Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Take Away the Stone

Transcript

Take Away the Stone · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

0:00
Let's turn again for a little to the chapter we read in John chapter 11.
0:06
And we can read that from verse 38 where it says,
0:14
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb.
0:18
It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.
0:22
Jesus said, Take away the stone.
0:26
Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him,
0:28
Lord, by this time there will be an odour, for he has been dead four days.
0:33
This is probably one of the best-known chapters in the New Testament,
0:39
and I'm sure everybody has heard many a sermon on this
0:43
because it is so full of instruction, so full of meaning.
0:48
It is really quite a remarkable chapter,
0:51
and it highlights very much the care and the compassion of Christ,
0:58
the authority, the power of Christ.
1:01
It highlights his humanness, highlights his godness.
1:08
And the chapter is full of instructions for us.
1:12
And we see the delay of Christ responding to the news that Lazarus was very ill,
1:21
and this was a family that he loves.
1:24
And it teaches us that the delays of Christ in answering doesn't mean that he's not hearing us.
1:32
You know, sometimes when we pray and it appears that the Lord isn't hearing,
1:36
there's no answer to our prayer.
1:39
We're liable to think, God's not listening.
1:43
God's not hearing.
1:44
Well, this chapter shows us very clearly that the Lord was fully aware.
1:49
The Lord was responding.
1:52
But what we've got to learn is that at the end of the day,
1:55
God will always work things for his own glory.
2:00
And that's a problem for us because we expect things to,
2:05
when we bring a matter before the Lord,
2:08
we have worked out in our own mind how we want it to work out.
2:12
And the Lord might have a completely different purpose and a different plan
2:17
because his plan and his way is for his glory.
2:21
And while we very glibly say that we want to live to the glory of God,
2:28
doing that actually can be really challenging and really difficult.
2:33
And that's where faith has to come into exercise.
2:35
Because if we're suitably exercised by faith,
2:40
and our faith is fixed constantly upon Christ,
2:44
then we will be seeking the glory of God,
2:47
and we will understand something of the delays
2:50
and something of the cross providences that appear to come our way.
2:57
Also, it shows us here that we're not always ready
3:01
for the way that the Lord will work
3:03
because we find Martha in verse 22 saying,
3:06
I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.
3:11
So that's Martha saying to Jesus, whatever.
3:14
I know, Jesus, whatever you ask.
3:18
But the thing is, Martha wasn't ready for the whatever.
3:23
Because when Jesus asks them to take away the stone,
3:27
Martha's horrified.
3:29
And Martha's basically saying, you can't do that.
3:33
No, Lord, not that.
3:35
And I'm sure we've been there as well.
3:38
Because there have been times we've said,
3:42
maybe not audibly, but in our hearts,
3:44
we're saying, Lord, what are you doing?
3:46
Lord, not this.
3:48
And that shows us that we're not alone.
3:51
Here's this good woman.
3:53
And she's saying, I know, whatever.
3:55
But when Jesus begins to tell whatever means,
4:00
she's saying, no, not that.
4:04
And again, we see that the sisters make the same mistake.
4:07
Both Mary and Martha believe that if Jesus had been present,
4:12
that Lazarus would not have died.
4:14
They both think that.
4:16
And again, sometimes we make the mistake
4:19
when losses and pains and difficulties come into our life,
4:24
that it's a sign that the Lord isn't with us.
4:26
That is not the case.
4:29
The Lord had a purpose in allowing Lazarus to die,
4:33
as is very obvious here.
4:35
But sometimes we make the mistake of thinking
4:38
that the Lord isn't there.
4:41
Well, we've always got to remember
4:42
that the way that God works is
4:45
that he has to try us.
4:49
You know what the Lord says of the trial of our faith?
4:52
That it's more precious than gold.
4:54
Now, we know how precious gold is.
4:57
But in the Lord's sight,
4:59
the trial of our faith
5:01
is of far more importance and more value than gold.
5:06
And so it's inevitable,
5:07
but the Lord is going to test his people.
5:11
It makes it very clear it's a mark, indeed,
5:14
of the Christian that they will be tested along the way.
5:18
But the thing is, often our eyes of faith are dimmed
5:21
and we're not seeing in the way that we should.
