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Serving and Following · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We're going to begin our service singing to God's praise from Psalm 89, verses 13 to 18.
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Psalm 89, verses 13 to 18. This is from the Scottish Psalter, and the tune is Newington.
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Psalm 89, from verse 13.
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Thou hast an arm that's full of power, thy hand is great in might,
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and thy right hand exceedingly exalted is in height. Justice and judgment of thy throne are made the dwelling place.
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Mercy accompanied with truth shall go before thy face. O greatly blessed the people are, the joyful sound that know.
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In brightness of thy face, O Lord, they ever on shall go. They in thy name shall all the day rejoice exceedingly,
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and in thy righteousness shall they exalted be on high.
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Because the glory of their strength doth only stand in thee, and in thy favour shall our horn and power exalted be.
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For God is our defence, and he to us doth safety bring. The Holy One of Israel is our Almighty King.
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13 to 18 of Psalm 89.
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13 to 18 of Psalm 89.
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13 to 18. This is from the Scottish Psalm 89.
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14 to 18. This is from the Scottish Psalm 89.
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14 to 19 of June.
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In thy name shall all the day rejoice succeedingly, and in thy righteousness shall live exalted beyond high.
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Because the glory of their strength doth only stand in me, and in my heaven shall our Lord and Father exalted be.
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God is our defense, and he to us thus deeply pray.
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The Holy One of Israel is the Almighty King.
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Amen.
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Let us bow in prayer.
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O Lord, as we bow before you this evening, we pray that you will help us to worship you in a right way.
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We pray that we may be conscious of your power and glory and majesty, that we may realize that this is a special moment for us, where we draw near to the King of glory.
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We are so grounded in the here and the now.
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This world has such a powerful grip and influence upon us, that so often our vision of you is clouded.
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There is so much that hides you from us.
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But we pray that even as we gather here just now, that we may be given a little insight, a little sight of you,
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in such a way that it will enlighten our minds, that it will lift our hearts, that it will enable us to be more zealous, more committed to you.
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And our desire is to follow you with all our heart.
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We pray, O Lord, that we might praise you for all that you are.
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We realize that you are beyond our understanding.
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The Word of God reveals so much to us.
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You have made known so much about yourself to us.
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And yet our understanding is so limited.
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There is so little that we're able to fully grasp or understand.
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But, Lord, we give thanks that when we come to faith, that our eyes are opened, our understanding is enlightened,
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and we're able to lay hold on spiritual truths that beforehand were completely such that we couldn't figure them out at all.
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We give thanks, Lord, for your patience with us.
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We give thanks, Lord, for how you look after us, despite who we are and what we are.
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Despite our sin and our waywardness, our faults and our failings.
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And we seek tonight to confess our sin before you.
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We sin before you so readily, so freely, and so often we are unaware of our sin.
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And yet every so often through your Spirit and the Word, you are revealing to us just what we are
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and of how far short we are of the glory that you require from us.
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And so we pray that you will indeed be merciful to us in our failings and in our sin against you and also our sins against one another.
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We pray, Lord, that you'll bless this congregation, particularly at a time of vacancy.
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We pray that you will guide and lead and direct in the right way and that you will make it abundantly clear the way in which we are to go.
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We give thanks for Calamurdo being with us and we pray for him for all the extra responsibilities and duties that are placed upon him just now.
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We give thanks for all the extra responsibilities and give thanks for all the extra responsibilities and the rest of us.
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For many years to come.
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We give thanks for all the willing hands and willing helpers.
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And we're blessed in this congregation with men and women who are so able in so many different ways.
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And we give thanks, Lord, especially just now for the women that do so much.
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And we give thanks for their zeal and their many great gifts that they've been equipped with.
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And we give thanks, Lord, for our leadership of men and we pray your blessing upon them.
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And we ask that you will guide them and bless them in everything.
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So we pray for Calamurdo and Joanne and family.
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We pray also for our intermoderate, Colin and Aileen and their family.
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And we pray your blessing upon your church at large.
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And we give thanks for the news we had this week of Reverend David Ferguson accepting the call to North Uist.
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And so we pray for him and Catherine and for Duncan as that will be soon their new place and new sphere of work.
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And ask that you will undertake for them and bless them and that their ministry will be a fruitful one there.
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Lord, we give thanks for the way your word goes out.
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Whether it is in the gathered assembly like we have here just now.
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Or whether it's on live links.
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Or whether it is on the airways.
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Or in whatever way throughout this world.
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Hundreds of thousands, millions in fact, are hearing your word.
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And we pray that millions will come to faith.
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We pray that today will be a great day in the kingdom of God.
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And it will be a mighty day where the kingdom of darkness is being hit hard.
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Where many souls will come to faith.
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Where people will come bowing the knee before the Lord.
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Seeking that Jesus Christ will be Lord of their lives.
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Pray for those who are lonely and struggling.
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We pray, Lord, for those who are recovering from illness.
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Or undergoing surgery or treatment.
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Pray for those who are unwell, confined to their homes.
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We ask your blessing on them.
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Pray for those whose hearts are heavy and sore.
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Those who know what it is to have lost family.
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To have lost loved ones.
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It's a pain that lingers on day, week, month, year after year.
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And so we pray for every broken heart.
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And ask that you will draw near and grant your grace and your upholding strength.
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Lord, we pray that we may then, as we come under your word, know your peace, your presence, your power.
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Lord, we pray to bless us nationally as well.
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We pray for a new government.
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We pray, Lord, that you will lead us in the right way.
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We seem to be going further and further and further away from you.
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There is a godlessness taking hold of our land that is frightening.
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And we pray that you will have mercy upon us.
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In wrath that you will remember mercy.
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We pray for the nations of this world, particularly where there is conflict.
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In the Middle East and in Ukraine and in many other places throughout this world.
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We pray especially for your people that they will be protected.
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We long for peace.
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And we pray, Lord, that peace may come.
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Watch over us then as we wait upon you.
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Grant us your grace and take away from us our sin in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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We're going to sing again Psalm 26.
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Psalm 26, verses 1 to 8.
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It's on page 30 and sing Psalms.
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1 to 8.
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Declare me innocent, O Lord.
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I have walked in blameless ways.
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And I have trusted in the Lord, not wavering all my days.
