Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Being God's Community

Transcript

Being God's Community · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

0:00
We'll begin our worship by singing to God's praise in Psalm 34.
0:05
It's the Sing Psalms version on page 40 of the Psalm book.
0:10
We're going to sing from verse 8 to verse 14.
0:15
Again, I'm just a reminder that the Sunday school starts today and the tweenies will
0:19
come in as well and they'll go out to the Sunday school and the tweenies during the
0:23
second singing.
0:24
So we're glad that the Sunday school and resuming again today, we give thanks for that.
0:30
Psalm 34 at verse 8, come taste and see, the Lord is good who trusts and him is blessed.
0:35
O fear the Lord, you saints with need, you will not be oppressed.
0:39
We'll sing from verse 8 to 14 to God's praise and we stand to sing.
0:44
Come taste and see, the Lord is good who trusts and him is blessed.
1:02
O fear the Lord, you saints with need, you will not be oppressed.
1:16
Young lions may grow weak and faint and hunger for their food, but those who wait upon the Lord
1:41
will not be oppressed.
1:43
Come hear my children gather round and listen to my word.
2:03
And I will help you understand how you may fear the Lord.
2:19
Does anyone delight in life and long to see good days?
2:34
God bless you, the Lord is good.
2:36
Then keep your tongue from evil speech, your lips from lying ways.
2:50
Depart and turn from evil paths and practice what is right.
3:05
Desire to know the way of peace, pursue it with your might.
3:25
I will come to God in prayer. Let us pray.
3:28
Amen.
3:58
I will come to my word and I will help you understand how you may fear the Lord.
4:04
We pray that every one of us as we gather together here will have a real hunger to come and hear what you have to say to us.
4:42
And to give thanks that in him we have one who is able to save.
4:46
Help us to turn from our evil paths if that is what we need.
4:51
And that we would come and follow him and put our trust in him.
4:55
We thank you then for your word.
4:58
We thank you for all your people as we gather together in your name today.
5:02
Here and as those who tune online.
5:05
Those who meet throughout our land and throughout the world today.
5:09
We thank you that there is a chorus of your people offering a praise to you far and wide.
5:14
And so we ask that you will hear our prayers.
5:18
That you will bless us in all we do.
5:20
May it be to your glory.
5:22
And all we ask, we ask the forgiveness of our sins.
5:25
In Jesus name.
5:26
Amen.
5:27
Amen.
5:29
Well a word to the young ones before you go out.
5:33
As I was praying there I mentioned that this is the day that the Lord has made.
5:40
And what do we think of when we think maybe of these words?
5:43
This is the day.
5:44
What day is the psalmist there talking about?
5:48
What's your favorite day of the week?
5:52
Does anybody have a favorite day of the week?
5:55
I'm sure everybody's favorite day is Monday.
5:57
Is it?
5:58
Monday is usually everybody's favorite day.
6:00
When you get to go back to school.
6:02
When you get to go back to work.
6:04
It's a great day, is it?
6:07
I don't think you're convinced that Monday is your favorite day at all.
6:10
Maybe Saturday is your favorite day.
6:14
Saturday when you get to take a break.
6:15
Have a long lie.
6:17
Do the things that you want.
6:18
Maybe meet up with pals and enjoy a wee break.
6:22
Just think about that.
6:22
What's your favorite day of the week?
6:26
Another thing is that sometimes maybe when you wake up.
6:29
You wonder what day is it?
6:32
Not just young ones but older ones too.
6:35
Especially maybe during holiday times.
6:36
You wake up and you wonder what day is it today?
6:40
And how do you find out what day it is?
6:43
Maybe you put it on the news.
6:45
And see well what day is it?
6:46
They'll tell me on the news.
6:48
Or you pick up a newspaper and it'll tell you what day it is.
6:52
Maybe you check your phone or something like that.
6:54
Just to find out what day it is.
6:56
And sometimes you'll maybe be disappointed what day it is.
7:00
Other days you'll be glad what day it is.
7:03
I want you to think today about a special day that God has given to us.
7:08
He has given us every day of course.
7:11
All seven days in the week.
7:14
But he gave us a special day in the week.
7:17
And a day that I hope will if it's not already become all of our favorite day of the week.
7:22
All of that to us.
7:24
That will be our favorite day of the week.
7:26
And that is Sunday.
7:28
Sunday and today is a special day because we come together to worship God.
7:33
We come together today with Sunday school starting once again.
7:38
We come with the creche and the tweenies coming together.
7:41
We come as a people.
7:42
We come and worship God together.
7:44
And it really is a special day.
7:47
And that's what the psalm reminds us.
7:49
Psalm 118.
7:51
Where the psalmist says,
7:53
This is the day God made in it.
7:55
We'll joy triumphantly.
7:57
The psalmist is so glad that there is a day that we can come and worship God.
8:05
And may that be our song today as we come together.
8:07
That we would delight and rejoice that God has given us this day.
8:12
His own day.
8:13
The Lord's day.
8:14
This Sunday.
8:15
To come and worship Him together.
8:18
We may have other favorite days in the week as well.
8:21
Days we enjoy doing different things on.
8:23
But may Sunday really be a special day for us all.
8:28
Where we give thanks to God for the rest that He gives us.
8:32
And especially the rest that He gives us in knowing His own Son, Jesus.
8:38
So may you be blessed today in your classes as they resume.
8:41
And may we all be blessed in this.
8:43
His day may be a real time of refreshment for us.
8:48
Well, we give thanks to God.
8:49
And we're going to share together now in the Lord's Prayer.
8:53
And we'll just say that together.
8:54
So we'll put our hands together and say the Lord's Prayer.
8:58
Our Father which art in heaven.
9:01
Hallowed be thy name.
9:03
Thy kingdom come.
9:05
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
9:08
Give us this day our daily bread.
9:11
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
9:15
And lead us not into temptation.
9:17
But deliver us from evil.
9:19
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.
9:24
Amen.
9:26
We're going to sing again to God's praise in Psalm 5.
9:31
And this is in the Scottish Psalter version.
9:33
Page 203 of the Psalm book.
9:36
Psalm 5 on page 203.
9:40
We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 7.
9:49
Give ear unto my words, O Lord, my meditation way.
9:54
Hear my loud cry, my King, my God.
9:56
For I to thee will pray.
9:59
So we'll sing these words to God.
10:01
Psalm 5, verse 1 to 7.
10:04
And we stand to sing.
10:05
Amen.
10:06
Amen.
10:07
Amen.
10:07
Amen.
10:07
Amen.
10:07
Amen.
10:07
Amen.
10:08
Amen.
10:09
Amen.
10:10
Give ear unto my words, O Lord, my meditation way.
10:26
Hear my loud cry, my King, my God.
10:35
For I to thee will pray.
10:42
Lord, thou shalt early hear my voice.
10:52
I early will direct my prayer to thee.
11:04
And looking up, an answer will expect.
11:15
For thou art not the God that doth in wickedness delight.
11:32
Neither shall evil dwell with thee, nor fool stand in thy sight.
11:49
All that ill-doers are the haste.
12:00
God's hope that liars be.
12:07
The bloody and deceitful man abhorred is by thee.
12:24
But I into thy heart will come in thine abundant grace.
