Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / The Future Glory of the Kingdom of God
Transcript
- 0:00Let's turn together to the prophecy of Isaiah to chapter 25 and we can read at verse number 6.
- 0:08! Isaiah 25 at verse number 6.
- 0:12On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, a rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
- 0:26And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all the peoples, the veil that is spread over all the nations.
- 0:35And so on down to the end of verse number 8.
- 0:38We want to continue today to plot a path through this prophecy of Isaiah and we have already done so by looking at Isaiah chapter 6 and Isaiah chapter 12.
- 0:52And in these chapters we saw something of the way in which Isaiah as somebody who was representing the people,
- 0:59the way he came to experience the presence of the glory of God and the way in which that impacted his own life.
- 1:08And the message that God gave to him as somebody who was then willing to serve the Lord.
- 1:14And then in Isaiah chapter 12 we saw the way in which the experience of that salvation that Isaiah 6 speaks of.
- 1:22The way in which that brings about a transformation.
- 1:26The way in which it speaks of joy in the person's life.
- 1:30And the way in which we come to sing the song of God because of God's salvation.
- 1:38And as we journey on through the book we do notice that Isaiah uses a particular strategy to drive home certain key points.
- 1:50And the strategy is the use of contrasts.
- 1:56Highlighting differences between different emphases.
- 2:01And he does so to create an emphasis.
- 2:05He does so to deepen the meaning.
- 2:07But he does so also to capture attention.
- 2:10It's a valuable mechanism, a tool in any walk of life.
- 2:16If we're describing anything, to use contrasts.
- 2:20And so give that picture of opposite.
- 2:23So that we see the significance of one thing as opposed to the other.
- 2:29And one of the great contrasts in the Bible of course is, as Paul speaks in Ephesians,
- 2:34In Ephesians, once you were darkness, now are you light in the Lord.
- 2:40How different are you that these are the extremities, the contrast, darkness, and now you are light in the Lord.
- 2:49So the contrast brings out particular characteristics that highlight certain things.
- 2:57And Isaiah uses contrast in three particular areas that help us to understand what he's saying.
- 3:04There is a contrast with regard to the people.
- 3:08There is a contrast with regard to kings.
- 3:12And there is a contrast with regard to places.
- 3:18And in this chapter today, we are in one of these places where Isaiah is using contrasts with regard to places
- 3:25to highlight the importance of God's salvation.
- 3:31And we do want to look at these verses in this chapter today.
- 3:34And to think of the life of faith and the future glory of the kingdom of God.
- 3:42We want to think first of all of the contrast and the privilege.
- 3:49The honor placed on certain people.
- 3:53And when we think of the privilege, we think first of all of a place.
- 3:59And there is a location.
- 4:01And the location is on this mountain.
- 4:05And this mountain is the mountain that we sang of in Psalm number 48.
- 4:09It's the mountain that we read of in 1 Kings, the first few chapters,
- 4:13where Solomon builds the king's house and the temple, the God's house,
- 4:19where on Mount Zion he builds all of these beautiful buildings where God will dwell.
- 4:26On this mountain, Mount Zion, at the very center of the message of the Old Testament.
- 4:32And when we follow the story of this mountain that began in all of its glory,
- 4:39we see that this mountain ultimately comes to be a pile of rubble.
- 4:45Because Nebuchadnezzar comes into Jerusalem.
- 4:49He burns the king's house.
- 4:51He burns the Lord's house.
- 4:52And he takes away all of the valuables that were in both houses.
- 4:58And he did so because the people rebelled against God.
- 5:04And God comes to judge them because of their rebellion.
- 5:08And so the glorious Mount Zion with all of its beautiful buildings
- 5:14becomes a heap of rubble because of the rebellion of the people.
- 5:20And in the beginning of this prophecy in chapter 2,
- 5:24we see that that will be reversed.
- 5:27That the day will come when God will raise up and establish this mountain once more
- 5:33and this house and all the nations will flock to it.
- 5:40And when we read our Bibles, we come to understand
- 5:44that that moment is not for the here and now.
- 5:48We come to understand that that gathering of the nations
- 5:52to the glory of Mount Zion is not anywhere here in this world.
- 5:58It's not in Jerusalem.
- 5:59It's not anywhere on this earth.
- 6:01It's what Revelation calls and what Hebrews chapter 12 calls.
- 6:07It is Mount Zion, the city of the living God.
- 6:11And today we come to think of the glory of the kingdom of God.
- 6:19And we are taken, as it were, on the wings of these words
- 6:24and raised up in our study of God today
- 6:28to think not of the here and now of where we are,
- 6:31but where God is bringing his people.
- 6:37Mount Zion.
- 6:39That must be the focus of our attention.
- 6:44We know too well that everything else is broken.
- 6:48We know too well that everything else is in ruins.
