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The Son of David · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We're going to begin our worship this morning. Let me read to you from God's Word in Zechariah chapter 9.
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! Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you, righteous and having salvation as he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, full of a donkey.
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Today we'll be thinking about the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. We'll be thinking about the title, the Son of David, and how it applies there.
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And so as we do so, we're going to gather this morning, raising our voices, along with the crowd who welcomed Jesus to the city on that day, in the words of Psalm 118.
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This is in Sing Psalms, page 156 in the Blue Book.
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We're going to sing from verse 15 through to verse 24.
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Please stand to sing, if you're able.
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singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing
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He does all things well.
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I shall not die, but I shall live.
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The Lord's great works I will proclaim.
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The Lord's of the air rechastened me.
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I've rescued me from death's domain.
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Oh, like the gates of righteousness,
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I tell the fear, thanks to God.
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This is the gate of God through which
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the righteous come before the Lord.
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You answered me, I will reply.
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Salvation comes on you alone.
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The stone that filled the child refused
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Has not become the cornerstone.
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The Lord himself has done all this
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Ages of marvel in our sight
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This is the deed the Lord does need
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In the dark's secret delight
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Let's bow our heads in prayer to God.
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This is the day the Lord has made.
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We thank you, Lord, and we rejoice today
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That we can say these words with confidence
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That you have appointed this day
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As a day of salvation.
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You have appointed it as a day of worship.
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You have appointed it as a day of memorial and rest
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Giving thanks for the finished work of your hands.
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We thank you, Lord, today that we gather, therefore,
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As people who have all of these reasons to rejoice and worship.
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Today we remember that you have made this world
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In which we live, in all of its beauty and intricacy
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And its marvel and wonder
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That we can see your handiworks in it
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As the psalmist says,
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It is a world which continually speaks
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To God's glory and to your character
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That we can see so much of you
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In what we see around us
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But we thank you that today
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We also remember the finished work
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Not just of creation
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But the finished work of Jesus
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We thank you for the resurrection
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We thank you that
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Early in the morning
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On the first day of the week
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That the tomb was found to be empty
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That that earth-shattering truth
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Had come to pass
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That death was defeated
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And hope abounds now to the children of man
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And so we pray today
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That you would fill our hearts with thanksgiving
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That as we worship you today
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We would lift up and glorify your name
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That you would help us
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To resound to the praise of your glory
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We come confessing before you today our sin
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We know we need the cleansing blood of Jesus
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To wash away all iniquity
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And so we ask today, Father
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That you would give us a true sense and vision
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Of Christ Jesus
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That we would recognize in him
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The one who takes away the sin of the world
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And so we ask and pray
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That today each one of us
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Would in our own hearts
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Acknowledge our sin and our shortcomings
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That we would not seek to hide from you
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The things that we have done amiss
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But that rather with that full confidence
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Of knowing that there is salvation
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And forgiveness and hope available
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That we would come clinging only
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To the blood of Christ
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And not our own self-righteousness
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Help us therefore we pray
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In our worship today
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To look to Jesus for cleansing and healing
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Help us to see him as the one
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Who has mercy upon us
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And may we therefore be blessed
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In receiving today the mercy
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And the grace of almighty God
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Renew us and refresh us in this we pray
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In Christ's name
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Amen
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So I have with me today
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An item from our house
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It's kind of hard to believe
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Six months and we're still
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Working on the house
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And what I have with me today
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Is the stage we are at at the moment
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We are laying
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New hardwood floors
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In our living room
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And so I have brought with me today
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The sample block
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It has the sticker on the back
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That tells you all the information
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About this wood
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And tells you what colour it is
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And what strength it is
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And how you should lay it
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And everything else
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And on the front you can see
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What it's going to look like
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And so we were quite impressed with this
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And thought that's the wood
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That we want for our floor
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You might be thinking to yourself
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Well why Gordon have you brought
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A piece of wood with you today?
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Why on earth have you brought
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A piece of wood?
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And Roddy was certainly asking me
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That question this morning
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When I was coming into church
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But my piece of wood is a reminder to us
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That today is Palm Sunday
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Palm Sunday is a Sunday
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On the Christian calendar
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It's called the liturgical calendar
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So the Sunday before Easter
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Is always called Palm Sunday
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And this isn't a piece of palm
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Obviously
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This is a piece of oak hardwood
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Floating
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Engineered timber
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So you wouldn't want to
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Wave this at somebody
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If it was Palm Sunday
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That's what people did though
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On the first so-called Palm Sunday
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Jesus was going into Jerusalem
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And people were waving palm branches
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And singing Hosanna to God
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We can read about it actually
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In Matthew's Gospel
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It's in Matthew chapter 21
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We'll read verses 1 to 11 just now
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Just very briefly
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So that you'll get the picture
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And when they came near to Jerusalem
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And they came to Bethpage
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In the Mount of Olives
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Then Jesus sent two disciples
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Saying to them
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Go into the village in front of you
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And immediately you will find
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A donkey tied
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And a colt with her
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Untie them
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And bring them to me
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If anyone says anything to you
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You shall say to them
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The Lord needs them
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And he will send them
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At once
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This took place to fulfill
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What was spoken by the prophet
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Saying
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Say to the daughter of Zion
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Behold your king is coming to you
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Humble and mounted on a donkey
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And on a colt
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The foal of a beast of burden
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The disciples went and did
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As Jesus had directed them
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They brought the donkey
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And the colt
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And put on them
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Their cloaks
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And he sat on them
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Then most of the crowd
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Spread their cloaks
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On the road
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And others cut branches
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From the trees
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And spread them
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On the road as well
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And the crowds went before him
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And that followed after
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Were shouting
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Hosanna
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To the son of David
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Blessed is he
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Who comes
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In the name of the Lord
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Hosanna in the highest
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And when he entered Jerusalem
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The whole city was stirred up
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Saying
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Who is this?
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And the crowd said
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This is the prophet Jesus
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From Nazareth
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Of Galilee
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So
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What's happening there is
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Jesus is riding into Jerusalem
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And he's riding
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On a donkey
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And all the people
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Are going around
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And they're getting
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Not hardwood flooring
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To put down on the floor
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That wouldn't be very practical
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But what they do is
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They get their coats
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So instead of grabbing bits
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Of wood
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They're grabbing their coats
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Like this
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They're taking their jackets off
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And they're throwing them
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On the road
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In front
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I'm not going to throw
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This jacket
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Because I'll probably
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Get in trouble for that
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But they would throw
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Their jackets onto the road
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And then when Jesus
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Rides by on the donkey
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He's walking
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Not on the road
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But on the jackets
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And you think
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That's a very strange
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Thing to do
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Isn't it?
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But it's just like
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Laying hardwood flooring
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The people thought
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The roads are too dirty
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For the king of kings
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To walk on
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The roads are too dirty
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For this
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Exalted holy person
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To come on
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We will put our jackets
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On the floor
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And he can walk on them
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And the reason
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They're doing that
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Is because they want
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To show
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That they recognize
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Jesus as their king
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They want to be able
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To say
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This is Jesus
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He's above us
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He's over us
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He's the one
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That we listen to
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And that we follow
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And that we
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Will go after
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And so by throwing
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Their jackets on the ground
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They're saying
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It's okay for Jesus
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To walk in our jackets
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Because we are beneath him
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He is our king
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It's quite a strange thought
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Isn't it?
