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True Faithfulness · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Thank you very much, and thank you for the warm welcome we've received on the island.
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We look forward to getting to know you a little bit, and we ask that the Lord will bless the
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time together.
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I bring greetings from our own fellowship, Kilmally and Arden American Free Church, and
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ahead of the visit, we've very much been praying for you, and we trust God to be gracious to
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us this weekend.
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And we're going to look later on in Nehemiah chapter 9, but I want to begin our time just
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with one verse where the people are told,
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Bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting.
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Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
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Well, we want to bless and praise the Lord together this evening, and we'll do that with
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our first item of praise as we sing together the metrical version of Psalm 111, and we shall
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sing the first six verses of Psalm 111.
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Praise to the Lord, I will extol Him.
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Praise to the Lord.
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I will extol Him.
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Praise to the Lord.
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Praise to the Lord.
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and on the ancient times.
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The whole works of the Lord our God
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are great above all measure.
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Slaughter they are of every one
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at a festive pleasure.
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His words most honor our God
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is most glorious and pure,
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and is undainted by justness
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forever doth endure.
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His works most wonderful he hath
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made to be not upon.
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The Lord is gracious,
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and he is full of compassion.
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He giveth me done to all those
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that truly do him dear,
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and evermore his covenant
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he in his mind will bear.
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He did the power of his words
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unto his people show.
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When he the raven's heritage
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upon them death he's true.
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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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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Well, let's continue now
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in praying together
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to the Lord our God.
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Let us pray.
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Our gracious God
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and our loving Heavenly Father,
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we do gather this evening
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as a congregation,
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as a company of your people
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saved by grace.
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Lord, we gather to bless,
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to praise,
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to extol your name.
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Father, we praise you for your works
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in creation,
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that you have set in their place
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the sun and the moon and the stars.
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we thank you that it was you
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that formed the heights
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of the mountains
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and who founded the depths
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of the sea,
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that it was you that breathed life
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into all living creatures,
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and it is you who sustains
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our lives.
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And so we praise you
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and we worship you
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for the works about which
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we have sung,
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works which are right
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and true.
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we thank you, Lord,
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that you are kind,
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that you are great,
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and that you are full of grace.
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We thank you for the work of grace,
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for the work of redemption
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in our world,
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in our lives.
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That time and again
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you have saved your people
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from all their distress.
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When they cried,
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you have heard from heaven
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and you have answered
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answered to deliver.
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Lord, how true that is
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also of our own lives.
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How much we want to thank you
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for the times you have taken us
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from the mud and mire
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and set our feet upon the rock.
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Time and again, Lord,
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you forgave your people
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all of their sins.
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For you are a gracious
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and merciful God,
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slow to anger
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and abounding
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and steadfast love.
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You are the one
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who never forgets
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and who never forsakes
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your own people.
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And how we thank you, Lord,
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for our redemption in Christ.
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That the one through whom
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and for whom
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all things were made
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should step into this broken world.
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That he might make one day
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all things new.
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Thank you that the Prince of Glory
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was willing to bear our shame.
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That the one in whom
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there was life
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was willing to die our death.
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And that your only begotten Son
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should be cut off
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from his heavenly Father
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in order that we might be welcomed home
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and become children of the living God.
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So this evening, this weekend,
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Father, would you fix our eyes upon Jesus?
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Would you turn our eyes upon Jesus
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to look full in his glorious face
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that the things on earth might seem strangely dim
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in the light of his glory
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and his grace?
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Help us to set our hearts
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on things that are above
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to remember that our lives are hidden with Christ
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who is the hope of glory.
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So this evening we pray
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as we turn to your word
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as we lift up our voices in praise
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would you refresh our hearts
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and would you remind us once more
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of your very great promises
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and of the plans and the purposes
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you have for our lives
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that we might walk in wisdom
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that we might walk in uprightness
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for your pleasure
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and for your praise.
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And this we pray in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Well, we're going to sing once more
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before we read
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and our second item of praise
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is Psalm 85
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from Sing Psalms
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Psalm 85
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and we'll sing together verses 1 to 9
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In times past, Lord, you showed favour
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to your own beloved land
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the prosperity of Jacob you restored
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by your strong hand.
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That's Psalm 85
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verses 1 to 9
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in time
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in time
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in time
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in time
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past, Lord, you showed
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favour
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to your own beloved land
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the prosperity of Jacob
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you restored by your strong hand
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you restored by your strong hand
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you forgive your people's trespass
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you were pleased their sins to hide
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you withdrew all your disfledger
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from your wrath you turned us high
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God our Saviour
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now restore us
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from us turn away your rage
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will your anger burn against us
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will it last from age to age
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will you not again be
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will you not again revive us
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that we may rejoice in you
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show us, Lord, your covenant verse
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show us, Lord, your covenant mercy
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your salvation grant and you
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I will hear what God the Lord says
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to his saints he offers peace
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but his people must not wander
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and return to foolishness
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surely for all those who fear him
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his salvation is at hand
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so that once again his glory
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may be seen within our land
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well I
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I wanted to look together with you tonight
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at the ninth chapter of Nehemiah
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which if you have the same church bible
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I have before me
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it should be found on page 483
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that's Nehemiah chapter 9
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page 482 and 83
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it's a lengthy chapter
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we're not going to read the whole chapter
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but I hope to reference it in the course
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of our study together
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but tonight we're just going to read
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a few verses from the close of the chapter
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that's 32 down to the end
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verse 38
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this great prayer of confession
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before God
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and Nehemiah chapter 9
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verse 32
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we come to the conclusion of that prayer
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let us hear together the word of God
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now therefore our God the great
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the mighty and the awesome God
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who keeps covenant and steadfast love
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let not all the hardship seem little to you
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that has come upon us
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upon our kings
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our princes our priests our prophets our fathers
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and all your people
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since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day
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yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us
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for you have dealt faithfully
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and we have acted wickedly
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our kings our princes our priests and our fathers
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have not kept your law
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or paid attention to your commandments
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and your warnings that you gave them
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even in their own kingdom
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enjoying your great goodness that you gave them
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and in the large and rich land that you set before them
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they did not serve you
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or turn from their wicked works
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behold we are slaves this day
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in the land that you gave to our fathers
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to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts
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behold we are slaves
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and its rich yield goes to the kings
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whom you have set over us because of our sins
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they rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please
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and we are in great distress
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because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing
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on the sealed documents of the names of our princes
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our Levites and our priests
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and we thank God for his word
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in this book of Nehemiah
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before we turn to the word together
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for a time of study
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we will sing once more
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this time from Psalm 36
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the metrical version of Psalm 36
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singing together verses 5 to 10
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a psalm about the mercy and loving kindness of God towards his people
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thy mercy Lord is in the heavens
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thy truth doth reach the clouds
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Psalm 36 5 to 10
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thy mercy Lord is in the heavens
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thy truth doth reach the clouds
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thy mercy Lord is in the heavens
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thy truth doth reach the clouds
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thy truth doth reach the clouds
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thy truth doth reach the clouds
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thy对
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thy thy justice di That's what
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thy justice di E Ais-Blued
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Lord, thy preserves man and peace, how precious is thy grace.