- 6:52And unless we have this hope before us,
- 6:54then what is there for us?
- 6:58To die in the ruins.
- 7:01But that is not the purpose of God.
- 7:04There is a privilege because of the place,
- 7:07but there is a privilege especially because of the celebration.
- 7:13What do we have here?
- 7:15We have a celebration where there is a feast of rich food,
- 7:19a feast of well-aged wine,
- 7:21of rich food full of marrow,
- 7:23of aged wine, well-refined.
- 7:25We have the feast, the celebration,
- 7:29full of all of the rich food
- 7:31that is to satisfy all who gather.
- 7:34It is the greatest feast of all time.
- 7:39And when we read the Old Testament
- 7:41and the history of kings in the ancient world,
- 7:46we understand that this kind of celebration
- 7:50took place on three occasions.
- 7:53The first occasion is when God makes a relationship with his people.
- 8:00And God did so at Mount Sinai
- 8:03with the children of Israel in Exodus 24.
- 8:06He made a relationship with his people.
- 8:08He gave to them the book of the covenant.
- 8:11They promised to be faithful to him.
- 8:13And when all that was done,
- 8:15they beheld God and they ate and they drank.
- 8:22The feast of celebrating that God is uniting himself
- 8:26in a relationship with his people on Mount Sinai.
- 8:30The second occasion is when the king is crowned.
- 8:36And we read of David being crowned over the whole nation of Israel
- 8:40in 1 Chronicles chapter 12.
- 8:42And there is a celebration for three days,
- 8:46eating and drinking,
- 8:47because this is a great occasion
- 8:51in the experience of the nation.
- 8:54And the third occasion when there is such a feast
- 9:00is when the king is getting married.
- 9:05We know something of that ourselves
- 9:10when there is a royal marriage.
- 9:12There is a buzz around the nation
- 9:14because something really significant is happening.
- 9:17But that was true in the Bible.
- 9:20And we read in Song of Solomon chapter 1 and chapter 2
- 9:23that the bride is brought into the banqueting house
- 9:27where the king's banner over her is the banner of love.
- 9:33And the summons then in chapter number 2
- 9:35come to see the glory of King Solomon
- 9:39on the day that his mother crowned him,
- 9:44the day of his marriage
- 9:45and of the gladness of his heart.
- 9:49The celebration of marriage.
- 9:54And when I follow this through
- 9:57to think of the celebration that this passage speaks of,
- 10:03it speaks of the marriage
- 10:05between Christ and his church.
- 10:10That glorious picture that we have in Revelation
- 10:15in chapter number 21
- 10:16that the church, the people of God,
- 10:20they appear as a bride adorned for a husband.
- 10:24And the dwelling place of God is with people.
- 10:29God draws near in this marriage relationship.
- 10:34Jesus has already been crowned at God's right hand.
- 10:38God has already made a covenant through the death of the Lord Jesus.
- 10:43This cup, this new covenant in my blood.
- 10:49But the marriage is still outstanding.
- 10:53And that's what we have in Revelation 21.
- 10:55And that's what these verses are pointing to.
- 10:58That there is a day coming
- 11:00when all of the people of God
- 11:03will gather in the city of God
- 11:06at the marriage supper of the Lamb,
- 11:09having made themselves ready in this world.
- 11:12And as Jesus says in the parable in Matthew 22,
- 11:15the wedding hall will be filled with guests
- 11:19and the door will be shut.
- 11:23The privilege.
- 11:26The contrast and the privilege.
- 11:30The ruination
- 11:31that sin has brought into this world.
- 11:36The ruination that sin has brought
- 11:38into your life and into mine.
- 11:39And the promise of all of that being reversed
- 11:45to bring us all into the glorious presence of God
- 11:51where there's that great feast of satisfaction
- 11:55and the door will be shut.
- 11:59And we are here today because
- 12:00God expects us
- 12:03as well as commands us
- 12:06to make ourselves ready.
- 12:09the invitation has gone out
- 12:13and is going out
- 12:14for this wedding celebration
- 12:16to you and to me.
- 12:20And it is our responsibility
- 12:22to make sure that we are ready
- 12:25so that when
- 12:27it comes to shutting the door
- 12:30of this heavenly marriage feast
- 12:32in the city of God in Mount Zion,
- 12:35we will be on the inside.
- 12:41And we won't be like those
- 12:43who came knocking at the door
- 12:45in the parable of Jesus in Matthew 25,
- 12:48knocking at the door
- 12:49thinking that
- 12:50although they were late
- 12:52and had no oil
- 12:53that they would
- 12:54enter the marriage feast.
- 12:57The door was shut.
- 13:00Depart from me.
- 13:01I never knew you.
- 13:04The contrast
- 13:05and the privilege.
