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Resurrection is Certain · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We'll commence our time of worship to God by singing in praise to his name from Psalm 111.
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That's in the Scottish Psalter, Psalm 111.
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And that's from the beginning of the psalm.
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It's on page 391.
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Praise ye the Lord with my whole heart.
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I will God's praise declare where the assemblies of the just and congregations are.
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The whole works of the Lord our God are great above all measure.
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Sought out they are of everyone that doth therein take pleasure.
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His work most honourable is, most glorious and pure, and whose untainted righteousness forever doth endure.
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His works most wonderful he hath made to be thought upon.
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The Lord is gracious and he is full of compassion.
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This psalm's a reminder of all that God has done for us and will continue to do for us.
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So let us stand and sing praises to his name.
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Praise ye the Lord with my whole heart.
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Praise ye the Lord with my whole heart.
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I will watch this in there.
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Where the assemblies of the just and congregations are.
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Where the assemblies of the just and congregations are.
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The full works of the Lord our God are great above all measure.
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So glad they are of everyone.
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So glad they are of everyone.
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The full works of the Lord our God is, most glorious and pure, and his and his and his and his.
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Decented righteousness and righteousness and righteousness.
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His works of the Lord our God is, most glorious and pure, and his and his and his.
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Decented righteousness and righteousness and his and his.
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Decented righteousness and his.
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Decented righteousness and his.
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Decented righteousness and his.
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Decented righteousness and his.
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Decented righteousness and his.
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And this untainted righteousness
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Of heaven now endure.
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If what's most wonderful we have
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May truly thought upon,
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The Lord is gracious and he is,
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The Lord is gracious and he is,
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Full of compassion.
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May we join our hearts together in prayer.
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Let us pray to your Lord.
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Our heavenly Father,
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We come to you again this day,
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Thanking you for all that you have given us.
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Thanking you for the privilege of being able to gather,
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Freely and without threat,
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From no man nor any one that would seek to destroy
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The proclamation of your name.
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Lord, we thank you especially for what this day is to us,
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As a reminder of what your son did to show us,
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What you have done to show us.
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Your power, your authority, your creation,
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What you will do for the believer who believes in his son.
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Lord, we know that these things provoke wonder in our hearts.
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The Lord Jesus Christ, who was buried and who rose again.
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Lord, we pray that we would give our thoughts to this today,
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And wonder of what he is,
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And who he was.
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Lord, we thank you that that promise is for the believer in Jesus Christ.
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Those who believe in his name shall not perish,
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But have everlasting life.
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And what a comfort that is to us.
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What a comfort it is to those who pass from this life.
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And we know many of whom have gone to glory.
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And we pray your comforting hand over those who are mourning this day.
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Lord, we pray that they would know your presence amongst them.
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Ask that strength to them.
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In a time when they feel unable to take a step forward.
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Lord, we pray that you would be with them in that time.
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Lord, we pray for the family of the late Duncan McLean.
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We pray for the families of the late Belle McLeod.
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Lord, and any others who mourn.
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We commit them to you.
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Those who we do not know of.
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Those who are still feeling the pains of their losses.
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And their lives that have changed so dramatically.
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Lord, be that comfort this day.
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To whom else can we commit them to?
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But you who are so loving.
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As a loving father gives to his children.
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You know the greatest administration of that love to your people.
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So Lord, we pray that you would be with each of us.
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You know the plights of our hearts and our lives.
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You know the difficulties that we go through in our experiences.
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You know what keeps us awake in the watches of the night.
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Lord, would we commit ourselves to you.
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Would we seek guidance from your hand.
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Would we seek comfort in your word.
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One that teaches us that you will show us the way.
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You are one that can level the ground before us.
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You are the one who has strength to overcome all the impossibilities that this world sets before us.
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Lord, we thank you for your son, Jesus Christ.
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Lord, we pray that he came to redeem his people.
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That he came with that love.
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And showing us that love of the father to the son.
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And the son to his people.
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Lord, work amongst us.
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Lord, we pray.
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May your spirit that has been left with us.
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Be known in this building.
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We can do nothing of ourselves.
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The words would be dead to us.
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If it were not for your spirit.
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That enlivens it and makes it alive.
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And gives us an ear to hear.
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And eyes to see.
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What Jesus Christ has done for us.
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And it is an eye and ear that helps us to see ourselves.
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In a more clearer light.
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In your light.
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We see the depths of the sin that lies within us.
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But your light illuminates a way far greater.
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That cleanses us from these sins.
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And that you have promised to do so for those who believe in your name.
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Our robes are so stained with our sins.
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But you shall take them from us.
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And put them on yourself.
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But give us a robe that is clean.
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And pure and undefiled.
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Lord, we just ask that you would bless the preaching of your word today.
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Wherever it goes forth.
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We pray for our congregation around Easter islands.
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And across our nations.
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That the spirit may be known.
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And the power of your word.
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May be known by the people who hear it.
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That you may bless it.
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To all who hear.
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Pray for our nation, Lord.
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We pray.
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That we have largely forgotten you as a nation.
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And we.
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There are many.
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Thoughts.
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People pushing new opinions of how they want the nation to be.
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Lord, we need to go back.
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And look at your word.
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And find guidance from.
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Lord, you are the one.
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You can show us the right path.
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You are the one who has commanded us the way in which we should live.
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You have given us the rules of life.
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And they are the rules and laws.
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That are in accordance with your ways.
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For you are the one that will come as judge over us.
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Lord, how will you judge our nation?
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Lord, are you judging our nation?
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Lord, we know that.
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Lord, we know that.
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The world can change in so short a time.
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Maybe you are trying to tell us something.
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How fragile life is.
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How we are not in control.
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How we cannot control.
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No matter what we do.
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We pray.
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Lord.
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That you would open the eyes of the nations.
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To the power.
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Of Jesus Christ.
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We pray for our leaders.
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We pray.
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For them.
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That they may know.
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This gospel message for themselves.
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And receive it with joy and gladness to their hearts.
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Lord, we are quick to criticize them.
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But let us pray for them first.
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Let us pray for them.
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That your word may come to them.
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As that light and guide.
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That will administer to them wisdom.
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And will be a wisdom to them.
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A rod and staff.
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That will show them the way.
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And be a guide for them.
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And a guide for the nations.
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That they lead.
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We pray.
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Our leaders.
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Seek.
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The God.
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Of creation.
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The God.
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Of salvation.
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And the God.
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That is.
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A God of great provision.
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For those who believe in him.
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So be with us in this time of worship.
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We ask.
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For your spirit.
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To be with us.
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Blessing every word that is spoken.
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And the power of your word being read.
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Administer it to our souls.
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With your love.
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All this we ask in the name of our saviour.
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The Lord Jesus Christ.
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Amen.
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I'd like to say a word to the younger ones that are here.
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It is Easter Sunday.
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As I'm sure most of you know.
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And I hope you all got an Easter egg.
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So I brought with me a stone.
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A pebble.
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And you might ask.
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Why on earth did you bring a pebble with you on Easter Sunday?
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Surely an egg would have been better to bring.
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But.
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This pebble is a reminder to us.
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As well.
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Of the tomb.
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This is a pebble that I can.
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Throw up.
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It's nice and light.
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I can.
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Pick it up no problem.
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I can put it down where I want.
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I can move it with ease.
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And it is not too heavy.
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For me.
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And if I wanted to.
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I could throw it.
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All the way.
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To the back.
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Of the building.
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But if this pebble was bigger.
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Or got bigger.
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And bigger.
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I would find it more difficult.
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To throw it.
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To move it.
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And.
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It would come.
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To the size.
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That.
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And the point.
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Where I couldn't move it.
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And the stone would be stronger.
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Than.
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Me.
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Now.
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When Jesus had been buried.
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There was a stone.
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Put over his tomb.
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And Mary and her friends.
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As they came.
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With the spices.
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To administer.
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To Jesus's body.
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They asked.
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Who will roll away.
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The stone for us.
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It was too big.
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For them.
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It was too heavy.
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For them to move.
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It was impossible.
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For them to move.
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Because of its weight.
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Let alone.
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Because it was sealed.
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And let alone.
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Because it was guarded.
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And the stone.
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That would have been there.
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Is most likely.
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They say.
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It would have been.
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Something like a four foot.
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Kind of.
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Round stone.