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But that's what was happening
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On
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Palm
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Sunday
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They wanted to show
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That Jesus was over them
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Because they realized
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Jesus
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Was their king
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And so they were singing
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These words
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Hosanna
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Which means save me
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It's a cry to God
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To save us
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Hosanna
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To the one who comes
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In the name of the Lord
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Hosanna
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To the son of David
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They're recognizing
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That Jesus
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Is a king
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Who brings
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Salvation
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And so for us today
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We're going to be thinking
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About that a wee bit
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In the sermon
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We're going to be thinking
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A bit about Jesus
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As the son of David
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But the simple thing
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If there's one thing
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I want you to remember today
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It's this
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That we can show
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Every day
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That Jesus is our king
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That we should ask
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For God
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To give us
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The wisdom
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And the strength
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Every day
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To live for Jesus
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And to show
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Jesus
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Is the one
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That we follow
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And that doesn't mean
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That we throw our jackets
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On the road
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When we're coming to church
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But it does mean
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That every day
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We say
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Jesus
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Your word
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Is over me
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Your word
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Is what I'm going to follow
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Your ways
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Are how I'm going to go
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Where you call
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I will follow
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And when you offer
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Salvation
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I'll listen to you
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And I will believe
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In you
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And I will trust you
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We're going to say
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The Lord's Prayer
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Just now
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One of the things
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That we say
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In the Lord's Prayer
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Remember is
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Your kingdom come
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And your will be done
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On earth
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As it is in heaven
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So these are important
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Words to remember
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Because Jesus
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Is our king
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And it's his kingdom
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And it's his will
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Being done
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That we're praying for
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So let's pray
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Our Father
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In heaven
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Hallowed
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Be your name
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Your kingdom come
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Your will be done
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On earth
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As it is
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In heaven
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Give us this day
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Our daily bread
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And forgive us
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Our debts
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As we forgive
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Our debtors
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Lead us not
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Into temptation
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But deliver us
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From evil
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For yours is the kingdom
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The power
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And the glory
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Forever
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Amen
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We're going to continue
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Singing just now
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To God's praise
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This time from
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Psalm 130
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In the Scottish Psalter
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This is page 421
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In the Blue Book
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When Jesus arrived
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In Jerusalem
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It looked as if
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Everyone was
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Greeting him
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And welcoming him
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Gladly
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But not everyone
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Recognized their need
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Of him
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And this is a psalm
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Which is really about
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Us recognizing
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Our need
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Of God
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Our need of the
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Cleansing
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The cleaning
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The washing
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That God alone
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Can bring to us
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And that he brings
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Through the blood
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Of Jesus
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So we're going to sing
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The whole of this psalm
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To God's praise
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Lord from the depths
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To thee I cried
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My voice Lord
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Do thou hear
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And to my supplications
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Voice
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Give an attentive year
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Lord who shall stand
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If thou
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O Lord
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Shouldst mark iniquity
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But yet with thee
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Forgiveness is
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That feared
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Thou mayst be
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Please stand
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If you're able
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I will sing
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The whole of this psalm
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Lord from the depths
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To thee I cried
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Lord from the depths
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To thee I cried
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My voice Lord
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Do thou hear
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Of the voyance
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O Lord, who shall stand if thou, O Lord, should smile in me?
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Iniquity, but yet with thee, forgivenesses, that fear thou mayest be.
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I wait for God, my soul not wait, my hope is in His word.
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More than they lie, for morning watch, my soul waits for the Lord.
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I say, Lord, I may not do watch, the morning light to see.
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Let Israel open the door, for within her trees be.
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Unplenteous redemption is ever unquited.
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And from all its iniquities, He is the child redeemed.
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Would you turn with me, please, in your Bibles to read in Matthew's Gospel, Matthew chapter 1.
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Matthew chapter 1.
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The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
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Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
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and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron,
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and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab,
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and Amminadab the father of Nashon, and Nashon the father of Salmon,
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and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth,
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and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.
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And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,
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and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
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and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat,
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and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah,
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and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz,
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and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
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and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,
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and Manasseh the father of Amos,
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and Amos the father of Josiah,
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and Josiah the father of Jehonichai and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
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And after the deportation to Babylon, Jehonichai was the father of Shealtiel
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and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud
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and Abiud the father of Elakim and Eliakim the father of Azor
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and Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim and Achim the father of Eliud
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and Eliud the father of Eliezer and Eliezer the father of Mathan
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and Mathan the father of Jacob and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary
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by whom Jesus was born who is called Christ.
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And so all the generations of Abraham to David were 14 generations
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and from David to the deportation to Babylon 14 generations
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and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ 14 generations.
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Amen.
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This is God's word to us today.
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Let's bow our heads once again in prayer.
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Heavenly Father, as we have today read in your word a long list of names,
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most of whom we barely know anything about,
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we have to come, Lord, in the wonderful mystery of your great providence
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and recognize that in all of that story,
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in all of these centuries, in all of these generations,
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you were working out a plan to bring the Christ into the world.
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And you did this in sending your son, Jesus,
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to be a savior,
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to be a firstborn of many brothers and sisters
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so that today we can come to you in the words that Jesus taught us
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and say,
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our father in heaven.
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As a privilege, Lord,
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that has been worked out
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through the unmistakable hand of your providence,
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not just in the generations that we've read about
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in Matthew's gospel,
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but in the mystery of the generations that have gone before us.
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We can think of our parents.
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Many of us received the gospel from them.
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We can think of a long line going all the way back
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to days of awakening and revival
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and reformation in the church.
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And we see throughout all of that
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the mystery of your purposes being unfolded.
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We can truly see your kingdom coming.
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We can see the emergence of the kingdom of God.
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And so as we pray today,
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your kingdom come,
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help us to remember that
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what we are praying for there
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is something you yourself
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are already intimately involved in
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and care about
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and are working towards.
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We thank you that today
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we can see evidence
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of the Holy Spirit working in people's lives.
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We can see the marvel of the rebirth.
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We can witness and pay tribute
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to regeneration,
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awakening the hearts of men and women
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to the great truth that is in Christ Jesus,
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and enabling men and women
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to express faith and trust in him.
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And that, Lord, today is our prayer
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for our community,
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for our church family,
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for our home families,
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for the extended family
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of the nation in which we live.
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We cry to you, Lord,
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and we pray that you would remember us
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in your mercy
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and that you would bring many
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to know Jesus
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as their Lord and as their Savior.
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We want today to be able to say
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not only that your name is hallowed,
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made holy,
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thought of in a special and unique way
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by the people of this world,
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but that we would see
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that your name, Lord,
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is worthy of honor
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because your ways
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are worthy of honor.
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And so we long to see
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your will being done on earth
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as it is in heaven.
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We think, Lord, today
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of the issues
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that are before us as a nation.
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So often, Lord,
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the headlines in the news
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will focus on the economic situation.
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And we know, Lord,
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that there is a reality to that
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that affects many people.
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We know many people
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are in danger with jobs
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and lack of security.
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We know people long for employment
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and hope in that respect.
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And we pray for these things.
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But we also remember, Lord,
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that the moral heart of our nation
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is at stake as well.
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We see, Father,
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the decisions of our politicians
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and our leaders.
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we fear, Lord,
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that their ways are not your ways,
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that their priorities are not yours.
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We see it in the stripping away
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of the sanctity of life
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more and more in our culture.
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And as we lose more and more
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of that biblical rootedness
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that has informed
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how we think about the world,
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we're losing sight
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of what makes humanity
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special and precious
26:11
and worthy of fighting for
26:13
to the end.
26:16
And so we pray, Father,
26:17
for wisdom for those who lead.
26:20
We pray for our own MP and MSP,
26:22
that you would give them
26:23
a heart that seeks
26:25
after your ways.
26:27
We pray for our counsellors locally.
26:29
We ask that you would bless them
26:31
in the decisions that are taken
26:32
in our local authority.
26:33
And we pray, Father,
26:36
for those who serve
26:37
in our community
26:38
in these public roles as well.
26:40
We think especially this week
26:41
of teachers going back
26:42
this week after a break,
26:44
we ask that you would bless them.
26:46
Pray for them as they
26:47
are used to shape
26:49
the minds of young people
26:51
in our community,
26:51
that you would help them, Lord,
26:53
both with their educational
26:54
responsibilities,
26:55
but also the character
26:56
that they will pass on
26:58
in that environment.
27:01
We ask and pray, Father,
27:03
today that you would bless us
27:05
each day with our daily needs
27:07
being met.
27:08
We think, Lord,
27:09
of those in our community
27:10
who are lonely
27:11
and who are going through
27:13
difficult times emotionally.
