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Do You Still Not Understand? · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We'll begin our worship by singing to God's praise in Psalm 103, the Scottish Psalter version.
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Psalm 103, page 369 of the psalm books. We're going to sing from verse 8 to verse 13.
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The Lord our God is merciful, and he is gracious, long-suffering, and slow to wrath, and mercy
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plenteous. He will not chide continually, nor keep his anger still. With us he dealt not as we sinned,
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nor did we quiet our ill. We'll sing from verse 8 to 13 to God's praise.
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The Lord our God is merciful, and he is gracious, long-suffering, and slow to wrath, and mercy plenteous.
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He will not chide continually, nor keep his anger still.
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With us he dealt not as we sinned, nor did we quiet our ill.
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For us the heaven, every time, the earth surrounded by. So we to our statue and fear,
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His tender mercy's high.
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His tender mercy's high.
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As far as he's distant from the west, so far at me, from us we looted in his love,
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all our may need.
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His tender mercy's high.
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His tender mercy's high.
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The earth is distant from the west, so far at me, from us we looted in his love,
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all our may need.
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His tender mercy's high.
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The earth is distant from us we looted in his love, all our may need.
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His tender mercy's high.
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The earth is distant from us we looted in his love, all our may need.
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His tender mercy's high.
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The earth is distant from us we looted in his love, all our may need.
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The earth is distant from us we looted in his love, all our may need.
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The earth is distant from us we looted in his love, all our may need.
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Melanie.
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He asked the Father,
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I will come to God in prayer.
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Let us pray.
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Our gracious God, our Father in heaven,
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as we sing praise to you,
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we are thankful for the wonder of these words,
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of what they remind us of.
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They remind us of who you are
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and how gracious you are towards us.
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You are a Father who pities his children
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and you do not deal with us according to our ways.
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You have been patient and kind with us
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and long-suffering in so many different ways.
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And we thank you that today and this evening
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as we come to worship you,
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as we come seeking your face,
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we are reminded in so many ways,
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O Lord, of how you have kept us,
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how you have spared us,
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how your favor has been upon us.
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We are reminded in the Psalm 2 of who we are.
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We are a pitied people, Lord,
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for we have sinned and fall short of your glory
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in so many ways.
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But we thank you, Lord,
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that we are reminded too
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that as we come to worship you
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in the right spirit of fear,
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that we are indeed your dear children
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and that you are a God who cares for us.
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Even in our sin, Lord,
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we are reminded that as we come to you
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seeking forgiveness,
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that you have removed our sin
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as far as east as from the west.
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And we thank you that we are reminded of that,
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not because of our deserving of it.
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We are reminded not because of anything
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that we have done,
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but we are reminded of our sin removed
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through your own Son,
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through his sacrifice,
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through the shedding of his blood,
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through his giving his life
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as a ransom for many.
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And so we thank you, Lord,
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for your great love and compassion
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towards us in these things.
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And as we come today
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on a day of significant and special remembrance,
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we look back, oh Lord,
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in so many ways.
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And we remember, Lord,
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in so many different ways,
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things that have taken place in the past,
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things that we didn't experience,
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many of us ourselves,
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and yet, oh Lord,
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things that have left a mark upon us all,
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things that have made an impression
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on our lives
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and indeed marked out our lives for us.
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For apart from the loss of so many lives,
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apart from those who were willing
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to stand up to wickedness
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and evil when it arose,
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apart from those great sacrifices,
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Lord, our world would be so different,
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our freedoms,
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maybe we wouldn't even have them.
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And the worship of your name
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could be so curtailed
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that, Lord, we would have to do so
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as we do this evening
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in much privacy
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and even hidden away.
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And we know, Lord,
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that we have so much to be thankful for,
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for all who went,
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who laid down their lives,
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that we might have the freedom that we do.
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We thank you, Lord,
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that even to this day
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there are those who serve
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for that means, oh Lord,
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for your people far and wide,
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to give freedom and liberties
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that are not ours.
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Apart from, Lord,
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they were given by you.
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And so we thank you
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for all our services,
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our armed forces.
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We thank you for them in the past,
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Lord, how they defended our nation
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on land,
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at sea,
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and in the air,
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and in so many different ways
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on the home front as well.
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We thank you, Lord,
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for all that was done for us.
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And in our remembrance, Lord,
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help us that we will indeed
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give thanks for them,
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but above all,
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give thanks to you this day.
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May we remember, Lord,
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the conflicts taking place
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even in our own day and age as well.
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That throughout the world,
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there are still these battles ongoing,
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still so many lives being lost
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because of the wickedness of man.
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And we do pray, Lord,
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for you to come
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in a day of your power
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to have pity upon us, Lord,
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to have mercy upon us,
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and to turn us once again towards you.
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So, Lord, we pray that you will help us
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to remember all these things,
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but above all, Lord,
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that we would remember you in it.
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As someone said, Lord,
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that the further we go from an event,
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the more we forget.
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And the further we go,
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not just from the conflicts
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and wars of these past centuries,
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but the further we go, Lord,
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from the conquest of sin at the cross,
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the more we tend to forget.
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When Jesus said that
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he would come again to his people,
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they were expecting it so imminently.
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But now that years and centuries have passed,
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we live as a people
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who have almost forgotten
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the promises of Christ.
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But we thank you that your word
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gives us a remembrance towards that.
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And we thank you, Lord,
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for every means that we have
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to remember you.
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We thank you for your word
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and the proclamation of it.
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We thank you for the preaching of it
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week by week.
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We thank you, too,
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for the sacraments
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for both the Lord's Supper
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and baptism.
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They're reminders to us, Lord,
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of all that you have done for us
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and the way that our salvation
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has been purchased.
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And so we pray that you will continue
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to build up your church
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far and wide,
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that in all we do,
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we do so in remembrance of him
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who gave his life for us.
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We thank you for our people, Lord,
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our congregation,
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and our communities.
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We do pray your blessing on us
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as a people.
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We thank you, Lord,
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that you are always near,
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that there is never a moment
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when we cannot turn to you.
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We thank you that even
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in this past week
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as we have experienced
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great needs in our midst
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as a people,
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with ill health,
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with the passing of loved ones,
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with the various trials
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that come our way, Lord,
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we thank you that you are a God
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who is faithful,
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that you are always there for us.
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And we pray, Lord,
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that you will surround us
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as a people,
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that you will uphold us
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as a people,
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that you will be a strength
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to those who need you
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in particular ways.
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We think of those
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who are laid aside
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in their homes,
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those who are in hospital,
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those who are in homes
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for the old age.
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We pray, Lord,
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for our young people,
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our middle age,
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for all with many ongoing issues
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in our lives.
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Lord, we know that our lives
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are complex in so many ways
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and our understanding
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is so dull at times.
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We think we understand
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so many things
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and yet so much
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we do not understand.