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Test me, O Lord, and try my heart.
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My inmost thoughts survey.
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Your love surrounds me.
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From your truth my feet will never stray.
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I do not sit with worthless folk.
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I shun the hypocrite.
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I hate the wicked's gatherings.
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With them I will not sit.
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I wash my hands in innocence.
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And blameless is my heart.
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I go about your altar, Lord.
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The place you set apart.
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Verses 1 to 8.
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The tune is in Minver.
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Psalm 26.
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Declare me innocent, O Lord.
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I have walked in blameless ways.
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And I have trusted in the Lord, not wavering all my days.
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Let me, O Lord, and try my heart.
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My inmost thoughts survey.
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Your love surrounds me from your truth.
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My feet will never stray.
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Do not sit with worthless hope.
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I shun the hypocrite.
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I hate the wicked's gatherings.
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With them I will not sit.
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I wash my hands in innocence.
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And with blessed is my heart.
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I go about your altar, Lord.
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The place you set apart.
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Tell of all your awesome deeds.
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Oh, faith in life, your grace.
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Your glory fills.
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Your dwelling place.
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I love your hearts always.
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Your background.
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Let's turn now to read God's word in John's gospel.
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John chapter 12.
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John chapter 12.
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And we pick up a reading at verse 12.
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John chapter 12, and reading from verse 12 through to verse 36.
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Verse 36.
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The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.
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So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, Hosanna!
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Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.
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And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it.
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Just as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion.
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Behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt.
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His disciples did not understand these things at first.
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But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.
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The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness.
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The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign.
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So the Pharisees said to one another, You see you are gaining nothing.
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Look, the world has gone after him.
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Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
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So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, Sir, we wish to see Jesus.
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Philip went and told Andrew.
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Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
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Jesus answered them, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
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Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone.
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But if it dies, it bears much fruit.
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Whoever loves his life loses it.
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And whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
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If anyone serves me, he must follow me.
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And where I am, there will my servant be also.
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If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
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Now is my soul troubled.
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And what shall I say?
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Father, save me from this hour.
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But for this purpose I have come to this hour.
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Father, glorify your name.
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Then a voice came from heaven.
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I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.
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The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered.
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Others said, An angel has spoken to him.
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Jesus answered, This voice has come for your sake, not mine.
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Now is the judgment of this world.
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Now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
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And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.
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He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
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So the crowd answered him, We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever.
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How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up?
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Who is this Son of Man?
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So Jesus said to them, The light is among you for a little while longer.
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Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you.
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The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
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While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.
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When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.
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Amen. And may God bless to us this reading of his holy word.
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Going to sing again now in Psalm 63 from the Scottish Psalter.
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And the tune is Barrow.
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Psalm 63.
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It's on page 295.
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And we're going to sing verses 1 to 8.
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Psalm 63.
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Lord, thee my God I'll early seek, my soul to thirst for thee.
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My flesh longs in a dry, parched land wherein no waters be.
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That I thy power may behold and brightness of thy face.
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As I have seen thee heretofore within thy holy place.
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Since better is thy love than life, my lips thee praise shall give.
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I in thy name will lift my hands and bless thee while I live.
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Even as with marrow and with fat my soul shall fill it be.
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Then shall my mouth with joyful lips sing praises unto thee.
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When I do thee upon my bed, remember with delight.
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And when on thee I meditate and watch us of the night.
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So on to the end of verse 8, Psalm 63, 1 to 8.
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Lord, thee my God I'll early seek.
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Amen.
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Lord, thee my God I'll early seek,
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my soul and thirst for thee.
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My flesh longs in a dry, parched land wherein no waters be.
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That I thy power may behold and brightness of thy face.
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As I have seen thee heretofore within thy holy place.
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Then better is thy love than life, my earth's weak wish shall appear.
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I in thy name will lift my hands and bless thee while I live.
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I in thy name will lift my hands and bless thee while I live.
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He comes with marrow and with fat, my soul shall fill it in thee.
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Then shall thy love with joyfulness sing praises unto thee.
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When I do thee upon my bed, remember with delight.
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And when on thee I meditate in watches of the night.
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Then shadow of thy wings of joy, on the night hell has been.
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My soul be called, O pardon me, my right hand thou sustain.
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Amen.
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Let's turn again to the chapter we read.
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Psalm, John chapter 12.
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Maybe we could read from verse 20.
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Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
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So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him,
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Sir, we wish to see Jesus.
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Philip went and told Andrew.
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Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
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Jesus answered him, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
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Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,
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it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
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And especially these verses 25,
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Whoever loves his life loses it,
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and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
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If anyone serves me, he must follow me,
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and where I am, there will my servant be also.
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If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
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Now it's interesting that we have here,
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at the beginning of this section here, of Greeks,
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wanting to see Jesus.
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Because there's almost here for us a picture of just about what is to happen.
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Jesus came to the Jews, he came to his own,
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and his own didn't receive him.
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Not only did they not receive him,
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they wanted rid of him.
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And that moment was drawing near,
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where they were finally going to get him,
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and in their minds get rid of him.
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And at that very same moment,
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we have Gentiles coming,
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and they're wanting to see Jesus.
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And it's almost giving us a picture of what is about to take place.
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The rejection by the Jews of Christ,
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and the great spread of the gospel,
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out into the Gentile world.
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Now, these Greeks who came up,
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and there was a part,
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they could assimilate to a certain extent,
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extent into Jewish worship.
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But there were a lot of restrictions,
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a lot of barriers,
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and even in the temple,
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they weren't allowed past the court of the temple.
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And how thankful we live in a day
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where there are no restrictions,
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there are no barriers,
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because Jesus has broken down all the barriers.
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There is now no wall of separation.
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And it doesn't matter a person's background,
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it doesn't matter a person's culture,
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it doesn't matter a person's position in life,
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it doesn't matter a person's wealth,
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or it doesn't matter a person's,
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it doesn't matter anything.
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Every person is being invited
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through the gospel to Jesus Christ.
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And when a person comes to faith,
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irrespective of how old they are,
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or of how young they are,
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where they are from in the world,
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they will become one in Christ Jesus.
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And that is the wonderful thing
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about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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It is for the prince as much as for the prisoner.
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And it is something that we've grown up with,
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we're used to.
