Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / The Church and Its Organisation as God's Temple

Transcript

The Church and Its Organisation as God's Temple · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

0:00
1 Peter 2 at verse 4.
0:05
And as you come to him, a living stone rejected by men, but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
0:14
! You yourselves, like living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
0:26
And so on down through the following verses.
0:30
We have in recent weeks been looking at something of what the Bible has to say to us about the health of the church.
0:39
And we have looked at the way in which Paul speaks to Timothy in 2 Timothy to show to us something of the way in which the church is formed and the purpose of the church.
0:53
And the last time we looked at it, we saw from John chapter 15 the way in which the church is united to the person of Christ in that message of Jesus himself as showing the church as divine.
1:07
And to continue to think of these things and to just to remind ourselves as we do go into this passage to the way in which we were looking at the importance of understanding our identity as the children of God.
1:22
And understanding our identity within the church of Christ and understanding the role that we have within his church.
1:31
And the more that we understand all of these things, the more we are prepared and equipped to be the healthy church that the New Testament speaks of.
1:40
When we read this letter of 1 Peter, we see that there is a significant change going on at this stage in the letter.
1:49
Where he has begun by looking at the individual salvation of those who are born again, those who are elect, those who are chosen, those who have the hope of salvation in their hearts.
2:01
There is an individualistic focus in the first part of the letter.
2:07
As we move into this section, we see that there is more of a focus not on the individual, but on the church as a gathering of Christian people.
2:17
And that's a significant shift as he seeks to encourage those people who are struggling in their faith.
2:24
And we want to bear that in mind as we go and look at this passage.
2:29
There is that shift.
2:32
And it's an important one, not only for Peter's readers, but it's an important one for ourselves.
2:39
Because we can become caught up in our individual salvation and be obsessed with only our individual salvation.
2:49
And by being so obsessed, forgetting that we belong to the church, which is the gathering of the people of God.
2:59
We understand a healthy church by understanding that we are a gathering of Christians who believe in the Lord Jesus, but who are a body of people that do so.
3:11
And bearing that in mind, I want to look at these verses and to think of the church and its organisation as God's temple.
3:22
And first of all, we want to notice the design.
3:27
And we see the design in two particular ways.
3:31
We see the design, first of all, in the way in which there is development in the ministry of the gospel and in the mission of Christ's church.
3:41
And we see that development probably for us in verse number four, as you come to him.
3:48
It's a simple way of summarising what happens when we, as unbelievers, come to faith in the Lord Jesus and come to follow him.
3:59
And at the beginning of the letter, Peter has made it clear that those who do come to him are those who are called out of darkness.
4:07
They are those who are called out of darkness.
4:37
Peter has made it clear that those who are called out of darkness.
4:39
And when we do come to the Lord Jesus, we are coming to a living stone.
4:50
And why would Peter use the image of a stone to speak of the Lord Jesus Christ?
4:59
It is because he is connecting the message to the church and the message concerning the church to those people, connecting it with the Old Testament.
5:12
A great lesson for them and for us all that the Bible is a whole and we understand better what it says when we take it as a whole and when we see these connections.
5:24
And so the stone is a stone in Psalm 118.
5:28
The stone is a stone in Isaiah chapter 8.
5:31
The stone is a stone in Isaiah chapter 28.
5:36
It is a stone that is chosen by God.
5:39
As I read in this passage itself, it's precious in the eyes of God.
5:43
It's a stone prepared by God.
5:47
And we look at the history of the building of the Old Testament temple in the days of Solomon.
5:53
And we see that there were quarried stones.
5:57
They were prepared and dressed by the stone cutters and then brought and placed in their place in the temple.
6:05
And so it is true about the Lord Jesus himself.
6:09
He is the stone that the builders rejected.
6:13
But he is a stone prepared by God.
6:17
And the way in which God himself prepares and dresses the Lord Jesus in the sense of making him the perfect saviour that he is.
6:26
He is the stone that the builders rejected and that God has chosen.
6:32
And that stone is a living stone.
6:38
And the expectation of the church in the Old Testament was that the Messiah would come.
6:46
He would be the stone that fulfilled these prophecies.
6:50
And he would be the living stone on the basis of his resurrection.