27:15
We ask and pray, Father,
27:16
that you would speak
27:17
into their lives
27:18
with compassion and tenderness.
27:21
Give to the lonely friendships
27:23
that are valuable
27:25
and trustworthy.
27:27
Give to those who are isolated
27:30
a lifeline of hope
27:31
and connection
27:32
with other human beings
27:33
who care passionately
27:35
for their welfare.
27:38
We know into that, Lord,
27:39
again, we think of those
27:40
who have public responsibility
27:42
in that.
27:42
We pray for our health service,
27:44
for those who are involved
27:45
in care for the elderly,
27:47
and for adult social care
27:48
in other ways as well.
27:49
And we ask, Lord,
27:50
that in all of these ways
27:51
that compassion and grace
27:53
would be shown,
27:54
that your concerns
27:58
would be reflected
27:59
in what we do
28:00
and in how we live.
28:02
We want to pray today, Father,
28:04
for your ongoing blessing
28:05
on those who are struggling
28:07
through the turmoil of life.
28:12
So often, Lord,
28:13
the traumas that we carry,
28:14
the things that have been done
28:17
to us in the past,
28:18
and that the things
28:19
that we have experienced,
28:21
they remain with us
28:22
and they blight our lives.
28:25
We pray, Father,
28:26
that into such darkness
28:27
you would bring your light.
28:29
Release people, therefore,
28:31
from the chains of addiction,
28:33
but also, Lord,
28:35
the chains of sinful patterns
28:37
that are unrelenting.
28:38
So often,
28:41
we don't forgive
28:42
when we should.
28:43
We don't let go
28:44
of past wrongs
28:45
that continue to hinder us
28:48
as we move on in our lives.
28:50
And so we ask, Lord,
28:51
that you would bless
28:52
and prosper
28:53
those who seek
28:55
to bring reconciliation
28:56
in people's minds
28:58
and relationships
28:59
and experiences as well.
29:02
We want to pray, Father,
29:03
for our world today.
29:05
It is a broken world,
29:06
we know.
29:06
We see it so often
29:07
on the news,
29:09
in the reality
29:10
of what happens
29:11
in the world around us.
29:12
We remember, Lord,
29:13
that there are many places
29:14
where there is violence today,
29:16
where there is uncertainty,
29:17
and that in so many
29:19
of these places,
29:19
your people
29:20
are very often
29:21
at the heart
29:22
of the distrust
29:23
and the affliction
29:25
that is visited
29:25
in these lands.
29:27
We remember the church
29:28
in parts of sub-Saharan Africa today.
29:30
We pray for the church
29:31
in places like Nigeria
29:32
and Sudan.
29:33
We ask and pray
29:33
that you would remember
29:34
your children there
29:35
and remember them
29:37
in the midst
29:37
of affliction
29:38
and sorrow,
29:40
persecution
29:40
and violence.
29:42
Bring relief,
29:43
we pray.
29:44
We want to pray today,
29:45
Father,
29:46
as well,
29:46
for the peace
29:47
of the world.
29:49
We pray for an end
29:50
to conflict,
29:51
and we pray
29:52
that that would come
29:53
through reconciliation
29:55
and blessing.
29:57
We think,
29:58
therefore, again,
29:59
of the witness
29:59
of the saints
30:00
in places of conflict,
30:02
that they would be
30:03
given the grace
30:04
to set examples
30:05
of forgiveness
30:05
and hope,
30:08
that you would see
30:11
good done.
30:13
In all of this,
30:14
Lord,
30:14
we ask that your name
30:16
indeed would be hallowed,
30:17
that your reputation,
30:19
your fame among the nations
30:20
would grow,
30:21
that men and women
30:21
would bow the knee
30:22
before you
30:23
and recognize
30:23
that you alone
30:25
are God
30:26
and there is no other.
30:28
Help us then
30:29
to worship you,
30:30
to declare you,
30:31
to witness for you,
30:33
to make Jesus known
30:34
in our lives
30:34
day by day,
30:36
and we ask all these
30:37
things in his name.
30:38
Amen.
30:43
We're going to sing
30:44
once again
30:44
to God's praise
30:45
before we turn back
30:46
to the word
30:46
in Psalm 72.
30:48
This is in
30:49
Sing Psalms,
30:49
page 92
30:50
in the Blue Books.
30:51
We're going to sing
31:00
the first two stanzas
31:02
and then the last
31:03
two stanzas
31:04
of this psalm.
31:09
It's a psalm
31:10
that recognizes
31:11
the lordship,
31:12
the reign of Jesus
31:13
ultimately,
31:14
and he is the one
31:16
who is very much
31:17
in mind
31:18
as the royal
31:19
character
31:20
at the center
31:21
of the psalm.
31:22
Endow the king
31:23
with justice,
31:24
Lord,
31:24
the royal son
31:25
with righteousness,
31:27
your people,
31:28
your afflicted ones.
31:29
He'll judge
31:29
with truth
31:30
and uprightness.
31:32
The mountains
31:32
will bring peace
31:33
to them,
31:34
the hills
31:34
the fruit
31:35
of righteousness.
31:36
He will defend
31:37
and save the poor
31:38
and crush all those
31:40
who them oppress.
31:41
And then
31:42
the last two
31:42
verses of the
31:43
two stanzas
31:44
as well,
31:45
verse 17,
31:45
forever may his name
31:46
endure,
31:47
may it continue
31:48
as the sun,
31:49
all nations
31:50
will be blessed
31:51
in him
31:51
whom they will
31:53
call the blessed
31:54
one.
31:54
It's interesting
31:55
that this psalm
31:56
echoes the promise
31:57
given to Abraham,
31:58
we'll note it
31:58
in just a moment,
31:59
promise given
32:00
to Abraham
32:00
that in his seed,
32:02
the offspring
32:02
of Abraham,
32:03
all the nations
32:04
of the world
32:05
would be blessed
32:05
and it's through
32:06
Jesus ultimately,
32:07
this royal son
32:08
through whom
32:09
all the nations
32:10
will be blessed.
32:11
So we're going
32:11
to stand and sing
32:12
to God's praise
32:13
and do the king
32:14
with justice,
32:15
Lord.
32:15
Amen.
32:16
Amen.
32:43
Amen.
32:44
Amen.
32:45
Amen.
33:13
singing voy voy voy
33:34
voy
33:36
!
33:34
voy
33:36
as the sun.
33:41
All nations will be blessed in Him,
33:48
whom they will call the Blessed One.
33:58
Thanks to the Lord, to His blessed God,
34:07
His awesome deeds proclaim to man.
34:16
His name He prays eternally,
34:24
His glory fill the earth. Amen.
34:48
Please turn with me in your Bibles back to Matthew's Gospel.
34:54
We read there these opening words,
34:58
the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
35:01
the son of David, the son of Abraham.
35:06
Jesus Christ, the son of David.
35:11
Let's bow in prayer before we study the Word.
35:14
Heavenly Father,
35:15
as we turn our attention for a moment just now
35:18
to the Word of Truth,
35:20
we pray, Lord, that you would speak into our hearts today
35:23
encourage us with a knowledge of who our Savior is.
35:30
Help us to see Jesus clearly,
35:33
to see who He is and what He has done,
35:36
to recognize Him in His titles,
35:39
and to worship Him for what He has done
35:43
and how He has proved Himself worthy of worship
35:46
in the way He fulfills that office and title as well.
35:53
We ask that you bless us in this,
35:54
in Jesus' name.
35:56
Amen.
35:56
Amen.
35:56
Amen.
36:08
One of the most groundbreaking movies in my,
36:13
in fact, technically just over my lifetime,
36:15
was released in the UK the Christmas before I was born,
36:19
is the film Star Wars.
36:20
It was an absolutely marvelous piece of cinematic theater,
36:27
and I would encourage you,
36:28
if you get a chance to watch it,
36:30
you will enjoy yourself.
36:33
But George Lucas, the director of Star Wars,
36:35
does quite an impressive feat at the beginning of it.
