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The Coming of the Lord · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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  We're going to begin our worship this morning by singing to God's praise. We're singing in Psalm 33 in the Scottish Psalter, page 245 of the psalm book.
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  Psalm 33, we're going to sing from verse 8 down to verse 14.
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  Here in this psalm, verse 8,
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  Let earth and all that live therein with reverence fear the Lord.
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  Let all the world's inhabitants thread him with one accord.
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  For he did speak the word and done, it was without delay.
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  Established it firmly stood whatever he did say.
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  We're reminded in this psalm of how this is the Lord who has created and made the heavens and the earth by his word and established it all.
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  And as we're going to look at this morning in this service, a day will come when the Lord will come back to earth,
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  back to reclaim and remake all that is his.
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  So we're going to sing from verse 8 to 14 to God's praise.
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  Let earth and all that live therein with reverence fear the Lord.
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  Let all the world's inhabitants thread him with one accord.
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  For he did speak the word and done, it was without delay.
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  He established it firmly stood whatever he did say.
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  God doth the council bring to naught, which he then folk do take.
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  And what the people do devise, of none effect doth make.
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  O but the council of the Lord doth stand forever sure.
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  God of his heart the purposes from age to age endure.
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  That nation blessed is whose God Jehovah is.
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  God of His standard is not able to tell.
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  God of his own faith inening the world has been resurrected.
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  For God's idolize now, He読 Kyle.
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  God of His Son.
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  God of His Son is contrary to his life.
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  Lord midwろう to kneel, too.
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  Father King of angels host Israel is with one accord.
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  That nation with друз and against Him.
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  Sh rivals or drum a man Heamethrouff on faith in every step.
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  God of heaven's doubt the radiation of God.
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  Christ in whether he consequently.
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  and behold all sons of men full well.
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  He views all from his dwelling place
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  that in the earth do dwell.
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  Well, we've come to God in prayer.
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  Now let's bow our heads in a word of prayer.
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  Our Father in heaven, as we gather this day,
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  we thank you for it.
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  We thank you that this Lord's Day, your Sunday,
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  is a day of coming for this purpose of worship,
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  of gathering together and of spending time around your word
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  and refreshing ourselves in it,
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  not just a rest for our bodies,
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  but a rest for ourselves from the busyness of the week
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  and especially to be reminded of the rest
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  that we have in Jesus Christ.
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  And we pray today, Lord,
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  that if we come feeling tired and weary,
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  if we come maybe anxious about the week ahead,
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  worried about what maybe lies ahead in a busy week,
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  especially when we think of young ones just now
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  who have preliminaries in these coming weeks
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  and children may be busy in school in different ways,
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  we thank you, Lord, that you hear our prayers
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  and that you are there for us.
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  We thank you that you remind us
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  that we have a great gift in prayer,
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  that all the things that worry us we can bring to you.
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  For you care for us, you love us,
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  as your people, as your children.
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  And we pray, Lord, that you will hear all our prayers today,
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  from the youngest to the oldest,
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  that as we look to you,
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  we seek your blessing on your word to us
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  and upon all that we do.
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  May we continue to learn from you,
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  to learn about your goodness
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  and your love towards us,
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  and also about the many warnings
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  that your word gives to us as well,
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  even as we consider them today,
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  Lord, that we would hear your voice
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  and listen to you.
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  So, Lord, bless us all,
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  bless us as families and our homes
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  and our communities and our schools,
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  Sunday school and creche and twinnies today as well,
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  Lord, we ask that you will bless each and every one
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  who attends here today.
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  Watch over us and take care of us today
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  and in all the days ahead.
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  So we ask all these things in Jesus' name.
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  Amen.
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  Well, who here enjoys watching the weather forecast
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  Does anybody like watching the weather forecast?
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  You make a point every day of sitting down
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  and seeing what the forecast is for the next few days.
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  Every evening, now you've got apps on your phones
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  or on your iPad or these kinds of things
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  and people are always looking at them.
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  There's apps and you're maybe looking two weeks ahead
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  and you're saying,
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  look, it's going to be a severe gale in two weeks,
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  there's going to be a hundred mile an hour winds.
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  But by the time the two weeks passes,
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  it's a clear sunny day,
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  they got the forecast wrong.
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  Because so often when they're trying to do a forecast
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  way in advance and along a week or two weeks ahead,
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  they don't always know exactly what's going to happen.
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  But yesterday we were told
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  that we were going to be under a weather warning
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  from midnight last night until midnight tomorrow night.
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  A warning about snow and ice.
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  And if you'd been checking the forecast,
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  you were maybe thinking this morning,
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  you would get up and you'd look out the window
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  or open the door and you'd see the place
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  would be white with snow.
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  And was it?
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  No.
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  Does that mean the forecast was wrong?
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  Well, maybe not.
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  Not yet because we're still under the warning, aren't we?
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  So maybe tonight or maybe tomorrow morning
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  when you get up, the place might be white with snow.
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  We wait and see, don't we?
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  And sometimes when we hear these kind of weather warnings,
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  we maybe start thinking,
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  great, there might not be any school tomorrow.
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  If there's loads of snow, we can't get out,
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  we'll get a day at home.
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  But for other people, they might be scared.
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  They think, oh no, what if I can't get out of the house?
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  Well, I've got to go somewhere.
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  I've got to travel somewhere.
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  I might not be able to go.
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  Some people get excited about the warning.
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  Some people are worried about the warning.
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  Well, today in our service,
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  we're going to be thinking about a warning
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  that the Lord gives in his word.
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  And a warning that we're all under today and every day.
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  And it's a warning that the Lord is going to come.
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  He's going to come.
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  Again, Jesus came into the world.
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  That's what we read in the Bible.
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  We see that Jesus came into the world.
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  He came into this world and lived in this world among the people.
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  He gave his life in this world.
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  We look at the cross so often and we see there Jesus giving his life.
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  And then he rose from the grave.
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  But what did he say before he left this world?
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  He said, I am going to come again.
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  And that's the warning that he's given us.
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  I'm going to come again.
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  We don't know when, but the Bible tells us it's going to happen.
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  But like the weather forecast, when we're looking,
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  maybe we're thinking far in advance,
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  we're just not sure what's going to happen.
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  Maybe the Bible got it wrong.
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  Maybe Jesus isn't coming after all.
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  It's been so long.
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  Surely he was going to come.
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  He'd have come by now.
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  But the warning is still there for us.
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  He's telling us he's going to come.
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  That's his promise.
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  For some people, we'll be excited about that.
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  We look forward to the day of his coming.
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  For other people, you may be worried about that day.
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  You may be afraid of that day.
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  But what the Bible is telling us is to be ready for that day.
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  If we know a weather warning's in place for snow or gales,
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  we maybe make preparations by getting extra food in
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  or these kinds of things.
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  Well, the Bible warns us to be ready for his coming again.
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  And the way to be ready is to hear what he's saying,
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  that we are to trust in Jesus.
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  To take refuge in him.
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  And that way, we'll be safe and secure on the day when he comes.
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  We'll be looking forward to that day.
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  We'll be excited for that day.
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  Because then we will see Jesus if we're believing in him.
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  And we'll be with him forever.
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  So we're under a weather warning just now.
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  But we're under a greater warning too.
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  A warning from the Bible that Jesus is coming.
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  So let us be ready for when he comes.
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  We're going to say the Lord's Prayer together now.
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  Our Father which art in heaven,
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  hallowed be thy name.
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  Thy kingdom come.
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  Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
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  Give us this day our daily bread.
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  And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
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  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
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  For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.
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  Amen.
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  We're going to sing again to God's praise this time in Psalm 18.
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  In the Sing Psalms version.
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  Psalm 18 on page 19 of the psalm books.
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  We're going to sing from verse 1 down to verse 10.
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  Psalm 18, verse 1.
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  I love you, Lord.
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  You are my strength.
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  A fortress is the Lord to me.
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  My rock and my deliverer.
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  For refuge to my God I flee.
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  Words remind us that we can find refuge in God.
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  Not just for the day of his return,
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  but for every day that we can take refuge in him.
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  Psalm 18, verse 1 to 10.
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  I love you, Lord.
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  You are my strength.
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  A fortress is the Lord to me.
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  My rock and my deliverer.
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  For refuge to my God I flee.
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  He is my stronghold and my shield.
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  The Lord who saves me by his might.
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  I'll call on him and give him praise.
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  I'm safe.
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  He puts my foes to flight.
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  The cords of death entangled me.
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  Destruction hit me like a wave.
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  Encircled by the snares of death.
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  I face the terrors of the grave.
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  In my distress I called on God.
