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A Tested but Living Hope · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Well, let's begin our worship this morning by singing to God's praise in Psalm 1a.
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We're singing the Sing Psalms version, Psalm 1a, page 1 of the Psalm books.
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Blessed is the one who turns away from where the wicked walk, who does not stand in sinners' paths, or sit with those who mock.
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We'll sing the whole of this Psalm to God's praise, and we stand to sing.
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Blessed is the one who turns away from where the wicked walk,
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who does not stand in sinners' paths, or sit with those who mock.
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Instead he finds God's holy law, his joy and great delight.
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He makes the peace of the Lord, his study day and night.
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He prospers ever high, a tree that's planted by a stream.
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And then to season yields its fruit, its leaves are always green.
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Not so their wicked they are like their chaff that's blown away.
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They will not stand when judgment comes, or when the righteous stay.
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It is the Lord who sees and knows the way the righteous fall.
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But those who live an evil life, the Lord will overthrow.
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I will come to God in prayer. Let us pray.
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Our Father in heaven, as we give you thanks anew today for the blessing that is ours,
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and coming to gather us your people and worship your name.
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We thank you that there is a reminder in these words that we have sung,
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that we are blessed as we come around your word.
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We are blessed as we do as your word says, and do not turn away from it.
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And we pray today that your word will indeed be our instruction and our guide day by day.
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We thank you that we come to study and learn from it together here in the service,
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and also with the young ones, as they will go out to Tweenies and Cresce and Sunday School.
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We pray, oh Lord, your blessing on each of us together today.
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We thank you that your word instructs us, whatever age we are,
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that we are to learn it in our youth, that we are to encounter it in our middle years,
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that we are to remember it in our old age.
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For that is the command of your word.
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And we thank you that there is blessing to be found in it,
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and blessing through your people in all ages as well.
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We thank you that we can encourage one another together and bless one another together.
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And so we pray that you will unite our hearts in praise and worship of you today.
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We do pray, Lord, that your people today will be encouraged.
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We know that there are so many discouragements around us,
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so many people who feel weak and afraid and unsure of so many things just now.
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But we thank you that with you there is a great security and a great surety that you are God,
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and there is no other.
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So help us to worship you as we should.
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We do thank you for all our young ones and pray your blessing on them.
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We thank you for our day schools and pray that children, teachers and staff,
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they will be blessed by you, that you will watch over them during the week,
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keep them safe and encourage them as they learn together.
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And as we see children growing up in years, Lord,
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that your protection and blessing be over them.
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We continue to remember those who have gone away from home just now and pray that you will bless them as they settle into new studies or new work experience.
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We ask, oh Lord, that you will surround them and take care of them.
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We thank you for all the work that goes on in our Sunday school too,
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and pray your blessing on the children and teachers there as well, Lord,
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that you will look after them and care for them.
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And as we think of other work going on just now with the explorers to start in the presbytery camp,
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we ask, oh Lord, in all of these ways that you will use it to your glory and for the building of your church.
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So Lord, look down upon us now, continue with us throughout this day and encourage us day by day
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to fix our eyes on you, to trust in Jesus with all our hearts and to worship him with all that we are.
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We ask it all in his precious name and for his glory.
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Amen.
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Before you go out, just a wee word to the young ones.
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I'm sure you all like watching telly.
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Everyone maybe has their favorite TV program.
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You either watch when it's on or you record it,
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and then you come back and watch it.
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Maybe there's some programs you watch over and over again because you love them so much.
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It might be cartoons.
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It might be films.
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It might be documentaries.
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There's all kinds of things that we watch on telly,
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and they take us in and they speak to us about different things going on around us.
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What do you think my favorite TV program is, I wonder?
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I wonder if anybody would know what my favorite TV program is.
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There's a hand going up.
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BBC One.
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BBC One?
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Well, it's actually on BBC.
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It's the Antiques Roadshow.
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And it's very interesting to watch the Antiques Roadshow.
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You wonder to yourself, why on earth would you watch the Antiques Roadshow?
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Well, it's fascinating watching people bringing things in.
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And they're bringing them in to see what they're worth.
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And some people bring in rubbish.
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And they'll be told that's actually broken.
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It's just a copy.
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It's a fake.
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Or it's just not worth any money at all.
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But sometimes people bring in things and they're wondering, I wonder if it could be worth something.
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And it turns out it's worth much more than they even imagined it to be worth.
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There was one clip I saw this week and it was a man who brought in a watch.
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And it was a watch his brother had given him many years before.
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And for all these years, more than 20 years, this watch had been sitting in a drawer.
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The man wasn't interested in it.
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He didn't really like it.
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He tried it on once, but he thought, it's too heavy.
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I don't like it.
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I'll put it away in a drawer.
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Then he thought to himself, I wonder if this watch is maybe of any value.
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So he took it along to the Antiques Roadshow.
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And one of the experts there was looking at it and saying, this watch is actually very interesting.
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There wasn't many of them made.
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What's the story behind?
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And he told him this story that his brother had given to him.
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Didn't like it, so he just stuck it in a drawer all these years.
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And he said to him, well, how much do you think it's worth?
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And the man said, well, it was bought maybe for a few hundred pounds.
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Maybe it's worth maybe 500, maybe even 1,000 pounds.
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But he was sort of hoping more than anything that it might be worth that.
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But the man said, well, actually, this watch is worth 80,000 pounds.
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The man got a real shock.
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All this time, the watch had been sitting in a drawer.
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He thought it was rubbish.
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He didn't like it.
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And it was worth 80,000 pounds.
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And it reminded me of a story in the Bible, in the Old Testament, about how sometimes we find things, we don't realize just how much they're worth until we look at them more closely.
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And then we realize, actually, this has great value.
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And in the book of Chronicles in the Old Testament, 2 Chronicles chapter 34, there's a story there of a king called Josiah.
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And this king, he was a good king.
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And he loved God.
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But all the time that he was living in his early reign as a king, he was very focused on making sure that the temple, the place they worshipped God, was in good order.
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And they were spending loads of money bringing the best wood, the best jewels and everything into the temple or the church, as we would call it today, the place they worshipped God.
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And there was workers coming from all over the place.
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And while they were working on the temple, some of the workers found this book.
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It was a scroll.
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And everybody was wondering, what is it?
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It was tucked away.
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It was hidden away.
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And they brought it out.
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And everybody started looking at it, wondering, well, what is it?
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They were asking each other.
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And eventually, they brought it to the king, to King Josiah.
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And Josiah realized, this is God's word.
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It had been tucked away.
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It had been hidden away.
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Just put away somewhere in the building.
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Nobody knew it was there.
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And all of a sudden, here it was before them.
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And they realized, we've been ignoring the most important thing.
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Instead of making sure that the building was nice and everything was good about it, we should have been focusing on this.
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Because this is the most precious thing that we have.
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But it was hidden away.
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And what they did was, they brought it out.
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And they began to realize the value of it.
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And so they called everybody to hear about it.
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Young and old alike.
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They gathered everybody together to hear this word from God.
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And it was a reminder to ourselves today that this is a Bible that we have before us.
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We have the word of God before us.
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It's such a precious thing.
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Imagine coming into this church.
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Workers came into this church.
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And Roddy, the church officer, was showing them around.
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And he said, what's that over there?
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Oh, I don't know.
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Roddy wouldn't say that about the Bible, would he?
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No.
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Because he knows the Bible.
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And that's the most important thing we have here.
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It's good to have all the lights working.
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It's good to have the heating working.
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It's good to have comfy seats.
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But the most important thing for us today as we come, young and old alike,
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is that we have God's word before us.
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We take it out not having forgotten how precious it is or not realizing its value.
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We take it out recognizing it is so precious to us.
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And so today we worship God who speaks to us through his word.
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And let us always realize just how precious this word is.
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And never tuck it away in the church here thinking that's not important.
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But always keep God's word as the most important thing, the most precious thing that we have.
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So may God bless these thoughts to us.
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We're going to share together now in the Lord's Prayer and say the Lord's Prayer together.
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Amen.
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Our Father, we chart in heaven.
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Hallowed be thy name.
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Thy kingdom come.
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Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
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Give us this day our daily bread.
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And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
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And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
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For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.
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Amen.
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We're going to sing together now in God's word in Psalm 73.
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Psalm 73 in the Scottish Psalter.
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We're singing at verse 11.
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Psalm 73 at verse 11, page 315.