12:41
And I will worship in thy fear toward thy holy place.
12:58
Amen.
12:59
Amen.
13:00
Amen.
13:01
Amen.
13:02
Amen.
13:03
Amen.
13:04
Amen.
13:05
Amen.
13:06
Amen.
13:07
We're going to read together in God's word now in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy.
13:13
Deuteronomy chapter 6.
13:20
Let me read the whole of this chapter.
13:23
Deuteronomy chapter 6.
13:31
In the previous chapter, Moses has just given to the people of Israel the Ten Commandments.
13:37
And they're about to enter into the Promised Land.
13:40
They're preparing to go into the Promised Land.
13:43
So he's given them these commandments.
13:45
And now he is instructing them in how they are to live as they seek to go into this new land.
13:53
So in chapter 6, we read these words.
13:56
Now this is a commandment, the statutes and the rules that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you.
14:03
That you may do them in the land to which you are going over.
14:07
To possess it.
14:08
That you may fear the Lord your God.
14:10
You and your son and your son's son.
14:13
By keeping all his statutes and his commandments.
14:17
Which I command you all the days of your life.
14:21
And that your days may be long.
14:24
Hear therefore, O Israel.
14:26
And be careful to do them.
14:28
That it may go well with you.
14:30
And that you may multiply greatly.
14:32
As the Lord, the God of your fathers has promised you.
14:36
In a land flowing with milk and honey.
14:40
Hear, O Israel.
14:42
The Lord our God.
14:44
The Lord is one.
14:46
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.
14:49
And with all your soul.
14:50
And with all your might.
14:51
And these words that I command you today.
14:54
Shall be on your heart.
14:55
You shall teach them diligently to your children.
14:59
And shall talk of them when you sit in your house.
15:02
And when you walk by the way.
15:04
And when you lie down.
15:05
And when you rise.
15:06
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand.
15:09
And they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
15:13
You shall write them on the doorposts of your house.
15:17
And on your gates.
15:18
And when the Lord your God brings you into the land.
15:22
That he swore to your fathers.
15:24
To Abraham.
15:25
To Isaac.
15:25
And to Jacob.
15:26
To give you.
15:27
With great and good cities.
15:29
That you did not build.
15:31
And houses full of good things.
15:33
That you did not fill.
15:34
And cisterns that you did not dig.
15:37
And vineyards and olive trees.
15:39
That you did not plant.
15:41
And when you eat and are full.
15:43
Then take care lest you forget the Lord.
15:46
Who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
15:48
Out of the house of slavery.
15:51
It is the Lord your God you shall fear.
15:54
Him you shall serve.
15:56
And by his name you shall swear.
15:59
You shall not go after other gods.
16:02
The gods of the peoples who are around you.
16:05
For the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God.
16:09
Lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you.
16:13
And he destroy you from the face of the earth.
16:16
You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.
16:19
As you tested him at Massa.
16:22
You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God.
16:26
And the testimonies and his statutes which he has commanded you.
16:30
And you shall do what is right.
16:32
And good in the sight of the Lord.
16:34
That it may go well with you.
16:36
And that you may go in and take possession.
16:38
Of the good land that the Lord swore to give your fathers.
16:42
By thrusting out all your enemies from before you.
16:46
As the Lord has promised.
16:49
When your sons ask you in time to come.
16:51
What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes.
16:55
And the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you.
16:58
Then you shall say to your son.
17:01
We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt.
17:04
And the Lord brought us out of Egypt.
17:06
With a mighty hand.
17:08
And the Lord showed signs and wonders.
17:12
Great and grievous against Egypt.
17:14
And against Pharaoh.
17:16
And all his household before our eyes.
17:19
And he brought us out from there.
17:21
That he might bring us in.
17:22
And give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers.
17:26
And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes.
17:30
To fear the Lord our God.
17:32
For our good always.
17:34
That he might preserve us alive.
17:36
As we are this day.
17:39
And it will be righteousness for us.
17:41
If we are careful to do.
17:43
All his commandments.
17:44
Before the Lord our God.
17:46
As he has commanded us.
17:50
Amen.
17:50
And may God bless that reading.
17:52
From his word.
17:53
We will again engage in prayer.
17:55
Let us bow our heads in a word of prayer.
18:00
Our Father in heaven.
18:02
As we hear of the instructions.
18:04
That you gave your people of old.
18:06
They may seem instructions for a people.
18:09
So long ago.
18:10
And not relevant to ourselves.
18:13
We may be think that in our own wisdom.
18:15
That we have the knowledge to go forward.
18:18
By our own understanding.
18:19
Of the ways of this world.
18:21
That we can build our own commandments.
18:25
That we can find our own way.
18:27
That we can do as we please.
18:29
But in your word.
18:31
We find that there is only one way.
18:34
To live.
18:35
And that that is according to your truth.
18:38
And that your truth.
18:39
Is a word that stands firm forever.
18:42
That your word is relevant today.
18:45
As it always is.
18:47
It always will be.
18:49
For it is a word that is able to give life.
18:51
And to give blessing to your people.
18:53
We thank you that in the midst of.
18:57
A people who often failed you.
18:58
As we read in the Old Testament.
19:01
Who were distracted.
19:02
Who listened to the wrong voices.
19:04
Who went according to their own wisdom.
19:07
That you still spoke to them.
19:09
And called them back to yourself.
19:12
And as we live in a day.
19:13
That is so similar.
19:15
A day when we have listened to the voices.
19:17
Of this world.
19:19
When we have gone our own paths.
19:21
And had our own wisdom.
19:24
As we saw it.
19:26
We thank you that you are still a God who speaks.
19:29
And a God who is still calling.
19:31
A people back to yourself.
19:34
And so may each of us hear your voice.
19:36
And your word to us this day.
19:38
Return to me.
19:40
That I may return to you.
19:42
May we seek your blessing over us.
19:44
As a people.
19:45
And that you would do us good.
19:47
In these days.
19:49
That you preserve us.
19:50
You keep us.
19:52
And it is only in your strength.
19:53
That we go on.
19:54
So help us to acknowledge you.
19:57
And to give thanks to you.
19:59
And to praise your name.
20:00
That you are a God.
20:01
Who is so faithful.
20:03
We do thank you for this.
20:05
Your day.
20:06
We thank you Lord.
20:07
For the blessings that are ours.
20:09
We thank you for the abundance.
20:11
Of good things.
20:12
That we enjoy from your hand.
20:14
We are richly blessed.
20:15
In this past week.
20:17
We give you thanks.
20:18
For the communion season.
20:19
We enjoyed together.
20:21
For the encouragements.
20:22
That were there.
20:23
We give you thanks.
20:24
For new members then.
20:26
And also in the last few months.
20:28
As we see them.
20:29
In our intimation sheet today.
20:31
We pray that you will bless them.
20:33
Each one mentioned.
20:35
That you will guard them.
20:36
That you will uphold them.
20:38
That you will use them Lord.
20:39
In your kingdom.
20:41
And in our midst.
20:41
As a people here.
20:43
We thank you for the way.
20:44
You strengthen us in number.
20:47
We thank you for the way.
20:48
You strengthen us.
20:49
In our faith.
20:50
Through word and sacrament.