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  I cried out to the Lord for aid.
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  He from his temple heard my voice.
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  He listened to the prayer I made.
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  The earth before God's anger quaked.
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  The mountains deep foundations shook.
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  Consuming fire blazed from his mouth.
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  And from his nostrils came forth smoke.
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  The heavens parted, he came down.
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  Beneath his feet the dark clouds lay.
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  Upon the cherubim he flew.
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  On wings of wind he made his way.
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  God's water llames.
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  We can turn to read God's word together.
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  Now we're going to read two passages.
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  First of all in the Gospel of Matthew.
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  Matthew chapter 24.
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  We'll read from the beginning down to verse 14.
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  And then we'll turn to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 1 to 5.
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  So first reading in Matthew chapter 24.
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  reading from the beginning of that chapter.
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  Jesus left the temple and was going away when his disciples came to point out to him the
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  buildings of the temple. But he answered them, you see all these, do you not? Truly I say to you,
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  there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.
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  As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately saying,
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  tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the
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  age? And Jesus answered them, see that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name saying,
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  I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of war.
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  See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.
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  For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and
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  earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. Then they will
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  deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death. And you will be hated by all nations for my name's
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  sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets
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  will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many
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  will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom
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  will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations. And then the end will
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  come. We'll turn to our second reading in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. We're going to read
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  just verse 1 to verse 5 of chapter 2. But you notice in chapter 1, there it speaks about the judgment at
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  Christ's coming. That section of the end of chapter 1 from verse 5 to the end speaks about the day of the
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  Lord's judgment. Some will be the promise of heaven fulfilled to others. Their destiny is eternal
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  destruction and flaming fire, as it calls it there in verse 8, what we call hell. We see the picture of
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  heaven and hell presented to us there. Our focus this morning is particularly on verse 1 to 3 of
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  the second chapter. So we'll read verse 1 to 5. Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
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  and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed
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  either by a spirit or a spoken word or a letter seeming to be from us to the effect that the day of
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  the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way, for that day will not come unless the rebellion
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  comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself
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  against every so-called God or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming
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  himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things? And so it goes on.
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  Amen. And may God bless these readings from his word to us. We're going to join again together in a word of prayer.
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  Let us pray. O Lord, our God, as we approach your word, there are many subjects that we feel that we are out of our
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  depth with, many things that we maybe do not understand fully, and yet we still thank you that your word
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  contains every matter that we need pertaining to life and death and eternity. And we know that apart from
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  your spirit, Lord, we do not understand any of it, for it is your spirit that enlightens our minds and our hearts
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  to hear and to understand what you are saying to us. And so we pray, Lord, for your help today as we
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  think upon a subject that maybe we have maybe not every answer to, but help us to see every promise
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  that is in your word that reminds us of the truth of it. We pray, Lord, that you will help us in the
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  reminder that we have that the day is coming, that when you will come again, a day that we do not know.
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  It could be any time, Lord, but we know, Lord, that our greatest need in it is to be ready for it.
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  And we thank you that that is what your gospel gives answer to, that you have made it clear to all
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  people, low and high, as the psalmist calls it, we can all find refuge with you. And we thank you that
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  your gospel speaks and ministers to us in that way. We thank you that in all the answers we do not have,
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  we have your grace that is sufficient. We have your strength that is made perfect in our weakness.
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  And so we pray, Lord, that you will give us what we need to understand, the revealed things that we
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  have in your word, for we know that there are hidden things that belong to the Lord. And so help us to
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  just humble ourselves before you under the mighty hand of God. And we pray, Lord, that you will help
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  us to hear you today, help us to know you, help us to be built up in our faith or to be brought to faith
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  in you. Whatever we need, Lord, you know it already, and you are able to provide. And so we pray, Lord,
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  that you will bless your word and all that we do in your name today, throughout this day, from the
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  morning to the evening that as we look to you, as we call upon your name in our own private devotions,
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  in our prayers, in our public worship, in resting in you, Lord, we pray that it will be a day of
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  blessing and refreshment for us. For we are many so busy during the week and all the rest of the week,
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  Lord, and even our Lord's day can be busy in so many ways with family and so many things to do.
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  And Lord, we live in a world that is going so quickly, where everything seems to be 100 miles
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  an hour. We thank you that your word reminds us that there is time to be still and to know that
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  you are God. And we pray, Lord, that we will have these times. We'll have them not just in moments of
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  the day, but every day, that we would have that time, precious time, just to be still before you
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  and to know that you are God, to spend that time in peace with you, praying, hearing your word,
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  and receiving it, being built up by it, not just rushing into the day, but spending that time with
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  you, that that would build us up in our faith, that would help us as we go on in the week,
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  in all the days of the week, in the busyness of work or home or school or whatever we are doing,
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  that we would feel, Lord, encouraged and emboldened by you. For when we hear subjects such as the
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  return of the Lord, we recognize then the importance of proclaiming your name to a world
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  that is perishing, to a people that are perishing, to a people who are not ready for that day.
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  And so we pray, Lord, that you will encourage us as a people here, always to have that in mind,
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  to have that need in mind, that people need to hear the glorious gospel of Christ Jesus,
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  who is able to save. We pray that in all that we would do, we would be blessed by you,
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  whatever it is, whether it's collectively as a congregation or individually as a people,
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  that we would know your spirit with us, helping us, giving us words to speak,
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  bringing people into our paths on a daily basis that we can minister to, whether it's people we've
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  known for a long time or people we just meet for the first time. We pray, Lord, for boldness and
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  courage to speak of the gospel, that glorious gospel. We thank you, Lord, for your goodness to
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  us in that way. And we pray, Lord, that throughout the world today, as your word is preached and
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  proclaimed to all ends of the earth, that you will be building up your church, that your kingdom
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  will come in power. And the more we see in our world, Lord, the more we see that great need of
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  you when there are so many tensions around our world and from north, east, west, south, Lord,
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  from every direction we see troubles and wars and famines and earthquakes, even as your word speaks
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  of and as we have read. And yet you tell us not to be afraid, for these things must happen.
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  And we pray, Lord, that in our fears that you will be near, in our anxieties that you will give us your
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  peace, that you will remind us, Lord, that you have all things in your hands. And so help us to calm
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  ourselves before you and to know you as our Lord and as our God. We pray that for many people all over
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  the world today, your people who live in these situations on a daily basis just now, we pray,
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  Lord, your blessing, your help towards each one. We pray for our own congregation and community here,
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  Lord. We pray your blessing on us for those who are unwell from young to old, Lord. We pray your help,
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  your strength, your blessing over us, those who are in hospital or in their own homes, Lord. We pray
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  that you will be near to them, that you will bless them and keep them. Those who are mourning, Lord,
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  we pray your comfort towards them. And as we had funerals in this last week, Lord, we pray for comfort
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  and blessing towards all the families, the families of Bell Mackenzie and Ann Stevenson. We pray, Lord,
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  that you'll be near to each one. Uphold them and be their refuge, be their strength. We thank you
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  that even in the midst of sorrow, there was joy in the Lord and strength in the Lord for the assurance
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  of hope for your people. And we pray, Lord, that you will continue to bless us and watch over us,
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  be with us together as a people. Pardon all our sins as we come before you, confessing anew.
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  Thankful, though, that you hear our prayers, that you are able to answer. And we pray, Lord,
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  that you will continue with us now as we turn to praise your name and to hear your word. Guide us in
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  our thoughts and in our words and in all that we do. Protect us, Lord, we pray. We ask it all in
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  Jesus' precious name and for his glory. Amen. Before we turn back to our passage, we're going to sing in
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  Psalm 27. And we'll sing in Psalm's version, page 31. Psalm 27. We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 4.
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  Page 31. The Lord's my Savior and my light, who will make me dismayed. The Lord's the stronghold of my
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  life. Why should I be afraid? We'll sing from verse 1 to the end of double verse 4 to God's praise.
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  Amen.
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  Amen.
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  Amen.
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  The Lord's my Savior and my light, who will make me dismayed. The Lord's the stronghold of my life. Why should I be
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  afraid? When evildoers threaten me to take my life away? My adversaries and my foes will
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  stumble in the day. Although an army hems me in, my heart will feel no dread. Though war against me should
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  should arise, I will lift up my head. One thing I'll plead before the Lord, and this I'll seek always.
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  that I may come.
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  that I may come with this.
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  that I may come with this.
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  God's willing cause
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  hvad
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  that I may come with this.
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  Maybe that I may come with this.
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  But now again.
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  tehdas
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  and it欠?