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And thus they say, how can it be that God these things doth know?
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Or can there in the highest be knowledge of things below?
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The psalmist here has many questions he's asking of God.
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He's confused by what he's seeing happen.
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And he's wondering, can God see these things and really care?
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But as we see throughout this psalm, the Lord has an answer.
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So Psalm 73, verse 11 to verse 17.
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The tunes kill Marnock.
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And we stand to sing.
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And thus they say, how can it be that God these things doth know?
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Or can there in the highest be knowledge of things below?
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Behold, these are the wicked ones, yet prosper at their will.
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In worldly things they do.
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In peace, in wealth, on riches still.
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I bet there in these things.
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I bet there in heaven.
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My heart to purify
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To know him
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Infected innocence, washeth my hands abigh.
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For daily and all day throughout, great plagues I suffered have.
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Yea, yea, be mourning I of new did justice men receive.
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If in this manner foolishly to speak I would intend.
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Thy children's generation, behold I should offend.
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When I this thought to know it was too hard to pay for me.
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Till to God's sanctuary I went, then I let enter sea.
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We're going to read God's word.
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Two readings.
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First we're on the letter of James.
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The letter of James chapter 1.
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We'll read from verse 1 to verse 12.
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Then we'll turn to 1 Peter chapter 1.
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First reading in the letter of James chapter 1.
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James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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To the twelve tribes in the dispersion.
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Greetings.
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Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.
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For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
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And let steadfastness have its full effect.
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That you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
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If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God.
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Who gives generously to all without reproach.
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And it will be given him.
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But let him ask in faith, with no doubting.
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For the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
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For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.
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He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
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Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation and the rich in his humiliation.
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Because, like a flower of the grass, he will pass away.
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For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass.
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Its flower falls and its beauty perishes.
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So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
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Blessed be the man who remains steadfast under trial.
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For when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life,
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which God has promised to those who love him.
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Then we'll turn to 1 Peter, next book along.
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1 Peter, chapter 1.
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Let me read from verse 3 to verse 7.
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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again
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to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
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to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
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kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith
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for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
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In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary,
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you have been grieved by various trials,
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so that the tested genuineness of your faith,
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more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire,
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may be found to result in praise and glory and honor
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at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
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May God bless these readings from his word.
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We'll come to God in prayer again.
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Let us pray.
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As we continue in our worship of you, O Lord,
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our God, our Father in heaven,
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we thank you that we call upon the name of the one who is high,
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the one who is lifted up,
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the one who is Lord and God over all.
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And we thank you that your word speaks to us
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of the reality of this world in which we live.
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It reminds us of the many great blessings
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that are ours through Christ Jesus, who is our Lord.
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We thank you that there is the blessing in faith
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of knowing that you are always with us.
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We know that there is a blessing of fellowship
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around your word and with your people.
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We know that there is many blessings
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of all the gifts that we receive on a daily basis,
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the blessings of our homes, our families,
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of food, of warmth, of clothes.
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But we are reminded too in your word
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that that reality is often different for many
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and may be different for many of ourselves here today.
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That although we still know your blessing,
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the way is sometimes hard,
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the way is difficult,
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the way seems so uncertain to us.
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But we thank you that your word speaks
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into that reality as well.
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It reminds us that even though we go through
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many various trials,
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that you are with us,
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that they will purify us for your glory,
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that there will be for a day when we will see
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the revelation, the full revelation,
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of Jesus Christ who is Lord,
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when we will see his face
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and when we will worship him.
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We are assured through your word
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that you will hold us and uphold us
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and take us through all things
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as we put our hope and our confidence in you.
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And we thank you that that is true
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for your church down through all the generations,
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that when there have been experiences
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of persecution and many different trials,
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be it collectively or individually,
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that your people can always take heart
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and take confidence in you.
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And so we pray that you will bless your word
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to all your people today,
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that it will be a reminder to us, Lord,
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to always set our hope and our trust
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in our Lord Jesus Christ
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and that we would find our refuge in him,
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that we would find him
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as the rock of our salvation.
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And we pray that your word too
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will challenge those
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who are maybe not putting their hope in you,
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who are setting their hope
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in the things of this world
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and who are finding this world
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a very comfortable place to be,
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confidence and wealth and security
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of the many different things of this world,
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but that are only temporary.
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We know your word reminds us
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that all these things will pass away,
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that in the shaking of this world,
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a day will come
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when the hope that we have
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and confidence of what we have put in
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will be put to the test.
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And it is only those who are found
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resting in Christ
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that will be secure.
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So we pray, Lord,
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for your spirit to convict,
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your spirit to convert,
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your spirit to work powerfully
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in our midst
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and in the midst of people
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far and wide today,
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that throughout your world,
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there will be a great day of repentance,
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that there will be many
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who are called by you,
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who would call upon your name
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and praise your name on you.
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So, Lord, we ask your blessing
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upon us as a people.
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We thank you for one another.
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We thank you for our communities,
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our homes and our families.
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We thank you for our workplaces,
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our schools
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and all that goes on around us
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on a daily and a weekly basis.
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And we do commit, O Lord,
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all our people into your hands.
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We know that we live
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in such uncertain times.
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There are many pressures,
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many worries,
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many concerns
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upon so many people.
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And we thank you that,
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again, your word guides us
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to cast our cares upon you,
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for you care for us.
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And may you stir us up
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in our care and compassion
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for one another.
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May you help us to be
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a body of your people,
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functioning in that way,
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that when one is hurting,
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we all feel that hurt.
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When one is rejoicing,
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we all share in that rejoicing.
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And we do pray, Lord,
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that that bond in Christ
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will ever increase day by day.
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That as we go through
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such days of great uncertainty
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and times when we have been
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leaning upon our own wisdom
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and understanding,
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we thank you that these are days
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when we do not understand
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many things,
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when we lack wisdom.
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But you say that
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if we lack wisdom,
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we are to ask God.
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And so may these be days
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when we are guided back to you,
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when your word is opened up to us
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and becomes a fresh
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and a new word to us,
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that the things that we have
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taken for granted,
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we would no longer do so,
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but instead that we would turn
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with all our hearts,
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with all our souls,
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with all our mind
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and all our strength
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to love you as God
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and to love our neighbor
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as ourselves.
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So guide us, we pray,
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and may your blessing
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be upon us.
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May your blessing be upon our land,
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upon our leaders.
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May you help them.
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May you give them wisdom.
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May you, O Lord,
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come in a day of your power
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to show us
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that we cannot rely on anything
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in this world,
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but that we can rely on you.
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May you bring peace and help
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in many different parts of the world,
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whether our conflicts,
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whether our natural disasters.
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We've seen the power
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of the hurricane
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that struck through the Caribbean
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and in the United States
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and the devastation it leaves.
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We pray, Lord,
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for people in need
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in these places
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and throughout the world
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in many different situations.
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Lord, may we remember
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to pray
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and to call upon your name
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for all who need you.
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We thank you
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that your word goes out
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in the midst
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of all of these things.
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and we pray for all your servants
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far and wide.
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We pray for those
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who are called
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into the mission fields,
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near and far.
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We ask your protection
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and your help towards them.
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May you bless every endeavor
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to reach out
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with the good news,
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the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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We thank you, Lord,
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that we can commit ourselves
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into your hands now,
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asking your word
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to be blessed to us
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and that you'll continue
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with us throughout this day.
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And as we go into
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the week ahead of us,
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may we know your spirit
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guiding us and with us.
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So we ask all things,
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acknowledging our sin anew,
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confessing our sins before you,
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the sins of thought,
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word and deed,
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the sin of action
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and inaction.
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We know that there are many.
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And so, Lord,
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we come anew,
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confessing how far short
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we fall from your glory,
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but asking your forgiveness,
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your mercy upon us
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and your building up of us
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to serve you
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for your glory
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and for your sake.
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We ask all
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in the name of Jesus,
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our Lord,
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our King,
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our Saviour,
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and for His glory.
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Amen.
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Let's sing again
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to God's praise
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in Psalm 73.
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Psalm 73.
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Continuing in the psalm
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we sang before,
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verse 23.
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It's a psalm
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with many different questions
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and many different challenges
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that the psalmist has.
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Then you have this great
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turning point
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at verse 23
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where he says,
28:42
Nevertheless,
28:43
continually,
28:44
O Lord,
28:44
I am with Thee.
28:46
Thou dost me hold
28:47
by my right hand
28:48
and still upholdest me.