6:54
So that Jesus, as the stone is rejected by the enemies of the church when he is crucified,
7:03
is the Jesus who is the stone who is vindicated by God in the resurrection
7:08
when he raises him up on the third day and when he ascends up into glory.
7:14
He's a living stone.
7:16
He is the life-giving stone.
7:19
He breathed on the disciples in John 20 and he said,
7:23
Receive the Holy Spirit.
7:25
In Acts chapter 2, he is at God's right hand and he pours out the Holy Spirit upon the church.
7:31
He is the life-giving spirit.
7:35
And when we think of God's design,
7:37
we think of the unity of the design of God
7:41
in the building of his church
7:43
where our lives are derived from the one resurrection life
7:49
of the one Messiah who is the living stone.
7:54
And as scattered people of God,
7:56
Christians here this evening,
7:58
our life is derived from the Lord Jesus
8:00
in the glory of his resurrection
8:03
and the glory of his sitting at God's right hand.
8:08
And because of that,
8:10
there is necessarily a unity
8:12
and a harmony
8:14
that belongs to the very life
8:17
of the church of Christ in the world.
8:21
Our life is derived from him by God's design
8:23
and so there is that sense of unity.
8:27
But the design takes us further than that
8:29
because in God's design,
8:31
there is a formation.
8:33
And the formation is that we ourselves
8:38
as living stones
8:40
are being built up as a spiritual house.
8:45
By coming to faith in the Lord Jesus,
8:48
we are united to him
8:50
and we become living stones with him.
8:54
And all of these living stones
8:57
are not to be seen like stones scattered across the ground
9:02
wherever we physically might live.
9:06
The stones are not scattered like that,
9:08
although they are physically
9:09
in God's eyes and in God's church.
9:13
we are gathered together
9:15
in a spiritual house.
9:19
The spiritual house that is spiritual
9:22
because it is where God resides,
9:25
it's where the presence of God is found,
9:27
and it is where the people of God
9:30
are to be found
9:31
as one structure
9:33
built together of all those who are Christians
9:36
so that
9:37
they are one
9:40
in all of their activities.
9:43
They are one in the presence of God,
9:46
around the presence of God.
9:47
And in this other surprising image or metaphor,
9:53
like a temple,
9:56
that we are stones in that temple.
10:00
And it's, of course,
10:01
a temple that's
10:03
full of the vibrancy
10:05
of the life of Jesus himself
10:07
through each individual stone,
10:11
but a vibrancy that finds its fulfillment
10:13
as all of these stones are bound together
10:16
in the church of Christ
10:18
to give her that sense of fullness
10:20
based on the life of Jesus
10:23
to which they are united
10:26
and around which they are bound
10:28
as those who have the Spirit of God
10:31
in their hearts.
10:33
And so tonight,
10:35
in God's design,
10:37
we are God's temple.
10:42
We are individuals,
10:45
as far as we are individuals,
10:46
stones,
10:48
but we belong together
10:50
because God's Spirit is in our hearts
10:53
and God is building one church
10:56
as one temple
10:57
in the fulfillment of his purpose.
11:02
And as sure as there is a unity of design
11:04
because we have the same life in Jesus,
11:08
there is also the unity of God's design
11:11
by the way in which structurally we are one.
11:17
So wherever we go,
11:18
we are one temple.
11:20
Wherever we go,
11:21
we are one unit of people
11:23
who have the presence of God.
11:25
And we go to our homes this evening
11:28
once this meeting is over in God's providence
11:31
and we will scatter.
11:32
But the reality and the fact of our oneness
11:36
as the structural temple of God
11:38
through which he is working
11:40
does not change.
11:43
And that's cause for our rejoicing
11:45
that you and I belong together
11:48
and that we are built up together
11:50
in God's temple
11:52
and that we are developed in our faith
11:55
because of that wonderful union
11:58
and relationship
11:59
that God has established
12:01
according to his design.
12:05
So there is the design.
12:08
We are God's temple.
12:11
Secondly,
12:13
there is a designation.
12:17
We're not simply in the building
12:19
and have no calling
12:21
or no designation.
12:23
It's not a case of just placing us there
12:25
and leaving us there.
12:27
We have a designation
12:28
and we have a calling.