- 13:08And what a privilege it is today
- 13:10for you
- 13:11as the child of God
- 13:13to have this expectation
- 13:16based on the promises of God
- 13:19and on the plan of God
- 13:21that there you shall be
- 13:23and there God will take you
- 13:26and there you will sit down
- 13:28and you will be like
- 13:30the bride of Christ
- 13:32adorned in the beauty
- 13:35that he bestows upon
- 13:37all those who put their trust in him.
- 13:41The contrast
- 13:42and the privilege.
- 13:45Secondly,
- 13:46we want to think of
- 13:47the contrast
- 13:48and the power.
- 13:50There was a custom
- 13:53that when the king was married
- 13:56and at such a feast as this
- 13:58that the king would
- 13:59demonstrate his power
- 14:01by some kind of heroic act.
- 14:06And here we have
- 14:07the same thing happening
- 14:09in this moment
- 14:11of this wedding celebration
- 14:12that this king,
- 14:15God's king,
- 14:16our king,
- 14:17King Jesus,
- 14:18that he demonstrates his power
- 14:20by a heroic act.
- 14:24And his heroic act
- 14:26is bound up
- 14:28in this word that we have
- 14:30in verse number 7,
- 14:32he will swallow up.
- 14:38If I move something
- 14:39out of its place,
- 14:42there's the possibility
- 14:43that I can move it back.
- 14:45And there's also
- 14:47the possibility
- 14:47that somebody else
- 14:48can move it back
- 14:49to where it was.
- 14:52But if I swallow
- 14:53something up,
- 14:55it's gone forever.
- 14:57It's complete destruction.
- 15:00No matter what
- 15:01anyone will do,
- 15:02they're not able
- 15:03to recreate this
- 15:04or replace this.
- 15:06It is gone forever.
- 15:08It is swallowed up.
- 15:10And that's encouraging
- 15:14for us because
- 15:14here is our great king
- 15:16who in this moment
- 15:18of his marriage
- 15:19when we enter in
- 15:20to be with them
- 15:21forevermore,
- 15:22that he is going
- 15:23to bring to an end,
- 15:25swallow up,
- 15:26destroy completely
- 15:27to display his power
- 15:29for the encouragement
- 15:31of those who are his bride
- 15:33and to show to them
- 15:34the security
- 15:36that is theirs.
- 15:38And when we read
- 15:41through these verses,
- 15:43we see that he swallows up
- 15:44three particular things.
- 15:47And these three particular things
- 15:49are really important
- 15:50for you and for me today,
- 15:52for all of the people of God.
- 15:55And the first thing is
- 15:56that he swallows up
- 15:58grief.
- 16:02My word,
- 16:03what a demonstration
- 16:04of power
- 16:05that King Jesus
- 16:08is going to
- 16:11swallow up grief
- 16:12so that it will
- 16:14never exist again.
- 16:17The grief that comes
- 16:18from calamities.
- 16:20The grief that comes
- 16:22because of our sin.
- 16:24The covering that here is,
- 16:26in version number seven,
- 16:27the covering that is cast
- 16:29over all of the peoples.
- 16:30It's as if there is
- 16:33a large sheet
- 16:36that covers
- 16:37all of the people
- 16:38and it's a covering
- 16:42of grief.
- 16:47And today we
- 16:48reflect on where we are.
- 16:53And if
- 16:54there was a time
- 16:56before,
- 16:56and there were many,
- 16:57but these days
- 17:00are a time
- 17:02when there is
- 17:04a cloud
- 17:04of grief.
- 17:07And God promises
- 17:09that Jesus
- 17:09will remove that
- 17:11so that it is
- 17:12there
- 17:13no more.
- 17:16We can
- 17:17familiarize
- 17:19ourselves
- 17:19with grief.
- 17:21We can
- 17:21accept it as something
- 17:23that is part of life.
- 17:24To imagine
- 17:25what life would be
- 17:26without it
- 17:26is perhaps
- 17:27beyond our thinking.
- 17:30But God wants us
- 17:31to remember
- 17:32and to know
- 17:33that He will
- 17:35swallow up
- 17:37grief.
- 17:40And the second thing,
- 17:41He will
- 17:41swallow up
- 17:43the curse,
- 17:45the veil
- 17:45that is spread
- 17:46over all nations.
- 17:48We are all
- 17:49sinned against God.
- 17:51We are worthy
- 17:52of the wrath
- 17:52and curse of God
- 17:53because of our sin.
- 17:54and that is
- 17:56like a veil
- 17:57that covers us
- 17:59in darkness
- 17:59so we cannot see
- 18:01and we cannot
- 18:02take in the information
- 18:03given to us.
- 18:04It's something
- 18:05that functions
- 18:06in a way
- 18:07that grasps us
- 18:09and takes hold
- 18:10of us
- 18:10so that in many ways
- 18:12we are trapped
- 18:13under it.
- 18:16He swallows up
- 18:17the veil
- 18:19of the curse.