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But it was so different back then,
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in the time when there were all these restrictions.
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So these Greeks came to Philip.
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Philip was kind of a,
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although he was from Bethsaida,
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was kind of a, almost a Greek,
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largely a Greek name.
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So maybe it was,
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maybe there were relations that he had
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that were Greeks.
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But anyway, they come to Philip.
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And it's very interesting
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that Philip goes to Andrew
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before he goes to Jesus.
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And as we mentioned this before,
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that Andrew always seems to be
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the go-between of the disciples.
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He seems to be the approachable one.
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He seems to be the one that,
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if people are wanting to,
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to reach Jesus or speak to Jesus,
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it tends to be by Andrew.
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Remember the time where
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there was the feeding of the thousands?
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And it was to Andrew.
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The boy had the loaves and the fish.
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So Andrew was the one who told Jesus,
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here's a boy here.
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He's got the five loaves and the fish.
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And it's a very important part
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of our Christian walk
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to be approachable to people.
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We shouldn't put up any barriers.
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Because if you look at the life of Jesus,
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he most certainly did not put up any barriers.
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He was the most welcoming person
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that ever walked this world.
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And he was open to everybody.
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And so should we.
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We should always be open and accessible
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and approachable
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if we are serving the Lord Jesus Christ.
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And of course it was Andrew
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who was the one who introduced
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his brother to Jesus.
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Because Jesus had spoken to Andrew first
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and when Andrew had discovered
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there was the Messiah,
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he went straight and got his brother.
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And you and I know that
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that's often the hardest thing to do
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is to witness in our own family,
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isn't it?
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It's often easier to witness
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to people outside,
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to other people,
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than to those of your own family.
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But anyway, Andrew,
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witnessed to Peter
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and he took Peter along
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to meet Jesus.
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Little did Andrew know
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that day when he brought
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Peter to meet with Jesus
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that just a few years later
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Peter would be preaching
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and thousands would be converted.
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And you see the wonderful link
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in that chain.
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You know, we're all part.
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We all have a part to play.
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And it's amazing
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the threads that run through.
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You can trace it in your own life,
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the threads that run through
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your own life.
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When you look back
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and you see the influence
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of this person
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and the influence of that person
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and what this person was
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and what this person said
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and you can look back
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and all these things,
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it's like a jigsaw
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coming together
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to the place
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where you come to faith
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in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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That's the wonder of it.
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We've all got our own
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little part to play.
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Well, Andrew was somebody
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who was very much used
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by the Lord.
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So Philip and Andrew,
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they tell Jesus.
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And Jesus answered them
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and he said very simply,
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the hour has come
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for the Son of Man
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to be glorified.
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Now, there was nothing
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at this moment
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to indicate that
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that hour had come.
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Because just a little earlier,
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if we had read,
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well, we did back there,
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we find that Jesus,
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that's what we read,
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the triumphant,
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the entry of Jesus
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into Jerusalem.
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It's a moment
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when the crowd
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seemed to be embracing Jesus.
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In fact, the Pharisees say,
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look, the whole world
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has gone after him.
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It seemed to be a high point,
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a key point
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in the popularity of Jesus.
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And yet Jesus says,
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the hour has come.
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He was following
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a heavenly timetable.
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All along the way,
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he was keeping
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exactly to the timetable
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that his father
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had given him.
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That's why on other occasions
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in Scripture
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you will find it saying,
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his hour had not yet come,
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but the hour has come.
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And the hour has come.
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And so Jesus is telling them,
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those there,
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the hour has come
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for the Son of Man
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to be glorified.
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And in this he is telling
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how he is to be seen.
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It is not as a king,
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he didn't come as a kingly monarch.
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Oh, he's going to come
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as a kingly monarch
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when he comes again.
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When he came into this world,
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it wasn't as a kingly monarch.
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He didn't journey through this world
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wearing a crown,
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but carrying a cross.
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He didn't come into this world
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being born in a palace,
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but in a stable.
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And all his journey
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through this world
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was a downward kush
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of shame and humiliation.
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But all the time
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he was keeping to the timetable
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and honoring his father
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every single step of the way.
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And this was a way
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that the Greeks
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were going to see Jesus
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in what he was going to do.
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You know, there are some people
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that they look on Jesus
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and they look at his example in life.
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They look at the way
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he denied himself.
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And they look at his death
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as a kind of a martyr's death.
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And they hold him up as a martyr.
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A great man, a martyr.
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A man who lived a life of self-denial.
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But they're just looking
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at the human Jesus.
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They're missing the point.
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If that's the only Jesus
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that we have
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as one who set an example
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and let us not miss
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the example that Jesus set,
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but if that's all we're seeing,
32:47
then we're missing the main point.
32:50
He came in order to die.
32:52
And as the young people
32:53
were looking at the substitute,
32:55
he came as a substitute.
32:57
And so this was a way
32:59
that the Greeks
33:00
were going to be able
33:01
to see Jesus.
33:02
And one last thing
33:03
I would say talking about
33:04
the Greeks coming to see Jesus.
33:06
Can I say to anybody in here,
33:07
and you're saying to yourself,
33:08
you know,
33:09
I have wanted to see Jesus
33:11
for a long time.
33:13
You might be saying,
33:14
oh, it comes and it goes,
33:15
but there's a desire in my heart
33:17
to become a Christian.
33:21
And I sit in church,
33:22
and I pray,
33:24
and I don't seem to get anywhere.
33:27
I read my Bible,
33:28
and I pray,
33:29
and I don't seem to get anywhere.
33:32
Well,
33:32
see what the Greeks did.
33:36
They went,
33:37
and they spoke to Philip,
33:39
and they said,
33:39
we want to see Jesus.
33:41
And I think there's a point
33:42
there for us.
33:43
If you're somebody
33:45
who's seeking and searching,
33:47
and you're from so far,
33:49
you haven't found,
33:50
you can't quite get hold of it.
33:53
Speak to a Christian
33:54
that you know.
33:57
And you might say to yourself,
33:58
that's the hardest thing
33:59
for me to do.
34:00
What will he say?
34:01
What will she say?
34:02
They'll be delighted.
34:05
And speak to them in confidence.
34:07
It's not that they're going
34:08
to enable you
34:09
to be a Christian,
34:09
but it might be
34:10
just what they say.
