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The Presence of the God of Peace · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Psalm number 26 from the Sing Psalms version, and that's on page 30, singing verses 1 to 8.
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The tune is Balerma.
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Declare me innocent, O Lord, I've walked in blameless ways, and I have trusted in the
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Lord, not wavering all my days.
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Test me, O Lord, and try my heart.
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My inmost thoughts survey.
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Your love surrounds me, from your truth my feet will never stray.
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And so on down to verse 8, Declare me innocent, O Lord.
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Declare me innocent, O Lord, I've walked in blameless ways, and I have trusted in the
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blameless ways.
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And I have trusted in the Lord, not wavering all my days.
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Test me, O Lord, and try my heart.
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My inmost thoughts survey.
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Your love surrounds me, from your truth.
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My feet will never stray.
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I do not sit with worthless hope.
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I shunned the hypocrite.
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I hate the wicked gatherings.
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With them I will not sit.
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I wash my hands in innocence.
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And painless is my heart.
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I go apart, pure altar, Lord.
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The place you set apart.
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I'll tell of all your awesome deeds.
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O bringing light, pure praise.
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Your glory fills your dwelling place.
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I love your hearts always.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Let's now pray.
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Let's join together as we call upon the Lord.
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Almighty and gracious God, once again we give thanks that your word has directed our minds,
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and given us so much information, even in these few verses, O Lord, that we can take to heart and apply as we now approach worship,
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and come to sing out praises, and to read your word, to call upon your name, and to give our mind to the teaching of your word.
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And we thank you, Lord, that we thank you, Lord, that we do so in a way that seeks to uplift and exalt your holy name, and a way that would glorify you.
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For this is our great aim in life, and to glorify the Lord and to enjoy him forever.
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This is why you created us.
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This is our great privilege to know that despite what happened in our fall, and our being, therefore, detached from you spiritually and savingly,
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yet, Lord, you have made provision for us.
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You have sent your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this life, into this world, to take our nature, to take our place,
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the place of your people, even to the point of death, the death that we deserved.
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We thank you tonight, Lord, as we come to worship you, that this is central to our worship,
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and that we come to give thanks for your redemption, and give thanks for the love in which you have provided this for us,
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and for the many promises attached to it as we come to know you.
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You know each one of us, O Lord, here this evening.
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You are able to read our hearts and minds.
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You know our manner of life.
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You know how we are in relation to you and to your truth.
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You know our circumstances in this world.
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You are familiar with every single detail of that,
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in a way that far exceeds our ability to know and understand it.
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Lord, you know all aspects of your providence toward us as well,
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in the way in which in your sovereign purpose,
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so you rule over our lives and over the world, over the creation that you have made.
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We thank you, Lord, tonight that you bring us these teachings in your word,
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that enable us to come and bow in your presence.
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We pray tonight that your Holy Spirit will once again take your word and apply it to us.
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Lord, we confess our need again of your Holy Spirit.
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We confess our need of your Spirit at all times,
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for our spiritual understanding and development especially.
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Yet we know that it is through you and even through your common grace that we live and move
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and have our being from day to day.
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So, Lord, bless us here, we pray, as we give our mind tonight to your word.
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Help us to realize your word shaping our thoughts.
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I forbid that we should come in any way thinking that our own thoughts and our own minds are superior
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to what you have given us in your word.
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That we might come, Lord, as others may do,
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who would regard your word as in need of being changed
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to sit with the thoughts of human beings in this present age.
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We thank you that your word is everlasting,
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that you have taken account of all that will take place in the history of this world
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when you gave your word to be written.
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And we thank you that it is therefore ever relevant for us in all our circumstances,
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in every age and every time that we come to confront it.
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Bless us then, we pray, O Lord, as we give ourselves to you now to worship you and to wait upon you.
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We give thanks that, as we have sung in this psalm,
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that we are able to call upon you to examine our hearts,
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even though we know that this is such a solemn thing, O Lord.
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For we know that our hearts are sinful, naturally sinful,
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that we sin against you every day in thought and word and action.
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And yet, Lord, we require that you would examine us and teach us the way of holiness, the way of life.
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And we pray that you would lead us away from the ways of darkness and of sin,
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that we have ourselves so naturally at our disposal.
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Lord, we ask that our life in this world as a worshipping people might be a bright light to those around us.
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We pray especially that you would make us to be salt and light to those who don't care for you or for your truth or for your values.
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Lord, we ask that you would give us concern to be true to you and to be true witnesses for you in this life.
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Remember us as a congregation, we pray.
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Again, we commit to you, Lord, our way and serving you in the different ways in which we seek to do this.
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Not only in the gospel, though we have the gospel and the teaching of the gospel foremost in our concerns.
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We pray, nevertheless, that you would accompany every other activity associated with that, Lord, from week to week, from day to day.
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Bless those who give of their time to these activities, especially with our young people.
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Lord, we ask that you would bless these efforts, bless that activity to them.
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Bless tonight the fellowship and bless Norrie as he speaks.
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We thank you for his willingness to come to speak of those things with us that he has come to think upon and to share.
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We ask, Lord, that he may be blessed and all of us may be blessed as we hear him.
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Remember, we pray our young people, our children at this time having come through and still, Lord, facing difficulties in school and even in Sunday school and church activities with the ongoing COVID situation.
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We thank you for your keeping of us during these times.
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We thank you, O Lord, for the assurances that you give us in your word that nothing of this is outwith your control, that you have your own purpose in it, even though we may question and may find it difficult to comprehend and to conclude as to why this has come about.
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We know that it is for our instruction.
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We know that it is for our instruction.
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Lord, we know that it is so that we will come to your word and seek your blessing and seek your enlightenment and seek your sanctifying of our minds and our lives so that we may live as we should.
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And we ask today also that you would bless those who are ill of our number.
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We think especially, Lord, of those who are seriously ill.
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We pray for them.
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We ask that you would bless them as they contemplate the possibility of their life in this world coming to its end.
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Lord, we ask that they may know your comfort.
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All of those who are seriously ill, we pray that you'd bless our elder Duncan McLean at this time when he is low and Danny MacArthur, Lord, whose place in the congregation was never vacant when she was able to be present.
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Bless her and Duncan and all others that we know at this time are ill and prevented by illness from being with us.
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Oh, Lord, any others who are bordering on eternity, we pray your blessing for them and ask that you would prepare them and help us to remember them.
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I grant your blessing, we pray to those who serve you in different capacities in our locality, in our community, whether it be in medical care, in our care homes.
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We pray for them at this time and in the hospital and in the health centers.
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Remember them, Lord, at this time, we pray.
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Remember those who need to deal with the bereaved, the undertaker, his staff.
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We once again give thanks for them and we commit them to you and ask that you'd be gracious to them from day to day.
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We thank you for the service that they give and have long given in this community.
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We pray for the street pastors, oh Lord, as they go out on these evenings, especially at weekends.