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Maybe a wee bit bigger.
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Maybe a wee bit smaller.
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But the stone.
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That would have been put there.
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If it was round.
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Signified that.
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The tomb.
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Would have been.
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For someone.
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Who was.
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The elite.
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Pretty much.
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Of the nation.
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The top men.
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Of the nation.
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The kings.
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Of the nation.
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The rulers.
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Of the nation.
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Only the rich.
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Got a round.
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Stone.
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On their tomb.
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So when they saw.
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The tomb.
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Where the person.
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Was buried.
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They knew straight away.
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Oh this must have been.
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A king.
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This must have been.
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A ruler.
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This was someone.
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Who was.
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Important.
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But it was a stone.
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That was too heavy.
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For these.
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Ladies.
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To move.
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And there was a quote.
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I read.
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Which gave me.
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That inspired me.
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To do this.
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The stone.
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At the tomb.
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Was a pebble.
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To the rock.
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Of ages.
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The stone.
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At the tomb.
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Was a pebble.
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To the rock.
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Of ages.
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The stone.
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That the.
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Marys.
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Couldn't move.
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Was like this.
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Pebble.
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To the God.
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Of creation.
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He could have just.
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Got rid of it.
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And he did.
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With ease.
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God pushed it out of the way.
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Just like a pebble.
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The tomb.
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Could not hold.
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Jesus.
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In.
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Jesus.
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Showed us.
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And God.
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That they were stronger.
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Than death.
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It was revealed.
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To us.
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Many things.
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In our life.
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Are hard.
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Are hard.
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For us.
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Many things.
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In our life.
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Are even impossible.
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For us.
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Like the ladies.
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That came to move.
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A stone.
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They couldn't do it.
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But Jesus.
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Shows us.
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That he is.
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Strong.
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And stronger.
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Than the hardest.
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Thing.
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That we know of.
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In our life.
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And that is death.
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Jesus.
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Is stronger.
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Than death.
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Itself.
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So if you ever find.
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A pebble.
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On the beach.
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A round one.
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Remember.
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The king.
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That was buried.
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King.
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Jesus.
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Remember.
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How strong.
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God is.
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In overcoming.
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Death.
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For us.
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Remember.
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The tomb.
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That was empty.
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And remember.
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That Jesus.
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Is alive.
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The stone.
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That.
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The tomb.
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Of Jesus.
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Is grave.
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Was like a pebble.
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To the rock.
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Of ages.
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Jesus.
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Has conquered.
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Death.
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May that.
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Be blessed.
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To us.
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May we say.
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The Lord's.
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Prayer.
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Together.
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Our Father.
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Which art in heaven.
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Hallowed.
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Be your name.
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Your kingdom.
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Come.
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Your will.
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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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Not our debts.
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For thine.
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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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May we turn to our Bibles now.
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And read God's word.
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In the book.
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The gospel of John.
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Gospel of John.
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Chapter 5.
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And we'll read from the beginning of the chapter.
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The gospel of John.
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The gospel of John.
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Chapter 5.
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At the beginning.
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And we'll read down to the end of verse 29.
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Let us hear God's word.
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After this, there was a feast of the Jews.
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And Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
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Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool.
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An Aramaic called Bethesda.
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Which has five-roofed colonnades.
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In these lay a multitude of invalids.
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Blind, lame, and paralyzed.
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One man was there who had been an invalid for 38 years.
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When Jesus saw him lying there.
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He knew that he had already been there a long time.
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And said to him,
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Do you want to be healed?
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The sick man answered him,
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Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up.
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And while I am going, another steps down before me.
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Jesus said to him,
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Get up, take your bed, and walk.
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And at once the man was healed.
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And he took up his bed and walked.
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Now that day was the Sabbath.
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So the Jews said to the man who had been healed,
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It is the Sabbath.
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And it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.
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But he answered them,
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The man who healed me,
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That man said to me,
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Take up your bed and walk.
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They asked him,
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Who is the man who said to you,
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Take up your bed and walk?
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Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was.
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For Jesus had withdrawn,
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As there was a crowd in the place.
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Afterwards Jesus found him in the temple and said to him,
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See, you are well.
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Sin no more,
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That nothing worse may happen to you.
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The man went away and told the Jews
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That it was Jesus who had healed him.
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And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus.
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Because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.
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But Jesus answered them,
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My father is working until now,
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And I am working.
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This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him.
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Because not only was he breaking the Sabbath,
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But he was even calling God his own father,
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Making himself equal with God.
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So Jesus said to them,
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Truly, truly,
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I say to you,
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The Son of Man can do nothing of his own accord,
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But only what he sees the Father doing.
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For whatever the Father does,
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That the Son does likewise.
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For the Father loves the Son,
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And shows him all that he himself is doing.
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And greater works than these he will show him,
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So that you may marvel.
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For as the Father raises the dead,
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And gives them life,
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So also the Son gives life,
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To whom he will.
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The Father judges no one,
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But has given all judgment to the Son,
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That all may honour the Son,
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Just as they honour the Father.
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Whoever does not honour the Son,
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Does not honour the Father,
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Who sent him.
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Truly, truly,
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I say to you,
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Whoever hears my word,
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And believes him who sent me,
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Has eternal life.
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He does not come into judgment,
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But has passed from death to life.
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Truly, truly,
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I say to you,
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An hour is coming,
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And is now here,
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When the dead will hear
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The voice of the Son of God,
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And those who hear will live.
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For as the Father has life in himself,
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So he has granted the Son also,
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To have life in himself.
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And he has given him authority,
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To execute judgment,
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Because he is the Son of man.
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Do not marvel at this.
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For an hour is coming,
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When all who are in the tombs,
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Will hear his voice,
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And come out,
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Those who have done good,
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To the resurrection of life,
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And those who have done evil,
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To the resurrection of judgment.
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Amen.
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May the reading of God's word,
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Be blessed to us.
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May we have ears to hear it,
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And may we know the life,
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That is within it.
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May we continue in our praise,
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By singing to God,
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And sing Psalm,
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Psalm 139,
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139A,
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That's on page 181,
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And we'll sing from verse mark 13,
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Down to verse mark 18.
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Psalm 139A,
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And the singh sounds,
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For you,
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O Lord,
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Created me,
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You wove me on your loom,
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My inmost being,
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You have formed,
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Within my mother's womb.
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Because I'm wonderfully made,
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With all your praise I tell,
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Your workmanship is marvelous,
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And this I know full well.
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Down to the verse mark 18,
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Where are I to count them,
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They would be more than the grains of sand.
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When I awake,
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I am with you,
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Still safe within your hand.
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Let us stand and sing to God's praise,
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For you,
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O Lord,
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Created me.
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For you,
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O Lord,
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Created me,
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You wove me on your loom,
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My inmost being,
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You have formed,
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Within my mother's womb.
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Because I'm wonderfully made,
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With all your praise I tell,
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Your workmanship,
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Is marvelous,
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And this I know full well.
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When in the secret place,
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My frame was made before,
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You have formed,
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My word,
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You saw my body,
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Yet unformed,
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Within the depths of earth,
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And on the days that I should live,
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Which you are gave for me.
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Well written in your beautiful Lord,
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Before they came to me.
27:14
O God,
27:17
O God,
27:19
How precious are your thoughts,
27:24
I scan them from afar,
27:31
And thus I sing to God's name,
27:40
And thus I sing to God's name,
27:42
And thus I sing to God's name,
27:44
For I am the greatest of sound,
27:53
And thus I sing to God's name,
27:56
Who I am the greatest of sound,
28:04
I am the greatest of sound,
28:06
When I outweigh,
28:10
I am with you,
28:15
still stay within your hands.
28:31
May we turn back to the passage that we read together.
28:36
And I want us to focus on the section from verse 19
28:41
down to where we stop reading at verse 29.
28:46
And we read from the beginning just so our minds would understand
28:51
the context of why and what Jesus is saying to the believers there.
28:56
And as a text to take, I suppose it would be verse 28 and 29.
29:04
Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming,
29:07
when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out.
29:11
Those who have done good to the resurrection of life
29:14
and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
29:21
Now, Easter reminds us of the stone that was rolled away,
29:26
the tomb that was empty,
29:27
the angels that declared,
29:29
Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
29:34
He's not here.
29:35
He has risen.
