Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Standing Firm

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Standing Firm · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We'll begin our worship just now by singing to God's praise.
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We're going to sing in Psalm 46 in the Scottish Psalter.
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! Psalm 46, page 271.
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We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 7.
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!
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God is our refuge and our strength in straits of present day.
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Therefore, although the earth we move, we will not be afraid.
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Though hills amidst the seas be cast, the waters roaring make.
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And trouble be, yea, though the hills by swelling seas do shake.
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We sing from verse 1 to 7.
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To God's praise we stand to sing.
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Amen.
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We singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing,
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The hills
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Are swelling
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Seas to shake
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A river
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Is to
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Sees to cloud
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The city
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Of our God
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The holy
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Place
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Wherein the
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Lord
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Most high
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Hath
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His abode
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God
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In the
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Mace
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Of earth
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Doth dwell
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Nothing
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Shall
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Her renew
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The
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Lord
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To
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Her
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And
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Help
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Her
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Will
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And
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The
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Ad
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My
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Journey
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Proof
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The
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Heathen
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Rich
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To
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Malt
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Just
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The
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Kingdoms
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To
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!
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To
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Malt
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!
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The
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Lord
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God
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held for fear.
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The Lord of hosts upon her side
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doth constantly remain.
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The God of Jehovah's refuge
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are safely to maintain.
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Let's bow heads in a word of prayer.
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Let us pray.
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Our Father in heaven,
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we gather in your name today.
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We're thankful for the joy of worship,
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thankful to be able to gather as your people,
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to gather around your word,
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to hear what you have to say to us.
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And thankful that your word is fresh and new each day.
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We may have read the many passages that we find in it
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many times in the past.
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We may hear things that we've heard before,
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but yet we thank you that you are one
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who speaks to us anew each day.
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And we pray that we would know that today,
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that we would know your word being blessed to us,
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reminding us of even these words that we have sung,
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that you are a refuge and a strength to your people,
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that you are one who remains constantly upon our side.
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And we thank you for all these promises that we have.
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And we pray, Lord,
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that together we would know that today,
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young and old alike.
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We thank you for all the young people here today
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going out to Sunday school and creche and tweenies
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and Bible class.
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We do pray a blessing on them
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and upon all the teachers too.
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Thankful for that hunger to learn,
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that hunger to know more of you.
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We pray, Lord,
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and thank you for the way that you work in our midst,
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not just among your people as Christians,
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but among those who are not yet maybe professing it,
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but, Lord,
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seeking you with their heart.
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And we pray that young and old together,
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we would know that calling of your word to us,
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to come and follow you.
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May that continue to speak to us this day
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and in all the days ahead,
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thankful for Jesus who calls us,
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the one who knows us by name.
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And so, Lord,
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bless us together.
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Watch over us in our homes and in our families.
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Watch over us throughout the week ahead in school.
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And in all that we do, Lord,
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may we know blessing and protection.
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May we know your goodness and mercy following us.
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We pray for all the activities of the young ones
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throughout the week as well.
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We pray for the explorers,
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thankful for all who go there,
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both the young and the old alike.
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And we pray, Lord,
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that you would bless these activities
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and those who help in it
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and encourage others perhaps to help with it as well,
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Lord,
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as we seek helpers
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throughout all the activities of the church.
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May you lay burdens
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on all of our hearts for that.
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So, Lord,
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bless us now.
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Continue with us
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and pardon us in all our sin.
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That's all we ask.
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We ask in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Just a word to the young ones
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before you go out.
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Today we're going to be,
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in the service,
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we're going to be looking at a passage
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that is probably familiar
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to many people in here today.
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And it's Jesus speaking
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about building our house
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and two different places
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that we can build our house.
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Do you know what it is?
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One place we build our house upon
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is sand.
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And then the other place
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we build our house upon
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is rock.
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And when a storm comes,
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only one of these houses
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will stand up to that storm.
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And it's a house
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that's built on the rock.
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Now,
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who enjoys going to the beach?
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Hands up if you enjoy
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going to the beach.
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Yeah,
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there's a few people.
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All enjoy going to the beach.
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Would you go to the beach today, though?
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It's a bit wet and windy
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and wild today
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to go to the beach.
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But we look forward
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to the summer coming
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and days when we can go
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to the beach.
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And one of the things
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we love to do on the beach
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is build sandcastles.
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And I'm sure you've all got
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maybe a favourite beach,
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somewhere you like to go,
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a special beach.
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And you can think of
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all the different beaches
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around our island.
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There's so many of them.
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We're spoilt for choice.
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Number one on the list
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of Korsha's favourite beaches
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is Shawbo's Beach.
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That's where everybody
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wants to go.
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I can understand why.
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And then there's places
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like Luskentide
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and other ones
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a close second.
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There's lots of different beaches
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that people like to go to.
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And building sandcastles
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can be great fun.
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But you know,
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when you're building
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sandcastles on the beach,
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something's going to happen.
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The tide's going to come in
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and take the sandcastle away
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eventually.
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But it's all part of the fun.
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But there's a serious side
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to the beach as well.
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Now,
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a lot of beaches,
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you can see the tide
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coming in and out.
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But there's a lot of beaches too
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where if the tide has gone out,
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you can't even tell where it is.
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It's gone so far out.
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And if people aren't familiar,
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they can make a mistake.
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And you think of people
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who come visiting the island
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and they very often have tents.
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Now,
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when the tide's out,
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they might think,
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there's a lovely spot
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to put the tent up.
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And you're thinking to yourself,
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they shouldn't.
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Because when the tide comes in,
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it's going to come in
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and cover that tent.
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So,
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the question is,
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what do you do?
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Do you just let them
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put their tent up
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and start laughing
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because the tide's going to come in
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and they're going to get wet?
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Or do you think to yourself,
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no,
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I should go and tell them
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that the tide is going to come in
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and cover that tent.
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It's going to be dangerous for them.
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We should tell them,
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shouldn't we?