- 18:27And thirdly,
- 18:29He swallows up
- 18:30death
- 18:31forever.
- 18:33something went wrong
- 18:38as we noted
- 18:40in talking
- 18:41to the children.
- 18:43The something
- 18:43that went wrong
- 18:44had this
- 18:45attached to it.
- 18:47The day
- 18:47that you eat
- 18:48of this tree
- 18:49you will surely die.
- 18:52And from the moment
- 18:54that Adam and Eve
- 18:55ate of that tree
- 18:56the door
- 18:57was opened
- 18:58to send them
- 18:59out of the garden
- 19:00and the door
- 19:00was closed
- 19:01so that they
- 19:01would not return
- 19:02and eat
- 19:03of the tree
- 19:04of life.
- 19:05The wages
- 19:06of sin
- 19:06is death
- 19:07because of
- 19:09one man's sin
- 19:09death reigned
- 19:11upon all
- 19:11because all
- 19:12have sinned.
- 19:15We weren't
- 19:16in the garden
- 19:18of Eden
- 19:20physically
- 19:21but Adam
- 19:23was there
- 19:24as you
- 19:24represented
- 19:25as mine
- 19:26and what he
- 19:28did
- 19:28you did
- 19:28and what he
- 19:29did
- 19:29I did
- 19:30and we
- 19:31are under
- 19:32the condemnation
- 19:33of death.
- 19:36And Jesus
- 19:37came
- 19:38and he died
- 19:39for our sins
- 19:39according to
- 19:40the scripture.
- 19:41Jesus
- 19:42sacrificed himself
- 19:43he was
- 19:43obedient
- 19:44to death
- 19:45even death
- 19:46on the cross.
- 19:48He bore
- 19:49our sins
- 19:49he was made
- 19:50a curse
- 19:51for us
- 19:51he cried
- 19:54out
- 19:54it is
- 19:54finished
- 19:55and in
- 19:58Paul's
- 19:58words
- 19:59he abolished
- 20:00death
- 20:00and brought
- 20:02life and
- 20:02immortality
- 20:03to light
- 20:04through the
- 20:05gospel.
- 20:08But yet
- 20:09we know
- 20:09today
- 20:10that death
- 20:12remains
- 20:12part of
- 20:14the experience
- 20:15of humankind
- 20:16and so
- 20:18it will
- 20:18continue
- 20:19as long
- 20:19as the
- 20:20world
- 20:20continues
- 20:21as it
- 20:21is.
- 20:24But on
- 20:24this
- 20:25day of
- 20:26celebration
- 20:26on the
- 20:28day of
- 20:29the marriage
- 20:30supper
- 20:30of the
- 20:30lamb
- 20:31when the
- 20:32people of
- 20:33God will
- 20:33be gathered
- 20:34in that
- 20:35moment
- 20:35this king
- 20:37will display
- 20:37his power
- 20:38before all
- 20:40of his
- 20:40people
- 20:40he will
- 20:42swallow
- 20:43up death
- 20:44forever
- 20:46the end
- 20:48of death
- 20:50what
- 20:52a
- 20:54prospect
- 20:54that God
- 20:57will not
- 20:58allow
- 20:59anything
- 21:00to enter
- 21:02the
- 21:02marriage
- 21:03feast
- 21:04that will
- 21:05spoil the
- 21:06banquet
- 21:06that he
- 21:09will make
- 21:09sure that
- 21:10everything
- 21:11is outside
- 21:13left
- 21:15beyond
- 21:15the bounds
- 21:17of where
- 21:17the people
- 21:18are
- 21:18celebrating
- 21:19and
- 21:21in the
- 21:22book of
- 21:23Hosea
- 21:24we
- 21:25think of
- 21:26death
- 21:27as a
- 21:27plague
- 21:28that
- 21:28affects
- 21:30the whole
- 21:31of humankind
- 21:32but in
- 21:34words that
- 21:34reflect
- 21:35what Isaiah
- 21:36is saying
- 21:36here
- 21:37in Hosea
- 21:38chapter 13
- 21:38God
- 21:40says
- 21:41oh
- 21:43death
- 21:43I will
- 21:45be your
- 21:45plagues
- 21:46oh
- 21:47grave
- 21:48I will
- 21:48be your
- 21:49destruction
- 21:50the death
- 21:53that is
- 21:54a plague
- 21:55that affects
- 21:56us all
- 21:57on this
- 21:59great day
- 22:00God
- 22:01will be
- 22:02the
- 22:02plague
- 22:03for death
- 22:04and God
- 22:05will be
- 22:06the destruction
- 22:09of the
- 22:10grave
- 22:11the end
- 22:12of everything
- 22:14that was
- 22:15the consequence
- 22:16of sin