29:38
The man who had been seen by all the people
29:40
to take his last breath on the cross
29:43
and to have the spear pierced through his side.
29:49
He came back to life.
29:51
And it's hard for us to comprehend this
29:56
as something that really happened.
30:00
We read it.
30:02
We've known it.
30:03
But to understand it as something that truly happened,
30:09
it pushes our understanding, admittedly,
30:13
especially when we know of death ourselves.
30:18
And it reassures us when we go through the Gospels
30:23
that the very men who were with Jesus
30:26
and followed him through his life,
30:30
doubted.
30:31
Thomas doubted.
30:33
And he wouldn't even believe his other friends
30:35
that were with him.
30:37
It says in the Gospel of Luke
30:39
that when he appeared to the men,
30:43
they disbelieved for joy
30:45
at his reappearing.
30:47
And it tells us also that they marveled
30:52
that he was there.
30:55
It pushes our understanding.
30:56
It causes us to marvel.
30:58
And marvel at the Easter message
31:01
is what we should do.
31:04
But I believe we are guilty of not really
31:06
giving thought to these things at Easter time.
31:10
We're maybe more guilty of making a thing
31:12
of when Jesus was born than when he arose.
31:17
For many, Easter seems to come and go
31:20
with little or no consideration
31:23
to Jesus overcoming the final enemy of death,
31:31
this death being nullified by Jesus Christ.
31:36
And it is the crux of the Christian faith,
31:41
the resurrection.
31:42
If Jesus had not been resurrected,
31:45
if he had not revealed himself
31:47
as the resurrected Savior,
31:50
where would our hope lie today?
31:53
But the question is,
31:54
do you marvel at what he has done
31:58
and revealed to you?
32:00
Maybe it's such strange a thought to us
32:03
or so difficult a concept to consider
32:05
that we just don't really consider it.
32:08
We're scared to consider it.
32:10
Maybe it's just that we're growing old
32:13
and we get distracted by the things of life
32:15
and God falls out of the picture
32:17
and we doubt the resurrection's credibility
32:21
and maybe even reject it entirely as unbelievers.
32:27
Or is it as Christians,
32:28
we become guilty of being so familiar with it
32:31
that we stop to marvel at it?
32:33
So if possible,
32:35
I would love to provoke ourselves
32:37
to wonder about Jesus Christ
32:42
and his resurrection
32:44
through the words that he spoke
32:47
to the doubters of the day
32:49
and the passage that he has left with us.
32:53
And back to our reading,
32:55
the beginning of the chapter,
32:56
as I said,
32:57
it sets out the context of what's happening.
32:59
What's taking place,
33:02
this man has been healed on Sunday
33:04
and he has been told to lift his mat and go.
33:08
And the Jews pick up on it
33:09
and they ask him who healed him
33:11
and why he was carrying his mat
33:12
and he says,
33:13
well, the man that healed me,
33:14
the man that had the authority to heal me,
33:17
told me to carry my mat.
33:18
But I don't know who he was.
33:20
But it comes to life
33:21
that it was Jesus Christ.
33:25
And Jesus makes a claim
33:27
that he is the Son of God
33:28
and leads to the hostile accusation
33:31
that we can see there in verse 18.
33:33
This was why the Jews were seeking
33:35
all the more to kill him
33:37
because not only was he breaking a Sabbath,
33:42
but he was even calling God his own father,
33:45
making himself equal with God.
33:48
You can imagine this group of Jews,
33:50
likely Pharisees,
33:52
Sanhedrin, Sadducees,
33:55
they're ready to kill him.
33:56
He's standing before men
33:59
that are ready to kill him
34:01
and that effectively,
34:01
if they had guns,
34:02
would be pointing them at his face.
34:05
So he's got some explaining to do
34:07
and this is how he explains himself.
34:11
And it is a lesson for us today to hear.
34:14
And you may have noticed
34:16
that he speaks to them
34:18
with three truly,
34:20
trulys,
34:22
or verily, verilys
34:23
as we knew them
34:24
in the King James Version.
34:25
There's one there in verse 19
34:27
at the beginning.
34:28
There's one at verse 24
34:31
and the last one up here
34:32
at verse 25.
34:34
And it is sensible
34:35
that we can take these truly,
34:37
trulys to break up our passage
34:38
and our thoughts for today.
34:40
And every time he says this,
34:42
truly, truly,
34:43
it is a certainty
34:45
that demands our attention.
34:49
Jesus says this is of utmost importance for us
34:52
and it is vital grounding for us today.
34:57
Jesus makes an emphasis as well
35:00
by repetition,
35:02
a common practice of the day
35:04
to emphasize something
35:05
or to repeat it.
35:06
And it might be equivalent
35:09
to me saying to you today,
35:11
you must listen to this.
35:13
This is vastly important to you.
35:18
You must consider it.
35:20
If you don't listen to this,
35:22
I don't know what I can do for you.
35:24
It is absolutely certain
35:25
that this is true.
35:27
So we will call them
35:28
three certainties of Jesus' word.
35:32
And there is a sermon to each of them,
35:33
but we will just skiff over them.
35:36
And wonder and marvel
35:38
at what Jesus Christ reveals to us
35:41
through each of them.
35:41
So we'll take our first certainty there.
35:45
And I suppose if we are to understand
35:47
the resurrection of Christ,
35:49
we need to realize
35:51
who he is to God.
35:54
Who is this man?
35:56
And who and what relation
35:59
does he have to God?
36:02
And this is what Jesus is attempting
36:03
to do to the men there.
36:05
Let us read again from verse 19.
36:07
So Jesus said to them,
36:09
Truly, truly, I say to you,
36:11
the Son can do nothing
36:12
of his own accord,
36:14
but only what he sees
36:15
the Father doing.
36:16
For whatever the Father does,
36:18
the Son does likewise.
36:19
For the Father loves the Son
36:21
and shows him all
36:23
that he himself is doing.
36:25
And greater works than these
36:27
he will show him,
36:28
so that you may marvel.
36:32
For the Father raises the dead
36:35
and gives them life.
36:37
So also the Son gives life
36:39
to whom he will.
36:41
The Father judges no one,
36:43
but has given all judgment
36:44
to the Son,
36:46
that all may honor the Son,
36:48
just as they honor the Father.
36:50
Whoever does not honor the Son
36:51
does not honor the Father
36:52
who sent him.
36:53
This passage,
36:56
Jesus is justifying
36:58
his claims to be
36:58
the Son of God.
37:02
Where does his authority
37:03
come from to do the miracles
37:04
and works that he does?
37:06
And he speaks of divine truths here
37:09
as absolute certainties
37:11
for them,
37:13
and they are certainties
37:15
for me and you
37:16
to believe in today.
37:17
He gives them a lesson
37:19
of the personal relationship
37:20
and the personal role
37:22
that the Son has
37:23
with the Father.
37:25
And of that relationship,
37:27
his first words are there
37:28
in verse 19,
37:29
the Son can do nothing
37:31
of his own accord,
37:32
but only what he sees
37:33
his Father doing.
37:35
And this is a vital point.
37:38
First of all,
37:39
he tells us that they are
37:40
both inseparable.
37:43
The Father and the Son
37:45
work together.
37:48
Every teaching,
37:49
every miracle,
37:50
has been worked
37:52
through both of them.
37:56
Outapproven by God
37:57
and outworked through Christ.
37:59
And he is saying
38:00
to the Pharisees,
38:01
how on earth do you expect me
38:03
to be doing these things?
38:05
Healing this man
38:06
and making him walk.
38:08
Do you expect me
38:08
to be doing these things
38:10
by myself?
38:12
No.
38:14
I am working with the Father
38:15
and I am working
38:17
according to this will.
38:18
and he is my source.
38:22
And he is the source
38:24
of all.
38:26
He does nothing
38:27
of his own accord.
38:29
Jesus in this relationship
38:30
is a son of obedience
38:33
to the Father,
38:34
but he's a son
38:35
of reliance
38:36
upon the Father as well.
38:38
we remember how often
38:40
Jesus would pray,
38:42
how he would rely
38:43
on his Father
38:44
to guide him
38:45
and to be strengthening him
38:47
and to be paying him
38:48
for the works
38:49
that he had
38:49
before him.
38:52
He could do nothing
38:53
of his own accord,
38:55
nothing without his aid.