28:51
We'll sing
28:51
from verse 23
28:53
to the end of the psalm.
28:55
And it should never be.
28:57
O Lord,
28:57
O Lord,
29:09
O Lord,
29:13
I am with Thee.
29:17
Thy dost me hold
29:23
by my bright hand
29:28
and still upholdest me.
29:34
Thy way,
29:37
Thy counsel,
29:41
while I live,
29:46
wilt me conduct
29:49
and guide,
29:54
and do thy glory
29:59
afterward
30:03
receive me
30:07
to abide.
30:11
Whom have I
30:16
in the heavens high,
30:22
but ye,
30:24
O Lord,
30:26
O Lord,
30:27
alone
30:29
and in the earth
30:35
whom I desire,
30:39
besides thee there is none.
30:48
My flesh and heart
30:53
doth fail and fail,
30:58
but God doth fail me never.
31:06
For of my heart
31:12
God is the strength
31:16
and portion
31:20
and portion
31:21
forever.
31:24
For lo,
31:27
they that are far
31:33
from thee,
31:35
forever fair
31:40
they shall
31:43
than that
31:47
a hole ring
31:50
from thee go,
31:54
thou hast
31:57
destroyed all.
32:02
but surely it is good
32:09
for me
32:12
that I throw near
32:17
to God.
32:20
In God
32:22
I trust
32:25
that all
32:28
thy words
32:31
I may
32:33
declare
32:35
the Lord.
32:38
God
32:40
If we can turn back
32:45
together to our reading
32:46
in 1 Peter
32:47
chapter 1
32:48
and this morning
32:50
together we're going to look
32:51
at verse 3
32:51
to verse 7.
32:54
1 Peter chapter 1
32:56
just read again
32:57
the first part
32:58
of verse 3
32:59
Blessed be the God
33:00
and Father
33:00
of our Lord
33:02
Jesus Christ
33:02
according
33:03
to his great mercy
33:05
he has caused us
33:06
to be born again
33:07
to a living hope
33:09
through the resurrection
33:10
of Jesus Christ
33:12
from the dead
33:13
and so on.
33:15
We began looking
33:16
at this letter
33:17
from Peter
33:18
last week
33:19
by seeing just how
33:20
precious a letter
33:21
it is
33:22
the precious word
33:23
of God
33:24
to a people
33:25
in need of encouragement.
33:27
Peter wrote
33:28
as a pastor
33:29
to these people
33:30
with very much
33:31
a pastor's heart
33:32
a real longing
33:34
and concern
33:35
for them
33:35
and having
33:37
experienced much
33:38
in his own life
33:39
he was seeking
33:41
to encourage
33:41
and build up
33:42
God's people
33:44
not just then
33:45
in his own day
33:46
but recognizing
33:47
the same challenges
33:48
that God's people
33:49
would face down
33:50
through all the generations.
33:54
Here was a people
33:55
who were scattered
33:56
far and wide
33:57
throughout many
33:58
different parts
33:59
and they were persecuted
34:00
for their faith
34:02
they were suffering
34:03
as believers
34:04
in the Lord
34:05
Jesus Christ
34:06
and they were wondering
34:07
to themselves
34:08
why was all this
34:10
happening?
34:12
If you have trusted
34:13
in the Lord
34:14
surely the Lord
34:14
wouldn't allow
34:15
his people
34:16
to go through
34:17
such trials
34:18
and yet
34:20
we see the reality
34:21
for God's people
34:22
is that they're not
34:23
immune
34:24
to any of these things.
34:27
Now how would you
34:28
encourage
34:28
a people
34:29
who are going
34:29
through such experiences?
34:31
how do you seek
34:32
to encourage
34:33
people maybe
34:33
to do today
34:34
who are going
34:35
through hard times?
34:38
We can often feel
34:39
that we just
34:40
don't have words
34:41
to say
34:42
we don't have words
34:43
to share with them
34:44
and you can imagine
34:45
almost Peter
34:46
writing to these people
34:48
wondering
34:48
what am I going
34:50
to say
34:50
to them?
34:52
They are suffering
34:53
what am I going
34:55
to say
34:55
to them?
34:57
But he's not
34:58
stuck
34:58
for words
34:59
because God
35:01
has a word
35:02
for them
35:03
he remembers
35:04
them
35:04
and he seeks
35:05
to encourage
35:06
them
35:06
and to build
35:07
them up
35:07
and to let
35:08
them know
35:09
that they are
35:10
a people
35:11
who are precious
35:12
to him
35:13
and so here
35:15
are people
35:15
meeting together
35:17
as we saw
35:18
they were scattered
35:18
throughout
35:19
Pontus
35:20
Galatia
35:21
Cappadocia
35:22
and so many
35:23
other different
35:23
parts
35:24
here are people
35:25
who would be
35:25
meeting in
35:26
small groups
35:27
maybe house
35:28
churches
35:29
in some places
35:30
maybe larger
35:31
gatherings
35:31
in towns
35:33
and cities
35:33
but a people
35:35
who are gathering
35:36
together
35:36
and God
35:37
has a word
35:39
for them
35:39
we belong
35:41
to the free
35:42
church of Scotland
35:43
as a denomination
35:45
we have churches
35:47
scattered far
35:48
and wide
35:48
we have large
35:49
congregations
35:50
we have small
35:50
congregations
35:51
congregations
35:53
from the north
35:54
of Scotland
35:54
and Thurso
35:55
and Wic
35:56
and places
35:56
around there
35:57
down through
35:58
to the borders
35:59
to Dumfries
36:00
and Galashiels
36:01
and surrounding
36:02
places there
36:03
and towns
36:04
villages
36:05
and cities
36:06
in between
36:06
we go further
36:08
than that too
36:09
with people
36:10
from the free
36:11
church and
36:12
congregations
36:13
in London
36:13
Canada
36:14
Australia
36:16
South America
36:17
South Africa
36:18
and many other
36:19
different parts
36:20
of the world
36:20
people sent out
36:22
as missionaries
36:22
through all corners
36:23
of the world
36:24
you can very much
36:26
say
36:26
we are a scattered
36:28
people
36:29
we are a people
36:30
who are part
36:31
of a dispersion
36:32
a scattering
36:33
of God's people
36:34
to all ends
36:35
of the earth
36:36
and the vision
36:38
of the free church
36:39
is a healthy
36:40
gospel church
36:42
in every place
36:43
it's more than
36:45
just a denomination
36:46
it's wherever
36:47
God's people
36:48
are gathered
36:49
together
36:49
and whatever
36:50
God's people
36:51
are experiencing
36:53
in these situations
36:56
it's not a new
36:58
vision though
36:59
it's a vision
37:00
that we see
37:01
throughout the
37:01
scriptures
37:02
from the Old
37:03
Testament
37:03
into the New
37:04
Testament
37:05
that God
37:05
has his people
37:06
scattered far
37:08
and wide
37:08
but that they
37:09
have a real
37:10
sense of purpose
37:12
and together
37:14
as a people
37:14
we have a purpose
37:16
and a focus
37:17
and Peter
37:19
makes that
37:19
abundantly clear
37:20
to us
37:21
here in verse
37:22
3
37:22
our great
37:24
purpose
37:24
as a people
37:25
wherever we
37:26