20:53
We thank you for the way.
20:54
That we are strengthened.
20:54
In our fellowship.
20:55
With one another.
20:57
And we do pray your blessing.
20:59
Upon the fellowship.
21:00
Of your people here.
21:02
That together.
21:03
We will indeed encourage.
21:04
One another.
21:05
We thank you for all.
21:06
The things that are resuming.
21:08
In our midst.
21:09
As a congregation.
21:09
We pray your blessing.
21:11
On the Sunday school.
21:12
Once again.
21:13
We give you thanks.
21:14
For all the children.
21:15
For the teachers.
21:16
For the helpers.
21:18
Your blessing.
21:18
And peace be upon them.
21:20
We thank you.
21:21
For the youth fellowship.
21:22
God willing to take place.
21:24
This evening.
21:25
We thank you Lord.
21:26
For the young ones.
21:27
Who are involved in that.
21:28
Both in leading.
21:29
And in coming along to it.
21:31
And we pray your blessing.
21:32
On us as we gather there.
21:34
We thank you.
21:35
For all that's going on.
21:36
Through the week.
21:37
With the toddler groups.
21:38
For the prayer meetings.
21:40
With the resumption.
21:42
Of the over 55 group.
21:43
To start soon.
21:45
With the WFM.
21:46
And so many other events.
21:47
Going on Lord.
21:48
We give you thanks.
21:49
That you are a God.
21:50
Who is giving us.
21:52
The opportunities.
21:52
For all of these things.
21:53
Once again.
21:55
And may you bless it.
21:56
To us as a people.
21:58
We give you thanks.
21:59
To that in the midst.
22:00
Of the sorrows.
22:01
And sadness.
22:02
Of this world.
22:03
That you are a God.
22:04
Who is compassionate.
22:05
And kind.
22:07
One who is able.
22:08
To comfort.
22:08
As only you can.
22:10
And as a congregation.
22:11
As once again.
22:13
We have the sad news.
22:15
In this past days.
22:16
Of deaths in our midst.
22:17
We give you thanks Lord.
22:19
That you are a God.
22:20
Who speaks.
22:21
And who ministers.
22:22
We pray for each family.
22:24
Who has lost a loved one.
22:26
We pray for our congregation.
22:28
As we mourn the passing.
22:30
Of people who are loved.
22:31
By many here.
22:32
Lord.
22:32
And we pray that.
22:33
In the days ahead.
22:34
In services.
22:34
To take place.
22:36
Of worship.
22:37
And of the funeral service.
22:39
We ask your blessing.
22:40
On all that is done.
22:41
In your name.
22:43
We look to our land.
22:44
As well Lord.
22:45
And we pray.
22:46
Oh Lord.
22:46
That you will guide us.
22:48
By your wisdom.
22:49
As we think of the week ahead.
22:51
And the appointment.
22:51
Of a new prime minister.
22:52
To our nation.
22:54
We pray that.
22:55
Whoever it is.
22:56
That is appointed.
22:58
May be used by you.
22:59
That they would bow the knee.
23:01
Before you.
23:02
That they would hear your voice.
23:04
In the midst of all the other voices.
23:06
That will clamor for attention.
23:08
We pray for our land.
23:09
Oh Lord.
23:10
In the midst of all the different struggles.
23:12
That we have.
23:13
How we need you Lord.
23:15
To pour our new spirit upon us.
23:17
To come in a day of your power.
23:19
To revive us.
23:20
To bring us the peace.
23:21
That only you can.
23:23
We pray that.
23:24
For our world as a whole.
23:26
We thank you for those.
23:28
Who go out.
23:28
Into the midst of all the different lands.
23:30
Of this world.
23:31
Proclaiming your name.
23:34
We thank you for Muriel.
23:36
And pray for our own ministry.
23:38
And pray your blessing on her.
23:40
That you will uphold her.
23:41
And keep her.
23:42
And we thank you for opportunities.
23:44
To meet with her online.
23:46
And pray that that will be blessed.
23:47
To each and every one of us.
23:49
So we thank you Lord.
23:50
That there is much to praise your name for.
23:53
Above all Lord.
23:54
We pray that.
23:55
In this day.
23:56
In this time of worship.
23:57
And as we go forward.
23:59
In your strength.
24:00
That you will be our shepherd.
24:02
That you will guide us Lord.
24:04
And give us.
24:04
From your living waters.
24:06
To refresh our souls.
24:09
And to give us.
24:11
That quenching of our thirst.
24:13
That we live in a dry parched land.
24:15
As your word describes it so often.
24:18
We thank you Lord.
24:19
That there is refreshing showers.
24:21
From your spirit.
24:23
And from on high.
24:23
So we pray Lord.
24:25
Refresh us.
24:26
Do us good.
24:27
And continue with us.
24:28
Throughout this day.
24:30
Help us to do all.
24:31
To your glory.
24:32
The singing of your praise.
24:34
The worship of your name.
24:36
The reading of your word.
24:37
And our meditation upon it.
24:39
May it be blessed by you.
24:41
And we ask all.
24:42
Acknowledging our sins anew.
24:44
Thankful for the forgiveness you offer.
24:46
In Jesus Christ our Lord.
24:48
In whose name we pray.
24:50
Amen.
24:50
Amen.
24:52
We again sing to God's praise.
24:55
Before we turn to the passage.
24:56
We're going to look at.
24:58
Singing in Psalm 127.
25:02
Psalm 127.
25:03
The singing Psalms.
25:05
Version on page 171.
25:08
Unless the Lord builds up the house.
25:11
Its builders toil in vain.
25:13
Unless he keeps the city safe.
25:16
They vainly watch maintain.
25:18
We'll sing the whole of this Psalm.
25:20
To God's praise.
25:21
Psalm 127.
25:23
And we stand to sing.
25:24
Amen.
25:25
Unless the Lord builds up the house.
25:36
It's builders toil in vain.
25:43
Unless he keeps the city safe.
25:52
They living watch in vain.
25:59
In vain you rise before the dawn.
26:08
And with our vainly keep.
26:15
That you may toil for food to eat.
26:24
He gives his love won't sleep.
26:32
Sons are a precious heritage.
26:41
A blessing from the Lord.
26:48
The children that are born to us.
26:57
The children that are born to us.
26:58
Are truly history, Lord.
27:05
Like our rose in a warrior's hand.
27:14
Our children of one's youth.
27:21
The man who's quivered full of them.
27:30
The man who's quivered full of them.
27:31
Is blessed by God in truth.
27:38
Such men will not be put to shame.
27:47
That will not be their fate.
27:54
When they contend against their foes.
28:03
Who faced them in the gate.
28:11
Well, let's turn to our reading in Deuteronomy chapter 6.
28:23
We're thinking about the first nine verses of this chapter.
28:27
We can read again at verse 4.
28:29
And so it goes on.
28:54
Normally, when you have a mass walk out in church.
28:57
It wouldn't fill you with much enthusiasm.
29:00
But today, looking on as the children walked out.
29:03
It was great to see and encouraging to see so many of them.
29:06
Going out through the various exits.
29:09
It's great to see a hunger for parents to bring their children to Sunday school.
29:14
To creche and to twinnies.