5:25
And Jesus says in verse 40,
5:27
Jesus said,
5:28
Did I not tell you if you believe
5:30
that you will see the glory of God?
5:33
You know, unbelief
5:34
is an incredible blight on our Christian life.
5:39
Unbelief robs us of seeing so much.
5:43
Unbelief is a hindrance to the work of Jesus.
5:46
It's not a sense of unworthiness
5:50
that holds back the work of Jesus.
5:55
It's not a sense of our sin
5:56
that holds back the work of Jesus.
5:59
It's unbelief.
5:59
It tells us in Mark's gospel,
6:02
He could do no mighty works there
6:04
except lay hands on a few.
6:07
And he marveled at their unbelief.
6:08
So you see how unbelief hinders
6:13
the work of Christ like little else.
6:16
And it's a challenging question to ourselves as well.
6:20
Is unbelief hindering
6:23
and holding back in our life
6:26
the work of Jesus?
6:28
Because you see,
6:30
unbelief clouds our sense
6:33
of how the Lord is working.
6:34
You could have two Christians
6:35
looking at exactly the same situation.
6:37
And one Christian could be saying,
6:39
Oh, do you know, it's wonderful.
6:41
It's wonderful the way the Lord is working.
6:43
I'm amazed at what the Lord is doing.
6:46
And another Christian beside is saying,
6:49
Oh, do you know,
6:49
Lord's not with us at all.
6:51
Nothing happening today.
6:53
Everything is dead.
6:55
And the problem is
6:57
of what's going on within the person's heart.
7:00
One person has a vision to see.
7:02
One person has a sensitive heart,
7:05
a tender heart,
7:06
a spiritual heart,
7:07
a heart that is fixed
7:09
by faith and the glory of God
7:11
and is seeing God at work,
7:13
sees God in everything.
7:15
And the other person
7:16
is hindered and hampered
7:18
because of unbelief.
7:21
And remember,
7:21
unbelief is still there
7:22
in the heart of the Christian.
7:24
Lord, I believe,
7:25
help thou mine unbelief.
7:28
And you will find unbelief
7:30
very much in the prejudiced heart
7:32
and in the hard heart.
7:33
And so we need to seek
7:36
to have our hearts softened
7:37
and our hearts molded by Christ
7:41
so that there will be a seeing
7:43
all that Jesus is doing.
7:45
And again, this chapter brings before us
7:48
one of the most remarkable statements
7:50
that Jesus ever made,
7:52
where he says,
7:53
I am the resurrection and the life.
7:56
where Jesus is stating
7:58
that he is a personal guarantee
8:01
that he will win victory
8:05
over death and over the grave.
8:07
And that because he will win victory
8:10
over the death and the grave,
8:12
so will all his people.
8:14
And you know,
8:14
that's a glorious hope.
8:15
If you're a believer tonight,
8:16
you know something,
8:17
you have a wonderful hope in your heart.
8:19
Paul likens death to sleep.
8:23
So does Jesus.
8:24
And when you and I go to bed at night,
8:27
two things happen.
8:28
One is we have rest.
8:30
And another thing is we have renewal.
8:33
You get up the next day
8:34
and that's you ready for another day.
8:37
And in a sense,
8:38
that's what happens in the grave as well.
8:41
Our bodies are laid in the grave to rest.
8:45
Till when?
8:47
Till the resurrection.
8:47
And at the resurrection,
8:50
we find that everything is going to change.
8:56
Because the return of Jesus
8:57
is going to change things
8:59
in a way that we cannot even begin to imagine.
9:03
You know, when Jesus returns,
9:04
it's going to be so different
9:06
to how he came.
9:08
At this time of year,
9:09
so many are thinking about the birth of Jesus.
9:12
When Jesus came into this world,
9:14
very, very few recognized him.
9:16
as the Messiah,
9:18
as the Son of God,
9:20
as who he is,
9:22
the second person of the Godhead,
9:23
come in our nature.
9:25
But you know,
9:26
the day he returns,
9:27
there won't be one solitary soul alive
9:31
that will have the slightest doubt,
9:35
but that this is the Son of God.
9:37
because we're told that when Jesus returns,
9:41
it will be the most amazing spectacle.
