileged life.
37:52
There's the challenge
37:52
of living
37:53
as the light
37:55
of the world
37:55
as Jesus described
37:56
in the Sermon
37:57
on the Mount
37:58
to His disciples,
37:59
to His listeners.
38:00
You are the light
38:01
of the world.
38:03
A city that is set
38:04
on a hill
38:04
cannot be hid.
38:06
Let your light
38:07
so shine
38:08
before people
38:10
so that they may
38:11
see your good works
38:12
and give glory
38:12
to your Father
38:13
who is in heaven.
38:14
Now, that's a great challenge
38:16
and it's something
38:18
that I'm sure
38:19
we all have to accept
38:20
of ourselves
38:21
we fall short of
38:23
and we all have to confess
38:25
to some degree or other
38:27
that our light
38:28
is not as bright
38:28
as it could be
38:29
or should be,
38:31
that we are not
38:31
even as a congregation
38:33
together
38:33
shining with the clarity
38:35
that we ought to have
38:37
as we are placed
38:38
by God
38:39
in our community
38:39
in order to be
38:41
His covenant people
38:42
but nevertheless
38:44
it's something
38:44
that we recognize
38:46
by the grace of God
38:48
we are called to do
38:49
and we are called
38:51
to be
38:51
the light of the world
38:53
and we are called
38:56
to proclaim
38:57
as Peter put it
38:58
in association
38:59
we called out of darkness
39:01
into His marvelous light
39:02
the words before that
39:03
were that you might
39:05
proclaim
39:06
the excellencies
39:08
of the one
39:08
who has called you
39:09
that's why we exist
39:12
as a called out people
39:14
to proclaim
39:15
and it's not just
39:16
proclaiming
39:17
in the sense of preaching
39:18
Peter was talking there
39:19
not just to those
39:20
who preached the gospel
39:21
but to the church
39:22
that was then scattered
39:24
and under persecution
39:25
and he was trying
39:26
to encourage them
39:27
with this letter
39:28
and not to turn away
39:29
from the Lord
39:30
to keep looking to Him
39:31
to draw their strength
39:32
from Him
39:33
to be encouraged in Him
39:34
so that you proclaim
39:36
the excellencies
39:37
you manifest
39:39
you show clear evidence
39:41
of who your Lord is
39:43
the way you live
39:45
you proclaim His excellencies
39:50
the features
39:52
of the Lord's own person
39:55
and the Lord's work
39:57
in your salvation
39:58
that's the church
40:00
not a building
40:02
the ecclesia
40:03
the called out
40:05
and called together people
40:06
who as such
40:08
have a great privilege
40:09
and who have challenges
40:11
that they must meet
40:13
in the grace
40:14
and in the strength
40:14
of God
40:15
who promises
40:16
to give you strength
40:17
in order to face
40:19
the challenges
40:20
so that's the church
40:21
but then you see
40:22
it's the church
40:23
of the living God
40:25
and this is really
40:26
another interesting aspect
40:28
of the description
40:29
or the portrait
40:30
that we read
40:31
in the Ephesians
40:32
and Timothy
40:33
was left
40:34
as you can see
40:35
in fact from
40:35
chapter 1
40:36
and verse 3 there
40:38
Timothy was left
40:39
by Paul
40:40
for some time
40:40
at Ephesus
40:41
he says
40:43
I urged
40:43
when I was going
40:44
to Macedonia
40:44
you to remain
40:45
at Ephesus
40:46
that you may charge
40:48
certain persons
40:48
not to teach
40:49
any different doctrine
40:50
and then in chapter 4
40:52
you find immediately
40:53
after the description
40:54
here of the church
40:55
Paul is telling Timothy
40:57
well look
40:58
these days are going
40:58
to come
40:59
the Spirit has
41:01
specifically mentioned
41:02
this
41:03
some will depart
41:04
from the faith
41:05
devoting themselves
41:06
to deceitful spirits
41:08