12:31
And the calling is,
12:32
not surprisingly,
12:33
because we are talking about
12:34
a spiritual house,
12:36
a temple,
12:37
we are talking about
12:38
being a holy priesthood.
12:43
And at the very beginning,
12:45
it's worth highlighting the fact
12:47
that this is plural
12:49
and not singular.
12:52
He's not saying that
12:53
we are holy priests,
12:55
but that we are a holy priesthood.
12:58
One unit,
13:00
the tribe of Levi,
13:01
they were the priesthood.
13:03
And so we,
13:04
as the children of God,
13:05
we are the priesthood.
13:08
combined together
13:09
in that sense of unity.
13:14
And we know that the priesthood
13:16
in the Old Testament
13:17
had basically two functions.
13:20
They were to be
13:21
in the presence of God
13:22
and they were to come
13:24
from the presence of God
13:25
to the people.
13:28
And so Peter is saying to them
13:29
that they are to be
13:31
that holy priesthood
13:32
that have initially
13:35
the first step
13:36
of going into the presence of God,
13:38
and receiving from God
13:41
and coming from there
13:42
to go out to the people.
13:46
The priesthood
13:47
based upon God's structure
13:50
of the church
13:51
in the Old Testament
13:52
that here and now
13:53
it is applied to them
13:55
and tonight applied
13:57
to you and to me.
13:59
that there is a unity
14:02
because of our designation
14:04
and it means that
14:05
we have a shared function
14:07
in serving God.
14:10
So whatever we're doing
14:11
in the cells of God,
14:12
we're doing it collectively
14:13
as one.
14:14
We don't leave each other behind.
14:17
It's the one body,
14:18
the one structure,
14:19
the one temple
14:20
as one
14:21
serving God,
14:24
going into God
14:26
and coming out
14:27
from God
14:28
and so
14:29
fulfilling our function.
14:33
We serve
14:34
not as individuals,
14:37
we serve
14:38
as a temple,
14:40
as a group,
14:41
as a priesthood.
14:43
And because of that
14:46
designation,
14:47
there is something
14:48
that must be true
14:49
of the character
14:50
of those who are
14:51
so designated.
14:53
And what must be true
14:54
is that they must be
14:56
a holy priesthood.
15:01
In chapter 1
15:02
of this letter,
15:04
Peter speaks
15:05
about their conduct.
15:08
He speaks about
15:08
their need to be holy
15:09
and he reminds him
15:11
that they are to be holy
15:13
because God is holy.
15:15
The words of God
15:16
to his covenant people
15:18
in the Old Testament
15:19
and places like
15:20
Leviticus chapter 11,
15:23
you shall be holy
15:24
because I am holy.
15:28
There is a necessity
15:29
attached to their designation
15:32
and the role
15:32
as those who are
15:34
serving God
15:35
that they are
15:36
to be holy.
15:38
And holy
15:39
not just in the sense
15:40
of being set apart
15:42
to the service of God
15:45
and in their status
15:46
as those who are
15:47
in the priesthood,
15:49
but holiness
15:50
also
15:51
in the sense
15:52
of lifestyle.
15:56
And Peter
15:57
speaks repeatedly
15:58
about their conduct
16:00
and how their conduct
16:02
should be aligned
16:03
with who they are
16:05
as the children of God
16:07
and aligned
16:08
with the holiness
16:09
of God
16:10
which is the display
16:12
of the character
16:13
of God
16:14
which we have summarized
16:15
in his word.
16:18
A holy priesthood.
16:22
And
16:22
tonight you and I
16:25
as we serve God
16:27
designated by him
16:31
to be his priests,
16:33
we do so
16:35
as those
16:36
who together
16:36
in the unity
16:39
of the designation
16:40
that we
16:41
live collectively
16:43
a life together
16:45
and serving God
16:46
aligned with
16:47
the word
16:48
of God.
16:51
And that means
16:52
there is no
16:52
scattering,
16:54
there is no
16:54
dispersion,
16:56
there is no
16:56
departure from
16:58
this is the way
16:59
you are to walk
17:00
in it.
17:02
It's the consistency
17:04
of life,
17:06
a life that is
17:07
lived according
17:08
to the word
17:10
of God.