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But we thank you
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that in Christ
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we have one
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who is a teacher,
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who is our Lord.
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And we pray, Lord,
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that you will direct our paths,
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that you will help us
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to know our ways
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and to walk in your paths,
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to walk in your ways.
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We pray, Lord,
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your blessing over us
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and we thank you
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for our young people,
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for the YF tonight.
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We pray that you will bless them
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in their time together
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for that subject
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they will be speaking upon,
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the life in this world
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where we think of our image
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and all that that means.
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We know it's such a pressure
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on us as a people
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and especially our young ones.
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We pray for you
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and as he leads them in that
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and as they enjoy
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that time together, Lord,
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may you bless them
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and give them your spirit
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upon them.
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And in all things, Lord,
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that we think of image,
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may we remember
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that we are made
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in the image of Christ.
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And we pray, Lord,
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that we will see Christ
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in one another
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and that we would see,
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O Lord,
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your image being perfected in us,
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that we would see our people
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as a whole,
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all of us together,
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seeking after him
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and longing to be more like him.
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So we pray your blessing on us
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as we continue in our worship.
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Bless your people far and wide.
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Build up your church, O Lord,
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and look down upon us
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in these days with mercy.
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Remember those who lead us
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in government
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and who rule over us
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as a people.
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May you uphold them
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and give them wisdom
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from on high.
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Bless the nations
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of the world, O Lord.
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We pray again, Lord,
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for all the various needs
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around us,
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that you will be with us
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as a people.
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We thank you that
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in our remembrance of so much,
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that you are a God
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who has remembered us.
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May you continue to do so,
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Lord,
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that you would turn your face
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towards us,
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shine upon us
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and bless us
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by the pity
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of your nature
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and all that you are.
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Lord,
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may you find us
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to be a precious people,
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a people
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purchased at a great price
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and a people
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who would come
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and offer up our praise
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and worship to you.
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So, Lord,
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hear our prayers,
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hear our praise,
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uphold us in all we do.
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Bless us as we sing
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your praise.
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Be with the one
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who leads us in it, Lord.
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And may we all lift up
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our hearts together
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in worship
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and adoration of you.
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Bless your word
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to us as well
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as we ask all things
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with forgiveness
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of our sins.
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In Jesus' precious name.
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Amen.
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We'll again sing
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to God's praise,
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this time in Psalm 77.
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In the Singed Psalm,
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Psalm 77.
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It's on page 100
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of the psalm books.
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We're going to sing
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from verse 7
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down to verse 15.
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Verse 7,
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it's the question
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of the psalmist
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where he's looking
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to God
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and asking this question,
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forever will the Lord
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reject
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and never show
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his grace
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as he withdrawn
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his steadfast love
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and turned
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from me
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his face.
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There's this searching
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question
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that the psalmist has.
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But then in verse 10
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he says,
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then to my heart
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there came this thought,
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on this I will rely,
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the years of the right hand
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of power
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of him
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who is most high.
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I rely on a dependence
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upon God.
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We'll sing
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from verse 7
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to 15
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to God's praise.
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Forever
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will the Lord
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reject
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and never
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show
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his grace
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as
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he
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will
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turn
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on
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his
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king
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cross
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and
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turn
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from me
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his face.
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For all
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time
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has
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his
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promise
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failed
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his
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God
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no
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No longer kind, as he in his great proudestness, O passion from his mind.
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Then to my heart, their kindness thought, On this I will rely.
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The years of the bright hand of power, Off him who is most high.
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I will recall the Lord's great deeds, Your words of long ago.
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I'll meditate on all your acts, Your mighty deeds I'll show.
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O God, for so in higher ways, What God compares with you.
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You are the Lord of miracles, Whose powers that nations view.
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You have redeemed your people, Lord, With your almighty arm.
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Jacob, St. Joseph, children you Delivered from all heart.
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We will turn together to read God's word now in the Gospel of Mark.
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Mark, Mark chapter 8.
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Reading from the beginning of the chapter down to verse 21.
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Mark chapter 8, the beginning of the chapter down to verse 21.
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In those days when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat,
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He called His disciples to Him,
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He said,
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They said seven.
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They said seven.
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And He directed the crowd to sit down on the ground.
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And He took the seven loaves, and having given thanks,
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He broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before the people.
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And they set them before the crowd.
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And they had a few small fish.
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And having blessed them, He said too,
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He said that these also should be set before them.
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And they ate and were satisfied.
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And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.
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And there were about four thousand people.
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And He sent them away.
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And immediately got into the boat with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
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The Pharisees came and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven to test Him.
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And He said,
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Why does this generation seek a sign?
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And He said,
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Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.
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And He left them, got into His boat again, and went to the other side.
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Now they had forgotten to bring bread.
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And they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
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And He cautioned them, saying,
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Watch out.
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Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.
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And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread.
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And Jesus, aware of this, said to them,
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Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread?
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Do you not yet perceive or understand?
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Are your hearts hardened?
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Having eyes, do you not see?
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And having ears, do you not hear?
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And do you not remember?
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When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,
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how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?
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They said to Him,
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Twelve.
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And the seven for the four thousand,
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How many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?
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And they said to Him,
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Seven.
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And He said to them,
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Do you not yet understand?
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And so on.
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And may God bless that reading from His Word.
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We're going to sing again to God's praise, this time in Psalm 85.
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In the sing Psalms on page 113.
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Psalm 85, page 113, from the beginning of the Psalm.
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In times past, Lord, you showed favour to your own beloved land,
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the prosperity of Jacob.
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You restored by your strong hand.
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You forgave your people's trespass.
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You were pleased their sins to hide.
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You withdrew all your displeasure from your wrath.
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You turned aside.
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We'll sing from verse 1 to 9 to God's praise.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Let go!
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Amen.
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In times past, Lord, you should favor to your own beloved land.
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Let prosperity of Jacob you restore values from hand.
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You forgive your needless past.
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You had peace as sins to hide.
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You withdrew all your displeasure.
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From your wrath you turned aside.
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God our Savior now restored us.
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All must turn away your rage.
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Will your anger burn against us?
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Will it last from age to age?
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Will you not again revive us?
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That we may rejoice in you.
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Show us, Lord, your covenant mercy.
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Your salvation grant anew.
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I will hear what God the Lord says.
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To his saints he offers peace.
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But his people must not wander.
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And return to foolishness.
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Surely for all those who fear him.
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His salvation is our time.
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So that once again his glory may be seen within our land.
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Amen.
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Well, if we can turn back to our reading in Mark's Gospel, Chapter 8.
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We're going to be looking at the whole of the section that we read from the beginning of the chapter down to verse 21.
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But it's in light of the question that Jesus asks of his disciples.
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The question you see asked twice of them here.
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In verse 17 and then in verse 21.
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In verse 17, Jesus says, aware of what they were speaking about, he said to them,
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Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread?