9:43
There'll be dazzling brilliance as he returns.
9:46
He'll descend from heaven,
9:48
and there'll be three great,
9:50
as it were,
9:51
phenomenon occurring at the same time.
9:53
the Lord will shout.
9:57
It also tells us
9:58
that there will be the voice of the archangel,
10:01
and there will be the sound of the trumpet of God.
10:05
Now, we know that
10:06
the trumpet was often used
10:08
to signal the dawn of the day.
10:10
the trumpet is often used
10:13
to signal the arrival of royalty.
10:17
But here, the trumpet,
10:19
yes, it's going to announce
10:20
the arrival of royalty,
10:22
but it's going to do more than that.
10:24
It's announcing the resurrection.
10:27
It's announcing the opening of the graves.
10:30
The trumpet of God,
10:32
with a moment that blows,
10:34
the graves will open.
10:36
Imagine if we're still alive at that time.
10:40
What a thought that would be.
10:42
Paul tells us about that in Corinthians.
10:46
He says,
10:46
In a moment,
10:47
in the twinkling of an eye,
10:49
at the last trumpet,
10:51
for the trumpet will sound,
10:53
and the dead will be raised imperishable,
10:56
and we shall all be changed.
11:00
At that moment,
11:01
the graves will open,
11:03
and the graves of corruption
11:05
will give way to incorruption,
11:08
and we will be changed.
11:10
Our bodies will be changed
11:12
to become beautiful, glorious, spiritual.
11:15
We will resemble our saviour,
11:17
our mediator,
11:18
the Lord Jesus Christ.
11:19
We're told that.
11:20
It's all a great mystery.
11:23
Now, Paul likens it to
11:25
planting a seed in the ground.
11:29
And he says,
11:29
Our body is like that seed.
11:32
And when you put that seed into the ground,
11:34
whether it's going to be a flower or a plant,
11:37
that seed will die.
11:39
But from the seed
11:41
will grow the plant or the flower.
11:45
So in a sense,
11:46
the flower or the plant is a seed.
11:49
Although the seed has died,
11:51
this is what has come from it.
11:52
And Paul says,
11:53
that's what it's going to be like
11:55
for us as well.
11:58
The continuation there,
12:00
so our body laid into the grave,
12:02
the same body will rise
12:03
just in the same way
12:05
as you have to plant the seed in the ground,
12:07
and from it this beautiful flower.
12:10
So it will be for the believer.
12:13
And it's no wonder
12:14
that there's this wonderful hope
12:16
within our heart.
12:20
Now, this is what,
12:21
although Jesus isn't saying all that to Martha
12:24
at this particular moment,
12:26
that is what it means
12:28
when Jesus says
12:29
that he is the resurrection and the life.
12:33
And I hope tonight
12:34
that you have this hope in your heart,
12:37
that you have this hope.
12:39
If you're a Christian tonight,
12:40
you have this hope.
12:41
If you're believing in the Lord Jesus Christ,
12:43
that's part of what you believe in.
12:46
You believe in the resurrection.
12:49
Now, as I read on Wednesday night,
12:55
there's going to be a resurrection for everybody,
12:57
not just for the Christian.
13:01
Remember, I read in Daniel,
13:03
and it tells us,
13:04
they are very, very solemn words.
13:07
And many of those who sleep
13:08
in the dust of the earth
13:10
shall awake.
13:12
Some to everlasting life,
13:15
and some to shame
13:16
and everlasting contempt.
13:20
That's how it's going to be.
13:21
There's going to be a division
13:22
in the resurrection.
13:25
Some to everlasting life,
13:27
some to everlasting shame
13:29
and contempt.
13:30
And that's a serious thing
13:34
to reject Jesus
13:35
because Jesus is the only...
13:38
This world has nothing for death.
13:41
This world,
13:41
there's nobody that can give you
13:43
any hope
13:44
for what happens in death
13:47
apart from Jesus.
13:49
And that's why it is so important
13:51
that we lay hold upon the truth.
13:53
Jesus said,
13:54
I am the way,
13:55
I'm the truth,
13:56
I'm the life.