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Therefore in shadow of thy wings, men's sunset shall quay.
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They with the badness of thy heart shall be well satisfied.
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O rivers of thy pleasures, I will think to them provide.
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Because of life the fountain pure remains alone with thee.
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And in the purest light of mine, we clearly light shall see.
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Thy lovingkindness unto them continue that be known.
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And still on men, how bright in heart thy righteousness be so.
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Well, I invite you to keep your Bible open to Nehemiah chapter 9.
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And although we read from verse 32, I want to survey the whole chapter with you as we think together.
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And it's a wonderful prayer.
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It's a prayer of confession.
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And it's good as we approach this weekend that we come before God and acknowledge and confess our sins to Him,
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trusting in His great mercies, trusting in His steadfast love and faithfulness.
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I wonder if you've heard of any occasions in which the leaders of the nation sought to turn a people back to God.
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It was a little bit before God.
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It was a little bit before my time, but I believe that during the days of World War II,
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there was a national day of prayer in advance of the great rescue at Dunkirk.
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The king himself called the nation to pray.
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And all over the land, church bells rang out, queues formed as people were eager to pray for the safe deliverance of the British Army.
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When the time came, the seas were calm, the skies were cloudy, and a great many were delivered.
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The leaders of a nation leading their people to God.
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And that's something like the scene in Nehemiah chapter 9.
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Nehemiah was a leader.
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We often think of him as something like a civil engineer, rebuilding gates and walls.
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But he sought also to rebuild the community, the people of the tribes who had returned.
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He sought to bring the people back to God.
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And so in Nehemiah chapter 9, he, Nehemiah the governor, turns his people's attention to the living God,
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rebuilding not only the city, but rebuilding the community.
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We have in Kilmali and Ardnamurk been studying together the book of Nehemiah over these past months.
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And it's the kind of book that's often preached if, for example, you're attending a leadership seminar.
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You know, the sort of thing, you know, leadership lessons from Nehemiah.
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And somebody rightly commented, it is perhaps the oldest book, the oldest manual on leadership in the whole of human history.
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Much to teach us about spiritual leadership, much to teach us about servant leadership, particularly the fifth chapter.
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But it's not just a book about leadership.
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And it's a book that's often preached on, isn't it, just before a building project.
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We are ourselves about to renovate our small church building on the Ardnamurk Peninsula,
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but that wasn't why we wanted to preach it.
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It's not just a book about building projects.
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In fact, building is really only half the story.
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The books of Ezra and Nehemiah originally circulated as one book, Ezra-Nehemiah.
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And we often concentrate on the physical rebuilding.
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In Ezra, that is the temple.
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In Nehemiah, the gates and the walls of Jerusalem.
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But each book is itself in two halves.
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The first half, there is a building project.
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The second half, a rebuilding of the people's lives and their faith and their community around the Word of God.
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And so Nehemiah seeks not only to rebuild the city, which he does under God, but to rebuild the people.
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To restore not only the gates and the walls of Jerusalem, but to restore their relationship with the living God,
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built on the foundation of the Word of God.
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And in chapter 8, that Word is opened for the first time in a long time.
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And as the people hear the Word, they weep,
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because they realize what they'd lost, how their forefathers had behaved.
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But they're told in that chapter not to weep,
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because it was a time to celebrate, and a time to celebrate the Feast of Booths.
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And so in chapter 8, there is feasting, there is a festival.
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But then in chapter 9, the time comes to weep,
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to confess their sins before God, to repent of their sins,
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to turn back in faith to the living God.
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And so in chapter 9, that's what we find happening.
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On the 24th day, the people assemble with fasting, sackcloth, and with earth on their heads.
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They separate themselves from the people of the land,
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and they hear the Word of God for a quarter of a day.
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Verse 3,
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And then for another quarter, they make confession and worship the Lord their God.
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It's a remarkable passage.
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Where we live, we have a nice view of Ben Nevis,
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from some of the windows of the house.
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And if you're familiar with the Nevis Range, you'll know there's a gondola,
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which is the easiest and the quickest way to get up to enjoy the view.
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And if you take the gondola in Anakmur, you get a tremendous view of the surrounding mountains.
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Nevis Range, the Memors, all the way across to the west.
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And in Nehemiah chapter 9, we get a tremendous view of the Old Testament.
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We're given a summary of Old Testament history.
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We're given a survey of Old Testament events from the creation of the universe in Genesis
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to the return from exile at the time of Nehemiah.
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And it's not just a register of names and important dates and significant places.
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It is a record of God's faithful dealings with His unfaithful people.
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It's a long passage.
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But there is a repeated pattern that helps us understand what's at work.
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Repeatedly, we are told of God's initiative in calling people to Himself, in making a covenant with them.
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You did this, the gracious initiative of God.
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And then there is then described how the people turned away,
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how they were ungrateful, how they were disobedient.
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But we did this.
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And then they are taught how the Lord showed His mercy and grace,
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how He persevered with them,
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and how He pardoned their sins times without number.
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And so I want to briefly survey this passage,
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observing three things in the first eight verses.
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God makes a covenant.
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In the verses 9 to 31,
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the people break the covenant and break His commandments.
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And then in the verses we read, 32 to 38,
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they seek to remake the covenant.
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And the opening verses take us right back to the beginning,
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right back to the beginning of all things,
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the creation of heaven and earth.