- 22:17and today
- 22:21we rejoice
- 22:22in the hope
- 22:24of the glory
- 22:25of the kingdom
- 22:26of God
- 22:26because death
- 22:29will be
- 22:30no more
- 22:31because there
- 22:33will be no
- 22:34more curse
- 22:34and no
- 22:37more
- 22:37grief
- 22:38in this
- 22:41life we
- 22:41are so
- 22:42often
- 22:42grief
- 22:44laden
- 22:45calamity
- 22:47broken
- 22:47and
- 22:49because of
- 22:51that
- 22:51unable
- 22:52to live
- 22:53life with
- 22:54the joy
- 22:54that God
- 22:55wants us
- 22:55to have
- 22:57in our
- 22:57hearts
- 22:58but at
- 23:00this wedding
- 23:01feast
- 23:01in this
- 23:02location
- 23:03celebration
- 23:04and forever
- 23:05more
- 23:05it will
- 23:08be a
- 23:08zone
- 23:09where
- 23:09death
- 23:10will be
- 23:11no more
- 23:11and grief
- 23:12will be
- 23:13no more
- 23:13and curse
- 23:13will be
- 23:14no more
- 23:15the zone
- 23:16of the
- 23:17glory
- 23:17of God
- 23:19the contrast
- 23:22and the
- 23:23privilege
- 23:23the contrast
- 23:24and the
- 23:24power
- 23:25and finally
- 23:26the contrast
- 23:28and the
- 23:28participation
- 23:30all of
- 23:33the things
- 23:34that we
- 23:34said
- 23:34they are
- 23:35so true
- 23:36and they
- 23:36have to
- 23:37be true
- 23:37but they
- 23:38are all
- 23:39things that
- 23:39affect the
- 23:41people who
- 23:41are going
- 23:41to be
- 23:42there
- 23:42this God
- 23:44is personal
- 23:45this display
- 23:46of the
- 23:47power of
- 23:48the Lord
- 23:48Jesus
- 23:48and this
- 23:49heroic
- 23:49act of
- 23:50swallowing up
- 23:51all of these
- 23:52awful things
- 23:53that we want
- 23:54out of our
- 23:54lives
- 23:54all of
- 23:57these things
- 23:57happen
- 23:58for you
- 24:00and for
- 24:01me
- 24:02if we
- 24:03are to
- 24:03be there
- 24:04what is
- 24:08how do we
- 24:09participate
- 24:09well we read
- 24:10in version
- 24:11number 8
- 24:11the Lord
- 24:13God
- 24:13will wipe
- 24:14away
- 24:15tears
- 24:15from all
- 24:17faces
- 24:19the tears
- 24:23that come
- 24:23with grief
- 24:24the tears
- 24:25that come
- 24:25with calamity
- 24:26the tears
- 24:28that come
- 24:28with circumstances
- 24:30changing
- 24:30the tears
- 24:33that come
- 24:34when my life
- 24:35is turned
- 24:35upside down
- 24:36because something
- 24:37happens that I
- 24:37did not expect
- 24:38the tears
- 24:41that leave
- 24:42me robbed
- 24:43of the peace
- 24:44of God
- 24:44and that leave
- 24:47me lamenting
- 24:48through life
- 24:49because of
- 24:51all of these
- 24:51different things
- 24:52that so
- 24:53affect
- 24:54me
- 24:54the children
- 24:56of Israel
- 24:56they had
- 24:57these tears
- 24:57because they
- 24:58were in exile
- 24:59in Babylon
- 24:59away from
- 25:00the city
- 25:01of God
- 25:01but we
- 25:04have tears
- 25:05in this
- 25:06life
- 25:06because we
- 25:08are not
- 25:08yet
- 25:09in the
- 25:10holy city
- 25:11of God
- 25:12in Mount
- 25:13Zion
- 25:13we have
- 25:14tears
- 25:15because
- 25:15we are
- 25:16in the
- 25:17valley
- 25:17of tears
- 25:18and these
- 25:19tears
- 25:20Isaiah says
- 25:22God will
- 25:22wipe away
- 25:25from all
- 25:26faces
- 25:28blotting
- 25:30them out
- 25:31so that
- 25:33they will be
- 25:33there no more
- 25:35it's so
- 25:36obliterating
- 25:37so that
- 25:37these tears
- 25:38will never
- 25:39more appear
- 25:39it's the
- 25:40permanent
- 25:41removal
- 25:42of the
- 25:44tears
- 25:44that have
- 25:45followed us
- 25:46as we
- 25:46journey on
- 25:47through
- 25:48life
- 25:49and does
- 25:52that not
- 25:52show to
- 25:53us