17:11
And so
17:12
in God's designation
17:13
we have this
17:14
beautiful picture
17:16
of a healthy
17:17
church
17:18
that is one
17:20
in its service,
17:22
that is one
17:23
in its holiness
17:24
and that moves
17:26
around serving God
17:27
with that holy
17:29
unity and harmony
17:30
that makes it
17:32
effective
17:33
in the service
17:35
of God.
17:37
And that's
17:37
the challenge
17:38
for all of us
17:39
this evening.
17:40
We may
17:41
understand our
17:42
designation
17:43
and we need
17:44
to,
17:45
but we must
17:46
not ignore
17:47
the character
17:48
required of
17:49
those who are
17:50
so designated
17:51
to serve the
17:52
Lord
17:52
that you and
17:55
I are faced
17:56
with a challenge
17:56
every day
17:58
of aligning
18:00
our lives
18:01
with the word
18:01
of God,
18:02
of realigning
18:03
our lives
18:04
with the word
18:05
of God,
18:05
of going
18:06
through that
18:06
process of
18:07
repentance
18:08
and of
18:09
restoration
18:09
through God's
18:11
forgiveness
18:11
that keeps us
18:13
living in
18:14
commune with
18:15
him.
18:17
That's the
18:17
challenge.
18:20
Serving
18:20
together,
18:23
wholly
18:23
together,
18:23
together,
18:25
and therefore
18:25
prepared and
18:26
ready to be
18:27
the people
18:28
that God
18:29
wants us to
18:29
be,
18:30
to be the
18:31
healthy church
18:32
that is
18:33
healthy in
18:33
all that
18:35
the church
18:35
does.
18:37
That brings
18:38
me 30 to
18:39
the direction.
18:42
There is
18:43
a service,
18:46
but it is
18:46
particular.
18:49
And the
18:49
direction for
18:50
the service
18:51
has a
18:52
double
18:52
focus.
18:54
And the
18:54
first focus
18:55
is that
18:56
in the
18:56
same way
18:57
as the
18:57
priests
18:58
have a
18:59
bi-directional
19:00
ministry,
19:01
so they
19:01
go into
19:02
God and
19:03
they come
19:04
out from
19:04
God and
19:04
go to
19:05
the people.
19:06
And so
19:06
the direction
19:08
that Peter
19:08
gives to
19:09
this
19:10
temple of
19:12
people who
19:13
are living
19:13
and who
19:14
are serving
19:14
God is
19:15
first of
19:16
all that
19:17
they have
19:17
a ministry
19:19
a service
19:20
of worship.
19:22
It takes
19:23
priority
19:24
above
19:25
everything
19:26
else.
19:28
And that's
19:28
again what we
19:29
read in
19:29
version number
19:29
five.
19:30
You yourselves
19:31
like living
19:31
stones are
19:32
being built
19:32
up as a
19:33
spiritual
19:33
house to
19:34
be a
19:35
holy
19:35
priesthood
19:36
to offer
19:37
spiritual
19:37
sacrifices
19:38
acceptable to
19:40
God through
19:40
Jesus
19:41
Christ.
19:43
Of course
19:44
we're not
19:45
required anymore
19:46
to offer
19:47
physical
19:47
sacrifices.
19:48
that belong
19:49
to the
19:50
Old
19:50
Testament
19:50
but
19:51
nevertheless
19:51
we as
19:52
the
19:53
children
19:53
of
19:53
God
19:53
are
19:54
here
19:54
to
19:55
offer
19:55
spiritual
19:56
sacrifices
19:57
that are
19:58
acceptable
19:58
to
19:58
God.
20:00
And they
20:00
are
20:00
spiritual
20:01
not in
20:02
the sense
20:02
of being
20:03
mystical
20:03
in any
20:04
way.
20:04
They are
20:05
spiritual
20:05
because
20:06
we are
20:06
indwelt
20:07
by the
20:07
Spirit
20:08
of God
20:08
individually.
20:10
The
20:10
church is
20:11
indwelt
20:11
by the
20:11
Spirit
20:12
of God
20:12
collectively
20:13
and from
20:14
the life
20:14
that the
20:15
Spirit
20:15
of God
20:15
gives
20:16
to us
20:16
we offer
20:18
spiritual
20:19
holy
20:20
spiritual
20:21
sacrifices
20:23
that arise
20:24
from our
20:25
relationship
20:25
with
20:26
God.
