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D.I.Y. Disaster · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Well, we're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise.
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We're going to sing in Psalm 1 in the Scottish Psalter.
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Psalm 1, page 200 of the psalm books.
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We're seeing the whole of this psalm.
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The tune is Amazing Grace.
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That man of perfect blessedness who walketh not astray
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in counsel of ungodly men nor stands in sinners' way.
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We'll sing the whole of this psalm to God's praise.
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That man of perfect blessedness who walketh not astray
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in counsel of ungodly men.
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Nor stands in sinners' way.
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Nor sits a thin the sorrows' chair,
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but grace and grace delight upon God's long and majesties.
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On heaven, all day and night.
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We shall be like a king that rose,
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near-founded by our river.
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And all he does shall prosper.
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And all he does shall prosper.
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We shall prosper.
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We shall prosper.
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We shall prosper.
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We shall prosper.
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We shall prosper.
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We shall prosper.
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We shall prosper.
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We shall prosper.
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We shall prosper.
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We shall prosper.
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I am not so, but like they are unto the child,
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which when I do am low, and God,
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and therefore shall not stand such as a God.
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I am not so, but like they are,
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and therefore shall not stand such as a God.
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Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer. Let us pray.
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Amen.
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Our Father in heaven, we do thank you for this, your day.
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We thank you for the great privilege and joy it is to come and gather together in worship.
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Lord, we pray that you will bless us and watch over us today in all our different needs.
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We thank you for everyone who has come out here and also everyone who is tuning in as well.
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And wherever we are today, Lord, we pray that you will surround us with your grace,
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with your mercy, with your peace.
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We do thank you for all our young people here today.
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We thank you for our Sunday school, the creche, the tweenies, the Bible class.
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We thank you for the great encouragement that there is in seeing young people coming.
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And just together we will know your blessing on us.
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That as they learn today from your word of the wonderful way that you are able to help people.
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As we think of that passage that we'll be studying today about Bartimaeus,
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we thank you for the way that he cried out to you.
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A reminder to us all that that is what we need to do today as well.
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That we would call upon you and cry out,
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Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.
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And that you would help us to see you through every one of us, Lord.
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That we would come to see you and to know you more and more.
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And to love you with all our hearts and follow you all the days of our lives.
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So continue with us, watch over us, Lord.
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Hear our prayers and pardon us.
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And that's all we ask.
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We ask in Jesus' precious name.
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Amen.
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But before the young people,
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I just want to mention the passage that you're going to be looking at today
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in Sunday school and Bible class and tweenies.
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And it's a wonderful, it's actually one of my favorite passages
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about a man called Bartimaeus.
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And you're going to learn about him and how Jesus helped him today.
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And there's a number of different reasons why I love this story.
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Bartimaeus was someone who just was ignored by many people.
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And they looked at him and just thought he was just not to be spoken to even.
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They told him to be quiet.
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But Jesus was passing by.
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And that's what was important for him.
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He cried out as he heard that Jesus was passing by.
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He said, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.
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And it's a reminder to us of what Jesus can do for all of us.
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But Jesus had a question for him.
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As he came to Jesus, Jesus asked him a question.
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And it's there in verse 51 of Mark 10.
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And it says, what do you want me to do for you?
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Jesus is asking, what do you want me to do for you?
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What would you say to that question if Jesus asked you?
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What do you want me to do for you?
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There might be many different things that come to mind.
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Maybe you're wanting something new.
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You want a new bike.
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You're saying to himself, Jesus, can you help me?
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Can you get me a new bike or just a new toy or a new friend?
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We might ask for many different things if Jesus gives us that question.
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But aren't there good things to ask?
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I want to ask for these things of Jesus in prayer.
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But that question is a special question.
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What do you want me to do for you?
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Because it's asking, what's the greatest thing I could do for you?
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And what's interesting about Bartimaeus is that just before Jesus met Bartimaeus,
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he'd actually asked this question of two of his disciples, James and John.
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They'd come to Jesus making demands.
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And Jesus had said, what do you want me to do for you?
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And that answer was, we want one of us to sit on your right and one on your left in glory.
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They were looking for something special, something special for themselves, glory for themselves.
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And Jesus said, that's not what's important.
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That's not what you should really be asking for.
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And what we learn then is as he comes to meet with Bartimaeus,
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Bartimaeus' reply is what is important.
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Jesus said to him, what do you want me to do for you?
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And Bartimaeus said, Rabbi, that's teacher.
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He said, let me recover my sight.
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Let me see.
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And that's the greatest thing we can ask Jesus for.
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Lord, Jesus, let me see you.
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Let me know you in that way.
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Let me love you with all my heart.
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So there's many things that we could ask of Jesus.
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If he was to ask us that question, what do you want me to do for you?
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But the greatest response we could give is what Bartimaeus says.
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Lord, let me see.
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Let me see you.
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And as he sees Jesus, what does he do?
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He follows him on the way.
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So today that that would be our cry to Jesus.
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Let us see.
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Let us see Jesus.
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We're going to say the Lord's Prayer together now.
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Amen.
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Our Father, which art in heaven, 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 today our daily bread 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.
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And the young ones go out.
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During the singing through the door to my left here, we're going to sing in Psalm 25.
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In the sing-sign portion, page 29 of the psalm books.
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Psalm 25.
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We're going to sing from verse 9.
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Down to verse 9, and the tune is Herongate.
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And here, David in this psalm asks the Lord for help to direct him in all the ways that he should go.
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To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
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I trust in you continually.