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Well,
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that's really what Jesus is doing here.
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He's telling us
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what's important.
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He's telling us
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how we are to live our lives
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and what's dangerous for us.
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And he's speaking about this
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house built upon the rock
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and the house built upon the sand
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because he's warning us
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because he knows
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the danger that we're in.
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That if we build our house
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on the sand,
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which is really trusting
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in everything else
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apart from God,
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apart from Jesus,
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that our house
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is just going to come crashing down.
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But if we build our house
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on the rock that is Jesus,
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we are going to be secure.
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So even on a day like this
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when it's wet
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and windy
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and wild,
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that's what Jesus speaks
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about,
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the flood
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and the storm
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that comes.
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The house that's built
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on the rock
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stands
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because it's secure
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in Jesus.
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So he warns us.
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That's what we should do
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if we see somebody
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putting up a tent
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on the beach
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knowing the tide's
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going to come in
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and wash it away.
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We should warn them.
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And that's what Jesus does here.
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He warns us
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not to build our house
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in the wrong place,
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but to build our house,
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build our lives
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on Jesus
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and to trust
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in him.
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So that's what we're going
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to be thinking about
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in the service
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a little more
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today as we go on.
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Standing firm
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in Jesus.
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Will we say the Lord's Prayer
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together now together?
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Our Father,
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which art in heaven,
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hallowed be thy name.
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Thy kingdom come.
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Thy will be done on earth
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as it is in heaven.
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Give us this day
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our daily bread
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and forgive us
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our debts
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as we forgive
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our debtors.
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And lead us not
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into temptation,
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but deliver us
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from evil.
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For thine is the kingdom,
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the power,
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and the glory
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forever.
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Amen.
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Well, let's sing again
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to God's praise.
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This time we're singing
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in Psalm 37
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in the Scottish Psalter
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once again.
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Page 252.
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Psalm 37.
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We sing from verse 1
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to verse 6.
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For evildoers,
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fret thou not
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thyself unquietly,
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nor do thou envy
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bear to those
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that work iniquity.
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For even like
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unto the grass
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soon be cut down
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shall they,
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and like the green
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and tender herb
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they wither
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shall away.
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We'll sing from
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verse 1
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to verse 6
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to God's praise.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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For evildoers,
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fret now not
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thyself unquietly,
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nor do thou envy
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bear to those
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that work iniquity.
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for even like
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unto the grass
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soon be cut down
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shall they,
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and like the green
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and tender herb
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they wither
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shall away.
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set thou thy trust
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upon the Lord,
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and be thou doing good,
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and so thou in the land
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shall dwell,
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and verily have food.
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delight thyself in God,
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he'll give,
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thine heart's desire
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to thee.
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Thy way to God
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commit him trust,
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it bring to pass
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shall he.
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and like unto the light
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he shall thy righteousness
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display,
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and he thy judgment
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shall bring forth
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like noontide of the day.
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Amen.
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I will turn to read
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in the gospel of Luke,
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chapter 6.
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Luke chapter 6,
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reading from verse 17.
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You'll find it around page 1039
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of the Bibles,
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if you have the church Bible.
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Luke chapter 6,
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reading at verse 17.
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We notice here
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that in the previous section,
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verse 12 to 16,
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Jesus had been away
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up the mountain praying,
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and he's come down
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from that time of prayer
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to his disciples,
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calling his disciples
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to follow him.
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And then as we pick up
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our reading in verse 17,
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he is here preaching
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to a large crowd.
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And he came down with them
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and stood on a level place
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with a great crowd
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of his disciples
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and a great multitude
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of people
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from all Judea
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and Jerusalem
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and the sea coast
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of Tyre and Sidon,
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who came to hear him
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and to be healed
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of their diseases.
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And those who were troubled
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with unclean spirits
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were cured.
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And all the crowd
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sought to touch him,
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for power came out from him
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and healed them all.
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And he lifted up his eyes
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on his disciples
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and said,
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Blessed are you
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who are poor,
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for yours is the kingdom
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of God.
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Blessed are you
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who are hungry now,
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for you shall be satisfied.
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Blessed are you
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who weep now,
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for you shall laugh.
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Blessed are you
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when people hate you
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and when they exclude you
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and revile you
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and spurn your name
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as evil
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on account of the Son of Man.
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rejoice in that day
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and leap for joy,
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for behold,
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your reward is great
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in heaven,
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for so their fathers
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did to the prophets.
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But woe to those
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who are rich,
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for you have received
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your consolation.
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Woe to you
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who are full now,
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for you shall be hungry.
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Woe to you
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who laugh now,
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for you shall mourn
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and weep.
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Woe to you
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when all people
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speak well of you,
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for so their fathers
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did to the false prophets.
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But I say to you
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who hear,
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love your enemies,
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do good to those
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who hate you,
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bless those
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who curse you,
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pray for those
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who abuse you.
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To one
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who strikes you
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on the cheek,
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offer the other also.
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And from one
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who takes away
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your cloak,
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do not withhold
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your tunic either.
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Give to everyone
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who begs from you
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and from one
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who takes away
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your goods,
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do not demand them back.
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And as you wish
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that others
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would do to you,
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do so to them.
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If you love
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those who love you,
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what benefit
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is that to you?
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For even sinners
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love those
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who love them.
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And if you do good
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to those
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who do good to you,
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what benefit
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is that to you?
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For even sinners
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do the same.
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And if you lend
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to those
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from whom you expect
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to receive,
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what credit
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is that to you?
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Even sinners
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lend to sinners
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to get back
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the same amount.
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But love your enemies
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and do good
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and lend
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expecting nothing
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in return.
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And your reward
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will be great
17:16
and you will be
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sons of the Most High
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for he is kind
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to the ungrateful
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and the evil.
17:22
Be merciful
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even as your Father
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is merciful.
17:26
Judge not
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and you will not
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be judged.
17:28
Condemn not
17:29
and you will not
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be condemned.
17:31
Forgive
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and you will be forgiven.