36:38
He launches that movie right into the action
36:42
after what's called a cinematic crawl.
36:46
Some text appears on the screen that you have to read,
36:51
and the act of reading draws you in
36:53
because you're concentrating on the words
36:56
as they scroll past on the screen.
36:59
And you're drawn into the story
37:01
and immediately plugged into this amazing adventure
37:06
that is taking place in the movie as it unfolds.
37:11
And strangely, Matthew is doing exactly the same thing
37:17
with his introduction.
37:20
And you may be thinking,
37:21
well, hang on a minute, Gordon.
37:23
There are a list here of 42 names,
37:26
most of which you've probably got wrong
37:28
as you were reading them this morning.
37:30
How on earth is Matthew catapulting us
37:33
into the action of the gospel
37:35
with this fairly long
37:38
and fairly boring list of names.
37:43
But in fact, Matthew wants his readers
37:46
to understand the importance
37:49
of one of the titles he uses of Jesus.
37:53
And what he's doing is he's drawing attention
37:57
to this title, the Son of David,
38:01
in these verses.
38:04
David and this title, the Son of David,
38:08
is central to Matthew's understanding
38:12
of who Jesus is
38:14
and who it is
38:16
who on that first Palm Sunday,
38:19
all of these years ago,
38:21
went into Jerusalem riding a donkey
38:23
and around whom the crowds shouted,
38:28
Hosanna!
38:30
Blessed be the name of the Lord
38:32
for the salvation he brings.
38:35
He does it, first of all,
38:37
by telling us about the titles,
38:40
Son of David, Son of Abraham.
38:42
And both of these refer back
38:44
to promises that were given.
38:47
Abraham was promised a seed,
38:49
an offspring.
38:51
God had taken Abraham out
38:52
and said to him,
38:53
Abraham, look up at the stars
38:54
of the heavens.
38:55
See the sand on the seashore.
38:57
Such will your offspring be.
39:00
But then the promise kind of narrows
39:02
in a little bit as well
39:03
because Abraham's given more.
39:04
He's told,
39:06
in your seed,
39:07
all the nations of the world
39:09
will be blessed.
39:10
And so Matthew,
39:12
as he's writing his gospel
39:14
to the church,
39:15
which is not just a Jewish church,
39:16
but is a Gentile church
39:18
spread throughout the world,
39:19
across the whole of the Roman Empire
39:21
and in some places beyond
39:22
by this point.
39:23
Matthew is writing and saying,
39:25
the blessing of the nations
39:27
comes and flows through Jesus,
39:30
the son of Abraham.
39:31
He's the one who fulfills
39:32
the promise given to Abraham.
39:35
But then he also uses
39:36
this other title,
39:37
the son of David.
39:38
And again,
39:38
it's one of these covenant promises
39:40
that's given in the Old Testament
39:42
that David was given
39:45
a promise by God
39:46
that the Lord would establish
39:49
his throne forever.
39:53
So not that David would have
39:54
a constant line of descendants
39:57
after him into infinity,
40:00
but that eventually someone
40:02
would sit on the royal throne
40:05
of David forevermore.
40:09
That David's ultimate,
40:10
final son would reign forever.
40:15
And that covenant promise,
40:17
that commitment on God's part,
40:19
that's a covenant.
40:20
It's a commitment
40:21
that's made by a sovereign.
40:23
The Lord makes that covenant
40:25
with Abraham
40:26
and promises that Abraham
40:28
will have a descendant
40:29
who will reign forever
40:30
in his name.
40:30
This is Jesus.
40:34
And so when Matthew
40:37
gives us this long list
40:39
of names,
40:40
he's catapulting us
40:41
into that story.
40:43
He's saying this story
40:45
about Jesus
40:46
is, you know,
40:48
which so often we tend
40:49
to think is just this little bit
40:50
of the end of our Bibles,
40:51
is actually all about
40:52
the big bit
40:53
at the other end.
40:54
That the story of Jesus
40:55
doesn't just come into
40:57
a vacuum.
40:59
Jesus comes
41:00
as the fulfillment
41:01
of these promises.
41:06
And then Matthew
41:06
just kind of underlines
41:07
that for us a little bit.
41:09
And he does it
41:09
with 14 reasons why.
41:12
And the 14 reasons
41:13
are these little blocks
41:15
that he gives
41:15
of generations.
41:17
14 generations
41:18
from Abraham to David,
41:20
14 generations
41:21
from David to the exile,
41:23
and then 14 generations
41:24
from the exile
41:25
to the present,
41:27
to the days of Jesus
41:28
2,000 years ago.
41:30
And each time
41:31
he's reiterating
41:32
this structure,
41:34
14 generations,
41:35
14 generations.
41:36
They're not literal
41:37
because we know
41:38
some of the sequence
41:39
of the kings
41:39
are missed out.
41:40
There was actually
41:41
an extra three kings
41:42
in the descendancy.
41:43
So it's a rhetorical structure
41:44
he's using,
41:45
a literary structure.
41:46
It's not meant
41:47
to be a true reflection
41:49
of the exact number
41:50
of generations involved.
41:51
But nonetheless,
41:53
he uses this structure
41:55
to point us
41:57
at something important.
41:58
And the likelihood
41:59
is that it's pointing us
42:01
at the name of David himself.
42:03
Because if you were
42:04
a scholar of Hebrew numerology,
42:08
you would know
42:09
the number of David's name
42:10
is 14.
42:13
Hebrew text writes
42:15
only the consonants,
42:17
and the name of David
42:18
has four consonants in it.
42:20
D, V, D.
42:24
And so you work through it.
42:25
A D is the fourth letter
42:26
of the alphabet,
42:27
so that's number four.
42:27
V is the sixth letter
42:30
of the alphabet,
42:30
number six.
42:31
The other D,
42:33
a four again.
42:34
Four plus six plus four
42:35
gives you 14.
42:37
And if you were
42:38
a student of that,
42:40
then you would think
42:41
immediately,
42:42
oh, wow.
42:43
there's 14 generations
42:46
and there's 14 numbers
42:48
in David's name
42:50
and they must be connected.
42:52
And it's pointing
42:53
firmly and squarely
42:55
to David
42:57
as the significant person.
43:00
So Jesus,
43:04
when he comes onto the scene,
43:06
is fulfilling
43:07
and doing something
43:09
relating to David
43:11
in terms of who he was.
43:16
And there's really three things,
43:17
just to note very briefly.
43:18
There's fulfillment,
43:18
there's status,
43:19
and there's mission.
43:21
There's fulfillment
43:22
because a promise
43:24
has been fulfilled.
43:25
A covenant promise
43:26
made to David
43:27
has been fulfilled.
43:30
The covenant bond
43:31
between God
43:32
and his people
43:33
through their head,
43:37
through their representative,
43:39
is now
43:40
more firmly established.
43:43
The covenant
43:44
made with David
43:45
was a promise to David
43:46
that the people
43:48
would be well led,
43:50
that the people
43:51
would be secure,
43:51
that there would be
43:52
a champion
43:52
who would fight for them,
43:54
that there would be
43:54
a leader
43:55
who would direct them,
43:56
that there would be
43:57
blessings found
43:58
in the path
43:59
that the leader
43:59
would take them in.
44:00
And as long as the leader
44:01
walked in God's way
44:02
and kept his covenant
44:04
responsibilities
44:05
and obligations
44:06
as a king,
44:07
blessing would flow.
44:09
And obviously,
44:10
the descendants of David,
44:11
we know this,
44:12
were failures.
44:14
None of them lived up to it
44:15
until eventually
44:16
the kingdom itself
44:17
was removed.
44:18
And after the days
44:19
of Shealtiel,
44:19
things just disappeared
44:20
completely.
44:22
The kingdom
44:22
disappeared,
44:24
vanished,
44:24
visibly.
44:28
There's still records
44:29
of descendants
44:30
charting through them.
44:33
Jews took pride
44:34
in their heritage
44:34
in that way,
44:35
so they had a record.
44:37
And that's what Matthew
44:38
relies on
44:39
when he has the genealogy
44:40
of Jesus.