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Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my foes gloat over me.
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We stand to sing verse 1 to 9 to God's praise.
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Amen.
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To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
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I trust in you continually.
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Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my foes gloat over me.
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No one who sends his hope in you will ever suffer such as grace.
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But those who act with treachery
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Your maliancy shame will face
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O Lord, be built to me your way
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And all your past and all things you know
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Thy elect and guide me in your truth
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And trust me in the way to go
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You are my Savior and my Lord
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All day I know in you alone
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Remember, Lord, your love and grace
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With strong passages you have shown
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Do not be of my sins of you
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For my rebellious evil ways
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Remember me in your grace
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For you, O Lord, are good always
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Because the Lord is just and true
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He shows His path to all who stray
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He guides the maiden waters wide
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And teachers, then His holy way
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We were getting a big wave from one of the wee boys going out there
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I wasn't sure, was it me he was waving at?
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Or was it his dad, Ali?
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But it made me smile as he was going out giving a big wave
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We're going to turn and read God's word together now
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We're going to read in Matthew
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The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6
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We're going to take up our reading at verse 19
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Reading down to the end of the chapter
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Matthew chapter 6 and at verse 19
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You'll find it around page 978 of the church Bibles
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Matthew chapter 6
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Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth
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Where moth and rust destroy
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And where thieves break in and steal
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But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven
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Where neither moth nor rust destroys
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And where thieves do not break in and steal
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But where your treasure is
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There your heart will be also
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The eye is the lamp of the body
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So if your eye is healthy
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Your whole body will be full of light
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If your eye is bad
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Your whole body will be full of darkness
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If then the light in you is darkness
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How great is the darkness
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No one can serve two masters
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For either he will hate the one and love the other
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Or he will be devoted to one and despise the other
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You cannot serve God and money
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Therefore I tell you
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Do not be anxious about your life
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What you will eat or what you will drink
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Nor about your body
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What you will put on
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Is not life more than food
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And the body more than clothing
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Look at the birds of the air
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They neither sow nor reap
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Nor gather into barns
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And yet your heavenly Father feeds them
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Are you not of more value than they
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And which of you by being anxious
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Can add a single hour to his span of life
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And why are you anxious about clothing
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Consider the lilies of the field
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How they grow
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They neither toil nor spin
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Yet I tell you
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Even Solomon in all his glory
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Was not arrayed like one of these
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But if God so clothes the grass of the field
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Which today is alive
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And tomorrow is thrown into the oven
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Will he not much more clothe you
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O you of little faith
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Therefore do not be anxious
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Saying what shall we eat
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Or what shall we drink
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Or what shall we wear
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For the Gentiles seek after all things
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And your heavenly Father knows
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That you need them all
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But seek first the kingdom of God
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And his righteousness
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And all these things will be added to you
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Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow
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For tomorrow will be anxious for itself
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Sufficient for the day
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Is its own trouble
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Amen
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And may God bless that reading
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From his word
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Again just bow our heads
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In a word of prayer
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Let us pray
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Our gracious Father in heaven
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As we continue studying your word together this day
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We thank you for it
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We thank you for the truths it contains
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That it is not man's word
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But your word to man
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And we thank you that it speaks to everyone of us
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Young and old alike
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It reminds us of everything that we need to know for life
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And especially as we read in this passage together this morning
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We see Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
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Where he was preaching to a large crowd
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About the important things of life
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And so often it's the case that what we see as important
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As what we put our priorities in
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Is the secondary issues
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But Jesus here reminds us of what is of first importance
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And that is to seek first
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The kingdom of God
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To seek the Lord while he may be found
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To call upon him while he is near
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And that in so doing then
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We will see all other things added to us
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We would see things in a different order
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And with different eyes
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And see that you are what is the most precious thing of all
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You know as we think of Bartimaeus
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And how he cried out as Jesus passed by
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Jesus son of David have mercy on me
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His need was maybe food
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As he was blind and begging by the side of the road
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His greatest need was help though
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And Jesus showed him what he really needed help with
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And we thank you for the faith
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That made Bartimaeus well
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Your faith has made you well
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Jesus said to him
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And his sight was restored
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And he followed Jesus
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And so we pray
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That as we see what is important in life
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As we see what our priorities should be
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That you would open our eyes to see
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And to see Jesus
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And to follow him
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And we pray that you will bless your word to us
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As we study it together this morning
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As we look at the word before us
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Lord may you help us by your spirit
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To understand it
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To receive it
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To hear it
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And to do as it says
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To believe it with all our hearts
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And to recognize its ultimate authority
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Authority for life
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And for death
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And for eternity
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For all of these things that are before us
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For we are told in your word
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That there is a time to live
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And so a time to die
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And that is the reality
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That we all have to face up to
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In this world
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And yet we thank you
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That the gospel is still good news
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In a world that perishes
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To a people who are perished
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That the gospel is the great news
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That there is salvation in Jesus Christ
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And that he has come
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That we might have life
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And have it for all eternity
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Teach us
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Teach us through your word
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To number our days
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And to apply our minds to wisdom
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And to the wisdom of your word
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And your truth
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Help us then we pray
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And help us in our homes
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In our families
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In our congregation here
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Lord
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That you would look down upon us
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And help us
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Help those who are going through
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Difficult times
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Of ill health
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Infirmity
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Of uncertainty in life
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Even the anxieties
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That we have read of in this passage
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We can all have anxious hearts
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And yet we pray Lord
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That you will come
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And help us
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To be still in your presence
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To know
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That you are God
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And that you are there for us
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Help those who go through