17:33
Give
17:33
and it will be
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given to you.
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Good measure
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pressed down,
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shaken together,
17:38
running over,
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will be put
17:40
into your lap.
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For with the measure
17:43
you use
17:44
it will be measured
17:45
back to you.
17:47
He also told them
17:48
a parable.
17:49
Can a blind man
17:50
lead a blind man?
17:52
Will they not both
17:53
fall into a pit?
17:55
A disciple
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is not above
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his teacher
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but everyone
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when he is fully
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trained
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will be like
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his teacher.
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Why do you
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see the speck
18:05
that is in
18:05
your brother's eye
18:06
but do not
18:07
notice the log
18:08
that is in
18:08
your own eye?
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How can you
18:10
say to your
18:11
brother,
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Brother,
18:12
let me take
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out the speck
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that is in
18:14
your eye
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when you
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yourself
18:16
do not
18:17
see the log
18:17
that is in
18:18
your own eye?
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You hypocrite,
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first take the
18:21
log out of
18:22
your own eye
18:22
and then
18:23
you will see
18:24
clearly to
18:25
take out
18:25
the speck
18:26
that is in
18:26
your brother's
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eye.
18:28
For no good
18:29
three bears
18:29
bad fruit,
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nor again
18:31
does a bad
18:32
tree bear
18:32
good fruit
18:33
for each
18:34
tree is
18:34
known by
18:35
its own
18:35
fruit.
18:37
For figs
18:37
are not
18:38
gathered from
18:38
thorn bushes
18:39
nor are
18:40
grapes picked
18:41
from a
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bramble bush.
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The good
18:44
person out
18:45
of the good
18:45
treasure of
18:46
his heart
18:46
produces
18:47
good and
18:47
the evil
18:48
person out
18:49
of his
18:49
evil produces
18:50
evil.
18:51
For out of
18:52
the abundance
18:52
of the heart
18:53
his mouth
18:54
speaks.
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Why do you
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call me
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Lord,
18:58
Lord,
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and not do
19:00
what I
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tell you.
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Everyone
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who comes
19:02
to me
19:03
and hears
19:03
my words
19:04
and does
19:04
them,
19:05
I will
19:06
show you
19:06
what he
19:06
is like.
19:08
He is
19:08
like a
19:08
man building
19:09
a house
19:09
who dug
19:10
deep and
19:11
laid the
19:11
foundation
19:12
on the
19:12
rock.
19:13
And when
19:13
a flood
19:14
arose,
19:15
the stream
19:15
broke
19:15
against
19:16
that house
19:17
and could
19:18
not shake
19:18
it because
19:19
it had
19:20
been well
19:20
built.
19:21
But the
19:22
one who
19:22
hears and
19:23
does not
19:23
do them
19:24
is like a
19:25
man who
19:25
built a
19:26
house on
19:27
the ground
19:27
without a
19:28
foundation.
19:28
When the
19:29
stream
19:30
broke
19:30
against
19:30
it,
19:31
immediately
19:32
it fell
19:32
and the
19:33
ruin of
19:34
that house
19:35
was great.
19:37
And so
19:37
on.
19:37
May God
19:37
bless that
19:38
reading from
19:39
his word.
19:42
Let's again
19:43
engage in a
19:44
word of
19:44
prayer.
19:45
Let us
19:45
pray.
19:49
Our
19:50
Father in
19:51
heaven,
19:51
as we read
19:52
here of a
19:53
great multitude
19:54
who surrounded
19:55
the Lord Jesus
19:56
in these days
19:57
and as he
19:58
preached to
19:59
them of
20:00
all these
20:01
wonderful
20:02
truths and
20:02
wonderful
20:03
challenges
20:03
that we
20:04
see,
20:05
we recognize
20:06
ourselves in
20:07
so many of
20:08
them,
20:08
of how far
20:09
short that
20:10
we fall
20:11
from the
20:12
glory of
20:12
God.
20:13
And we
20:14
thank you
20:14
that your
20:15
word is
20:16
such a
20:16
great challenge
20:18
to us.
20:18
And we
20:19
pray that
20:19
today,
20:20
that as we
20:20
hear it,
20:21
we would
20:21
indeed have
20:22
ears to
20:23
hear what
20:24
you are
20:24
saying.
20:24
for there's
20:26
these words
20:27
of Jesus
20:28
that we
20:29
read that
20:29
explain so
20:31
much of
20:31
what our
20:31
lives entail,
20:33
how we
20:34
live among
20:35
people,
20:36
how we
20:36
deal with
20:37
people around
20:38
us,
20:38
not just
20:39
our own
20:40
people as
20:40
it were,
20:41
not just
20:41
those who
20:42
are believers
20:43
in you,
20:45
not just
20:45
those we
20:46
are comfortable
20:46
with,
20:47
but we are
20:48
challenged in
20:49
these words
20:49
to look
20:50
beyond our
20:51
own walls,
20:52
to look out
20:53
into our
20:54
communities,
20:54
to look
20:55
out into
20:56
our world
20:56
and to
20:57
see mankind
20:58
as it has
20:59
been created
21:00
by you,
21:01
with all
21:01
its fears
21:03
and worries
21:04
and anxieties,
21:05
with all
21:05
its downfalls
21:06
and pitfalls,
21:08
with all the
21:08
differences that
21:09
we see in
21:10
all our
21:11
nations.
21:12
And when we
21:12
think of the
21:13
world in which
21:14
we live today,
21:15
we see so
21:16
much that is
21:17
a hindrance,
21:18
so much that
21:19
is brought
21:21
upon us by
21:22
sin.
21:23
For we
21:23
live in a
21:24
world that
21:24
has come
21:25
to know
21:26
the reality
21:27
of sin,
21:28
that it is
21:29
not just
21:29
in our own
21:31
hearts,
21:31
but it works
21:32
out in our
21:33
lives and
21:33
in our
21:34
experience.