are and
37:26
wherever we
37:27
gather
37:27
is to say
37:29
blessed
37:29
be the God
37:30
and Father
37:31
of our Lord
37:32
Jesus Christ
37:34
to be able
37:35
to say these
37:36
words together
37:37
to unite our
37:38
hearts
37:38
in worship
37:39
of God
37:40
giving thanks
37:41
to God
37:42
who remembers
37:42
us
37:43
in every
37:44
situation
37:45
we are to
37:46
worship the
37:46
Lord
37:47
with one
37:48
heart
37:48
and with
37:49
one
37:49
accord
37:50
and we
37:51
do indeed
37:51
join in
37:52
with the
37:53
worship of
37:53
God today
37:54
with many
37:55
people scattered
37:56
far and wide
37:57
we come
37:58
together to
37:58
say blessed
37:59
be the God
38:00
and Father
38:01
of our Lord
38:02
Jesus Christ
38:03
for all
38:03
that he has
38:04
done for us
38:06
and sometimes
38:07
as we seek
38:09
to come together
38:10
and encourage
38:11
one another
38:11
we may feel
38:13
stuck for words
38:14
and so often
38:16
our focus
38:16
can be then
38:17
just to
38:17
look at the
38:18
positives
38:19
encourage each
38:20
other with the
38:20
positives
38:21
and Peter
38:23
does that
38:23
for us
38:24
here
38:24
he encourages
38:25
with positives
38:26
he encourages
38:27
them with what
38:28
we have in
38:29
Christ
38:29
this hope
38:31
that God's
38:32
people have
38:33
he encourages
38:34
them with what
38:34
they have to
38:35
look forward
38:36
to
38:36
there is an
38:39
inheritance for
38:40
all of God's
38:41
people
38:41
but he also
38:43
gives a word
38:45
of the reality
38:45
for God's
38:47
people too
38:48
he says
38:49
there will be
38:50
trials
38:50
there will be
38:52
difficulties
38:52
along the way
38:54
but yet he says
38:56
there is hope
38:57
there is a real
38:58
and a living
39:00
hope
39:00
there's a poem
39:02
called
39:02
Out of the
39:03
Darkness
39:04
I'll just share
39:05
some words from
39:06
that with you
39:07
it reminds us
39:07
that so often
39:08
it's out of the
39:09
darkness
39:09
that good
39:10
comes
39:11
it says
39:12
this
39:13
out of the
39:13
dark
39:13
forbidding
39:14
soil
39:15
the pure
39:16
white
39:16
lilies
39:17
grow
39:17
out of the
39:18
black
39:19
and marky
39:19
clouds
39:20
descends
39:21
the stainless
39:22
snow
39:23
out of the
39:24
crawling
39:24
earthbound
39:26
warm
39:26
a butterfly
39:27
is born
39:28
out of the
39:29
somber
39:30
shrouded
39:31
night
39:31
behold
39:32
a golden
39:33
morn
39:33
out of the
39:34
pain
39:35
and stress
39:36
of life
39:37
the peace
39:37
of God
39:38
pours down
39:39
out of the
39:40
nails
39:41
the spear
39:42
the cross
39:43
redemption
39:45
and a
39:46
crown
39:46
you see the
39:48
darkest
39:48
time
39:49
of all
39:50
was when
39:51
Christ Jesus
39:52
was crucified
39:54
but yet
39:55
God
39:56
speaks to us
39:58
through his
39:58
word here
39:59
and says
39:59
blessed be the
40:01
God and
40:01
Father
40:02
of our
40:02
Lord Jesus
40:03
Christ
40:04
because he
40:04
has given
40:04
us hope
40:05
a living
40:06
hope
40:07
through
40:07
the
40:08
resurrection
40:08
of Jesus
40:10
Christ
40:11
and so we
40:12
want to look
40:13
at these
40:13
three things
40:14
this morning
40:15
the Christian's
40:16
hope
40:16
the Christian's
40:18
inheritance
40:18
and the
40:19
Christian's
40:20
trial
40:21
first of all
40:22
the Christian's
40:24
hope
40:24
the first
40:27
encouragement
40:28
that Peter
40:30
gives to us
40:31
scattered and
40:32
disillusioned
40:33
people here
40:34
and to be
40:35
able to say
40:36
blessed be the
40:37
God and
40:37
Father of our
40:38
Lord Jesus
40:38
Christ
40:39
is this
40:40
that
40:40
according to
40:41
his great
40:42
mercy
40:43
he has
40:44
caused us
40:45
to be born
40:46
again
40:46
to a living
40:47
hope
40:48
through the
40:49
resurrection
40:49
of Jesus
40:50
Christ
40:51
from the
40:52
dead
40:52
the Christian's
40:54
great
40:55
hope
40:55
now what is
40:57
your hope
40:58
today
40:58
and what
40:59
kind of
41:00
hope
41:01
is it
41:01
so many
41:03
of our
41:03
hopes
41:04
today
41:04
they can
41:05
be built
41:06
on things
41:07
that will
41:08
let us
41:09
down
41:09
things that
41:10
will ultimately
41:11
fail us
41:12
or things
41:14
that can
41:14
seem
41:15
just wishful
41:16
thinking
41:17
things that
41:18
aren't
41:18
realistic
41:19
things that
41:20
we cannot
41:20
attain
41:21
and there's
41:22
no surety
41:23
there's no
41:24
security
41:25
in them
41:26
and as
41:28
Peter is
41:28
writing
41:29
to these
41:30
people who
41:30
are scattered
41:31
as he's
41:33
writing to
41:33
these people
41:34
and who
41:34
are seeing
41:35
so many
41:36
people as
41:36
it were
41:37
prospering
41:37
in their
41:38
lives
41:38
getting on
41:39
so well
41:39
it's almost
41:41
like he's
41:41
reminding them
41:42
of the
41:42
words of
41:43
Psalm 1
41:44
blessed is
41:45
the man
41:46
who walketh
41:47
not astray
41:48
not like
41:50
the ungodly
41:51
who just
41:52
turn away
41:52
from God
41:53
and pin
41:53
their hope
41:54
and things
41:55
of this
41:56
world
41:56
there is
41:56
no ultimate
41:57
blessing
41:58
in that
41:58
those who
41:59
are blessed
42:00
are blessed
42:01
by having
42:02
hope
42:03
in the
42:03
Lord Jesus
42:04
Christ
42:05
and this
42:07
is where
42:08
Christian hope
42:09
comes in
42:10
it is
42:11
a living
42:13
hope
42:13
G.K.
42:15
Chesterton
42:16
he once
42:16
said
42:17
hope means
42:19
hoping
42:19
when things
42:20
are hopeless
42:21
or it is
42:23
no virtue
42:24
at all
42:24
as long
42:26
as matters
42:27
are really
42:28
hopeful
42:28
hope
42:29
hope
42:29
is mere
42:30
flattery
42:31
or platitude
42:32
it is
42:34
only when
42:34
everything
42:35
is hopeless
42:36
that hope
42:37
begins
42:38
to be
42:39
a strength
42:40
and that
42:41
is the
42:41
hope
42:42
that Peter
42:42
is reminding
42:44
the people
42:44
of here
42:45
this
42:47
living
42:47
hope
42:48
that they
42:49
have
42:49
he has
42:51
caused
42:51
as he's
42:52
saying to
42:52
them
42:52
to be
42:53
born
42:54
again
42:54
to a
42:55
living
42:55
hope
42:56
through
42:56
the
42:56
resurrection
42:57
of Jesus
42:58
Christ
42:58
from the
42:59
dead
43:00
it is
43:01
a real
43:02
hope
43:03
it is
43:03
a secure
43:04
hope
43:05
it is
43:06
the hope
43:07
of the
43:08
resurrection
43:08
it is
43:11
often in
43:11
our darkest
43:12
times
43:13
that God
43:13
makes his
43:14
presence
43:14
known
43:15
most