38:56
and it's an important lesson
38:59
for the Christian
38:59
to remember
39:00
that if Christ relied
39:03
so heavily
39:03
upon his Father,
39:07
if Christ could do nothing
39:08
of his own accord,
39:11
surely it is the same
39:12
for us
39:13
if we are not in accord
39:15
with our Saviour.
39:17
We cannot do nothing.
39:19
Jesus is the source
39:20
of our strength.
39:22
He is the intermediator
39:23
between God and us.
39:25
and we can do nothing
39:28
without his aid.
39:32
And it says there as well,
39:34
but only what he sees
39:37
the Father doing.
39:39
And children often react
39:41
in a manner similar
39:42
to their parents
39:43
and it's not surprising
39:44
because they've been taught
39:46
by their parents.
39:47
And they can say that,
39:48
well, you're just like your father
39:50
when you do that
39:51
or you've learned that
39:53
from your father.
39:53
That's not usually
39:55
a good quality
39:56
when they say that.
39:57
But Jesus has known
40:00
the perfect Father.
40:02
And he is one
40:04
who is in every way
40:06
worth imitating.
40:09
And likewise,
40:10
as the Father does,
40:12
so the Son will do.
40:15
And through what we have
40:18
been revealed
40:19
in the words of Scripture
40:21
through Jesus Christ,
40:23
we see and we know
40:26
more of who God is.
40:29
What is God's nature?
40:31
What are God's attributes?
40:34
Who is God?
40:36
We see it more clearly
40:37
when we look at his Son.
40:39
Because his Son,
40:43
it says in Hebrews,
40:44
it's a beautiful verse,
40:47
Jesus is the radiance
40:48
of the glory of God
40:50
and the exact imprint
40:52
of his nature.
40:55
When we look at Jesus,
40:57
we see the creator
40:59
of this world.
41:01
Is that not a wonder to us?
41:03
This relationship
41:05
of the Father and Son
41:07
is also one
41:08
grounded in love.
41:10
You'll see that
41:11
in verse 20.
41:12
For the Father
41:13
loves the Son
41:15
and shows him
41:16
all that he is doing.
41:18
It is such a love
41:19
that shares in all
41:21
that he is doing.
41:23
He has let us
41:24
know him.
41:26
And he has shared
41:27
his love.
41:30
He has shared
41:30
his revelations.
41:32
And all the more
41:33
have come to us
41:35
through his beloved Son
41:38
of whom he is well pleased.
41:41
And their love
41:42
is shared
41:43
in such a way
41:45
that we
41:46
can become
41:47
receivers of it.
41:50
We
41:51
can receive
41:52
and experience
41:54
the love
41:56
of Jesus Christ.
42:00
He
42:00
gives us
42:01
the right
42:02
to become
42:03
children
42:04
of God.
42:07
That's John
42:08
chapter 1
42:09
verse 12.
42:11
Imagine
42:11
becoming
42:13
a child
42:14
of God
42:14
and knowing
42:15
the love
42:16
of God.
42:20
It's a wonder.
42:22
Why
42:23
has he
42:24
given this
42:25
to us?
42:26
Jesus
42:28
tells us
42:29
of who
42:30
he is
42:31
through
42:32
his
42:32
relationship
42:33
and his
42:34
role.
42:35
And their
42:35
role together
42:36
is perfectly
42:37
complementary
42:38
to the purposes
42:39
of God.
42:41
Verse 20
42:43
there.
42:44
And greater
42:45
works than
42:45
these will he
42:46
show him
42:47
so that
42:48
you may
42:49
marvel.
42:50
greater
42:52
works
42:52
will come
42:53
greater
42:54
than
42:54
this
42:54
man
42:55
who
42:55
has
42:55
picked
42:55
up
42:55
his
42:56
mat
42:56
and
42:56
walked.
42:58
And why
42:58
will they
42:59
be done?
43:00
So that
43:01
we may
43:01
marvel.
43:02
You
43:03
may
43:04
marvel.
43:05
I
43:05
may
43:06
marvel.
43:07
God
43:07
has ordained
43:08
these
43:09
things
43:09
and revealed
43:11
them
43:12
through
43:13
Christ
43:14
for
43:15
our
43:15
benefit.
43:16
God
43:17
is all
43:18
for
43:18
our
43:19
benefit.
43:19
God
43:19
didn't
43:21
need to
43:21
prove
43:21
himself
43:22
to
43:23
anyone.
43:25
God
43:25
is God
43:26
and the
43:27
creation
43:28
alone
43:28
would
43:28
prove
43:29
who
43:29
he
43:29
is.
43:30
But
43:30
through
43:31
his
43:31
grace
43:31
has
43:32
not
43:32
left
43:33
us
43:33
hidden.
43:34
Not
43:35
left
43:35
us
43:36
unknowing
43:37
of who
43:38
he is.
43:38
God
43:39
wants
43:40
us
43:40
to
43:41
know
43:41
him.
43:43
Had
43:44
not a
43:44
wonder.
43:46
God
43:47
wants
43:47
us
43:47
to
43:47
think
43:48
about
43:48
who
43:49
he
43:50
is
43:50
and
43:50
consider
43:51
who
43:51
he
43:51
is.
43:53
He
43:53
chooses
43:54
to
43:54
reveal
43:54
himself
43:55
to
43:55
us
43:55
but
43:55
still
43:56
it
43:56
is
43:56
only
43:56
in
43:57
part
43:58
there
43:59
is
44:00
more
44:00
far
44:01
far
44:01
more
44:02
to
44:02
this
44:03
God
44:03
and
44:04
his
44:04
fullness
44:04
is
44:05
probably
44:05
beyond
44:06
our
44:06
understanding
44:07
in
44:07
this
44:07
world
44:08
beyond
44:08
what
44:08
we
44:09
could
44:09
comprehend
44:09
we
44:10
can
44:11
only
44:11
marvel
44:11
at
44:12
what
44:12
he
44:12
has
44:12
chosen
44:12
to
44:13
reveal
44:13
to
44:13
us.
44:15
You
44:15
see
44:15
Christ's
44:16
role
44:16
is
44:17
to
44:17
reveal
44:17
even
44:18
more
44:19
of
44:19
who
44:19
the
44:19
father
44:20
is.
44:21
He
44:21
does
44:22
not
44:22
hide
44:22
these
44:22
things
44:23
from
44:23
the
44:23
Jews
44:23
when
44:24
they
44:24
question
44:24
it
44:25
but
44:26
he
44:26
takes
44:26
time
44:26
to
44:27
explain
44:27
it
44:28
to
44:28
them
44:28
and
44:29
greater
44:30
works
44:30
will
44:31
be
44:31
done
44:31
no
44:33
greater
44:33
than
44:34
the
44:34
resurrection.
44:35
Surely
44:36
it points
44:36
to the
44:36
resurrection
44:37
when
44:38
he
44:38
was
44:38
exalted
44:39
as
44:39
the
44:39
son
44:40
of
44:40
God
44:40
and
44:41
having
44:41
satisfied
44:42
the cost
44:42
of sin
44:43
and
44:43
giving
44:44
every
44:44
believer
44:45
the
44:46
assurance
44:47
of
44:47
his
44:48
provision
44:49
to
44:49
them.
44:51
Donald
44:51
Gray
44:52
I
44:52
found a
44:53
new
44:53
quote
44:53
book
44:53
this
44:54
week
44:54
you
44:54
might
44:55
pick up
44:55
that I've
44:55
got a few
44:56
quotes in
44:56
here.
44:57
I found a
44:57
new
44:58
quote
44:58
book and
44:58
Donald
44:58
Gray
44:59
Barnhouse
44:59
I don't
45:00
know who
45:00
he is
45:00
he said
45:03
the angel
45:04
rolled away
45:05
the stone
45:05
from
45:06
Jesus'
45:07
tomb
45:07
not to
45:09
let the
45:09
living
45:09
Lord
45:10
out
45:10
but to
45:11
let
45:11
unconvinced
45:12
outsider
45:13
in.
45:15
That's
45:15
exactly
45:16
what
45:16
Jesus
45:17
does
45:17
he's
45:18
revealing
45:18
who
45:20
God
45:21
is.
45:21
The stone
45:22
was rolled
45:22
away
45:23
to reveal
45:23
who he
45:24
is
45:25
and the
45:26
fact that
45:26
he was
45:27
not there
45:27
proves that
45:28
he is
45:28
the son
45:29
of God.