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Times of grief
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We pray Lord
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That you will
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Bind up the broken hearts
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As your word says
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And that you will help us
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Even in our understanding
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Of certain things
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To still have faith in you
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As the one who does things
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Lord
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There are so many aspects of life
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That we find difficult and hard
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Answers that we do not have
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Answers that we feel so helpless
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Even to give to those
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Who ask these questions
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But Lord
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We thank you that
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Through wisdom
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Is found with you
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That the hidden things
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Belong to you
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And that we can leave them with you
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And that the day will come
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Lord
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When you unravel
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The pattern of our lives
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And explain to us
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The reasons why
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And that we can just
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In this time
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Lord
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Know
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That you are the one
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Who holds us
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You are the one
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Who keeps us
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So we pray Lord
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Blessing upon
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Your people
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And upon the word
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That goes out
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Even today
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Throughout
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Our communities here
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We thank you
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For our communion season
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And we pray
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For those who gather
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Around the Lord's table
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And the sacrament
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Of the Lord's supper
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We pray for the congregation
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In Nessus
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They meet
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We pray for them
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In North Harris
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In Scalpe
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We thank you
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For the preaching
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Of your word
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There today
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And pray that there
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Be a movement
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Of your spirit
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That there will be
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Rejoicing over
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Sinners being saved
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That there will be
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A fellowship of believers
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Gathered
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To encourage
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One another
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And build one another up
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We thank you Lord
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For these seasons
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Of refreshing
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And pray
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For the services
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In the week ahead
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As well
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God willing
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As we see
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The congregations
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That will gather
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Around your word
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As well
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Where ministers
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Will preach
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Where people
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Will gather
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We ask that your spirit
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Will be present
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In all of these days
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To bless
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And to show us
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Lord
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From heaven
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With your blessing
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So Lord
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Hear our prayers
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Continue with us
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As a people
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Continue with us
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In a world
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That seems so full
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Of chaos
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In so many different ways
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And so many
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Different parts
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Of the world
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With our troubles
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And fears
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And worries
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With our war
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With our natural disasters
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With so many things
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Going on Lord
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Beyond our control
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But we thank you
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That the world
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Belongs to the Lord
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And all
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That it contains
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That everything
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Is yours
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And Lord
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We pray
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That you'll remember us
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And that you'll have
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Continue with us
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Throughout the day
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Refresh us
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In our worship
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And also in our rest
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And our time
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Out from the usual
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Activities of the week
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Lord
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That you'll refresh us
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In body
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Mind
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And soul
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Hear our prayers
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And as we come
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We confess our sins
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Anew
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Seeking mercy
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And forgiveness
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That's all we ask
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We ask in Jesus
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Precious name
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Amen
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Before we turn back
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To look at
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This passage in Matthew
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We're going to sing again
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In Psalm 125
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Psalm 125
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Page 419
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We sing the whole of this psalm
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The tune is Huddersfield
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Then the Lord
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That firmly thrust
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Shall be like Sion Hill
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Which at no time
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Can be removed
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But standeth ever still
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We sing the whole of this psalm
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To God's praise
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Amen
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In the Lord
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That firmly must
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Shall be like Sion Hill
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Which at no time
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Can be removed
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What standeth ever still
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At found upon Jerusalem
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The mountain
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Stand away
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That voyque
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Let's walk upon the Lord, for just men shall not die, lest righteous men stretch forth their hearts unto their liquidy.
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Do bow to all those that be good, I will my sword impart, and do our good to those that have a pride.
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And within their hearts, but as for such a star night,
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a light of love and truth that we all shall lead forth with wicked men, all is shall we shall see.
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Amen.
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That word's a word that maybe you use often or you hear often being used.
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There's so much talk about change in our world and in our lives.
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Every day we hear something about it because nothing stands still.
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There's always change.
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But is change something that scares you or is it something that you see a need of?
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Is it something that scares you or is it something that you see a need of?
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It depends how we're looking at it, of course.
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There are many things that we want to keep as they are.
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But there are other things that we want to change and it depends just what we're looking at.
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And as we look at the gospel, we're always thinking about the gospel as a gospel that never changes.
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It's the same word today, yesterday, forever.
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It's the same word.
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The word doesn't change.
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And yet the gospel itself is all about change because it's a gospel with a power to change us, to bring us from darkness to light.
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And so it does depend how we're looking at that word, change.
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And as Jesus preaches here in Matthew 6, the Sermon on the Mount, as it's so often called,
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is Jesus preaching to a crowd who he longs that they would be changed.
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Changed in a sense of growing in their knowledge and understanding of who he is and what their greatest need in life is.
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And as we look at our lives ourselves, as we look at our own days, and as we look at our days, our weeks, our months, our years,
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as it quickly passes by, there are so often many things that we see change.
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Things that we see change in ourselves or things that we would like to see change around us.
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As we think of the world in which we live in today, we want to see change.
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We want to see change in so many different ways.
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Where there's war, we want that changed to peace.
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Where there's people who are hungry and thirsty, suffering, we want to see them fed.
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Where there's natural disasters that have caused terrible devastation, we want to see change and things rebuilt.
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We look around us and we see that there's so much need for change.
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We see it in lives around us, of individual lives or our own lives,
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where we want to see change in terms of things being better for people.
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Whether it's health, we want to see change.
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Whether it's financial insecurity or loss of jobs, we want to see change so that people are more secure in so many different ways.
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There's things that we want in our own lives to change too, I'm sure.