and so on
41:08
and so on
41:09
and he was wanting
41:10
Timothy to be
41:11
very much aware
41:12
that this was coming
41:13
and to be prepared
41:14
for that
41:14
and especially
41:15
to be prepared
41:16
through the truth
41:17
of God
41:18
for himself
41:18
and to know
41:20
the church of God
41:21
and what it was
41:22
and why it was
41:23
the way God
41:24
had described
41:25
and in the book
41:26
of Acts
41:27
as we read
41:27
Ephesus
41:29
was the place
41:29
where the great
41:31
statue of Artemis
41:33
which sometimes
41:34
is called Diana
41:35
used to be
41:36
the name
41:37
in the older
41:37
translations
41:38
Diana
41:39
but the Greek
41:40
name would be
41:40
Artemis
41:41
that's how the ESV
41:42
has retained
41:43
the name
41:44
the same thing
41:44
Diana
41:45
the Artemis
41:48
of the Ephesians
41:49
and we read
41:50
there about
41:50
the riot
41:51
or the near
41:51
riot
41:52
that took
41:52
place
41:52
after those
41:54
who were
41:54
losing their
41:55
trade
41:55
because people
41:56
who were
41:57
associated
41:57
with producing
41:59
things for the
42:00
paganistic worship
42:01
of Ephesus
42:02
they were losing
42:03
work because people
42:04
were turning to the
42:05
Lord
42:05
and there wasn't
42:06
the same demand
42:07
for these artifacts
42:08
and so they saw
42:10
that they were
42:12
being deprived
42:13
of a part of
42:14
their income
42:14
at least
42:14
so they tried
42:15
to organize
42:16
a protest
42:17
and a riot
42:19
things which
42:20
we're not
42:21
ourselves
42:22
unfamiliar with
42:23
and now
42:23
age sadly
42:23
but they were
42:26
quietened
42:27
eventually
42:27
and they came
42:28
to actually
42:30
listen to
42:31
Alexander
42:33
who gave
42:33
advice to
42:35
the crowd
42:35
that's the
42:36
context
42:36
in which
42:38
Timothy
42:39
was actually
42:39
working
42:40
as a gospel
42:41
worker
42:42
as a preacher
42:42
of the gospel
42:43
as a companion
42:44
of Paul the
42:45
Apostle
42:45
that's the
42:47
background to
42:47
what he's
42:48
saying to
42:49
Timothy
42:49
in terms
42:50
of his
42:50
ministry
42:51
in 1 Timothy
42:51
and as you
42:53
think about
42:53
that background
42:54
think about
42:55
the challenge
42:56
that that
42:56
actually
42:56
that provided
42:59
here is
42:59
this whole
43:00
Ephesian city
43:01
virtually
43:01
coming out
43:02
in protest
43:03
and saying
43:03
great is
43:04
Artemis
43:05
of the
43:06
Ephesians
43:06
a massive
43:08
crowd swell
43:09
of opposition
43:11
to the gospel
43:12
and yet that's
43:13
where Paul is
43:14
saying
43:14
that's where
43:15
the church
43:15
of God
43:16
is placed
43:16
that's where
43:17
you
43:18
Timothy
43:19
have to
43:19
minister
43:20
the gospel
43:20
to these
43:21
people
43:21
that have
43:21
turned to
43:22
the Lord
43:22
and come
43:23
to know
43:23
the Lord
43:24
that's your
43:24
business
43:25
to actually
43:26
tell them
43:27
about Jesus
43:27
and tell them
43:28
about the
43:28
great difference
43:29
between
43:29
this Artemis
43:31
of the
43:31
Ephesians
43:32
and the
43:33
church that
43:34
you belong
43:34
to
43:35
what is the
43:36
great difference
43:36
well
43:37
in Ephesians
43:39
there
43:39
in Acts
43:40
rather
43:40
we read
43:41
that the
43:43
description
43:44
was that
43:45
this place
43:46
this temple
43:47
of Diana
43:48
or of Artemis
43:48
was the place
43:50
where
43:51
the memory
43:53
to
43:53
and the
43:54
statue
43:56
of Artemis
43:56
was actually
43:57
kept
43:58
and they were
43:59
the custodians
44:00
if you like
44:01
of this image
44:02
of Artemis
44:04
and that was
44:04
their great
44:05
privilege
44:05
as they saw
44:06
it to be
44:07
as the