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Verse 6,
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You made heaven, the heaven of heavens,
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the earth and all that is in it.
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We live in a beautiful and a wonderful world.
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You live on Lewis.
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I don't need to tell you that.
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The more we learn about the world,
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the more we marvel at the wisdom and the power
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of the God who made it.
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The Lord, we're told, made all men and women.
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And He chose one man, this man, Abram.
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And He made a covenant with Him.
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He who made all things made a covenant with this young man,
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this old man, I should say.
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And He promised Abram
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that He would be the father of many peoples.
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He promised to many descendants,
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though He was at the time childless.
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He promised His own land,
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the land of the Canaanites.
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He promised that He would bless him
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and that through His seed,
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through His offspring,
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all the world would be blessed.
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And immediately, we're told,
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in these chapters,
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verse 8,
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You have kept your promise,
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for you are righteous.
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The one who made all things made a promise.
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And undergirding this whole chapter
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is that the Lord kept His promise,
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for He is righteous.
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Abram, his heart was found faithful to God,
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but God proved Himself faithful to His people
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and to His ancestors
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throughout their long and their troubled history.
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God is faithful.
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God keeps promises
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at the very start of this confession.
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Have we ever failed to keep our word?
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Have we ever broken a promise?
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Not kept an appointment,
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an arrangement without telling anyone?
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Not fulfilled a contractual obligation?
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Not kept a vow,
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maybe a baptismal vow,
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but bringing up the children in the faith?
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Are we unwilling,
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or more likely unable,
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to keep the promises we make?
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It's part of life in the sinful
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and this fallen world
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that people say things
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and make promises,
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but they cannot fulfill them.
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And yet there is one
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who kept His promise,
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who keeps His promise,
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for He is righteous.
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In the great hymn Amazing Grace,
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John Newton has these words,
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The Lord has promised good to me.
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His word my hope secures.
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He will my shield and portion be
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as long as life endures.
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He has promised,
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and He will keep His promise,
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because He is righteous.
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So, the confession begins
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with a reminder
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of the faithfulness of God,
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the favor He showed to Abraham
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in making this covenant.
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And in the chapter,
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the verses that follow,
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we move from Genesis
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into Exodus,
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the next book of the Pentateuch.
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And we learn once more
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of the Lord's deliverance
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of His people
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from Egypt.
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He fulfilled His promise
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in multiplying them greatly.
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And though He had yet
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to give them the land
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of their inheritance,
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they multiplied
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and they lived in Egypt.
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And the Egyptians
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became afraid
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of the immigrants.
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They began to oppress them.
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They were terrified
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that they'd take over.
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And then we have Pharaoh,
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who does not let
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his people go.
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And we're told
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in Nehemiah
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from verse 9
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that God saw
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their affliction
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as they worked
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as slaves.
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He heard their cry
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at the Red Sea
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and He performed
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these signs
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and wonders
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against Pharaoh,
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for they acted
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arrogantly
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against
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our fathers.
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But Moses
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went to Pharaoh
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and he explained
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that the God
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of heaven
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had commanded him
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to let His people go.
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Pharaoh said,
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Exodus 5 verse 2,
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Who is the Lord?
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I do not know the Lord.
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He failed to rightly
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honor the God
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of heaven.
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And so the Lord
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showed His signs
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and wonders
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and He brought
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His people
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safely out,
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made a name
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for Himself,
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divided the sea
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before them.
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And there in the wilderness
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He fed them
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daily with manna
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from heaven.
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He led them
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day and night
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with a cloud
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of fire.
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And He led them
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supremely,
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verse 13,
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by speaking to them
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from heaven
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and giving them
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right rules
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and true laws,
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making known to them
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the Holy Sabbath,
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giving them
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the law
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of Moses.
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The Lord
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liberated them.
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The Lord
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fed them.
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He led them.
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He gave to them
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His law.
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He did them
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so much good.
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And then in verse 16
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we read that word,
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but they and our forefathers
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acted presumptuously
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and stiffened their neck
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and did not obey
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your command.
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How did they respond
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to the saving initiative?
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How did they respond
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to God hearing their cries
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and helping?
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How did they respond
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to His care
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and His daily guidance?
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They stiffened their neck.
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They refused to obey
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His commandments.
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They forgot
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the miracles,
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not mindful of the wonders
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you'd performed
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among them.
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They sought to return
33:21
to their slavery
33:22
in Egypt.
33:24
They committed
33:25
great blasphemy
33:26
and they worshipped
33:27
an idol,
33:28
verse 18.
33:30
They were not mindful
33:34
of all that the Lord
33:36
had done for them.
33:40
Ingratitude,
33:41
insolent.
33:42
They could not have been
33:43
more ungrateful
33:44
to the Lord.
33:46
Instead of worshipping Him,
33:47
they cast for themselves
33:49
this golden calf
33:50
and they said,
33:51
this is your God
33:52
who brought you up
33:53
out of Egypt
33:53
and they committed
33:54
great blasphemies.
33:56
I wonder how you
34:01
or I would respond
34:02
in the face
34:03
of such ingratitude.
34:07
Would we say,
34:08
after all I've done
34:10
for you
34:10
and this is how
34:11
you thank me,
34:14
how does the Lord
34:15
respond
34:16
to their
34:17
ingratitude?
34:21
You
34:21
are a gracious,
34:24
a God ready to forgive,
34:25
gracious and merciful,
34:26
slow to anger
34:27
and abounding
34:29
in steadfast love.
34:30
You did not forsake them,
34:31
verse 17.
34:34
In your great mercies,
34:37
you continued
34:37
to give them
34:38
the pillar of cloud,
34:39
the pillar of fire.
34:40
Verse 20,
34:41
you gave your good spirit,
34:43
you gave the manna.
34:45
For 40 years,
34:46
you sustained them
34:47
in the wilderness.
34:49
They lacked
34:49
nothing.
34:50
The people
34:55
rejected
34:56
the Lord.
34:58
The people
34:58
sought to
34:59
go back
35:00
to slavery
35:00
in Egypt,
35:01
yet the Lord
35:02
persevered with them.
35:04
He didn't give up
35:05
on them.
35:05
He didn't give them
35:06
over.