31:13
As we look at ourselves, we want things to change for us, for the better.
31:17
We often learn through experience in life that often the way that we see change coming about or the plans that we make for ourselves,
31:28
we are vulnerable to change.
31:32
And that's why it's important that we hear what Jesus is saying to us here.
31:36
And we apply our hearts to wisdom.
31:39
As one of the Psalms says, the wisdom of which Jesus is teaching us here.
31:43
about is it their own plans that are important or is it the Lord's plans?
31:50
In the book of Proverbs, chapter 16, verse 9, there we see wisdom.
31:56
The heart of man plans his ways, it says.
32:00
Our own hearts, we make our plans.
32:02
We have our desired plans that we might think about.
32:05
This is the change that needs to happen in my life.
32:08
But it goes on to say, but the Lord establishes his steps.
32:14
It's not just change in ourselves that we want ourselves,
32:18
but what does the Lord want for you, what does the Lord want for me?
32:22
What are our priorities in life?
32:26
So as we look at our lives, we have a sense of a need of change
32:30
in so many different ways of putting our house in order, if you like.
32:36
And we can often view it as a kind of setting priority and goals in life,
32:42
but I wanted to look at it today under a kind of DIY project.
32:48
A DIY project.
32:50
But in the sense of asking, is it a do-it-yourself plan?
32:56
Is it something you're going to sort out all by yourself?
33:00
A DIY project.
33:02
Or is it going to be a DIY disaster?
33:05
In trying to do it yourself, it's only going to end in disaster.
33:10
And where does the Lord fit into all these plans?
33:17
We often have DIY projects on the go.
33:21
I'm sure many of us like to tinker with little projects.
33:25
Perhaps it's around the house.
33:26
You go through the winter months and it's maybe an inside project.
33:31
Painting and decorating a room.
33:33
Making some changes inside.
33:35
Or as the spring comes, as the days get longer, the weather gets better.
33:40
It's the outside jobs.
33:42
You want to change things.
33:43
Improve things.
33:46
But how do they turn out?
33:49
Are you good at DIY?
33:51
Or have you ever had a DIY disaster?
33:54
Have you ever been working on a project where I just have lost my way?
33:59
I just don't know what I'm doing here.
34:01
It's time to call in the experts.
34:05
There's a program on television called DIY SOS.
34:09
And it used to be more so in the past.
34:12
There would be programs about people who have started DIY projects.
34:16
It's all gone wrong for them.
34:18
And they have to call in this DIY SOS team who come in to put things right.
34:23
Or people who have looked at projects and they're just too big.
34:28
And the DIY SOS come in to help them through it.
34:32
Well, as you see in this passage in Matthew 6,
34:35
it's very much Jesus speaking to a people who have their own DIY plans.
34:41
We're going to do it this way.
34:43
We're going to live our lives in this way.
34:45
We're going to find our way through life, through death, into eternity.
34:50
We're going to do it all by ourselves.
34:53
It's a DIY project.
34:56
But Jesus so often shows us that doing it by ourselves is only going to end in disaster.
35:04
And instead that we are to see, as he is teaching here,
35:08
that it's first to put him as the first priority in our lives.
35:12
That he is the one who has come to right our DIY disaster.
35:16
That we cannot save ourselves.
35:20
And this is closely connected to what we've been looking at in our Wednesday Bible studies.
35:24
Looking at the truths of the Reformation.
35:27
That we cannot save ourselves by our own works.
35:31
It's not a project we try and do ourselves.
35:34
By his word alone.
35:37
By grace alone.
35:38
Through faith alone.
35:39
It's all of these things.
35:41
Because if we do it apart from him, it ends in disaster.
35:47
So as you look at your own life today.
35:49
As you look at your past.
35:51
As you look at your present.
35:52
As you even look to the future.
35:54
Ask yourself, is my house in order?
35:59
Is my life, my project, this is a DIY project.
36:03
I'm going to do it all myself.
36:05
Or are you living, looking to the Lord and his help?
36:11
But we see in this passage.
36:13
An SOS.
36:15
The way the Lord comes to his people.
36:19
And we're going to look at it under that three heads.
36:21
That SOS.
36:23
And the first thing is savings.
36:25
And the second thing is observations.
36:28
And then the third thing is security.
36:31
Three things that make up SOS.
36:33
By savings, observations, and security.
36:37
And Jesus begins in the verses that we read by speaking about savings.
36:43
In the beginning of the chapter, in the previous verses, he's spoken about the Lord's prayer.
36:49
He's taught them how to pray.
36:51
And he's talked about fasting.
36:54
And from there, he moves on to possessions.
36:57
To money.
36:58
To savings.
36:58
And in many ways, it can seem like just a random jump.
37:04
Just going from one random thing to another throughout the Sermon on the Mount.
37:09
But it's actually, it's tying everything together.
37:13
It's tying our lives together in how we look at things.
37:17
If our focus is right towards God.
37:20
So we think of prayer and fasting.
37:22
That was important to the people.
37:24
If we get these things in order and get these things right.
37:28
Well then, there's a better chance of everything else flowing from rightly from that.
37:34
So that when he comes down to verse 33.
37:38
And he's sort of summarizing it there.
37:40
Seek for the kingdom of God.
37:42
It's taking us right back to prayer and fasting.
37:45
It's taking us back to putting things in that right order.
37:50
Because from there, everything falls into place.
37:55
If our focus is right towards God and towards Christ, then other things have a right focus too.
38:02
Because you see in verse 24, he makes that point follows.