44:08
pagan people
44:08
of Ephesus
44:09
they were
44:10
chosen
44:10
they saw
44:11
it in terms
44:11
of Artemis
44:13
their idol
44:14
to have
44:14
been the
44:15
people who
44:15
were chosen
44:16
to look
44:17
after this
44:17
great statue
44:18
the one
44:18
of the
44:19
wonders
44:19
of the
44:19
world
44:20
and here
44:22
is Paul
44:23
saying to
44:23
Timothy
44:23
here is
44:25
your privilege
44:26
and the
44:27
privilege of
44:28
you Christians
44:28
in Ephesus
44:30
or wherever
44:30
that the
44:32
church you
44:32
belong to
44:33
is the
44:33
church of
44:34
the living
44:34
God
44:35
there is
44:36
not a
44:37
statue
44:37
that is
44:37
meaningless
44:38
and cold
44:39
and hopeless
44:40
it is the
44:43
living God
44:44
there is
44:45
not a
44:45
temple
44:46
as made
44:47
with human
44:48
hands
44:48
in which
44:49
Artemis
44:50
or this
44:51
figure of
44:52
Artemis
44:52
has been
44:52
deposited
44:53
and carefully
44:54
looked after
44:54
and worshipped
44:55
and idolized
44:56
you are the
44:57
church of
44:58
the living
44:59
God
44:59
and instead
45:00
of a
45:00
cold
45:01
statue
45:01
in your
45:02
midst
45:02
you have
45:02
God
45:03
himself
45:03
you have
45:05
the living
45:05
God
45:06
that's why
45:07
you are
45:07
described
45:08
as
45:08
that's why
45:09
he is
45:09
describing
45:10
them as
45:10
the church
45:11
of the
45:11
living
45:12
God
45:12
now you
45:14
think of
45:14
yourselves
45:15
today
45:15
as the
45:16
church of
45:17
God
45:17
as we
45:18
said in
45:18
the early
45:18
part
45:19
of our
45:19
study
45:20
but you
45:21
are the
45:22
church of
45:22
the living
45:23
God
45:23
the church
45:27
of the
45:27
living
45:27
God
45:27
because
45:28
the living
45:28
God
45:29
himself
45:29
has chosen
45:30
to live
45:31
in and
45:32
among
45:32
his people
45:33
that's
45:35
what makes
45:35
it an
45:36
immense
45:37
privilege
45:37
as well
45:38
as a
45:40
great
45:40
challenge
45:42
to ourselves
45:42
to live
45:43
to his
45:43
glory
45:44
but he's
45:45
the church
45:46
we are
45:48
the church
45:48
of the
45:49
living
45:49
God
45:50
in contrast
45:51
Paul is
45:52
saying here
45:52
to those
45:53
of Ephesus
45:54
who gloried
45:56
in Artemis
45:57
and in the
45:58
worship
45:59
and pagan
46:00
religion
46:00
of Artemis
46:02
and remember
46:03
how
46:04
Jesus
46:05
taught
46:05
about
46:06
the
46:07
coming
46:08
of the
46:08
Holy
46:08
Spirit
46:08
after he
46:10
himself
46:10
had gone
46:10
back
46:11
to heaven
46:11
and in
46:12
John's
46:13
gospel
46:13
especially
46:13
he taught
46:14
the
46:14
disciples
46:15
of
46:15
some
46:16
of
46:16
the
46:17
aspects
46:18
of that
46:18
and what
46:18
that would
46:19
actually
46:19
result
46:19
in
46:20
and
46:21
in
46:22
John
46:22
chapter
46:22
14
46:23
we have
46:23
really
46:24
remarkable
46:24
words
46:25
about
46:26
how
46:26
God
46:27
would
46:27
come
46:28
to live
46:29
in his
46:29
people
46:30
through
46:30
the
46:30
Holy
46:31
Spirit
46:31
how
46:32
he
46:32
would
46:32
come
46:32
to
46:33
make
46:34
his
46:34
people
46:35
his
46:35
home
46:36
just
46:37
remind
46:38
you
46:38
of
46:38
what
46:38
that
46:39
says
46:40
in
46:40
John
46:40
14
46:41
and
46:41
beginning
46:41
at
46:42
verse
46:42
15
46:43
if
46:43
you
46:43
love
46:43
me
46:43
you
46:43
will
46:44
keep
46:44
my
46:44
commandments
46:45
and
46:46
I
46:46
will
46:46
ask
46:46
the
46:46
father
46:47
and
46:47
he
46:47
will
46:47
give
46:47
you
46:47
another
46:48
helper
46:49
to
46:49
be
46:49
with
46:50
you
46:50
forever
46:50
even
46:51
the
46:51
spirit
46:51
of
46:52
truth
46:52
spirit
46:53
with a
46:53
capital
46:53
S
46:53
the
46:54