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We pray for them, for their safety.
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We pray that you would make them to be a benefit to those that they meet in whatever condition they are in, oh Lord, as they meet them.
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We pray that you would help them to bring support and help to them and a word of counsel where that is appropriate.
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And Lord, we commend them to you and ask that you would graciously bless their work in this community.
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And now we ask your blessing to be with us as we seek an assistant minister.
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We pray for Reverend Smith.
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We pray for Calumurdo, oh Lord, at this time as he contemplates receiving a call from us as a congregation.
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Bless him, Johan and the family, as they give their mind prayerfully to this.
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And bless the presbytery.
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Bless ourselves, Lord, as we anticipate signing that call shortly.
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And may it be, we pray, that he will see his way to come and take up the role of being an assistant with us.
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And we ask, Lord, that you would guide us to and enable us to continue to pray over this matter until we know your own will about it.
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Hear us then now, we pray.
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Continue with us and bless us for Jesus' sake.
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Amen.
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Let's read the word of God now as we find that in two passages, two short passages.
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Firstly, in Paul's letter to the Romans, chapter 16.
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And then we're going to read from Hebrews chapter 13.
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And then after we've sung another psalm, we'll come back to another study in Philippians, in chapter 4.
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So our readings are Romans 16 at verse 17.
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And then Hebrews 13 from verse 20.
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Just the final part of the letter to the Romans and the letter to the Hebrews.
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I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught.
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Avoid them.
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Amen.
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For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.
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And by smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the hearts of an Eve.
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For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you.
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But I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
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The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
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Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you.
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So to Lucius and Jason and Sosipater and my kinsmen.
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I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.
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Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you.
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Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you.
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Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ,
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according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages,
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but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations,
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according to the command of the eternal God to bring about the obedience of faith.
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To the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ.
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Amen.
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And some verses in Hebrews, chapter 13 from verse 20, again the final part of that letter.
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Amen.
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Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
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the great shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant,
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equip you with everything good that you may do his will,
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working in us that which is pleasing in his sight.
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Through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.
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Amen.
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I appeal to you brothers, bear with my word of exhortation,
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for I have written to you briefly.
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You should know that our brother Timothy has been released,
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with whom I shall see you if he comes soon.
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Greet all your leaders and all the saints.
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Those who come from Italy send you greetings.
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Grace be with all of you.
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Amen.
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And along with our passage in Philippians this evening,
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these two passages we've read speak about God as the God of peace.
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And we'll see where that fits into our study this evening shortly.
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Before we do that, let's sing again to God's praise from Psalm 19.
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Psalm number 19.
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And that's in the Scottish Psalter, page 223.
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And our final two singings just now and at the end of the service will be from 19.
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First of all, verses 7 to 11.
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The tune is Moravia.
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Moravia.
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God's law is perfect and converts the soul in sin that lies.
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God's testimony is most sure and makes the simple wise.
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The statutes of the Lord are right and do rejoice the heart.
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The Lord's command is pure and doth light to the eyes impart.
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So singing these verses 7 to 11 of Psalm 19 to God's praise.
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God's law is perfect and converts the soul in sin that lies.
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God's law is perfect and converts the soul in sin that lies.
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God's testimony is most sure and makes the simple wise.
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God's law is perfect and таким that lies in God's eyes impart.
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God's law is perfect and puts the soul in sin that lies untapes.
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God's law is perfect and puts the soul in sin that lies in sin that lies in sin that lies in sin that lies in sin.
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The statutes of the Lord are right and do rejoice the heart.
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The Lord's calm and is pure and doth light to the eyes impart.
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Unscotted is the fear of God, and death enter forever.
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The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
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They more than gold, yea, much fine gold, to be desired are.
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Than honey, honey from the comb that dropeth sweeter far.
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Moreover, they thy servant warned,
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How he his life should bring.
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A great reward provided is for them that keep the same.
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Well, let's turn to Philippians chapter 4 this evening.
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And tonight we're looking at verses 8 to 9.
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These two verses, there's quite a lot in them.
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Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
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whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
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whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence,
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if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
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What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me,
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practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
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Now these are obviously very closely connected to the passage we saw last time,
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from verse 4 down to verse 7.
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And they're connected not just by the way in which they speak about God,
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the God of peace and the peace of God.
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But you can see that in each case,
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when we saw the peace of God last time,
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he has certain conditions that lead to that,
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that he mentions.
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The conditions being to rejoice in the Lord
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and to let your reasonableness be known,
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but especially the way in which he emphasizes prayer,
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not to be anxious about anything,
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but in everything by prayer and supplication.
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With thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God,
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and the peace of God,
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then follows the peace of God,
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which surpasses all understanding,
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will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
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And you actually have a very similar arrangement
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in the verses that we're looking at tonight,
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because it speaks about the God of peace being with us.
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But leading to that,
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there are certain things that need to be in place
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in order for us to enjoy the God of peace being with us
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in order for that to be a reality in our own personal experience.
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And we'll see that that involves things that he mentions there,
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being thought about or thought through,
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being given as the mind to be set upon them.
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And that that then leads to the God of peace,
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the promise the God of peace will be with you.
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And the two things that you find here especially are
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the mind that he mentions,
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or the minding of these things,
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and then the practice of holiness,
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where you find in verse 9,
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the beginning of verse 9,
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what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me,
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practice these things.
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So first of all,
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he's dealing with the purity of the mind that's required,
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the purity of mind that's required,
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as he mentions this,
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especially in verse 8.
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And then he speaks about the practice of holiness
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as they were taught by the apostle,
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as they saw in the apostle's life,
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those things that he's commending to them.
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And then the practice of holiness leads to the presence of God.
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So the purity of mind,
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the practice of holiness,
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and the presence of God,
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really that's the structure,
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if you like,
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that we're following this evening,
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as the verses set out these topics for us.
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So the purity of mind required,
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notice what he's saying here,
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finally,
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brothers,
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whatever is true,
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whatever is honorable,
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and so on,
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think about these things,
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or think upon these things.
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And he's giving us a list here,
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and the list is very important.
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The topics that he mentions in the list
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are very closely connected together,
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but each of them is important in its own right.
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Let's just go through them very briefly.
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I'm not going to open them up too much.
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Whatever is true.
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In other words,
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he's dealing with that which counters what is false,
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what is untrue,
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what is hypocritical,
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what is not according to the truth of God.
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So you could say that what is true,
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really,
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is a description of all reality,
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as it's described by God.
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Whether it's human beings,
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human life,
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the world and the creation,
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everything that is in existence,
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all the realities as they are,
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as they're described by God,
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are essentially true,
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in the sense in which God is saying,
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this is fact.
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This is what I'm saying exists.
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But it's more than that.
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There's a moral tone,
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and it fits in with the rest of the passage as well.
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Whatever is true,
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whatever is the exact opposite of falsehood,
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of pretense,
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all of that comes into the definition of the word true as well.