45:30
We are
45:30
not left
45:31
in the
45:31
dark.
45:32
We are
45:32
given
45:33
sufficient
45:33
knowledge
45:34
to be
45:34
persuaded
45:35
that he
45:36
is who
45:37
he says
45:38
he is.
45:40
But the
45:40
son has
45:41
another role
45:42
and that's
45:43
in verse
45:43
22.
45:45
It says
45:45
that he
45:46
is judge.
45:49
It's not
45:49
the father
45:49
who will
45:50
judge.
45:51
It is the
45:51
son that
45:52
has been
45:52
the authority
45:53
to do
45:53
that.
45:55
And any
45:56
judge in
45:57
this life
45:57
that would
46:00
have
46:00
authority
46:00
over us
46:01
provokes
46:02
the
46:03
response
46:03
of
46:03
reverence
46:04
or
46:05
honour
46:05
because
46:07
they have
46:08
authority
46:08
to judge
46:09
how they
46:09
seem
46:10
fit.
46:12
What we
46:13
think of
46:13
ourselves
46:13
does not
46:14
matter to
46:15
the judge.
46:16
It is
46:16
no bearing
46:17
on how
46:17
the judge
46:18
will
46:18
determine
46:19
us.
46:21
Jesus
46:21
will judge
46:23
say to
46:30
me.
46:31
Do you
46:33
reject
46:33
his
46:33
claims
46:34
to be
46:34
the
46:34
son
46:34
of
46:34
God?
46:35
Have
46:35
you
46:35
dismissed
46:36
every
46:36
revelation
46:37
and
46:37
grace
46:37
that
46:38
he
46:38
has
46:38
given
46:38
to
46:38
you?
46:39
Have
46:39
you
46:40
dismissed
46:40
him
46:40
coming
46:41
to
46:41
you
46:41
and
46:41
saying
46:42
I
46:42
want
46:43
you
46:43
to
46:43
know
46:43
me?
46:45
Have
46:45
you
46:46
dismissed
46:46
that
46:46
thought
46:47
today?
46:49
All
46:49
that
46:49
has
46:49
been
46:49
revealed
46:50
to
46:50
us
46:50
provokes
46:51
wonder
46:52
in us.
46:54
Is
46:54
this
46:54
man
46:54
really
46:55
the
46:55
son
46:55
of
46:55
God?
46:56
Surely
46:56
how
46:57
could
46:57
he
46:57
do
46:57
these
46:58
miracles
46:58
because
46:59
of
46:59
who
46:59
he
46:59
is?
47:00
How
47:00
could
47:00
he
47:01
come
47:01
back
47:01
from
47:01
death
47:02
again
47:02
the
47:03
son
47:03
of
47:03
God?
47:04
Why
47:05
do
47:05
we
47:05
have
47:05
this
47:05
Bible?
47:06
Why
47:07
did
47:07
men
47:07
go
47:08
forth
47:09
and
47:09
preach
47:09
this
47:09
word
47:10
and
47:10
why
47:10
did
47:10
men
47:10
become
47:11
martyrs
47:12
for
47:12
the
47:12
sake
47:13
of
47:13
this
47:16
certainty
47:19
and
47:20
fully
47:20
believed
47:21
in
47:21
the
47:21
next
47:21
certainty?
47:23
What
47:23
is
47:23
that
47:23
next
47:24
certainty?
47:26
Read
47:26
verse
47:26
24
47:27
with
47:27
me.
47:28
Truly
47:28
truly
47:28
I
47:29
say
47:29
to
47:29
you
47:29
whoever
47:30
hears
47:31
my
47:31
word
47:31
and
47:32
believes
47:32
him
47:32
who
47:33
sent
47:33
me
47:33
has
47:34
eternal
47:34
life.
47:35
He
47:35
does
47:35
not
47:36
come
47:36
into
47:36
judgment
47:37
but
47:37
has
47:38
passed
47:39
from
47:39
death
47:40
to
47:40
life.
47:41
In
47:41
understanding
47:42
the
47:42
resurrection
47:42
of
47:43
Christ
47:43
we
47:44
need
47:44
to
47:44
realize
47:45
who
47:45
he
47:45
is
47:46
to
47:46
God
47:46
but
47:47
realize
47:47
who
47:48
he
47:48
is
47:48
to
47:49
us.
47:50
And
47:51
it
47:51
is
47:51
a
47:51
certainty
47:51
that
47:52
whoever
47:52
believes
47:52
in
47:53
the
47:53
word
47:53
of
47:53
Jesus
47:54
Christ
47:54
and
47:56
believes
47:56
God
47:56
sent
47:57
him
47:57
to
47:58
pay
47:59
for
47:59
your
48:00
sin
48:00
will
48:01
have
48:02
eternal
48:03
life.
48:04
This
48:04
is the
48:04
shortest
48:05
of our
48:05
certainties
48:06
and one
48:06
that is
48:06
far
48:07
simpler
48:07
to
48:07
grasp
48:08
maybe
48:09
but
48:10
one
48:11
that
48:11
comes
48:11
with
48:12
far
48:12
greater
48:13
weight
48:13
on
48:14
us.
48:15
especially
48:16
when we
48:17
realize
48:17
he is
48:18
the
48:19
son
48:19
of
48:19
God.
48:21
What
48:21
does
48:22
he say
48:24
to me
48:25
and what
48:26
does it
48:26
mean to
48:27
me
48:27
in this
48:29
certainty?
48:30
Well he
48:30
says that
48:30
whoever
48:31
hears
48:31
my word
48:32
and believes
48:33
in whom
48:34
he sent
48:34
me has
48:35
eternal
48:35
life.
48:35
And this
48:36
is
48:36
good
48:37
news.
48:39
You can
48:39
have eternal
48:40
life
48:40
and believe
48:42
in Jesus
48:43
Christ.
48:44
The
48:44
son of
48:45
God
48:45
provides
48:45
an
48:46
escape
48:46
from
48:46
the
48:46
enemy
48:47
of
48:47
death.
48:49
But
48:50
it is
48:50
a word
48:50
that also
48:51
makes a
48:51
demand
48:52
on you
48:52
as
48:52
the
48:53
whoever
48:53
to ask
48:54
another
48:55
question
48:55
of
48:55
yourselves.
48:56
Do
48:57
you
48:57
believe
48:57
God
48:58
sent
48:58
his
48:58
son
48:59
Jesus?
49:00
Do
49:00
you
49:00
believe
49:01
this
49:01
word
49:02
that
49:02
we
49:03
have
49:03
is
49:03
from
49:04
God?
49:05
Or
49:05
maybe
49:06
we
49:06
can
49:06
ask
49:06
do
49:06
you
49:07
want
49:07
to
49:07
have
49:07
eternal
49:08
life?
49:08
Maybe
49:08
that's
49:08
an
49:09
easier
49:09
question
49:09
to
49:09
answer.
49:10
A
49:11
life
49:11
without
49:11
the
49:11
pains
49:12
and
49:12
sorrows
49:12
of
49:13
this
49:13
life.
49:15
What
49:15
would
49:15
you
49:16
say?
49:19
We
49:20
must
49:20
give
49:20
our
49:21
ear
49:21
to
49:22
hear
49:22
this
49:22
word
49:23
and
49:24
believe
49:25
in
49:26
the
49:26
God
49:26
who
49:27
sent
49:27
his
49:27
son.
49:29
Whoever
49:29
you
49:30
think
49:30
you
49:30
are,
49:31
it
49:31
does
49:31
not
49:31
matter.
49:32
This
49:32
is
49:32
for
49:33
whoever.
49:33
Whether
49:34
you
49:34
think
49:34
you're
49:35
good,
49:35
bad,
49:35
or
49:36
ugly,
49:37
I
49:37
will
49:37
not
49:38
make
49:38
that
49:38
decision.
49:39
But
49:39
whoever
49:40
you are,
49:42
God has
49:44
revealed
49:44
this to
49:45
you,
49:46
that whoever
49:47
believes in
49:48
him will
49:49
have
49:49
eternal
49:50
life.
49:51
What a
49:52
hope,
49:53
what a
49:53
wonder.
49:54
And the
49:54
language of
49:55
it that
49:55
follows is a
49:56
further
49:57
reassurance,
49:58
because it
49:58
does not
49:58
have,
49:59
might
49:59
have,
50:00
could
50:00
have,
50:01
or should
50:01
have in
50:02
it.