29:16
It's great to see so many people of different ages coming together to worship God.
29:21
Because that is the way that we are meant to live as a people.
29:25
We are to be a people.
29:27
Whatever age and stage we are at in life.
29:29
That come and give thanks to God and praise to God for all his goodness to us.
29:36
And we often speak in the place which we live as a sense of community.
29:42
And in our islands, we do indeed enjoy that blessing of having a real sense of community.
29:48
It's something that we hold dear to ourselves.
29:52
A sense of belonging.
29:53
A sense of knowing that maybe in our greatest times of need.
29:58
That there are always people who will come and gather around us and help us in our times of need.
30:04
We ask ourselves today, what does it mean to live in a community?
30:10
And what kind of community are we?
30:13
When we look around ourselves, we see that there are many different types of community that we can belong to.
30:20
A community is often seen as a group of people who have a particular interest in mind.
30:26
So even around us, we could have such a community as we often would say, a Gaelic community.
30:33
We might have a real sense of being a part of a musical community around us.
30:38
Many people have these kinds of interests.
30:40
We speak about the scientific community and all kinds of different interests that we have.
30:47
But you find with these kinds of communities that there's almost an exclusiveness to them.
30:53
You have to have an interest in these things or a desire for these things to be part of that community
30:59
and to feel a real sense of belonging.
31:04
But there's another kind of community that is even more precious to us.
31:08
We have all these kinds of communities around us.
31:10
But the greatest kind of community that we enjoy and are part of here is to be a community of God's people.
31:18
To have that blessing of being together around God's word, young and old alike.
31:25
There being a oneness and a bond that exists between us that has its foundation in Christ our Lord.
31:32
And to have that desire to bring ourselves together as families, as individuals,
31:38
but collectively coming as a community of God's people, praying together,
31:44
worshipping together, and seeking God's good on us as a people.
31:50
So what kind of community then does God want us to be?
31:55
As we come together to worship, we are not to be an exclusive kind of group.
32:02
We are not to be accepting only of a certain kind of people.
32:07
But we are to be very much an inclusive community.
32:12
That we would feel welcome.
32:14
That we would feel at home.
32:16
That we would feel the presence of a place of peace in our midst
32:21
as we gather together to worship God.
32:24
Young, old, middle-aged, whatever our background, wherever we're from.
32:29
That we would find a real sense of oneness as a community under God's word.
32:35
And above all, that we would have God and his word in our midst as a people.
32:42
That is what we have here in the book of Deuteronomy.
32:46
That's what we have in the passage before us today.
32:49
And today as we think of the Sunday school resuming,
32:52
as we see so many young ones coming out,
32:54
is to think not just that we are a people who,
32:57
yes, we are blessed by having young ones and seeing them here.
33:01
That we feel also that we are all part of this community together.
33:06
And to see our own responsibility towards our young ones
33:10
and towards one another.
33:12
And our responsibility towards God.
33:15
To truly be his community.
33:18
And as we look at this passage today,
33:21
we see what Moses is instructing the children of Israel.
33:25
To be as a community.
33:26
And how that they are to live together as one
33:30
with God at the heart of their community.
33:33
Somebody once said,
33:35
what forms and sustains a community
33:37
isn't a commitment to community per se,
33:41
but a commitment to the word.
33:45
So it's not just to feel a commitment to the people around us,
33:50
but to have that foundation of a commitment to the word
33:53
that gives us that sense of belonging
33:55
and that sense of community.
33:59
Because as Moses is speaking to the children of Israel here,
34:03
he is giving them a warning too.
34:05
This is how you are to live.
34:07
This is how you will find blessing.
34:08
But he gives them a ringing warning in their ears as well.
34:13
And you see that in verse 11 and 12.
34:16
He's saying there,
34:17
when you're going into this land,
34:19
remember it's not a city you built yourselves.
34:22
It has houses full of all good things
34:24
that you did not fill,
34:26
and cisterns that you did not dig,
34:28
and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant.
34:31
There's all of these things.
34:32
But he says,
34:34
when you eat and are full,
34:35
then take care lest you forget the Lord.
34:40
The Lord, who he says,
34:42
brought you out of the land of Egypt,
34:46
out of the house of slavery.
34:49
Again, we think of our own day,
34:50
we have so much.
34:52
And that warning rings through in our ears.
34:55
Let us be careful that as a community of God's people,
34:58
we do not forget the Lord.
35:01
So I want us to think of three things
35:04
that we have in this passage
35:05
that gives us a sense
35:07
of the kind of community that we are to be.
35:10
The first thing is
35:11
that we are to be a listening community.
35:14
The second thing is
35:15
we are to be a loving community.
35:18
And the third thing is
35:19
we are to be a living community.
35:23
So the first thing is
35:24
we are to be a listening community.
35:27
How can we obey God's word?
35:29
How can we live as God's community
35:32
if we do not listen
35:33
to what he is saying to us,
35:35
if we do not heed the instruction of his word?
35:38
So there in verse four,
35:41
Moses is saying to the people,
35:43
hear, O Israel.
35:45
Listen, O Israel,
35:47
to what I am saying to you.
35:49
This is the beginning of God's dealing with the people
35:52
and telling them,
35:53
as you go into this land,
35:55
this is one of the first things you must do.
35:57
You must listen to my word.
36:00
Listen to what I am saying to you.
36:05
And why is this?
36:07
Well, God knows the kind of place
36:09
that they are going into.
36:11
He knows the land in which they are going into
36:13
and he knows the temptations
36:15
that there will be around them.
36:17
They are going to enter into a land
36:19
that already has various kinds of communities.
36:23
Communities that have various and many gods.
36:29
And as God's children go into this land,
36:31
they are going to be confronted
36:33
with these other communities.
36:35
They are going to hear
36:36
what these other communities are saying to them
36:39
and to listen to them talking about their gods
36:42
and their ways
36:43
and the way that they would seek
36:46
to move them towards living themselves.
36:49
They are going to hear much advice.
36:51
And in many ways,
36:53
God knows the temptation
36:54
is going to be there for them.
36:56
To listen to this,
36:59
it's going to seem so much better and easier
37:01
than the God that they have had
37:03
and listened to in the past.
37:05
But God is saying to them,
37:08
listen,
37:09
the Lord,
37:10
our God,
37:11
the Lord is one.
37:13
So they are to listen
37:15
to what God is saying.
37:17
And as a people today,
37:19
the same instruction rings through to ourselves.
37:22
How often in your life do you hear advice?
37:26
How often in your life are you given instruction
37:28
and told that this is what you are to do?
37:31
This is how you are to live.
37:33
This is what you are to believe.
37:35
We're flooded day by day with information.
37:39
It comes at us thick and fast.
37:41
There's so many voices
37:42
trying to vie for our attention,
37:45
telling us that this is what we need to hear.
37:47
This is what we need to listen to.
37:50
It's constant.
37:52
But what or who is it
37:54
that we are listening to ourselves?
37:57
We can easily become stressed
37:59
by all that we hear.
38:02
Being pulled in so many different
38:04
kinds of directions.
38:06
And that's the challenges
38:07
that the children of Israel were going to face.
38:10
That's the temptations
38:11
that they were going to be confronted with constantly.