13:56
And it's the most wonderful privilege
13:59
that you have tonight
14:00
to be sitting
14:02
where Jesus is present,
14:03
who is the way,
14:04
the truth,
14:05
and the life.
14:06
And he's saying,
14:07
ask me.
14:08
Ask me to come into your heart.
14:10
Receive me.
14:12
Because without me,
14:14
you do not have this hope
14:16
in any shape or form.
14:19
So the Christian is able
14:20
to look at death and say,
14:21
Oh death,
14:22
where is your sting?
14:24
To look at the grave and say,
14:25
Oh grave,
14:26
where is your victory?
14:29
You'll often see in a tomb
14:30
on a gravestone
14:31
till the day breaks.
14:32
I'm sure if you walk
14:34
around a cemetery,
14:34
you'll often see that
14:35
till the day breaks.
14:37
What day?
14:38
It's the day,
14:39
the resurrection dawn.
14:41
That moment when the trumpet
14:42
will sound
14:43
and the graves will open.
14:47
And then we see
14:48
in this chapter
14:49
Jesus' reaction to death.
14:52
And we see,
14:53
of course,
14:54
that he weeps.
14:56
It's a tiny version.
14:57
It's a verse that's full
14:58
of meaning and significance.
15:01
We see that,
15:03
that Jesus,
15:04
people will say
15:05
it's the smallest version
15:06
of the Bible
15:07
and so it is.
15:08
Jesus wept.
15:09
And it shows us something
15:11
of just who Jesus is.
15:14
It shows us his care,
15:15
his love,
15:17
his concern.
15:17
He enters into our,
15:20
where we are.
15:21
Maybe tonight you have pain
15:23
in your heart.
15:24
Maybe,
15:24
maybe nobody's listening to you.
15:27
Well,
15:27
Jesus will.
15:29
That's the beauty of it.
15:30
You might not be able
15:32
to tell anybody
15:32
how you feel.
15:34
There might be things
15:34
going on in your life
15:35
nobody else knows about.
15:37
You might be able
15:38
to hide it from others.
15:39
Your face doesn't display it,
15:41
but my word,
15:42
it's going on deep in there.
15:46
Jesus is able.
15:48
Jesus is the one.
15:49
He is the shoulder
15:50
to cry on.
15:51
He is the one
15:52
who is there
15:52
and we're to go to him
15:54
and to bring
15:54
all our cares,
15:56
our anxieties,
15:57
our burdens,
15:57
our pains,
15:58
our sorrows
15:59
because he understands.
16:00
He's been there.
16:03
But he is also able
16:04
to help us
16:05
in a way that
16:05
no human
16:06
is able to help.
16:09
But there's more
16:10
to the fact
16:12
that Jesus wept
16:13
because it tells us
16:14
in verse 33
16:16
when Jesus saw
16:17
our weeping
16:17
and the Jews also
16:18
had come with our weeping,
16:20
it tells us
16:20
he was deeply moved
16:22
in his spirit.
16:24
And then again
16:24
in verse 38
16:25
it tells us
16:26
that he was deeply
16:27
moved.
16:30
And that word
16:31
actually translated
16:33
means
16:34
really there's
16:35
an outburst
16:36
of indignation
16:37
or anger.
16:39
Now we often
16:39
don't associate
16:40
that with Jesus.
16:42
But that's
16:43
at that moment
16:44
that's what
16:45
Jesus gives us
16:46
and within him
16:48
there's this
16:49
outburst of anger
16:51
within him.
16:52
Not just weeping
16:53
but there's
16:54
this anger
16:55
at what death
16:57
has done,
16:58
what sin
16:58
has brought
16:59
into this world.
17:00
The havoc,
17:01
the pain,
17:02
the destruction,
17:03
the tears,
17:04
the sorrows,
17:05
all because of sin.
17:07
And Jesus is angry.
17:09
In fact,
17:10
it's,
17:10
it has been said
17:14
that
17:15
that as he
17:16
went to the
17:17
B.B. Warfield
17:18
who says
17:19
Jesus approached
17:20
the grave
17:20
of Lazarus
17:21
in a state
17:22
not of
17:23
uncontrollable
17:25
grief
17:25
but
17:26
inexpressible
17:27
anger.
17:29
That's who he was.