50:02
it,
50:02
he has
50:04
eternal
50:04
life.
50:06
His
50:06
word has
50:07
a weight
50:08
that
50:08
actually
50:09
determines
50:10
your
50:10
eternity.
50:12
Whether
50:12
you like
50:13
it or
50:13
not,
50:13
whether
50:13
you agree
50:14
with it
50:14
or not,
50:15
Jesus
50:16
is your
50:16
judge.
50:18
But what
50:18
does it
50:19
mean if
50:20
we believe?
50:24
It
50:24
says
50:24
in the
50:26
second part
50:27
of that,
50:28
he who
50:28
does,
50:29
he does
50:30
not come
50:30
into
50:30
judgment,
50:31
but has
50:31
passed
50:32
from
50:32
death
50:32
to
50:32
life.
50:33
If you
50:34
hear his
50:34
word and
50:35
believe it
50:35
as a
50:35
gift of
50:36
God,
50:36
you will
50:36
have
50:36
eternal
50:37
life.
50:39
And you
50:39
can see
50:39
that the
50:40
believer
50:40
does not
50:41
come into
50:41
judgment,
50:42
but has,
50:43
again,
50:44
has,
50:45
no maybes
50:46
there,
50:48
has what?
50:49
Passed
50:50
from death
50:50
to life.
50:52
It means
50:52
life even
50:54
in death.
50:55
And that
50:56
is the
50:56
resurrection's
50:57
reassurance
50:58
to the
50:59
believer.
51:00
we have
51:02
life in
51:03
death.
51:04
In the
51:04
sight of
51:05
death,
51:05
there is
51:06
life.
51:06
And it
51:07
is a
51:07
hope for
51:08
those who
51:09
have
51:11
lost a
51:14
believer.
51:15
They
51:15
have
51:16
life.
51:18
The
51:18
believer
51:18
will not
51:19
expect
51:20
judgment,
51:21
for he
51:21
has
51:22
already
51:23
passed.
51:25
Something
51:26
has already
51:26
happened.
51:27
He has
51:28
passed to
51:28
life.
51:29
Jesus
51:30
grants the
51:30
believer
51:30
the
51:31
procession
51:31
of
51:31
eternal
51:31
life in
51:32
this
51:32
life.
51:34
Because
51:35
Christ is
51:36
the payment
51:36
of it.
51:37
It is
51:38
settled.
51:38
The payment
51:39
is settled.
51:40
We pass
51:41
from a
51:41
life leading
51:42
to a
51:42
certain
51:42
death to
51:43
one that
51:44
leads to
51:44
certain
51:45
life.
51:46
And the
51:47
passing here
51:47
maybe points
51:48
us back to
51:49
the Passover
51:50
in Egypt.
51:51
The judgment
51:52
of God
51:53
falling upon
51:53
a nation
51:54
who refused
51:55
to believe
51:56
in the
51:56
word that
51:56
he brought
51:57
to them
51:57
through
51:58
Moses.
51:59
The angel
52:00
of death
52:01
that came.
52:02
They were
52:02
warned of
52:03
it.
52:04
But the
52:04
angel of
52:04
death came
52:05
and visited
52:06
their homes
52:07
killing the
52:08
firstborn.
52:10
But passed
52:11
over the
52:13
homes that
52:13
had made
52:15
the sacrifice
52:16
of killing
52:17
the lamb
52:18
and putting
52:19
it on their
52:19
doorposts and
52:21
trusting in
52:21
that blood.
52:22
this is
52:24
what it
52:24
means to
52:25
believe Jesus
52:26
is the
52:27
lamb that
52:28
saves us
52:29
from death.
52:31
Death that
52:32
has been
52:33
warned and
52:34
told to
52:35
us.
52:36
Jesus is
52:37
the one
52:37
to set us
52:38
free from
52:39
the slavery
52:40
of the
52:40
world.
52:41
Jesus is
52:42
the one
52:42
that gives
52:42
us a
52:43
new life.
52:46
The Jews
52:46
will remember
52:47
the Passover
52:47
this week
52:49
and it is a
52:50
wonder in the
52:50
timing of
52:52
God that
52:53
Jesus would
52:54
be our
52:55
Passover
52:56
sacrifice.
53:00
We have
53:01
life through
53:02
his death
53:03
and it
53:03
gives the
53:04
great believer
53:05
the greatest
53:06
hope in
53:08
this life
53:08
for today
53:10
and for
53:11
tomorrow.
53:12
So move
53:13
on to our
53:13
third
53:13
certainty
53:14
very briefly.
53:16
Read again
53:16
with me
53:17
verse 25.
53:19
truly,
53:21
truly I
53:21
say to
53:21
you,
53:22
I know it
53:22
is coming
53:22
and is
53:23
now here
53:23
when the
53:24
dead will
53:24
hear the
53:25
voice of
53:26
the Son
53:27
of God
53:27
and those
53:28
who hear
53:29
will live.
53:31
In
53:31
understanding
53:32
the
53:32
resurrection
53:32
of Christ
53:33
we need
53:34
to realize
53:34
who he
53:35
is to
53:37
God,
53:38
who he
53:39
is to
53:39
us and
53:41
who he
53:42
is for
53:42
us today
53:43
and will
53:45
be in
53:46
our
53:46
tomorrow.
53:48
Jesus
53:48
says that
53:49
the hour
53:50
is coming
53:50
and is
53:50
now here
53:51
two times,
53:54
one to
53:54
come and
53:55
one that
53:56
is here.
53:57
There will
53:58
be an
53:58
hour that
53:59
will come
53:59
as we
54:00
now know.
54:02
The Son
54:03
will come
54:04
as the
54:05
judge to
54:06
set men
54:07
free or
54:08
to condemn
54:09
them.
54:10
And again
54:11
it will be
54:12
made known
54:12
to us and
54:13
revealed to
54:13
us by
54:14
what we
54:14
hear.
54:15
It is
54:16
a voice
54:16
that will
54:16
speak on
54:17
that day.
54:18
It is
54:18
a voice
54:19
that will
54:19
make a
54:19
declaration
54:20
over
54:20
everyone's
54:21
life.
54:23
But he
54:23
says do
54:24
not marvel
54:25
at this
54:25
and I
54:26
cannot help
54:27
but marvel
54:28
at this.
54:31
I wonder
54:32
what this
54:32
day will
54:32
be like
54:33
when Jesus
54:35
comes in
54:36
judgment.
54:37
What
54:37
will his
54:41
appearing be
54:41
like?
54:43
We can
54:43
only but
54:44
wonder.
54:44
but he
54:45
says do
54:45
not
54:46
marvel at
54:46
this.
54:47
Men
54:48
have
54:48
tried
54:48
and
54:49
wondered
54:49
to
54:49
calculate
54:50
when
54:50
this
54:50
day
54:50
would
54:51
be
54:51
but
54:52
nothing
54:53
has
54:53
come of
54:53
it.
54:54
They
54:54
have
54:54
wasted
54:55
their
54:55
time.
54:56
But why
54:56
are we
54:57
told not
54:57
to marvel
54:58
over it?
54:59
well he
55:02
is speaking
55:02
to the
55:03
Jews
55:03
and he
55:04
is telling
55:05
them of
55:05
all these
55:05
things
55:06
and he
55:07
is saying
55:07
you can
55:08
marvel at
55:09
what I
55:09
have just
55:10
told you
55:10
but I
55:12
tell you
55:12
something
55:13
else.
55:14
Something
55:14
far
55:14
greater
55:15
will
55:15
come
55:15
that you
55:17
will
55:17
marvel at.
55:19
Do not
55:19
marvel at
55:19
these things.
55:20
These are
55:20
small
55:21
things.
55:22
that a
55:24
day will
55:24
come
55:25
when you
55:27
will have
55:27
cause
55:28
to marvel.
55:30
It will
55:31
be a
55:31
marvelous
55:32
day
55:32
when men
55:36
and women
55:37
will rise
55:38
from the
55:39
dust of
55:39
the ground
55:40
from rise
55:42
from the
55:43
place where
55:43
they rest
55:44
by the
55:47
power of
55:48
his word.
55:50
It's
55:51
hard for
55:52
us to
55:52
grasp.