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Do you not yet perceive or understand?
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Are your hearts hardened?
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And then in verse 21, he says to them,
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Do you not yet understand?
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I think it's important for us, first of all, as we think of that question,
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to realize who the question was being asked of.
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It wasn't of a large crowd of people.
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It was of his closest disciples, those who were closest to him,
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those who had experienced so much with him up to this point.
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Yet in all that they've seen, in all that they've experienced with them,
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he still has this question of them.
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Do you not yet understand?
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And it's a question for ourselves to think about too.
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Do you understand?
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When we think about our lives, we live as if we understand so much.
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Whatever age and stage of life we are,
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we always feel we know more than we actually do.
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We often feel we understand,
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maybe even everything that there is to know about life.
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And yet the more we go on,
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the more we realize just how little we understand.
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What's your favorite school subject?
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It could be a question for the young people here,
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but it's also a question maybe for every one of us.
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When you look back over the years to your days in school,
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what was your favorite subject?
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Some maybe would excel in maths,
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some in English,
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some in sciences,
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some in geography,
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some in history.
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You'd all have maybe different strengths and weaknesses.
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But if you went into the class the first day
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and you were expected to understand
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everything about that subject there and then,
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how would you fare?
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If you were to sit an exam,
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that's actually a higher exam for sixth year
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when you went into primary one,
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do you think you'd pass?
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Do you think you'd understand trigonometry?
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You'd understand algebra?
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You'd understand how everything goes together.
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You wouldn't
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because you haven't reached that stage.
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But your teacher wouldn't say to you on primary one,
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do you not understand?
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Do you not understand
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how algebra and trigonometry works
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when you haven't been fully taught?
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You wouldn't be expected to know it
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or understand it at that point.
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But yet as our lives go on,
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we begin to understand more and more.
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But I could ask hands up
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if anyone now understands algebra.
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And it doesn't matter what stage of life you're at,
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some people still don't understand.
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But it doesn't mean that that's it.
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You're pushed away.
28:24
There's certain things
28:26
that we should seek to understand.
28:28
Maybe we're not interested in certain subjects.
28:31
We've got other areas we'd like to focus on.
28:33
But when Jesus is asking us this question,
28:36
he's asking us for a different reason.
28:39
He's asking a more searching question.
28:42
A question that we really need to think about ourselves
28:45
because it's not something we can just put away
28:48
and say, well, I'm not going to need that in life.
28:51
I'm not really interested in learning about that.
28:53
I've got other areas I'm more focused in.
28:56
When Jesus is asking this question,
28:59
do you understand?
29:02
He's asking it because it is an important question
29:05
for every one of us.
29:08
As believers or as seekers
29:11
or wherever we are in life,
29:13
Jesus is asking this question of you this evening.
29:16
And he's saying,
29:18
do you not yet understand?
29:20
In all your experience in life
29:23
and all the understanding you feel you have
29:26
and you may be starting to think,
29:27
oh, I know so much in life now.
29:30
I'm understanding everything.
29:32
But when Jesus asks us,
29:34
do you really understand?
29:36
Do you understand what's important?
29:40
Do you understand what's vital for your life,
29:43
for death, for eternity?
29:47
Do you understand?
29:48
Do you understand?
29:49
We realize we don't.
29:53
But we have a great teacher.
29:55
We have one who gives us instruction in his word,
29:58
saying to us,
30:00
you maybe won't understand it all.
30:02
You won't understand everything.
30:05
But I will give you what you need to know
30:07
and what you need to take hold of.
30:11
So this question that Jesus has for his disciples,
30:15
it's in light of having been with them
30:17
for some time together now,
30:19
having seen so many miracles and healings,
30:23
having heard the greatest teaching they would ever hear.
30:28
He's asking them,
30:29
do you understand?
30:32
And so tonight, that's your question too.
30:35
Do you understand?
30:37
Or what do you understand
30:39
of what Jesus is asking here?
30:43
Whatever situation you're in,
30:45
if you're a believer,
30:47
do you understand what that means?
30:51
Are you confident in what you know?
30:54
If you're a seeker,
30:56
do you understand what you're looking for?
30:59
Do you understand where to find it?
31:01
If you're a doubter,
31:04
do you understand what that means?
31:08
Do you understand the danger you're in
31:10
of just pushing Jesus away?
31:14
Or if you're rejecting the truth completely,
31:17
do you understand what that means?
31:20
Do you understand what a rejection of Christ means eternally?
31:26
Do you understand is the question.
31:31
And with this evening,
31:31
we're going to look at different things
31:33
that can hinder our understanding,
31:36
that can become a barrier to our understanding.
31:41
Circumstances we see in this passage,
31:44
things that come between the people
31:46
and their understanding of who Jesus is
31:48
and what he can do
31:49
and see how they speak to ourselves as well
31:52
and how they remind us
31:54
that even though we will not understand fully,
31:58
Jesus has made himself known in a way
32:00
that we can understand to the way of salvation.
32:04
So the three things are this.
32:06
First of all,
32:06
there's circumstances that can prevent us
32:09
from understanding.
32:11
Secondly,
32:12
there's conflict that can hinder our understanding.
32:16
And then thirdly,
32:17
there's confusion that can hinder our understanding.
32:21
So the first thing is circumstances.
32:25
If you look at,
32:26
first of all,
32:26
verse 1 to verse 10,
32:29
here we have the account of the feeding
32:30
of the 4,000 as it is in this part.
32:35
And it's important to note
32:36
that this is not the same
32:37
as the feeding of the 5,000
32:40
because that's made clear for us
32:41
later on in the verses that we read
32:44
because Jesus asks them about the two incidents
32:47
when these miracles happened,
32:49
the feeding of the 5,000
32:51
and the feeding of the 4,000.
32:54
So this is the second time
32:56
this great miracle has happened.
33:00
And the question that he asks of the people
33:02
is really,
33:04
this is the main aspect of it,
33:05
it's in light of the miracle
33:07
that they've seen here
33:08
in the talk about bread
33:09
and how Jesus is able to understand it.
33:13
They're questioning where the bread
33:14
is going to come from.
33:16
So he's asking,
33:16
do you not yet understand?
33:19
Do you not understand who I am?
33:23
You see as you read through the Gospel of Mark,
33:26
many miracles that Jesus has done.
33:29
He shows his power again and again
33:33
in remarkable ways.
33:36
He's healed many people already to this point.
33:39
He's calmed a storm
33:41
that the disciples were in with him.
33:43
He made the sea just to be still
33:45
at the power of his voice.
33:48
And now this is the second miraculous feeding
33:50
of a large group of people.
33:53
And you would think to yourself at this point now,
33:56
surely, well, the disciples,
33:57
they'll be understanding who this man is.
34:01
They'd asked in the storm,
34:03
who is this?
34:04
That even the wind and the waves obey him.