38:06
He says,
38:06
No one can serve two masters.
38:10
You cannot have these two as your master.
38:13
You cannot serve God and money.
38:19
Who is your master?
38:21
That's what he's saying here.
38:23
So the first thing he speaks about here is savings.
38:27
And when you think of a DIY project, it's always going to need funding.
38:32
It's going to need input.
38:34
It's going to need money to make that project become a reality.
38:39
Jesus is saying here is, let's get that right as well.
38:44
And what he says then is in verse 19, verse 20.
38:49
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,
38:52
where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.
38:57
But lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven,
39:01
where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
39:07
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
39:12
So it's about not having this divided loyalty.
39:17
Trying to serve God and money.
39:20
No, where is your treasure?
39:22
What is important in your life?
39:25
Is it God or is it money?
39:31
You cannot serve both.
39:35
And much of what we invest in putting into our homes,
39:39
into our lives in this world,
39:42
is good in so many ways.
39:44
It's important.
39:45
But what Jesus reminds us of,
39:48
if that is all the treasure that you're laying up,
39:53
then it's worthless because it's going to be destroyed.
39:57
The moth is going to eat it.
39:58
The rust is going to destroy it.
40:00
The thieves are going to break in and steal it.
40:03
It's vulnerable.
40:05
And that's what our lives are if that's what our focus is on.
40:09
Our lives are vulnerable.
40:10
But he says instead,
40:13
lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven
40:15
where nothing can touch it,
40:17
nothing can destroy it,
40:19
nothing can steal it.
40:22
You know, we can live our lives with ourselves as our priority,
40:27
our own DIY project,
40:29
where I'm going to enjoy my life.
40:32
I'm going to make the money.
40:34
I'm going to buy my car.
40:36
I'm going to do all of these things.
40:38
But ultimately, it's worthless.
40:41
It'll rust.
40:42
It'll fade away.
40:45
We can do all of these projects,
40:48
and yet we have nothing at the end of the day.
40:50
So where are you to invest?
40:54
Where are you to invest in me?
40:58
Your security is in me.
41:02
Your works, you're living your life in this way.
41:05
It's not going to help you eternally.
41:07
Christ alone is the only way to salvation.
41:11
Christ alone is the only way to save up for an eternity that is before all.
41:19
So we look to Jesus.
41:21
We see what his preaching is here.
41:23
Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven.
41:26
How do we do this?
41:30
Well, it's not in him.
41:33
Because Jesus has a building project going on us.
41:39
That he is preparing for his people.
41:42
A place in glory.
41:45
In John 14, verse 2 and 3, it says,
41:47
He has a project.
41:55
He has a project.
41:56
He has a better place for us all.
41:59
That he has prepared by going to the cross for us,
42:02
and is even preparing for us now.
42:04
That, as he goes on to say,
42:06
If I go and prepare a place for you,
42:08
I will come again and will take you to myself.
42:13
That where I am, you may be also.
42:15
A place that is secure and a security for his people.
42:20
So what's your saving plan for getting your house in order?
42:25
Is it a DIY job?
42:27
You're trying to do it yourself.
42:30
It will only end in disaster.
42:33
The only security, the only saving plan you need
42:36
is that finished work of Christ.
42:40
Christ has done it.
42:42
It's finished, he said, on the cross.
42:44
And he has gone to prepare a place for his people.
42:47
So it's about our treasure in heaven.
42:53
That that is what we're to look to.
42:55
So we have our savings plan.
42:57
When we see our observations,
43:00
observations, if you're looking at DIY projects,
43:04
it's because you're observing, you're seeing,
43:06
that there is a need, that there's a project
43:09
that needs your attention.
43:12
And as Jesus goes on here,
43:14
he speaks about how we look around us
43:18
and how we see our lives
43:19
and how much anxiety it brings to us.
43:23
And in verse 25, he starts to say,
43:26
therefore, I tell you,
43:27
do not be anxious about your life,
43:28
what you will eat or what you will drink,
43:30
not about your body,
43:32
what you will put on.
43:34
And he's saying this for a reason.
43:35
He's saying this because
43:36
that is what people are troubled by,
43:39
that these are big issues
43:40
in our lives then
43:42
and as they are now in our day as well.
43:46
We are afraid.
43:48
We're anxious about so many different things.
43:52
Jesus speaks about anxiety here,
43:55
not in a way of saying,
43:56
just pull yourself together.
43:58
Come on, get on with your life.
44:01
But he does it in a way
44:02
where he's teaching us,
44:04
where he's teaching us what's important,
44:06
where he's teaching us that
44:08
he knows about our anxieties.
44:11
He knows the worries and the fears
44:13
that we have.
44:15
And life often makes us think about
44:17
these things,
44:20
the things that he speaks about,
44:21
whether it's food or clothing,
44:26
you know, what our health,
44:27
all these different things
44:28
that make us anxious,
44:30
all these different things that, again,
44:32
we can so often make a priority for ourselves.
44:36
But ultimately he's saying,
44:38
look at these things,
44:39
observe these things,
44:41
and put in it all,
44:43
see how quickly your life is passing by
44:47
and that these are not your priorities either.
44:52
What does he say in verse 27?
44:55
Each of you, by being anxious,
44:57
can add a single hour to his span of life.
45:02
Our lives go past.
45:03
A new year comes,
45:06
and here we are already into March 2025.
45:12
We think about how a birthday comes,
45:15
another milestone arrives,
45:16
or a major event comes in our lives.