21:35
It is
21:35
something we
21:36
see in
21:37
ourselves,
21:38
even as we
21:38
are reminded
21:39
there of
21:39
the log
21:40
in our
21:40
own eye
21:41
before we
21:41
even consider
21:42
the speck
21:43
in our
21:43
brothers.
21:44
And so,
21:45
Lord,
21:45
help us to
21:45
look to
21:46
ourselves
21:46
first,
21:48
and then
21:48
to look
21:48
to others
21:49
and to
21:49
seek,
21:50
to administer
21:51
your word,
21:52
to preach
21:52
your word,
21:53
to draw
21:54
near to
21:55
your people,
21:56
near and
21:56
far,
21:57
and that we
21:58
would see
21:58
the wonder
21:59
of your
21:59
spirit working,
22:01
the wonder
22:01
of the spirit
22:02
that we see
22:03
working in
22:04
the passage
22:05
before us,
22:06
Lord,
22:06
as this
22:07
great multitude
22:08
heard Jesus
22:09
preach.
22:09
We see the
22:11
variety of
22:11
responses that
22:12
there were
22:13
so often.
22:14
There were
22:14
those who
22:15
would hear
22:15
and listen
22:16
and do,
22:17
there were
22:18
those who
22:18
would hear
22:19
and listen
22:20
but just
22:21
reject what
22:22
they heard
22:22
and turn
22:23
away back
22:23
to their
22:23
own ways.
22:25
And we
22:25
pray,
22:26
Lord,
22:26
that today,
22:27
as we
22:27
always do
22:28
as we
22:28
come around
22:29
your word,
22:30
that we
22:31
would just
22:31
not come
22:32
to hear,
22:33
but that
22:34
your word
22:34
would make
22:35
us do
22:35
as well,
22:37
that we
22:37
would seek
22:38
to leave
22:38
this place
22:39
looking to
22:40
love the
22:41
Lord Jesus
22:41
with all
22:42
our hearts
22:42
and to
22:43
know the
22:44
power of
22:44
your spirit
22:45
at work
22:46
in us.
22:47
And so
22:47
help us,
22:48
Lord,
22:48
today,
22:49
that we
22:49
would just
22:50
be still
22:51
before you
22:51
in this
22:52
time and
22:53
that you
22:53
would help
22:54
us in
22:54
our understanding
22:55
of your
22:56
word.
22:56
And we
22:56
pray that
22:57
for all
22:57
who gather
22:58
around your
22:58
word today,
22:59
wherever they
23:00
are,
23:01
be it
23:01
throughout
23:01
our island
23:02
communities
23:02
here,
23:03
our nation
23:04
or the
23:04
world,
23:05
we thank
23:05
you that
23:06
from the
23:06
rising of
23:06
the sun
23:07
to its
23:07
setting,
23:08
your name
23:08
is praised.
23:10
And we
23:10
pray for
23:11
the power
23:11
of your
23:12
spirit to
23:13
be at
23:13
worth,
23:13
that your
23:13
word would
23:14
not return
23:15
empty or
23:15
void,
23:16
but accomplish
23:16
all for
23:17
which it
23:18
is sent
23:18
forth.
23:19
We do
23:20
remember the
23:21
preaching of
23:22
your word,
23:22
remember the
23:23
sacraments of
23:24
the Lord's
23:25
Supper as
23:26
they take
23:26
place today
23:27
throughout
23:27
congregations as
23:29
well.
23:29
We remember
23:29
them in
23:30
Shabbos and
23:31
Leverborough,
23:32
praying for
23:33
the congregations
23:34
there and
23:35
your blessing
23:35
on them,
23:36
upon your
23:37
people and
23:37
upon all
23:38
who hear
23:38
your word,
23:39
that there
23:40
will be a
23:40
great sense
23:41
of your
23:41
presence with
23:42
them.
23:43
We pray
23:43
that as the
23:45
communion
23:45
seasons continue
23:46
in our midst,
23:47
Lord,
23:48
even as we
23:48
look back to
23:49
our own
23:49
weekend,
23:50
last weekend,
23:50
giving thanks
23:51
to you for
23:52
your goodness
23:53
to us in it
23:54
and the word
23:55
proclaimed,
23:56
people coming
23:57
to profess
23:57
the Lord,
23:58
and people
23:59
being both
24:00
convicted and
24:02
built up.
24:02
We just pray
24:03
that that word
24:04
will continue
24:04
to bear much
24:05
fruit.
24:06
And we do
24:07
pray, Lord,
24:08
that you will
24:08
continue to go
24:09
before us as
24:10
a people,
24:11
and you would
24:12
guide us even
24:12
in the week
24:13
ahead as we
24:13
think of all
24:14
that is before
24:15
us.
24:16
We thank
24:16
you for all
24:16
the times
24:17
of prayer
24:17
we enjoy
24:18
together,
24:19
and may
24:20
there be a
24:20
spirit of
24:21
unity in
24:21
prayer and
24:22
thanksgiving to
24:23
you and also
24:24
seeking your
24:25
will.
24:26
As we think
24:27
of the
24:28
vacancy
24:28
committee taking
24:29
place on
24:30
Tuesday evening,
24:31
Lord, we
24:31
pray for your
24:32
people who
24:33
gather there as
24:34
part of it,
24:35
and for your
24:35
wisdom and
24:36
your guidance
24:36
in it.
24:38
We remember,
24:38
Lord, the
24:39
ministry of
24:40
your word as
24:40
well as we
24:41
look forward to,
24:42
God willing,
24:43
Bob Aykroyd
24:43
being here next
24:44
week.
24:44
We pray for
24:45
him as he
24:45
prepares to
24:46
come, and
24:48
just give him
24:48
safe travel, and
24:50
may your blessing
24:51
be with him in
24:53
his time here, and
24:54
also other vacant
24:55
congregations throughout
24:56
our islands at this
24:58
time as well.
24:58
We pray for those
25:01
who are seeking to
25:01
call on us that
25:02
you provide for
25:03
them.