34:12
They might give you
34:12
that final point.
34:14
That's something
34:15
which will encourage you
34:18
and enable you
34:19
to see for yourself.
34:21
Because at the end of the day,
34:22
you have to see for yourself
34:24
and believe yourself.
34:26
But there's a point
34:27
we mustn't miss there
34:28
of the desire
34:31
to see Jesus,
34:32
of going to speak
34:33
to a Christian,
34:35
to speak to somebody else.
34:37
Because they will very likely
34:39
be able to help you.
34:41
But Jesus then says
34:43
that the hour has come
34:46
for the Son of Man
34:47
to be glorified.
34:50
And of course,
34:50
the glory of God
34:53
is revealed.
34:54
It's the manifestation
34:55
of His divine majesty.
34:57
And you know,
34:59
when we think about the cross,
35:01
we say,
35:02
what's the glory in the cross?
35:03
All we can think of
35:04
is shame.
35:06
There was,
35:07
it was,
35:08
anyone who was
35:09
hanged on a tree,
35:10
it was shame.
35:11
It says that in Scripture.
35:13
It was cursed.
35:15
Where's the glory in it?
35:17
But you and I know
35:18
that that weekend,
35:20
that weekend
35:21
that occurred there
35:22
in the death,
35:23
the arrest,
35:25
the death,
35:26
and the resurrection
35:27
of Jesus Christ,
35:29
was the greatest display
35:31
of God's glory
35:32
that this world
35:33
has ever seen.
35:34
The creation
35:35
was an awesome display
35:37
of the glory of God.
35:39
In fact,
35:40
when we look up
35:41
to the heavens up,
35:43
it tells us
35:44
the heavens declare
35:45
the glory of God.
35:47
His handiwork
35:48
is written all across.
35:50
the stars speak
35:51
of the glory of God.
35:52
The moon,
35:53
the sun,
35:53
the whole being,
35:54
it all speaks
35:55
of the glory of God.
35:57
This world
35:57
and this massive universe,
36:00
it all speaks.
36:03
But that,
36:04
that doesn't touch
36:05
the magnificence
36:08
of the display
36:09
of his glory
36:10
that is found
36:12
in this weekend
36:12
when Jesus dies
36:15
for our sins.
36:17
Because the very heartbeat
36:19
of the salvation
36:21
of millions
36:22
is in that weekend there.
36:25
That is where
36:26
the great glory
36:27
of Jesus
36:28
and the glory
36:29
of God the Father
36:30
is seen.
36:33
And we're so thankful
36:36
that we're able
36:38
to understand this.
36:40
And Jesus then says,
36:43
unless a grain of wheat
36:44
falls into the earth
36:45
and dies,
36:46
it remains alone.
36:47
But if it dies,
36:49
it bears much fruit.
36:51
And of course,
36:52
he's speaking here
36:53
about himself.
36:55
And you and I know
36:56
that if you have
36:57
a grain of wheat
36:57
and you take it
36:59
off the shelf
37:00
and you just put it
37:01
back on the shelf,
37:02
it'll never be more
37:03
than a grain of wheat.
37:05
But if you take
37:06
that grain of wheat
37:07
and a number
37:08
of grains of wheat
37:09
and you put it
37:10
into the earth,
37:11
you sow it
37:11
into the earth,
37:12
it dies.
37:13
But from its death,
37:14
the death,
37:15
then life comes.
37:18
And that's what
37:19
Jesus is saying.
37:20
That's what's going
37:20
to happen.
37:22
In order for the Greeks
37:23
to see me,
37:25
they have to see
37:26
my death
37:27
and what it achieves.
37:30
I am like that grain
37:32
of wheat
37:32
being deliberately
37:33
sown into the ground
37:34
and from it
37:35
will come
37:36
the most amazing harvest.
37:38
If you're a believer
37:39
tonight,
37:39
you're part of the harvest
37:41
that has come
37:42
from the death
37:44
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
37:46
And Jesus continues
37:47
to ingather
37:49
his people.
37:51
But then
37:52
at verse 25,
37:53
Jesus says,
37:54
whoever loves
37:55
his life
37:56
loses it
37:56
and whoever
37:58
hates his life
37:59
in this world
37:59
will keep it
38:00
for eternal life.
38:01
If anyone serves me,
38:02
he must follow me
38:03
and where I am there
38:05
will my servant be.
38:06
If anyone serves me,
38:08
the Father
38:09
will honor him.
38:11
Now,
38:13
people might find
38:14
this verse
38:14
kind of strange
38:15
because it's saying
38:17
whoever hates
38:18
his life
38:19
in this world
38:20
will keep it
38:21
for eternal life.
38:23
And in a sense,
38:24
that almost goes
38:25
against the grain
38:26
because the greatest
38:27
instinct that you
38:29
and I have
38:29
is self-preservation,
38:32
looking after ourselves.
38:35
When we're little children,
38:38
we have the
38:39
me first
38:40
syndrome.
38:41
We want to be first.
38:44
Children are,
38:45
they don't realize it,
38:47
but by nature,
38:48
they're very selfish
38:50
and self-centered.
38:52
And I'm not being
38:53
critical of them.
38:54
We were all like that.
38:55
It's me.
38:56
It's about me.
38:58
Now,
38:59
as we grow up
39:00
and as we develop
39:01
within culture
39:02
and within our society
39:03
and with our peers
39:05
and so on,
39:06
we learn to give
39:08
and to take
39:09
and all that.
39:11
But that me first,
39:13
it's about me.
39:15
It's my life.
39:16
It's about me.
39:18
It remains.
39:19
It's part of us.
39:21
And so,
39:22
self-preservation
39:23
is a great instinct
39:25
within our lives.
39:26
We want the best
39:27
for ourselves.
39:29
And so,
39:29
in a sense,
39:30
we might almost think,
39:31
well,
39:31
this is a strange thing
39:32
what Jesus is saying here
39:33
about hating our life.
39:37
Does that mean
39:37
I've got to go about
39:38
saying,
39:39
oh,
39:39
I hate myself.
39:40
Oh,
39:40
I'm a horrible person.
39:42
Well,
39:44
as a Christian,
39:45
there will be times
39:46
we will say that.