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Whatever is according to the truth of God,
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as he has defined truth for us,
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then that and all realities as he describes,
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this is what he's saying,
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then whatever is honorable,
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whatever is honorable really means,
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whatever is worthy of respect.
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And you know,
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you find still in our own lives,
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in the world,
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thankfully,
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that God has not completely taken away
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the sense of what is right and wrong
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from people's lives.
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Even if they're not practicing Christians,
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thankfully,
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you still find,
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especially when we confront the more,
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the more gross teachings,
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the more gross philosophies that are set out for us,
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the lifestyles that you can see are debauched lifestyles,
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well,
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still,
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there are people who wouldn't say that they're Christians,
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but they say,
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well,
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I don't accept that.
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I don't think that's how people should behave.
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That's a residue of the knowledge of God
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in the human heart.
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It's not itself enough
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to actually bring you to be saved,
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to have Christ in your life,
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but nevertheless,
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it's there,
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and the truth of God
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actually connects with that
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as we present the gospel.
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We're not presenting the gospel
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to a heart that you could say is a vacuum.
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We're presenting a heart
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that knows God already
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in that sense
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that we're aware of God,
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and in that respect,
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I'm not going to go into it tonight,
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but actually,
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strictly speaking,
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there is no such thing
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as an atheist out and out
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because deep in the human heart
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there is,
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as Romans 1 puts it,
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an acknowledgement of God
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and acknowledgement of God's existence
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and even His power and Godhood,
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and that's from the things
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that are created even
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without coming even to the Bible,
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and it says that people are therefore
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without excuse
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for setting up alternatives to God.
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We also have to remember
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that the Bible never anywhere
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sets out to prove the existence of God.
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Have you ever thought about why that is?
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Why don't you find somewhere in the Bible
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that says,
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now here are steps,
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here are various points
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by which an argument is set out
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for the proof,
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as a proof of the existence of God
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because the Bible,
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as God's word,
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already acknowledges
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that the awareness of God
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lies in every human heart,
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and this truth of God in the Bible
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connects with that,
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whether it's in conscience
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or in your mental capacity,
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whatever it is,
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that's what it is.
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So he's saying whatever is true,
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whatever is honorable,
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whatever is worthy of respect,
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and then he says whatever is just.
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Well, you know that justice
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is more than just something
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that happens in a court of law.
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Being just is a description
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of a life that shuns unrighteousness.
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Being just is really the same
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as being righteous,
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and being righteous means,
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and we'll see in a minute
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that this is really something,
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a whole of these points
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as they're strung together
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and connected by the apostle
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are actually addressed
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to people collectively.
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They're not just here
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for us individually,
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though that is part of it.
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He is writing this to a church.
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He's writing this
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to the Philippian church.
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He's writing this
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to the people of God
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in Philippi together,
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together,
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and it's together
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that they have to give a mind
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to what is true.
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It's together that what they need
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to give attention
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to what is honorable.
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It's together that they need
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to consider what is just,
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and justice means
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that you take care
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of the Old Testament
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all the way through,
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for example,
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the role of kings
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in the Old Testament
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where shepherds over the people,
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and in a number of cases,
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you'll find that
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that's the term given to them.
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Shepherds over the flock,
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that's why God placed them there,
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and part of their
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shepherding responsibility
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in dealing justly with people
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and exercising justice
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was to remember
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the likes of the poor,
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the downtrodden,
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the people who didn't have recourse
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to powerful lawyers,
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who didn't have the means
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in order to have those advantages.
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The king was to treat them justly.
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They were not to be regarded
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as any less important
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than those who are high up in society.
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And so it's the same for ourselves.
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You treat people justly.
29:42
That means you treat them
29:43
as they deserve to be treated
29:45
in the sense of being human beings
29:46
that need the kind of ministry
29:52
to them that acknowledges
29:54
that they're no better
29:56
and we're no better
29:57
than they are essentially
29:59
as we are in ourselves.
30:02
So he's saying,
30:03
whatever is just.
30:05
And it's something that
30:06
we try and present,
30:09
of course,
30:09
to the world around us,
30:11
especially to those in authority
30:12
and to those in government
30:14
because they're required
30:15
to exercise justice
30:17
in their dealings with people,
30:19
in their establishing of laws,
30:22
that they be just laws,
30:23
that they be fair,
30:24
that they be equitas.
30:25
All of that comes into
30:28
whatever is just.
30:30
And then he says,
30:31
whatever is pure.
30:33
Whatever is not defiled.
30:36
And in order to know
30:37
what is and isn't defiled,
30:39
you're depending again
30:40
on the Word of God
30:41
as that is defined for you.
30:44
What is pure
30:44
is what is like God himself.
30:46
What is like the Lord Jesus Christ.
30:48
What is like him
30:49
as God describes purity.
30:52
What is unlike sin.
30:53
What is unlike the defilement,
30:55
the ugliness of sin,
30:56
the twistedness of sin.
30:58
Whatever is pure.
31:02
And whatever is lovely.
31:05
Whatever has the moral quality
31:08
of beauty about it.
31:11
You begin to think about beauty
31:12
when you think about God.
31:15
Because that's where beauty begins.
31:17
The beauty of God's being.
31:21
The beauty of his perfection.
31:23
The beauty of his holiness.
31:24
The beauty of all
31:26
that makes up his character,
31:28
if you like.
31:28
That makes up his name,
31:30
as the Bible calls,
31:32
the character of God.
31:34
Whatever is lovely.
31:37
Whatever is commendable.
31:41
Whatever is commendable.
31:43
It means whatever is,
31:44
really literally,
31:45
it means whatever is winsome.
31:47
Whatever attracts you.
31:49
In a proper,
31:50
moral,
31:51
upright way.
31:54
Now he says,
31:55
all of these things.
31:56
Whatever is true.
31:57
Whatever is honorable.
31:58
Whatever is just.
31:59
Whatever is pure.
32:00
Whatever is lovely.
32:01
Whatever is commendable.
32:04
If there is
32:05
any excellence,
32:07
anything worthy of praise,
32:09
think on those things.
32:11
As we said at the beginning,
32:12
they really are
32:15
not just separate parts
32:17
of a lifestyle
32:19
or of a character.
32:20
They are all individually important
32:22
in their own right,
32:23
but they come together
32:24
to form this kind of character
32:26
that we need to cultivate
32:28
as human beings,
32:29
as Christians,
32:30
as people of God,
32:32
so that that is
32:33
what the world actually sees.
32:35
So it's actually
32:36
all of these things together,
32:38
and not any one of them
32:38
in particular.
32:39
You know when you look
32:41
at a rainbow,
32:43
that you find all the colors
32:44
of the rainbow
32:44
in the sky,
32:46
but it forms one entity.
32:48
You can't just say
32:49
of any of the colors,
32:51
well,
32:51
I see that color
32:52
and it's really distinctive.
32:53
It's more important to me.