20:29
And I'm
20:30
suggesting to
20:31
you that
20:31
the primary
20:32
focus of
20:33
that is
20:34
the public
20:35
worship of
20:36
God.
20:37
That this
20:38
mobilized
20:39
temple of
20:39
God which
20:40
is the
20:40
church of
20:41
Christ
20:42
with
20:43
people who
20:44
are called
20:45
to serve
20:45
God and
20:46
that they
20:47
are mobilized
20:47
first of
20:48
all together
20:49
in the
20:50
unity of
20:51
direction
20:51
moving into
20:53
the public
20:54
worship
20:54
of God.
20:57
And we
20:58
know from
20:59
the teaching
21:00
of the
21:00
Bible and
21:01
we learn
21:02
that from
21:02
our own
21:03
life's
21:04
experience
21:04
that that's
21:06
where our
21:06
strength is
21:07
found.
21:08
That as we
21:09
go in,
21:10
yes,
21:11
to the
21:11
presence of
21:11
God
21:12
privately
21:13
and
21:13
individually
21:14
there is
21:15
blessing and
21:16
encouragement.
21:18
But there
21:19
is greater
21:20
blessing and
21:21
greater
21:22
encouragement
21:22
when all of
21:24
the people
21:24
of God
21:25
join together
21:26
in the
21:26
worship of
21:27
God and
21:29
in the
21:29
harmony of
21:30
the unity
21:31
of that
21:31
worship
21:32
discover what
21:34
it is to
21:35
be the
21:36
people of
21:36
God,
21:37
to be the
21:38
church that
21:38
God is
21:39
building,
21:41
to be the
21:42
church that
21:42
God has
21:44
his hand
21:45
upon and
21:47
the church
21:48
in whom
21:48
dwells the
21:50
very spirit
21:51
of God.
21:55
And again,
21:56
we are
21:56
challenged by
21:57
that sense
21:59
of the
22:00
importance
22:01
of having
22:03
that unity
22:04
and the
22:05
direction that
22:05
we take
22:06
in the
22:06
worship of
22:07
God,
22:07
that we
22:08
do so
22:08
together,
22:11
that we
22:11
are encouraged
22:13
to not
22:16
to forget
22:16
those who
22:18
are around
22:18
us,
22:19
that we
22:19
are encouraged
22:19
to remember
22:20
that this is
22:21
what we
22:21
should be
22:22
doing together
22:23
and that
22:24
we are
22:25
encouraged to
22:26
support each
22:27
other so
22:27
that we
22:28
don't fail
22:29
in this
22:29
marvelous
22:30
movement of
22:31
coming into
22:32
the presence
22:32
of God
22:33
as a
22:34
congregation
22:35
of God's
22:36
people to
22:37
worship him
22:37
in public.
22:40
It's
22:40
essential for
22:41
our personal
22:43
health.
22:44
More
22:45
importantly,
22:46
it's
22:47
essential for
22:48
the health
22:49
of the
22:49
congregation,
22:50
for the
22:50
health of
22:51
the church
22:52
of Christ.
22:53
Christ.
22:55
And I
22:55
think it
22:55
is fair
22:56
to say
22:57
that this
22:59
is the
23:00
priority.
23:03
If we
23:03
don't hear
23:04
from God
23:05
in the
23:06
worship of
23:07
God,
23:07
we have
23:08
nothing to
23:08
say to
23:09
the world.
23:10
If we
23:10
don't hear
23:11
from God,
23:11
we can
23:12
make it
23:12
up as
23:13
we go
23:13
along,
23:14
when we
23:14
go out
23:14
and speak
23:15
to the
23:16
world.
23:16
we
23:18
must,
23:19
first of
23:20
all,
23:20
hear
23:20
from
23:21
God.
23:22
What
23:22
is God
23:23
saying
23:23
about
23:25
where we
23:25
are,
23:26
where we
23:26
are as
23:27
individuals,
23:28
where we
23:28
are as
23:29
the
23:30
mobile
23:30
temple
23:31
of God?
23:31
What
23:32
is God
23:32
saying
23:32
about
23:32
us as
23:33
to
23:34
where
23:34
we
23:34
are
23:34
and
23:35
where
23:35
our
23:36
community
23:37
is and
23:38
where
23:38
our
23:38
town
23:38
is,
23:39
where
23:39
those
23:39
who
23:40
are
23:40
around
23:40
us
23:40
are?