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  holy
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  And I
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  may
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  happy
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  god
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  and this
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  Vil
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  i
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  and dwell there all my days,
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  that on the beauty of the Lord
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  I constantly rejoice,
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  and in his earth may seek
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  to know direction in his ways.
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  We turn back to our reading in 2 Thessalonians.
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  We're looking at chapter 2, verse 1 to verse 3.
• 30:58
  You can read these words.
• 30:59
  Now concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
• 31:02
  and our being gathered together to him,
• 31:06
  we ask you, brothers,
• 31:07
  not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed
• 31:10
  either by a spirit or a spoken word
• 31:13
  or a letter seeming to be from us
• 31:16
  to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
• 31:19
  Let no one deceive you in any way.
• 31:24
  And so on.
• 31:26
  These words that we sang in Psalm 27, verse 4,
• 31:31
  they speak of the desire of the psalmist.
• 31:33
  One thing I'll plead before the Lord,
• 31:36
  and this I'll seek always.
• 31:38
  It's a desire that the psalmist has for what?
• 31:44
  To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.
• 31:48
  And as we turn to God's words today,
• 31:52
  and as we think of this subject of the coming of the Lord,
• 31:57
  is that your desire?
• 31:59
  Do you have that desire of the psalmist?
• 32:01
  To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.
• 32:05
  The day of the Lord's return is a day
• 32:08
  where everyone will appear before God.
• 32:12
  Everyone will appear before the Lord
• 32:14
  to give answer according to the deeds of this world.
• 32:19
  But will we as a people be a people
• 32:21
  who have that great desire,
• 32:23
  that longing to gaze on the beauty of the Lord?
• 32:29
  So we're going to look at this subject
• 32:30
  of the coming of the Lord this morning.
• 32:34
  And it's a subject that perhaps we have more questions
• 32:38
  than answers for.
• 32:40
  We don't have all the answers,
• 32:42
  but we often have questions about it.
• 32:45
  I'm sure we've often wondered, many of us,
• 32:47
  what will that day be like?
• 32:51
  What will it look like,
• 32:52
  the day of the coming of the Lord?
• 32:56
  But the sad fact is that there's so many people
• 32:58
  who give no thought to that day,
• 33:01
  or very little thought to that day
• 33:04
  and just push it away
• 33:05
  as something for another time
• 33:07
  and another place
• 33:08
  or just something that's not even worth considering.
• 33:12
  But what does the Scripture say to us
• 33:14
  about this day?
• 33:16
  Well, the first thing and the key thing is this,
• 33:20
  He is coming.
• 33:22
  That is a key truth
• 33:23
  that the Scripture gives to us.
• 33:26
  That's a key warning
• 33:27
  that the Scripture gives to us.
• 33:29
  That the day is coming
• 33:30
  when He will come again.
• 33:34
  And if we believe that,
• 33:36
  we often ask,
• 33:38
  what will it be like?
• 33:40
  When you look at the last words
• 33:42
  of the Bible
• 33:44
  in the book of Revelation,
• 33:46
  chapter 22,
• 33:47
  the second last verse
• 33:48
  in the Bible says this,
• 33:50
  the words of the Lord,
• 33:52
  Surely I am coming soon.
• 33:56
  Surely I am coming soon.
• 34:00
  There's a warning there for us.
• 34:04
  Surely I am coming soon.
• 34:06
  The Lord Jesus,
• 34:07
  as He was taken up into heaven,
• 34:09
  as He ascended into heaven,
• 34:11
  you read it in the book of Acts,
• 34:13
  chapter 1,
• 34:14
  and it speaks there
• 34:15
  about His coming again.
• 34:19
  So there are plenty reminders to us
• 34:21
  that the Lord is going to come.
• 34:25
  And what's it going to be like?
• 34:28
  Well, again,
• 34:29
  the Bible describes it
• 34:30
  in different ways.
• 34:32
  As you read in Matthew,
• 34:33
  chapter 24,
• 34:35
  we read part of that chapter,
• 34:37
  but if you read the whole
• 34:38
  of the chapter,
• 34:39
  it gives a lot more information
• 34:41
  as well.
• 34:41
  And it reminds us
• 34:43
  that it is going to be something
• 34:44
  that the whole world
• 34:45
  is going to see.
• 34:48
  Everyone is going to be aware of it.
• 34:50
  Now,
• 34:51
  we read in Psalm 19,
• 34:53
  for example,
• 34:55
  where it says,
• 34:55
  the heavens declare
• 34:57
  the glory of God.
• 34:59
  So we think of
• 35:00
  what we see in the heavens,
• 35:02
  the skies around us,
• 35:03
  and how often
• 35:04
  we look up to the skies,
• 35:06
  and what do we see?
• 35:07
  We see the wonders of God
• 35:09
  in so many ways.
• 35:11
  The heavens declaring
• 35:12
  the glory of God.
• 35:14
  We've seen it,
• 35:15
  or we've seen it
• 35:16
  even in these last week,
• 35:17
  when we think of the cold,
• 35:19
  frosty mornings,
• 35:20
  or evenings,
• 35:21
  when you see the sunrise
• 35:22
  or the sunset,
• 35:24
  when you see the clear sky
• 35:26
  on a frosty night,
• 35:27
  and you see the stars
• 35:28
  and the moon,
• 35:29
  all of these things
• 35:30
  standing out.
• 35:32
  You marvel at it.
• 35:34
  The heavens declare
• 35:35
  the glory of God.
• 35:38
  Sometimes you see
• 35:39
  a shooting star.
• 35:40
  Sometimes you see
• 35:41
  a meteor or a comet.
• 35:43
  Sometimes you see
• 35:44
  an eclipse.
• 35:46
  You see all these marvels
• 35:47
  in the sky,
• 35:48
  but you think,
• 35:49
  well, not everybody
• 35:50
  has seen it.
• 35:52
  Maybe only a few
• 35:53
  have noticed it.
• 35:54
  A sunrise,
• 35:55
  maybe many people see,
• 35:57
  but not all
• 35:57
  at the same time.
• 35:59
  A shooting star,
• 36:01
  maybe only a few
• 36:02
  will see.
• 36:03
  And all of these things,
• 36:04
  but you wonder
• 36:05
  at the coming of the Lord
• 36:06
  and the way it speaks
• 36:07
  about it,
• 36:08
  everyone is going
• 36:09
  to see it.
• 36:10
  The whole world
• 36:11
  is going to see it.
• 36:12
  And you wonder,
• 36:14
  how is that possible?
• 36:18
  Well,
• 36:19
  the Lord
• 36:19
  is coming,
• 36:22
  is what
• 36:22
  the Bible
• 36:23
  tells us.
• 36:24
  And as Paul
• 36:25
  is writing
• 36:26
  this second letter
• 36:27
  to the Thessalonians,
• 36:29
  he's writing to them
• 36:30
  about this subject,
• 36:31
  and he's writing to them
• 36:32
  in light of what
• 36:33
  has come previously
• 36:34
  here as well.
• 36:36
  In chapter 1,
• 36:36
  as I mentioned,
• 36:37
  in verse 5,
• 36:38
  to the end
• 36:39
  of the chapter,
• 36:40
  you see the reality
• 36:41
  of heaven and hell.
• 36:43
  There,
• 36:43
  if you read
• 36:44
  verse 7 and 8,
• 36:47
  it says in verse 7,
• 36:49
  to grant relief
• 36:49
  to you who are afflicted
• 36:51
  as well as to us
• 36:52
  when the Lord Jesus
• 36:53
  is revealed from heaven
• 36:55
  with his mighty angels
• 36:56
  in flaming fire,
• 36:58
  inflicting vengeance
• 36:59
  on those who do not know God
• 37:01
  and on those
• 37:02
  who do not obey
• 37:03
  the gospel
• 37:04
  of our Lord Jesus.
• 37:07
  It says,
• 37:08
  again,
• 37:08
  the revelation
• 37:09
  of Jesus from heaven
• 37:11
  with his mighty angels,
• 37:12
  how he's going
• 37:13
  to descend
• 37:14
  to his people.
• 37:17
  It's a wonder.
• 37:19
  It's going to be
• 37:20
  something spectacular,
• 37:22
  and spectacular
• 37:22
  as a sunrise
• 37:24
  or a sunset
• 37:25
  or a comet
• 37:26
  or a shooting star.
• 37:27
  All of these things,
• 37:28
  they're spectacular
• 37:29
  in their own right,
• 37:31
  but the coming
• 37:32
  of the Lord
• 37:32
  is going to be
• 37:33
  something far more
• 37:34
  spectacular,
• 37:38
  something we won't
• 37:38
  be able
• 37:39
  to avoid,
• 37:41
  and something
• 37:43
  that we need
• 37:44
  to be ready for.