38:14
So God is saying to his community,
38:17
to his people,
38:19
listen first and foremost
38:21
to what I am saying.
38:23
Listen to my voice.
38:26
Hear what I am saying to you.
38:30
And that is what we are to do today
38:32
ourselves as well.
38:34
In the midst of everything,
38:35
all the information
38:37
that's constantly flowing our way,
38:39
we as a people are to listen
38:41
to what God is saying to us.
38:44
To listen to what his word
38:45
is saying to us.
38:47
To put our trust in his word.
38:49
To put our trust
38:51
in his son, Christ Jesus,
38:53
who is the word
38:54
that became flesh
38:55
and dwelt among us.
38:57
We have this precious resource
38:59
before us
39:01
to enable us
39:02
as a community,
39:04
a community of God's people,
39:06
to listen
39:07
to what he is saying.
39:10
The Psalm,
39:11
Psalm 34
39:12
that we sung,
39:13
it says,
39:14
Come here, my children,
39:15
gather round
39:16
and listen
39:17
to my word
39:18
and I will help you
39:20
understand
39:21
how you may fear
39:23
the Lord.
39:25
There is instruction
39:26
there for us
39:27
and it is to come
39:28
and to listen.
39:30
But are you too busy
39:31
to listen?
39:32
Are you too busy
39:33
to be still
39:34
for a moment
39:35
and listen
39:35
to what God
39:37
is saying to us?
39:38
Even as God's people
39:39
we can become so busy
39:41
that we don't listen
39:43
to what God
39:43
is saying to us.
39:44
We don't make time
39:45
to hear what God
39:46
is saying to us.
39:49
Charles Swindle
39:50
is a famous
39:51
Christian writer.
39:52
He's written many books.
39:55
He wrote a book
39:55
called
39:56
Stress Fractures.
39:59
And in that book
40:00
he's speaking
40:00
about the busyness
40:01
of his own life.
40:03
and the effect
40:05
it had on him.
40:07
And he says
40:08
at one point
40:08
in that book
40:09
that he had
40:10
far too many
40:12
commitments
40:12
in his life.
40:14
He was doing
40:15
too much.
40:16
He was becoming
40:17
nervous and tense
40:19
about everything.
40:20
And this was affecting
40:21
his life
40:22
at home.
40:23
He was saying
40:24
I was snapping
40:25
at my wife
40:26
and her children.
40:27
I was choking
40:28
down my food
40:29
at mealtimes.
40:30
Feeling irritated
40:31
at those
40:32
unexpected interruptions
40:34
through the day.
40:36
Before long
40:37
he says
40:37
things around
40:39
our home
40:39
started to reflect
40:40
the pattern
40:41
of my life.
40:43
That was just
40:44
hurry,
40:44
hurry,
40:44
hurry.
40:45
He says
40:46
it was becoming
40:47
unbearable.
40:49
But then
40:50
something happened
40:51
that left
40:51
an impression
40:52
on him.
40:53
He says
40:53
I distinctly
40:54
remember
40:55
after supper
40:56
one evening
40:57
the words
40:58
of our younger
40:59
daughter
41:00
Colleen.
41:01
she wanted
41:02
to tell me
41:03
something
41:04
important.
41:05
Something that
41:06
had happened
41:06
to her
41:07
in school
41:08
that day.
41:09
And so
41:09
she started
41:10
speaking
41:11
hurriedly
41:12
and she said
41:13
Daddy
41:13
I want to
41:14
tell you
41:14
something
41:14
and I'll
41:15
tell you
41:15
really fast.
41:18
And suddenly
41:18
it dawned
41:20
on Charles
41:20
Wendell.
41:21
He realised
41:22
her frustration
41:23
that everyone
41:25
was in the
41:26
household
41:26
was becoming
41:27
so fast
41:28
paced
41:28
everything
41:28
had to
41:29
be rushed.
41:31
And he
41:31
stopped
41:32
and he
41:32
answered
41:33
and said
41:33
to her
41:33
honey
41:34
you can
41:35
tell me
41:36
and you
41:37
don't have
41:37
to tell
41:38
me
41:38
really fast.
41:40
Say it
41:41
slowly.
41:43
But it was
41:43
her response
41:44
then that
41:45
really hit
41:46
home to
41:46
him.
41:47
She said
41:48
then listen
41:49
slowly.
41:52
Are we
41:53
so rushed
41:54
in our
41:55
life today
41:55
that
41:56
everything
41:56
needs to
41:57
be done
41:58
quickly.
41:59
Even
41:59
our
41:59
listening
42:00
has got
42:01
to be
42:01
done
42:01
quickly
42:02
because
42:03
we've
42:03
got so
42:03
many other
42:04
things to
42:04
do.
42:05
Our
42:05
listening
42:06
to God's
42:06
word
42:07
our
42:07
making
42:08
time
42:08
for him
42:09
it's
42:09
becoming
42:09
a rush.
42:11
As
42:12
God's
42:12
community
42:13
we are
42:13
to engage
42:14
in listening
42:15
to him
42:16
and making
42:17
time
42:17
to listen
42:19
to him.
42:20
As we
42:20
gather
42:21
round
42:21
God's
42:22
word we
42:22
find that
42:23
he's
42:23
talking
42:24
to every
42:25
one of
42:25
us
42:26
together
42:26
young
42:27
and old
42:28
all of
42:29
us
42:29
together
42:30
to come
42:30
and listen
42:31
to what
42:32
God is
42:33
saying
42:33
to us.
42:34
Sometimes
42:34
we just
42:34
have to
42:35
heed
42:35
that
42:35
advice
42:36
ourselves
42:37
that we
42:38
listen
42:39
slowly
42:39
that we
42:41
make
42:41
time
42:41
for God.
42:43
So let
42:44
us be
42:44
a
42:45
listening
42:45
community
42:47
of God's
42:48
people.
42:48
Listening
42:49
to each
42:49
other
42:50
listening
42:50
to our
42:51
children
42:52
listening
42:52
to young
42:53
and old
42:54
alike
42:54
making
42:54
time
42:55
for one
42:55
another
42:56
but above
42:57
all
42:57
listening
42:58
to God
43:00
and what
43:01
his word
43:01
is saying
43:02
to us.
43:04
The second
43:05
thing we see
43:05
here is that
43:06
we are to be
43:06
a loving
43:07
community.
43:09
So as you
43:09
go through
43:10
these verses
43:10
we find that
43:12
following the
43:12
first part
43:13
which is to
43:13
listen and
43:14
to hear
43:14
what God
43:15
is saying
43:16
to us
43:17
we are also
43:17
to be
43:18
challenged
43:19
by what
43:19
we hear.
43:21
We are not
43:22
just to
43:22
hear and
43:23
put it
43:23
away.
43:24
We are to
43:25
listen and
43:26
seek understanding
43:27
in what God
43:28
is saying
43:29
to us.
43:30
And the
43:30
challenges
43:31
there for us
43:32
is that if
43:32
we want to
43:32
be a
43:33
community
43:34
of God's
43:35
people
43:35
we have
43:36
to ask
43:37
ourselves
43:37
well where
43:38
is our
43:38
heart's
43:39
desire
43:39
directed.