55:53
It's
55:53
hard for
55:54
us to
55:54
understand
55:55
what this
55:55
will be
55:56
like which
55:58
makes it
55:58
all the
55:59
more
55:59
marvelous
56:00
for us.
56:02
It will
56:02
leave us
56:03
in awe.
56:05
Resurrection
56:06
for everyone
56:07
is a
56:08
certainty.
56:09
We are
56:10
told that
56:10
in our
56:11
passage and
56:11
I have
56:12
another
56:12
quote for
56:13
you.
56:14
Thomas
56:14
Watson
56:14
said,
56:16
we are
56:16
more sure
56:17
to arise
56:18
out of
56:19
our graves
56:20
than we
56:20
are
56:21
out of
56:22
our beds.
56:23
We are
56:23
more sure
56:24
to arise
56:24
out of
56:25
our graves
56:26
than we
56:26
are out
56:27
of our
56:27
beds.
56:28
You see,
56:29
time is
56:29
not certain.
56:31
Tomorrow is
56:32
not certain.
56:33
The ability
56:33
to get out
56:34
of our
56:34
beds is
56:35
not
56:35
certain.
56:37
But your
56:38
resurrection
56:38
is.
56:41
Jesus
56:42
tells us
56:42
that and
56:43
that bears
56:44
the greatest
56:44
weight on
56:46
the time
56:47
that is
56:47
now,
56:48
the time
56:49
that is
56:49
here.
56:50
This
56:51
makes a
56:52
great
56:52
weight
56:53
for
56:53
now.
56:55
And it
56:55
is now
56:55
here when
56:56
the dead
56:56
will hear
56:57
the voice
56:57
of the
56:58
Son of
56:58
God and
56:58
those who
56:59
hear will
56:59
live.
57:00
And that
57:01
voice is
57:01
as active
57:02
today as
57:02
it ever
57:03
has been
57:03
through his
57:04
promised
57:04
Spirit.
57:06
See,
57:07
the unbeliever
57:07
is like a
57:08
dead man.
57:10
And the
57:10
unbeliever as
57:11
a sinner
57:11
should expect
57:12
Christ to
57:13
pass a
57:14
judgment
57:14
of death.
57:17
The
57:17
believer is
57:18
one that
57:19
has life
57:19
and should
57:21
expect Christ
57:22
to receive
57:23
them to
57:24
eternal
57:25
life.
57:27
And that
57:27
is relevant
57:28
for every
57:28
person that
57:29
is sitting
57:30
here today.
57:33
It's an
57:33
expectation
57:34
for you.
57:35
Christ
57:36
Jesus is
57:36
giving you
57:37
a certainty
57:37
of an
57:38
expectation
57:39
to come.
57:41
But which
57:42
is it
57:43
for you?
57:44
Do you
57:45
believe in
57:46
this son
57:47
or do
57:48
you not?
57:49
Will it
57:50
be good
57:50
or will
57:51
it be bad?
57:54
There are
57:54
many believers
57:55
in this
57:56
building
57:56
who looked
57:58
at their
57:58
lives and
57:59
thought and
58:01
realized that
58:02
they were
58:02
dead.
58:03
They went
58:04
through their
58:04
lives and
58:05
achieved what
58:06
they wanted
58:06
to achieve
58:07
and maybe
58:10
had their
58:10
life planned
58:11
out to
58:12
retire in
58:12
comfort after
58:13
they had
58:14
done all
58:14
they wanted
58:14
and what
58:15
is it
58:16
for when
58:17
it comes
58:18
to that
58:18
hour?
58:20
That life
58:21
that we
58:22
may fill
58:22
with so
58:23
much of
58:23
what we
58:24
want
58:24
stands
58:26
empty of
58:27
any hope
58:27
but the
58:30
empty tomb
58:30
of Christ
58:31
fills the
58:33
one who
58:34
dies to
58:35
himself
58:35
a hope
58:37
for their
58:38
life.
58:38
this
58:39
Easter
58:40
I'm
58:42
sure
58:42
you'll
58:42
all
58:43
have
58:43
eggs
58:43
around
58:44
your
58:44
home
58:44
and
58:46
the
58:46
egg
58:46
stands
58:47
for a
58:47
reminder
58:47
of the
58:48
wonders
58:48
Christ
58:48
has done
58:49
and revealed
58:49
to us.
58:54
Maybe
58:54
he points
58:54
back to
58:55
the Passover
58:56
the ways
58:57
of sacrifice
58:58
the way
58:59
that things
59:00
were done
59:00
there and
59:01
Jesus
59:02
concluded
59:03
the sacrificial
59:04
ways by
59:05
sacrificing
59:06
himself
59:06
but pointing
59:09
a new
59:09
way of
59:10
resurrection
59:11
life for
59:11
the believer
59:12
he
59:14
concluded
59:15
the way
59:16
of
59:16
sacrifice
59:17
and he'll
59:18
conclude
59:19
the way
59:19
of
59:20
resurrection
59:20
by coming
59:22
again
59:22
himself.
59:27
But it
59:28
should cause
59:28
us to
59:28
consider
59:29
this
59:30
egg
59:30
not only
59:31
what he
59:32
has done
59:32
but what
59:33
he will
59:34
do.
59:35
Nine
59:35
times
59:36
out of
59:36
ten
59:36
the
59:37
chocolate
59:37
egg
59:37
is made
59:38
of
59:38
two
59:38
sides
59:39
and the
59:40
empty
59:41
centre
59:41
reminds us
59:42
of the
59:42
empty
59:43
tomb.
59:43
The
59:44
resurrection
59:44
to come
59:45
will
59:47
certainly
59:47
have
59:47
two
59:48
sides
59:48
to it.
59:49
We are
59:50
told that
59:50
in what
59:51
we read
59:51
today
59:52
and it
59:54
will be
59:54
the
59:54
resurrected
59:54
son
59:55
of
59:56
God
59:56
that
59:57
will
59:57
make
59:58
the
59:58
divide.
1:00:00
One
1:00:00
side
1:00:00
is easy
1:00:01
to
1:00:01
digest
1:00:02
which
1:00:03
is the
1:00:03
inconceivable
1:00:04
joys of
1:00:04
life
1:00:05
that it
1:00:06
will be
1:00:07
so
1:00:07
perfect
1:00:08
holy
1:00:09
and happy
1:00:10
to the
1:00:11
believers
1:00:12
in the
1:00:13
company of
1:00:13
the saints
1:00:14
and the
1:00:15
immediate
1:00:15
vision of
1:00:16
God their
1:00:16
father the
1:00:17
Lord Jesus
1:00:18
Christ for
1:00:19
all eternity.
1:00:21
But the
1:00:21
other side
1:00:22
of this
1:00:22
resurrection
1:00:23
is harder
1:00:23
for us to
1:00:24
swallow.
1:00:25
It is the
1:00:26
divide to
1:00:27
death
1:00:27
where the
1:00:28
judge will
1:00:29
sentence
1:00:29
the
1:00:30
unbeliever.
1:00:32
Fear
1:00:32
shall
1:00:32
stand
1:00:34
before
1:00:34
him
1:00:35
knowing
1:00:35
that
1:00:35
his
1:00:35
condemnation
1:00:36
will
1:00:36
be
1:00:37
rightful
1:00:37
and
1:00:39
just.
1:00:40
To
1:00:40
be
1:00:40
tormented
1:00:41
body
1:00:41
and soul
1:00:42
in hell
1:00:42
with the
1:00:44
devil
1:00:44
and his
1:00:44
angels
1:00:45
forever.
1:00:47
I can't
1:00:47
stand here
1:00:48
and tell
1:00:49
you these
1:00:50
things are
1:00:50
not to
1:00:50
be
1:00:50
expected.
1:00:52
That's
1:00:52
what Jesus
1:00:52
has revealed
1:00:53
to us.
1:00:55
Many
1:00:55
people
1:00:55
won't
1:00:56
tell you
1:00:56
that
1:00:57
truth
1:00:57
or
1:00:57
won't
1:00:58
take
1:00:59
that
1:00:59
from
1:00:59
the
1:01:00
word
1:01:00
of
1:01:00
God.
1:01:02
But it's
1:01:03
what we
1:01:03
are to
1:01:03
expect
1:01:04
if we
1:01:05
do not
1:01:05
believe
1:01:06
in the
1:01:06
Lord
1:01:06
Jesus
1:01:07
Christ.