• 37:47
  What do we believe
• 37:48
  of what the Bible
• 37:50
  tells us
• 37:51
  of his coming?
• 37:53
  Do we believe
• 37:54
  the very fact
• 37:55
  that he is coming?
• 37:57
  Are you resting
• 37:58
  in his word?
• 38:00
  Do you see it
• 38:02
  as truth,
• 38:03
  and do you have faith
• 38:04
  in the Lord?
• 38:05
  Are you looking forward
• 38:06
  to that day
• 38:07
  of the Lord's return?
• 38:10
  That day
• 38:10
  when we will gaze
• 38:11
  in the beauty
• 38:12
  of the Lord?
• 38:14
  The book of Revelation
• 38:16
  again says,
• 38:17
  surely I am coming soon.
• 38:20
  The writer of Revelation
• 38:21
  says,
• 38:22
  Amen.
• 38:23
  Come, Lord Jesus.
• 38:25
  There's a sense
• 38:26
  of excitement.
• 38:27
  There's a sense
• 38:28
  of anticipation.
• 38:29
  Come, Lord Jesus.
• 38:32
  Are you ready
• 38:33
  for that yourself?
• 38:35
  Well, that's what
• 38:36
  Paul is addressing
• 38:37
  here as he writes
• 38:39
  to the Thessalonians,
• 38:40
  and we're going
• 38:40
  to consider it
• 38:41
  under three headings
• 38:43
  this morning.
• 38:45
  Three things
• 38:46
  I want us to see
• 38:46
  as Paul writes
• 38:48
  these words,
• 38:49
  in particular
• 38:49
  in verse 1 to 3
• 38:50
  of chapter 2.
• 38:52
  First of all,
• 38:52
  do not doubt
• 38:54
  his coming.
• 38:56
  Secondly,
• 38:57
  do not be anxious
• 38:58
  about his coming.
• 39:00
  And then thirdly,
• 39:01
  do be ready
• 39:02
  for his coming.
• 39:05
  Do not doubt
• 39:05
  his coming.
• 39:06
  Do not be anxious
• 39:07
  about his coming.
• 39:08
  But do be ready
• 39:10
  for his coming.
• 39:12
  The first thing is,
• 39:13
  do not doubt
• 39:14
  his coming.
• 39:17
  As you read
• 39:18
  chapter 2
• 39:19
  of 2 Thessalonians,
• 39:21
  you can read
• 39:21
  through it,
• 39:23
  we come to some
• 39:24
  of Paul's
• 39:25
  deepest teachings
• 39:26
  here
• 39:27
  in terms of
• 39:28
  trying to find
• 39:30
  a way of understanding
• 39:31
  just what he's speaking
• 39:32
  about.
• 39:34
  And when he's speaking
• 39:35
  here about the coming
• 39:36
  of the Lord
• 39:36
  and what that entails,
• 39:38
  there's many things
• 39:39
  here that you maybe
• 39:40
  immediately
• 39:41
  focus in on.
• 39:44
  And you ask
• 39:44
  questions about.
• 39:45
  It's only natural
• 39:46
  for us.
• 39:47
  For example,
• 39:48
  at the end
• 39:48
  of chapter 3,
• 39:50
  there's this subject,
• 39:51
  this issue of the man
• 39:52
  of lawlessness
• 39:53
  being revealed.
• 39:55
  And the question is,
• 39:56
  well,
• 39:56
  who is this?
• 39:58
  Well,
• 39:58
  that's for another day.
• 40:01
  But we can often
• 40:02
  focus in on a chapter
• 40:04
  or a verse in Scripture
• 40:05
  and we can get
• 40:06
  sidetracked
• 40:07
  from the main issue.
• 40:08
  We can get distracted
• 40:10
  from the main issue.
• 40:12
  And the subject
• 40:13
  that he's speaking
• 40:14
  about here,
• 40:14
  the coming of the Lord,
• 40:16
  it's one of these
• 40:16
  subjects that is easy
• 40:18
  to get sidetracked
• 40:19
  in and just to debate
• 40:21
  about and things
• 40:22
  that we're not
• 40:22
  really understanding.
• 40:23
  We're putting forward
• 40:24
  our own maybe theories,
• 40:26
  we're speculating
• 40:27
  as to things,
• 40:27
  what might be.
• 40:29
  And ultimately,
• 40:30
  we lose sight
• 40:31
  of the importance
• 40:32
  of the matter.
• 40:34
  You think about
• 40:35
  the day of the coming
• 40:36
  of the Lord
• 40:36
  and how it's been spoken
• 40:37
  about down
• 40:39
  through the years.
• 40:40
  In almost every generation,
• 40:42
  it's been speculated
• 40:43
  about that someone
• 40:44
  has this vision
• 40:45
  or this revelation
• 40:47
  that the day
• 40:48
  of the Lord's return
• 40:49
  is going to be
• 40:50
  such and such a date.
• 40:52
  It's gone on
• 40:53
  for years
• 40:53
  and generations.
• 40:55
  You even see it
• 40:55
  in the Scripture itself.
• 40:57
  Here,
• 40:58
  they're speculating
• 40:59
  that it's already been.
• 41:01
  And it's something
• 41:02
  that goes on
• 41:03
  all the time.
• 41:04
  You know,
• 41:04
  convinced they know
• 41:05
  whether this is bound
• 41:06
  to be now
• 41:07
  when the Lord returns.
• 41:10
  And as you read
• 41:10
  Matthew chapter 24,
• 41:13
  you maybe read things there
• 41:15
  and you're drawn
• 41:16
  into this idea,
• 41:17
  well,
• 41:17
  surely this now
• 41:18
  is when the Lord
• 41:19
  will return.
• 41:21
  It speaks about
• 41:22
  times of war
• 41:23
  and rumors of war
• 41:25
  and all of these things
• 41:26
  that are going
• 41:27
  to take place,
• 41:28
  earthquakes,
• 41:29
  famines,
• 41:30
  and we see it
• 41:31
  all the time
• 41:31
  when we start
• 41:32
  to speculate,
• 41:33
  well,
• 41:33
  surely now
• 41:34
  the Lord
• 41:35
  is going to return
• 41:37
  and we can start
• 41:37
  speculating
• 41:38
  about these things.
• 41:41
  But is that
• 41:42
  the most important thing
• 41:43
  to talk about
• 41:44
  in the midst of it?
• 41:46
  To start speculating
• 41:47
  about,
• 41:48
  well,
• 41:48
  will he come just now?
• 41:49
  Will it be imminent?
• 41:52
  Is it maybe something
• 41:52
  that's just way off
• 41:53
  in the future?
• 41:55
  When the reality is
• 41:57
  we don't know.
• 41:59
  We don't know.
• 42:01
  But what it's all doing
• 42:03
  is reminding us
• 42:05
  that we should be
• 42:05
  drawing near to God.
• 42:08
  We should be coming
• 42:09
  to God
• 42:10
  in a closer way.
• 42:12
  We should be seeing
• 42:13
  the challenges
• 42:14
  and difficulties
• 42:15
  all around us
• 42:16
  which are many
• 42:17
  and escalating
• 42:18
  as it seems
• 42:19
  all the time
• 42:19
  just now.
• 42:20
  When you think
• 42:20
  of the Middle East
• 42:22
  and the Ukraine
• 42:22
  and the Far East
• 42:24
  and our own nation,
• 42:25
  the West as we call it,
• 42:27
  there's chaos
• 42:28
  of all different kinds.
• 42:31
  All the rumors
• 42:32
  and things
• 42:33
  that the Bible
• 42:33
  is speaking about
• 42:34
  in Matthew 24,
• 42:36
  we're almost seeing them
• 42:37
  just now
• 42:37
  on a daily basis.
• 42:41
  Are we just
• 42:41
  pushing that away
• 42:42
  or is it bringing us
• 42:43
  closer to the Lord?
• 42:46
  As Paul is writing
• 42:47
  to the Thessalonians,
• 42:49
  they themselves
• 42:50
  were living
• 42:50
  in difficult days.
• 42:52
  They were afflicted.
• 42:52
  They were persecuted.
• 42:55
  From outside,
• 42:56
  there was all these people
• 42:57
  who were persecuting them
• 42:59
  and having a go at them
• 43:00
  and bringing false truths
• 43:02
  to them.
• 43:04
  And within themselves
• 43:05
  there were all these doubts
• 43:06
  and anxieties
• 43:07
  that they naturally had.