45:19
They make us think about the passing of time.
45:21
So often, all the time,
45:23
we're reminded of the years going past
45:25
and how uncertain our time span here is.
45:29
We observe all of these things.
45:33
We see it all around us,
45:35
whether it's locally, nationally,
45:37
or internationally.
45:38
How quick circumstances are we?
45:42
How quickly our lives go by.
45:47
We've observed it.
45:48
Even just looking back over these last few years,
45:51
it's just about five years now
45:53
since the pandemic came.
45:55
Our lives were turned upside down.
46:00
We've not really recovered fully from it
46:02
in so many different ways.
46:04
Things that we could never see coming,
46:06
and yet all of a sudden,
46:08
it turned our lives upside down.
46:11
And we've seen natural disasters.
46:13
We've seen wars.
46:14
We've seen it going on all the time.
46:16
And these things.
46:21
Think.
46:24
Think even for ourselves,
46:25
as we look at our lives,
46:27
lives but a breath
46:28
and an eternity before us.
46:36
We cannot add a single hour
46:39
to the span of our life
46:40
by just being anxious
46:42
about all of these things.
46:44
There has to be more.
46:47
And what does it say to us?
46:51
Well, it's teaching us
46:53
that the priority
46:54
is not about food
46:56
and the body
46:57
and clothing
46:58
and all of these things.
47:00
The priority is
47:01
seek first
47:02
the kingdom of God.
47:05
Seek first
47:06
the kingdom of God
47:07
that we observe
47:08
all these things
47:09
in light of eternity,
47:10
and we seek first
47:12
the kingdom of God
47:14
because that
47:16
is what is important.
47:18
You can chase after
47:19
these things
47:20
all your days.
47:21
You can be anxious
47:22
about your clothing,
47:23
your food,
47:24
all of these things.
47:26
And there's a time
47:27
that we are
47:28
afraid and anxious
47:29
but we come to God
47:31
with it.
47:31
That's the key.
47:33
We observe
47:34
and we come to God
47:36
and seek
47:36
his kingdom.
47:37
And he says
47:38
then all these
47:39
other things
47:40
will be added to you.
47:41
They will fall
47:42
into place
47:43
for you.
47:45
Not in the sense
47:46
where we'll be
47:46
millionaires
47:47
or anything like that.
47:49
There may be still
47:50
times when we're hungry
47:51
and we don't have money
47:52
but yet we have
47:53
that assurance
47:55
in God
47:56
that the grace
47:57
of God
47:58
is with us.
48:01
The comedy show
48:03
Only Fools and Horses
48:04
I'm sure many of you
48:05
have seen it
48:06
over the years
48:06
and it's that story
48:08
of two brothers
48:09
who are always
48:10
searching after that goal.
48:13
This time next year
48:14
we're going to be
48:15
millionaires.
48:17
That's what they're
48:17
always looking at.
48:18
They're dealing with
48:19
all kinds of
48:20
different deals
48:21
and items
48:22
and trying to sell
48:23
and all of these things.
48:25
Delboy and Rodney
48:26
they're going to be
48:26
millionaires next year.
48:28
And then the day comes
48:29
where they find
48:31
a watch
48:32
in their garage
48:33
what they think
48:34
is just something
48:35
worthless.
48:35
It turns out to be
48:36
what changes
48:37
their lives
48:38
that's worth millions.
48:40
And all of a sudden
48:41
they are millionaires.
48:44
But what happens
48:45
at the end
48:46
of one of the episodes
48:47
that's then changed
48:48
is to
48:48
say this time next year
48:50
we're going to be millionaires.
48:51
Rodney,
48:52
this time next year
48:53
we're going to be
48:53
billionaires.
48:55
There's always
48:56
this searching
48:57
after more.
48:59
And that's the sad
49:00
truth in this world
49:01
where it's never
49:02
enough.
49:03
we're always
49:06
wanting more.
49:08
But as we observe
49:08
life today
49:09
is that our goal?
49:11
That we want
49:11
more of this world?
49:13
More of what the world
49:14
gives us
49:15
as happiness?
49:16
No,
49:16
it's about seeking
49:17
first
49:18
the kingdom
49:19
of God.
49:20
Observe these things
49:21
and see them
49:22
in light of
49:23
eternity
49:24
where they're
49:25
worthless
49:26
compared to the
49:29
riches
49:29
of knowing
49:30
Jesus
49:31
as Lord.
49:33
By his grace
49:35
alone
49:36
we are saved.
49:38
The grace of God
49:39
that rescues us
49:40
from a
49:41
DIY disaster
49:42
of doing it
49:44
ourselves
49:44
to instead
49:45
being relying
49:45
on the grace
49:47
of God
49:47
for our salvation.
49:51
And that leads us
49:52
to the last thing
49:53
I want us to see here.
49:54
we've had savings
49:56
we've had observations
49:57
and the last thing
49:58
S
49:59
is security.
50:02
Security.
50:03
When you're looking
50:04
at a project
50:06
a DIY project
50:07
what's the reason
50:08
for it?
50:10
It's something
50:11
that makes us
50:12
feel more secure
50:13
in life.
50:14
Maybe something
50:15
that's needed
50:15
repaired
50:16
or needed doing
50:17
for our own safety.
50:19
Maybe your car
50:20
is getting
50:21
to an old age
50:22
and you want
50:22
a newer one
50:23
to be safer.
50:24
Maybe your house
50:25
is needing
50:25
new windows
50:26
so you put them
50:26
in in order
50:27
to be warmer.
