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The King is Coming · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We're going to worship this morning by singing to God's praise.
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We're going to sing in Psalm 96 in the Scottish Psalter.
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We're singing from verse 9 down to verse 13 to the end of the psalm.
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Psalm 96 at verse 9.
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In beauty of his holiness, so do the Lord adore.
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Likewise, let all the earth throughout tremble his face before.
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Among the heathens, say God reigns.
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The world shall steadfastly be fixed from moving.
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He shall judge the people righteously.
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We're going to sing from verse 9 to 13 on the tune of Kilmarnock.
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We stand to sing.
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Let all the earth through a tremble his face before.
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Among the heathens, say God reigns.
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The world shall steadfastly be fixed from moving.
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The world shall steadfastly be fixed from moving.
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He shall judge the people righteously.
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Let heaven take up before the Lord.
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How may the earth rejoice?
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Let Jesus across the voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voy voyque voyque voy voyque voy voyque voy voy voy voyque voy
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singing,
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Before the Lord be caused to judge the earth of thee,
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He'll judge the world with righteousness, that we will pray for thee.
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We'll bow our heads in a word of prayer. Let us pray.
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Our gracious Father in heaven, we thank you for this day.
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We thank you for the joy of praise to you,
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that we are able to gather here in this place or gather around at home as well on such a wild day.
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We thank you that we can still join together in worship of you.
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And we just pray for your peace over us.
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Peace over us as we are sitting here in the pews or sitting at home.
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Peace over us, Lord, in these days as we look for your blessing upon us.
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Thankful for every remembrance of you that we have through your word and by your spirit,
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by the seasons of the year in which we go through.
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We are thankful for every reminder we are given that you are God and Lord of all,
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the one who made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them,
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and the one who, in the midst of all that is so sad in our world,
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the sorrows that we suffer, the sadness that we see around us,
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has reminded us that you gave your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
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to come and save his people, to be a saviour for this world.
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And so we pray that our thanks and our praise would be lifted up to you today
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and in all the days ahead,
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that we rejoice not just at this time of year in the celebrations of Christmas,
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but that we will recognise that you are with us through all our days and all our seasons
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when we put our trust in you.
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So, Lord, may you help us in our hearts today to be glad and rejoice in you.
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And may you bless us in our homes and in our families and our communities
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with your peace and protection over us and your blessing with us.
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As we thank you for one another, we thank you for all our young people,
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we thank you for our schools and for the Sunday schools
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and for all the work that they have been doing throughout this year.
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And as they enjoy a time of holiday just now, Lord,
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may your blessing and refreshment be upon all involved in that work.
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And we thank you too, Lord, for the holiday tweenies and the creche that goes on.
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And we just pray, Lord, that you will bless all these activities
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that we are involved in for our young people, Lord.
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We ask your blessing over each one of them.
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So, Lord, be with us now.
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Go before us throughout this day.
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Keep us safe in it and help us to have our eyes towards you as our Lord and as our God.
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As we ask all with forgiveness of our sins.
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In Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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But before some of the young ones go out to the holiday tweenies
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and those who are staying in, just a wee word to you.
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The last few weeks we've been thinking about Advent and what it means.
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And at the holiday club last week,
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the young people were making their Advent calendars.
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And I don't know if you've been working your way through it.
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But day by day, if you've got an Advent calendar,
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it might not be the one you had at this holiday club.
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Maybe you've got your own at home.
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What you do is, as we heard from Alistair Macaulay when he was here as well,
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you open up the wee doors and you find out what's inside it.
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Now, hands up if you've been doing it one day at a time.
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You've been doing it one day at a time.
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Yeah, a few hands going up.
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Hands up if you're just someone who just,
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I'm just going to pop them all off.
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I'll just have them all at once.
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One day and it's all done.
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Hands up if that's the way you do an Advent calendar.
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Not hands going up.
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That's good.
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Because that would spoil it, wouldn't it?
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It takes the fun away from the excitement of each day you're counting down towards Christmas one day at a time.
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And then you open it up and you see what's in it.
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This had a mixture of little gifts or little sweets.
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And you use that or you eat that.
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And other Advent calendars are full of chocolate.
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And you're counting down the day to Christmas Day when you get the last one.
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But also in the holiday club, we had this little book that we were working in.
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Join the Adventure, as it was called.
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So every day of the Advent calendar, there was also a few questions that went with it.
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So I hope as well as eating the chocolate or looking at what's inside,
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you look at what the questions say.
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And inside each part of the Advent calendar, there was a verse or a scripture reference.
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And today, the 22nd, the scripture reference was,
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A Saviour has been born.
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And it's great for us to come together today and remember that.
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We remember that every week.
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But we remind ourselves today, as we're going on into Christmas week,
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remind ourselves each day a Saviour has been born.
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And one of the questions says is,
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it's speaking about the angels who came and appeared to the shepherds
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and said there's good news of great joy.
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A Saviour is born.
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It says, who did the angels say the good news was for?
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Who was the good news for?
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Was it just certain people?
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Was it just them?
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No.
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It was for the whole world.
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And not just them, but every day of the year.
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And all the years of this world,
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that is the good news that this world hears.
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A Saviour is born.
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Now an Advent calendar, it doesn't last very long, does it?
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It's only maybe a few days.
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The ones we made were 12 days.
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The ones maybe you get for December,
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you have 25 days counting down to Christmas.
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But there's other calendars that maybe aren't as exciting.
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Here's a calendar from our house.
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It's not as exciting, is it?
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You can't pop open anything to get a chocolate.
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And it lasts all the years,
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starting from January last,
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at the beginning of this year,
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right through we're into December now.