17:30
He was so angry
17:31
with what
17:32
sin
17:33
has caused
17:35
and the
17:35
havoc
17:36
and the pain
17:37
and the destruction
17:37
and the death.
17:39
And so Jesus
17:40
is angry
17:41
with death.
17:42
But the wonderful
17:43
thing is
17:44
Jesus has come
17:45
to confront
17:45
death
17:46
and to confront
17:47
the devil
17:47
who's behind it
17:49
and he's come
17:50
to confront
17:51
what nobody
17:51
else could.
17:54
And as Jesus
17:55
came to the grave
17:56
weeping and angry
17:57
he commands
17:57
take away
17:59
the stone.
18:00
And of course
18:00
this is where
18:01
the protest
18:02
comes from
18:03
Martha.
18:04
Why?
18:04
Because behind
18:06
the stone
18:07
there's corruption
18:08
and nobody
18:09
wants to see
18:10
corruption.
18:12
And you know
18:12
spiritually
18:13
that's who we
18:15
are in our
18:16
natural state
18:17
corrupt.
18:19
And
18:20
there's
18:21
stones
18:22
layers of
18:23
stones
18:23
over us
18:24
that hide
18:25
from ourselves
18:26
what we're
18:27
really like.
18:29
And we don't
18:30
want to see
18:30
what we're
18:30
really like.
18:31
why do you
18:33
think people
18:34
want the
18:35
Bible
18:35
removed?
18:37
Why do
18:38
people say
18:39
whatever book
18:40
you look at
18:41
don't look at
18:41
the Bible?
18:42
Because the
18:43
Bible is the
18:44
only book
18:45
that will
18:45
shift the
18:46
stones.
18:48
The Bible
18:48
is the
18:49
only book
18:50
that reveals
18:51
to us
18:52
how we
18:52
really are.
18:55
And so
18:55
people don't
18:55
want to know.
18:57
When Jesus
18:58
came into
18:59
this world
18:59
he declared
19:00
I am the
19:00
light of
19:01
the world.
19:02
And people
19:03
didn't want
19:03
the light.
19:05
Jesus said
19:05
that.
19:06
Men love
19:07
darkness
19:08
rather than
19:10
light.
19:11
They prefer
19:12
it.
19:13
Leave me
19:13
alone.
19:14
You know
19:15
there's so
19:15
many people
19:16
don't want
19:16
to hear
19:16
the gospel.
19:18
They don't
19:18
want to
19:18
come to
19:19
church
19:19
because
19:20
they'll be
19:21
disturbed.
19:22
That's the
19:22
bottom line.
19:23
They don't
19:24
want to
19:24
hear about
19:25
sin.
19:27
They don't
19:27
want to
19:27
hear about
19:28
their
19:28
accountability
19:28
before God.
19:30
They don't
19:31
want to
19:31
hear that
19:32
inside here
19:33
there's all
19:34
kind of
19:34
corruption
19:35
and sin.
19:37
And so
19:37
people don't
19:38
want to
19:38
hear these
19:39
things.
19:41
But Jesus
19:42
says take
19:42
away the
19:43
stone.
19:45
And you
19:45
know that's
19:45
the greatest
19:46
thing that
19:46
could happen
19:47
to you
19:47
tonight.
19:47
If tonight
19:48
you're still
19:48
not a
19:49
Christian.
19:50
That the
19:51
stones that
19:52
is covering
19:53
your own
19:54
eyes from
19:56
your own
19:56
heart would
19:57
be shifted
19:58
in order
19:59
that you
19:59
would see.
20:01
And if
20:01
you're a
20:01
Christian you
20:02
look back
20:03
in your
20:03
life and
20:03
you thank
20:04
the Lord
20:04
that came
20:05
a day
20:05
when he
20:06
removed that
20:07
stone.
20:08
That was
20:09
hiding what
20:10
was in there
20:11
from yourself.
20:12
Oh it
20:13
wasn't a nice
20:14
thing to begin
20:15
with.
20:15
It was a
20:16
terrible
20:16
discovery.
20:18
But it
20:19
was the most
20:19
wonderful
20:20
discovery because
20:21
that discovery
20:21
brought you to
20:22
seek the
20:23
Lord.