1:01:09
Truly
1:01:09
these
1:01:09
saints
1:01:10
come
1:01:10
with
1:01:10
much
1:01:11
weight
1:01:11
to
1:01:11
us.
1:01:13
There
1:01:14
is no
1:01:14
middle
1:01:14
ground.
1:01:15
This
1:01:16
is the
1:01:16
words
1:01:16
of the
1:01:17
judge
1:01:17
himself.
1:01:18
And it's
1:01:19
not often
1:01:19
that the
1:01:20
judge
1:01:21
tells you
1:01:21
how to
1:01:22
escape
1:01:22
this
1:01:22
wrath,
1:01:23
is it?
1:01:24
It's
1:01:24
not often
1:01:25
you would
1:01:25
have a
1:01:25
judge
1:01:26
that would
1:01:26
offer
1:01:27
to pay
1:01:27
to set
1:01:29
you
1:01:29
free.
1:01:30
It's
1:01:30
not often
1:01:31
you have
1:01:32
a judge
1:01:33
that would
1:01:34
take the
1:01:35
death sentence
1:01:35
for you.
1:01:38
But we
1:01:39
do.
1:01:41
In Christ
1:01:41
Jesus,
1:01:43
he does.
1:01:45
Do you
1:01:45
believe in
1:01:46
him?
1:01:47
Every
1:01:47
truly,
1:01:48
truly of
1:01:49
Christ
1:01:49
was not
1:01:51
for his
1:01:51
benefit.
1:01:53
It was
1:01:53
for ours.
1:01:55
The wonder
1:01:55
of who
1:01:56
he owes
1:01:57
to God,
1:01:57
the wonder
1:01:58
of who
1:01:59
he is
1:02:00
for you
1:02:01
and the
1:02:02
wonder
1:02:02
of what
1:02:03
he can
1:02:03
be for
1:02:04
your
1:02:04
today's
1:02:05
and
1:02:06
tomorrows.
1:02:07
May we
1:02:08
marvel at
1:02:09
his words,
1:02:11
for it
1:02:12
will come
1:02:12
to pass.
1:02:14
All
1:02:14
is
1:02:15
certain.
1:02:17
The
1:02:18
believer
1:02:18
has the
1:02:20
certainty
1:02:20
of the
1:02:21
company
1:02:22
of this
1:02:24
great
1:02:25
judge,
1:02:26
this
1:02:27
man of
1:02:27
authority,
1:02:29
this
1:02:29
man of
1:02:30
love,
1:02:31
who is
1:02:31
a great
1:02:32
reassurance
1:02:33
for
1:02:34
eternity.
1:02:35
May these
1:02:35
thoughts be
1:02:36
blessed to
1:02:36
us.
1:02:38
May we
1:02:38
conclude by
1:02:39
singing in
1:02:40
Psalm 72
1:02:41
in the
1:02:42
Scottish
1:02:43
Psalter.
1:02:47
The last
1:02:48
verses there.
1:02:49
All right.
1:02:49
All right.
1:02:51
All right.
1:02:52
72,
1:03:08
page 314,
1:03:09
Scottish
1:03:09
Psalter.
1:03:10
The city
1:03:11
shall be
1:03:11
flourishing,
1:03:12
her citizens
1:03:13
abound,
1:03:14
and number
1:03:14
shall like
1:03:15
to the
1:03:15
grass that
1:03:16
grow upon
1:03:17
the ground.
1:03:17
His name
1:03:18
forever shall
1:03:19
endure,
1:03:19
last like
1:03:20
the sun
1:03:20
it shall,
1:03:21
and shall
1:03:21
be blessed
1:03:22
in him
1:03:23
and blessed
1:03:23
all nations
1:03:24
shall
1:03:24
call.
1:03:26
Now
1:03:26
blessed be
1:03:26
the Lord
1:03:27
our God,
1:03:28
the God
1:03:28
of Israel,
1:03:29
for he
1:03:30
alone does
1:03:30
wondrous works
1:03:31
in glory
1:03:32
that excel.
1:03:34
And blessed
1:03:34
be his
1:03:35
glorious name
1:03:36
to all
1:03:36
eternity,
1:03:37
the whole
1:03:38
earth let
1:03:38
his glory
1:03:39
fill.
1:03:40
Amen.
1:03:41
So let
1:03:42
us be
1:03:42
the wondrous
1:03:43
works of
1:03:44
God that
1:03:44
reveals his
1:03:46
glory.
1:03:47
Let us
1:03:47
believe in
1:03:48
Christ Jesus
1:03:49
and sing
1:03:50
about the
1:03:50
wonder of
1:03:51
who he
1:03:52
is as we
1:03:53
stand and
1:03:53
sing these
1:03:54
words together.
1:03:55
The city
1:03:56
shall be
1:03:56
flourishing.
1:03:57
The city
1:04:02
shall be
1:04:05
flourishing,
1:04:08
our
1:04:09
city
1:04:10
and
1:04:16
number
1:04:17
shall
1:04:19
like
1:04:20
through
1:04:21
the grass
1:04:24
that
1:04:25
rose
1:04:26
upon
1:04:27
the
1:04:29
ground.
1:04:31
His
1:04:33
name
1:04:34
forever
1:04:37
shall
1:04:38
endure.
1:04:40
Last
1:04:42
life
1:04:43
the
1:04:45
son
1:04:45
it
1:04:47
shall
1:04:48
when
1:04:50
shall
1:04:50
be
1:04:52
blessed
1:04:54
in
1:04:54
earth
1:04:56
and
1:04:57
blessed
1:04:58
all
1:04:59
nations
1:05:01
shall
1:05:02
end
1:05:04
call.
1:05:05
now
1:05:07
blessed
1:05:10
be
1:05:10
the
1:05:12
Lord
1:05:14
our
1:05:15
God
1:05:17
the
1:05:17
God
1:05:18
of
1:05:19
Israel
1:05:21
for
1:05:25
he
1:05:26
alone
1:05:28
the
1:05:29
wondrous
1:05:31
one
1:05:33
heart
1:05:34
when
1:05:35
glory
1:05:36
God
1:05:37
excel
1:05:39
and
1:05:40
glory
1:05:41
not
1:05:42
excel
1:05:43
and
1:05:44
blessed
1:05:45
be
1:05:46
his
1:05:47
glorious
1:05:48
name
1:05:49
to
1:05:50
all
1:05:51
eternity
1:05:53
the
1:05:54
whole
1:05:55
whole
1:06:02
earth
1:06:03
is
1:06:05
glory
1:06:07
full
1:06:08
amen
1:06:09
so
1:06:13
to
1:06:15
all
1:06:16
and
1:06:17
to
1:06:18
the
1:06:19
glory
1:06:20
that
1:06:21
is
1:06:22
revealed
1:06:23
to us
1:06:25
do they
1:06:26
not leave
1:06:27
us in awe
1:06:28
of who you are
1:06:29
and what you have done for us
1:06:30
and the reminder of this day
1:06:32
the glory that is revealed to us
1:06:35
through your son
1:06:36
and all that he has done for us
1:06:39
points us
1:06:40
back to the creator of all things
1:06:43
the giver of life
1:06:45
and it is one
1:06:47
Jesus
1:06:48
is the one
1:06:49
who has authority
1:06:51
over life
1:06:53
he can give us life
1:06:55
so may we know
1:06:57
life
1:06:58
through
1:06:59
Jesus Christ
1:07:00
may that glory
1:07:01
be revealed to us
1:07:03
may we have ears to hear it
1:07:05
and eyes to see it
1:07:06
to see it
1:07:07
that we may stand
1:07:08
in awe of him
1:07:10
as we depart
1:07:11
together
1:07:12
may all that has been said and done
1:07:14
be to the glory
1:07:16
of your name
1:07:17
and praise
1:07:18
forever more
1:07:19
in Jesus Christ's name
1:07:21
amen
1:07:36
for recoming
1:07:41
and viewers
1:07:46
about the
1:07:48
few
1:07:50
details
1:07:50
have
1:07:51
heard
1:07:53
these
1:07:54
are
1:07:55
accurate
1:07:56
we have a
1:07:57
point
1:07:58
90
1:08:00
5
1:08:01
we have
1:08:04
caught