34:07
But surely now,
34:08
they're understanding who he is.
34:10
Having seen all these miracles
34:12
again and again,
34:13
that Jesus has done so much
34:15
that is impossible.
34:18
And yet, when this challenge arises,
34:21
you'd think, well,
34:22
the disciples will know
34:23
Jesus can help.
34:26
So again, as you see in this section,
34:28
they're gathered together,
34:29
a large crowd.
34:30
They've got nothing to eat.
34:32
In verse 1,
34:33
and he says,
34:33
he called his disciples to him
34:34
and said to them,
34:36
I have compassion on the crowd
34:37
because they have been with me now
34:39
three days and have nothing to eat.
34:41
And he explains that if he sends them away,
34:44
they'll faint on the way.
34:47
So his disciples answered him and said,
34:49
how can one feed these people with bread here
34:53
in this desolate place?
34:58
They've seen it done before.
35:00
And yet, the question they have immediately here is,
35:03
how can anything be done?
35:05
And Jesus is asking them later on,
35:10
do you not understand?
35:14
They've seen it,
35:15
but they maybe don't believe
35:17
it can happen again.
35:19
They've had that
35:22
wow factor in the past
35:24
when they've seen so much
35:27
of the power of God,
35:29
and yet here they are
35:30
just a short time later
35:31
asking,
35:32
what can we do?
35:34
How can anybody help us
35:36
in this situation?
35:39
Sometimes it's good
35:40
when things are going well,
35:42
when we're tuned in
35:44
and trusting God the Lord
35:45
and seeing blessings around us.
35:48
But when our circumstances change,
35:53
we can so easily doubt
35:55
and begin to look away from God.
36:00
Circumstances can affect us
36:01
so much,
36:02
but should they?
36:04
Not so much
36:05
that we wouldn't have God
36:06
in our vision at all times,
36:09
but the reality is,
36:11
they do.
36:12
And we ourselves
36:13
go into circumstances,
36:15
and even though we've seen
36:17
the Lord's hand in the past,
36:19
we've seen many ways
36:20
where he's helped his people,
36:22
whether we're looking at scripture,
36:23
whether we're looking at history,
36:25
whether we're looking at
36:26
our own personal experience
36:27
of the past,
36:28
where God has helped me,
36:30
God has been with me,
36:31
and yet we come to another trial,
36:33
another event,
36:35
well, what can God do?
36:37
He can't help me here.
36:39
We take our eyes away from him.
36:41
Just like that psalm
36:42
that we were singing,
36:43
Psalm 77,
36:45
where the psalmist saying,
36:47
whatever will the Lord reject
36:49
and never show his grace.
36:52
This is the psalmist
36:53
who's known it in the past.
36:55
And yet he's saying,
36:56
you know,
36:57
can God do it now?
37:00
And maybe that's so much
37:02
our attitude as well.
37:05
Circumstances eat away at us,
37:07
and they dictate
37:09
the way that we see God
37:10
when really it shouldn't.
37:13
Because even the psalmist
37:14
says in that psalm,
37:16
then to my heart
37:17
there came this thought,
37:18
on this I will rely,
37:20
the years of the right hand
37:22
of power of him
37:23
who is most high.
37:25
I will recall
37:27
the Lord's great deeds,
37:28
your works of long ago.
37:30
He begins to look back
37:32
and say,
37:32
well, actually,
37:33
in all my questions,
37:34
God's done it before.
37:36
And he goes on to say,
37:38
oh God, most holy,
37:39
are your ways
37:40
what God compares with you.
37:43
You are the God of miracles
37:46
whose power the nation's view.
37:51
What makes the difference?
37:53
It's to look to God
37:55
and to remember who he is.
37:58
And circumstances here,
38:00
the disciples are saying,
38:01
who can help us?
38:03
There's nothing here for us.
38:04
They've forgotten already
38:06
what God can do,
38:07
what Christ has done
38:08
in the past.
38:10
But he reminds them again
38:12
how he is able to do
38:14
the things that are impossible.
38:17
This is no ordinary event.
38:20
It's a miracle.
38:22
It's a miraculous event
38:23
that Christ has shown his power
38:26
once again.
38:28
He is the God of miracles.
38:32
But have we lost sight of that?
38:38
Are we forgetting who he is?
38:42
Do we really understand?
38:45
When he asks that question,
38:47
do you not yet understand?
38:50
Is that a question of ourselves?
38:53
Even though we've seen his favor,
38:55
even though we've seen his blessing,
38:57
we still doubt.
38:58
What have we got?
39:04
And what can Jesus do with it?
39:06
Is how we should look at it.
39:08
That should have been the response
39:10
of the disciples here.
39:12
Instead of saying,
39:13
nothing can be done.
39:16
Jesus points them
39:17
in the right direction.
39:18
He begins to say,
39:20
what have we got?
39:21
What can we give
39:24
to these people?
39:26
He asked them,
39:27
how many loaves do we have?
39:29
They said,
39:29
seven.
39:31
Now again in their eyes,
39:32
this would never be enough
39:33
to feed them.
39:34
Or the fish,
39:36
just a few small fish,
39:37
never would that feed this crowd.
39:40
But through the Lord's blessing,
39:42
it does.
39:43
And there's seven baskets full
39:45
left over.
39:46
Their circumstances
39:50
made them look away from God
39:52
and look at the situation
39:53
and think nothing can be done.
39:58
And for ourselves today,
40:00
it's a time maybe to ask,
40:01
what have we got?
40:03
And what can we do?
40:04
What can God do
40:05
with what we have?
40:08
Not we ourselves.
40:09
What can we achieve?
40:10
But what can God do for us?
40:14
In our circumstances,
40:15
we think everything is low.
40:17
Everything is hard.
40:18
Everything is difficult.
40:20
And they are at times.
40:22
But are we trusting God?
40:24
Do we understand
40:25
who He is?
40:27
And do we understand
40:29
what He is able to do?
40:32
Our circumstances
40:33
are no different
40:34
to the circumstances
40:35
of those in the past
40:37
who trusted God.
40:42
And that's what we pray tonight,
40:43
that God will revive
40:44
our trust in Him.
40:50
We need an urgency
40:52
for Him.
40:56
So we don't let our circumstances
40:58
dictate our view of Jesus.
41:02
Instead, we look first to Him
41:04
and then to our circumstances.
41:07
And see,
41:08
He is able
41:09
to do abundantly more
41:11
than we ask or imagine.
41:14
The second thing we see here
41:16
is the conflict that comes
41:18
between mainly Jesus
41:20
and the Pharisees.
41:22
And how again,
41:23
this hinders
41:24
an understanding
41:25
of who Jesus is.
41:29
You see this with the Pharisees
41:31
in verse 11.
41:34
The Pharisees came
41:35
and began to argue with Him.
41:37
seeking with Him
41:38
a sign from heaven
41:39
to test Him.