39:48
There are times
39:49
we will grovel.
39:51
There are times
39:52
that we will cry out
39:53
before the Lord
39:54
and we'll say
39:55
like the Apostle Paul,
39:56
oh,
39:56
wretched man that I am
39:58
because we're so conscious
40:00
of our sin
40:01
and our disobedience
40:02
and our failures
40:03
of all that we've done wrong.
40:07
And so,
40:07
there are times
40:08
that we honestly
40:09
hate who we are.
40:12
But that's not really
40:14
what it's actually
40:16
talking about here
40:17
at this point.
40:19
Because
40:20
what is being said here
40:22
is the same
40:23
as Jesus said elsewhere
40:25
about,
40:26
he said,
40:27
whoever was going
40:28
to follow me
40:29
has to hate
40:30
his father
40:31
and his mother
40:32
and hate
40:34
even his own life.
40:37
And again,
40:38
people might find
40:39
that very strange.
40:40
What does Jesus
40:41
mean by that?
40:43
Well,
40:44
the word hate
40:45
here is really
40:46
it has a comparative
40:47
force.
40:49
And what Jesus
40:50
is really meaning
40:51
here is
40:52
that nothing
40:54
must come
40:55
between himself
40:58
and you
40:59
and me.
41:02
He doesn't mean
41:04
that you are to
41:05
start hating
41:06
your father
41:06
and your mother
41:07
and your brothers
41:08
and your sisters
41:08
and your husband
41:09
and your wife.
41:10
Not at all.
41:12
Indeed,
41:12
we're commanded
41:13
to love.
41:14
We're commanded
41:15
to love.
41:16
Husbands,
41:16
love your wives.
41:18
But what Jesus
41:19
means is that
41:20
we aren't to
41:21
allow anything
41:22
to come
41:25
between ourselves
41:26
and the Lord.
41:27
In other words,
41:28
we're to hang
41:29
loose to the
41:30
things of this
41:31
world.
41:33
And Jesus
41:34
goes on
41:35
and he shows
41:36
us here
41:37
how it works
41:38
out.
41:39
He says,
41:40
whoever loves
41:41
his life
41:41
loses it
41:42
and whoever
41:43
hates his life
41:44
in this world
41:45
will keep it
41:46
for eternal life.
41:47
And what Jesus
41:49
is simply
41:49
talking about
41:50
here is that
41:51
there are people
41:51
and their whole
41:53
goal in life
41:53
is about themselves.
41:56
And they want
41:56
to get on
41:57
and they want
41:57
to build
41:58
their own empire.
41:59
Whether it is
42:00
a tiny empire
42:01
or a great big empire.
42:04
But the world
42:05
is all that
42:06
matters for them.
42:07
And they want
42:08
to progress
42:09
and they want
42:09
to do well
42:10
and there's
42:10
nothing wrong,
42:11
don't get me wrong,
42:11
there's nothing wrong
42:12
with trying to progress
42:13
and trying to do well.
42:15
But it's an exclusion.
42:17
of Jesus.
42:19
Jesus is in the background
42:21
or Jesus is not
42:22
there at all.
42:25
And people who live
42:26
only for this world
42:27
are in for the biggest
42:29
shock and disappointment
42:31
possible.
42:33
Because you see,
42:33
whatever the world
42:34
gives with one hand,
42:36
it takes straight back
42:37
with the other.
42:39
Nothing that we get
42:40
in this life
42:42
ever lasts.
42:44
And we can't hang
42:45
on to it.
42:45
And there are
42:47
so many of the rich
42:48
and the famous
42:49
and they seem
42:49
to be able
42:50
to go here,
42:50
go wherever.
42:51
There seem to be
42:52
so few restrictions
42:53
in life.
42:54
But you know,
42:55
the thing is,
42:55
one day it's all
42:56
going to come
42:56
to an end.
42:57
I remember reading
42:58
one of the star
42:59
famous people
43:00
and he had been
43:01
diagnosed with cancer
43:02
and he was dying.
43:04
And he said,
43:05
this is a disaster.
43:06
I have so loved life.
43:08
I have loved living
43:09
in life.
43:10
I can't cope.
43:11
That's,
43:15
you see,
43:15
this life was
43:16
all that he had.
43:18
And out with
43:18
all the trappings
43:20
of life,
43:21
life was
43:21
absolutely
43:22
empty.
43:24
That's why there's
43:24
so much despair
43:25
in people's lives.
43:27
Because there isn't
43:28
ultimate meaning.
43:30
Because all these
43:31
other things are just,
43:33
they pass with the using.
43:34
But Jesus is saying,
43:37
if we lose
43:38
our life
43:38
in him,
43:40
if we give
43:41
our life
43:42
to him,
43:44
then we gain
43:45
everything.
43:47
And you and I
43:47
know that in life,
43:48
maybe as we get older,
43:50
maybe the sparkle
43:51
in life begins
43:52
to go and
43:53
there's various
43:54
ailments
43:55
and problems
43:56
come in
43:58
and life isn't
43:58
quite the same.
44:00
But you know,
44:01
for the Christian,
44:02
the sparkle
44:02
in Christ
44:03
never goes.
44:05
And that's a beauty.
44:06
That's the joy
44:08
of it all.
44:10
And so it is
44:10
imperative that we
44:12
learn to die
44:13
to self
44:14
and to live
44:16
for Christ.
44:18
And then Jesus
44:19
says,
44:19
if anyone
44:20
serves me,
44:22
he must follow
44:22
me.
44:23
And where I am,
44:24
there will my
44:25
servant be also.
44:27
Now,
44:28
we often ask
44:28
the question,
44:29
you know when a
44:30
person is converted,
44:31
when you,
44:32
you think back
44:33
to when you became
44:33
a Christian,
44:34
what's one of
44:34
the first things
44:35
that you said?
44:36
Lord,
44:37
what will you
44:38
have me to do?
44:39
What do you
44:39
want me to do?
44:42
And that's
44:43
very often
44:44
the response
44:45
of grace.
44:45
Lord,
44:46
what will I do?
44:48
Now,
44:48
we always think
44:49
of,
44:50
when we think
44:50
of serving,
44:52
we often tend
44:53
to think
44:53
of serving
44:54
in a particular
44:55
capacity.