43:41
If we
43:41
come to
43:42
see that
43:43
God is
43:43
one and
43:44
there is
43:44
no other
43:45
God
43:46
and if
43:47
we are
43:47
listening to
43:47
him
43:48
then what
43:49
are we
43:49
to do
43:49
with that?
43:51
Well he
43:51
goes on
43:51
here in
43:52
verse 5
43:52
to give
43:53
us
43:53
instruction.
43:54
He says
43:55
you shall
43:55
love the
43:56
Lord your
43:57
God with
43:57
all your
43:58
heart and
43:59
with all
43:59
your soul
44:00
and with
44:01
all your
44:02
might.
44:03
And these
44:04
words that I
44:04
command you
44:05
today shall
44:06
be on
44:07
your heart.
44:09
There is
44:09
instruction
44:10
there for us
44:11
we are to
44:11
be a
44:12
loving
44:13
people.
44:14
That we
44:15
are to
44:15
listen to
44:16
what God
44:17
is saying
44:17
to us
44:18
but that
44:19
we are
44:19
also to
44:20
put that
44:21
into practice
44:22
in the sense
44:22
of being
44:23
affected by
44:24
what we are
44:24
hearing.
44:26
As we
44:26
make time
44:27
to listen
44:27
to God
44:28
as we
44:28
hear what
44:29
he is
44:29
saying to
44:30
us
44:30
as he
44:31
opens
44:31
our ears
44:32
and opens
44:32
our heart
44:33
what is
44:34
that doing
44:34
to us?
44:36
Is our
44:36
heart
44:37
becoming
44:37
hard?
44:38
Are we
44:39
pushing
44:39
him away?
44:41
Or are we
44:41
listening and
44:42
seeking
44:42
understanding
44:43
through
44:44
prayerfully
44:45
approaching
44:45
him?
44:46
Moses is
44:47
saying to
44:48
the children
44:48
of Israel
44:49
here you
44:49
shall love
44:50
the Lord
44:51
your God
44:51
with all
44:52
your heart.
44:54
And the
44:54
question for
44:55
us is do
44:56
we love
44:56
the Lord
44:57
and especially
44:58
do we love
44:59
the Lord
44:59
with all
45:01
our heart?
45:03
Somebody
45:04
once said
45:05
the first
45:06
duty of
45:07
every soul
45:08
is to
45:09
find not
45:10
its freedom
45:11
but its
45:12
master.
45:14
Not to
45:15
find our
45:15
freedom
45:16
but to
45:17
find our
45:18
master.
45:19
And so
45:20
who is it
45:20
or what
45:21
is it
45:21
that you
45:21
love most
45:22
in this
45:23
life?
45:25
Who or
45:25
what is
45:26
the master
45:26
the ruler
45:27
of your
45:28
life?
45:30
If we
45:31
are to be
45:31
a community
45:32
of God's
45:33
people
45:33
if we
45:34
are to
45:34
listen
45:35
to his
45:36
word
45:36
then we
45:37
are to
45:37
see that
45:38
our love
45:39
should be
45:39
directed
45:40
towards God
45:41
first and
45:42
foremost.
45:43
if we
45:44
were to
45:44
ask
45:45
today
45:45
how does
45:46
that
45:46
congregation
45:47
grow in
45:48
godliness?
45:49
How do we
45:50
individually
45:51
grow in
45:53
godliness?
45:55
By listening
45:56
and recognizing
45:58
that God
45:59
is worth
45:59
all our
46:00
love
46:01
and that we
46:02
can love
46:03
only because
46:04
he first
46:04
loved us
46:05
and gave
46:06
himself
46:07
for us.
46:08
that we
46:09
would be
46:10
moved by
46:11
the love
46:11
of God
46:12
for us.
46:14
To love
46:14
him with
46:15
all our
46:16
heart.
46:18
To love
46:18
our families.
46:20
To love
46:21
our community.
46:22
To love
46:22
our young
46:23
people.
46:23
To love
46:24
our old
46:24
people.
46:25
That the
46:25
love of
46:26
God would
46:26
transcend
46:27
everything
46:27
that we
46:27
seek to
46:28
do for
46:28
him.
46:30
In the
46:30
New
46:31
Testament
46:31
as Jesus
46:32
was teaching
46:33
his people
46:35
around him
46:35
one person
46:36
came to
46:37
him and
46:37
said
46:37
teacher
46:38
which is
46:39
the greatest
46:39
commandment
46:40
in the
46:41
law.
46:43
And where
46:43
did Jesus
46:44
take them
46:45
for that
46:45
greatest
46:46
commandment?
46:47
He took
46:48
them to
46:48
these words
46:49
that we
46:49
have in
46:50
Deuteronomy.
46:52
Jesus
46:52
said to
46:52
him you
46:53
shall love
46:53
the Lord
46:54
your God
46:54
with all
46:55
your heart
46:55
with all
46:56
your soul
46:56
and with
46:57
all your
46:57
mind.
46:58
This is
46:59
the great
47:00
and first
47:00
commandment
47:01
and a
47:02
second is
47:03
like it.
47:04
You shall
47:04
love your
47:05
neighbor as
47:06
yourself.
47:08
a loving
47:09
community
47:10
as the
47:11
Lord at
47:12
his heart
47:13
and in
47:13
our heart
47:14
and as
47:15
we love
47:15
the Lord
47:16
with all
47:16
our heart
47:17
that leads
47:18
to us
47:18
loving our
47:19
neighbor as
47:20
ourself.
47:20
Having a
47:21
desire and a
47:21
hunger that
47:22
our community
47:23
be one
47:24
but in the
47:25
sense that we
47:25
would also see
47:26
many others
47:27
coming into
47:27
this community
47:28
a belonging
47:30
and finding
47:31
belonging
47:31
in God
47:33
and in
47:33
his son
47:34
Christ
47:34
Jesus.
47:37
Moses is
47:38
telling his
47:38
people here
47:39
he's instructing
47:40
them in
47:41
discipleship if
47:42
you like.
47:43
That's what we
47:43
would call it
47:44
today.
47:44
We disciple
47:45
one another.
47:46
We disciple
47:47
individuals.
47:48
We disciple
47:48
ourselves
47:49
collectively.
47:50
He is
47:50
speaking to
47:51
the community
47:51
here in
47:53
Moses'
47:54
day and
47:55
saying disciple
47:56
one another.
47:57
Love one
47:57
another.
47:58
Love the
47:58
Lord and
48:00
do good to
48:01
each other.
48:02
And so
48:02
today he's
48:04
instructing us
48:05
in the same
48:06
way too.
48:07
To disciple,
48:08
to encourage
48:09
one another,
48:10
to pray for
48:10
one another,
48:11
to be there
48:12
for one
48:12
another.
48:13
All of
48:14
these things.
48:15
It's not
48:16
just thinking
48:17
biblically but
48:18
acting biblically.
48:20
He says
48:21
here these
48:22
are the
48:22
commands that
48:24
you are to
48:24
do.
48:25
These are
48:26
the things
48:27
that you
48:28
are to do.
48:29
So it's
48:29
not just a
48:30
case of
48:30
simply
48:31
listening to
48:32
these
48:32
commandments.
48:34
It's not
48:34
just a
48:34
case that
48:35
you know
48:35
these
48:36
commandments.