• 43:09
  And yet,
• 43:10
  when Paul writes to them,
• 43:11
  he says in verse 3
• 43:12
  of chapter 1,
• 43:13
  we ought always
• 43:15
  to give thanks to God
• 43:16
  for you, brothers,
• 43:17
  as is right,
• 43:18
  because your faith
• 43:19
  is growing abundantly
• 43:21
  and the love
• 43:22
  of every one of you
• 43:23
  for one another
• 43:24
  is increasing.
• 43:26
  This is what he was seeing.
• 43:28
  Even in the midst
• 43:29
  of all these uncertainties
• 43:31
  about the coming
• 43:32
  of the Lord,
• 43:33
  their faith
• 43:34
  was growing abundantly
• 43:36
  and the love
• 43:37
  of every one of them
• 43:38
  for one another
• 43:39
  was increasing.
• 43:40
  Is that what the Lord
• 43:44
  sees with us today?
• 43:46
  A faith growing abundantly
• 43:48
  and a love
• 43:49
  for one another
• 43:50
  increasing.
• 43:53
  The day of the Lord's coming
• 43:55
  is without doubt,
• 43:57
  but how are we approaching it?
• 44:00
  How are we living in a day
• 44:01
  when we don't have the answers,
• 44:04
  but we know it is true
• 44:05
  that he is coming?
• 44:08
  What are we focusing on?
• 44:11
  Well,
• 44:12
  things in this world
• 44:14
  will shake us
• 44:15
  and things in the church
• 44:16
  will shake us,
• 44:18
  but when Christ is our rock,
• 44:21
  then we have a security,
• 44:24
  a certainty.
• 44:27
  The Thessalonians
• 44:28
  were being told
• 44:29
  that the day of the Lord
• 44:31
  had already come,
• 44:34
  but Paul is assuring them
• 44:36
  that it hasn't,
• 44:38
  but he is also assuring them
• 44:40
  that it will.
• 44:42
  You know,
• 44:42
  today the problem
• 44:43
  of the coming of the Lord
• 44:44
  is almost the opposite
• 44:46
  to what they had
• 44:46
  in the day of the Thessalonians
• 44:48
  when they were being taught
• 44:50
  that he had already come.
• 44:52
  The problem today is
• 44:53
  that he has not come
• 44:55
  and that people think,
• 44:56
  well,
• 44:56
  he probably isn't.
• 44:59
  One was bringing doubt
• 45:00
  into their minds
• 45:01
  that he had already come.
• 45:03
  Today,
• 45:03
  the doubt is in our mind
• 45:04
  that he's not going to come
• 45:06
  because surely after
• 45:07
  2,000 years or more,
• 45:09
  he would have come,
• 45:10
  he would have brought peace
• 45:11
  to this world,
• 45:12
  but it hasn't happened,
• 45:13
  so we can push it away.
• 45:16
  But what's the answer
• 45:17
  in both?
• 45:20
  Well,
• 45:20
  it is faith.
• 45:22
  Faith is the key here.
• 45:24
  Faith
• 45:25
  is what we need.
• 45:27
  And that's what Paul
• 45:28
  is thanking God
• 45:29
  that the Thessalonians had.
• 45:31
  Your faith is growing abundantly.
• 45:35
  It is ours.
• 45:37
  It is yours growing abundantly
• 45:39
  in confidence in God's Word.
• 45:43
  One commentator puts it
• 45:44
  very helpfully.
• 45:46
  He says,
• 45:47
  rather than having
• 45:47
  an understanding
• 45:48
  of everything
• 45:49
  that every verse says,
• 45:52
  it is to have anchor points.
• 45:56
  Anchor points.
• 45:57
  Things that we can focus in on
• 45:59
  and hold firmly to that.
• 46:01
  Keep us secure.
• 46:03
  Yes,
• 46:03
  there's things
• 46:04
  we don't have answers for,
• 46:06
  but there's things
• 46:06
  that we can have certainty in,
• 46:08
  and one is
• 46:08
  the day of the Lord's coming.
• 46:11
  He will come.
• 46:15
  In Matthew 24,
• 46:17
  Jesus says later on
• 46:18
  in that chapter
• 46:19
  in verse 43,
• 46:21
  but know this,
• 46:22
  that if the master
• 46:23
  of the house
• 46:23
  had known
• 46:24
  in what part of the night
• 46:25
  the thief was coming,
• 46:27
  he would have stayed awake
• 46:28
  and would not have let
• 46:29
  his house be broken into.
• 46:31
  Therefore,
• 46:32
  you also must be ready,
• 46:34
  for the Son of Man
• 46:35
  is coming
• 46:36
  at an hour
• 46:37
  when you do not expect.
• 46:41
  Again,
• 46:41
  it's so clear there.
• 46:43
  Jesus himself,
• 46:44
  the Son of Man
• 46:45
  is coming
• 46:46
  at an hour
• 46:47
  when you do not expect.
• 46:48
  That is our anchor point.
• 46:51
  The Lord is coming,
• 46:53
  and that
• 46:53
  we should not doubt.
• 46:55
  So we see
• 46:57
  Paul's
• 46:58
  pastoral heart
• 46:59
  here.
• 47:00
  His concern
• 47:01
  for the people
• 47:02
  is that they
• 47:03
  hold firm
• 47:04
  to this fact
• 47:05
  that he is coming.
• 47:08
  The second thing
• 47:09
  we see here
• 47:09
  is that they are
• 47:11
  not to be anxious
• 47:11
  about his coming.
• 47:15
  Now,
• 47:15
  concerning the coming
• 47:16
  of the Lord,
• 47:17
  Jesus Christ,
• 47:18
  and our being gathered
• 47:19
  together to him,
• 47:20
  we ask you,
• 47:21
  brothers,
• 47:21
  not to be quickly
• 47:22
  shaken
• 47:23
  in mind
• 47:24
  or alarmed.
• 47:26
  Don't be quickly
• 47:27
  shaken in mind
• 47:28
  or alarmed.
• 47:29
  Do not be anxious
• 47:30
  about his coming.
• 47:33
  We live in days
• 47:34
  when we can be anxious
• 47:35
  about so many
• 47:36
  different things
• 47:37
  and afraid
• 47:38
  about so many
• 47:39
  different things.
• 47:42
  None of us
• 47:42
  here today
• 47:43
  will be without
• 47:44
  our anxieties,
• 47:45
  without our fears,
• 47:47
  but how do we
• 47:48
  deal with them?
• 47:50
  And especially
• 47:50
  we think of this idea
• 47:52
  of the coming
• 47:53
  of the Lord.
• 47:54
  How do we deal
• 47:55
  with anxieties
• 47:55
  and fears
• 47:56
  over that?
• 47:59
  Well,
• 48:00
  again,
• 48:00
  it's to anchor
• 48:02
  ourselves
• 48:03
  in God's word,
• 48:05
  to anchor ourselves
• 48:06
  in the promises
• 48:08
  of God's word.
• 48:10
  Paul's really
• 48:11
  echoing
• 48:12
  what Jesus taught
• 48:13
  in chapter 24
• 48:14
  of Matthew here.
• 48:15
  He's almost
• 48:16
  using the same words.
• 48:17
  Do not be quickly
• 48:18
  shaken in mind
• 48:19
  or alarmed.
• 48:20
  It's just the way
• 48:21
  Jesus spoke
• 48:22
  in that chapter
• 48:23
  as well.
• 48:25
  So it's really,
• 48:27
  don't be anxious
• 48:28
  because you remember
• 48:29
  who you are
• 48:30
  trusting in.
• 48:33
  When you look
• 48:34
  at the situation
• 48:34
  in Thessalonica
• 48:35
  here,
• 48:36
  those who are
• 48:37
  growing in faith,
• 48:39
  your faith
• 48:41
  that is growing
• 48:41
  abundantly,
• 48:42
  how was it
• 48:43
  growing abundantly?
• 48:44
  How was their love
• 48:47
  for one another
• 48:48
  growing abundantly?
• 48:51
  Well,
• 48:51
  it's because
• 48:51
  they were resting
• 48:52
  in the truth
• 48:54
  of God
• 48:55
  to them.
• 48:57
  And there must be
• 48:58
  practical,
• 48:59
  simple,
• 48:59
  practical lessons
• 49:00
  for ourselves
• 49:01
  here today
• 49:02
  as well.
• 49:03
  The role
• 49:04
  of the anchor
• 49:05
  is to keep us
• 49:06
  safe and secure,
• 49:08
  to stop us
• 49:10
  drifting
• 49:10
  and being shipwrecked.
• 49:12
  That's the role
• 49:12
  of the anchor.
• 49:13
  So what is
• 49:14
  the anchor
• 49:14
  of Scripture?