44:56
ministry,
44:57
and we might
44:57
talk of ministry
44:58
as being a
44:59
servant of the
45:00
Lord.
45:00
Well,
45:00
there are
45:01
very,
45:01
very few
45:02
when you
45:02
think of
45:02
all the
45:03
millions of
45:04
Christians
45:04
who are
45:04
ministers,
45:05
who are
45:05
missionaries.
45:07
But Jesus
45:08
shows us
45:09
here that
45:09
service
45:11
and following
45:12
are inseparably
45:13
bound.
45:15
And the
45:16
moment you
45:17
begin to
45:18
follow Jesus,
45:19
you have
45:20
started to
45:21
serve.
45:21
And I
45:24
think it's
45:24
one of the
45:24
things that
45:25
we've got to
45:25
realize is
45:26
that our
45:27
service is
45:28
our life.
45:30
Wherever you've
45:31
been placed,
45:32
whether you're
45:33
still in
45:33
school,
45:34
you're serving
45:35
the Lord
45:35
there.
45:36
You might
45:36
say to
45:37
yourself,
45:37
oh,
45:37
when I get
45:38
older,
45:38
when I leave
45:39
school,
45:39
when I get
45:40
older and do
45:41
things,
45:41
I'll start
45:42
serving the
45:43
Lord.
45:43
No,
45:43
you're serving
45:43
the Lord
45:44
where you
45:44
are.
45:46
Whether you're
45:46
in primary
45:46
school,
45:47
secondary
45:47
school,
45:48
if you love
45:49
the Lord,
45:49
you're serving
45:50
the Lord
45:50
where you
45:51
are.
45:52
That's the
45:52
beauty of
45:53
it.
45:55
Whether you're
45:56
a mother
45:57
tending to
45:58
the wee
45:58
ones,
45:58
you're serving
45:59
the Lord
45:59
there.
46:00
Whether you're
46:01
serving teas
46:02
and coffees,
46:02
whether you're
46:03
a mechanic,
46:04
whether you're
46:04
a boat
46:05
builder,
46:06
whether you're
46:06
a teacher,
46:07
you can go
46:07
through wherever
46:08
the Lord has
46:09
placed you.
46:10
That's your
46:11
field of
46:12
service.
46:13
Because every
46:14
single day,
46:16
you are
46:17
serving the
46:18
Lord.
46:19
And I
46:20
think we've
46:20
got to lay
46:21
hold upon
46:21
this because
46:22
often we
46:23
tend to
46:24
compartmentalize
46:26
service and
46:26
think,
46:27
well,
46:27
service is
46:28
only something
46:28
that we
46:29
do when
46:30
we do it
46:31
with regard
46:31
to the
46:32
church.
46:32
Yes,
46:33
that is
46:33
part of
46:34
it.
46:34
But our
46:35
whole life
46:36
is service.
46:37
And always
46:38
remember this,
46:39
that following
46:39
and service
46:40
are together.
46:41
The moment
46:42
you start
46:42
following,
46:44
you have
46:44
begun to
46:45
serve the
46:46
Lord.
46:46
every single
46:47
believer in
46:48
here tonight
46:49
is serving
46:50
the Lord
46:50
wherever you
46:52
are at,
46:52
wherever the
46:53
Lord has
46:53
placed you.
46:55
You serve
46:55
him in your
46:55
home,
46:56
you serve
46:57
him in
46:57
your church,
46:58
you serve
46:58
him in your
46:59
work,
46:59
you serve
47:00
him in the
47:00
school,
47:00
you serve
47:01
him wherever.
47:02
And so we
47:03
mustn't lose
47:03
sight of that
47:05
great truth.
47:07
And again,
47:09
the word
47:09
following is
47:10
one, it's
47:11
such a
47:12
biblical expression,
47:13
it's one that
47:14
we use
47:14
here in
47:15
our own
47:15
culture.
47:16
When somebody's
47:16
converted,
47:17
we sometimes
47:17
say, oh
47:18
did you
47:18
hear so
47:19
and so
47:19
I started
47:20
following?
47:21
So biblical.
47:23
My sheep
47:24
hear my
47:25
voice and
47:27
they follow
47:28
me.
47:30
That's what
47:30
happened in
47:31
your life as
47:31
a Christian.
47:33
You heard
47:34
through the
47:34
word the
47:35
voice of
47:36
Jesus.
47:37
You might
47:37
not be able
47:38
to explain
47:39
it, but
47:41
that's what
47:41
happened.
47:42
And because
47:43
you know
47:43
Jesus and
47:44
I've come
47:45
to love
47:45
Jesus,
47:46
you're
47:46
following
47:47
him and
47:47
you're
47:48
serving
47:48
him.
47:49
And then
47:49
Jesus says,
47:51
if anyone
47:53
serves him
47:53
he must
47:53
follow me
47:54
and where
47:54
I am,
47:55
there will
47:56
my servant
47:57
be also.
47:59
Where is
48:00
Jesus?
48:00
Well,
48:01
primarily
48:01
he's in
48:03
the word,
48:03
he is the
48:04
word.
48:05
So when
48:06
we serve
48:07
and follow
48:07
Jesus,
48:08
we will
48:08
be much
48:09
in the
48:09
word.
48:10
Because the
48:11
word is
48:11
our guide,
48:12
it's what
48:13
feeds us
48:14
and teaches
48:16
us and
48:17
shows us
48:17
the way
48:18
to go.
48:20
Our
48:20
delight is
48:21
in the
48:21
word.
48:22
You're
48:22
here tonight
48:23
because you
48:25
love the
48:25
Lord.
48:25
You want
48:26
to be
48:26
here.
48:27
Because
48:28
why?
48:29
Because
48:29
Jesus has
48:29
promised
48:30
where two
48:30
or three
48:31
are gathered
48:32
in his
48:33
name.
48:33
He's
48:33
there.
48:35
And that's
48:36
why you
48:36
want to
48:37
be here.
48:37
Because it's
48:38
the place
48:39
where Jesus
48:39
blesses
48:40
people.
48:40
it's
48:41
the place
48:42
where Jesus
48:43
has promised
48:43
to be.
48:45
And so
48:45
it's natural
48:46
that you
48:46
want to
48:47
be there.