41:41
And He sighed deeply
41:43
in spirit and said,
41:45
Why does this generation
41:46
seek a sign?
41:48
Truly I say to you,
41:49
no sign
41:50
shall be given
41:51
to this generation.
41:53
And He left them,
41:55
got into His boat again,
41:56
and went
41:57
to the other side.
42:00
Here's the Pharisees.
42:01
And their attitude
42:04
towards Jesus
42:05
is an immediate barrier
42:07
to their understanding
42:08
because they're straight away
42:09
into conflict
42:10
with Jesus.
42:12
The Pharisees came
42:13
and began to
42:15
argue with Him.
42:18
Straight off.
42:19
As soon as He comes their way,
42:21
they begin to argue with Him,
42:23
seeking for a sign
42:24
from heaven.
42:25
They would have known
42:27
all about the miracles.
42:29
They would have heard
42:30
about everything
42:31
that Jesus was doing.
42:34
It's almost like
42:34
they're mocking Him here.
42:36
Show us a sign.
42:38
Do another miracle
42:39
as if it's just a show.
42:42
But Jesus
42:43
is rebuking them.
42:44
Why does this generation
42:45
seek a sign?
42:47
They refused to accept
42:52
anything
42:52
that Jesus did.
42:55
It didn't matter
42:55
what He did,
42:56
they would still have
42:57
something
42:58
to argue with Jesus about.
43:00
Something that would
43:01
make Him
43:02
pushed away.
43:04
It's as if to say,
43:04
we don't need you.
43:06
The Pharisees,
43:08
just like so many of us
43:09
today as well,
43:10
they understood
43:11
everything.
43:13
They always had
43:14
an answer.
43:15
They always had
43:16
something to show
43:17
the people
43:18
how superior
43:19
they were,
43:20
how they had
43:21
this greater
43:21
understanding
43:22
than anybody else.
43:24
So few could
43:25
silence them.
43:27
But Jesus did
43:28
on many occasions.
43:32
He always had
43:32
a rebuke
43:33
or a challenge
43:33
for them
43:34
that made them
43:35
to be silent.
43:37
But here they kept
43:38
coming back,
43:39
kept coming back,
43:40
seeking after a sign.
43:43
Can we not be like
43:43
that ourselves too?
43:46
We've got all
43:47
the answers.
43:48
We understand
43:49
everything that we
43:50
need to know
43:51
about life.
43:53
But maybe,
43:55
maybe if Jesus
43:56
just gave me a sign,
43:58
maybe if He showed
43:59
me something,
44:00
then I would believe.
44:02
If God
44:02
maybe did another
44:03
miracle today,
44:05
then I would believe
44:06
that He is real.
44:09
But would you?
44:11
Would you believe
44:12
even if you saw
44:13
another miracle?
44:15
two things
44:17
to ask yourself
44:18
if this is
44:19
your attitude.
44:20
First is,
44:22
why should you
44:23
get a sign
44:24
just for yourself?
44:26
Are you
44:26
deserving of it?
44:29
The second thing is,
44:31
has He not
44:32
given you
44:32
all the signs
44:34
that you need?
44:35
Has He not
44:36
shown you
44:36
everything you need
44:37
to know about Him?
44:39
think about the signs
44:41
that you have
44:43
all around you,
44:45
the things that
44:45
point you
44:46
towards God,
44:48
and the kind of
44:49
questions that you
44:49
maybe have.
44:50
Oh, if only Jesus
44:51
would do this,
44:53
when so often
44:54
He already has.
44:57
Just think about
44:58
the creation
44:59
around you.
45:01
on a night
45:03
like tonight
45:04
when you go out
45:04
and there's a
45:05
clear sky,
45:06
you lift up
45:06
your eyes,
45:08
you maybe
45:08
see the moon,
45:09
you see the stars,
45:12
does that not
45:12
speak?
45:14
Does that not
45:15
show you
45:15
that there's a
45:17
creator behind
45:18
it all?
45:19
As you watch
45:20
a sunrise
45:21
and a sunset,
45:23
as you watch
45:24
this week
45:25
the torrents
45:26
of rain we had,
45:28
you think to yourself,
45:29
well,
45:29
where should it all
45:30
come from?
45:31
He has made
45:32
all of these
45:32
things.
45:34
Is there not
45:35
a creator
45:35
behind them?
45:37
He has given
45:38
so many signs,
45:40
the signs all
45:41
around us
45:42
in creation.
45:44
There's a story
45:45
told about
45:46
Sir Isaac Newton
45:47
and you think
45:49
to yourself,
45:50
well,
45:50
there's someone
45:51
who had
45:51
such a great
45:52
understanding
45:53
of so many
45:54
things in life.
45:56
But perhaps
45:57
the greatest
45:58
understanding
45:59
he had was
46:00
that he knew
46:01
that there was
46:01
someone else
46:02
behind everything.
46:04
And he had
46:05
a miniature
46:06
model made
46:08
of the solar
46:09
system that he
46:10
had in his
46:10
study.
46:12
And apparently
46:12
it was quite
46:13
an amazing
46:14
thing to see.
46:16
It had the
46:17
sun in the
46:18
middle and
46:18
revolving around
46:19
the sun
46:20
were all the
46:21
planets and
46:22
it would move
46:22
around,
46:22
you could tell
46:23
what was what.
46:25
And another
46:25
scientist entered
46:27
his study one
46:28
day and was
46:28
amazed by
46:29
this model.
46:31
And he was
46:32
just taken
46:32
aback by it,
46:34
how exquisite
46:34
it was.
46:35
And he started
46:36
to ask questions.
46:37
One of the
46:38
questions he
46:38
asked was,
46:39
who made
46:40
it?
46:42
And Isaac
46:42
Newton replied,
46:44
nobody.
46:47
Well,
46:48
the other
46:48
scientist said
46:49
to him,
46:49
you must think
46:50
I'm a fool.
46:52
Of course
46:52
somebody made
46:53
it, and
46:54
whoever made
46:54
it is a
46:55
genius.
46:58
Isaac
46:58
Newton
46:59
apparently replied
47:00
by saying
47:00
this, he
47:01
said, this
47:02
thing is
47:03
but a
47:03
puny
47:04
imitation of
47:06
something much
47:07
more grand
47:08
and marvelous.
47:10
And I'm
47:11
not able to
47:11
convince you
47:12
that this
47:14
mere toy has
47:15
no designer.
47:17
Yet you
47:17
profess to
47:18
believe that
47:19
the great
47:19
original which
47:21
this design
47:21
comes from
47:22
was made
47:23
without designer
47:24
or maker.
47:30
Now tell
47:31
me, he
47:32
said, by
47:34
what reason
47:35
do you reach
47:36
such a
47:37
conclusion?
47:41
Amazed
47:42
by the
47:43
model, but
47:45
unamazed by
47:46
the real
47:46
thing.