43:16
clearly
43:16
it is
43:18
often
43:18
through
43:18
the hardest
43:19
trials
43:20
through
43:21
our
43:21
sufferings
43:22
that he
43:22
shows us
43:23
that he
43:24
is our
43:24
only
43:24
source
43:25
of
43:26
strength
43:26
our
43:27
only
43:27
hope
43:28
for
43:28
life
43:29
and
43:29
for
43:30
eternity
43:30
and just
43:32
as Peter
43:32
is writing
43:33
to us
43:34
gathered
43:34
people
43:35
here
43:35
he's
43:36
writing
43:36
to us
43:37
today
43:37
as well
43:38
he's
43:40
writing
43:40
to remind
43:40
us
43:41
of the
43:41
hope
43:41
that is
43:42
ours
43:43
through
43:43
the
43:43
resurrection
43:43
of
43:44
Jesus
43:44
Christ
43:45
through
43:46
faith
43:46
in
43:47
him
43:48
it is
43:49
a real
43:49
hope
43:50
so as
43:51
you are
43:51
facing
43:52
trials
43:53
you can
43:54
take
43:54
heart
43:54
as
43:56
you
43:56
face
43:56
the
43:56
reality
43:57
of
43:57
this
43:57
world
43:58
you
43:58
put
43:58
yourselves
43:59
in
44:00
God's
44:00
hands
44:01
and
44:02
you
44:02
wait
44:03
upon
44:03
the
44:03
Lord
44:04
but
44:05
you
44:05
wait
44:05
with
44:06
patience
44:06
you
44:07
wait
44:08
with
44:08
hope
44:09
if
44:11
Jesus
44:11
has
44:12
not
44:12
been
44:12
risen
44:12
from
44:13
the
44:13
dead
44:13
then
44:14
our
44:14
faith
44:15
is
44:15
foolish
44:16
but
44:17
as
44:17
we
44:18
come
44:18
to
44:18
God's
44:19
word
44:19
we
44:19
are
44:19
seeing
44:20
the
44:20
great
44:20
reminders
44:21
to
44:21
us
44:21
that
44:22
he
44:22
is
44:22
risen
44:23
that
44:23
he
44:24
is
44:24
alive
44:24
that
44:25
he
44:25
is
44:25
at
44:25
the
44:26
right
44:26
hand
44:26
of
44:27
God
44:27
this
44:29
is
44:29
no
44:29
hopeless
44:30
situation
44:31
the
44:33
reminders
44:33
that we
44:34
have
44:34
throughout
44:35
the
44:35
scriptures
44:35
are
44:36
many
44:36
Jesus
44:37
himself
44:38
predicted
44:39
his
44:39
resurrection
44:40
he
44:40
told
44:41
his
44:41
followers
44:41
that
44:42
he
44:42
would
44:42
be
44:43
put
44:43
to
44:43
death
44:43
but
44:43
on
44:43
the
44:44
third
44:44
day
44:44
he
44:45
would
44:45
rise
44:46
again
44:46
as
44:47
you
44:47
look
44:47
through
44:48
the
44:48
Old
44:48
Testament
44:49
you
44:49
find
44:49
that
44:50
it
44:50
prophesies
44:51
about
44:51
it
44:52
it
44:53
speaks
44:53
about
44:54
the
44:54
Lord
44:55
who
44:55
would
44:55
come
44:55
but
44:55
that
44:56
the
44:56
tomb
44:56
could
44:56
not
44:57
take
44:57
hold
44:58
of
44:58
him
44:58
forever
44:58
indeed
45:00
as we
45:01
read in
45:01
the
45:01
New
45:01
Testament
45:02
we
45:02
see
45:02
they
45:03
came
45:03
to
45:03
the
45:04
tomb
45:04
and
45:04
it
45:05
was
45:05
empty
45:05
the
45:06
grave
45:07
clothes
45:07
were
45:07
there
45:08
to be
45:08
seen
45:09
but
45:09
Christ
45:10
was
45:10
not
45:10
all
45:13
the
45:13
people
45:13
had
45:13
to
45:13
do
45:14
who
45:14
opposed
45:15
the
45:15
Christian
45:15
faith
45:16
was
45:16
to
45:16
produce
45:16
a
45:17
body
45:17
but
45:18
they
45:18
couldn't
45:18
why
45:20
not
45:20
because
45:21
he
45:22
was
45:22
risen
45:22
and
45:23
many
45:24
people
45:24
saw
45:25
the
45:25
resurrected
45:26
Christ
45:27
they
45:28
met
45:28
with
45:28
him
45:28
they
45:29
looked
45:29
on
45:29
his
45:29
face
45:29
they
45:30
touched
45:30
him
45:30
they
45:30
heard
45:31
his
45:31
voice
45:31
and
45:33
they
45:33
saw
45:33
him
45:33
eat
45:33
all
45:35
of
45:35
these
45:35
things
45:36
are
45:36
reminding
45:36
us
45:37
of
45:37
the
45:37
living
45:38
hope
45:38
that
45:38
we
45:38
have
45:39
in
45:39
Christ
45:39
we
45:40
are
45:41
born
45:41
again
45:41
to
45:42
a
45:42
living
45:42
hope
45:43
the
45:44
lives
45:45
of
45:45
the
45:45
disciples
45:45
the
45:46
lives
45:46
of
45:46
the
45:46
early
45:46
church
45:47
were
45:47
transformed
45:48
because
45:48
Christ
45:49
was
45:49
risen
45:50
Peter
45:51
himself
45:51
as we
45:52
saw
45:52
last
45:52
week
45:53
he
45:53
met
45:54
with
45:54
a
45:54
saviour
45:55
who
45:55
restored
45:55
him
45:56
even
45:57
though
45:57
he
45:57
had
45:57
denied
45:58
him
45:58
and
45:58
let
45:59
him
45:59
down
45:59
and
45:59
here
46:00
he
46:00
is
46:00
later
46:01
on
46:01
in
46:01
his
46:01
life
46:02
looking
46:02
back
46:02
having
46:03
been
46:03
a
46:04
faithful
46:04
servant
46:05
to
46:05
him
46:06
the
46:07
resurrection
46:07
was
46:08
the
46:08
central
46:09
message
46:09
of
46:10
the
46:10
early
46:10
church
46:11
and
46:12
to
46:12
this
46:12
day
46:13
men
46:13
and
46:13
women
46:13
boys
46:14
and
46:14
girls
46:14
testify
46:15
to
46:16
the
46:16
power
46:16
of
46:17
the
46:17
risen
46:17
Christ
46:18
who
46:18
transforms
46:19
our
46:20
lives
46:21
the
46:23
Christian's
46:23
hope
46:24
is
46:25
real
46:25
it
46:26
is
46:26
founded
46:27
on
46:27
Jesus
46:27
Christ
46:28
who
46:29
is
46:29
risen
46:30
who
46:31
has
46:31
appeared
46:31
to
46:32
his
46:32
people
46:32
and
46:33
who
46:33
has
46:33
now
46:34
gone
46:34
to
46:35
the
46:35
father's
46:36
side
46:36
we
46:37
await
46:37
his
46:38
return
46:39
we
46:40
await
46:40
that
46:40
great
46:41
day
46:41
of
46:41
the
46:42
final
46:42
resurrection
46:43
when
46:43
God
46:43
will
46:44
call
46:44
his
46:44
people
46:45
to
46:45
himself
46:46
and
46:48
how
46:48
do
46:48
we
46:48
live
46:49
with
46:49
that
46:50
hope
46:50
well
46:51
we
46:51
don't
46:52
look
46:52
to
46:52
the
46:52
things
46:53
of
46:53
this
46:53
world
46:54
and
46:54
pin
46:54
out
46:55
hopes
46:55
in
46:55
these
46:56
things
46:56
as
46:58
someone
46:58
said
46:59
they
47:00
that
47:00
deny
47:00
themselves
47:01
for
47:01
Christ
47:02
shall
47:03
enjoy
47:04
themselves
47:05
in
47:06
Christ
47:06
and
47:08
that
47:08
is
47:08
the
47:08
Christian
47:09
hope
47:09
we
47:10
turn
47:11
away
47:11
from
47:12
the
47:12
things
47:12
of
47:12
this
47:12
world
47:13
that
47:13
cry
47:13
out
47:13
you
47:14
can
47:14
hope
47:14
in
47:14
us
47:15
you
47:15
can
47:15
hope
47:16
in
47:16
this
47:16
there
47:18
is
47:18
no
47:18
hope
47:18
there
47:19
but
47:20
it
47:20
will
47:20
perish
47:20
but
47:23
Christ
47:23
is
47:24
our
47:25
hope
47:25
the
47:26
Christian's
47:27
hope
47:27
is
47:27
a
47:27
living
47:28
hope
47:29
through
47:29
the
47:30
resurrection
47:30
of
47:31
Jesus
47:32
Christ
47:32
from
47:33
the
47:33
dead
47:34
so
47:35
we
47:35
have
47:36
this
47:36
great
47:37
hope
47:37
that
47:37
is
47:38
such
47:38
a
47:39