35:06
He persevered
35:08
with them.
35:10
Disciplined,
35:10
yes,
35:11
but not abandoned.
35:13
Still
35:14
fed with the manna,
35:15
still led
35:16
with the
35:16
pillar of cloud
35:17
and fire,
35:18
still sustained
35:19
by his spirit
35:20
for 40 years
35:23
in the wilderness.
35:28
And the answer
35:28
and the reason
35:29
why,
35:29
verse 19,
35:30
is that word
35:31
will meet again,
35:31
these words,
35:32
your great mercies.
35:35
He made a promise
35:36
to Abraham
35:37
that he would
35:39
bless his descendants
35:40
and he kept
35:42
his promise
35:42
because he
35:43
is righteous,
35:44
he is faithful
35:45
even when
35:47
his people
35:48
are unfaithful.
35:52
The opening
35:53
psalm,
35:55
reading a little
35:56
further down
35:57
to verse 9,
35:58
Psalm 111,
35:59
this time in the
36:00
Sing's Praise
36:01
version,
36:02
has this
36:02
stanza.
36:04
He sent
36:05
redemption
36:05
for his people.
36:07
His covenant
36:07
remains the same,
36:10
ordained by him
36:11
throughout all ages,
36:12
holy
36:12
and awesome,
36:14
is his name.
36:16
He is faithful
36:17
even when they
36:18
are unfaithful.
36:23
And we see that
36:24
same pattern
36:24
play out
36:25
in the next
36:26
verses,
36:27
moving this time
36:28
from Exodus
36:28
into the historical
36:29
books,
36:30
the conquest,
36:31
Joshua,
36:32
all the way
36:32
through to the end
36:33
of 2 Kings.
36:36
Verse 22,
36:37
he gives them
36:38
kingdoms.
36:39
Verse 22,
36:40
they possess the land
36:41
he had pledged
36:42
to give to them.
36:44
And it's a lovely land,
36:46
rich,
36:46
fertile land,
36:47
houses and cities
36:48
they didn't build,
36:50
flowing with milk
36:51
and honey.
36:53
The people
36:54
delight themselves
36:55
in God's
36:57
great goodness.
37:01
And how do they
37:02
respond?
37:04
Well, it's
37:04
depressingly
37:05
predictable,
37:06
isn't it?
37:06
Verse 26,
37:08
nevertheless,
37:10
they were
37:10
disobedient
37:11
and rebelled
37:12
against you
37:13
and cast your law
37:15
behind their back.
37:17
Not with
37:18
gratitude
37:18
and rejoicing
37:20
at the Lord's
37:20
great goodness,
37:21
not with worship
37:22
and obedience
37:23
to his word.
37:24
On the contrary,
37:24
they cast
37:25
his law
37:26
behind their
37:27
back,
37:28
going so far
37:29
as to kill
37:30
the prophets
37:31
that came
37:32
and spoke
37:32
to them
37:33
and warned
37:33
them.
37:38
The Lord
37:39
doesn't give up
37:40
on them.
37:42
Verse 23,
37:44
he'd multiplied
37:45
them as the
37:46
stars of heaven,
37:47
as he'd promised
37:48
to do.
37:50
And though they
37:50
give themselves
37:51
over once more
37:52
to idolatry
37:53
and blasphemy,
37:55
he doesn't
37:56
give them up.
37:58
He does
37:59
give them over
37:59
to the hands
38:00
of their enemies,
38:01
but he doesn't
38:01
give them up
38:01
fully and
38:02
finally.
38:05
And verse 27,
38:06
when they cry
38:07
out to him
38:07
in their distress,
38:08
once more he
38:09
hears their
38:10
affliction
38:10
and he responds.
38:14
And there's
38:14
that little
38:15
phrase
38:15
again
38:16
in verse 27,
38:19
according to
38:20
your great
38:21
mercies.
38:24
He made a
38:25
promise
38:26
to their
38:27
forefather.
38:28
He kept
38:29
that promise
38:29
because he
38:30
is faithful.
38:34
And the people
38:35
just go downhill.
38:37
Things get worse
38:38
and worse.
38:40
We're told
38:41
that they
38:42
acted
38:42
presumptuously.
38:43
It's the same
38:44
language,
38:44
verse 29,
38:45
that was used
38:45
of Pharaoh.
38:47
So this
38:47
unbelieving
38:48
Pharaoh,
38:49
who didn't
38:49
know the
38:50
Lord,
38:50
acted
38:51
arrogantly
38:51
towards him.
38:53
And sometime
38:54
later,
38:54
the Lord's
38:55
own people
38:55
act
38:56
presumptuously,
38:57
as if they
38:58
didn't know
38:58
the Lord.
39:02
They keep
39:03
on sinning.
39:04
They turned
39:05
a stubborn
39:06
shoulder.
39:06
They stiffened
39:07
again their
39:07
neck.
39:08
They closed
39:09
their ears
39:09
to the pleas
39:10
of the prophets.
39:11
And this
39:12
wasn't an
39:12
occasional wobble.
39:13
This wasn't
39:14
a one-off.
39:15
We're told
39:17
it was a
39:17
pattern of
39:18
behavior that
39:19
continued for
39:20
many years,
39:23
decades,
39:24
centuries.
39:28
They tried
39:29
his patience
39:29
time and
39:30
again.
39:32
And yet he
39:33
never made
39:33
an end of
39:34
them,
39:34
verse 31.
39:36
And he
39:37
never forsook
39:37
them,
39:38
for he is a
39:39
gracious and
39:40
merciful God.
39:43
He kept
39:43
his promise,
39:44
because he
39:45
is righteous.
39:46
He is the
39:47
God of
39:48
great mercy,
39:49
slow to
39:50
anger and
39:51
abounding in
39:53
steadfast love.
39:58
Perhaps
39:58
you've known
40:00
the experience
40:01
in your life
40:01
where you've
40:03
sought to
40:04
support a
40:04
wayward child
40:05
or a
40:08
testing spouse
40:09
or in the
40:10
workplace,
40:11
a difficult
40:11
employee,
40:12
a manager,
40:15
member of
40:15
the department.
40:18
Perhaps in
40:19
your family,
40:19
there's a
40:20
member of the
40:20
family who
40:21
year after
40:22
year causes
40:22
nothing but
40:23
heartache.