• 49:16
  It's to anchor
• 49:17
  ourselves
• 49:18
  in the foundation
• 49:19
  of truth
• 49:20
  that we have
• 49:20
  in God's Word.
• 49:22
  All the promises
• 49:23
  that are given
• 49:24
  to us.
• 49:26
  And by holding
• 49:26
  on to them,
• 49:27
  by seeing them,
• 49:28
  we end up
• 49:29
  being secure
• 49:30
  in Christ
• 49:30
  and not drifting
• 49:31
  away
• 49:32
  and being tempted
• 49:33
  away by
• 49:34
  false teachings
• 49:35
  or the kind
• 49:37
  of things
• 49:37
  that he's speaking
• 49:38
  of there
• 49:38
  in verse 2
• 49:39
  by a spirit
• 49:40
  or spoken word
• 49:41
  or a letter
• 49:41
  to the effect
• 49:43
  that the day
• 49:43
  of the Lord
• 49:44
  has come
• 49:44
  when we're
• 49:45
  being led
• 49:45
  as straight
• 49:46
  to say,
• 49:46
  no,
• 49:47
  that is not
• 49:47
  what the Word
• 49:48
  of God
• 49:49
  says.
• 49:51
  And to hold
• 49:51
  fast to the Word
• 49:53
  of God.
• 49:54
  And that's what
• 49:55
  Paul was doing
• 49:56
  for the Thessalonians,
• 49:59
  holding them fast
• 50:00
  in the Word
• 50:01
  of God.
• 50:04
  When you think
• 50:04
  of the book
• 50:05
  of Acts,
• 50:06
  chapter 22,
• 50:07
  after the Lord's
• 50:08
  ascension,
• 50:09
  how were the people
• 50:10
  found in chapter 2?
• 50:13
  It says in verse 42,
• 50:14
  they devoted themselves
• 50:15
  to the apostles'
• 50:16
  teaching
• 50:17
  and the fellowship
• 50:18
  to the breaking
• 50:18
  of bread
• 50:19
  and the prayers.
• 50:21
  That was their focus.
• 50:23
  That was how they grew.
• 50:25
  That's how the church
• 50:26
  at Thessalonica
• 50:27
  was growing.
• 50:28
  All of these things
• 50:29
  were present
• 50:30
  and that's what we are
• 50:31
  to be secure
• 50:32
  in as well.
• 50:33
  Being under the Word,
• 50:34
  being in fellowship
• 50:36
  with one another,
• 50:37
  taking the sacrament,
• 50:38
  prayer.
• 50:40
  When our relationship
• 50:41
  with the Lord
• 50:42
  is right,
• 50:44
  our faith
• 50:44
  and assurance
• 50:45
  grows.
• 50:48
  So we are to
• 50:49
  anchor ourselves
• 50:50
  in the Word
• 50:51
  of God.
• 50:53
  Do not be anxious
• 50:54
  or afraid
• 50:55
  for this day.
• 50:56
  How?
• 50:57
  By being close
• 50:58
  to God,
• 51:00
  by trusting
• 51:01
  in Him,
• 51:03
  by knowing
• 51:03
  who you are
• 51:04
  believing in.
• 51:06
  One commentator
• 51:08
  speaks of the importance
• 51:09
  of both faith
• 51:10
  and perseverance.
• 51:14
  Two things
• 51:15
  that we need
• 51:15
  as Christians.
• 51:17
  Faith
• 51:17
  and perseverance.
• 51:19
  And he speaks
• 51:19
  about it in this way.
• 51:21
  The illustration
• 51:22
  of getting into
• 51:23
  a sporting event.
• 51:26
  And he said,
• 51:27
  a person who wants
• 51:28
  to attend
• 51:28
  a game
• 51:29
  in a stadium,
• 51:31
  for example,
• 51:32
  a big football match
• 51:33
  or Six Nations rugby
• 51:35
  or something like that,
• 51:36
  if you want to get
• 51:37
  into the stadium
• 51:38
  to watch,
• 51:39
  you've got to pay
• 51:39
  your money
• 51:40
  and when you pay
• 51:42
  your money,
• 51:42
  you receive
• 51:43
  a ticket.
• 51:45
  But he asked
• 51:46
  a question,
• 51:47
  but what gets
• 51:48
  you into the stadium?
• 51:50
  Is it the money
• 51:51
  or the ticket?
• 51:54
  And he said,
• 51:55
  it's both.
• 51:57
  Ultimately,
• 51:58
  the money paid
• 51:59
  is what really
• 52:00
  gets you in,
• 52:01
  but you must
• 52:02
  have the ticket
• 52:03
  as evidence
• 52:04
  that you have
• 52:06
  paid the price.
• 52:09
  And for ourselves
• 52:11
  as Christians,
• 52:13
  the greatest confidence
• 52:14
  we can have
• 52:16
  is that the price
• 52:17
  has been paid
• 52:18
  for us.
• 52:21
  The Lord Jesus
• 52:22
  has paid the price
• 52:24
  for our entry
• 52:26
  into heaven.
• 52:28
  And our ticket
• 52:29
  is faith.
• 52:31
  Faith is a ticket.
• 52:33
  So that by faith
• 52:35
  in the Lord's,
• 52:35
  the day of the Lord's
• 52:37
  return,
• 52:37
  we can come
• 52:38
  and say,
• 52:39
  I have believed
• 52:40
  in you.
• 52:42
  I have believed
• 52:43
  that you paid
• 52:44
  the price.
• 52:46
  That in giving
• 52:47
  your life
• 52:48
  on the cross,
• 52:49
  you paid
• 52:50
  the price
• 52:51
  for me.
• 52:54
  The faith
• 52:55
  and the perseverance.
• 52:57
  The price paid
• 52:59
  and the ticket
• 53:00
  shone.
• 53:00
  They both
• 53:01
  go hand
• 53:03
  in hand.
• 53:04
  And when you look
• 53:05
  at the wonderful
• 53:06
  words of the Lord
• 53:07
  Jesus to his
• 53:08
  disciples,
• 53:09
  in John 14,
• 53:12
  there you see
• 53:13
  that Jesus
• 53:14
  was telling them
• 53:15
  do not be anxious.
• 53:18
  What he says
• 53:18
  in verse 1,
• 53:19
  let not your hearts
• 53:20
  be troubled.
• 53:21
  Believe in God,
• 53:23
  believe also in me.
• 53:24
  In my Father's house
• 53:26
  are many rooms.
• 53:27
  And he says,
• 53:29
  I go
• 53:30
  to prepare
• 53:31
  a place
• 53:32
  for you.
• 53:34
  And then
• 53:35
  what does he say?
• 53:36
  That I may
• 53:37
  come again
• 53:38
  and take you
• 53:39
  to be
• 53:40
  with me.
• 53:42
  What wonderful
• 53:43
  words,
• 53:44
  what confidence
• 53:45
  they bring
• 53:46
  to God's
• 53:47
  people.
• 53:48
  Let not
• 53:48
  your hearts
• 53:49
  be troubled.
• 53:51
  Believe in God,
• 53:52
  believe also in me.
• 53:54
  I go
• 53:54
  to prepare
• 53:55
  a place.
• 53:57
  That preparation
• 53:59
  involved his
• 54:00
  going to the cross,
• 54:01
  his rising
• 54:02
  from the grave
• 54:03
  on the third day,
• 54:04
  his ascending
• 54:05
  into heaven,
• 54:06
  and that promise
• 54:08
  that he will
• 54:09
  come again.
• 54:12
  Is that
• 54:13
  what you're
• 54:13
  leaning on?
• 54:15
  Is that the promises
• 54:16
  that you're holding
• 54:17
  on to?
• 54:18
  That he will
• 54:19
  come again.
• 54:20
  Let not your
• 54:21
  hearts be troubled.
• 54:23
  Believe in God,
• 54:24
  believe also
• 54:25
  in me.
• 54:27
  The word
• 54:30
  of God
• 54:30
  is so wonderful
• 54:31
  in the confidence
• 54:32
  and the hope
• 54:33
  that it gives.
• 54:36
  The third
• 54:36
  and final
• 54:37
  thing we want
• 54:37
  to see here
• 54:38
  is we need
• 54:40
  to be ready
• 54:41
  for his
• 54:42
  coming.
• 54:44
  We need
• 54:45
  to be ready
• 54:46
  for his
• 54:47
  coming.