great
47:39
encouragement
47:40
to
47:40
us
47:41
the
47:42
second
47:43
thing
47:43
we
47:43
see
47:43
here
47:43
is
47:44
the
47:44
Christian's
47:45
inheritance
47:46
again
47:48
we see
47:48
here
47:49
Peter
47:49
giving
47:50
his
47:50
people
47:50
real
47:51
encouragement
47:52
in
47:52
verse
47:52
4
47:52
that
47:53
we
47:53
are
47:53
born
47:53
again
47:54
to
47:54
a
47:54
living
47:55
hope
47:55
to
47:55
an
47:55
inheritance
47:56
that
47:56
is
47:57
imperishable
47:58
undefiled
47:59
and
48:00
unfading
48:01
kept
48:01
in
48:02
heaven
48:02
for
48:03
you
48:03
again
48:05
we
48:05
can
48:05
say
48:05
blessed
48:06
be
48:06
the
48:06
God
48:06
and
48:07
Father
48:07
of
48:08
our
48:08
Lord
48:08
Jesus
48:09
Christ
48:09
for
48:09
the
48:10
inheritance
48:10
that
48:11
is
48:11
ours
48:12
his
48:12
people's
48:13
and
48:13
that
48:13
we
48:14
can
48:14
look
48:14
forward
48:14
to
48:15
what
48:17
is
48:17
an
48:18
inheritance
48:19
it
48:20
is
48:21
something
48:21
that
48:21
is
48:21
passed
48:22
on
48:23
to
48:23
a
48:23
people
48:24
something
48:25
we
48:25
receive
48:25
often
48:26
at
48:26
no
48:26
cost
48:27
to
48:27
ourselves
48:28
but
48:29
usually
48:30
it's
48:30
when
48:30
someone
48:30
has
48:31
passed
48:31
away
48:32
we
48:32
receive
48:33
an
48:34
inheritance
48:34
and
48:36
our
48:37
Christian
48:37
inheritance
48:38
is the
48:39
same
48:39
in many
48:41
ways
48:41
and
48:41
more
48:42
because
48:43
where
48:43
does
48:44
our
48:44
Christian
48:44
inheritance
48:45
take
48:45
us
48:46
to
48:46
it
48:47
takes
48:47
us
48:48
to
48:48
Christ
48:48
and
48:49
to
48:49
the
48:50
cross
48:50
and
48:51
what
48:52
we
48:52
see
48:52
that
48:52
he
48:52
has
48:53
done
48:53
and
48:54
is
48:54
doing
48:55
for
48:55
us
48:56
everything
48:58
we
48:58
build
48:59
here
48:59
in
48:59
this
48:59
world
49:00
is
49:01
temporary
49:02
but
49:03
what
49:03
God
49:04
builds
49:04
is
49:05
eternal
49:06
and
49:08
if we
49:08
were
49:08
to
49:08
go
49:08
back
49:09
to
49:09
just
49:10
before
49:10
the
49:10
crucifixion
49:11
to
49:12
the
49:12
gospel
49:13
of
49:13
John
49:13
chapter
49:14
14
49:15
there
49:16
Jesus
49:16
is
49:17
with
49:17
his
49:17
disciples
49:18
and
49:19
again
49:19
they're
49:19
anxious
49:20
they're
49:20
afraid
49:20
but
49:22
Jesus
49:22
says
49:23
to
49:23
them
49:23
in
49:23
verse
49:23
1
49:24
let
49:25
not
49:25
your
49:25
hearts
49:26
be
49:26
troubled
49:26
believe
49:27
in
49:28
God
49:28
believe
49:29
also
49:30
in
49:30
me
49:30
in
49:32
my
49:32
father's
49:32
house
49:33
are
49:33
many
49:33
rooms
49:34
if
49:35
it
49:35
were
49:35
not
49:36
so
49:36
would
49:36
I
49:36
have
49:36
told
49:37
you
49:37
that
49:38
I
49:38
go
49:38
to
49:38
prepare
49:39
a
49:39
place
49:40
for
49:41
you
49:41
what
49:42
is
49:42
he
49:43
saying
49:43
to
49:43
them
49:43
he
49:45
is
49:45
reminding
49:46
them
49:46
that
49:46
the
49:46
things
49:47
of
49:47
this
49:47
world
49:48
are
49:48
temporary
49:49
but
49:50
he
49:50
says
49:51
I
49:51
am
49:52
going
49:52
to
49:52
prepare
49:53
a
49:53
place
49:53
for
49:54
you
49:54
an
49:55
eternal
49:56
place
49:57
a
49:58
place
49:58
that
49:59
will
49:59
not
49:59
be
49:59
temporary
50:00
but
50:01
forever
50:01
a
50:03
lasting
50:03
place
50:04
and
50:05
that's
50:05
the
50:05
encouragement
50:06
that
50:07
Peter
50:07
is
50:08
reminding
50:08
them
50:08
of
50:08
here
50:09
as
50:09
well
50:09
an
50:10
inheritance
50:11
imperishable
50:13
undefiled
50:14
unfading
50:15
kept
50:16
guarded
50:17
in
50:18
heaven
50:18
for
50:19
you
50:19
this
50:20
place
50:20
he
50:21
is
50:21
preparing
50:22
he
50:23
has
50:24
gone
50:24
to
50:24
prepare
50:24
it
50:25
through
50:25
the
50:25
way
50:26
of
50:26
the
50:26
cross
50:26
through
50:28
his
50:28
death
50:28
through
50:29
his
50:29
resurrection
50:30
through
50:30
his
50:31
ascension
50:32
through
50:33
all of
50:33
these
50:33
things
50:34
he
50:34
is
50:34
reminding
50:35
his
50:35
people
50:35
that
50:36
he
50:36
will
50:36
take
50:37
care
50:37
of
50:37
us
50:38
that
50:39
his
50:39
plan
50:40
is
50:41
sure
50:41
and
50:42
secure
50:42
that
50:43
everything
50:44
will
50:45
work
50:45
out
50:46
and
50:47
yet
50:47
as
50:48
a
50:48
people
50:48
here
50:49
on
50:49
earth
50:49
we
50:50
find
50:50
our
50:50
satisfaction
50:51
in
50:52
so
50:52
many
50:52
other
50:52
things
50:53
we
50:54
push
50:54
away
50:54
the
50:55
glory
50:55
of
50:55
God
50:56
we
50:56
push
50:57
away
50:57
that
50:57
hope
50:58
for
50:58
eternity
50:59
and
50:59
just
50:59
look
50:59
at
51:00
the
51:00
temporary
51:01
C.S.
51:02
Lewis
51:02
in his
51:03
book
51:04
The Weight
51:04
of Glory
51:05
he speaks
51:06
about how
51:07
often
51:07
believers
51:08
underestimate
51:09
the full
51:10
riches
51:10
that there
51:11
are in
51:11
Christ
51:12
he says
51:13
this
51:13
if we
51:14
consider
51:14
the
51:15
staggering
51:16
nature
51:16
of
51:16
the
51:17
rewards
51:17
promised
51:18
in
51:18
the
51:18
gospels
51:19
it
51:19
would
51:20
seem
51:20
that
51:20
our
51:20
Lord
51:21
finds
51:21
our
51:21
desires
51:22
not
51:22
too
51:23
strong
51:23
but
51:24
too
51:25
weak
51:25
we
51:26
are
51:26
half
51:27
hearted
51:27
creatures
51:28
like
51:29
an
51:29
ignorant
51:29
child
51:30
who
51:30
wants
51:30
to
51:31
go
51:31
on
51:31
making
51:31
mud
51:32
pies
51:32
in
51:32
a
51:32
slum
51:33
because
51:34
he
51:34
cannot
51:34
imagine
51:35
what
51:35
is
51:35
meant
51:35
by
51:36
the
51:36
offer
51:37
of
51:37
a
51:37
holiday
51:37
at
51:38
the
51:38
sea
51:38
we
51:40
are
51:40
far
51:40
too
51:40
easily
51:41
pleased
51:42
he
51:43
says
51:43
are
51:46
you
51:46
far
51:46
too
51:46
easily
51:47
pleased
51:47
today
51:48
by the
51:49
things
51:49
of this
51:49
world
51:50
that you
51:50
think
51:50
this is
51:51
wonderful
51:52
I've
51:52
got it
51:52
all
51:53
and you're
51:54
missing out
51:55
on this
51:55
glorious
51:56
inheritance
51:57
if you
51:58
look at
51:59
the way
51:59
the
51:59
inheritance
51:59
here
52:00
is
52:00
described
52:01
you see
52:01
it's
52:02
the
52:02
complete
52:02
opposite
52:03
to
52:03
the
52:03
world
52:04
first
52:05
of all
52:05
he
52:05
says
52:06
this
52:06
inheritance
52:06
is
52:07
imperishable
52:08
anything
52:10
that this
52:10
world
52:11
offers us
52:11
will
52:12
perish
52:13
one
52:13
day
52:14
it
52:14
will
52:14
be