47:50
And how
47:50
many things
47:51
are we
47:52
amazed with
47:53
today?
47:54
How many
47:55
things do
47:55
we see
47:56
that take
47:57
our breath
47:57
away?
47:58
Whether it's
47:59
some kind
48:00
of technology
48:01
or something
48:02
else that we
48:03
see around
48:03
us, we're
48:04
just like
48:04
blown away
48:05
by things
48:06
that we
48:06
see have
48:07
been made.
48:09
And yet we
48:10
fail to be
48:10
amazed by
48:12
the creator.
48:14
Jesus
48:15
says to the
48:16
Pharisees,
48:17
why do you
48:18
seek a
48:18
sign?
48:19
God is
48:20
saying that
48:21
to ourselves,
48:21
why would
48:22
you seek
48:22
after a
48:23
sign today?
48:24
When all
48:25
the signs
48:26
are there
48:26
for you,
48:28
whether it's
48:28
looking at
48:29
creation,
48:30
whether it's
48:31
looking at
48:31
his word,
48:33
whether it's
48:33
looking at
48:33
history,
48:35
whether it's
48:35
looking at
48:35
everything goes
48:36
on around
48:37
us, God
48:38
is reminding
48:39
us again and
48:40
again and
48:40
again that he
48:42
is the God
48:43
of miracles.
48:43
miracles.
48:45
And yet
48:46
still we
48:46
don't believe.
48:48
Consider
48:49
the marvel
48:50
of the
48:51
human body.
48:53
When you
48:53
read in
48:53
Psalm 139
48:55
that we
48:56
were fearfully
48:57
and wonderfully
48:57
made, formed
48:59
in the womb,
49:00
no two people
49:02
alike in the
49:03
world, no two
49:05
fingerprints
49:05
alike.
49:07
When you
49:07
consider the
49:08
marvel of
49:08
DNA and
49:10
how all of
49:10
that works
49:11
together,
49:12
and yet you're
49:12
unique.
49:13
Every one
49:14
of you.
49:16
You are
49:16
different from
49:17
every other
49:17
person in
49:18
this world.
49:20
Is that not
49:21
something that
49:22
should leave us
49:22
amazed and
49:23
thinking, how
49:24
is that?
49:26
Where did we
49:26
come from?
49:28
How are we
49:28
made?
49:28
Well the Bible
49:29
tells us we
49:30
are made in
49:31
the image of
49:32
God.
49:33
We are made
49:33
by him and
49:35
for him.
49:36
All these
49:37
signs are
49:39
there for us
49:39
and yet we
49:40
push God
49:41
away.
49:43
we are
49:45
amazed by
49:46
him.
49:48
All of
49:49
these things
49:50
scream at
49:51
us saying
49:51
there is a
49:53
God.
49:54
He has
49:55
made us,
49:56
he has
49:57
given us
49:57
all of
49:57
this.
49:59
And still
49:59
you ask,
50:01
show me a
50:02
sign.
50:02
well the
50:05
greatest sign
50:06
of all was
50:07
given by
50:08
Jesus himself.
50:10
When he
50:10
replied to
50:11
the Pharisees
50:12
in another
50:12
place, in
50:13
Matthew 12
50:14
verse 39,
50:15
he said,
50:16
a wicked and
50:17
adulterous
50:17
generation asks
50:18
for a
50:19
miraculous sign,
50:21
but none
50:21
will be given
50:22
it except the
50:23
sign of the
50:23
prophet Jonah.
50:25
For as
50:25
Jonah was
50:26
three days and
50:27
three nights in
50:28
the belly of a
50:28
huge fish,
50:29
so the
50:30
son of man
50:31
will be three
50:32
days and
50:32
three nights
50:33
in the heart
50:34
of the earth.
50:36
He has
50:37
given us
50:37
the greatest
50:39
sign of
50:40
all.
50:42
Three days
50:43
and three
50:44
nights in
50:46
the heart
50:46
of the
50:46
earth.
50:49
Christ
50:49
Jesus came
50:50
to lay
50:52
down his
50:52
life for
50:53
sinners.
50:54
when we
50:56
think about
50:56
remembrance
50:58
day to
50:59
day, do
51:00
we understand
51:01
the significance
51:02
of it?
51:04
Do we
51:04
understand
51:05
back further
51:07
the significance
51:08
of the one
51:09
who laid
51:10
down his
51:10
life for
51:11
us?
51:12
Greater
51:13
love hath
51:14
no man
51:15
than this,
51:15
that he lay
51:15
down his
51:16
life for
51:17
his friends.
51:18
This is a
51:18
text we'll
51:19
hear oft
51:20
quoted today,
51:21
as we give
51:21
thanks for
51:22
the sacrifice
51:23
that so many
51:23
made.
51:24
But are we
51:26
amazed by the
51:27
sacrifice of
51:28
Christ, his
51:30
love that he
51:31
laid down his
51:32
life for us?
51:35
The Pharisees
51:36
are not the
51:37
only ones in
51:38
conflict with
51:38
God.
51:40
We all are.
51:42
Every one of
51:42
us is in a
51:43
conflict.
51:45
Through sin,
51:46
we are in
51:46
rebellion against
51:47
God.
51:49
And yet Jesus
51:50
came to
51:51
defeat that
51:53
enemy, to
51:54
bring peace
51:55
into our
51:56
lives.
51:59
Do you
51:59
understand?
52:01
Do you
52:02
understand the
52:03
conflict you're
52:04
in?
52:05
And do you
52:05
understand the
52:06
way to victory
52:07
is through
52:08
Christ Jesus?
52:10
Because when you
52:11
look at verse
52:11
13, there's a
52:12
great warning
52:13
there for us.
52:14
It says,
52:16
he left
52:17
them.
52:17
He left
52:20
them, those
52:21
who are asking
52:22
for a sign.
52:24
The danger we
52:24
are in today is
52:25
if we keep
52:26
asking for a
52:27
sign, we
52:28
keep asking for
52:29
something else,
52:29
Jesus will
52:30
leave us.
52:32
Nothing he
52:34
can do for
52:34
us.
52:36
Do you
52:36
understand that
52:38
conflict?
52:39
Do you
52:40
understand your
52:41
need to turn
52:42
to Christ?
52:46
We're in
52:47
conflict.
52:48
The final
52:49
thing we see
52:50
here is the
52:51
confusion.
52:53
The confusion.
52:56
In verse 14
52:57
to 21, the
52:59
disciples are
53:00
just in this
53:01
confused state.
53:04
And again, it's
53:04
just a reminder
53:05
to us of the
53:06
world in which
53:07
we live today.
53:09
Everyone is so
53:10
confused.
53:12
Everyone is
53:12
looking for
53:13
answers but
53:14
doesn't know
53:14
where to turn.