48:49
If you
48:50
love
48:51
Jesus,
48:52
you will
48:52
be seeking
48:53
to obey
48:53
him.
48:55
And that's
48:56
what faith
48:57
does.
48:57
Faith lays
48:58
hold upon
48:59
the word.
49:00
Now you
49:00
might be
49:01
saying to
49:01
yourself,
49:02
you know,
49:02
my grace
49:04
seems to
49:04
be so
49:05
weak and
49:05
my hope
49:06
seems to
49:07
be so
49:07
dim.
49:08
and my
49:09
faith seems
49:10
to be so
49:11
fragile.
49:13
And I'm
49:13
so aware
49:14
of all
49:14
my faults.
49:16
If you
49:16
could even
49:17
a strand
49:17
of faith.
49:18
Faith even
49:19
like a
49:19
grain of
49:20
mustard seed.
49:21
That faith
49:22
is sufficient.
49:23
That is the
49:24
faith that
49:24
enables you
49:25
to follow
49:26
Jesus.
49:27
And you
49:28
want to
49:28
obey.
49:29
When you
49:29
love someone,
49:30
you want
49:30
to do
49:30
what you
49:31
know
49:31
pleases
49:32
them.
49:33
You
49:33
won't
49:33
spend
49:33
your life
49:34
doing
49:34
things
49:34
that you
49:34
know
49:35
that will
49:36
aggravate
49:36
them or
49:37
annoy
49:37
them or
49:38
hurt
49:38
them.
49:39
You
49:40
will try
49:40
and do
49:40
what
49:41
pleases
49:41
them.
49:42
And so
49:43
it is
49:43
for the
49:43
Christian.
49:44
And how
49:45
do we
49:45
know what
49:46
pleases
49:46
Jesus?
49:47
By reading
49:48
his word.
49:49
His word
49:49
tells us.
49:51
And you
49:51
say to
49:52
yourself,
49:52
how do I
49:52
know that
49:53
I love
49:53
the Lord?
49:54
Jesus
49:54
says,
49:55
if you
49:55
love me,
49:56
you will
49:56
keep my
49:57
commandments.
49:58
So that
49:59
the desire
50:00
of your
50:00
life is
50:00
seeking to
50:01
obey what
50:02
the Lord
50:03
says to
50:04
us.
50:05
We
50:06
follow him.
50:07
as our
50:09
teacher.
50:10
That's in
50:10
the word.
50:11
We follow
50:12
him as
50:12
our guide.
50:14
We follow
50:15
him as
50:15
our lover.
50:16
We're
50:17
married to
50:17
Christ.
50:18
We've
50:18
taken his
50:19
name.
50:19
You know
50:19
when a
50:19
bride and
50:20
groom get
50:20
married,
50:21
normally
50:22
speaking,
50:23
I know
50:23
there's the
50:23
odd
50:24
exception,
50:24
but normally
50:25
speaking,
50:26
the bride
50:26
will take
50:27
the husband's
50:29
surname.
50:31
And when
50:31
we come
50:32
to Christ,
50:33
we are in
50:34
that union
50:34
as a bride
50:35
and a groom.
50:36
That's the
50:36
description
50:37
that scripture
50:37
takes.
50:39
And we
50:39
take his
50:40
name,
50:40
Christians.
50:41
That's what
50:42
we become.
50:44
We hold
50:45
up the
50:45
name of
50:45
Christ in
50:46
this world.
50:48
Oh, the
50:48
world doesn't
50:48
honor the
50:49
Christian.
50:50
The world
50:51
is more
50:51
likely to
50:51
laugh and
50:52
to ridicule
50:52
the Christian.
50:54
But we
50:54
see here
50:55
there is
50:55
someone who
50:56
does honor.
50:57
And that
50:58
is the
50:58
Father in
50:59
heaven.
51:00
Because
51:00
Jesus tells
51:01
us here,
51:02
if anyone
51:03
serves me,
51:04
he must
51:04
follow me.
51:05
And where
51:05
I am,
51:06
there will
51:07
my servant
51:07
be.
51:09
And if
51:09
anyone serves
51:10
me, the
51:11
Father will
51:12
honor him.
51:13
Isn't that
51:14
wonderful?
51:14
Jesus says,
51:15
and where
51:15
I am,
51:17
there will
51:17
my servant
51:18
be.
51:20
You know,
51:21
we know
51:21
where Jesus
51:22
is tonight,
51:23
and we know
51:23
that he's
51:23
present through
51:24
his spirit
51:24
here.
51:25
But we
51:26
know that
51:26
Jesus is
51:27
in heaven.
51:28
And what's
51:29
Jesus doing
51:29
in heaven for
51:30
us tonight?
51:31
Yes, we
51:31
know he's
51:31
interceding
51:32
on our
51:32
behalf.
51:34
But he
51:35
has gone
51:35
to prepare
51:36
a place
51:36
for us.
51:37
Your name
51:38
is there.
51:39
Your place
51:39
is there.
51:40
It's reserved.
51:41
And one
51:42
day Jesus
51:42
is going
51:43
to come
51:43
back.
51:43
He's going
51:44
to call
51:44
for you.
51:45
And in
51:46
the meantime
51:46
he's preparing
51:47
you for
51:47
the place
51:48
he has
51:48
prepared
51:49
for you.
51:51
Because
51:51
he wants
51:53
you,
51:53
as you've
51:54
been with
51:54
him here,
51:55
following
51:55
him here,
51:56
he wants
51:57
that you
51:57
will be
51:57
then with
51:58
him forever
51:59
and ever
51:59
and ever
52:00
and ever
52:00
and ever
52:01
in glory.
52:03
And you
52:04
know you
52:04
might feel
52:05
that your
52:05
service is
52:06
poor.
52:07
And I
52:08
think at the
52:08
end of the
52:08
day every
52:09
Christian feels
52:10
their service
52:11
is poor.
52:12
But you
52:13
notice what
52:13
it says?
52:14
If anyone
52:15
serves me,
52:17
the Father
52:18
will honor
52:19
him.
52:20
Isn't that
52:20
beautiful?
52:22
Every Christian,
52:23
all of you
52:23
tonight are
52:24
following the
52:25
Lord.