32:55
It's better to look at
32:56
than the others.
32:57
All the colors together
32:58
harmoniously blend
33:00
into one magnificent rainbow.
33:03
And all the colors
33:04
of these moral qualities
33:06
blend together
33:08
and harmonize
33:08
into one magnificent godliness.
33:13
That's what he's about.
33:15
He's talking about godliness.
33:17
A word that's so largely absent
33:19
from the vocabulary of our land.
33:22
A word that actually
33:23
seems to many people
33:24
to be far outdated
33:26
for use nowadays.
33:29
Godliness,
33:30
being like Christ.
33:31
Godliness,
33:32
pursuing holiness of life.
33:34
Godliness,
33:35
being obedient to God
33:36
through the teachings
33:37
of the Bible.
33:37
Godliness,
33:39
setting out to be
33:40
as like Christ
33:41
as possible
33:42
in this life.
33:44
That's what he's saying here
33:45
with regard to these qualities
33:48
as they blend together.
33:50
And as we said
33:50
at the beginning,
33:51
they're addressed
33:52
to this congregation
33:53
of Christians
33:54
in Philippi.
33:55
So you see,
33:57
tonight,
33:57
all of these things
33:59
as they're set out here,
34:01
they're not just speaking
34:01
to me
34:02
in an isolated way
34:04
from you.
34:05
They're not just speaking
34:06
to you
34:06
as if you were isolated
34:08
or separate
34:08
from every other Christian
34:10
or believer
34:10
in this place.
34:12
They're addressed to us.
34:14
They're addressed to us
34:15
collectively.
34:17
They're addressed to us
34:18
congregationally.
34:20
In other words,
34:21
this is not something
34:21
that you and I
34:22
have to be as individuals.
34:24
This is something
34:25
that required of us
34:26
because we are the church
34:27
of Christ in the world.
34:29
We are a branch
34:30
of the church.
34:31
We are a congregation
34:32
of the church of Christ.
34:33
This is what he's saying
34:34
just as it was
34:35
with the Philippians.
34:37
These are plurals.
34:38
Think.
34:39
Think plural.
34:40
You think,
34:41
all of you collectively,
34:42
he's saying,
34:43
on these things.
34:46
And of course,
34:46
when he says,
34:47
if there is any excellence,
34:49
if there is any worthy
34:50
of praise,
34:51
think about these things.
34:52
He's not suggesting
34:54
that the use of if there,
34:57
not suggesting that
34:58
there aren't things
34:58
which are excellent,
35:00
that there aren't any things
35:01
which are worthy of praise.
35:02
It's actually the other way about.
35:04
It's a way of saying,
35:05
as indeed there are
35:06
things worthy of praise
35:09
and excellence.
35:11
Go back to chapter 2,
35:12
verse 1.
35:13
You find the same kind of
35:14
language used there.
35:15
So,
35:17
if there is any
35:18
encouragement in Christ,
35:20
if there is any
35:21
comfort from love,
35:23
if there is any
35:24
participation in the Spirit,
35:26
if there is any
35:27
affection and sympathy,
35:29
complete my joy
35:30
by being of the same mind.
35:31
It's exactly the same thing
35:33
he's saying,
35:33
that since there is
35:34
indeed encouragement
35:35
in Christ,
35:37
and comfort from love,
35:38
and participation
35:39
in the Spirit,
35:40
and affection and sympathy,
35:42
well,
35:42
complete my joy then.
35:44
seeing they are realities.
35:47
And that's what he's saying here
35:48
in chapter 4 as well,
35:49
using exactly the same language.
35:51
Seeing there is such thing
35:53
as excellence,
35:55
as defined by God.
35:56
Seeing there is such a thing
35:57
of things that are
35:59
worthy of praise,
36:00
think about these things.
36:04
That's the next point.
36:05
There's the list.
36:07
There's the existence
36:08
of excellence
36:09
and things worthy of praise.
36:12
Now he's saying,
36:13
think upon those things.
36:16
Give your mind
36:18
to those things.
36:19
And this word
36:20
that he uses here
36:20
for think
36:22
is not the word
36:22
that Paul usually has
36:24
for thinking,
36:24
although it's very closely related.
36:26
And as you know,
36:27
as we've seen many times,
36:28
for Paul,
36:29
the mind is so centrally important
36:32
to human life,
36:33
whether it's life
36:34
without Christ,
36:35
life in sin,
36:36
life in darkness,
36:38
or life in Christ,
36:39
life following salvation.
36:41
The mind is absolutely central
36:44
to the person.
36:45
And the word
36:50
that he's using here
36:51
means to calculate something,
36:54
to actually give such thought to it
36:57
as you need to reach a conclusion.
36:59
And in fact,
37:00
he has the kind of language
37:02
that's used there,
37:03
the tense of the word,
37:04
means that it's an ongoing habit
37:06
that he's calling for.
37:08
It's not something just now and again.
37:09
It's not something you do
37:10
to begin the Christian life with,
37:12
and therefore you're like a wound up toy
37:14
and then you're left
37:15
to follow that through.
37:16
It's something that continues
37:18
into your life every day.
37:20
Give a mind to these things.
37:22
Give a mind to these things.
37:24
Give a mind to these things.
37:25
Let your mind dwell on these things.
37:27
It's an ongoing activity.
37:31
The mind for the apostle
37:33
is pretty much,
37:35
you could say,
37:35
the control room
37:36
of the human life.
37:38
And whether he's thinking about
37:40
those who live without Christ
37:42
or otherwise,
37:43
you can see that
37:44
the mind is really
37:45
the control room.
37:46
In fact,
37:47
sometimes the word mind
37:48
and the use of it
37:49
in the apostles' writings
37:50
actually amount to
37:53
the person themselves,
37:55
the whole person
37:56
being meant by that.
37:57
Let me just briefly
37:59
remind you
38:00
where that is
38:01
in Ephesians chapter 4,
38:03
for example.
38:05
Ephesians 4 and from verse 17.
38:06
Now this I say
38:08
and testify in the Lord
38:10
that you must no longer walk
38:12
as the Gentiles do.
38:14
In Paul's day,
38:15
the people who are without Christ,
38:17
pagans,
38:18
in the futility
38:19
of their minds.
38:22
They are darkened
38:23
in their understanding,
38:25
again the mind,
38:26
alienated from the life of God
38:28
because of the ignorance
38:30
that is in them.
38:31
You see,
38:31
the mind is controlling
38:32
their lifestyle.
38:34
Due to the hardness
38:35
of heart,
38:36
they have become callous
38:37
and have given themselves
38:39
up to sensuality,
38:41
greedy to practice
38:42
every kind of impurity.
38:45
But that is not the way
38:46
you learned Christ.
38:48
That's not the mind you have
38:50
is what he's saying.
38:52
Your mind is opposite.
38:53
It's in the opposite direction
38:54
to that,
38:55
whatever it is
38:56
you once were.