23:42
We
23:42
need
23:42
to
23:42
hear
23:43
what
23:44
God
23:45
is
23:45
saying
23:45
to
23:45
us.
23:47
And
23:47
because
23:47
of that,
23:49
our
23:49
church
23:49
should
23:50
be
23:50
filled
23:50
with
23:51
the
23:51
people
23:51
of
23:52
God
23:52
who
23:52
long
23:52
to
23:53
hear
23:53
from
23:53
God.
23:55
Our
23:55
prayer
23:55
meaning
23:55
itself
23:56
should
23:56
be
23:56
filled
23:57
in
23:57
the
23:57
same
23:57
way.
23:58
Those
23:58
who
23:58
are
23:59
longing
23:59
to
23:59
hear
23:59
from
24:00
God
24:00
because
24:01
of
24:01
the
24:01
sense
24:02
of
24:02
being
24:02
called
24:03
by
24:03
God
24:03
to
24:04
serve
24:04
God
24:04
and
24:05
to
24:05
have
24:05
something
24:06
to
24:06
say
24:06
to
24:06
the
24:07
people
24:07
who
24:08
are
24:08
not
24:08
the
24:08
people
24:09
of
24:09
God
24:09
as
24:09
yet.
24:11
It's
24:11
a
24:11
challenge.
24:12
It's
24:13
where
24:13
we
24:13
need
24:14
to
24:14
encourage
24:15
one
24:15
another
24:15
as the
24:16
writer
24:16
to
24:16
the
24:16
Hebrews
24:16
speaks
24:17
of
24:17
encouraging
24:19
one
24:19
another
24:19
so that
24:19
we do
24:20
not
24:20
fail
24:20
to
24:21
gather
24:21
together
24:22
as
24:23
the
24:23
people
24:24
of
24:24
God.
24:24
There is
24:26
that
24:27
direction
24:29
where we
24:29
move
24:30
together
24:30
in
24:31
worship
24:32
and
24:33
let's
24:33
ensure
24:34
that
24:34
we
24:35
move
24:35
in
24:35
that
24:36
way
24:36
and
24:37
that
24:37
when
24:37
we
24:37
do
24:37
worship
24:38
we
24:39
are
24:39
yes
24:39
individual
24:40
voices
24:41
and
24:41
individual
24:42
prayers
24:42
and
24:42
desires
24:43
that
24:44
collectively
24:45
we
24:46
are
24:46
waiting
24:46
to
24:46
hear
24:47
from
24:47
God
24:47
to
24:48
speak
24:48
to
24:49
us
24:49
personally
24:49
to
24:50
prepare
24:51
us
24:51
to
24:51
speak
24:52
to
24:52
others
24:52
so
24:53
that
24:53
we
24:53
are
24:53
strengthened
24:54
and
24:54
equipped.
24:56
The
24:56
direction
24:57
the
24:57
priest
24:57
goes
24:58
first
24:58
of
24:59
all
24:59
to
25:00
God
25:00
and
25:02
then
25:03
the
25:04
direction
25:04
of course
25:05
that
25:05
the
25:05
priest
25:05
also
25:06
comes
25:08
from
25:08
God
25:09
and
25:09
goes
25:10
to
25:10
the
25:11
world
25:12
and
25:12
that's
25:13
what
25:13
Peter
25:14
refers
25:15
to
25:15
in
25:15
verse
25:16
number
25:17
nine
25:17
where
25:18
it
25:18
reminds
25:18
them
25:19
referring
25:20
to
25:20
the
25:20
church
25:21
in
25:22
Exodus
25:22
chapter
25:22
19
25:23
you are
25:23
a chosen
25:24
race
25:24
a royal
25:25
priesthood
25:25
a holy
25:26
nation
25:27
a people
25:28
for his
25:28
own
25:28
possession
25:29
that
25:30
you may
25:31
proclaim
25:32
the
25:32
excellencies
25:32
of him
25:33
who
25:34
called
25:34
you out
25:34
of darkness
25:35
into his
25:36
marvelous
25:37
light
25:38
we have
25:39
a message
25:40
we have
25:41
a proclamation
25:42
God has
25:45
told us
25:45
what the
25:45
message is
25:46
he has
25:47
informed us
25:48
anew
25:49
through the
25:49
worship of
25:50
his name
25:50
what that
25:51
message is
25:52
he has
25:53
reminded us
25:53
who we