Holy
46:54
Spirit
46:54
whom
46:55
the
46:55
world
46:56
cannot
46:56
receive
46:57
because
46:57
it
46:58
neither
46:58
sees
46:58
him
46:58
nor
46:59
knows
46:59
him
46:59
you
47:00
know
47:00
him
47:00
for
47:01
he
47:01
dwells
47:01
with
47:02
you
47:02
and
47:03
will
47:03
be
47:03
in
47:04
you
47:04
but
47:05
then
47:05
he
47:06
says
47:06
I
47:07
will
47:07
not
47:07
leave
47:07
you
47:08
as
47:08
orphans
47:08
I
47:09
will
47:10
come
47:10
to
47:10
you
47:10
later
47:12
on
47:12
he
47:12
then
47:12
says
47:13
whoever
47:14
has
47:14
my
47:14
commandments
47:15
and
47:15
keeps
47:15
them
47:15
here
47:16
is
47:16
who
47:17
loves
47:17
me
47:17
and
47:18
he
47:18
who
47:18
loves
47:18
me
47:19
will
47:19
be
47:19
loved
47:20
by
47:20
my
47:20
father
47:21
and
47:21
I
47:22
will
47:22
love
47:22
him
47:22
and
47:23
manifest
47:24
myself
47:24
to
47:24
him
47:25
and
47:26
Judas
47:26
not
47:27
Judas
47:27
Iscariot
47:28
but
47:28
he
47:28
said
47:28
to
47:28
him
47:28
other
47:29
Judas
47:29
said
47:29
Lord
47:30
how
47:30
is
47:30
it
47:30
that
47:31
you
47:31
will
47:31
manifest
47:31
yourself
47:32
to
47:32
us
47:32
and
47:32
not
47:33
to
47:33
the
47:33
world
47:33
Jesus
47:34
said
47:34
if
47:35
anyone
47:35
loves
47:35
me
47:36
he
47:37
will
47:37
keep
47:37
my
47:37
word
47:38
and
47:39
my
47:39
father
47:40
will
47:40
love
47:40
him
47:41
and
47:41
we
47:42
will
47:42
come
47:43
and
47:44
make
47:44
our
47:44
home
47:44
with
47:45
him
47:45
you
47:47
see
47:47
the
47:47
remarkable
47:47
thing
47:48
that's
47:48
happening
47:48
there
47:48
in
47:48
that
47:49
passage
47:49
Jesus
47:50
is
47:50
teaching
47:51
about
47:51
the
47:51
coming
47:51
of
47:52
the
47:52
Holy
47:52
Spirit
47:52
which
47:52
happened
47:53
as
47:53
recorded
47:54
in
47:54
Acts
47:54
2
47:55
at
47:55
the
47:55
day
47:55
of
47:55
Pentecost
47:56
but
47:57
in
47:57
the
47:57
coming
47:58
of
47:58
the
47:58
Holy
47:58
Spirit
47:59
you
48:00
have
48:00
more
48:00
than
48:00
the
48:00
Holy
48:01
Spirit
48:01
himself
48:01
the
48:02
third
48:03
person
48:03
of
48:03
the
48:03
triune
48:04
God
48:04
because
48:05
Jesus
48:05
is
48:06
saying
48:06
I
48:06
will
48:07
come
48:07
again
48:07
to
48:07
you
48:08
I'm
48:08
not
48:08
going
48:08
to
48:08
leave
48:09
you
48:09
as
48:09
orphans
48:09
and
48:10
he's
48:10
also
48:11
saying
48:11
my
48:11
father
48:12
will
48:12
love
48:12
you
48:12
and
48:20
than
48:21
the
48:21
fact
48:21
that
48:21
the
48:22
living
48:22
God
48:23
has
48:24
made
48:24
a
48:24
house
48:24
for
48:24
himself
48:25
in
48:25
his
48:26
covenant
48:26
people
48:27
and
48:29
that
48:29
today
48:30
the
48:30
three
48:30
persons
48:31
of
48:31
the
48:31
Godhead
48:32
the
48:32
Father
48:33
the
48:33
Son
48:34
and
48:34
the
48:34
Holy
48:35
Spirit
48:35
have
48:36
come
48:37
to
48:37
take
48:37
up
48:37
residence
48:38
in
48:39
his
48:39
own
48:39
church
48:39
as
48:40
the
48:40
church
48:40
of
48:41
the
48:41
living
48:41
God
48:42
what
48:46
conclusions
48:47
should
48:48
we draw
48:49
from
48:49
that
48:49
well
48:51
first
48:52
of
48:52
all
48:52
that
48:53
our
48:53
life
48:53
must
48:54
be
48:54
one
48:54
of
48:54
living
48:55
in
48:55
awe
48:55
and
48:56
reverence
48:57
for
48:58
this
48:59
God
48:59
we're
49:00
in
49:00
the
49:00
presence
49:01
of
49:01
God
49:01
indeed
49:03
the
49:03
Lord's
49:04
people
49:04
are
49:05
the
49:05
home
49:06
that
49:06
God
49:06
is
49:07
building
49:07
for
49:07
himself
49:08
he
49:09
is
49:10
using
49:11
them
49:11
as
49:11
taking
49:12
them
49:12
as
49:13
his
49:13
dwelling
49:13
place
49:14
and
49:16
that
49:16
means
49:17
we
49:17
learn
49:18
just
49:18
like
49:19