20:24
To seek
20:24
his forgiveness.
20:25
To seek
20:26
his mercy.
20:26
to seek
20:27
his pardon.
20:28
To seek
20:28
his renewal.
20:31
And so
20:31
this is what
20:32
Jesus has
20:32
done.
20:33
And you
20:33
know the
20:33
wonderful
20:33
thing is
20:34
that Jesus
20:35
is the
20:36
one who
20:37
has power
20:37
over death
20:39
and over
20:40
the grave.
20:41
He
20:41
demonstrated
20:41
in his
20:42
own death.
20:45
Because
20:45
remember the
20:46
ladies they
20:46
came to
20:47
anoint the
20:47
body of
20:48
Jesus.
20:49
And as
20:50
they were
20:50
coming to
20:50
the grave
20:51
there was a
20:52
problem and
20:53
they were
20:53
saying who
20:54
is going to
20:55
shift the
20:56
stone?
20:56
Because they
20:58
knew that they
20:58
hadn't the
20:59
strength to
20:59
shift the
21:00
stone.
21:00
Who's going
21:01
to shift
21:02
the stone?
21:03
But when they
21:04
got there they
21:05
saw the
21:05
stone was
21:06
gone.
21:07
Because you
21:07
see Jesus
21:08
he no stone
21:11
no grave
21:12
could hold
21:13
him.
21:13
He had
21:14
power over
21:14
it.
21:15
And so
21:15
Jesus is the
21:16
one who
21:17
has conquered
21:18
death.
21:21
And so
21:21
Jesus approaches
21:22
the grave
21:23
miracles.
21:24
And he
21:24
comes distressed
21:26
and angry
21:27
and weeping
21:27
and he
21:28
commands
21:28
take away
21:30
the stone.
21:32
Now some
21:32
people will
21:33
say why
21:33
did Jesus
21:34
ask them
21:35
to take
21:36
away the
21:36
stone?
21:37
If Jesus
21:37
has power
21:38
over death
21:39
if Jesus
21:40
is able
21:41
to perform
21:42
so many
21:43
miracles
21:44
why didn't
21:44
he just
21:45
take the
21:45
stone away
21:46
himself
21:46
through
21:47
his own
21:48
power?
21:48
Well I
21:50
don't believe
21:50
that Jesus
21:51
is going
21:51
to use
21:52
miraculous
21:53
power to
21:54
do something
21:55
that is
21:55
quite simple
21:57
for other
21:57
people to
21:58
do.
21:59
Nobody
22:00
could bring
22:00
a person
22:01
to life
22:01
but Jesus
22:02
but plenty
22:03
of people
22:03
around could
22:04
shift the
22:05
stone.
22:05
I think
22:06
it's as
22:06
simple as
22:06
that.
22:08
And so
22:08
Jesus very
22:09
simply says
22:09
take away
22:10
the stone.
22:13
And I'm
22:14
sure that
22:15
there are
22:15
many stones
22:16
tonight
22:17
that are
22:18
covering
22:18
your heart.
22:19
If you're
22:20
still not
22:21
a Christian
22:21
it is
22:22
because of
22:23
the stone
22:24
that is
22:24
over you
22:25
so that
22:26
you're not
22:26
seeing.
22:27
If you're
22:28
a Christian
22:28
you will
22:29
look back
22:29
over your
22:30
life and
22:31
you will
22:32
remember so
22:32
many different
22:33
people.
22:34
You will
22:35
remember people
22:35
who said
22:36
things to
22:37
you.
22:38
You will
22:38
remember
22:38
people and
22:41
it was their
22:41
life that
22:42
spoke to
22:43
you.
22:44
They were
22:45
Christians
22:47
and they
22:49
loved the
22:49
Lord and
22:51
their life
22:51
spoke the
22:52
way that
22:52
they lived
22:53
their life
22:53
the way
22:54
they reacted
22:55
in situations.
22:57
There was
22:58
something about
22:58
them that
22:59
spoke to
23:00
you.
23:01
It was
23:02
one of the
23:02
stones.
23:03
Maybe by
23:04
their
23:04
lifestyle.
23:05
Maybe it
23:06
was what
23:06
they said
23:07
to you.