40:25
They don't
40:25
listen to
40:26
advice.
40:26
They go
40:27
their own
40:27
way.
40:27
They make
40:29
mistakes,
40:30
foolish decisions,
40:31
bringing nothing
40:31
but shame and
40:32
dishonor upon
40:34
the family.
40:36
And yet you
40:37
bear with
40:37
them.
40:38
You persevere
40:39
with them
40:40
because you
40:41
love them
40:41
and they're
40:42
part of your
40:43
family.
40:46
Or maybe a
40:46
spouse,
40:48
maybe
40:49
neglecting you
40:51
emotionally,
40:51
maybe never
40:54
having anything
40:54
positive to
40:55
say,
40:56
never anything
40:56
encouragement,
40:57
and yet you
40:59
bear with
41:00
them because
41:01
you love
41:01
them.
41:02
And you
41:03
made a
41:04
promise,
41:04
you made a
41:05
vow to
41:05
them to
41:06
love them
41:06
till death
41:07
do you
41:08
part.
41:11
Sometimes
41:11
in life,
41:12
we're called
41:13
to be
41:13
long-suffering
41:14
with those
41:14
we love,
41:15
to bear
41:15
with them.
41:17
And the
41:18
Lord here
41:19
is depicted
41:19
as long-suffering
41:21
with His
41:21
people.
41:22
We marvel
41:23
at His
41:23
patience
41:24
century after
41:25
century as
41:26
He comes
41:27
after them
41:27
and they
41:28
turn away
41:28
from Him
41:29
for many
41:29
years.
41:32
And yet He
41:33
doesn't make
41:33
an end to
41:33
them.
41:35
He doesn't
41:35
forsake
41:35
them.
41:37
He doesn't
41:37
forget the
41:38
promise that
41:38
He made
41:39
to their
41:40
ancestor
41:41
Abraham,
41:41
the covenants
41:42
that He
41:42
made with
41:43
their forefathers.
41:47
You or I
41:48
might be
41:48
tempted,
41:49
if treated
41:50
that way,
41:51
to say,
41:51
fine,
41:51
that's it.
41:52
Have it
41:53
your way.
41:54
Washing
41:55
my hands
41:55
of you,
41:56
that's
41:56
enough.
41:56
I quit.
41:59
We'll go
41:59
our separate
42:00
ways.
42:02
Not the
42:03
Lord.
42:03
He made
42:03
a promise.
42:05
He made
42:05
a covenant.
42:07
He is the
42:07
God of
42:08
great mercies.
42:09
He is
42:10
righteous,
42:10
and He
42:11
will keep
42:11
that promise.
42:15
And so
42:15
it's against
42:16
that background
42:16
that we come
42:17
to the verse.
42:18
We looked
42:18
at verse
42:18
32,
42:20
and in
42:20
these verses
42:21
the leaders
42:22
of the people
42:22
seek to
42:23
renew the
42:24
covenant
42:25
with God.
42:27
They've
42:28
rehearsed
42:28
the whole
42:29
story
42:29
from creation
42:31
to exile,
42:34
and they
42:34
now confess
42:35
their sins,
42:36
the sins
42:36
of the
42:37
people,
42:38
the sins
42:38
of their
42:38
forefathers,
42:39
sins,
42:40
and they
42:42
remind one
42:43
another of
42:44
God's
42:44
covenant,
42:44
but also of
42:47
His steadfast
42:47
love and
42:49
of His mercy
42:50
and grace.
42:51
they cast
42:53
their minds
42:54
back to the
42:54
time of
42:55
the exile,
42:55
verse 32,
42:57
when the
42:58
northern kingdom
42:58
was taken
42:59
to Syria
42:59
and then the
43:00
southern kingdom
43:00
off into the
43:01
Babylonian
43:02
captivity,
43:04
the result
43:04
of the Lord
43:05
disciplining
43:05
His wayward
43:06
people for
43:07
their breaking
43:07
of the
43:08
covenant.
43:10
And they
43:11
acknowledge
43:11
that in all
43:12
of this,
43:13
verse 33,
43:14
He has
43:14
been
43:14
righteous,
43:17
He has
43:18
been
43:18
faithful,
43:20
and they
43:21
have acted
43:22
wickedly.
43:25
And it's
43:26
not a few
43:26
rotten eggs,
43:27
it's not a few
43:28
bad apples
43:28
among the
43:30
people.
43:31
Verse 34,
43:32
the kings,
43:32
the priests,
43:33
the fathers
43:34
have not
43:35
kept your
43:35
law.
43:37
It's all
43:37
of them
43:37
from the
43:38
top to
43:38
the bottom,
43:39
from the
43:39
greatest to
43:40
the least,
43:41
the whole
43:41
nation has
43:42
turned their
43:42
back on
43:43
God.
43:46
And so
43:47
now the
43:47
whole
43:47
leadership
43:48
of the
43:49
nation seeks
43:50
to turn
43:50
back to
43:51
God,
43:52
and to
43:52
turn the
43:53
people
43:53
back to
43:54
God.
43:58
Those who
43:59
knew the
43:59
law,
44:00
those who
44:01
should have
44:01
known the
44:02
Lord,
44:02
who should
44:03
have taught
44:04
the law,
44:05
ignored it,
44:06
they broke
44:07
it.
44:09
Though He
44:09
had fulfilled
44:10
every one of
44:11
His promises,
44:11
giving them
44:12
descendants,
44:13
giving them
44:13
the land,
44:14
blessing them
44:15
with good
44:15
fruit and
44:16
good gifts,
44:17
they failed
44:17
to honor
44:17
the giver.
44:18
And they
44:19
turned away
44:20
and threw
44:20
His law
44:21
behind their
44:21
back.
44:24
And the
44:25
irony is,
44:26
they ended
44:26
up in the
44:27
same state
44:28
they were
44:28
in before.
44:31
Verse 36
44:32
tells us that
44:33
we are slaves
44:35
this day
44:35
in the land
44:37
you gave to
44:37
our fathers.
44:38
We are
44:39
slaves.
44:40
slaves.
44:43
They inherited
44:44
towns and
44:44
cities they
44:45
hadn't built,
44:46
olives and
44:46
vineyards they
44:47
hadn't planted.