the
49:19
Old
49:19
Testament
49:19
had
49:20
to
49:20
learn
49:20
in
49:21
regard
49:21
to
49:21
the
49:22
temple
49:22
and
49:22
the
49:22
holy
49:22
of
49:23
holies
49:23
in
49:23
the
49:23
temple
49:24
because
49:24
God
49:24
was
49:24
there
49:25
because
49:26
the
49:26
presence
49:26
of
49:26
God
49:27
was
49:27
manifested
49:27
there
49:28
you
49:29
had
49:29
to
49:29
watch
49:30
your
49:30
step
49:30
you
49:32
had
49:32
to
49:32
be
49:32
very
49:32
careful
49:33
how
49:33
you
49:33
behaved
49:34
and
49:35
this
49:35
is
49:35
one
49:35
of
49:35
the
49:35
descriptions
49:36
here
49:36
we'll
49:36
see
49:36
next
49:36
time
49:37
or
49:37
one
49:37
of
49:37
the
49:38
next
49:38
times
49:38
behave
49:38
how
49:39
you
49:39
ought
49:39
to
49:39
behave
49:39
in
49:40
the
49:40
household
49:41
of
49:41
God
49:41
which
49:42
is
49:42
the
49:43
church
49:43
of
49:44
the
49:44
living
49:44
God
49:44
the
49:45
fact
49:46
that
49:46
the
49:46
living
49:46
God
49:47
lives
49:47
among
49:48
us
49:48
means
49:48
we
49:49
have
49:49
to
49:49
respect
49:50
that
49:50
presence
49:51
and
49:52
it's
49:52
not
49:53
just
49:53
respecting
49:53
that
49:54
presence
49:54
as
49:55
we
49:55
are
49:55
gathered
49:56
here
49:56
on
49:56
the
49:56
Lord's
49:57
day
49:57
or
49:57
at
49:57
other
49:57
times
49:58
when
49:58
we
49:58
come
49:58
together
49:58
individually
50:00
it's
50:00
true
50:00
of
50:00
us
50:01
as
50:01
well
50:01
because
50:01
God
50:02
lives
50:02
in
50:02
the
50:02
heart
50:03
of
50:03
each
50:03
of
50:03
his
50:04
people
50:04
and
50:06
as
50:06
we
50:06
come
50:06
to
50:07
realize
50:07
that
50:11
to
50:12
give
50:13
him
50:13
all
50:13
the
50:13
reverence
50:14
and
50:15
the
50:15
awe
50:15
and
50:16
the
50:16
love
50:17
and
50:18
the
50:18
respect
50:19
that's
50:20
due
50:20
to
50:20
him
50:20
now
50:22
some
50:22
people
50:22
have
50:23
an
50:23
idea
50:24
that
50:24
that's
50:24
really
50:25
an
50:26
enemy
50:26
of
50:26
rejoicing
50:27
and
50:27
of
50:27
joy
50:28
that
50:28
all
50:29
these
50:29
things
50:29
about
50:29
respect
50:30
and
50:30
awe
50:31
and
50:31
reverence
50:32
and
50:32
holiness
50:33
that
50:33
these
50:33
things
50:34
are
50:34
really
50:34
contrary
50:34
to
50:35
are
50:36
not
50:36
really
50:37
at
50:37
all
50:37
in
50:38
step
50:38
with
50:38
what
50:39
the
50:39
Bible
50:39
is
50:39
saying
50:39
about
50:40
rejoicing
50:40
and
50:41
joy
50:42
and
50:42
experiencing
50:43
all of
50:43
those
50:44
issues
50:44
as well
50:44
in our
50:44
hearts
50:45
it's
50:45
not
50:45
like
50:45
that
50:46
reverence
50:47
for
50:48
God
50:48
is
50:49
no
50:49
enemy
50:50
of
50:50
rejoicing
50:51
awe
50:52
and
50:52
respect
50:53
for
50:53
God
50:53
includes
50:55
love
50:56
for
50:56
God
50:57
and
50:57
love
50:58
for
50:58
God
50:58
is
50:59
not
50:59
an
50:59
enemy
50:59
of
50:59
knowing
51:00
the
51:01
joy
51:01
and
51:02
the
51:02
rejoicing
51:03
and
51:03
the
51:03
gladness
51:04
of
51:04
heart
51:05
of
51:06
being
51:06
a
51:07
Christian
51:07
of
51:08
belonging
51:08
to
51:09
the
51:09
church
51:09
of
51:11
being
51:11
privileged
51:12
to
51:13
know
51:13
that
51:14
this
51:14
is
51:14
the
51:15
church
51:15
of
51:16
the
51:16
living
51:16
God
51:17
you know
51:18
the
51:18
better
51:18
we
51:18
know
51:19
God
51:19
some
51:21
people
51:21
might
51:21
think
51:22
the
51:22
better
51:22
we
51:22
know
51:22
God
51:23
the
51:23
closer
51:23
we
51:23
would
51:24
be
51:24
to
51:24
God
51:24
the
51:25
more
51:25
awe
51:25
and
51:25
respect
51:26
we
51:26
would
51:26
have
51:26
for
51:27
him
51:27
the
51:27
more
51:27
joy
51:28
would
51:28
go
51:28
out
51:28
of
51:28
our
51:28