44:41
And Luke relies on
44:42
when he has the genealogy
44:43
of Mary.
44:44
But it's pointing back
44:46
to this truth
44:46
that the promise,
44:48
the line of promise
44:49
is unbroken.
44:50
even if the people
44:53
in there
44:54
hadn't kept
44:54
their side
44:55
of the bargain.
44:57
And so God
44:58
does something merciful.
44:59
He steps in
45:00
to establish
45:02
his covenant
45:03
more fully.
45:04
There's a fulfillment,
45:05
therefore,
45:06
of the covenant.
45:07
There's a status
45:08
that is confirmed
45:09
as well
45:10
because the status
45:11
doesn't come
45:12
from the palatial
45:14
setting
45:14
of what happens.
45:15
Matthew
45:16
tells us about that.
45:18
That's why he tells us
45:19
about the bit
45:20
after the exile.
45:21
Once the palace
45:22
is lost,
45:24
the palace
45:24
is gone.
45:26
So when Jesus
45:26
comes into the world,
45:27
he isn't born
45:28
in a palace.
45:29
You remember,
45:29
that's what the magi,
45:30
the wise men
45:31
from the east,
45:32
they thought
45:32
when the king
45:33
who has appeared
45:34
has come into the world,
45:36
he will be found
45:37
in the palace.
45:38
So they go to Jerusalem,
45:39
they go to Herod,
45:40
and they say to Herod,
45:41
where is the king
45:42
of the Jews?
45:43
Because we have seen
45:43
a star in the east.
45:46
And Herod's like,
45:47
what are you talking about?
45:50
Interestingly,
45:50
Herod thinks,
45:51
this king who has been born,
45:52
this son of David,
45:54
is a threat to me.
45:56
He must be eradicated.
45:59
But the wise men,
46:00
Herod asks the religious leaders
46:02
and says,
46:02
well,
46:02
where will the son of David
46:03
be born?
46:04
Where will the king come from?
46:05
And they say,
46:05
oh,
46:06
Bethlehem.
46:07
And so off the wise men
46:08
go to Bethlehem,
46:10
and they discover
46:11
in Bethlehem
46:12
the king of kings
46:15
and lord of lords.
46:15
They discover him
46:18
lying in a manger.
46:20
They present to him
46:21
their gifts,
46:23
their gold
46:23
and their frankincense
46:24
in their mirror.
46:27
This is the son of David.
46:31
A status is conferred,
46:33
not because of where
46:34
he is born,
46:35
but because of what he does.
46:38
Because this son of David,
46:40
he receives
46:41
the father's affirmation.
46:42
Remember,
46:45
just a couple of chapters on
46:46
in Matthew's gospel,
46:47
Matthew tells us
46:48
that Jesus went
46:48
and was baptized
46:49
by his cousin John.
46:52
And when he's coming up
46:53
out of the water,
46:54
the Holy Spirit
46:54
descends on him
46:55
like a dove,
46:57
and a voice is heard
46:58
from heaven saying,
46:59
this is my beloved son
47:00
with whom I am well pleased.
47:02
The father announces
47:04
the status of Jesus.
47:08
Right at the outset
47:09
of his public ministry.
47:09
And Satan sweeps in
47:12
almost immediately,
47:13
takes him away
47:13
into a desert place
47:15
and tempts him
47:15
and says,
47:16
you can have the glory,
47:17
you can have the power,
47:18
just bow the knee before me.
47:19
Just do things my way.
47:21
Forget the path
47:23
that the father
47:23
has given for you
47:24
and follow in my steps instead
47:27
and I will lead you
47:27
and I will take you
47:28
to a place
47:29
where all the outcomes
47:30
will be good.
47:30
And Jesus says,
47:31
no, get behind me,
47:32
Satan, and so on.
47:33
But the point is
47:34
in all of this,
47:35
the royal status
47:36
of this person
47:37
is established
47:38
by the father.
47:42
The father says,
47:43
this is my beloved son
47:46
with whom I am delighted
47:48
and well pleased.
47:52
And he is therefore
47:53
on a mission.
47:56
It's interesting in fact
47:57
because Jesus
47:57
at the end of Matthew's gospel,
47:59
he confirms this.
48:01
We call it
48:01
the great commission.
48:03
He's talking to the disciples
48:04
and he sees all authority.
48:06
In heaven and on earth,
48:09
everywhere,
48:10
it's all mine.
48:12
Therefore,
48:13
I am sending you out
48:14
to make disciples
48:16
of all nations
48:17
and all peoples.
48:20
And Jesus is claiming
48:22
that authority
48:23
because he is in fact
48:25
the son of David.
48:27
And so what Jesus says
48:28
at the end of the gospel
48:29
flows out of
48:30
what Matthew tells us
48:31
at the beginning.
48:33
That Jesus has
48:34
this fulfillment,
48:36
thrust upon him.
48:37
He has this status
48:38
afforded him.
48:39
He has this mission
48:41
to go out
48:41
and to gather in
48:43
the flock of God's people.
48:44
And that is today
48:45
what he commissions
48:46
the church to do.
48:47
So Matthew is telling us
48:48
right at the outset,
48:51
this is important.
48:55
This matters.
48:58
This title,
48:59
the son of David,
49:01
is what Jesus
49:01
is all about.
49:05
And then he goes
49:06
through his gospel
49:07
and gives us
49:09
lots and lots
49:10
of examples.
49:13
And the examples
49:14
are all of people
49:15
reacting to,
49:19
normally because of
49:20
his reputation,
49:21
reacting to Jesus
49:22
and realizing
49:24
he is the son of David.
49:26
And it's fascinating
49:28
when you go through
49:29
Matthew's gospel,
49:30
there's two categories
49:31
of people that Matthew
49:32
wants us to see
49:33
and I suspect that today
49:34
that remains the case.
49:36
There are two categories
49:37
of people in the world,
49:38
there's two categories
49:39
of people in this church.
49:41
There are those
49:42
who get it,
49:43
who see that Jesus
49:45
is the son of David
49:45
and what that means
49:46
and there's those
49:47
who don't.
49:50
And who reject
49:52
everything,
49:53
in fact,
49:53
that it means.
49:55
So first of all,
49:55
there's those
49:56
who get it.
49:57
One of the things
49:58
you can track
49:59
through Matthew's gospel
49:59
is those who get it.
50:00
There is particularly
50:02
the blind.
50:04
So Matthew,
50:05
on three occasions,
50:06
tells us about
50:07
the blind who come
50:08
to Jesus
50:09
and call him
50:10
the son of David.
50:11
Matthew 9,
50:11
you've got two men,
50:13
blind men,
50:14
shortly after Matthew
50:15
himself is called
50:16
by Jesus,
50:18
who come to Jesus
50:19
and say,
50:20
son of David,
50:21
have mercy on us.
50:22
And then a little bit
50:23
later in the gospel
50:23
in Matthew 20
50:24
is Jesus is passing
50:25
through Jericho.
50:27
In some of the other
50:28
gospels,
50:28
there's the story
50:29
of Bartimaeus
50:29
who uses the same
50:30
language.
50:31
There's also another
50:31
two blind men.
50:32
It's interesting,
50:33
the other side of Jericho.
50:35
So it's as if
50:36
Jericho is bracketed
50:37
by blind men
50:37
who say,
50:38
Jesus,
50:39
son of David,
50:40
have mercy on me.
50:41
But there in Matthew's
50:42
gospel,
50:42
in Matthew 20,
50:43
you can read about it,
50:44
two blind men in Jericho
50:45
who cry out,
50:46
Jesus,
50:47
son of David,
50:48
have mercy on me.
50:50
And then in Matthew 21,
50:51
when Jesus has gone
50:52
into Jerusalem
50:53
after the triumphal entry,
50:54
he goes to the temple
50:55
and there's blind
50:57
and lame people
50:58
there in the temple
50:59
who come to Jesus
51:00
and ask for mercy.
51:03
And they use
51:04
the same formula,
51:07
son of David,
51:08
have mercy on me.