44:48
It was a
44:49
wonderful land
44:50
rich in
44:50
produce.
44:53
And now
44:53
their tenants
44:54
giving the
44:54
taxes and the
44:55
tributes to
44:56
the kings,
44:57
even their
44:58
own bodies,
44:59
are the
45:00
possession of
45:01
the kings
45:02
far away in
45:03
Persia.
45:03
home.
45:06
And you see
45:06
the irony,
45:07
when the
45:07
Lord heard
45:08
their cries,
45:09
they were
45:10
slaves in
45:11
Egypt.
45:12
And He
45:13
brought them
45:13
out with
45:14
these miraculous
45:15
signs,
45:16
these wonders,
45:17
brought them
45:17
out of Egypt,
45:18
brought them
45:18
to Himself
45:19
at Sinai.
45:19
And while
45:22
they enjoyed
45:23
their good
45:24
gifts,
45:24
they forgot
45:25
about the
45:25
giver.
45:26
And they
45:27
went their
45:27
own way.
45:29
And they
45:29
ended up
45:29
back in
45:30
slavery,
45:31
not in
45:32
Egypt,
45:32
but in
45:33
Israel,
45:33
in their
45:34
own place.
45:39
It's one
45:39
of the
45:39
ironies,
45:40
isn't it,
45:40
in the
45:40
modern world
45:41
that people
45:41
think becoming
45:42
a Christian
45:43
means some
45:45
kind of
45:45
loss of
45:46
personal
45:47
freedoms.
45:49
In some
45:50
way, if we
45:51
become a
45:51
Christian, we
45:51
have to
45:52
give up
45:52
the freedoms
45:53
that we
45:53
might have
45:54
to enjoy.
45:57
And of
45:57
course,
45:58
becoming a
45:58
Christian is
45:59
dying to
46:00
self.
46:01
It is a
46:02
path of
46:03
saying no
46:04
to self
46:05
and saying
46:05
yes to
46:05
Christ.
46:07
But it
46:08
is in
46:08
Christ that
46:09
we find
46:09
freedom.
46:10
It is
46:11
outside of
46:11
Christ,
46:12
Scripture
46:12
tells us,
46:13
that we
46:13
are enslaved.
46:15
It is in
46:16
Christ that
46:17
we find
46:17
fullness of
46:19
life.
46:20
John
46:20
chapter 10
46:21
verse 10.
46:23
The people
46:24
were slaves.
46:26
God heard
46:26
them.
46:27
He heard
46:28
their cries.
46:28
He delivered
46:29
them out of
46:29
slavery.
46:30
He brought
46:30
them to a
46:31
place of
46:31
abundance and
46:32
blessing and
46:33
goodness.
46:35
And they
46:35
turned away.
46:37
And so they
46:37
found themselves
46:38
slaves once
46:40
more.
46:44
And realizing
46:44
their sorry
46:45
state, they
46:45
confessed their
46:46
sins to
46:47
God, the
46:47
sins of
46:48
their fathers,
46:49
the sins of
46:49
their leaders.
46:51
They cry
46:52
out to
46:52
Him for
46:54
His love
46:55
and His
46:55
mercy and
46:56
His grace.
46:58
And they
46:59
promise to
46:59
change their
47:00
ways to
47:01
demonstrate
47:02
their
47:02
repentance.
47:05
Verse 38,
47:06
they make
47:06
this firm
47:07
covenant and
47:08
the obligations
47:09
of the
47:09
covenant are
47:10
there for
47:10
us just
47:11
over the
47:11
page.
47:13
They resolve
47:14
not to turn
47:15
away but to
47:16
turn back to
47:17
the living
47:18
God, not
47:18
to cast
47:19
His law
47:20
behind their
47:20
backs but to
47:21
open it before
47:22
their eyes and
47:23
to hide it in
47:24
their hearts and
47:25
to walk in the
47:26
ways He has
47:27
commanded them
47:27
to do.
47:30
And they
47:30
appeal once
47:32
more to His
47:33
great mercy.
47:36
They appeal to
47:37
the promise He
47:37
made to their
47:38
forefather,
47:39
Abraham.
47:40
They appeal to
47:40
His steadfast
47:41
love and His
47:42
faithfulness.
47:43
And in a
47:46
sense they're
47:47
saying to
47:47
Him, Lord,
47:48
as You
47:48
treated our
47:49
forefathers when
47:50
they sinned,
47:51
when You
47:52
welcomed them
47:52
back, when
47:54
You showed
47:55
them Your
47:55
mercy and
47:56
grace, when
47:56
You pardoned
47:57
them all of
47:57
their sins and
47:58
trespass, would
47:59
You do it
47:59
again?
48:02
Would You do
48:02
it in our
48:03
day?
48:03
Would You do
48:04
it in our
48:05
lives?
48:05
Would You
48:06
do it in
48:06
our lives?
48:10
Will You
48:11
not again
48:11
revive us,
48:12
says Psalm 85?
48:13
That we may
48:14
rejoice in You.
48:16
Show us, Lord,
48:17
Your covenant
48:17
mercy, Your
48:19
salvation grant
48:20
anew.
48:21
That is their
48:22
prayer.
48:25
They're asking
48:26
God to forgive
48:27
them as He
48:28
forgave their
48:29
forefathers.
48:33
And so the
48:34
chapter,
48:36
lengthy chapter,
48:38
very helpful
48:39
review of the
48:40
history of
48:40
Israel, a
48:41
survey, a
48:41
summary of
48:42
Old Testament
48:42
history.
48:43
But a rich
48:44
revelation of
48:45
the character
48:45
of God.
48:49
Slow to
48:49
anger,
48:51
gracious and
48:52
merciful,
48:53
faithful to
48:54
His promises,
48:55
abounding in
48:55
steadfast love.
48:58
He is the
48:59
one who takes
49:00
the initiative,
49:01
who makes and
49:02
who keeps His
49:03
promise.
49:03
He is the
49:04
one who delivers
49:04
people from
49:05
their distress
49:06
when they cry
49:06
to Him.
49:09
He is the
49:10
one that gives
49:10
to His redeemed
49:11
people good
49:12
gifts and
49:14
who is with
49:14
them day and
49:16
night.