52:25
Remember
52:26
Lord, I
52:26
said you're
52:26
serving
52:27
him.
52:28
And in
52:29
serving
52:29
him, you're
52:31
going to get
52:31
the well
52:32
done, good
52:33
and faithful
52:34
servant when
52:35
you enter
52:36
into heaven.
52:37
Because the
52:38
Father is
52:39
going to
52:39
honor you
52:40
because of
52:41
your love
52:42
of his
52:43
Son.
52:44
And we
52:45
must always
52:45
remember that
52:46
this is how
52:46
it's going
52:47
to end.
52:49
I hope
52:50
everybody here
52:51
tonight is
52:53
following and
52:54
serving Jesus.
52:56
I hope
52:56
that your
52:57
soul, I
52:57
hope that
52:58
you haven't
52:58
made the
53:00
whole goal
53:00
of your
53:01
world just
53:01
to get
53:02
on.
53:02
Yes, by
53:03
all means
53:04
it's important
53:05
to get
53:05
on, but
53:06
not at the
53:07
expense of
53:08
your soul.
53:10
Jesus
53:10
elsewhere says
53:11
what will
53:12
profit somebody
53:14
to gain the
53:15
whole world
53:16
and lose
53:18
his own
53:19
soul.
53:20
Calmerda
53:20
told a
53:21
beautiful story
53:22
today.
53:22
I'm sure
53:23
all of you
53:23
heard it.
53:23
And I
53:24
had never
53:25
heard that
53:25
before.
53:26
But the
53:26
boy who
53:26
asked his
53:27
father,
53:28
is your
53:29
soul insured?
53:32
Because he
53:33
said your
53:34
house is
53:34
insured,
53:35
your barns
53:35
are insured,
53:37
your car is
53:38
insured,
53:40
your own
53:40
life, you
53:41
got life
53:41
insurance.
53:42
What about
53:42
your soul?
53:44
And that's
53:45
the question
53:45
you have to
53:46
ask yourself
53:46
tonight.
53:48
Because there's
53:48
only one who
53:49
can insure
53:50
your soul.
53:51
And that's
53:51
Jesus.
53:52
you make
53:53
sure then
53:54
that you
53:55
are in
53:57
Jesus,
53:57
trusting in
53:58
Jesus.
53:59
And the
53:59
moment you
54:00
are, you've
54:00
started to
54:01
follow, and
54:02
the moment
54:02
you've started
54:03
to follow, you've
54:03
begun to
54:04
serve.
54:05
And we see
54:06
what the
54:06
outcome is
54:07
here.
54:08
Let us
54:08
pray.
54:09
Lord, our
54:10
God, we
54:10
give thanks
54:11
that your
54:11
word tells
54:12
us how
54:12
things really
54:13
are.
54:14
This
54:14
world tells
54:15
us very
54:16
differently.
54:16
And we
54:17
pray, Lord,
54:18
that we
54:18
might be
54:19
wise to
54:19
what your
54:20
word says,
54:21
that the
54:22
word of
54:23
God may
54:23
regulate and
54:24
rule our
54:24
lives.
54:26
We pray that
54:26
we might not
54:27
lose our
54:27
way by
54:28
being caught
54:29
up in all
54:30
the world's
54:30
trappings,
54:31
but that we
54:32
may seek to
54:33
put Jesus
54:33
first.
54:35
And the
54:35
great promise
54:35
is that if
54:36
we seek
54:36
first the
54:37
kingdom of
54:38
heaven,
54:39
seek first
54:40
the kingdom
54:40
of righteousness,
54:42
seek first the
54:43
kingdom of
54:44
God and his
54:44
righteousness,
54:45
then all the
54:46
other things
54:47
will be added
54:47
to us.
54:49
Help us then
54:49
to get our
54:50
priorities right
54:51
in life.
54:52
Bless each and
54:53
every one of
54:54
us.
54:54
Take us all
54:54
home safely,
54:55
we pray.
54:56
Cleanse us
54:57
from our sin.
54:58
In Jesus'
54:58
name we ask
54:59
it.
54:59
Amen.
55:02
We're going
55:03
to conclude
55:04
singing in
55:04
Psalm number
55:05
16.
55:06
Psalm 16
55:07
and sing
55:08
Psalms from
55:09
verse 8,
55:10
the tune is
55:10
Golden Hill.
55:15
Before me
55:17
constantly I
55:18
set the
55:19
Lord alone.
55:20
Because he
55:21
is at my
55:21
right hand I
55:22
will not be
55:23
overthrown.
55:24
Therefore my
55:25
heart is glad,
55:26
my tongue with
55:27
joy will sing,
55:29
my body too
55:29
will rest secure
55:31
in hope
55:31
unwavering.
55:33
For you will
55:33
not allow my
55:34
soul and death
55:35
to stay,
55:36
nor will you
55:37
leave your
55:37
Holy One to
55:38
see the tombs
55:39
decay.
55:40
You have
55:41
made known
55:41
to me the
55:42
path of life
55:43
divine.
55:43
bliss shall
55:45
I know
55:45
at your
55:45
right hand.
55:47
Joy from
55:47
your face
55:48
will shine.
55:49
8 to the
55:50
end,
55:50
Psalm 16
55:51
and sing
55:51
Psalms
55:52
before me
55:53
constantly.
55:54
Amen.
55:59
Before me
56:02
constantly
56:05
I
56:07
set
56:09
the
56:10
Lord
56:11
alone
56:12
because he
56:17
is at my
56:20
right hand
56:23
and not
56:25
be
56:26
overthrown.
56:30
Therefore
56:32
my heart
56:36
is glad,
56:38
my tongue
56:42
with joy
56:43
will sing,
56:46
my body
56:51
too
56:52
will rest
56:55
secure
56:56
in hope
57:00
and with
57:02
a
57:03
need.
57:04
Holy One
57:14
to tend
57:17
Thank you.
57:47
The path of light divine, this shall I know, and your right hand, joy from your face will shine.
58:17
I'll go to the door on my left.
58:19
Now may the grace, mercy, and peace of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit rest and abide upon each one of you now and forevermore.
58:27
Amen.
58:27
Amen.
58:28
Amen.
58:30
Amen.
58:32
Amen.
58:32
Amen.
58:33
Thank you.
59:03
Thank you.