• 54:47
  What is Paul's
• 54:48
  greatest concern
• 54:49
  to the people
• 54:51
  of Thessalonica
• 54:52
  here in both
• 54:53
  chapter 1
• 54:54
  and chapter 2
• 54:55
  as he's speaking
• 54:57
  of the judgment
• 54:58
  at Christ's
• 54:59
  coming,
• 55:00
  where this
• 55:01
  picture is put
• 55:03
  before them
• 55:03
  of the different
• 55:05
  destinations
• 55:06
  of heaven
• 55:06
  and hell.
• 55:08
  What's his
• 55:08
  concern?
• 55:10
  As he comes
• 55:10
  into chapter 2
• 55:11
  concerning
• 55:12
  the coming
• 55:13
  of the Lord,
• 55:15
  it's that they
• 55:15
  be ready.
• 55:17
  That they be
• 55:18
  ready for it.
• 55:20
  When you see
• 55:20
  what he is
• 55:21
  teaching them,
• 55:22
  you see
• 55:24
  the purpose
• 55:25
  behind it
• 55:26
  is that they
• 55:27
  might believe
• 55:28
  and be ready
• 55:29
  to have assurance
• 55:31
  in the truth
• 55:32
  of God's
• 55:33
  word.
• 55:35
  As we see,
• 55:36
  the Thessalonians
• 55:37
  will be,
• 55:38
  these doubts
• 55:39
  will be put
• 55:39
  into their mind
• 55:40
  that this day
• 55:41
  had already
• 55:42
  happened.
• 55:44
  And for
• 55:45
  ourselves today,
• 55:46
  it's almost like
• 55:47
  the opposite is true.
• 55:48
  It's almost
• 55:48
  that this day
• 55:49
  is not going
• 55:50
  to happen.
• 55:51
  That this day
• 55:51
  surely would
• 55:52
  have happened
• 55:53
  by now.
• 55:55
  And it's easy
• 55:56
  to waste time
• 55:57
  speculating
• 55:58
  about the
• 55:59
  coming of the
• 55:59
  Lord.
• 56:00
  Will it,
• 56:00
  won't it,
• 56:01
  or when?
• 56:04
  But instead,
• 56:05
  we are to heed
• 56:06
  the warnings
• 56:07
  of his word.
• 56:10
  Like I was saying
• 56:10
  to the children
• 56:11
  earlier on,
• 56:13
  we're under
• 56:13
  a weather
• 56:14
  warning just now.
• 56:16
  And we look
• 56:17
  out and we're
• 56:18
  wondering what's
• 56:19
  going to come.
• 56:20
  What's it going
• 56:21
  to be like?
• 56:22
  It's the same
• 56:23
  every time,
• 56:24
  whether it's a
• 56:24
  gale or snow
• 56:25
  and ice,
• 56:26
  we're wondering
• 56:26
  how bad's it
• 56:28
  going to be?
• 56:29
  What damage
• 56:29
  will it cause?
• 56:32
  But what about
• 56:32
  the warning
• 56:33
  of the Lord's
• 56:34
  return?
• 56:36
  Are you
• 56:37
  heeding
• 56:37
  that warning
• 56:39
  today?
• 56:41
  He's going
• 56:41
  to come.
• 56:43
  That he has
• 56:43
  told us.
• 56:44
  He's going
• 56:44
  to come
• 56:45
  like a thief
• 56:46
  in the night.
• 56:47
  You don't
• 56:47
  know the
• 56:48
  moment,
• 56:49
  but are you
• 56:50
  ready?
• 56:52
  To know
• 56:52
  he is coming
• 56:53
  should motivate
• 56:55
  us,
• 56:55
  should drive
• 56:56
  us to
• 56:57
  himself,
• 56:58
  and should
• 56:58
  drive us in
• 56:59
  everything that
• 57:00
  we do as a
• 57:00
  people.
• 57:01
  The urgency
• 57:02
  of this,
• 57:04
  the very fact
• 57:05
  that he is
• 57:06
  coming and we
• 57:06
  don't know
• 57:07
  when,
• 57:08
  what are we
• 57:09
  doing to
• 57:10
  tell others?
• 57:11
  What are we
• 57:12
  doing to
• 57:13
  warn others?
• 57:15
  There's a
• 57:16
  story told
• 57:17
  of an
• 57:18
  American
• 57:18
  colonel,
• 57:19
  his name
• 57:19
  was Colonel
• 57:20
  Davenport,
• 57:21
  and he was
• 57:22
  one of the
• 57:22
  speakers to
• 57:23
  the House
• 57:24
  of Representatives
• 57:25
  in America
• 57:26
  and Connecticut.
• 57:28
  And on
• 57:28
  this day in
• 57:29
  May,
• 57:30
  May the
• 57:30
  19th,
• 57:31
  1780,
• 57:33
  there was
• 57:33
  this meeting
• 57:34
  taking place
• 57:35
  of the House
• 57:36
  of Representatives
• 57:37
  in Hartford,
• 57:38
  America.
• 57:39
  It's like our
• 57:40
  Parliament
• 57:40
  meeting.
• 57:42
  And as
• 57:43
  this meeting
• 57:43
  was going
• 57:44
  on,
• 57:46
  it was
• 57:46
  June the
• 57:47
  day,
• 57:47
  and yet
• 57:47
  the sky
• 57:48
  just suddenly
• 57:49
  started to
• 57:50
  get darker
• 57:51
  and darker,
• 57:53
  to such an
• 57:54
  extent that
• 57:55
  some of those
• 57:56
  in the meeting
• 57:57
  started looking
• 57:58
  outside and
• 57:59
  just amazed
• 58:00
  by the darkness
• 58:01
  that had come
• 58:02
  so quickly.
• 58:05
  And the fear
• 58:06
  that came upon
• 58:07
  them was this,
• 58:09
  that the day
• 58:09
  of the Lord
• 58:10
  was coming,
• 58:12
  that this
• 58:13
  was it.
• 58:15
  And they
• 58:16
  started calling
• 58:16
  for the meeting
• 58:17
  to be adjourned,
• 58:18
  the meeting
• 58:19
  to end,
• 58:20
  because this
• 58:20
  was so serious.
• 58:23
  But Colonel
• 58:24
  Davenport,
• 58:25
  it said,
• 58:26
  he calmed
• 58:27
  the meeting.
• 58:28
  And he
• 58:29
  said this,
• 58:30
  the day of
• 58:30
  judgment
• 58:31
  is either
• 58:32
  approaching
• 58:32
  or it is
• 58:33
  not.
• 58:35
  If it is
• 58:36
  not,
• 58:36
  there is no
• 58:37
  cause for
• 58:37
  adjournment.
• 58:39
  If it is,
• 58:41
  I choose
• 58:41
  to be found
• 58:42
  doing my
• 58:43
  duty.
• 58:45
  Therefore,
• 58:45
  I wish
• 58:45
  that candles
• 58:46
  be brought.
• 58:49
  The darkness
• 58:49
  was ominous.
• 58:52
  But he said,
• 58:53
  well,
• 58:53
  if this is
• 58:53
  the Lord's
• 58:54
  return,
• 58:55
  I want to
• 58:56
  be found
• 58:56
  doing my
• 58:58
  duty.
• 59:01
  Rather than
• 59:01
  fearing what
• 59:02
  is to come,
• 59:04
  you are to
• 59:04
  be faithful
• 59:05
  till Christ's
• 59:07
  return.
• 59:09
  And instead
• 59:09
  of fearing
• 59:10
  the dark,
• 59:11
  we are to
• 59:12
  remember the
• 59:13
  light that we
• 59:14
  have in Christ
• 59:15
  and his
• 59:16
  gospel.
• 59:18
  And we are
• 59:18
  to watch
• 59:19
  and wait
• 59:20
  for his
• 59:21
  return.
• 59:23
  The reality
• 59:24
  of heaven
• 59:25
  and hell
• 59:26
  is clear
• 59:27
  before us
• 59:28
  in the
• 59:28
  scriptures.
• 59:29
  And the
• 59:30
  reality of
• 59:30
  the day of
• 59:31
  judgment
• 59:32
  is clear
• 59:33
  before us
• 59:34
  in
• 59:36
  scripture.
• 59:36
  The reality
• 59:36
  of the
• 59:37
  coming of
• 59:37
  the Lord
• 59:38
  is clear
• 59:39
  before us
• 59:40
  in scripture.
• 59:42
  The question
• 59:43
  is,
• 59:44
  are you
• 59:45
  ready?
• 59:48
  Are you
• 59:48
  ready?
• 59:50
  The day
• 59:51
  is coming
• 59:51
  when the
• 59:52
  sky will
• 59:52
  light with
• 59:53
  flaming fire
• 59:54
  for all
• 59:56
  people to
• 59:56
  see and
• 59:57
  the Lord
• 59:57
  will come.