lives
51:29
that's
51:29
what
51:29
the
51:29
world
51:30
will
51:30
tell
51:30
you
51:30
that's
51:32
what
51:32
caricatures
51:32
of
51:33
the
51:33
church
51:33
will
51:33
tell
51:33
you
51:34
you
51:34
don't
51:34
want
51:34
to
51:34
belong
51:35
to
51:35
these
51:35
people
51:35
who
51:37
believe
51:37
the
51:37
Bible
51:38
you
51:38
want
51:39
to
51:39
belong
51:39
to
51:39
these
51:39
people
51:40
who
51:40
really
51:40
live
51:40
a
51:41
very
51:41
dude
51:41
and
51:41
negative
51:42
and
51:42
a
51:43
very
51:43
narrow
51:43
focused
51:44
life
51:45
well
51:45
is it
51:46
narrow
51:46
focused
51:46
really
51:48
to
51:48
know
51:48
God
51:49
as
51:49
the
51:49
living
51:50
God
51:50
is it
51:51
narrow
51:52
focused
51:52
to
51:52
have
51:52
your
51:52
mind
51:53
opened
51:53
to
51:54
all
51:54
the
51:54
prospects
51:55
of
51:55
eternity
51:55
with
51:56
God
51:56
is that
51:57
a
51:57
narrow
51:57
way
51:57
of
51:57
life
51:58
is
51:59
that
51:59
something
51:59
that
52:00
really
52:01
would
52:01
be an
52:02
enemy
52:02
of
52:02
rejoicing
52:03
and
52:03
of
52:04
joy
52:04
of
52:04
course
52:04
it
52:04
isn't
52:05
to
52:07
belong
52:07
to
52:08
the
52:08
church
52:08
of
52:09
the
52:09
living
52:09
God
52:10
is
52:11
something
52:11
in
52:12
which
52:12
we
52:12
ought
52:12
to
52:12
rejoice
52:13
and
52:13
find
52:14
our
52:14
greatest
52:15
pleasures
52:16
in
52:17
contrast
52:17
to
52:17
the
52:18
pleasure
52:18
of
52:19
the
52:19
world
52:19
and
52:22
there's
52:22
all
52:22
on
52:22
reverence
52:22
and
52:23
respect
52:25
and
52:26
love
52:26
but
52:27
there's
52:27
also
52:27
along
52:28
with
52:28
being
52:28
a
52:29
part
52:29
of
52:29
a
52:29
member
52:30
of
52:30
the
52:30
church
52:30
of
52:31
the
52:31
living
52:31
God
52:31
God
52:31
there is
52:33
secondly
52:33
a
52:33
concern
52:34
for
52:35
the
52:35
unsaved
52:36
as
52:38
the
52:38
people
52:38
of
52:39
God
52:39
the
52:39
church
52:40
of
52:40
the
52:41
living
52:41
God
52:41
this
52:42
congregation
52:42
of
52:42
the
52:43
church
52:43
of
52:43
God
52:43
part
52:46
of
52:46
what
52:46
follows
52:47
that
52:48
description
52:48
is that
52:49
we
52:49
have a
52:50
concern
52:50
for
52:51
the
52:51
unsaved
52:52
for
52:53
those
52:53
who
52:53
are
52:53
out
52:53
there
52:54
and
52:54
don't
52:55
know
52:55
Jesus
52:55
and
52:56
don't
52:57
want
52:57
to
52:57
know
52:57
Jesus
52:57
most
52:58
of
52:58
them
52:58
many
52:59
of
52:59
them
53:00
well
53:01
in
53:01
1st
53:01
Timothy
53:01
you find
53:03
in
53:03
chapter 2
53:04
and verse 4
53:05
a description
53:07
about
53:07
God
53:08
himself
53:09
saying that
53:11
he's urging
53:12
for prayers
53:13
to be made
53:13
for kings
53:13
for all in
53:14
positions that
53:15
we may live
53:15
lead a peaceful
53:16
and quiet
53:17
life
53:18
for this
53:19
is good
53:19
and it is
53:20
pleasing in the
53:21
sight of
53:21
God our
53:22
Savior
53:22
and then you
53:23
follow you find
53:24
these words
53:24
following
53:25
who desires
53:26
all people
53:27
to be
53:28
saved
53:28
and to
53:29
come to
53:30
the knowledge
53:31
of the
53:31
truth
53:31
again
53:33
remarkable
53:34
words
53:34
have you
53:36
heard
53:37
somebody
53:37
saying to
53:38
you
53:38
well
53:38
God's
53:38
not
53:39
really
53:39
interested
53:39
in the
53:40
likes
53:40
of
53:40
me
53:40
you'll
53:41
say
53:41
but
53:41
this
53:42
is
53:42
God's
53:42
word
53:42
he
53:42
says
53:43
he
53:43
desires
53:44
all
53:44
people
53:44
to
53:45
be
53:45
saved
53:45
there's
53:45
a whole
53:46
lot
53:46
of
53:46
theology
53:46
packed
53:47
into
53:47
that
53:47
a whole
53:48
lot
53:48
of
53:48
difficult
53:49
theology