25:04
Remember, two new
25:05
ministries beginning
25:06
this weekend.
25:07
We thank you for the
25:07
induction of Reverend
25:09
Murdo Campbell
25:10
yesterday, and pray
25:11
for Murdo and Alison
25:12
and the boys as
25:13
they settle in to
25:15
the congregation of
25:16
Knockbain, that you
25:16
would bless them and
25:17
be with them, with
25:19
them, as he has
25:19
preached in today, that
25:21
your spirit will be
25:22
there with them to
25:24
give them that
25:25
knowledge that you
25:26
are with them, that
25:26
you are for them.
25:28
We pray, Lord, for
25:29
our seminary as well,
25:32
Lord, praying for all
25:32
the endeavors of
25:33
raising up ministers
25:35
of the gospel.
25:36
We thank you for all
25:38
who lecture and who
25:39
help in the seminary in
25:41
so many different ways,
25:42
and we pray for all
25:43
the students too, as
25:45
they continue their
25:46
studies and go
25:48
through all the
25:48
different examinations
25:50
and tests over the
25:51
coming months as well,
25:52
that you would uphold
25:53
them and strengthen
25:54
them.
25:55
And so we pray, Lord,
25:56
for our nation too,
25:57
that we would see
25:58
your mercy upon us,
26:00
that we would see a
26:02
people turning to
26:03
you, our leaders, our
26:05
king and his family.
26:06
Lord, we pray for
26:08
each one to know your
26:09
wisdom and your blessing
26:11
on them, to know a
26:12
turning to you.
26:14
We pray for peace in
26:15
our nations too, and we
26:17
see so many troubles in
26:19
the Middle East, in the
26:20
Ukraine and Russia, and
26:21
so many tensions
26:23
building in so many
26:24
different parts.
26:25
We ask, O Lord, for
26:26
your mercy over us, and
26:27
that you would come in
26:28
your power.
26:29
We ask, Lord, that you
26:30
will hear our prayers,
26:31
continue with us in our
26:33
worship as we sing
26:34
praise to you, and as we
26:35
come to your word, and
26:36
speak to us, we pray.
26:38
And all we ask, we ask
26:39
the forgiveness of our
26:40
sins, in Jesus' name.
26:42
Amen.
26:45
Before we turn back to
26:47
look at this passage, we'll
26:48
again sing to God's
26:49
praise this time in Psalm
26:51
11.
26:52
And we'll sing Psalms
26:53
version, Psalm 11.
26:57
Find it on page 13 of the
27:00
Psalm books.
27:02
And we're going to sing
27:03
from verse 1 to verse 5,
27:06
Psalm 11.
27:06
We'll sing from verse 1 to
27:17
5 to God's praise.
27:19
I find my refuge in the Lord.
27:31
How is it then, you say to me,
27:40
make your escape, and like a bird,
27:48
for refuge to your mountain flee?
27:56
For look the wicked bend their bows,
28:06
and on the string, and on the string,
28:11
they set their dart.
28:16
From shadows dark, they aim and shoot
28:24
at those who are a bright in heart.
28:33
If the foundations are destroyed, and all
28:43
righteous do, surrounded by the
28:45
the Lord is in the Lord.
28:47
the righteous do, and all the things that we are
28:48
the righteous do, and all the things that we are
28:49
the righteous do.
28:50
Whatever can the righteous do,
28:57
the righteous do,
28:59
surrounded by such tisody.
29:07
The Lord is in his holy place.
29:17
The Lord is on his heavenly throne.
29:25
His eyes observe the human race, and in his sight each one is known.
29:40
The Lord examines all the just, the righteous ones he proves and tests.
30:01
But all those who love wickedness, and violence his soul detests.
30:19
Amen.
30:20
Amen.
30:21
Amen.
30:22
Amen.
30:23
Amen.
30:24
Well, if we can turn back to our reading in Luke chapter 6, we're going to look at the
30:28
end of this passage, verse 46 to 49.
30:32
Just the conclusion of Jesus' sermon here.
30:38
Luke chapter 6 at verse 46.
30:41
Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?
30:46
Everyone who comes to me and hears my word and does them, I will show you what he is like.
30:53
And so it goes on into the parable of the one who builds his house upon the rock,
30:58
and the one who builds his house upon the sand, the ground without foundation.
31:04
It's quite incredible to think the kind of setting that Jesus was in here as he'd been up the mountain
31:10
to pray.
31:11
He spent a whole night in prayer.
31:13
Then he's come down and he's met with the disciples who he then calls to follow him.
31:18
And there's this great crowd, this great multitude that gather around to hear what he has to say to them.
31:25
They're coming for different reasons, coming from all kinds of different places with all kinds of different desires.
31:32
But he's confronted with this mass audience of people, thousands probably.
31:38
As you read elsewhere, you see that there were thousands following Jesus.
31:42
When you think of the parable of the feeding of the 5,000, that was just men.
31:48
There were women and children on top of that as well.
31:51
So there were thousands who were gathering around to hear what he was saying to them.
31:56
And when you think of it, I'm sure many of you can remember this place once being full.
32:02
Every pew, every seat taken.
32:05
Even extra chairs being put out at certain times for services because there was such a hunger to come and hear the word of God.
32:14
And there's a great joy and delight in that coming.
32:19
When you think of the crowds here in Jesus' day or this place fuller, even just as we think of it today, all who are here today, just coming to hear what the word of God is saying to us.
32:31
But as we see in this passage, it's not just about coming here to hear, but it's also how we go from this place.
32:39
How do we go away from this place?
32:43
And when Jesus is preaching to them here, he covers a lot of ground with them.
32:48
As you read through these verses from verse 17, you go into the Beatitudes, you go into the woes that he pronounces, you go through the instructions that he gives about loving your enemies and judging others, bearing fruit.
33:03
All of these things that he is preaching about, they have come both to see him doing great things for them.
33:10
As you read in verse 18, they came to be healed of their diseases, to touch them that they might be healed.