23:08
But these
23:08
were what
23:09
they were
23:10
beginning to
23:11
move the
23:12
stones in
23:13
your life
23:13
so that
23:14
you were
23:14
beginning to
23:15
get a
23:15
glimpse of
23:16
who you
23:17
were and
23:17
who you
23:19
needed.
23:21
And if
23:21
you're here
23:22
tonight without
23:22
Jesus Christ
23:23
you need the
23:24
stone moved
23:25
so that you
23:27
too will
23:27
discover your
23:28
need and
23:29
discover that
23:30
there's only
23:30
one who can
23:31
meet that
23:32
need and
23:32
that's
23:33
Jesus.
23:33
There are
23:34
so many
23:34
stones.
23:35
There's the
23:35
stone of
23:35
unbelief.
23:37
You know
23:37
it's possible
23:38
to come to
23:39
church week
23:39
in, week
23:40
out, month
23:41
in, month
23:41
out and
23:42
still not
23:42
believe.
23:43
There's a
23:46
stone of
23:47
carelessness,
23:48
of apathy.
23:50
Again you
23:50
can come to
23:51
church week
23:51
in, week
23:52
out, month
23:53
in, month
23:54
out and
23:55
it doesn't
23:56
really bother
23:57
you.
23:58
You hear
23:59
the gospel,
24:01
you read
24:01
it.
24:02
In fact you
24:03
could tell
24:03
people if
24:04
somebody said
24:05
to you,
24:05
you know
24:06
what do
24:06
you do to
24:06
become a
24:07
Christian?
24:07
Oh you
24:07
could quote
24:08
oh you
24:08
just believe
24:09
in the
24:09
Lord Jesus
24:10
Christ and
24:10
you'll be
24:10
saved.
24:11
But it
24:12
doesn't really
24:12
mean anything
24:13
to you.
24:14
Well let
24:15
me assure
24:15
you there's
24:15
a huge
24:16
stone over
24:17
your heart
24:17
that sure
24:19
needs to
24:19
be moved.
24:21
For some
24:21
people it's
24:22
stones of
24:23
doubt.
24:25
Other people
24:25
it might be
24:26
stones of
24:27
fear.
24:27
You know
24:27
there might
24:28
be people
24:28
here tonight
24:29
and they're
24:29
saying I
24:31
would like to
24:31
be a
24:31
Christian but
24:33
I'm afraid
24:34
I'm afraid
24:35
of how it
24:37
will affect
24:38
my life.
24:38
What will
24:39
people say?
24:40
What will
24:40
people say in
24:41
school if
24:42
I become
24:42
a Christian?
24:43
You know
24:43
when you get
24:44
older maybe
24:44
it doesn't
24:45
matter but
24:45
when we're
24:46
young I
24:46
remember it
24:47
myself the
24:48
whole thing
24:48
of peer
24:49
pressure.
24:49
What will
24:50
other people
24:50
think?
24:52
That sometimes
24:53
holds us
24:55
back.
24:55
Well we need
24:56
that stone
24:57
removed.
24:58
It doesn't
24:58
matter what
24:58
people think.
24:59
It doesn't
24:59
matter what
25:00
people say.
25:00
It matters
25:01
what the
25:02
Lord says.
25:04
And so you
25:04
ask tonight
25:05
Lord whatever
25:06
stones are
25:07
there that are
25:08
blocking me
25:10
from accepting
25:11
you.
25:11
Take them
25:12
away in
25:14
order that I
25:15
may discover
25:15
my need and
25:18
discover the
25:18
saviour who
25:20
can meet that
25:20
need.
25:22
Because nobody
25:22
else can
25:23
except the
25:24
Lord Jesus
25:25
Christ.
25:26
Remember
25:27
Jesus says
25:29
I am the
25:31
resurrection
25:31
and the
25:32
life.
25:33
Let's pray.
25:34
Oh Lord
25:35
our God we
25:36
give thanks for
25:37
the tremendous
25:38
statement that
25:39
you made by
25:40
a grave.