53:49
packed
53:50
into
53:50
that
53:50
when
53:51
we
53:51
realize
53:51
that
53:51
not
53:52
all
53:52
people
53:52
ultimately
53:53
will
53:53
be
53:53
saved
53:54
but
53:54
that
53:54
does
53:55
not
53:55
interfere
53:55
with
53:56
the
53:56
emphasis
53:56
in
53:56
the
53:56
text
53:57
and
53:57
the
53:58
emphasis
53:58
in
53:58
the
53:58
text
53:58
is
53:59
that
53:59
for
53:59
all
54:00
of
54:00
us
54:00
gathered
54:00
here
54:00
and
54:01
indeed
54:01
for
54:01
all
54:01
people
54:02
it
54:02
is
54:02
the
54:02
desire
54:03
of
54:03
God
54:03
that
54:03
they
54:04
will
54:04
be
54:04
saved
54:04
that
54:05
they
54:05
will
54:05
come
54:05
to
54:05
know
54:06
himself
54:06
that
54:07
they
54:07
will
54:07
come
54:07
to
54:07
the
54:07
knowledge
54:08
of
54:08
the
54:08
truth
54:08
and
54:10
we'll
54:10
see
54:10
that
54:11
part
54:11
of
54:11
the
54:11
description
54:12
of
54:12
verse
54:12
15
54:13
relates
54:13
to
54:13
the
54:13
truth
54:14
the
54:14
church
54:14
is
54:15
the
54:15
pillar
54:15
and
54:16
buttress
54:17
of
54:18
truth
54:18
what
54:19
we
54:19
are
54:19
to
54:19
be
54:20
in
54:20
the
54:21
support
54:21
of
54:22
God's
54:22
truth
54:22
in
54:23
this
54:24
world
54:24
in
54:24
which
54:24
we're
54:24
placed
54:25
so
54:26
there's
54:26
the
54:27
church
54:28
of
54:28
the
54:28
living
54:28
God
54:28
in
54:30
the
54:30
context
54:30
of
54:31
Ephesus
54:31
living
54:32
in
54:33
contrast
54:33
to
54:33
the
54:34
cult
54:34
of
54:35
Artemis
54:36
and
54:37
in
54:37
the
54:37
context
54:38
of
54:38
today
54:39
the
54:40
church
54:40
of
54:40
the
54:40
living
54:40
God
54:41
has
54:41
to
54:41
live
54:41
in
54:42
contrast
54:42
to
54:42
the
54:43
cult
54:43
of
54:43
the
54:43
world
54:44
and
54:44
the
54:44
cults
54:44
of
54:44
the
54:44
world
54:45
whether
54:46
formal
54:46
or
54:46
otherwise
54:47
because
54:48
whatever
54:50
form
54:51
it
54:51
takes
54:51
there
54:51
is
54:52
some
54:52
kind
54:52
of
54:52
Artemis
54:53
in
54:54
the
54:54
heart
54:55
of
54:55
every
54:55
human
54:55
being
54:56
naturally
54:56
that
54:58
includes
54:58
you
54:58
and
54:58
me
54:59
John
55:00
Calvin
55:01
described
55:02
the
55:02
human
55:02
heart
55:03
and
55:03
its
55:03
unsaved
55:03
state
55:04
as
55:05
a
55:05
factory
55:05
of
55:06
idols
55:06
we
55:09
worship
55:09
something
55:10
or
55:10
other
55:10
even
55:13
if
55:13
it's
55:13
not
55:13
God
55:14
and
55:16
what
55:16
Paul
55:16
is
55:16
saying
55:16
is
55:17
the
55:17
church
55:18
of
55:18
the
55:19
living
55:19
God
55:19
is
55:20
a
55:20
contrast
55:21
to
55:21
the
55:21
cult
55:22
in
55:23
Ephesus
55:23
or
55:23
the
55:23
cult
55:24
of
55:24
the
55:24
world
55:24
world
55:24
it's
55:26
a
55:26
privilege
55:26
of
55:26
belonging
55:27
to
55:27
this
55:28
church
55:29
of
55:29
the
55:29
living
55:29
God
55:30
to
55:31
love
55:31
him
55:31
to
55:32
respect
55:32
him
55:32
to
55:32
worship
55:33
him
55:33
to
55:34
serve
55:34
him
55:35
to
55:36
speak
55:36
for
55:36
him
55:37
to
55:38
deliver
55:38
his
55:38
gospel
55:39
to
55:40
a
55:40
needy
55:40
world
55:41
may
55:42
God
55:42
bless
55:42
these
55:42
thoughts
55:43
on
55:43
his
55:44
word
55:44
to
55:44
us
55:45
today
55:45
now
55:47
we're
55:47
going to
55:47
conclude
55:48
our
55:48
service
55:48
this
55:48
morning
55:49
and
55:50
our
55:50
concluding
55:51
words
55:51
are from
55:51
Psalm
55:52
47
55:52
Psalm 47
55:56
and this
55:57
is in the
55:57
Scottish
55:57
Psalter
55:58
page 272
55:59
verses 5
56:01
to 9
56:02
God
56:05
is with
56:06
shouts
56:06
gone up
56:07
the
56:07
Lord
56:07
with
56:08
trumpets
56:08
sounding
56:08
high
56:09
sing
56:10
praise
56:10
to
56:10