52:15
no
52:16
more
52:16
but
52:17
not
52:18
the
52:18
Christian
52:18
inheritance
52:19
it
52:20
will
52:20
never
52:21
perish
52:22
it's
52:24
also
52:24
described
52:25
as
52:25
undefiled
52:26
we
52:28
live
52:29
in a
52:29
world
52:29
where
52:29
everything
52:30
is
52:30
defiled
52:31
by
52:31
sin
52:31
everything
52:33
is
52:33
ruined
52:33
by
52:34
sin
52:34
and
52:35
it's
52:35
hard
52:35
for us
52:35
to
52:36
imagine
52:36
the
52:36
opposite
52:37
but
52:38
it
52:39
will
52:39
be
52:39
so
52:40
that
52:41
is
52:41
the
52:41
Christian
52:41
inheritance
52:42
a
52:43
place
52:44
where
52:44
there's
52:44
no
52:44
moral
52:45
corruption
52:45
a
52:46
place
52:46
where
52:46
there's
52:47
no
52:47
greed
52:47
for
52:48
self
52:48
gain
52:49
a
52:49
place
52:49
where
52:50
there's
52:50
no
52:50
war
52:50
or
52:51
famine
52:52
or
52:52
natural
52:52
disaster
52:53
a
52:53
place
52:53
where
52:54
no
52:54
more
52:55
is
52:55
sin
52:55
polluting
52:56
everything
52:56
because
52:57
everything
52:58
will be
52:59
made
52:59
new
53:00
that
53:01
is
53:02
the
53:02
great
53:02
reminder
53:03
that
53:04
he
53:04
gives
53:04
us
53:04
here
53:05
that
53:06
is
53:06
the
53:06
great
53:06
reminder
53:07
that
53:08
we
53:08
see
53:08
our
53:10
Christian
53:10
inheritance
53:11
is
53:12
also
53:12
one
53:13
that
53:13
is
53:13
unfading
53:14
again
53:16
when we
53:17
look around
53:17
the world
53:18
we see
53:18
so many
53:19
things
53:19
that are
53:20
fading
53:20
in this
53:21
world
53:21
we look
53:22
at
53:22
ourselves
53:23
and we
53:23
see
53:23
ourselves
53:24
as it
53:24
were
53:24
just
53:25
fading
53:25
away
53:26
creation
53:27
is
53:27
groaning
53:28
so much
53:29
is
53:29
groaning
53:30
around
53:30
us
53:31
under a
53:32
great weight
53:33
and a
53:34
burden
53:34
but he
53:36
says
53:36
our
53:36
inheritance
53:37
is
53:38
unfading
53:39
the hope
53:41
that is
53:41
ours
53:42
through the
53:43
resurrection
53:43
of Jesus
53:44
Christ
53:44
is this
53:45
inheritance
53:46
that will
53:47
never
53:47
perish
53:48
and these
53:49
great
53:49
words
53:50
of
53:50
Isaiah
53:50
we will
53:51
know
53:52
the
53:52
reality
53:52
of
53:53
them
53:53
Isaiah
53:54
40
53:55
verse
53:55
30
53:55
even
53:56
youths
53:57
shall
53:57
faint
53:58
and be
53:58
weary
53:59
and young
53:59
men
54:00
shall
54:00
fall
54:01
exhausted
54:01
but they
54:03
who wait
54:04
for the
54:04
Lord
54:04
shall
54:05
renew
54:05
their
54:05
strength
54:06
they
54:06
shall
54:07
mount
54:07
up
54:07
with
54:07
wings
54:08
like
54:08
eagles
54:09
they
54:09
shall
54:10
run
54:10
and not
54:11
be
54:11
weary
54:11
they
54:12
shall
54:12
walk
54:13
and not
54:14
faint
54:14
that is
54:16
the
54:16
Christian
54:17
hope
54:18
and the
54:18
Christian
54:19
inheritance
54:20
it is a
54:21
living hope
54:22
and a
54:23
glorious
54:23
inheritance
54:24
but
54:27
and there
54:28
is a
54:29
but
54:29
what else
54:32
does the
54:32
Christian
54:33
life
54:34
entail
54:35
well as
54:37
Peter goes
54:37
on here
54:38
he says
54:39
that your
54:40
faith
54:40
will be
54:41
tested
54:42
your
54:44
faith
54:44
will be
54:45
tested
54:46
Peter
54:47
writes
54:47
to
54:48
encourage
54:49
but he
54:51
writes
54:51
with the
54:52
reality
54:53
in mind
54:53
too
54:54
it's not
54:55
all going
54:56
to be
54:56
plain
54:57
sailing
54:57
it's not
54:59
all
54:59
going to
55:00
be easy
55:01
he says
55:02
there will
55:03
be trials
55:04
you have
55:06
the living
55:07
hope
55:07
you have
55:08
the inheritance
55:09
you have
55:10
all this
55:11
that is
55:11
guarded
55:12
by the
55:12
power
55:12
of God
55:13
through
55:13
faith
55:14
for our
55:15
salvation
55:15
ready to
55:16
be revealed
55:16
in verse
55:17
5 it
55:18
says
55:18
then you
55:19
have
55:20
verse 6
55:20
in this
55:21
you rejoice
55:22
though now
55:22
for a little
55:24
while if
55:24
necessary
55:25
you have
55:26
been grieved
55:26
by various
55:27
trials
55:28
so the
55:29
tested
55:30
genuineness
55:31
of your
55:31
faith
55:31
more precious
55:33
than gold
55:34
that perishes
55:35
though it is
55:36
tested by
55:37
fire
55:37
may be
55:38
found
55:39
to result
55:40
in praise
55:41
glory and
55:43
honor
55:43
and glory
55:44
at the
55:44
revelation
55:45
of jesus
55:46
christ
55:47
and yet
55:49
we can
55:50
still say
55:51
blessed
55:52
be the
55:52
god and
55:53
father
55:53
of our
55:54
lord jesus
55:55
christ
55:56
how can
55:57
we say
55:58
that
55:58
well just
55:59
like the
56:00
psalmist
56:01
in psalm
56:01
73
56:02
we can
56:03
say
56:03
nevertheless
56:04
continually
56:05
oh lord
56:06
i am
56:07
with thee
56:08
thou dost
56:10
me hold
56:10
by my
56:11
right hand
56:12
and still
56:13
uphold
56:14
is me
56:14
we have
56:16
that
56:16
surety
56:17
that
56:17
certainty
56:18
that god
56:19
is with
56:20
us
56:21
he keeps
56:23
us
56:23
he guards
56:24
our hope
56:25
he guards
56:26
our inheritance
56:26
he has all
56:28
of these
56:28
things even
56:29
like it
56:29
said
56:29
in james
56:31
chapter 1
56:33
verse 2
56:33
counted all
56:34
joy my
56:35
brothers
56:35
when you
56:36
meet trials
56:37
of various
56:38
kinds
56:39
for you
56:40
know
56:40
that the
56:41
trusting of
56:42
your faith
56:43
produces
56:43
steadfastness
56:45
he
56:47
will
56:48
keep
56:49
you
56:49
this is
56:50
something
56:51
god willing
56:51
we'll expand
56:52
on as we go
56:53
through this
56:54
letter too
56:55
but as we
56:56
come to a
56:56
close today
56:57
i just want
56:57
to remind
56:58
you
56:58
of these
57:00
three things
57:01
there is
57:03
a christian
57:04
hope
57:04
it is a
57:06
living and a
57:07
real hope
57:07
through the
57:08
resurrection of
57:09
jesus christ
57:10
there is a
57:12
christian
57:13
inheritance
57:13
it is one
57:15
that is
57:15
kept
57:16
guarded
57:17
for you
57:18
one that
57:19
is imperishable
57:20
undefiled
57:22
and unfading
57:23
these are
57:25
great
57:25
encouragements
57:27
but we can
57:28
be encouraged
57:29
too
57:29
as we face
57:31
up to our
57:32
trials
57:32
that he
57:34
is with
57:35
us
57:35
a man
57:37
called
57:37
james m
57:38
gray
57:39
he was once
57:40
president of
57:41
moody bible
57:42
institute
57:42
he wrote
57:44
a hymn
57:45
regarding
57:47
the fiery
57:48
trials that
57:50
the christian
57:50
goes through
57:51
and the
57:53
words of it
57:53
say this