51:12
Among those
51:13
who get it,
51:13
there are simply
51:15
the blind.
51:17
And they recognize
51:18
that the son of David
51:20
is an instrument
51:22
of God's mercy.
51:26
You know,
51:27
today,
51:27
that's what God's
51:28
doing with us.
51:29
He's come to us
51:30
with Jesus
51:31
as an instrument
51:32
of his mercy.
51:36
And it's a fulfillment
51:37
of the promises
51:38
of the scriptures,
51:39
particularly of Isaiah,
51:43
where Isaiah says,
51:44
the servant of the Lord
51:45
will come
51:45
and one of the things
51:46
he will do
51:47
is he will bring sight
51:48
to the blind.
51:51
And it's interesting
51:51
that the cry for mercy,
51:53
it's a word in Greek
51:54
that means
51:55
give me relief.
51:58
Release me
51:59
from this miserable experience
52:01
that I have been afflicted with.
52:04
And Jesus brings
52:05
that relief,
52:06
he brings that
52:07
freedom
52:09
into the experience
52:12
of these blind people.
52:14
Same in Matthew 12.
52:17
And Jesus,
52:17
on this occasion,
52:18
casts a demon
52:19
out of someone.
52:20
And the crowds
52:20
are astonished.
52:22
And they ask themselves,
52:23
they ask the question,
52:24
could this be
52:25
the son of David?
52:27
Because once again,
52:28
what you see there
52:29
is the people recognize
52:30
the son of David
52:32
is the one
52:32
who brings
52:33
this messianic hope,
52:35
the hope of the Messiah
52:36
breaking into this world
52:38
as the one
52:39
who has the authority
52:40
to drive out Satan
52:41
and bring to an end
52:42
all of his destructive works.
52:46
He just brings
52:46
deliverance
52:47
to people.
52:49
The promised
52:49
son
52:50
of David.
52:54
There's another category
52:55
of children
52:56
running around
52:58
at the temple
52:59
when Jesus arrives there.
53:01
The children run about
53:02
saying,
53:03
this is the son of David.
53:04
And they're singing,
53:04
Hosanna to the son of David.
53:06
And the scribes
53:06
and the Pharisees
53:07
hate this.
53:08
And they want to rebuke
53:09
these kids.
53:09
They want to say,
53:10
no,
53:10
don't let children
53:11
speak this way
53:13
about you.
53:14
And Jesus
53:14
quotes the words
53:15
of Psalm 8
53:16
and says,
53:17
out of the mouths
53:17
of infants
53:18
will come praise
53:19
to God.
53:21
I say that today
53:21
to young people here.
53:22
Don't ever
53:23
think
53:24
you're discounted
53:26
from following Jesus.
53:29
That you're disallowed
53:30
or that there's a barrier
53:31
or there's something
53:32
that says
53:32
you're not entitled
53:33
to join in
53:34
in the praise.
53:36
It's not.
53:37
It's for you as well.
53:39
Salvation is for us.
53:42
That God has brought us
53:43
redemption
53:44
in the person of Jesus.
53:47
And for all of us,
53:48
therefore,
53:48
to love and respond to him
53:50
and worship him.
53:51
There's another interesting
53:52
category as well
53:53
in Matthew,
53:54
in Matthew chapter 15.
53:59
There's a Canaanite woman
54:00
comes to Jesus.
54:02
And she's very interesting
54:05
because she's a pagan.
54:08
It doesn't mean
54:09
that she's ethnically Canaanite.
54:10
It means that she's
54:11
religiously Canaanite.
54:13
She still worships
54:14
the Canaanite gods
54:15
from the Old Testament
54:16
who are still worshipped
54:17
at this point
54:18
in places like Tyre and Sidon.
54:21
And Jesus goes up
54:22
towards Tyre and Sidon
54:23
in Matthew 15.
54:24
And there he meets
54:25
a Canaanite woman
54:25
who says,
54:27
Son of David,
54:28
have mercy on me
54:29
and on my daughter
54:30
because she's grievously ill.
54:33
And the impression you get
54:35
is she's tried
54:36
the Canaanite gods.
54:38
She's tried going
54:39
to the Canaanite god
54:41
of,
54:43
do I find the name
54:44
in my notes here?
54:46
The Canaanite god
54:48
of
54:48
of Eshnum.
54:57
It's a huge temple
54:59
of Eshnum in Tyre.
55:01
Just three miles away
55:02
from where that incident
55:03
took place.
55:05
And she's gone
55:06
hoping that the Canaanite gods
55:07
would bring deliverance
55:08
to her grievously ill daughter
55:09
and found them
55:10
to be empty,
55:12
false,
55:12
worthless,
55:13
powerless
55:14
to help.
55:16
But she's heard
55:17
about Jesus.
55:19
And she says,
55:20
Jesus,
55:21
Son of David,
55:23
have mercy on me.
55:25
And so once again,
55:27
there's that sense
55:28
that someone
55:28
who has found
55:29
everything else
55:30
to be empty
55:31
and worthless
55:32
and in her desperation
55:34
turns to Jesus,
55:36
discovers that
55:37
the Son of David
55:38
is the one
55:38
who can help,
55:40
who can bring
55:42
deliverance.
55:44
And today,
55:45
I'm sure
55:46
there are people
55:48
here like that.
55:50
There's people
55:51
who've turned
55:51
to Jesus
55:52
in their desperation
55:53
and have said,
55:55
have mercy on me.
55:58
I'm sure
55:59
you've worked
56:01
with people
56:01
like that.
56:03
You've ministered
56:04
in people's lives
56:05
like that.
56:06
I'm sure
56:07
you've experienced
56:08
it yourself.
56:11
People have discovered
56:12
that Jesus
56:13
is trustworthy.
56:20
There's another group
56:21
though,
56:21
and that's the ones
56:21
who don't get it.
56:23
And there's an interesting
56:24
couple of categories here.
56:25
On the one hand,
56:27
there's the scribes
56:28
and the Pharisees.
56:30
Throughout Matthew's gospel,
56:31
the scribes
56:32
and the Pharisees
56:32
repeatedly say,
56:34
shut up.
56:36
When someone says
56:36
Jesus is the Son of David,
56:38
they know full well
56:39
what that claim means.
56:41
And their response is,
56:42
nah.
56:45
We're not having it.
56:47
Rebuke the children.
56:49
Tell the woman
56:50
to be quiet.
56:50
Who on earth
56:52
do these blind people
56:53
think they are
56:54
saying that Jesus
56:55
is the Son of David?
56:57
The Pharisees
56:58
see Jesus
56:59
as a royal threat
57:03
to their power.
57:06
I think that's
57:07
the bottom line
57:07
with them.
57:09
Jesus had said
57:10
that they were
57:10
enslaving the people,
57:12
that they were
57:12
misleading them
57:13
and misdirecting them.
57:15
so they see
57:17
Jesus as a threat.
57:20
And maybe today
57:21
there's people
57:21
like that here.
57:23
Maybe today,
57:24
quite simply,
57:25
you're quite happy
57:26
being in control.
57:29
Maybe today
57:30
you're quite happy
57:31
saying to yourself,
57:33
I know how my life
57:34
is mapped
57:34
and charted out.
57:35
I know what's up
57:36
in front of me.
57:37
If I was to recognize
57:38
Jesus as my Lord,
57:39
then that might
57:40
make changes.
57:41
It might mean
57:44
I have to stop
57:45
some things.
57:45
I have to part
57:46
with some things.
57:48
It might mean
57:49
that my life
57:49
is no longer my own,
57:50
that I no longer
57:51
have authority
57:52
and control.
57:52
And I don't want
57:54
to figuratively
57:55
bow the knee
57:55
to someone.
57:56
I don't want to
57:56
listen to somebody
57:57
else's instructions
57:58
and call on my life.
58:04
Maybe even as a Christian
58:05
you're a bit like that.
58:08
You don't want to
58:09
recognize the authority
58:10
of the Son
58:11
of David
58:12
and his call
58:13
on your life.