25:53
are
25:54
and who
25:55
we are
25:55
who we
25:56
are
25:56
and who
25:59
have
25:59
to go
26:00
and tell
26:01
that
26:02
to those
26:03
who are
26:04
outside
26:04
God's
26:05
church
26:05
and outside
26:06
the
26:06
Christian
26:07
community
26:07
those who
26:09
have not
26:09
yet come
26:10
to believe
26:11
in the
26:12
Lord Jesus
26:12
Christ
26:13
as their
26:14
saviour
26:14
proclaim
26:16
the
26:17
excellencies
26:18
the
26:19
things that
26:20
are not
26:21
only
26:21
superior
26:22
but that
26:23
are unique
26:24
to God
26:24
as the
26:26
God who
26:26
designed
26:27
our salvation
26:28
as the
26:29
God who
26:29
designed
26:29
it around
26:30
his son
26:30
whom he
26:31
sent into
26:31
the world
26:32
as the
26:33
God who
26:34
designed
26:34
our salvation
26:35
calling us
26:36
from where
26:36
we were
26:37
in our
26:38
darkness
26:39
and bring
26:40
us into
26:41
his
26:41
marvellous
26:42
light
26:42
connecting
26:43
us
26:44
with the
26:45
man who
26:46
is the
26:46
light of
26:47
the world
26:47
so that
26:48
we become
26:48
the light
26:49
of the
26:49
world
26:49
and so
26:51
that
26:51
because of
26:52
all of
26:52
these
26:53
things
26:53
concerning
26:54
which we
26:55
learn more
26:56
and more
26:56
about as
26:57
we worship
26:58
God
26:58
concerning
26:59
these
26:59
things
26:59
we are
27:02
engaged
27:02
in telling
27:03
others
27:04
the
27:06
marvellous
27:06
salvation
27:07
that is
27:08
ours
27:08
we see
27:10
more of
27:11
it's
27:11
marvellous
27:12
worship
27:12
we are
27:13
excited
27:14
more about
27:14
it as
27:14
we learn
27:15
more about
27:15
it
27:16
and because
27:18
of that
27:19
process
27:19
of our
27:20
own
27:20
development
27:21
and enjoyment
27:22
of our
27:22
salvation
27:23
so
27:25
to those
27:27
who are
27:27
around us
27:29
the
27:31
healthy
27:31
church
27:32
there is
27:34
God's
27:35
design
27:35
in order
27:37
to ensure
27:38
that the
27:38
church
27:38
works
27:38
as it
27:39
should
27:39
there is
27:40
the
27:40
designation
27:41
to remind
27:42
us
27:42
that we
27:43
are here
27:43
to serve
27:44
God
27:44
and there
27:46
are these
27:47
directions
27:48
for public
27:49
worship
27:50
and for
27:51
telling
27:52
others
27:53
for being
27:54
the witnesses
27:54
that God
27:55
has called
27:56
us to be
27:57
and so we
27:58
move from
27:59
the public
28:00
worship of
28:00
God
28:01
where we
28:02
are united
28:02
as one
28:03
moving
28:05
mobile body
28:06
of
28:06
Christians
28:08
worshipping
28:08
God
28:09
we are
28:10
mobilised
28:10
in the
28:11
same way
28:12
to be
28:13
the witnesses
28:13
that God
28:14
has called
28:15
us to be
28:15
and it's not
28:17
as if I move
28:18
from the
28:18
worship of
28:18
God
28:19
where many
28:20
are gathered
28:21
and we're
28:22
mobilised from
28:23
there and
28:24
the number
28:24
diminishes
28:25
as we go
28:26
to witness
28:27
to the
28:27
world
28:28
the
28:29
healthy
28:30
church
28:30
is united
28:33
together
28:33
in the
28:34
worship
28:34
of God
28:35
and in
28:35
that
28:36
oneness
28:36
and unity
28:38
and harmony
28:38
moves
28:39
together
28:40
in the