57:54
he sat
57:56
by the
57:56
fire
57:57
of seven
57:58
fold
57:58
heat
57:58
as he
57:59
watched
58:00
by the
58:00
precious
58:01
oar
58:02
and
58:03
closer he
58:03
bent
58:04
with a
58:04
searching
58:05
gaze
58:05
as he
58:06
heated it
58:07
more and
58:08
more
58:08
he
58:09
knew he
58:10
had
58:10
ore that
58:10
could
58:11
stand
58:11
the
58:11
test
58:12
and he
58:13
wanted
58:13
the
58:13
finest
58:14
gold
58:14
to
58:15
mould
58:16
as a
58:16
crown
58:16
for the
58:17
king
58:17
to wear
58:18
set
58:19
with gems
58:20
of price
58:20
untold
58:21
so he
58:23
laid
58:23
our
58:23
gold
58:24
in the
58:24
burning
58:24
fire
58:25
though we
58:26
fain
58:26
would have
58:27
said to
58:27
him
58:28
nay
58:28
and he
58:29
watched
58:29
the
58:30
dross
58:30
that we
58:30
had not
58:31
seen
58:31
as it
58:32
melted
58:33
and passed
58:34
away
58:34
and the
58:35
gold
58:36
grew
58:36
brighter
58:36
and yet
58:37
more
58:37
bright
58:38
and our
58:38
eyes
58:39
were dim
58:39
with tears
58:40
as we
58:41
saw the
58:42
fire
58:42
not the
58:43
master's
58:44
hand
58:44
and questioned
58:46
with anxious
58:47
fears
58:47
yet
58:49
our
58:49
gold
58:50
shone
58:50
out
58:50
with a
58:50
richer
58:51
glow
58:51
as it
58:52
mirrored
58:53
a form
58:53
above
58:54
that
58:55
bent
58:55
over
58:55
the
58:56
fire
58:56
the
58:56
one
58:56
seen
58:57
by
58:57
us
58:57
with
58:58
a
58:58
look
58:59
of
58:59
infinite
58:59
love
59:00
can
59:01
we
59:01
think
59:02
that
59:02
it
59:02
pleases
59:03
his
59:03
loving
59:03
heart
59:04
to
59:05
cause
59:05
a
59:06
moment
59:06
of
59:06
pain
59:07
I
59:08
know
59:08
but he
59:09
saw
59:09
through
59:09
the
59:09
present
59:10
cross
59:11
the
59:11
bliss
59:12
of
59:12
eternal
59:13
gain
59:13
so he
59:15
waited
59:15
there
59:16
with a
59:16
watchful
59:16
eye
59:17
with a
59:18
love
59:18
that
59:18
is
59:19
strong
59:19
and
59:20
sure
59:20
and
59:21
that
59:21
his
59:21
gold
59:22
did
59:22
not
59:22
suffer
59:23
a
59:24
bit
59:24
more
59:24
heat
59:25
than
59:25
was
59:26
needed
59:26
to
59:27
make
59:27
it
59:27
pure
59:28
it's
59:30
hard
59:31
for us
59:31
to
59:32
understand
59:33
the
59:33
trials
59:34
that
59:34
we
59:34
go
59:35
through
59:35
and
59:36
we
59:36
have
59:37
to
59:37
confess
59:38
that
59:38
but I'm
59:40
reminded
59:40
of the
59:41
words
59:41
of an
59:42
old
59:42
Christian
59:43
man
59:43
many
59:43
years
59:44
ago
59:44
he
59:46
said
59:46
it's
59:46
a
59:47
fight
59:47
to
59:48
the
59:48
finish
59:48
but
59:50
at
59:50
least
59:50
there's
59:50
a
59:50
finish
59:51
to
59:52
the
59:52
fight
59:52
and
59:54
as
59:54
we
59:54
read
59:55
these
59:55
words
59:55
we're
59:56
reminded
59:56
of
59:57
the
59:57
reality
59:57
of
59:58
life
59:59
the
59:59
Christian
1:00:00
life
1:00:01
there is
1:00:02
a great
1:00:02
living
1:00:03
hope
1:00:04
there is
1:00:05
a wonderful
1:00:06
inheritance
1:00:07
for all
1:00:08
of God's
1:00:08
people
1:00:09
but there
1:00:10
are also
1:00:11
the trials
1:00:12
that we
1:00:13
go
1:00:13
through
1:00:13
but we
1:00:15
can rest
1:00:15
assured
1:00:16
that he
1:00:17
is
1:00:18
with us
1:00:19
and may
1:00:20
we be
1:00:20
able to
1:00:21
say
1:00:21
blessed
1:00:22
be the
1:00:23
God and
1:00:23
Father
1:00:24
of our
1:00:25
Lord
1:00:25
Jesus
1:00:26
Christ
1:00:26
may we
1:00:28
look
1:00:28
to him
1:00:29
and remember
1:00:31
his many
1:00:32
gracious
1:00:32
benefits
1:00:33
remember
1:00:34
his promises
1:00:35
that he
1:00:36
will never
1:00:36
leave us
1:00:37
let us
1:00:38
pray
1:00:39
our
1:00:41
Father
1:00:42
in heaven
1:00:43
we thank
1:00:44
you for
1:00:44
the wonder
1:00:44
of your
1:00:45
word
1:00:45
how it
1:00:46
reminds us
1:00:47
of every
1:00:48
circumstance
1:00:49
we have
1:00:50
that yes
1:00:51
there are
1:00:51
times of
1:00:52
great blessings
1:00:53
and joy
1:00:53
we have
1:00:54
all the
1:00:55
great hopes
1:00:56
not just
1:00:57
this world
1:00:58
but what
1:00:59
is to come
1:01:00
we have a
1:01:01
living hope
1:01:01
through the
1:01:02
resurrection
1:01:02
of Jesus
1:01:03
Christ
1:01:04
we have a
1:01:05
wonderful
1:01:05
inheritance
1:01:06
to look
1:01:07
forward to
1:01:08
we thank
1:01:09
you too
1:01:09
for the
1:01:10
reality
1:01:10
of the
1:01:11
truth
1:01:11
of the
1:01:12
trials
1:01:12
we thank
1:01:14
you for
1:01:14
your promise
1:01:15
that you
1:01:16
will not
1:01:16
put us
1:01:16
through
1:01:17
more than
1:01:17
we can
1:01:17
bear
1:01:18
that you
1:01:19
will
1:01:19
strengthen
1:01:19
that you
1:01:20
will
1:01:20
uphold
1:01:20
us
1:01:21
and may
1:01:22
we know
1:01:22
these
1:01:23
things
1:01:23
as we
1:01:23
go through
1:01:24
our own
1:01:24
trials
1:01:25
may we
1:01:26
recognize
1:01:26
how precious
1:01:27
you are
1:01:28
and lean
1:01:29
upon you
1:01:29
more and
1:01:30
more
1:01:30
Lord be
1:01:31
our strength
1:01:32
be our
1:01:32
shield
1:01:33
guard
1:01:34
as we
1:01:34
pray
1:01:35
and forgive
1:01:35
our sins
1:01:36
in Jesus
1:01:37
name
1:01:38
amen
1:01:38
we'll
1:01:43
conclude by
1:01:44
singing to
1:01:45
God's
1:01:45
praise in
1:01:45
psalm 66
1:01:47
verse 8
1:01:48
psalm 66
1:01:51
at verse 8
1:01:52
to verse 12
1:01:54
on the
1:01:54
tunis selma
1:01:55
o people
1:01:57
praise our
1:01:58
God
1:01:58
his praise
1:01:59
and song
1:01:59
repeat
1:02:00
he has
1:02:01
preserved our
1:02:02
soul alive
1:02:03
from slipping
1:02:03
kept our
1:02:05
feet
1:02:05
we'll sing
1:02:05
from verse 8
1:02:06
to 12
1:02:07
and we
1:02:08
stand to
1:02:08
sing
1:02:08
to God's
1:02:09
praise
1:02:09
oh people's
1:02:16
praise our
1:02:18
God
1:02:20
his
1:02:21
presence
1:02:22
all
1:02:24
we
1:02:25
paid
1:02:27
He
1:02:28
for
1:02:34
that
1:02:39
he
1:02:43
died
1:02:44
and we
1:02:48
pardon
1:02:49
our
1:02:50
heart
1:02:51
As ever as we find,
1:02:58
You laid so burdened on our backs,
1:03:06
In chains we were confined.
1:03:12
You let us be oppressed,
1:03:22
We went through flood and fire,
1:03:29
But yet you brought us to a place
1:03:37
Which made our hearts decide.
1:03:46
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left.
1:03:49
We'll close the benediction.
1:03:52
Now may grace, mercy and peace from God,
1:03:55
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
1:03:57
Rest upon and abide with you all,
1:04:00
Now and forevermore. Amen.
1:04:07
Amen.