58:18
Maybe because
58:19
it's a call
58:19
that's expensive.
58:21
It's costly.
58:24
It means giving up
58:25
something that you find
58:26
very comfortable.
58:29
So he calls us
58:30
into ministry.
58:33
Or he calls us
58:35
into service.
58:37
Or he calls us
58:39
into giving.
58:41
the Son of David
58:45
is not someone
58:46
to be trifled with
58:47
because his call
58:48
is costly.
58:48
but he's worthy
58:52
because of who he is.
58:55
The other group of people
58:56
and this is quite
58:57
where we hit
58:58
Palm Sunday
58:59
just briefly
59:00
just at the end.
59:02
The other group of people
59:03
are the crowds
59:03
on Palm Sunday.
59:07
So as Jesus
59:08
comes into Jerusalem
59:09
and as the crowds
59:10
throng around
59:12
and as
59:12
they see
59:14
something
59:14
of the significance
59:15
of here
59:16
is a man
59:16
entering Jerusalem
59:18
riding a donkey
59:19
and they remember
59:21
the prophecy
59:22
of Zechariah
59:22
and they say
59:24
hang on
59:24
Zechariah says
59:26
that the king
59:26
will come
59:27
humble
59:28
riding on a donkey
59:29
and here's Jesus
59:30
entering the city
59:30
riding a donkey
59:31
and so they make
59:32
this connection
59:33
they say
59:33
this must be
59:34
the son of David
59:35
this must be
59:36
the promised Messiah
59:37
the one who's going
59:38
to come
59:38
and do what?
59:40
well he's going
59:42
to come
59:42
and he's going
59:43
to restore
59:43
the throne
59:44
the Jews
59:45
had this massive
59:47
expectation
59:47
that God's purposes
59:48
for them
59:49
were to re-establish
59:50
them as an
59:51
independent nation
59:52
of their own
59:52
so he's the one
59:54
who's going to win
59:55
the referendum
59:56
for us
59:56
and by referendum
59:58
they mean
59:58
armed military revolt
59:59
he's the one
1:00:02
who's going to
1:00:02
get independence
1:00:03
for us
1:00:03
he's the one
1:00:04
who's going to
1:00:04
boot out the Romans
1:00:05
he's the one
1:00:06
who's going to
1:00:07
re-establish
1:00:07
the sanctity
1:00:08
of the temple
1:00:09
he's the one
1:00:10
who's going to
1:00:11
remove the
1:00:11
gentile influence
1:00:13
from our nation
1:00:15
he's going to
1:00:16
make it all well
1:00:17
that's what the
1:00:19
son of David
1:00:19
is going to achieve
1:00:20
and so when
1:00:21
they're singing
1:00:22
Hosanna
1:00:22
to the son of David
1:00:24
as Jesus
1:00:25
enters Jerusalem
1:00:26
you can be pretty
1:00:27
sure they don't
1:00:28
mean David
1:00:29
have mercy on me
1:00:30
they don't mean
1:00:32
we are blind
1:00:33
and we need to see
1:00:34
they don't mean
1:00:35
we are oppressed
1:00:35
by demons
1:00:36
and we need your
1:00:37
authority to cast
1:00:38
them out
1:00:38
they don't mean
1:00:40
have mercy on me
1:00:41
for my daughter's
1:00:42
sake
1:00:42
because she is
1:00:44
ill and I
1:00:45
cannot find a
1:00:46
cure
1:00:46
they mean
1:00:48
boot out the
1:00:49
Romans
1:00:50
I want to say
1:00:52
this particularly
1:00:53
to young guys
1:00:54
today
1:00:54
there's a younger
1:00:56
generation
1:00:57
that are discovering
1:00:59
this in you
1:00:59
the folk who
1:01:02
listen to
1:01:03
Jordan Peterson
1:01:04
they find that
1:01:08
Jordan Peterson
1:01:09
and his
1:01:10
like
1:01:10
will say
1:01:11
very appealing
1:01:12
things about
1:01:13
Christianity
1:01:15
about even
1:01:17
Jesus
1:01:18
that Jesus
1:01:19
has a good
1:01:20
influence to play
1:01:21
in shaping
1:01:22
people's moral
1:01:23
outlook and
1:01:24
perspective on the
1:01:25
world
1:01:25
it's incredible
1:01:26
even Richard Dawkins
1:01:28
one of the
1:01:29
architects of
1:01:30
new atheism
1:01:30
has conceded
1:01:32
that actually
1:01:33
the west
1:01:33
needs
1:01:34
Christianity
1:01:35
to survive
1:01:36
because our
1:01:37
entire civilization
1:01:38
is built on
1:01:39
Christian principles
1:01:40
and that's like
1:01:43
the crowds
1:01:44
who want
1:01:45
Jesus for
1:01:46
what he offers
1:01:47
them by way
1:01:48
of political
1:01:49
direction and
1:01:50
influence
1:01:51
I want a
1:01:53
Jesus who
1:01:53
makes sense
1:01:54
to me
1:01:54
on my
1:01:55
terms
1:01:55
I want
1:01:57
a Jesus
1:01:57
who's going
1:01:58
to come
1:01:58
in
1:01:59
and be
1:02:01
rational
1:02:01
and sensible
1:02:02
and help
1:02:03
us to
1:02:03
establish
1:02:04
some sort
1:02:05
of order
1:02:06
and perspective
1:02:07
on the
1:02:07
world
1:02:07
that makes
1:02:08
sense
1:02:08
and everything
1:02:09
is going
1:02:09
to be
1:02:09
okay
1:02:09
and there's
1:02:11
nothing
1:02:11
inherently
1:02:12
wrong with
1:02:14
that
1:02:14
so long
1:02:16
as you
1:02:16
don't miss
1:02:17
the salvation
1:02:18
if you
1:02:21
isolate
1:02:21
Jesus
1:02:21
from his
1:02:22
salvation
1:02:24
and the
1:02:24
hope of the
1:02:25
gospel
1:02:25
if you
1:02:26
cut Jesus
1:02:27
off from
1:02:28
the teaching
1:02:29
of repentance
1:02:30
that he
1:02:31
is the
1:02:31
one who
1:02:32
comes as
1:02:32
the sin
1:02:32
offering
1:02:33
to take
1:02:34
away that
1:02:35
sin
1:02:35
that's at
1:02:35
the heart
1:02:36
of the
1:02:36
covenant
1:02:36
with David
1:02:37
it's at
1:02:37
the heart
1:02:38
of the
1:02:38
covenant
1:02:38
with Abraham
1:02:39
the blessing
1:02:40
for the
1:02:40
nations
1:02:40
isn't that
1:02:41
Jesus has
1:02:41
a political
1:02:42
way of
1:02:42
living
1:02:43
a sensible
1:02:43
!