33:17
But above all, what Jesus is saying is important is to come and hear what he is saying.
33:23
And it's the end of this sermon I want to focus on with you this morning, the conclusion in verse 46 to 49.
33:33
And it's this conclusion that gives us a challenge.
33:37
So as you read through the sermon, you're left with this challenge.
33:43
And it's a challenge that we see in three different ways.
33:48
We have a challenge, first of all, as to who is Lord.
33:53
We have a challenge then as to, are we listening?
33:57
And then we have a challenge to the conclusion.
34:00
What are we going to do with it all?
34:02
How are we going to live our lives?
34:04
What are we going to build our lives on?
34:07
And you can imagine this crowd just like any service that we have in church here.
34:13
You can imagine people are responding in different ways, hearing the preaching of the word.
34:20
There would have been some who would have been nodding their heads in agreement, giving their amen to everything that Jesus was saying.
34:29
Even afterwards, going to talk about it amongst themselves.
34:34
We see that response here.
34:37
We think last weekend, a communion weekend, a time of being together, of giving an amen to what we were hearing about talking, about what we've heard.
34:47
But what have we done with it in this last week?
34:50
And that's what Jesus is getting at here.
34:53
He's looking beyond just being under the word, but what we do with the word.
34:59
Are we applying it to ourselves?
35:02
Are we just enjoying the hearing?
35:05
Or are we going to go away and do something with it?
35:08
And what Jesus is saying here as you begin at verse 46 is it's not enough just to say, well, I agree with that point.
35:17
That's very good and very interesting.
35:19
I agree and believe in what you are saying, but is it really going to change my life?
35:25
Am I going to allow it to be everything that my life is built upon?
35:30
And so we see Jesus from verse 46 begin with this challenge as to lordship.
35:38
Who is our Lord?
35:40
And then in verse 47, he gives us a command.
35:44
The command that instructs us towards how we can have Jesus as Lord.
35:50
And then you see in verse 48 and 49, the conclusion here.
35:56
And it's a two way conclusion.
35:58
There's going to be a conclusion for all of us, whether we're standing firm in Christ,
36:04
or whether we're pushing him away and falling, falling for all eternity.
36:11
And so we want to see this conclusion and look at it in this way.
36:15
First of all, the challenge that he gives, is he Lord?
36:19
And we have this in verse 46.
36:21
Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?
36:32
Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?
36:34
So you can see here that there is this interest in Jesus.
36:38
They're saying, yes, Lord.
36:40
Oh, we're hearing you, Lord.
36:42
We see what you're saying to us.
36:45
And Jesus is saying, yes, you're calling me Lord, Lord.
36:49
And yet you do not do what I tell you.
36:53
And that's the first challenge to our own hearts as well.
36:56
We can nod in agreement to all that the word of God says to us.
37:01
We can nod in agreement that Jesus is Lord.
37:05
And yet we do not do what he tells us.
37:09
A preacher once said, the first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom, but its master.
37:19
And you realize that in what Jesus is saying here.
37:27
Not all who call me Lord, Lord, will be saved, as it says in Matthew 7, the equivalent account of this.
37:35
And so we're thinking here of, well, who is Lord?
37:40
Who is Lord of our lives?
37:44
So many people seek to find their freedom, find how to live life, live it to the full, without seeking first, well, who is master?
37:55
Who is Lord?
37:56
How am I meant to be living my life?
37:59
That's the warning that Jesus is giving in this verse.
38:03
You say, Lord, Lord, but do not do as I say.
38:07
And it's a recurring theme throughout the scriptures, this.
38:11
You go back to the Old Testament, to the prophets, they had the same challenge.
38:16
Who would they have as Lord of their life?
38:19
Ezekiel, for example, a prophet who was preaching among people who were, yes, in agreement about God in some ways, but they wouldn't listen.
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In Ezekiel 33, verse 30, it says,
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As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.
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And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say, but they will not do it.
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They will not do it.
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So there's this interest.
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They come and they hear what is saying.
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They sit before him and hear, but they will not do it.
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And that's exactly what Jesus is showing here as well.
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There can be an interest in the things of God.
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There can be even a listening to the things of God.
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But the challenge comes when we think of doing it.
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Are we doing what the word of God says?
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Obedience to Christ is not just an optional extra.
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It's not just something that's there for some people.
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It's for all of us.
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If the Lord is calling us to follow him, to put our faith and trust in him, obedience must be part of it.
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Doing what he says.
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We can look and many look at passages such as Ephesians.
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We've been looking at it in the Bible study in the hall.
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The alones of the Reformation.
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And we've been thinking about grace alone and faith alone.
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All of these things.
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And you have great passages like Ephesians.
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And it speaks there about, we are saved by grace through faith and not of any works.
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It's not of ourselves, lest we should boast.
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And that is so true.
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So we're going to be saved by faith.
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We need to believe in the Lord Jesus.
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But is that it?
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Is that where it all ends?
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I've come and I've trusted the Lord Jesus.
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That's enough.
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Well, Jesus says, no.
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You still have to do as I tell you.
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You still have to live as I tell you.
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And in Ephesians chapter 2, we're given that example as well.
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We are saved by grace through faith alone.
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It's so true.
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But verse 10 goes on to say this.
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For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
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And so there is this command to obedience, to walk in the ways that God has prepared for us.
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To be a people who do the word.
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And so faith submits to the Lordship of Christ.
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And as we do that, then we are led as it is to be sanctified, to go on.
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To go on in our life lived for him.
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Seeking to do as he commands.
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Knowing we don't always get it right.
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Knowing we fall.
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But yet our desire should be to do the will of God.
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And to live out that life of faith.
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Because there's a real danger of having a false profession.
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A profession that doesn't go into the heart.
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It may be on our lips, but it's not changing us.
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Again, when you look at the equivalent to this passage in Matthew 7.
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Jesus says in verse 21 of Matthew 7.
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Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven.
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But he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
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Lord, Lord is not enough.