• 59:59
  Some will
• 1:00:00
  cry on that
• 1:00:01
  day to the
• 1:00:01
  mountains,
• 1:00:02
  fall on
• 1:00:03
  top of
• 1:00:04
  them because
• 1:00:04
  they will
• 1:00:05
  be so
• 1:00:05
  afraid.
• 1:00:07
  They will
• 1:00:07
  not be
• 1:00:07
  ready for
• 1:00:08
  the day
• 1:00:08
  to appear
• 1:00:09
  before the
• 1:00:10
  Lord.
• 1:00:12
  But for
• 1:00:13
  us may
• 1:00:13
  it be a
• 1:00:14
  day when
• 1:00:14
  we delight,
• 1:00:16
  a delight
• 1:00:17
  that we
• 1:00:17
  will see
• 1:00:18
  the beauty
• 1:00:19
  of the
• 1:00:19
  Lord and
• 1:00:20
  gaze on
• 1:00:20
  him,
• 1:00:22
  for we
• 1:00:22
  are ready
• 1:00:23
  for it.
• 1:00:25
  But while
• 1:00:26
  we have
• 1:00:26
  time and
• 1:00:26
  opportunity,
• 1:00:28
  as we
• 1:00:29
  think of
• 1:00:29
  the coming
• 1:00:29
  of the
• 1:00:30
  Lord and
• 1:00:30
  the day
• 1:00:31
  is going
• 1:00:32
  to come,
• 1:00:34
  and as we
• 1:00:34
  think that
• 1:00:35
  there are
• 1:00:35
  people out
• 1:00:36
  there who
• 1:00:37
  know nothing
• 1:00:37
  of it or
• 1:00:38
  who are not
• 1:00:39
  interested in
• 1:00:39
  it, the
• 1:00:41
  reality of
• 1:00:42
  heaven and
• 1:00:43
  hell and
• 1:00:43
  the judgment
• 1:00:44
  and the
• 1:00:45
  coming of
• 1:00:45
  the Lord
• 1:00:46
  should drive
• 1:00:47
  us in
• 1:00:49
  telling others
• 1:00:50
  that he
• 1:00:52
  is coming
• 1:00:53
  and to be
• 1:00:54
  ready.
• 1:00:57
  May the
• 1:00:57
  coming of
• 1:00:58
  the Lord
• 1:00:58
  not be
• 1:00:58
  something.
• 1:01:00
  We just
• 1:01:00
  speculate about
• 1:01:01
  the things
• 1:01:01
  that we do
• 1:01:02
  not understand,
• 1:01:04
  but may it
• 1:01:05
  instead be a
• 1:01:05
  day that we
• 1:01:06
  see is
• 1:01:07
  true and
• 1:01:09
  is the
• 1:01:09
  great hope
• 1:01:10
  of the
• 1:01:10
  Christian,
• 1:01:12
  but is our
• 1:01:12
  great motivation
• 1:01:13
  in reaching
• 1:01:15
  out with
• 1:01:16
  the gospel.
• 1:01:17
  Let us
• 1:01:17
  pray.
• 1:01:20
  Our
• 1:01:20
  Father in
• 1:01:21
  heaven, we
• 1:01:22
  thank you for
• 1:01:22
  your word
• 1:01:23
  that is
• 1:01:24
  truth, and
• 1:01:25
  even though
• 1:01:26
  the world
• 1:01:26
  will cast
• 1:01:27
  so many
• 1:01:27
  doubts over
• 1:01:28
  it, and
• 1:01:29
  tell us that
• 1:01:30
  it is not
• 1:01:30
  true.
• 1:01:31
  Tell us that
• 1:01:32
  if the Lord
• 1:01:33
  was going to
• 1:01:33
  come, we
• 1:01:34
  would have
• 1:01:34
  done so by
• 1:01:35
  now.
• 1:01:36
  Help us to
• 1:01:36
  realize that
• 1:01:37
  that was
• 1:01:37
  true in
• 1:01:38
  the days of
• 1:01:39
  our Lord,
• 1:01:40
  in the days
• 1:01:40
  of the
• 1:01:41
  apostles, and
• 1:01:42
  down through
• 1:01:43
  all the
• 1:01:43
  generations, but
• 1:01:44
  it doesn't
• 1:01:44
  mean that
• 1:01:45
  it's not
• 1:01:46
  something to
• 1:01:47
  be believed
• 1:01:48
  in.
• 1:01:49
  For your
• 1:01:49
  word tells
• 1:01:50
  us that the
• 1:01:51
  day of the
• 1:01:51
  Lord will
• 1:01:52
  come like a
• 1:01:53
  thief in the
• 1:01:53
  night, and
• 1:01:55
  help us to
• 1:01:56
  be ready, and
• 1:01:58
  help us to
• 1:01:58
  be urgent in
• 1:02:00
  our work for
• 1:02:00
  the gospel, to
• 1:02:02
  tell others to
• 1:02:03
  be ready for
• 1:02:03
  it too.
• 1:02:05
  But Lord, we
• 1:02:05
  thank you that
• 1:02:07
  it's a day that
• 1:02:07
  your people can
• 1:02:08
  look forward
• 1:02:09
  to, a day of
• 1:02:10
  joy, a day of
• 1:02:12
  delight, when we
• 1:02:13
  will gaze on the
• 1:02:14
  beauty of the
• 1:02:15
  Lord.
• 1:02:16
  And so we
• 1:02:16
  pray, Lord, that
• 1:02:17
  you will bless
• 1:02:18
  your word to
• 1:02:18
  us, and go
• 1:02:20
  before us in
• 1:02:20
  the rest of
• 1:02:21
  this day,
• 1:02:22
  pardoning our
• 1:02:22
  sins, in
• 1:02:23
  Jesus' name.
• 1:02:24
  Amen.
• 1:02:26
  We're going
• 1:02:30
  to conclude by
• 1:02:31
  singing to
• 1:02:32
  God's praise in
• 1:02:33
  Psalm 33
• 1:02:34
  again, page
• 1:02:35
  246 of the
• 1:02:39
  psalm book,
• 1:02:40
  Psalm 33,
• 1:02:42
  page 246.
• 1:02:44
  We'll sing from
• 1:02:44
  verse 18 down
• 1:02:46
  to verse 22.
• 1:02:48
  These three
• 1:02:48
  stanzas,
• 1:02:49
  Behold, on
• 1:02:49
  those that do
• 1:02:51
  in fear, the
• 1:02:51
  Lord has said
• 1:02:52
  as I, even
• 1:02:53
  those who on
• 1:02:54
  his mercy do
• 1:02:55
  with confidence
• 1:02:56
  rely.
• 1:02:58
  We'll sing
• 1:02:58
  these verses
• 1:02:59
  to God's
• 1:03:00
  praise.
• 1:03:00
  Amen.
• 1:03:05
  Behold, on
• 1:03:08
  those that do
• 1:03:12
  him fear, the
• 1:03:15
  Lord has said
• 1:03:19
  his eyes, he
• 1:03:23
  those who on
• 1:03:27
  his mercy do
• 1:03:31
  with confidence
• 1:03:35
  rely.
• 1:03:37
  From death to free
• 1:03:44
  their soul in death,
• 1:03:49
  life unto them
• 1:03:54
  to yield,
• 1:03:56
  her soul doth
• 1:04:00
  wait upon
• 1:04:03
  the Lord,
• 1:04:06
  he is
• 1:04:08
  our help
• 1:04:11
  and shield,
• 1:04:13
  our heart
• 1:04:25
  our heart
• 1:04:26
  shall joyful
• 1:04:29
  be.
• 1:04:31
  Lord, let
• 1:04:34
  thy mercy
• 1:04:36
  be on us
• 1:04:40
  as we
• 1:04:43
  do
• 1:04:44
  hope
• 1:04:46
  in thee.
• 1:04:49
  After the
• 1:04:50
  benediction, I'll
• 1:04:51
  go to the door
• 1:04:51
  to my right.
• 1:04:52
  We'll close with
• 1:04:53
  the benediction.
• 1:04:54
  Now may grace,
• 1:04:56
  mercy, and peace
• 1:04:57
  from God,
• 1:04:58
  Father, Son, and
• 1:04:59
  Holy Spirit
• 1:05:00
  rest upon
• 1:05:01
  and abide
• 1:05:02
  with you all
• 1:05:02
  now and
• 1:05:03
  forevermore.
• 1:05:04
  Amen.
• 1:05:04
  to
• 1:05:06
  amen.
• 1:05:09
  Amen.
• 1:05:09
  Amen.
• 1:05:12
  Thank you.