50:28
All these things
50:29
are just about
50:30
our own personal
50:31
kind of security.
50:34
But what Jesus
50:34
gets at here
50:35
ultimately
50:36
is our security
50:37
in him.
50:40
The foundation
50:41
on which
50:42
we're building.
50:43
And that's what
50:44
he comes to
50:45
as you read on
50:46
down through
50:46
this Sermon on the Mount.
50:48
We looked at it
50:49
actually at the end
50:50
we looked at it
50:51
in the Gospel
50:52
of Luke
50:52
but it comes
50:53
to the same
50:54
conclusion here
50:55
in Matthew 7.
50:57
The security
50:58
of the two
50:59
different houses
51:00
being built.
51:01
One being built
51:03
upon the sand
51:04
and one being built
51:05
upon the rock.
51:08
Everyone who hears
51:09
these words
51:10
of mine
51:10
and does them
51:11
will be like
51:11
the wise man
51:12
who built his house
51:13
on the rock.
51:14
That's at the end
51:15
of this sermon
51:16
in Matthew 7.24.
51:17
We looked at it
51:19
just a few weeks ago.
51:21
The wise man
51:22
built his house
51:23
on the rock
51:23
who hears
51:24
these words
51:25
of mine
51:26
and does them.
51:29
So think back
51:30
two weeks ago.
51:32
You heard
51:33
these words
51:34
in the Gospel
51:36
of Luke.
51:37
You heard
51:38
these words
51:38
and you heard
51:39
them before.
51:41
Are you wise?
51:43
Are you building
51:44
on the rock?
51:46
You heard them
51:47
two weeks ago
51:48
but did you do them?
51:52
Did you do
51:52
these words?
51:54
Are you building
51:55
your house
51:56
on the rock
51:57
that is Christ?
52:00
We listen
52:01
to his word.
52:04
We hear it
52:05
but do we do it?
52:10
Jesus is here
52:11
speaking to us
52:12
again.
52:14
Speaking about
52:15
what is important
52:16
in life
52:17
what our priorities
52:18
are.
52:19
Are we doing it
52:20
ourselves
52:20
or are we
52:22
listening
52:23
to him?
52:25
Two things
52:26
to say
52:27
in conclusion.
52:29
The first thing
52:30
is
52:31
God doesn't
52:32
give us
52:32
everything we want
52:34
and for that
52:38
we should be
52:38
glad
52:38
because if he gave us
52:41
everything we wanted
52:42
where would we be?
52:44
We would ask
52:45
for the wrong
52:46
things.
52:48
There was a note
52:49
that had been
52:50
written by
52:50
a confederate
52:52
soldier during
52:53
the civil war
52:54
and he wrote
52:56
these words.
52:57
He said
52:57
I asked God
52:59
for strength
53:00
that I might
53:00
achieve.
53:01
I was made
53:02
weak that I
53:03
might learn
53:04
humbly
53:04
to obey.
53:06
I asked
53:07
God for
53:08
health
53:08
that I
53:09
might do
53:10
greater
53:10
things.
53:11
I was given
53:12
infirmity
53:13
that I
53:14
might do
53:14
better
53:15
things.
53:16
I asked
53:17
for riches
53:17
that I
53:18
might be
53:18
happy.
53:19
I was given
53:20
poverty
53:21
that I
53:22
might be
53:22
wise.
53:24
I asked
53:24
for power
53:25
that I
53:26
might have
53:26
the praise
53:27
of men.
53:29
I was given
53:29
weakness
53:30
that I
53:31
feel the
53:32
need of
53:32
God.
53:34
I asked
53:35
for all
53:35
things
53:36
that I
53:37
might enjoy
53:37
life.
53:39
I was given
53:39
life
53:40
that I
53:41
might enjoy
53:42
all things.
53:44
I got
53:44
nothing
53:45
that I
53:46
asked for
53:47
but everything
53:48
I had
53:49
hoped for.
53:51
He didn't
53:51
get what he
53:52
asked
53:53
but he
53:54
realized
53:54
there was
53:55
everything
53:56
that he
53:56
needed.
53:58
It was
53:58
those words
53:59
I asked
54:00
for
54:00
things
54:01
that I
54:03
might enjoy
54:03
life.
54:05
That's the
54:05
natural
54:06
conclusion
54:07
that we
54:07
might come
54:07
to.
54:08
Give me
54:08
all these
54:09
things
54:09
that I
54:09
might enjoy
54:10
life.
54:12
But the
54:13
right way
54:13
of looking
54:14
at it
54:14
was I
54:15
was given
54:15
life
54:16
that I
54:17
might enjoy
54:18
all things.
54:20
And that's
54:21
really what
54:21
Jesus is
54:22
saying here.
54:24
It's not
54:24
about getting
54:25
all these
54:26
things that
54:26
we might
54:27
enjoy life
54:28
but that
54:29
finding that
54:30
life is
54:31
in him
54:32
that we
54:32
might enjoy
54:33
all things.
54:35
Seek
54:35
first
54:36
the kingdom
54:37
of God.
54:39
God
54:40
doesn't
54:40
always give
54:41
us what
54:42
we want
54:43
but he
54:45
does
54:45
certainly
54:46
give us
54:46
everything
54:47
that we
54:49
need.
54:50
He has
54:50
given us
54:51
everything
54:52
that we
54:53
need
54:53
that we
54:54
should
54:54
rejoice
54:55
in him
54:56
and it
54:58
never has
54:59
been more
54:59
true in
55:00
our security
55:01
that we
55:01
think of
55:01
all that
55:02
he has
55:02
given to
55:03
us
55:03
in Christ.