God
56:11
sing
56:11
praise
56:11
sing
56:12
praise
56:12
praise
56:13
to
56:14
our
56:14
king
56:14
sing
56:15
ye
56:15
for
56:16
God
56:16
is
56:17
king
56:17
of
56:17
all
56:17
the
56:17
earth
56:18
with
56:18
knowledge
56:19
praise
56:19
express
56:20
God
56:21
rules
56:21
the
56:21
nations
56:22
God
56:22
sits
56:23
on
56:23
his
56:24
throne
56:24
of
56:25
holiness
56:26
Psalm
56:27
47
56:28
verses
56:28
5
56:29
to
56:30
9
56:30
God
56:37
is
56:38
with
56:39
shouts
56:40
gone
56:41
up
56:42
the
56:43
Lord
56:44
with
56:46
trumpets
56:48
out
56:49
the
56:50
high
56:52
sing
56:53
praise
56:55
to
56:56
God
56:57
sing
56:58
praise
56:59
praise
57:00
express
57:01
praise
57:03
to
57:04
our
57:05
king
57:07
singing
57:08
for
57:11
God
57:13
is
57:14
king
57:15
of
57:16
all
57:17
the
57:18
earth
57:20
with
57:21
knowledge
57:23
praise
57:25
express
57:26
God
57:29
God
57:29
rules
57:31
the
57:32
nations
57:34
God
57:35
sits
57:36
on
57:38
his
57:40
throne
57:41
of
57:42
holiness
57:45
the
57:48
princes
57:50
of
57:53
the
57:53
people
57:54
are
57:57
assembled
58:01
willingly
58:04
in
58:07
love
58:08
the
58:10
God
58:11
of
58:12
he
58:14
in
58:14
Abraham
58:16
they
58:18
who
58:19
the
58:20
people
58:22
be
58:24
for
58:27
what
58:28
the
58:29
shields
58:31
are
58:32
to
58:33
defend
58:36
the
58:37
earth
58:38
the
58:39
earth
58:40
our
58:41
only
58:42
is
58:44
great
58:45
to
58:46
the
58:47
Lord
58:48
be
58:50
long
58:51
he
58:52
exalted
58:56
greatly
58:58
is
59:01
now I
59:04
won't go
59:05
to the
59:05
door
59:05
this
59:05
morning
59:06
because
59:06
we
59:06
want
59:06
to
59:06
get
59:07
to
59:07
the
59:07
hall
59:07
as
59:07
quickly
59:07
as
59:07
possible
59:08
for
59:09
the
59:09
prize
59:09
giving
59:09
so
59:10
please
59:10
just
59:11
make
59:11
your
59:11
way
59:11
there
59:11
as
59:12
I
59:12
said
59:12
you're
59:12
all
59:13
welcome
59:13
to
59:13
attend
59:14
prize
59:14
again
59:15
if
59:15
you
59:15
can
59:15
at
59:15
all
59:15
be
59:15
a
59:16
great
59:16
encouragement
59:16
to
59:17
the
59:17
children
59:17
so
59:18
we'll
59:18
just
59:18
pray
59:18
and ask
59:19
for
59:19
a
59:19
blessing
59:19
and
59:19
the
59:19
refreshments
59:20
and
59:20
close
59:20
with
59:21
the
59:21
benediction
59:22
our
59:24
gracious
59:24
and loving
59:25
God
59:25
we
59:27
thank
59:27
you
59:27
for
59:27
belonging
59:28
to
59:28
your
59:28
church
59:29
in
59:29
this
59:29
world
59:29
for
59:30
the
59:30
privileges
59:31
and
59:31
the
59:31
benefits
59:32
and
59:32
the
59:33
pleasures
59:33
that
59:33
brings
59:33
us
59:34
we
59:35
ask
59:35
your
59:35
blessing
59:36
now
59:36
on
59:36
the
59:36
prize
59:37
giving
59:37
ceremony
59:38
and
59:38
on
59:39
the
59:39
children
59:39
especially
59:39
as
59:40
they
59:40
participate
59:40
in
59:41
it
59:41
and
59:42
we
59:42
give
59:42
thanks
59:42
for
59:43
them
59:43
and
59:43
we
59:43
pray
59:43
that
59:44
your
59:44
blessing
59:45
will
59:45
rest
59:45
upon
59:46
us
59:46
throughout
59:47
this
59:47
day
59:48
bless
59:48
the
59:49
food
59:49
we
59:49
are
59:49
to
59:49
receive
59:50
granted
59:51
Lord
59:51
we
59:51
pray
59:55
and
59:55
may
59:55
the
59:55
grace
59:56
of
59:56
the
59:56
Lord
59:56
Jesus
59:56
Christ
59:57
the
59:57
love
59:57
of
59:57
God
59:58
the
59:58
Father
59:58
and
59:59
the
59:59
communion
59:59
of
1:00:00
the
1:00:00
Holy
1:00:00
Spirit
1:00:00
be
1:00:00
with
1:00:01
us
1:00:01
now
1:00:01
and
1:00:01
evermore
1:00:02
Amen
1:00:25
Amen
1:00:26
Amen
1:00:33
TERRUP
1:00:34
more
1:00:34
in
1:00:35
Amen
1:00:35
Those
1:00:36
par
1:00:38
的人
1:00:38
want
1:00:40
to
1:00:40
serve
1:00:40
Она
1:00:42
Mat
1:00:42
lost
1:00:43
as
1:00:43
a