38:58
And of course,
38:58
you have the same Romans 12,
38:59
verse 2.
39:00
Do not be conformed
39:02
to this world,
39:04
but be transformed.
39:06
How are we going
39:07
to be transformed
39:08
so it will be
39:08
the exact opposite
39:10
of the way we were born,
39:11
the exact opposite
39:12
of being lost sinners,
39:14
hostile to God?
39:15
How are we going
39:16
to become the opposite
39:17
of that?
39:17
Well,
39:18
through God's grace,
39:19
through God's power.
39:20
But what he's saying
39:21
is addressing
39:21
our responsibility.
39:23
Don't be conformed
39:24
to this world.
39:26
Don't go on
39:26
in your life
39:27
being like the world
39:29
around you,
39:30
but be transformed.
39:31
How?
39:31
By the renewing
39:33
of your mind
39:34
so that you may know
39:37
what is that good
39:38
and acceptable
39:39
and perfect
39:40
will of God.
39:42
You see,
39:42
you're not going
39:43
to accept
39:44
and I'm not going
39:44
to accept
39:45
the will of God
39:46
and what that requires
39:48
of me
39:48
if my mind
39:50
is just as it has always
39:51
been the mind
39:52
of a fallen,
39:54
dark sinner.
39:55
That mind
39:56
needs to be renewed.
39:57
That mind
39:58
needs to be made new.
40:00
There needs to be
40:01
a recreation
40:02
at the very center
40:03
of my being
40:04
so that my mind
40:06
then comes
40:07
to face the opposite
40:08
direction
40:09
to the ways
40:10
of sin
40:10
and follows
40:11
the ways
40:12
of holiness,
40:13
the ways
40:13
of Christ-likeness,
40:15
the ways
40:15
of pleasing God,
40:17
not running away
40:18
from Him.
40:21
And you find
40:22
the same
40:22
in the Old Testament.
40:24
Proverbs 4,
40:25
verses 23 to 27.
40:27
You remember
40:28
how that goes
40:29
where it says,
40:31
keep your heart.
40:32
Really,
40:33
same thing essentially
40:33
as your mind.
40:35
Keep your heart
40:36
with all diligence
40:37
for out of it
40:39
flow
40:39
the issues
40:41
of life.
40:43
That's what he's saying.
40:44
That's where
40:45
the streams
40:46
of your life
40:47
actually come from.
40:50
That's what feeds them.
40:51
That's what dictates
40:52
how they are
40:54
and what direction
40:55
they're in,
40:56
what they're made of,
40:57
what your behavior
40:58
is like.
40:59
Keep your heart
41:00
with all diligence.
41:02
Look after
41:03
your mind.
41:04
Make sure
41:04
your mind
41:05
is focused
41:06
on the truth
41:06
of God.
41:07
Make sure
41:08
you're thinking
41:08
upon what is true,
41:10
what is honorable,
41:11
what is just,
41:12
what is pure,
41:13
what is lovely,
41:13
what is commendable.
41:15
Think
41:16
upon
41:17
these things.
41:19
Calculate
41:20
these things.
41:21
You find
41:23
the word used
41:24
in Hebrews
41:25
chapter 11
41:26
verse 19
41:27
where it speaks
41:28
there about
41:29
God,
41:30
about Abraham
41:31
and God's will
41:32
for him.
41:34
Chapter 11
41:35
verse 19
41:36
where you find
41:37
he,
41:38
where he was
41:39
offering up
41:39
Isaac
41:40
in obedience
41:41
to God.
41:43
He considered
41:44
that God
41:44
was able
41:45
even to raise
41:46
him from the dead
41:47
from which
41:48
figuratively speaking
41:50
he did receive
41:51
him.
41:51
There's the word
41:51
considered.
41:52
Well,
41:52
that's exactly
41:53
the same word
41:53
that Paul is
41:54
using here
41:55
for think,
41:56
consider.
41:57
Let your mind
41:58
actually reach
42:00
a conclusion
42:00
by giving
42:01
careful thought
42:02
to these things.
42:05
In other words,
42:05
what he's really
42:05
saying to us
42:06
is that
42:06
the mind
42:08
shapes
42:09
our character.
42:11
What we're
42:12
giving to the
42:13
habit of thinking
42:14
of our minds
42:15
is really
42:16
what results
42:17
in our
42:18
lifestyle,
42:19
in our
42:19
way of life.
42:20
Why is it
42:22
that,
42:22
well,
42:22
we've seen
42:23
it in Ephesians
42:23
there,
42:24
but why is it
42:24
that the world
42:25
of our day
42:26
is as it is?
42:28
And I'm talking
42:28
here about
42:29
immorality
42:30
and talking
42:30
about the ways
42:31
of sin
42:32
and talking
42:32
about people's
42:33
resistance
42:34
and arrogance
42:35
against God
42:36
and against the
42:37
gospel
42:37
and against his
42:38
church.
42:38
Why is it
42:39
like that?
42:40
Because the
42:40
mind is
42:42
behind it.
42:43
And it's
42:44
no accident
42:44
at all
42:45
if people
42:46
habitually
42:47
give their
42:48
mind,
42:48
whether they're
42:49
young or
42:49
old,
42:50
and we mustn't
42:50
think that
42:50
this is just
42:51
for young
42:51
people,
42:52
that this
42:52
just applies
42:53
to young
42:54
people,
42:55
what I'm
42:55
going to
42:55
say.
42:56
If you,
42:57
whatever age
42:58
you're at,
42:59
if you're
42:59
regularly
42:59
watching
43:00
violence
43:01
on television
43:02
or on
43:02
computer games,
43:04
if you're
43:04
regularly
43:05
taking in
43:06
pornography,
43:07
if you're
43:08
looking at
43:08
things which
43:09
pour out
43:10
filthy,
43:11
debauched
43:12
language,
43:13
it's no
43:14
accident that
43:15
your life
43:15
will end up
43:16
just being
43:17
like that.
43:18
Because your
43:19
mind controls
43:21
and dictates
43:22
how you
43:23
live.
43:24
And if your
43:25
mind is still
43:26
the mind of
43:27
darkness,
43:27
then your
43:28
life will be
43:28
in darkness.
43:31
And if your
43:31
mind is set
43:32
on ungodly
43:34
things,
43:34
you will live
43:35
an ungodly
43:36
life.
43:37
And this is
43:38
what he's saying
43:38
to us as he
43:40
said this to
43:41
the Philippians,
43:41
whatever is
43:43
true,
43:43
whatever is
43:44
honorable,
43:45
whatever is
43:46
just,
43:46
whatever is
43:47
pure,
43:48
whatever you
43:49
find is like
43:50
God,
43:50
commended by
43:51
God,
43:53
think upon
43:55
these things.
43:56
Let your
43:57
mind be
43:57
fed,
43:59
controlled by
44:00
these things,
44:01
and then it
44:01
will control
44:02
your manner
44:03
of life.