- 25:53the loving
- 25:56care of
- 25:57our heavenly
- 25:58father
- 25:59which one
- 26:03of us
- 26:03who
- 26:05have
- 26:05children
- 26:06or have
- 26:07children
- 26:07which one
- 26:08of us
- 26:09has not
- 26:09in a
- 26:10moment
- 26:10of crisis
- 26:11come along
- 26:12to our
- 26:12children
- 26:12and when
- 26:14they're in
- 26:14distress
- 26:15and wiped
- 26:16away their
- 26:17tears
- 26:17and encouraged
- 26:19them that
- 26:19it's over
- 26:20now and
- 26:21this will
- 26:22never happen
- 26:23again
- 26:23we have no
- 26:26control over
- 26:27that
- 26:27but we want
- 26:28to encourage
- 26:29our children
- 26:30in that
- 26:30moment of
- 26:31distress
- 26:32by wiping
- 26:33away their
- 26:33tears
- 26:34but in
- 26:36this case
- 26:37when the
- 26:40Lord God
- 26:41our father
- 26:42when he
- 26:43comes to
- 26:44wipe the
- 26:44tears
- 26:45out of
- 26:45our eyes
- 26:46he can
- 26:48tell us
- 26:48for sure
- 26:49with certainty
- 26:50that you
- 26:52won't live
- 26:52like that
- 26:53anymore
- 26:54that all
- 26:55of that
- 26:56is behind
- 26:57you
- 26:57and you
- 26:59will never
- 26:59again
- 27:00shed
- 27:01the tears
- 27:02of grief
- 27:03and of
- 27:04sorrow
- 27:05there is
- 27:09something
- 27:09in my
- 27:10heart
- 27:10that wants
- 27:11to think
- 27:12that we
- 27:13can shed
- 27:13tears of
- 27:14joy
- 27:14the Bible
- 27:16doesn't say
- 27:17that we
- 27:17won't
- 27:18but we
- 27:19are comforted
- 27:20in the
- 27:20knowledge
- 27:21that we
- 27:22won't shed
- 27:22tears
- 27:23of grief
- 27:24a tear
- 27:26free
- 27:27sown
- 27:27in the
- 27:28kingdom
- 27:29of God
- 27:29in the
- 27:30glory
- 27:30of the
- 27:31final
- 27:32kingdom
- 27:33and for
- 27:36all those
- 27:36who are
- 27:37weeping
- 27:38today
- 27:38and who
- 27:38are grieving
- 27:39and who
- 27:41have to
- 27:41journey on
- 27:42through
- 27:42painful
- 27:43experiences
- 27:44having
- 27:45suffered
- 27:46loss
- 27:47and painful
- 27:48loss
- 27:48of loved
- 27:49ones
- 27:49here is
- 27:51a promise
- 27:52not for
- 27:53today
- 27:54the promise
- 27:56for today
- 27:56is to
- 27:57sustain
- 27:58and to
- 27:58uphold
- 27:59but the
- 28:00promise
- 28:00for
- 28:00another
- 28:02day
- 28:02is that
- 28:04God
- 28:04will wipe
- 28:05away
- 28:05all of
- 28:07these
- 28:07tears
- 28:07and they
- 28:08will never
- 28:09be there
- 28:09again
- 28:11and to
- 28:12complete
- 28:13the absolute
- 28:14picture of
- 28:15the
- 28:16participation
- 28:17the reproach
- 28:18of his
- 28:18people he
- 28:19will take
- 28:19away from
- 28:19all the
- 28:20earth
- 28:20for the
- 28:21Lord
- 28:21has spoken
- 28:23and we
- 28:24sang of
- 28:25that reproach
- 28:26in Psalm
- 28:26number 42
- 28:27where the
- 28:29people were
- 28:31laughing at
- 28:32the psalmist
- 28:33because he
- 28:35was suffering
- 28:36because there
- 28:37was death
- 28:38around
- 28:38laughing at
- 28:40him because
- 28:40there was no
- 28:42sign at all
- 28:43that God
- 28:43was with
- 28:44him
- 28:44where now
- 28:46is your
- 28:46God
- 28:47that was
- 28:49the question
- 28:50and he
- 28:51had tears
- 28:52because he
- 28:53was bearing
- 28:53the reproach
- 28:54of being a
- 28:55child of
- 28:56God
- 28:56in the
- 28:57midst of a
- 28:58world filled
- 28:58with enmity
- 28:59and they
- 29:00laughed at
- 29:00him
- 29:01and they
- 29:02mocked him
- 29:03and he
- 29:04cried
- 29:04he was
- 29:07cast down
- 29:08because
- 29:08he couldn't
- 29:09say where
- 29:10God was
- 29:11and perhaps
- 29:13today you