48:38
It's not
48:38
a case that
48:39
you can
48:39
recite
48:40
these
48:40
commandments
48:41
or that
48:42
even you
48:42
accept
48:43
these
48:43
commandments.
48:45
It's
48:45
that you
48:46
do
48:46
these
48:47
commandments.
48:48
That you
48:49
put these
48:49
things
48:50
into
48:51
practice.
48:53
Martin
48:54
Luther once
48:54
said,
48:55
a religion
48:55
that gives
48:56
nothing,
48:57
costs
48:58
nothing,
48:58
and suffers
48:59
nothing is
49:00
worth
49:01
nothing.
49:03
So what
49:04
is our
49:05
community
49:05
like?
49:06
Is it a
49:07
community
49:07
that's willing
49:09
to give?
49:10
Is it a
49:11
community that's
49:12
willing to
49:12
bear a
49:13
cost?
49:14
Is it a
49:14
community that's
49:15
willing to
49:16
suffer?
49:17
Because if
49:18
we're not,
49:18
we're worth
49:19
nothing.
49:21
So God's
49:21
word challenges
49:22
us to do
49:24
as he
49:25
commands,
49:26
to be
49:26
a loving
49:27
community,
49:29
loving the
49:29
Lord and
49:30
loving our
49:32
neighbor.
49:34
The final
49:35
thing I want
49:35
us to take
49:36
from this
49:36
is that we
49:37
are to be
49:38
a living
49:38
community.
49:40
If we are
49:41
called to be
49:42
a people who
49:42
hear these
49:43
things,
49:44
and if we are
49:45
called to be
49:45
a people who
49:46
love the
49:47
Lord with
49:48
all our
49:48
heart,
49:49
we have to
49:50
leave it with
49:50
this,
49:50
what are we
49:51
going to
49:51
do with
49:52
that?
49:54
What will
49:54
we do
49:55
with that?
49:57
Surely it's
49:58
to make sure
49:58
that we are
49:59
practicing these
50:00
things,
50:01
not just on
50:02
a Sunday,
50:03
not just in
50:04
our time of
50:04
worship,
50:05
not just in
50:06
bringing our
50:06
children to
50:07
Sunday school
50:08
and that's
50:08
that box
50:09
checked for
50:09
the week,
50:11
but together
50:12
actively living
50:13
for God,
50:15
instructing our
50:16
children,
50:17
encouraging them,
50:19
discipling and
50:19
helping one
50:20
another,
50:21
being in
50:21
fellowship with
50:22
one another,
50:23
worshipping
50:23
throughout the
50:25
week,
50:26
living together
50:27
in a sense
50:27
of being
50:28
active in
50:29
every way
50:30
we can,
50:31
prayerfully,
50:32
practically.
50:33
We all have
50:34
a part to
50:34
play,
50:35
every one
50:35
of us.
50:36
It doesn't
50:37
matter where
50:38
we are in
50:38
life,
50:39
it doesn't
50:39
matter even
50:40
if we're not
50:40
able to come
50:41
out as we
50:41
once did.
50:43
Maybe there's
50:43
those tuning
50:44
in online and
50:45
you maybe
50:45
don't feel
50:46
you belong to
50:47
this community,
50:48
you do,
50:49
and you have
50:50
an active
50:50
part to
50:51
play in
50:51
this community
50:52
as you
50:53
pray for
50:54
it,
50:55
as you
50:55
remember
50:56
different
50:56
people,
50:57
as we
50:57
all engage
50:58
together,
50:59
we become
50:59
a living
51:00
community for
51:01
Christ,
51:03
showing forth
51:03
his love
51:04
towards those
51:05
around us.
51:07
Paul,
51:08
as he wrote
51:08
to the church
51:09
at Philippi,
51:10
he instructed
51:11
them to live
51:12
in this way.
51:13
He says in
51:14
chapter 4,
51:15
verse 8,
51:15
finally,
51:16
brothers,
51:17
whatever is
51:17
true,
51:18
whatever is
51:19
honorable,
51:19
whatever is
51:20
just,
51:20
whatever is
51:21
pure,
51:22
whatever is
51:23
lovely,
51:23
whatever is
51:24
commendable,
51:25
if there is
51:25
any excellence,
51:26
if there is
51:27
anything worthy
51:28
of praise,
51:29
think about
51:30
these things.
51:32
And what you
51:33
have learned
51:33
and received
51:34
and heard
51:35
and seen
51:36
in me,
51:37
practice
51:37
these things.
51:40
Practice
51:40
these things.
51:41
And he
51:42
says the
51:42
God of
51:43
peace
51:44
will be
51:45
with you.
51:46
That is
51:46
a promise
51:47
that the
51:47
children of
51:48
Israel had
51:49
from God
51:50
here in
51:50
Deuteronomy
51:51
6.
51:52
He says
51:52
to them
51:53
that it
51:54
would go
51:54
well
51:54
with you.
51:57
He speaks
51:58
here about
51:58
teaching
51:59
diligently
52:00
the children,
52:01
speaking about
52:02
these things
52:02
as you sit
52:03
in your
52:03
house,
52:03
when you
52:04
walk in
52:04
the way,
52:05
when you
52:05
lie down,
52:06
when you
52:06
rise.
52:07
You shall
52:08
bind these
52:08
words as
52:09
signs on
52:10
your hand.
52:11
There shall
52:11
be as
52:11
frontlets
52:12
between
52:12
your eyes.
52:13
You shall
52:13
write them
52:14
in your
52:14
doorposts
52:15
and in
52:16
your gates.
52:18
And all
52:19
of this
52:19
is so
52:20
that it
52:21
may go
52:21
well
52:22
with them.
52:24
Practice
52:24
these things.
52:27
That is
52:27
what we
52:27
are to
52:28
do as
52:28
a people
52:29
as well.
52:30
We are
52:30
given
52:31
these
52:31
instructions
52:32
as how
52:34
we are
52:34
to live
52:35
for God,
52:35
to practice,
52:36
to teach,
52:37
to talk,
52:38
to bind,
52:39
to write.
52:40
to be
52:41
a living
52:42
and a
52:42
learning
52:43
community
52:44
together,
52:45
a people
52:45
who know
52:45
God
52:46
and love
52:47
God,
52:48
and show
52:48
that in
52:49
our practice
52:50
in how
52:51
we live.
52:53
Today it's
52:53
encouraging
52:54
that the
52:55
Sunday school
52:56
starts and
52:56
to see so
52:57
many coming,
52:58
but this
52:58
isn't just a
52:59
message of
53:00
how to
53:00
parent and
53:01
to teach
53:02
our children.
53:03
This
53:03
isn't
53:03
Moses giving
53:05
instruction
53:05
here.
53:06
This is how
53:07
you deal
53:07
with your
53:07
young ones
53:08
and that's
53:09
all.
53:10
It's a
53:11
whole
53:11
community
53:12
of God's
53:12
people
53:13
living
53:14
together
53:15
as one,
53:16
worshipping
53:17
together
53:17
as one.
53:21
Everything
53:21
that we
53:22
do,
53:22
we do
53:23
for the
53:23
glory
53:24
of God.