44:05
And I want
44:05
to say that
44:06
especially to
44:06
the young
44:07
people,
44:07
because I
44:07
know the
44:08
challenges
44:08
that young
44:09
people are
44:10
actually
44:10
facing in
44:11
this day
44:11
and age.
44:12
Because you
44:13
young people
44:14
are facing
44:15
your own
44:16
peer group,
44:16
your own
44:17
age group,
44:18
and you'll
44:18
find many
44:19
of them,
44:20
whether you're
44:20
in school
44:20
or at work
44:21
or whatever,
44:22
many of
44:22
them will
44:23
be hostile
44:24
to your
44:24
following of
44:25
Jesus.
44:26
They'll be
44:27
hostile to
44:27
the character
44:28
of Jesus,
44:29
and they'll
44:30
be trying to
44:31
influence you
44:32
as to the
44:33
kind of
44:33
lifestyle that
44:34
you ought to
44:34
live.
44:36
Well,
44:37
this is what
44:38
God is saying
44:38
to you.
44:40
Purity of
44:41
mind leads
44:43
to purity
44:44
of character.
44:46
The same
44:47
goes in the
44:48
opposite direction.
44:50
Ungodliness
44:51
of mind
44:52
leads to
44:53
ungodliness
44:54
of character.
44:56
Watch your
44:57
company.
44:59
Watch who
44:59
you associate
45:00
with.
45:01
Watch who
45:02
want to make
45:02
friends with
45:03
you.
45:05
Make sure
45:05
that it is
45:06
for the right
45:06
reasons,
45:07
and especially
45:09
have friends
45:10
who are
45:11
Christians,
45:12
have friends
45:13
who love
45:13
Jesus,
45:15
have friends
45:16
who are in
45:16
love with
45:16
holiness,
45:18
with the
45:19
things of
45:19
God.
45:21
Whatever is
45:21
pure,
45:22
whatever is
45:22
true,
45:23
whatever is
45:24
honorable,
45:25
think upon
45:26
these things.
45:29
And then
45:29
the practice
45:30
of holiness.
45:31
He speaks
45:31
about his
45:31
own example,
45:32
just in a
45:33
word.
45:33
What you have
45:34
learned and
45:35
received and
45:36
heard and
45:36
seen in
45:37
me,
45:38
practice
45:39
these things.
45:39
And it's
45:40
no different
45:40
things to
45:41
what he's
45:41
been saying
45:41
at the
45:42
beginning of
45:42
verse 8,
45:43
because what
45:44
they saw
45:44
in the
45:44
apostle was
45:45
an example
45:46
of the
45:46
very things
45:47
he was
45:47
asking them
45:48
to think
45:48
upon.
45:50
And what
45:50
a marvelous,
45:52
exceptional
45:52
teacher they
45:53
had in
45:54
the apostle
45:55
Paul.
45:57
All of
45:58
the things
45:58
that they
46:00
learned from
46:00
him,
46:01
they received
46:02
from him,
46:02
they heard
46:03
from him,
46:04
and they
46:04
had seen
46:05
in him,
46:06
they could
46:07
actually
46:07
follow that
46:08
safely,
46:10
because he
46:11
was a man
46:11
of God,
46:12
a reliable
46:13
character as
46:15
to what God
46:16
required and
46:17
to what Jesus
46:17
is like.
46:19
And that's
46:20
what we need
46:20
too.
46:22
We need,
46:24
as we place
46:25
our trust in
46:26
Christ,
46:27
look at what
46:28
Paul is really
46:28
saying here.
46:30
He's saying to
46:30
the Philippians,
46:31
what I said
46:33
to you is
46:34
what you
46:34
saw in me.
46:36
What I was
46:36
calling upon
46:37
you in the
46:38
gospel to
46:38
be or to
46:39
become is
46:40
what you
46:40
saw in
46:41
myself.
46:41
There's no
46:42
hypocrisy
46:42
here.
46:43
There's no
46:43
distinction
46:44
between what
46:45
Paul was
46:45
setting out
46:46
for them
46:47
by way of
46:47
lifestyle and
46:48
what he
46:49
followed
46:49
himself.
46:50
There's no
46:51
division between
46:52
his recommendation
46:54
or his
46:54
preaching of
46:55
these things
46:56
to the
46:56
Philippians and
46:57
what he
46:58
himself lived
46:58
by.
46:59
And that's
47:01
how you
47:01
and I
47:01
must be
47:02
as well.
47:05
To actually
47:06
be examples
47:07
and at the
47:09
same time
47:09
to follow
47:10
examples.
47:12
We want to
47:13
be an
47:13
example to
47:14
those who
47:15
don't have
47:16
much of a
47:16
clue as to
47:17
what Christianity
47:18
is about,
47:19
what holiness
47:20
is about,
47:21
what loving
47:22
Jesus is
47:22
about.
47:24
And we
47:24
want to
47:25
follow examples
47:26
as well.
47:27
We all have
47:27
examples that
47:28
we can follow.
47:29
Just as the
47:30
Philippians had
47:30
the Apostle
47:31
Paul.
47:32
And I'm
47:32
not going to
47:32
put myself
47:33
in the
47:34
position that
47:34
he put
47:35
himself in
47:35
by saying
47:36
what you
47:36
have learned
47:36
and received
47:37
and heard
47:38
and seen
47:38
in me.
47:39
To the
47:40
extent that
47:40
he could
47:41
say,
47:41
although I
47:41
hope as
47:42
we preach
47:42
the gospel
47:43
that that
47:44
is by
47:44
and large
47:45
true of
47:45
us.
47:47
Because we
47:47
want to be
47:48
true to
47:48
God in
47:50
our own
47:50
private life,
47:51
in our
47:52
public
47:52
persona,
47:53
everything
47:53
that we're
47:54
about.
47:54
God in
47:55
life,
47:56
God in
47:56
God in
47:57
God.
47:57
But it's
47:57
important
47:57
especially
47:58
that the
48:00
examples you
48:00
know in
48:01
your own
48:01
life and
48:02
have no
48:03
doubt about
48:03
that they
48:04
are godly
48:04
people,
48:05
godly men
48:05
and women,
48:07
young people
48:08
or old
48:08
people,
48:08
practice
48:11
these things.
48:14
Follow
48:14
their
48:15
example.
48:17
Be with
48:17
them.
48:18
Learn from
48:19
them.
48:21
And that's
48:21
how the
48:22
Philippians
48:23
were advised
48:24
by the
48:24
apostles.
48:25
So the
48:25
purity of
48:26
mind required
48:27
the practice
48:28
of holiness
48:29
as they saw
48:29
the example
48:30
of Paul
48:31
himself and
48:32
the presence
48:32
of God.
48:33
This is how
48:33
he finishes.
48:34
And the
48:35
God of
48:35
peace will
48:36
be with
48:37
you.