- 29:14may be there
- 29:15yourself
- 29:16where has
- 29:19God gone
- 29:19where is
- 29:21God
- 29:21is God
- 29:23any longer
- 29:24with me
- 29:25because of
- 29:27what I'm
- 29:27going through
- 29:28the voices
- 29:29in my own
- 29:30mind saying
- 29:31to me
- 29:31you cannot
- 29:32have God
- 29:33if this is
- 29:34the case
- 29:34there's a
- 29:36voice in my
- 29:36own mind
- 29:37saying to me
- 29:38this is
- 29:38confirmation
- 29:39that this
- 29:40God
- 29:40is not
- 29:41your God
- 29:42there are
- 29:43so many
- 29:44voices in
- 29:44our minds
- 29:45that through
- 29:46which reproach
- 29:47is brought
- 29:48upon our
- 29:48own hearts
- 29:49so that we
- 29:50feel a sense
- 29:51of shame
- 29:52and belonging
- 29:53to the
- 29:54people of
- 29:54God
- 29:55because things
- 29:56are not
- 29:56what we
- 29:56expected
- 29:57things are
- 29:58not what
- 29:59we would
- 29:59wish
- 30:00but that
- 30:02will not
- 30:03be the case
- 30:04here
- 30:04as we saw
- 30:06recently there
- 30:07will be no
- 30:07temple there
- 30:08it will be
- 30:09all temple
- 30:10the Lord
- 30:11God and
- 30:12the Lamb
- 30:12will be
- 30:13the light
- 30:13of it
- 30:13they will
- 30:14be the
- 30:14temple
- 30:15God will
- 30:17be
- 30:17everywhere
- 30:18the life
- 30:21of faith
- 30:21and the
- 30:23glory of
- 30:24the final
- 30:24kingdom
- 30:25of God
- 30:26what an
- 30:28expectation
- 30:28what a
- 30:31glorious
- 30:31purpose
- 30:32what a
- 30:35journey
- 30:35if that's
- 30:36where we're
- 30:36going
- 30:37and that's
- 30:38a question
- 30:39for all
- 30:40of us
- 30:40today
- 30:40what highway
- 30:42are we
- 30:43on
- 30:43this is the
- 30:44one that
- 30:45leads to
- 30:46the marriage
- 30:47supper of
- 30:47the Lamb
- 30:48of God
- 30:48this is the
- 30:50one that
- 30:50has that
- 30:51glorious
- 30:52conclusion
- 30:53or have we
- 30:55lost our
- 30:55way
- 30:55and are we
- 30:57struggling to
- 30:58navigate through
- 30:58life
- 30:59and failing to
- 31:01understand
- 31:01that the
- 31:03missing
- 31:03piece
- 31:04is the
- 31:05son of
- 31:06God
- 31:06the
- 31:07savior of
- 31:07the world
- 31:07who died
- 31:08on Calvary's
- 31:09cross
- 31:09that's the
- 31:11missing
- 31:11piece
- 31:12that's the
- 31:13connector
- 31:14for our
- 31:15spiritual
- 31:17navigation
- 31:17system
- 31:18that will
- 31:19steer our
- 31:20path
- 31:20so that
- 31:22one day
- 31:22we will be
- 31:23forever with
- 31:24the Lord
- 31:24and there is
- 31:26nothing
- 31:26better
- 31:27than having
- 31:28that hope
- 31:28and nothing
- 31:29better than
- 31:30experiencing
- 31:31the fullness
- 31:32of that
- 31:33glory
- 31:33may God
- 31:34bless his
- 31:34word
- 31:34let us
- 31:35pray
- 31:35most
- 31:37gracious
- 31:37God
- 31:37we rejoice
- 31:38in the
- 31:39good news
- 31:40of the
- 31:41gospel
- 31:41we rejoice
- 31:42in the
- 31:43prospect of
- 31:44one day
- 31:45being
- 31:46before your
- 31:47presence with
- 31:48exceeding
- 31:49great joy
- 31:49we rejoice
- 31:51in that day
- 31:52when there
- 31:53will be
- 31:54a major
- 31:55discontinuity
- 31:56between
- 31:57all that
- 31:58brings suffering
- 31:59and grief
- 31:59and sorrow
- 32:00here in this
- 32:00world
- 32:00and when at
- 32:02last we
- 32:02will enter
- 32:03into the
- 32:04joy and
- 32:04the rest
- 32:05of our
- 32:06Lord
- 32:06bless our
- 32:07hearts here
- 32:08today
- 32:08so that we
- 32:09may be on
- 32:10that journey
- 32:10with the
- 32:11people of
- 32:11God
- 32:11so that we
- 32:12may know
- 32:13where we
- 32:13are going