28:41
witness
28:42
of the
28:43
gospel
28:43
to speak
28:44
the gospel
28:45
to the
28:45
world
28:45
around us
28:47
that's what
28:48
Peter wanted
28:49
them to
28:49
understand
28:50
about the
28:51
church
28:51
it's not
28:53
just about
28:54
their individual
28:55
salvation
28:55
it's about
28:57
Christ's
28:58
church
28:59
and that's
28:59
a message
29:00
for ourselves
29:00
from God's
29:02
word this
29:02
evening
29:02
yes it's
29:05
important
29:05
that we
29:06
are individually
29:07
saved
29:08
and we
29:09
understand
29:09
that
29:10
but that's
29:12
in God's
29:13
eyes a
29:13
means to
29:14
an end
29:14
there is a
29:16
serving
29:16
to be done
29:17
there is a
29:19
way in which
29:20
we are to
29:20
engage with
29:21
God
29:21
and to
29:22
engage with
29:23
the world
29:23
and we
29:25
trust and
29:25
pray that
29:25
God will
29:26
bless to
29:27
us these
29:27
thoughts
29:27
and enable
29:29
us to be
29:29
mobilised
29:30
as one
29:32
in worship
29:33
and in
29:33
witness
29:34
and to
29:35
be that
29:35
effective
29:36
people of
29:36
God
29:37
that makes
29:37
an impact
29:38
on the
29:39
community
29:39
around us
29:40
may God
29:41
bless these
29:41
thoughts to
29:42
us
29:42
so we're
29:44
going to
29:44
conclude by
29:45
saying to
29:45
God's praise
29:46
in Psalms
29:47
66
29:47
and sing
29:49
Psalms
29:50
it's a
29:51
psalm that
29:52
speaks of
29:53
the way in
29:53
which we
29:53
are to
29:54
tell other
29:55
people
29:55
what God
29:56
has done
29:57
for us
29:58
and we're
29:59
going to
29:59
sing at
30:00
verse number
30:00
16
30:01
it's on
30:02
page 84
30:03
if you're
30:03
using the
30:03
psalm book
30:04
psalm 66
30:06
at verse
30:07
16
30:08
come all
30:10
who fear
30:11
our God
30:11
I'll tell
30:12
what he
30:13
has done
30:13
I cried
30:15
out to
30:15
him
30:15
with my
30:15
mouth
30:16
his
30:17
praise
30:17
was
30:17
on
30:18
my
30:18
tongue
30:19
from
30:20
verse 16
30:20
to the
30:20
end
30:21
of the
30:21
psalm
30:21
to
30:21
God's
30:21
praise
30:22
praise
30:23
for
30:27
come
30:28
all
30:29
who
30:30
fear
30:31
our
30:32
God
30:33
I'll
30:35
tell
30:36
what
30:37
he
30:38
has
30:39
done
30:40
I
30:42
cried
30:43
unto
30:45
him
30:46
with
30:47
my
30:48
mouth
30:49
his
30:51
praise
30:52
was
30:53
on
30:54
my
30:55
tongue
30:56
if
30:58
I
30:59
had
31:00
chelic
31:02
sin
31:03
the
31:05
Lord
31:07
would
31:08
not
31:08
have
31:10
heard
31:11
but
31:13
surely
31:14
when
31:16
I
31:17
pray
31:18
to
31:19
him
31:20
God
31:22
listen
31:23
to
31:24
my
31:26
word
31:28
forever
31:30
God
31:32
he
31:33
prays
31:36
who
31:37
hears
31:39
me
31:39
from
31:41
above
31:42
he
31:44
has
31:45
not
31:46
turned
31:48
thou
31:49
in
31:50
my
31:51
prayer
31:52
or
31:53
kept
31:55
from
31:56
me
31:57
his
31:58
love
31:59
the
32:01
grace
32:02
of
32:02
the
32:02
Lord
32:03
Jesus
32:03
Christ
32:03
the
32:04
love
32:04
of
32:04
God
32:05
the
32:05
Father
32:05
and
32:05
the
32:05
fellowship
32:06
of
32:06
the
32:06
Holy
32:06
Spirit
32:06
be
32:07
with
32:07
you
32:07
all
32:08
now
32:08
and
32:08
forever
32:08
more
32:09
Amen
32:11
Thank you.