48:38
Now,
48:38
as we saw
48:39
previously many
48:40
times,
48:40
the titles
48:41
that God
48:41
gives to
48:42
himself through
48:43
the apostles
48:44
or the
48:44
prophets or
48:45
whatever are
48:46
important.
48:47
Whatever name
48:48
is given to
48:49
God here,
48:50
it's the
48:50
God of
48:50
peace.
48:51
Well,
48:51
it's telling
48:52
you something
48:52
important about
48:53
God.
48:54
And as the
48:55
God of
48:55
peace,
48:56
he's the
48:57
God who
48:57
has created
48:58
peace for
49:00
sinners like
49:00
you and I.
49:02
That's what
49:03
the death of
49:04
Jesus was
49:05
about.
49:07
And you
49:07
know,
49:07
peace in
49:08
the Bible
49:09
is not
49:09
a soft
49:11
sort of
49:12
malloy
49:13
thing like
49:13
a chunk
49:14
of ice
49:14
cream.
49:16
It's not
49:16
something that
49:17
you can
49:17
just
49:18
manipulate,
49:21
if you like,
49:21
or work
49:22
into different
49:22
shapes.
49:25
Peace in
49:26
the way the
49:26
Bible speaks
49:27
about it is a
49:28
thing of
49:28
substance.
49:30
There's a
49:31
solidity about
49:32
it.
49:32
There's a
49:32
beauty about
49:33
it, but
49:34
there's also a
49:34
substance about
49:35
it.
49:35
Why is that?
49:36
Why is the
49:37
peace that's
49:38
mentioned in
49:38
the Bible,
49:39
the different
49:39
ways in which
49:40
it's mentioned,
49:41
especially the
49:41
peace of God
49:42
that has come
49:43
to us in
49:43
Christ, why
49:44
does it have
49:45
substance?
49:45
Because it
49:47
flows directly
49:48
from the
49:49
death and the
49:49
resurrection,
49:50
the victory
49:51
of Jesus.
49:53
That's what
49:53
gives it
49:54
substance.
49:55
It's not just
49:56
any kind of
49:56
peace.
49:57
It's peace
49:57
with God.
49:59
It's peace
49:59
between individual
50:01
human beings
50:01
as God
50:03
has created
50:04
that for us
50:05
and given
50:05
us the
50:05
privilege of
50:07
sharing in
50:07
that wonderful
50:08
peace of
50:09
God.
50:10
Remember when
50:11
Jesus came
50:11
in John
50:12
chapter 20,
50:14
came into
50:14
the group of
50:15
disciples that
50:16
were gathered
50:16
there, showed
50:18
them his hands
50:19
at his side,
50:20
the marks of
50:20
his crucifixion,
50:22
the proof, if
50:23
you like, of
50:23
his death.
50:25
But here he
50:25
was risen from
50:26
the dead,
50:27
having left
50:28
death behind,
50:29
having gained
50:30
this magnificent
50:31
indescribable
50:32
victory over
50:33
death, having
50:34
risen out of
50:35
death, out of
50:36
the grave, having
50:38
accomplished life
50:39
for his people.
50:40
What does he
50:40
say?
50:42
Peace be to
50:44
you.
50:46
You see
50:47
what's happening?
50:48
Here is the
50:48
Son of God, the
50:50
mediator, the
50:50
Savior, fresh
50:52
from his
50:53
resurrection from
50:54
the dead, fresh
50:55
from his victory
50:56
with sin and
50:57
with death.
50:58
And he's saying
50:59
to these people,
51:00
I am here so
51:01
that you can be
51:01
absolutely persuaded
51:03
that I have
51:04
created peace
51:05
for you.
51:06
And it's not
51:07
any kind of
51:07
peace.
51:08
It's peace that
51:09
has put behind
51:09
me the issues
51:11
of death.
51:12
And therefore
51:12
for you as my
51:13
people, he's
51:14
saying, it's
51:15
peace that I
51:16
bring you, the
51:16
peace that has
51:17
already overcome
51:18
death.
51:20
The peace that's
51:20
far more than a
51:22
cessation of war,
51:23
though that's a
51:23
valuable thing.
51:25
We pray for it.
51:27
But the peace of
51:28
God is the
51:30
peace that
51:30
establishes
51:31
people or
51:32
belongs to the
51:33
establishing of
51:34
people in a
51:35
right relationship
51:36
with God
51:37
again.
51:38
The peace of
51:40
God will be
51:43
with you.
51:45
Now we said
51:46
that there's a
51:46
connection, of
51:47
course, with the
51:48
previous part of
51:48
the passage,
51:50
where he's
51:51
saying that
51:52
the peace of
51:54
God which
51:54
passes understanding
51:56
will guard your
51:57
hearts and
51:58
minds.
51:58
Now he's
51:59
saying the
52:00
God of peace
52:00
will be with
52:01
you.
52:02
And that's
52:02
going a step
52:03
further, isn't
52:03
it?
52:04
Because one
52:05
thing to say
52:05
the peace of
52:06
God will be
52:07
with you, he's
52:08
now actually
52:08
saying the
52:09
God of peace
52:10
himself will be
52:11
with you.
52:13
Since the
52:14
pandemic came
52:15
in, one of
52:15
the benefits
52:17
that we have
52:18
certainly if
52:18
you're using
52:19
KJs as it's
52:21
known, or to
52:22
the older ones,
52:23
Kenny Froggans
52:23
as your
52:24
chemist, when
52:26
you order a
52:26
prescription, it
52:27
goes to the
52:28
health center, the
52:28
health center passes
52:29
that down to the
52:30
chemist, and
52:31
then there's a
52:32
delivery, bring it
52:32
to your house.
52:38
It's actually not
52:39
like that with
52:40
God.
52:41
He has
52:42
himself made
52:44
up the
52:44
prescription, and
52:46
he has made
52:47
up the very
52:48
medicine that our
52:49
soul requires, if
52:50
I can put it
52:50
that way, the
52:52
medicine of
52:52
peace, the
52:53
medicine of
52:54
salvation.
52:56
He has
52:56
created that, but
52:59
he doesn't send a
53:00
messenger with it
53:01
to bring it to
53:02
your home or to
53:03
your heart.
53:04
He comes with it
53:05
himself.
53:08
Think about it.
53:10
The great God of
53:12
heaven, the God
53:14
against whom we
53:15
have sinned, the
53:18
God who has
53:18
created peace for
53:19
us in Jesus
53:20
Christ.
53:22
Here's the peace
53:23
of God that
53:24
passes all
53:24
understanding that
53:26
we have in
53:26
Jesus Christ by
53:28
what he has
53:28
done.
53:29
But here is
53:29
Paul saying, the
53:30
God of peace will
53:31
be with you.
53:32
He comes himself
53:34
with the peace
53:35
that he's created,
53:36
and he comes to
53:36
live in your
53:37
heart.
53:38
And whenever he
53:39
comes to live in
53:40
your heart, he
53:40
brings his peace
53:41
with him.