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It needs to go deeper than that.
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Outwardly, many people in this crowd could seem righteous.
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Outwardly in life, many people can seem to be good people.
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And we could say it of so many.
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They are good men.
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They are good women.
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They are good children.
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But it needs to go deeper.
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It's not enough just to say, Lord, Lord, and not do what he tells you.
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Who is Lord of your life?
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Not just in the listening to the word of God, but going out from here day by day.
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Who is Lord of your life?
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Shortly after joining the Navy, there was a new recruit.
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And he'd had a wedding coming up.
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He wasn't the one getting married, but he was part of the wedding party.
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And he'd known it was coming before he joined the Navy.
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And so when he joined the Navy, he asked his officer who was in charge of him if he could have a pass to get out and to attend the wedding.
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And the officer gave this young man, this new recruit, he gave him a pass to go and attend the wedding.
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But when this new recruit looked at it, he saw that he had to be back by 7 p.m. the day of the wedding.
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And so he went back to his officer and said, sir, you don't understand.
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I have to stay out later.
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I'm part of the wedding party.
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And the officer just looked at him and says, no, you don't understand.
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You're in the Navy now.
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You do as you're told here.
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And that's what Jesus is saying to us.
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We can't go and say to Jesus, you don't understand.
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You don't understand the things that I have to do for myself.
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The way I have to live.
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Jesus is saying, no, you don't understand.
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If you're to follow me, I am to be Lord of your life.
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Because as someone put it, if he's not Lord of all, then he's not Lord at all.
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So the challenge is, who is Lord?
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Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?
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Is he Lord of your life?
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Well, then we see the testing of Lordship.
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And it comes in two different ways.
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The first is a command.
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And we see this in verse 47.
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And here he says, everyone who comes to me and hears my word and does them, I will show you what he is like.
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So before you come to the illustration of what he is like and what the opposite is like, you have just these few words in verse 47.
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Everyone who comes to me and hears my word and does them.
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So there are three commands there for us.
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We come, we hear, and we do.
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And that's what Jesus is saying.
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To know him as Lord, you must have these three things.
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Jesus has to be Lord in order to be saved.
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And in order to be saved, what Jesus is saying, the first thing is, you must come.
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Everyone who comes to me.
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Now we heard a lot about this last weekend when David was preaching to us on that great verse in Matthew 11, verse 28.
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Verse 28, come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
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So I'm not going to say much on this point.
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But again, it's just highlighted for us here the importance of coming.
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To know Jesus as Lord, we must come to him.
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And we come to him through his word.
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And just as we see the great multitude here gathered to hear this sermon, there's this great crowd.
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They have come to hear.
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And it's good for us to be here.
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It's good for us to listen online.
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But there needs to be more.
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And so he goes on, he says, comes to me and hears my words.
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Are you listening?
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There's a command to hear.
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So the question is, are you listening?
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Because there are a lot of distractions for us.
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Just as there were for the crowd who gathered here.
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A lot of distractions.
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They had come to be healed.
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They had come to touch him.
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All of these things they saw as important.
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And in many ways they were.
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Jesus was able to heal.
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But what he is saying here is, you must come and you must hear.
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You must listen to what I am saying.
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You can imagine the crowd, yes, that's very interesting what you're saying.
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But heal me.
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Or heal my friend.
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That's what I've come for.
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But Jesus is saying, no.
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What is important is to hear.
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To hear what I am saying to you.
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But we can be so easily distracted that we don't listen.
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Imagine sitting on a plane, getting ready for takeoff to a sunny climb.
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You're waiting for takeoff.
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And you know where you're going.
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You're looking forward maybe to a week in the sun.
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Where is your attention?
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Where is your attention when you hear the tannoy say, for a few moments if we could have your attention for the following safety announcement?
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Do you suddenly switch off and start listening to the safety announcement?
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Seldom people do.
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We just carry on doing what we're doing.
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Thinking what we're thinking.
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Our focus is where we're going.
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The sunshine, the hotel, the food.
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All that we're looking forward to.
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We don't listen to the safety announcement.
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And those who are giving the safety announcement, they often realise hardly anyone is paying attention.
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One air stewardess said that she got so annoyed that people weren't listening.
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She decided this day just to say something different.
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And see what reaction it would bring.
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And so in the safety announcement, she said, when the air mask falls down, place it on your belly button and breathe as normal.
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And nobody batted an eyelid.
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Nobody even looked up.
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She just said, it just went over them.
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They weren't listening.
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And so often, that's what it's like when we come to the Word of God.
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We're thinking ahead to the rest of the week.
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We're looking at other things.
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We're not listening.
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So we need to listen to what the Word of God is saying.
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But there's more than that as well.
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Because he says, you must come.
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You must listen.
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You must hear my words.
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Then he says, the one who does them.
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And this is the key.
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This is what links between verse 46 and 48.
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These words that we have.
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You come.
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You hear.
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You do.
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This is what's important.
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You do.
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Come and hear my word and be doers.
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Just like James says in his own letter.
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In chapter 1, verse 22.
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But be doers of the word.
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And not hearers only deceiving yourselves.
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Be doers of the word.
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And what do we think of when we think of what he's saying here of doing the word?
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Well, you go back through the sermon and you apply all the different things that he says here.
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How he speaks about our priorities in verse 20 to 26.
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How he speaks about doing what doesn't come naturally and loving our enemies.
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Verse 27 to 36.
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And showing mercy in verse 37 to 42.
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And being discerning in so many different ways in verse 43 to 46.
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It's applying what we've heard and doing as we've heard.
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Living out God's word in our lives.
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Obedience.
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Listening.
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A life lived for him.
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And so we have these commands.
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Come, hear, and do.
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And that then leads us into the conclusion.
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And the conclusion of the sermon is this.
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Where you have these houses being built in two different places.
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And only one will stand.
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One on the rock.
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And the other on sand.
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And what Jesus is saying is here is,
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Where is your priorities?
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And who is your Lord?
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Obedience is the key.