53:26
So may
53:26
it be
53:26
that we
53:27
seek to
53:27
do it
53:28
all together
53:29
for His
53:30
glory.
53:31
What's
53:32
your
53:32
greatest
53:33
accomplishment
53:34
in life?
53:37
As you
53:37
look back
53:38
over your
53:38
life,
53:39
what's
53:39
your
53:39
greatest
53:40
accomplishment?
53:42
It's a
53:43
question that
53:43
the former
53:44
President of
53:45
the United
53:45
States,
53:46
George Bush
53:47
Senior,
53:47
was asked
53:48
once.
53:50
And he
53:50
had done
53:50
many things
53:51
in his
53:52
life.
53:53
There are
53:53
many things
53:54
that he
53:54
could have
53:54
maybe said,
53:55
well this
53:55
is the
53:56
greatest
53:56
accomplishment
53:57
I see
53:58
in my
53:58
life.
53:58
He had
53:59
been a
53:59
Navy
54:00
pilot in
54:00
the Second
54:01
World War.
54:03
He had
54:03
been a
54:04
vice
54:04
president
54:05
to
54:06
Ronald
54:06
Reagan
54:06
for eight
54:07
years.
54:08
He was
54:08
president
54:09
himself.
54:11
He could
54:11
have spoken
54:12
of his
54:12
time as
54:12
the head
54:13
of the
54:13
CIA.
54:14
He could
54:15
have
54:15
mentioned
54:16
so many
54:16
different
54:17
things that
54:18
he had
54:18
done in
54:19
his life.
54:19
But you
54:19
know what
54:20
he answered
54:20
when he
54:22
was asked
54:22
that question,
54:23
what is
54:23
your
54:23
greatest
54:24
accomplishment
54:25
in life?
54:27
He said,
54:28
my greatest
54:28
accomplishment
54:29
is that my
54:30
children still
54:31
come to
54:32
see me.
54:33
He had
54:35
done all
54:36
these things
54:36
in his
54:37
life,
54:38
but it
54:39
hadn't
54:39
affected the
54:40
fact that
54:40
his children
54:41
could still
54:42
come to
54:43
speak to
54:43
him.
54:45
That means
54:46
making
54:47
time.
54:49
And for
54:49
ourselves,
54:51
what would
54:51
be our
54:52
greatest
54:52
accomplishment?
54:55
We can
54:55
maybe achieve
54:56
so much
54:57
in life,
54:59
but our
54:59
greatest
55:00
accomplishment
55:01
would surely
55:01
be that
55:03
we have
55:03
time for
55:03
our
55:04
children,
55:05
time for
55:05
our
55:06
families,
55:07
time for
55:07
ourselves as
55:09
a community
55:09
of God's
55:10
people,
55:11
time for
55:12
each other,
55:13
but above
55:14
all,
55:15
time for
55:16
God.
55:17
That we
55:17
don't become
55:18
so busy
55:19
and so
55:20
rushed in
55:21
life,
55:22
that we
55:22
start to
55:23
listen to
55:24
all the
55:24
voices that
55:25
are speaking
55:25
around us,
55:26
that this
55:27
is what we
55:27
need,
55:29
but that we
55:29
would listen
55:30
to God,
55:32
listen to
55:33
what he
55:33
is saying,
55:34
to do as
55:35
he commands,
55:37
to love
55:38
him with
55:39
all our
55:40
hearts,
55:41
and to
55:41
live in
55:42
fellowship
55:42
for him
55:43
with one
55:44
another,
55:45
young,
55:46
old,
55:47
middle-aged,
55:48
that we
55:49
would be the
55:49
community of
55:50
God that
55:51
he would
55:51
want us
55:52
to be,
55:53
and to
55:53
reflect his
55:54
love to
55:55
those around
55:56
us.
55:57
So may
55:57
God help
55:58
us to be
55:59
the community
56:00
that he
56:01
longs for
56:01
his people
56:02
to be,
56:03
a listening
56:04
community,
56:05
a loving
56:05
community,
56:07
and a
56:07
living
56:07
community
56:08
for him.
56:09
Let us
56:10
pray.
56:13
Our
56:13
Father in
56:14
heaven,
56:14
we do
56:15
pray that
56:16
in our
56:16
weaknesses
56:16
and in
56:17
our
56:18
temptations
56:18
to listen
56:19
to all
56:19
the wrong
56:20
voices
56:20
around us,
56:21
that you
56:22
will help
56:22
us in
56:23
our hearts
56:23
to love
56:25
you and
56:25
to listen
56:25
to you
56:26
and to
56:27
live for
56:27
you with
56:28
all our
56:28
being.
56:29
Lord,
56:30
teach us
56:30
your ways
56:31
and show
56:31
us your
56:32
paths,
56:32
we pray,
56:33
for we
56:34
ask it
56:34
all in
56:35
your
56:35
precious
56:35
name.
56:36
Amen.
56:45
We're
56:46
going to
56:46
conclude by
56:47
singing to
56:47
God's
56:48
praise in
56:48
Psalm 133.
56:51
Let's
56:51
sing
56:51
Psalms
56:52
version.
56:52
Psalm 133,
56:59
the sing
56:59
Psalms
56:59
version on
57:00
page 175.
57:04
It's
57:04
maybe a
57:05
familiar
57:05
Psalm 2
57:06
as it
57:06
speaks of
57:07
the blessing
57:07
that there
57:08
is in
57:09
unity and
57:09
the blessing
57:10
that we
57:10
seek from
57:11
God.
57:11
How
57:12
excellent a
57:12
thing it
57:13
is,
57:13
how pleasant
57:14
and how
57:14
good,
57:15
when
57:15
brothers
57:16
dwell in
57:16
unity and
57:17
live as
57:18
brothers
57:18
should.
57:19
we'll
57:20
sing the
57:20
whole
57:20
of the
57:20
Psalm
57:21
to
57:21
God's
57:22
praise and
57:22
we stand
57:23
to sing.
57:27
How
57:28
excellent
57:30
a
57:33
thing
57:34
it
57:35
is,
57:37
how
57:38
pleasant
57:40
and
57:42
how
57:43
good,
57:45
when
57:46
brothers
57:48
dwell in
57:51
unity and
57:56
live as
57:58
brothers
58:00
should.
58:03
For it is
58:07
like the
58:09
precious
58:11
heart,
58:13
for
58:14
the
58:15
heart,
58:16
the
58:17
hero's
58:18
head,
58:20
that
58:23
running
58:24
over
58:26
down
58:28
his
58:30
fear,
58:31
upon
58:33
his
58:35
color
58:37
spread,
58:39
like
58:41
care,
58:42
most
58:43
view,
58:45
upon
58:46
the
58:48
hill,
58:49
hold
58:51
high
58:53
on
58:54
it
58:55
he
58:56
stands,
58:58
the
58:59
Lord
59:00
bestows
59:03
his
59:04
blessing
59:05
there,
59:06
the
59:07
light
59:08
of
59:09
life
59:11
that
59:12
never
59:13
ends.
59:17
If you
59:19
allow me a
59:20
moment to go to the main door after the benediction, we'll close with the benediction.
59:24
Now may grace, mercy and peace from God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore. Amen.
59:54
Thank you.