55:06
We have
55:07
had a
55:08
DIY
55:08
disaster.
55:10
We have
55:11
tried to
55:12
do it
55:12
ourselves
55:13
and that
55:15
has led
55:15
to sin
55:16
in our
55:17
life.
55:19
A DIY
55:20
disaster is
55:21
sin in
55:22
our life.
55:23
We could
55:23
never
55:23
sort it
55:25
but the
55:26
SOS
55:27
went out
55:27
and he
55:29
came to
55:30
save us
55:31
from our
55:32
sin.
55:33
He paid
55:34
the price
55:36
and therefore
55:38
as we seek
55:39
to put our
55:40
house in
55:41
order
55:41
as we
55:43
seek to
55:44
find the
55:44
way to
55:46
enjoy life.
55:48
How is
55:48
it going
55:48
to be?
55:50
Is it
55:51
going to
55:51
be in
55:52
your own
55:53
DIY
55:53
project?
55:54
Do it
55:54
yourself?
55:56
Or is it
55:57
to come
55:57
back and
55:58
see that
55:59
will end
55:59
in disaster
56:00
and instead
56:02
trust in
56:04
the Lord
56:04
Jesus?
56:05
Faith
56:06
alone is
56:08
the way
56:08
to live.
56:10
I asked
56:10
for all
56:11
things that
56:12
I might
56:12
enjoy life.
56:14
That's not
56:14
the way.
56:16
But Jesus
56:17
will give you
56:17
life that
56:19
you may
56:19
enjoy all
56:21
things.
56:22
May you
56:22
find that
56:23
life in
56:24
him.
56:25
Let us
56:25
pray.
56:27
Our
56:28
gracious and
56:29
eternal God,
56:30
we thank you
56:30
for your
56:31
wisdom that's
56:32
above ours,
56:33
that you do
56:33
not give us
56:34
all that we
56:35
want, but
56:36
you do give
56:37
all that we
56:37
need.
56:38
And we
56:39
thank you
56:39
for every
56:39
good and
56:40
perfect gift
56:41
that you
56:41
have given,
56:42
all that
56:43
comes from
56:43
your hand.
56:44
We thank
56:45
you for
56:45
your word.
56:46
We thank
56:47
you for
56:47
your spirit.
56:48
We thank
56:49
you for
56:49
your son.
56:50
And we
56:50
thank you
56:51
for the
56:51
salvation
56:52
that has
56:52
been bought
56:53
for us.
56:54
We thank
56:55
you for
56:55
faith and
56:56
hope.
56:57
We thank
56:58
you for
56:58
grace.
57:01
We thank
57:02
you for
57:02
us so
57:02
liberally.
57:03
And we
57:03
pray,
57:04
Lord,
57:04
that we
57:04
will see
57:05
that life
57:06
in you
57:07
is to
57:07
be able
57:08
to enjoy
57:08
all things.
57:10
So teach
57:11
us, Lord,
57:11
that we
57:11
would seek
57:12
first the
57:13
kingdom of
57:14
God.
57:15
So we
57:16
ask it in
57:16
Jesus'
57:17
name.
57:17
Amen.
57:21
We're
57:22
going to
57:22
conclude by
57:23
singing to
57:23
God's
57:24
praise in
57:24
Psalm 127
57:26
in the
57:27
Sing
57:27
Psalms.
57:30
Page
57:31
171.
57:33
We'll
57:33
sing
57:33
first two
57:35
verses,
57:35
verse 1
57:36
and 2.
57:38
Reminder to
57:39
us that
57:39
we don't
57:40
build our
57:41
own house
57:41
in that
57:42
security.
57:42
Unless the
57:43
Lord builds
57:43
the house,
57:45
its builders
57:45
toil in vain.
57:47
Unless he
57:47
keeps the
57:48
city safe,
57:49
they vainly
57:49
watch,
57:50
maintain.
57:51
We're going
57:51
to sing
57:51
verse 1
57:52
and 2
57:52
in the
57:52
tune as
57:53
Covenanters.
57:54
We sing
57:54
to God's
57:55
praise.
57:55
voy voy
58:16
voy
58:18
What maintain
58:20
They
58:22
Vainly
58:24
What maintain
58:26
They
58:28
Vainly
58:30
What maintain
58:32
Unless
58:34
He keeps
58:36
Selties
58:38
They
58:40
Vainly
58:42
What maintain
58:44
When you rise
58:46
Before the dawn
58:48
And lay
58:50
Our shady
58:52
Keep
58:54
That you may
58:56
Toil for
58:58
Food to me
59:00
He gives
59:02
Selt
59:04
One
59:06
Sleeve
59:08
He gives
59:10
Selt
59:12
One
59:14
Sleeve
59:16
That you
59:18
Toil for
59:20
Food to me
59:22
He gives
59:24
One
59:26
Sleeve
59:28
After the benediction
59:30
I'll go to the main door.
59:32
Now may grace, mercy and peace
59:34
From God, Father, Son
59:36
And Holy Spirit rest upon
59:38
And abide with you all
59:40
Now and forevermore. Amen.
59:42
Please
59:44
Please
59:46
Please
59:48
Please
59:51
Please
59:53
Please
59:54
Please
59:55
Please
59:56
Please
59:58
Please
59:59
Please
1:00:03
Please
1:00:05
!
1:00:03
Please
1:00:05
Thank you.