53:46
What a wonderful
53:47
privilege to know
53:50
God.
53:52
What a wonderful
53:53
privilege to have
53:54
peace with God.
53:57
What a wonderful
53:58
privilege and
53:59
advantage to know
54:00
the gospel of
54:01
peace, presenting
54:03
the God of peace
54:04
and the peace of
54:04
God to us.
54:08
Have you made
54:09
your peace with
54:10
God?
54:13
Remember, that's
54:14
required of you,
54:16
as it's required of
54:17
me.
54:18
Yes, God has
54:19
created the peace
54:20
that's in Christ,
54:22
the peace that
54:22
belongs to his
54:23
salvation.
54:25
That exists.
54:27
He has brought it
54:28
into being by
54:29
Christ's death and
54:30
resurrection from
54:31
the dead.
54:32
That's what's
54:32
offered in the
54:33
gospel.
54:35
That's what God
54:35
is saying in the
54:37
gospel as it's
54:37
preached and
54:38
proclaimed.
54:39
Here is my
54:40
peace.
54:41
Here is my
54:42
peace for people
54:43
like you and I.
54:44
But he is
54:47
saying, you
54:49
need to come and
54:50
accept these
54:51
terms of peace.
54:54
You need to put
54:55
your name to
54:55
them.
54:57
You need to have
54:58
them for yourself.
55:01
You need to make
55:02
that peace your
55:03
peace.
55:05
And when you
55:06
come to give
55:07
yourself through
55:09
God's grace to
55:10
the Lord Jesus
55:10
Christ, however
55:13
and whenever that
55:14
will be, then
55:16
you have peace
55:17
with God.
55:19
The peace that
55:19
passes all
55:20
understanding.
55:22
Then you have
55:22
the God of
55:23
peace as your
55:24
God.
55:26
Whatever happens
55:27
in your life,
55:29
though sometimes
55:30
that peace can
55:32
become hidden
55:33
from us,
55:35
though sometimes
55:36
we may focus
55:37
far more on
55:38
feelings than we
55:39
ought to,
55:39
feelings of
55:40
peace,
55:40
peace.
55:43
When God
55:44
establishes his
55:44
presence and
55:46
peace in your
55:46
heart, no
55:48
power on earth
55:49
or on hell
55:49
can take that
55:51
from you.
55:53
The only way
55:54
you can lose
55:55
it is if God
55:57
takes Jesus
55:58
away from you.
56:00
And that will
56:00
never happen.
56:02
Whatever the
56:03
world throws at
56:04
you, it may
56:06
disturb your
56:06
peace outwardly.
56:07
It may disturb
56:09
your sense of
56:10
assurance, but
56:13
it can never
56:14
take from you
56:14
the Christ who
56:16
is your peace
56:17
and the peace
56:19
of God in
56:21
Jesus Christ.
56:23
May he bless
56:23
his word to us.
56:24
Let's pray.
56:26
We ask, O Lord,
56:27
that once again
56:28
you would bless
56:29
your word to
56:30
us.
56:31
And we give
56:31
thanks that you
56:33
describe the
56:33
gospel as the
56:34
gospel of peace,
56:36
that you describe
56:37
yourself as the
56:37
God of peace,
56:39
that you describe
56:40
the peace as one
56:41
that passes all
56:42
understanding.
56:44
And we thank you,
56:44
Lord, that while we
56:45
cannot fully
56:46
comprehend all
56:48
that is true of
56:49
this peace or
56:50
of this God,
56:52
we give you
56:52
thanks, Lord,
56:53
for the reality
56:54
of knowing it,
56:55
the reality of
56:56
knowing its
56:57
benefits and the
56:58
way that it comes
56:59
to occupy our
57:00
hearts.
57:01
Bless each of us
57:02
here, we pray,
57:04
with that peace
57:04
of God.
57:05
Lord, if we
57:06
have not yet
57:07
come to lay
57:08
down our arms
57:08
of rebellion
57:09
against you,
57:10
if our heart
57:11
is still closed
57:12
against you,
57:13
if we have
57:14
continued, even
57:15
for many years,
57:16
to close our
57:18
hearts to the
57:18
terms of your
57:19
peace, open
57:21
our minds and
57:21
our hearts this
57:22
evening, we pray,
57:24
and give us in
57:24
our minds to
57:25
receive those
57:27
glorious things
57:28
of Christ.
57:30
Hear us, we
57:30
pray, and accept
57:31
our worship,
57:32
pardoning all our
57:33
sin for Jesus'
57:34
sake.
57:35
Amen.
57:38
And we're
57:39
singing again in
57:39
conclusion in
57:40
Psalm 19.
57:43
Singing from
57:44
verse 12
57:45
through to the
57:50
end of the
57:50
psalm.
57:50
Psalm 19,
57:51
verse 12,
57:52
the tune this
57:52
time is St.
57:53
Columba.
57:54
Who can his
57:56
errors understand,
57:57
or cleanse thou
57:58
me within from
57:59
secret faults,
58:00
thy servant keep
58:01
from all
58:02
presumptuous sin,
58:03
and do not
58:04
suffer them to
58:05
have dominion
58:06
over me,
58:07
then righteous
58:08
and innocent,
58:09
I from much
58:10
sin shall be.
58:11
The words which
58:12
from my mouth
58:13
proceed, the
58:14
thoughts sent
58:15
from my heart,
58:16
accept, O Lord,
58:18
for thou my
58:19
strength and my
58:20
redeemer art.
58:21
These three
58:22
verses in
58:22
conclusion.
58:28
Who can his
58:32
errors understand,
58:39
O cleanse thou
58:42
me within,
58:45
from secret faults,
58:52
thy servant keep,
58:57
from all presumptuous
59:03
sin, and do not suffer
59:12
them to have dominion
59:19
over me, then righteous
59:29
and innocent, I from much
59:40
sin shall be.
59:43
The words which
59:49
from my mouth
59:54
proceed, and thoughts
59:59
sent from my heart,
1:00:05
accept, O Lord,
1:00:11
for thou my
1:00:14
strength,
1:00:17
and my
1:00:18
redeemer
1:00:22
art.
1:00:25
God willing, I
1:00:27
hope that by the
1:00:28
next time we meet
1:00:29
together, that it
1:00:29
will be without the
1:00:30
masks, and we'll be
1:00:32
able to sing out as
1:00:33
we would like, with
1:00:34
all the volume that
1:00:34
we would want to
1:00:36
have.
1:00:37
Let's hope that that
1:00:38
will in fact be the
1:00:39
case over the next
1:00:40
week or so.
1:00:42
Now may the grace of
1:00:43
the Lord Jesus Christ,
1:00:45
the love of God the
1:00:45
Father, and the
1:00:46
communion of the
1:00:47
Holy Spirit be with
1:00:48
you now and ever
1:00:49
more.
1:00:50
Amen.