53:16
So much that
53:16
just brings
53:17
confusion into
53:18
our life day
53:19
after day,
53:20
week after
53:21
week.
53:22
And the
53:23
confusion comes
53:24
down to
53:25
this.
53:26
You do not
53:27
understand
53:28
Jesus.
53:31
If we
53:32
understood him
53:32
more, there
53:33
would be so
53:34
much less
53:35
confusion.
53:37
And he
53:37
gives them
53:38
this insight
53:38
into just
53:39
where this
53:39
confusion is
53:40
coming from.
53:41
He says,
53:42
watch out,
53:43
beware of the
53:44
leaven of the
53:44
Pharisees and
53:45
the leaven of
53:45
Herod.
53:47
He's warning
53:48
them about this
53:48
kind of sin
53:49
that comes in.
53:51
This just
53:52
pushing Jesus
53:53
to one side
53:54
and saying,
53:54
we understand.
53:56
We've got it
53:56
all sorted.
53:58
We've made so
53:59
much advancement
54:00
now.
54:01
We don't need
54:02
the word of
54:02
God.
54:03
We don't need
54:04
the spirit of
54:05
God.
54:06
We don't need
54:06
anything of
54:07
that.
54:07
Because we've
54:08
got all the
54:09
answers.
54:11
But Jesus
54:11
is saying,
54:12
beware the
54:13
leaven of
54:13
the Pharisees.
54:14
Beware the
54:15
leaven of
54:16
Herod.
54:16
Beware this
54:17
kind of
54:17
attitude that
54:18
says, we
54:19
don't need
54:20
God.
54:21
So often in
54:22
the scriptures,
54:23
yeast, this
54:23
leaven is the
54:25
picture of
54:25
sin.
54:27
And how sin
54:28
so easily
54:29
corrupts.
54:31
A little
54:31
leaven leavens
54:33
the whole lump,
54:34
as 1 Corinthians
54:34
says.
54:36
And the
54:36
idea here
54:37
that Jesus
54:37
is saying,
54:39
beware the
54:39
little sin.
54:41
The yeast
54:42
in your
54:42
life just
54:44
escalates and
54:45
permeates
54:46
throughout all
54:47
your life,
54:49
infiltrates into
54:50
every part,
54:52
and leads you
54:52
to say,
54:54
we don't
54:54
need Jesus.
54:57
We don't
54:58
need anything
54:58
to do
54:59
with him.
55:01
The Pharisees
55:02
were religious
55:03
men, but the
55:04
religion was
55:05
external.
55:07
It didn't
55:07
change their
55:08
hearts.
55:09
Their hearts
55:10
were hard.
55:13
Do you
55:13
not yet
55:13
perceive or
55:15
understand?
55:16
Are your
55:16
hearts hardened?
55:18
He's asking
55:18
the disciples.
55:20
Is this the
55:20
danger that
55:21
you're in
55:21
as well?
55:23
Do you
55:23
not yet
55:24
understand?
55:27
You've
55:27
been coming
55:28
for so
55:29
long to
55:29
hear the
55:30
word of
55:31
God again
55:32
and again,
55:33
but the
55:33
leaven of
55:34
this world
55:35
is still
55:35
there,
55:37
still pushing
55:38
out God,
55:39
still this
55:40
barrier,
55:41
this confusion,
55:42
this conflict,
55:44
these circumstances
55:45
still going on,
55:46
that Christ is
55:47
still being
55:48
pushed out.
55:51
But Jesus
55:52
is saying,
55:53
do you not
55:54
understand?
55:57
Do you not
55:58
understand what
55:58
this means?
56:00
Do you not
56:00
understand who
56:02
I am?
56:04
And if
56:04
he's saying
56:05
this to
56:05
them,
56:06
he's saying
56:06
it to us
56:07
as well.
56:09
Even as a
56:10
believer, we
56:11
have to be on
56:11
our guard
56:12
against this
56:13
leaven,
56:14
against this
56:14
confusion that
56:16
so easily
56:16
comes in and
56:17
things have
56:18
become acceptable
56:19
that should
56:19
never be.
56:22
To be on
56:22
our guard
56:23
against this
56:24
leaven and
56:24
our hearts
56:25
hardening so
56:26
much that we
56:27
feel we've
56:28
got a greater
56:29
understanding
56:30
now than
56:31
we ever
56:31
did before.
56:33
And the
56:33
answer today
56:34
is so often
56:36
seen by
56:36
looking at
56:37
our own
56:37
wisdom.
56:39
Throughout
56:40
these last
56:41
few years,
56:42
throughout
56:42
everything that's
56:43
going on in
56:44
our world
56:45
today, there's
56:46
always an
56:47
answer.
56:49
Science
56:50
will get us
56:51
through.
56:53
Our military
56:54
power will
56:55
get us
56:56
through.
56:56
Our resources
56:57
will get us
56:59
through.
56:59
Our money
57:00
will get us
57:01
through.
57:03
But there's
57:03
no thought
57:04
that God
57:05
is the one
57:06
who will
57:07
get us
57:07
through.
57:09
Do we
57:10
not
57:10
understand?
57:13
Do we
57:13
not understand
57:14
that apart
57:15
from him,
57:16
we are
57:16
nothing?
57:18
Do we
57:18
understand that
57:19
apart from
57:20
him, we
57:21
are lost?
57:22
If the
57:23
disciples who
57:24
were so close
57:25
to him and
57:26
saw so much
57:27
could be asked
57:27
this question,
57:29
do you not
57:30
yet understand?
57:32
What was he
57:33
saying to
57:34
them?
57:35
He was
57:36
saying to
57:37
look to
57:37
him and
57:38
to trust
57:39
in him.
57:41
They
57:41
couldn't
57:42
understand what
57:42
could be
57:43
done in
57:43
the midst
57:44
of this
57:45
famine of
57:46
4,000.
57:46
They didn't
57:47
know where
57:47
to turn
57:48
when the
57:49
answer was
57:50
there before
57:51
them, to
57:52
be their
57:52
trust in
57:53
Christ.
57:53
Christ.
57:55
And for
57:55
ourselves
57:55
today, in
57:56
all the
57:57
circumstances
57:58
that we
57:58
have to
57:58
face up
57:59
to, in
58:01
all the
58:01
conflict that
58:03
goes on in
58:03
our lives,
58:04
in all the
58:04
confusion that
58:06
surrounds us,
58:06
when Jesus
58:07
is asking,
58:08
do you not
58:09
yet understand?
58:11
Do we not
58:12
know where
58:12
to go?
58:14
And will we
58:14
not turn to
58:16
him, the
58:17
one who is
58:18
able to do
58:20
so much for
58:21
us?
58:22
And yet
58:23
we just
58:23
neglect him.
58:25
We push
58:26
him away.
58:27
We'll get
58:28
through this
58:28
by ourselves.