- 32:14so that we
- 32:15may know
- 32:15that you
- 32:16are our
- 32:17shepherd
- 32:17who goes
- 32:18before us
- 32:19along the
- 32:19highway of
- 32:20life
- 32:20and help
- 32:21us always
- 32:22to be
- 32:23watchful
- 32:23and to
- 32:23pray
- 32:24and to
- 32:24trust
- 32:24that we
- 32:25may walk
- 32:26in the
- 32:26light
- 32:26with you
- 32:27and ultimately
- 32:28arrive at
- 32:30that glorious
- 32:30destination
- 32:31where eternity
- 32:32will be a
- 32:33place of
- 32:34bliss and
- 32:35of blessedness
- 32:35with all of
- 32:36the people
- 32:37of God
- 32:37and especially
- 32:38with the
- 32:39Lord Jesus
- 32:39Christ
- 32:40our Savior
- 32:41to be with
- 32:41him
- 32:42forevermore
- 32:43here I pray
- 32:43we ask
- 32:44for Jesus
- 32:44sake
- 32:45Amen
- 32:46the closing
- 32:53psalm is
- 32:54psalm number
- 32:5445
- 32:55and
- 32:59the
- 33:02Scottish
- 33:02Psalter is
- 33:02on page
- 33:03270
- 33:03and we're
- 33:04singing at
- 33:05verse number
- 33:0513
- 33:06and in the
- 33:10psalm we
- 33:10have
- 33:11many images
- 33:12of the
- 33:13bride and
- 33:14the bridegroom
- 33:14and the
- 33:15bridesmaids
- 33:16going to
- 33:17the
- 33:18celebration
- 33:19of the
- 33:19king's
- 33:20marriage
- 33:21psalm
- 33:2145
- 33:22the second
- 33:23version
- 33:23and verse
- 33:24number
- 33:2413
- 33:25and the
- 33:25tune
- 33:26is
- 33:26Malan
- 33:26the
- 33:28daughter
- 33:28of the
- 33:28king
- 33:29all
- 33:29glorious
- 33:29is
- 33:30within
- 33:30and with
- 33:31embroideries
- 33:32of gold
- 33:32her garments
- 33:33wrought
- 33:34have been
- 33:35we stand
- 33:35to sing
- 33:36from verse
- 33:3613
- 33:36to verse
- 33:3716
- 33:37to God's
- 33:38praise
- 33:38the
- 33:43daughter
- 33:44of the
- 33:46king
- 33:48all
- 33:49glorious
- 33:50is
- 33:51said
- 33:52and
- 33:55with
- 33:56them
- 33:57cried
- 33:58the
- 33:59reese
- 33:59of
- 34:00gold
- 34:01her
- 34:02garments
- 34:04wrought
- 34:04the
- 34:05king
- 34:06she
- 34:08come
- 34:10to
- 34:10the
- 34:11king
- 34:12and
- 34:14roped
- 34:15with
- 34:17needle
- 34:17rose
- 34:18the
- 34:20virgin
- 34:21sand
- 34:22to
- 34:24follow
- 34:25her
- 34:26shall
- 34:27unto
- 34:28thee
- 34:29be
- 34:30brought
- 34:31brought
- 34:32they
- 34:34shall
- 34:35be
- 34:36brought
- 34:37with
- 34:38joy
- 34:39and
- 34:40worth
- 34:42on
- 34:43every
- 34:44side
- 34:45into
- 34:47the
- 34:48palace
- 34:49of
- 34:51the
- 34:52king
- 34:53and
- 34:54there
- 34:55they
- 34:56shall
- 34:57abide
- 34:58and
- 35:01in
- 35:02my
- 35:03father
- 35:04stay
- 35:05thy
- 35:07children
- 35:08thy
- 35:09may
- 35:10stay
- 35:11and
- 35:13in
- 35:14the
- 35:15places
- 35:16of
- 35:17the
- 35:18earth
- 35:19them
- 35:20noble
- 35:21them
- 35:22will
- 35:23be
- 35:24made
- 35:25i
- 35:27main
- 35:28door
- 35:29after
- 35:30benediction
- 35:31grace
- 35:32of
- 35:33the
- 35:34holy
- 35:35spirit
- 35:36be
- 35:37with
- 35:38you
- 35:39all
- 35:40now
- 35:41and
- 35:42forever
- 35:43amen
- 35:44to
- 35:46to
- 35:47of
- 35:48to
- 35:49the
- 35:50lip
- 35:50the
- 35:51that
- 35:52the
- 35:53lip
- 35:53the
- 35:54and
- 35:54the
- 35:54the
- 35:55and
- 35:55the
- 35:55and
- 35:56the
- 35:56you
- 35:56the
- 35:56the
- 35:56the
- 35:57the
- 35:57the
- 35:57the
- 35:57lip
- 35:58the
- 35:58the
- 35:58the
- 35:58the
- 35:58the
- 35:58the
- 35:58the
- 35:58the
- 35:58the
- 35:58the
- 35:59the
- 35:59the
- 35:59the
- 35:59the
- 35:59the
- 36:00the
- 36:00the
- 36:00the
- 36:00the
- 36:00the
- 36:00the
- 36:01the
- 36:01the
- 36:14Thank you.