49:18
He is the
49:18
one who forgives
49:19
the unfaithful,
49:20
for He is
49:21
faithful.
49:24
And they say to
49:25
Him, Lord, would
49:26
you do it again?
49:27
Would you give us
49:27
another chance?
49:29
Do it again,
49:30
Lord.
49:30
Lord.
49:36
We mustn't lose
49:37
sight of the
49:37
goodness of God.
49:39
He blessed the
49:40
people abundantly.
49:42
I stayed with a
49:43
friend last night
49:44
in Ullapool,
49:45
and just late at
49:47
night we were
49:48
chatting, and
49:49
then again this
49:50
morning, and he
49:51
just out of the
49:52
blue said,
49:52
do you know if we
49:53
thanked the
49:54
Lord for all His
49:54
gift stuffs, we'd
49:55
never have time to
49:56
talk about anything
49:57
else.
49:58
just awareness of
49:59
the goodness of
50:01
God, the God who
50:03
gives so much that
50:04
we delight in His
50:05
great goodness.
50:09
But we mustn't
50:10
lose sight of the
50:11
grace of God.
50:14
It was God's grace
50:15
that called Abraham,
50:18
God's grace that
50:19
took the initiative,
50:20
God's grace that
50:21
made the promise
50:22
to Him.
50:25
And as we're
50:26
sitting here tonight,
50:27
we mustn't lose
50:28
sight of the grace
50:28
of God and the
50:29
initiative of God
50:30
in our lives.
50:34
How did you come
50:34
to be in this
50:35
place?
50:37
How did you come
50:37
to be in Christ?
50:40
Was it through a
50:41
praying relative,
50:43
maybe a granny,
50:45
or a grandfather
50:46
that prayed for you
50:47
by name every day?
50:51
Was it through a
50:52
godly influence in
50:53
the home, a
50:53
mother or father
50:54
that taught you,
50:56
prayed with you,
50:57
sang with you,
50:58
brought you Lord's
50:59
day by Lord's
51:00
day to church?
51:02
Was there a
51:03
teacher in the
51:04
school?
51:05
Was there a
51:06
Sunday school
51:06
teacher?
51:07
Was there a
51:08
Christian friend
51:09
who came into
51:10
your life and
51:11
showed great
51:12
faithfulness to
51:13
you?
51:15
Was it through
51:16
the ministry of a
51:17
minister, perhaps a
51:18
visiting missionary?
51:21
Or was it simply a
51:22
prompting of the
51:23
Spirit to go into a
51:24
building at the time
51:25
of a service and to
51:26
see what was going
51:27
to happen there?
51:30
The Lord in His
51:32
grace takes the
51:33
initiative, sending
51:34
people into our
51:35
lives to share with
51:37
us the gospel, to
51:38
share with us the
51:39
encouragement to keep
51:40
living as a
51:41
Christian.
51:46
Because of that
51:47
grace, He
51:49
welcomed His people
51:50
back time and
51:51
again.
51:51
And that's true of
51:54
us.
51:57
Before He went to
51:59
Calvary's cross, the
52:00
Lord made a new
52:00
covenant in His
52:02
blood, the covenant
52:03
the Old Testament
52:05
prophets had looked
52:05
forward to.
52:08
And He made a
52:08
promise that all who
52:09
trusted in Him would
52:10
receive forgiveness
52:12
and freedom and
52:14
fullness of life.
52:15
life.
52:18
And yet we can
52:19
often lose sight of
52:20
that.
52:22
As the people in
52:23
Nehemiah's day might
52:24
not have been
52:25
mindful of the
52:27
great works the
52:27
Lord had done.
52:28
We can forget to be
52:29
mindful of the
52:30
great work done at
52:32
Calvary.
52:35
It might be a
52:36
simple thing, just
52:37
busy with life,
52:40
busy with job,
52:41
busy with career,
52:43
busy with raising
52:44
up children or
52:45
grandchildren, vital
52:46
role, vital
52:48
responsibilities, but
52:50
we can crowd out
52:51
the things of God.
52:54
We can let the
52:55
devotional time
52:56
slide.
52:58
We can let the
52:58
family devotion
52:59
slip.
53:00
We can find
53:01
ourselves not
53:02
regularly in the
53:04
Lord's house.
53:07
We might just
53:08
prioritize other
53:09
things over our
53:10
Christian walk.
53:12
We might enjoy all
53:13
the good things God
53:14
gives, but we might
53:15
enjoy them perhaps in
53:16
the wrong priorities,
53:17
hobbies, good in
53:18
themselves, but which
53:21
seem to expand to
53:23
fill all the
53:24
available time, which
53:25
draw our best
53:27
affections, which
53:28
concentrate our best
53:29
attentions.
53:30
things.
53:33
Or it may be we want to
53:35
play down our
53:36
Christian life, keep
53:36
it quiet, keep it
53:38
private, don't want any
53:40
friction at home or in
53:42
the workplace or among
53:43
friends.
53:46
Or it may be you're here
53:48
tonight.
53:49
Maybe you're surprised to
53:50
be here tonight because
53:51
you've openly and very
53:53
deliberately turned away
53:54
from your Christian faith,
53:55
faith.
53:57
Like the people in
53:59
verse 26, you've cast
54:01
God's law behind your
54:03
back.
54:05
You were raised in the
54:06
church, been prayed for
54:07
and taught, but you
54:09
shy away from the
54:10
claims of Christ.
54:12
The call to deny
54:14
self, the call to take
54:15
up your cross, the call
54:16
to be a stranger in this
54:18
world.
54:21
And you think that more
54:22
peace and happiness and
54:23
freedom will be found
54:24
outside of Christ and in
54:27
Him and among His
54:28
people.
54:33
The Lord warns us that
54:35
He may discipline those
54:37
He loves.
54:38
He warns us that if we
54:40
turn from the freedom
54:41
we have in Christ, we
54:41
might, like the
54:42
Israelites, find
54:43
ourselves back in
54:44
slavery.
54:47
But He gives a word of
54:48
encouragement that He
54:51
keeps His promise, that
54:52
He is faithful, that
54:54
His mercies are great.
54:57
They are new every
54:58
morning.