25:42
When it all
25:43
seemed so
25:44
bleak so
25:45
empty there
25:46
was so much
25:47
distress and
25:48
sorrow and
25:49
sadness and
25:51
yet you made
25:52
the most
25:52
wonderful statement
25:53
that that has
25:54
been made in
25:56
the face of
25:56
death saying
25:57
I am life and
25:59
I am the
26:00
life that rises
26:01
again.
26:02
We give thanks
26:04
for the hope
26:04
that is in our
26:05
heart tonight
26:06
and that we
26:07
are able to
26:08
look at death
26:09
when it will
26:10
approach us
26:10
and to say
26:11
oh death
26:12
where is your
26:12
sting?
26:14
Oh grave
26:14
where is your
26:15
victory?
26:15
We pray for
26:16
that faith
26:17
oh Lord.
26:18
We pray if there
26:19
are any here
26:19
tonight who are
26:20
still outside
26:21
Christ that
26:23
they won't
26:23
linger any
26:24
longer because
26:26
our days are
26:27
running away.
26:29
The return of
26:29
Jesus Christ is
26:31
coming ever
26:32
closer.
26:32
and we
26:34
read there of
26:35
what will
26:35
happen on
26:36
that day
26:36
and that
26:38
some to
26:38
everlasting
26:39
shame and
26:41
contempt
26:41
some to
26:45
outer
26:46
darkness.
26:47
It tells us
26:48
that men love
26:49
darkness rather
26:50
than light
26:51
and if we
26:52
choose that
26:53
darkness
26:54
then it ends
26:55
in outer
26:56
darkness which
26:57
is a fearful
26:57
thought.
26:59
And so we
26:59
pray that the
27:00
light of Jesus
27:01
may enter into
27:02
our hearts and
27:03
into our lives
27:04
tonight and
27:05
that we may
27:06
discover what
27:06
it is to have
27:07
Jesus as our
27:09
Lord and our
27:10
Saviour as the
27:11
resurrection and
27:12
life in our
27:13
life.
27:14
Bless us all we
27:15
pray grant us
27:16
your grace and
27:17
take us all home
27:18
safely we ask in
27:19
Jesus name.
27:20
Amen.
27:23
We're going to
27:24
conclude our
27:25
service singing
27:26
to God's praise
27:27
in Psalm 16
27:30
from Sing
27:31
Psalms.
27:33
Psalm 16
27:35
from Sing
27:36
Psalms.
27:44
And the tune
27:45
is Golden
27:46
Hill.
27:50
Verse 8
27:51
Before me
27:51
constantly I
27:53
set the
27:53
Lord alone
27:54
because he
27:55
is in my
27:56
right hand
27:56
I'll not
27:57
be overthrown
27:58
therefore my
28:00
heart is glad
28:01
my tongue
28:02
with joy
28:03
will sing
28:03
my body
28:05
too will
28:05
rest secure
28:07
in hope
28:07
unwavering
28:08
for you
28:09
will not
28:09
allow my
28:10
soul and
28:11
death to
28:11
stay
28:12
nor will
28:13
you leave
28:13
your Holy
28:14
One to
28:14
see the
28:15
tombs decay
28:16
you have
28:17
made known
28:18
to me
28:18
the path
28:19
of life
28:19
divine
28:20
bliss
28:21
shall I
28:22
know
28:22
at your
28:22
right hand
28:23
joy
28:24
from your
28:25
face
28:25
will shine
28:26
these verses
28:27
verses 8
28:28
to the end
28:28
of Psalm 16
28:29
before me
28:31
constantly
28:31
before me
28:38
constantly
28:41
I said
28:45
the Lord
28:48
the Lord
28:50
because
28:52
he is
28:56
at my
28:57
right hand
29:00
I'll not
29:03
be
29:04
over
29:04
up
29:14
my
29:18
my
29:20
my
29:22
!
29:20
my
29:34
For you will not allow my soul and death to stay.
30:00
Nor will you leave your only heart to see the tomb decay.
30:18
You have been known to me.
30:28
The path of life divine.
30:38
Where shall I know?
30:43
So at your right hand,
30:49
For if all your face will shine.
30:58
I'll go to the door on my right.
30:59
Now may the grace, mercy and peace of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
31:04
rest and abide upon each one of you now and forevermore. Amen.
31:08
Hello.
31:10
Hello.
31:38
Thank you.