1:02:43
pattern
1:02:44
for life
1:02:45
that makes
1:02:45
sense for
1:02:46
people
1:02:46
it's that
1:02:47
he brings
1:02:47
salvation
1:02:48
from our
1:02:48
sin
1:02:49
it's that
1:02:51
he sets
1:02:51
us right
1:02:52
with God
1:02:52
that he is
1:02:53
God's king
1:02:54
on the
1:02:55
throne of
1:02:55
David
1:02:55
ruling over
1:02:56
God's
1:02:57
people
1:02:57
and leading
1:02:58
us forever
1:02:58
into the
1:02:59
glorious future
1:03:00
that belongs
1:03:01
to the
1:03:02
children of
1:03:02
God in the
1:03:03
new heavens
1:03:03
and the
1:03:03
new earth
1:03:04
if that's
1:03:05
not your
1:03:05
Jesus
1:03:06
you've got
1:03:08
him wrong
1:03:08
if that's
1:03:10
not your
1:03:11
Jesus
1:03:11
you've
1:03:11
forgotten
1:03:12
what's
1:03:13
most
1:03:14
important
1:03:14
and so
1:03:17
today
1:03:18
as we
1:03:19
gather
1:03:21
on
1:03:21
Palm
1:03:22
Sunday
1:03:22
as we
1:03:23
look forward
1:03:24
to
1:03:24
Easter
1:03:26
ultimately
1:03:27
the
1:03:27
resurrection
1:03:28
and we
1:03:28
celebrate
1:03:29
that next
1:03:30
Sunday
1:03:30
there'll be a
1:03:31
family service
1:03:31
you're very
1:03:32
welcome to
1:03:32
come along
1:03:32
and bring
1:03:33
your friends
1:03:33
but also
1:03:35
as we
1:03:36
think about
1:03:36
Good Friday
1:03:37
in between
1:03:37
as we
1:03:39
think about
1:03:39
the cross
1:03:40
the Golgotha
1:03:42
road
1:03:42
that Jesus
1:03:43
treads
1:03:44
because that's
1:03:44
what he does
1:03:45
as a son of
1:03:45
David
1:03:46
he comes in
1:03:47
and he goes
1:03:47
the path
1:03:48
when he arrives
1:03:48
in Jerusalem
1:03:49
on Palm
1:03:50
Sunday
1:03:50
he goes up
1:03:51
to the
1:03:51
temple
1:03:51
he's a
1:03:52
pilgrim
1:03:53
he goes
1:03:54
there
1:03:54
and he
1:03:55
leaves
1:03:55
because the
1:03:55
temple's
1:03:56
finished
1:03:56
it's about
1:03:57
to be torn
1:03:58
down and
1:03:58
replaced
1:03:58
with something
1:03:59
altogether better
1:04:00
his own
1:04:00
body and
1:04:01
blood
1:04:02
shed at the
1:04:02
cross
1:04:03
the cross
1:04:05
is what
1:04:06
we need
1:04:06
if we
1:04:08
want to
1:04:09
understand
1:04:09
and grasp
1:04:10
just who
1:04:12
the son
1:04:12
of David
1:04:13
is
1:04:13
and so
1:04:15
today
1:04:16
will you
1:04:16
join me
1:04:17
in coming
1:04:19
to the
1:04:19
son of
1:04:20
David
1:04:20
and saying
1:04:22
to him
1:04:22
Hosanna
1:04:23
to the
1:04:24
son of
1:04:25
David
1:04:25
save us
1:04:28
son of
1:04:29
David
1:04:29
because you
1:04:31
alone
1:04:31
can wash
1:04:33
away my
1:04:34
sin
1:04:34
you alone
1:04:35
can take
1:04:36
away my
1:04:37
guilt
1:04:37
you alone
1:04:39
can bring
1:04:40
the mercy
1:04:41
of God
1:04:42
to me
1:04:43
let's pray
1:04:45
lord this
1:04:52
day
1:04:52
may Christ
1:04:54
come in
1:04:55
may Christ
1:04:57
come in
1:04:58
to the
1:04:58
lives of
1:04:59
people here
1:05:00
who do
1:05:00
not know
1:05:00
you
1:05:01
may Christ
1:05:04
come in
1:05:04
to our
1:05:04
lives
1:05:05
and show
1:05:05
us
1:05:06
mercy
1:05:06
abounding
1:05:08
to sinners
1:05:09
and show
1:05:12
us what he
1:05:12
achieved at
1:05:13
the cross
1:05:13
of Golgotha
1:05:14
that there
1:05:16
he died
1:05:16
in the place
1:05:17
of sinners
1:05:17
like us
1:05:18
and that he
1:05:20
has risen
1:05:21
now to
1:05:22
everlasting
1:05:22
life
1:05:23
Hosanna
1:05:25
to the
1:05:26
son
1:05:26
of David
1:05:28
amen
1:05:29
we're going
1:05:33
to conclude
1:05:34
our worship
1:05:35
today
1:05:35
singing in
1:05:36
psalm
1:05:37
134
1:05:38
again the
1:05:45
sing psalms
1:05:45
version page
1:05:46
175
1:05:46
this is the
1:05:54
last of the
1:05:55
songs of
1:05:55
ascent
1:05:55
it's the
1:05:56
last of the
1:05:56
songs that
1:05:57
pilgrims would
1:05:58
sing as they
1:05:58
went up to
1:05:59
Jerusalem
1:05:59
and the
1:06:00
picture behind
1:06:00
this psalm
1:06:01
is of
1:06:02
these pilgrims
1:06:03
arriving at
1:06:04
the temple
1:06:04
and they're
1:06:06
asking for
1:06:06
God's blessing
1:06:07
they're basically
1:06:09
saying Hosanna
1:06:09
save us
1:06:12
be merciful to
1:06:14
us
1:06:14
may the
1:06:14
blessing of
1:06:15
God
1:06:15
come to
1:06:16
us
1:06:17
and that's
1:06:18
what we
1:06:18
look for
1:06:18
if we
1:06:19
recognize
1:06:19
Jesus as
1:06:20
the son
1:06:20
of David
1:06:20
we want
1:06:22
him to
1:06:22
bless us
1:06:23
the one
1:06:24
who made
1:06:24
the heavens
1:06:25
and the
1:06:25
earth
1:06:25
to bless
1:06:26
us
1:06:27
from his
1:06:27
throne
1:06:27
so let's
1:06:29
sing the
1:06:29
whole of
1:06:29
the psalm
1:06:30
to God's
1:06:30
praise
1:06:30
praise the
1:06:31
Lord all
1:06:32
you his
1:06:32
servants
1:06:33
as you
1:06:33
serve
1:06:34
with one
1:06:34
accord
1:06:34
praise the
1:06:35
Lord
1:06:35
and your
1:06:36
night
1:06:36
watches
1:06:36
in the
1:06:37
temple
1:06:37
of the
1:06:38
Lord
1:06:38
raise
1:06:38
your
1:06:38
hands
1:06:38
within
1:06:39
his
1:06:39
temple
1:06:39
to the
1:06:39
Lord
1:06:40
your
1:06:40
God
1:06:40
give
1:06:40
praise
1:06:41
he who
1:06:42
made
1:06:42
the
1:06:42
earth
1:06:42
and
1:06:42
heavens
1:06:43
bless
1:06:43
you
1:06:44
from
1:06:44
his
1:06:45
holy
1:06:45
place
1:06:46
let's
1:06:46
stand
1:06:46
to sing
1:06:47
praise
1:06:51
the
1:06:51
Lord
1:06:52
all
1:06:53
you
1:06:53
his
1:06:54
servants
1:06:56
as you
1:06:57
serve
1:06:58
with
1:06:59
one
1:07:00
accord
1:07:01
praise
1:07:03
the
1:07:04
Lord
1:07:04
in
1:07:05
your
1:07:06
night
1:07:07
watches
1:07:08
in
1:07:09
the
1:07:10
temple
1:07:11
of
1:07:12
the
1:07:13
Lord
1:07:14
praise
1:07:15
praise
1:07:16
Lord
1:07:17
and
1:07:18
the
1:07:19
praise
1:07:20
you
1:07:21
from
1:07:22
his
1:07:24
praise
1:07:26
he
1:07:27
who
1:07:28
made
1:07:29
the
1:07:30
earth
1:07:31
and
1:07:32
heavens
1:07:33
bless
1:07:34
you
1:07:35
from
1:07:35
his
1:07:37
holy
1:07:38
place
1:07:39
now
1:07:43
the
1:07:43
grace
1:07:43
of
1:07:43
the
1:07:44
Lord
1:07:44
Jesus
1:07:44
Christ
1:07:44
the
1:07:45
love
1:07:45
of
1:07:45
God
1:07:45
the
1:07:45
Father
1:07:46
and
1:07:46
the
1:07:46
fellowship
1:07:47
of
1:07:47
God
1:07:47
the
1:07:47
Holy
1:07:47
Spirit
1:07:48
be
1:07:48
with
1:07:48
each
1:07:48
one
1:07:48
of
1:07:49
us
1:07:49
now
1:07:49
and
1:07:49
always
1:07:49
Amen
1:08:13
voy
1:08:14
!
1:08:17
Thank you.