55:01
The Apostle John in his
55:03
first letter says, if we
55:04
claim we have no sin, we
55:06
deceive ourselves and the
55:08
truth is not in us.
55:10
But if we confess our
55:12
sins, as the men and
55:14
women of Nehemiah's day
55:15
confessed their sins, He is
55:17
faithful and just to
55:20
forgive us our sins and to
55:22
cleanse us from all
55:24
unrighteousness.
55:29
God's great mercies
55:30
sending forth Christ, the
55:32
Son of Abraham, to make
55:34
the new covenant in His
55:36
blood and so for the
55:37
blessings of the gospel to
55:39
flow to the whole world.
55:41
God doesn't mean we can be
55:47
presumptuous.
55:50
A philosopher once wrote,
55:53
God will forgive me, that's
55:55
His job.
55:56
It's what God does, what He
55:58
did.
55:59
But we mustn't be
56:00
presumptuous.
56:03
But we can be confident that
56:06
if we come before Him as the
56:08
people of Nehemiah's day came
56:10
before Him and acknowledge
56:13
and confess our sins and
56:16
own our sins and say, Lord,
56:19
we have strayed, we have
56:21
wandered, we have gone our
56:23
own way.
56:25
But as you forgave our
56:27
forefathers, would you
56:28
forgive us?
56:31
Would you remember again your
56:32
covenant?
56:32
Would you show once more your
56:35
great mercies and forgive us
56:38
and cleanse us from all
56:40
unrighteousness?
56:44
I will hear what God the
56:46
Lord says to His saints.
56:48
He offers peace, but His
56:50
people must not wander and
56:52
return to foolishness.
56:55
Surely for all those who fear
56:56
Him, His salvation is at
56:58
hand so that once again His
57:00
glory may be seen within our
57:04
land.
57:06
He offers peace tonight to the
57:09
troubled conscience.
57:11
He offers us a way out of
57:12
returning to foolishness.
57:17
And He offers once more His
57:18
grace to any whose hearts have
57:21
gone astray to welcome us back
57:23
as the Father welcomed back the
57:25
prodigal so that His glory may be
57:27
seen once more within our land
57:29
and within our lives.
57:33
Well, may God give us the grace
57:35
to respond in faith and to look
57:41
into our hearts and then to look
57:43
to Him this weekend.
57:46
I just want to pray once more
57:48
before we sing our final item of
57:51
praise.
57:51
praise.
57:53
And we'll just pray together now.
58:06
Gracious God, we do bless your
58:07
name, the name that is exalted above
58:09
all blessing and praise.
58:13
Bless you as our Creator, the Maker of
58:16
the heavens and earth.
58:19
I bless you as the one who made all
58:21
things and the one who made covenant
58:24
with your people.
58:29
Father, we thank you that in a world
58:31
of lies and fake news, your word is
58:33
true.
58:35
In a world of broken promises and
58:37
broken dreams, your promises are
58:39
sure for you are righteous.
58:42
We thank you that you're kind to us
58:46
hearing our prayers, providing for
58:49
our every needs, giving to us more
58:52
than we could ever ask or imagine.
58:56
And we thank you, Lord, for your
58:58
mercy and your grace that you are
59:00
patient, long-suffering.
59:05
Lord, even when we stiffen our necks,
59:08
even when we turn a stubborn shoulder
59:10
towards you, even when we cast your
59:12
words behind our back or stop our
59:14
ears to hear what you have to say to
59:17
us, that you bear with us.
59:22
You do not make an end to us.
59:23
You do not forsake us.
59:26
For you are gracious, merciful, slow to
59:28
anger and abounding in steadfast and
59:32
covenant love.
59:35
Lord, tonight and this weekend we ask
59:37
that you would teach us the height, the
59:40
depth, the breadth, the length of that
59:42
love.
59:46
And as we look at our lives, as we
59:48
inspect the state of our hearts, that in
59:53
your goodness and mercy you would forgive
59:55
us from our ingratitude, from our
1:00:00
insolence, even from our indifference,
1:00:04
from our apathy to the things that are
1:00:09
eternal.
1:00:12
Would you not again revive us that we may
1:00:15
rejoice in you?
1:00:17
Lord, show us your covenant mercy, your
1:00:19
salvation grant anew.
1:00:23
So, Lord, this night, this weekend, this is
1:00:25
our prayer, that you will be glorified,
1:00:29
that we might respond to your grace, come
1:00:34
to you to be refreshed, come back to you
1:00:37
after perhaps a time away.
1:00:41
I'll come to you, Lord, even for the first
1:00:43
time, and to taste and see that you, our
1:00:47
Lord, are good.
1:00:50
And so we thank you for your amazing grace
1:00:52
given to us in Christ, in whose name we
1:00:55
pray.
1:00:55
Amen.
1:01:09
Well, to end our time together, I wanted to
1:01:11
sing the metrical version of Psalm 126,
1:01:16
Psalm that speaks of the return from exile
1:01:19
and from joy emerging from sorrow.
1:01:24
Psalm 126, the metrical version,
1:01:27
when Zion's bondage God turned back,
1:01:30
as men that dreamed were we, then filled
1:01:32
with laughter was our mouth, our tongue
1:01:34
with melody.
1:01:35
We sing to close to God's praise.
1:01:38
Psalm 126, the metrical version,
1:01:39
when Zion's bondage God turned back, as in a tree
1:01:55
in her way.
1:01:57
When filled with laughter was our mouth, our tongue
1:02:09
with melody.
1:02:12
They mount the need and said, the Lord, with things more than
1:02:27
the throne.
1:02:29
The Lord has done, the Lord has done, the Lord has done, the King's bondage God,
1:02:38
when joy to us is done.
1:02:43
As streams of water in the south are haunted sharply gall,
1:03:04
whose soul endures the leaping time of joy and joy they shall.
1:03:21
That man who hailing precious seed, enrolling for the corn,
1:03:37
the earth is bringing at his sheep, rejoicing shall return.
1:03:57
So may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1:04:02
and the love of God our Heavenly Father,
1:04:05
and the fellowship of his Holy Spirit be with us now, this evening, and forevermore.
1:04:14
Amen.
1:04:35
Amen.
1:04:43
Amen.
1:04:44
Amen.
1:04:46
Amen.
1:04:48
Amen.