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And so he goes on to say in verse 48.
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The one who hears, the one who comes and hears and does.
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He is like a man building a house who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock.
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And when the flood arose, the stream broke against the house and could not shake it.
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Because it had been well built.
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And so Jesus is saying here is the one who comes, who hears and who does.
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He is built on that secure foundation of love for Jesus Christ.
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And doing as he says.
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But the other he says.
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But the one who hears.
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And you notice it says hears.
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He still hears what's being said.
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But he does not do them.
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He listens.
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He hears everything that's being said.
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But goes away and does nothing with them.
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He is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation.
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So when the stream broke against it, immediately it fell.
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And the ruin of the house was great.
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Now we see here clearly what Jesus is saying.
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We all hear the word of God.
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But what do we do with it?
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That's what's important.
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There is one who builds on a strong foundation.
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That foundation that is faith in Jesus Christ.
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And doing as he commands.
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But the other hears but puts it away.
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It's the one who says not yet.
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Or the one who says not at all.
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Or not through.
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I want nothing to do with Jesus.
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Well it says the ruin of that house is great.
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And as Jesus is so often doing when he's preaching.
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He is reminding us of eternity.
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And the final judgment that will come.
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And when he will come and ask what have you done with my word.
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You've heard it.
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You've heard it.
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Did you do it?
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Did you do as my word says?
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Well only the one who has done as he was commanded will stand.
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The one who hears and does not do them.
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There is a great fall.
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And what Jesus is speaking about here is the difference between heaven and hell.
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Which he so often makes clear.
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When you think of the broad road and the narrow road it's exactly the same thing.
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One leads to eternal life.
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One leads to eternal damnation.
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The rich man and Lazarus.
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One was in heaven.
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One was in hell.
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And that's the challenge put before us here in this conclusion.
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This is how serious it is.
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This is the difference between the warning that we hear.
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And listening or just saying nothing at all.
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We think of campers going onto the beach with their tent.
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Not knowing the devastation that will come upon them.
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We thank God that Jesus warns us.
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That he speaks to us.
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But do we listen?
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Do we listen to what he is saying?
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Because this is the seriousness of it.
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One will stand in the day of judgment.
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Secure in Christ.
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The other will fall.
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Come, he says.
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Hear and do.
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There was a story told of a new minister who had come to a village in England.
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And as he was, he was doing visits to many different homes in the village.
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And in one home he met a woman.
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And he left her with this question.
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He asked her, does Christ live here?
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And she didn't answer there and then.
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When her husband came home, she told him that the new minister had visited.
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And the husband asked, well, what did he have to say?
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And he said, well, he asked me a question.
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He asked, does Christ live here?
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And I said, and she said to her husband, and I didn't know what to say.
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And the husband was quite embarrassed by this.
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And he says, well, why didn't you give an answer?
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Why didn't you tell him that we are good people?
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And she said to him, but that's not the question that he asked.
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Then why didn't you say that we read our Bible and we say our prayers?
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And again, she said, but that's not the question that he asked.
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And the husband was getting a little frustrated and said, then why didn't you tell him that we are regular to go to church?
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And she said, but that's not the question that he asked.
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And for the next few days and weeks, the couple, they were troubled by this question.
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Does Christ live here?
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And they kept speaking about it, speaking to each other about it, praying about it.
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Does Christ live here?
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And they began to understand what the minister had meant.
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What he meant was, is Christ the sure foundation of this home?
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And it's a question for us all.
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They began to know the love of Christ through that question.
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Does Christ live here?
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And for ourselves, that's what's at the heart of this conclusion.
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Does Christ live in your home?
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Does he live in your heart?
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Is he Lord?
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If he is Lord, you will come, you will hear, and you will do.
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And in doing, you will find that sure foundation.
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That solid ground that is Christ as the rock of salvation.
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The sermon conclusion is that.
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Is he Lord?
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Do you come?
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Do you hear?
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Do you hear?
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Do you hear?
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Do you do?
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Do you hear?
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Do you hear?
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Because the difference at the end of the day is night and day.
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Hell for eternity or heaven for eternity?
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Is he Lord of all?
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Is he Lord of all?
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Or not Lord at all?
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Are you standing on the sure foundation that is Christ as Lord of all?
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Let us pray.
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Let us pray.
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Lord, our gracious God, we do pray to know the spirit working through these words.
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That we would think of our own salvation.
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That we would think of our own eternity.
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That we would think of where Christ is in our heart.
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Is he Lord of all?
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Or is he not Lord at all?
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And we pray, Lord, that you will help us to come and find that sure foundation that is coming, hearing and doing.
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In the word that you have given to us.
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Help us, Lord, we pray, in all of these things.
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As we ask all with the forgiveness of our sins.
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In Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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We're going to conclude by singing to God's praise in Psalm 18.
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Let's sing Psalm's version on page 21 of the Psalm books.
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Psalm 18 on page 21.
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We're singing from verse 27 to 32.
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You save the humble and the meek, but bring the proud down from their height.
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You, Lord, will keep my lamp aflame.
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God turns my darkness into light.
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We'll sing from verse 27 to 32 to God's praise.
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Amen.
1:00:03
Amen.
1:00:04
Amen.
1:00:05
You save the humble and the meek, but bring the proud down from their height.
1:00:15
You, Lord, will keep my lamp aflame.
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God turns my darkness into light.
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With help from God I can advance against our troop and rout them off.
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And with the aid my God will give, I can leap over any wall.
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I can leap over any wall.
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For perfect is the way of God.
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No flaw is found within his word.
1:01:09
To all who put their trust in him, a shield and refuge is the Lord.
1:01:20
For who is God except the Lord?
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Besides our God who is the rock, he is the God who gives me strength.
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And he perfects the path I walk.
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And he perfects the path I walk.
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After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left.
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We'll close with the benediction.
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Now may grace, mercy and peace from God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore.
1:02:06
Amen.
1:02:07
Amen.
1:02:07
Amen.