58:31
The danger
58:32
is, just
58:32
like the
58:33
Pharisees,
58:34
where he
58:35
said, he
58:35
left them.
58:38
Our prayer
58:39
today is,
58:40
Lord, will
58:41
you not
58:42
again revive
58:43
us?
58:44
That we
58:44
would see
58:45
your blessing
58:46
on our
58:47
land.
58:48
That we
58:48
would recognize
58:49
once again
58:50
that you
58:50
are the
58:50
God of
58:51
miracles,
58:52
and that
58:53
the nations
58:53
of this
58:54
world would
58:55
view this
58:56
God and
58:57
turn to
58:58
him.
58:59
Our
59:00
circumstances,
59:02
our
59:02
conflicts,
59:03
our
59:03
confusion,
59:05
the teacher
59:05
is there
59:06
for us
59:06
to help
59:08
us understand
59:08
and to
59:10
give us
59:10
understanding
59:12
in his
59:12
ways,
59:13
the ways
59:14
of life
59:15
and the
59:16
ways of
59:16
peace,
59:17
if we
59:18
will but
59:18
turn and
59:19
thrust.
59:20
in him.
59:22
Let us
59:22
pray.
59:25
Our
59:26
Father in
59:26
heaven, we
59:27
do thank
59:27
you for
59:28
the peace
59:28
that you
59:29
are able
59:29
to give,
59:30
but it's
59:31
a peace
59:31
that we
59:31
so often
59:32
neglect or
59:33
turn away
59:34
from.
59:35
And we
59:35
do pray,
59:36
Lord, your
59:36
blessing on
59:37
us as a
59:38
people, that
59:39
you will
59:39
again revive
59:40
us, that
59:41
you will
59:41
show us
59:42
your mercy,
59:43
that you
59:43
will bring
59:44
us your
59:44
blessing,
59:45
O Lord,
59:46
and grant
59:46
us a day
59:47
of your
59:47
favour to
59:48
help us
59:49
to understand
59:50
the things
59:51
around us,
59:52
to understand
59:53
the days and
59:54
times that we
59:55
live in, and
59:56
to understand
59:57
above all our
59:58
great need of
1:00:00
Christ Jesus
1:00:00
as our Lord.
1:00:02
We ask it all
1:00:03
with the
1:00:03
forgiveness of
1:00:04
our sins, in
1:00:05
his precious
1:00:06
name.
1:00:07
Amen.
1:00:07
Amen.
1:00:07
We'll
1:00:14
conclude by
1:00:15
singing to
1:00:15
God's praise
1:00:16
in Psalm
1:00:17
105.
1:00:20
We'll
1:00:21
sing
1:00:21
Psalms
1:00:21
version,
1:00:22
page 138,
1:00:25
Psalm 105,
1:00:27
verse 1
1:00:28
to verse
1:00:28
11.
1:00:30
Give
1:00:30
thanks to
1:00:31
the Lord
1:00:31
God and
1:00:32
call on
1:00:32
his name,
1:00:33
his wonderful
1:00:34
deeds,
1:00:35
to the
1:00:35
nations
1:00:35
proclaim,
1:00:36
sing praises
1:00:37
to him,
1:00:38
his exploits
1:00:39
record.
1:00:40
Let all
1:00:41
those who
1:00:41
seek him
1:00:42
rejoice in
1:00:43
the Lord.
1:00:44
We'll
1:00:44
sing from
1:00:44
verse 1
1:00:45
to 11
1:00:46
to God's
1:00:47
praise.
1:00:54
Give
1:00:55
thanks to
1:00:57
the Lord
1:00:58
God
1:00:59
and
1:01:00
call on
1:01:02
his name,
1:01:04
his
1:01:05
wonderful
1:01:06
who
1:01:07
deeds to
1:01:09
the
1:01:10
nations
1:01:11
proclaim,
1:01:14
sing
1:01:15
praises
1:01:16
to him,
1:01:18
and his
1:01:20
exploits
1:01:21
report.
1:01:23
Let
1:01:24
all
1:01:25
those who
1:01:27
seek him
1:01:28
rejoice in
1:01:31
the Lord.
1:01:33
you
1:01:34
you
1:01:35
chosen
1:01:36
what
1:01:37
stood
1:01:38
to
1:01:39
the
1:01:40
Lord
1:01:41
and
1:01:41
his
1:01:42
might,
1:01:43
seek
1:01:45
ever
1:01:46
his
1:01:47
peace
1:01:48
and
1:01:48
his
1:01:49
wonders
1:01:50
recite,
1:01:53
his
1:01:54
miracles
1:01:56
true
1:01:57
and
1:01:58
his
1:01:59
judgments
1:02:00
divide,
1:02:01
your
1:02:03
children
1:02:04
of
1:02:06
heaven,
1:02:07
and
1:02:08
so
1:02:09
blind.
1:02:13
The
1:02:14
Lord is
1:02:16
our God
1:02:17
and
1:02:18
he
1:02:19
rules
1:02:20
all the
1:02:21
earth,
1:02:23
in
1:02:23
and
1:02:24
bring
1:02:25
his
1:02:26
covenant,
1:02:27
the
1:02:27
word
1:02:29
he
1:02:29
set
1:02:30
forth.
1:02:32
He
1:02:32
bowed for
1:02:34
the
1:02:35
ages
1:02:36
to
1:02:37
come
1:02:38
to
1:02:39
make
1:02:39
good,
1:02:41
his
1:02:42
promise
1:02:43
to
1:02:44
Abraham
1:02:45
to
1:02:46
I
1:02:47
shall
1:02:47
renew,
1:02:49
to
1:02:51
Jacob
1:02:52
his
1:02:54
sovereign
1:02:55
decree
1:02:56
must
1:02:58
make
1:02:58
sure,
1:03:00
where
1:03:01
his
1:03:02
service
1:03:02
is
1:03:03
common,
1:03:04
would
1:03:05
always
1:03:07
endure,
1:03:09
to
1:03:09
you
1:03:10
I
1:03:11
will
1:03:12
give
1:03:13
us
1:03:13
to
1:03:14
portion
1:03:15
to
1:03:16
stand
1:03:17
the
1:03:19
country
1:03:20
of
1:03:21
Canaan,
1:03:22
the
1:03:23
beautiful
1:03:24
land.
1:03:28
After the
1:03:29
benediction,
1:03:30
I'll go to
1:03:30
the main
1:03:31
door.
1:03:32
Now may
1:03:33
grace,
1:03:33
mercy,
1:03:34
and peace
1:03:34
from God,
1:03:35
Father,
1:03:36
Son,
1:03:36
and Holy
1:03:37
Spirit,
1:03:38
rest upon
1:03:39
and abide
1:03:39
with you
1:03:40
all now
1:03:40
and forever
1:03:41
more.
1:03:42
Amen.
1:03:42
Amen.
1:03:42
Amen.
1:03:45
Amen.