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It's not very exciting.
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It's got little things written on it.
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There it's telling me what day the bins go out.
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Not very exciting.
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It's at other parts of the calendar,
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so maybe there's a dentist appointment
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or a doctor's appointment.
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Sometimes it'll be marked days of going back to school
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or being off school,
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days of particular things happening throughout the year.
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And it's just the ordinary day-to-day things.
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Maybe it doesn't seem as exciting as an Advent calendar.
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But if we see what's exciting about the Advent calendar,
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not the chocolates or the little treats you get,
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but a reminder that a Saviour is born.
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And if we see that in Advent,
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counting down to Christmas,
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then we enjoy every day of the year.
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It doesn't seem as exciting putting out the bins,
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but even that can be exciting if we're trusting Jesus.
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Everything we do can be exciting
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when we're trusting Jesus.
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Whatever we're doing is exciting
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when we know that God sent a Saviour to this world.
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And when we trust in Him,
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we look to Him, we believe in Him,
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then we rejoice every day of the year,
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no matter what is going on.
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So may we remember today
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and in all the days ahead,
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a Saviour who is born,
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who is Christ the Lord.
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He has come that we might have life in Him
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and enjoy life to the full.
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So may you enjoy this week in the holiday times,
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but may you enjoy every day
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as we, God willing, go into a new year
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as we start a new calendar
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with all the ordinary things that are going on.
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May we rejoice in the Lord who is good to us.
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We're going to say the Lord's Prayer together now.
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Our Father, which art in heaven,
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hallowed be thy name.
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Thy kingdom come.
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Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
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Give us this day our daily bread
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and forgive us our debts
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as we forgive our debtors.
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And lead us not into temptation,
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but deliver us from evil.
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For thine is the kingdom,
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the power,
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and the glory forever.
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Amen.
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We're going to sing again to God's praise
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now in Psalm 46a.
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Sing Psalm's version,
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Psalm 46a.
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And this is from verse 7
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down to verse 11.
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Psalm 46a, page 60 of the psalm books,
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a tune is Evan.
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We're going to sing from verse 7
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down to the end of the psalm.
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And these, the two verses
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at the beginning and the end
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that remind us of that great promise of God
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that the Lord Almighty is with us
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to strengthen and sustain.
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For Jacob's God,
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our strong defense and fortress,
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will remain.
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So we're going to sing from verse 7
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down to the end of the psalm.
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We stand to sing to God's praise.
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Amen.
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For Jacob's God, our strong defense,
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and fortress will remain.
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Come, see the words the Lord has done,
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the judgments He commands,
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the desolations He has brought,
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to pass in many lands.
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In every land throughout the earth,
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in the midst of all great seas,
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He shatters,
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The Lord's cross and spirit and shield and brings its great peace.
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Be still and know that I am God on earth exalted high.
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And all the nations of the world, my name will glorify.
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The Lord Almighty is with us to strengthen and sustain.
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For Jacob's God has strong defense and fortress will remain.
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Amen.
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I'm reading at verse 13, reading into chapter 5, down to verse 11.
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But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
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For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
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For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
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For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the sound of the trumpet of God.
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And the dead in Christ will rise first.
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Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
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And so we will always be with the Lord.
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Therefore, encourage one another with these words.
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Now, concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.
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For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
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While people are saying there is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman.
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And they will not escape.
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But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
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For you are all children of light, children of the day.
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We are not of the night or of the darkness.
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So then, let us not sleep as others do.
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But let us keep awake and be sober.
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For those who sleep, sleep at night.
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And those who get drunk are drunk at night.
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But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love.
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And for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
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For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
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who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with him.
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Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
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Amen.
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And may the Lord bless that reading from his word.
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We'll again just engage in a word of prayer.
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Let us pray.
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Our gracious Father in heaven, we do thank you for your word.
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And we thank you for the reminder in these readings that we have had from chapter 4 and into chapter 5
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that both end with that word to encourage one another.
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And we thank you that we can do so, basing that on the foundation of your truth,
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the word of God, which is the foundation for life and for all that we do,
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and for all that lies ahead of us, Lord, for all eternity.
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Your word of truth is there to guide us and direct us into the paths of life and into the ways of salvation.
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And we thank you for the great reminders that your word gives to us.
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As we think of the verse that we were sharing with the children,
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that to you is born this day in the city of David a saviour who is Christ the Lord.
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We thank you that there is a saviour who has come,
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that we have had that first advent where he came into this world to save his people.
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And we were reminded through his names that he was given Emmanuel, which means God with us.
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We are thankful for that promise that remains to this day.
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The promise that we have sung about in Psalm 46,
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as well, that the Lord Almighty is with us to strengthen and sustain.
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We thank you that there is that promise for each day of our lives.
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And we pray, Lord, that through faith you might bring us to lean upon you and to trust in you
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and the one who you have given for our salvation.
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And we do pray, Lord, that we would know what it is to have your light upon us.
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We know the world has so much darkness in it.
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There is so much evil, so much sin, so much going on around us, Lord,
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that leaves the world in so much pain and anxiety and fear.
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We see it day by day, O Lord, when we think of all the different things that are going on,
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whether it's natural disasters or war or just individual situations that we see where grief and sorrow comes in.
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And each and every day we hear of something new.
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And, Lord, we know that in this world we will have troubles,
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that the Lord Jesus himself reminded us of that.
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But we thank you that there is hope in him,
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that as he came into this world, as he was born as a man,
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as he lived in this world among the people,
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as he saw their great needs, as he saw their sorrows and sadness,
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he was able to say that they could be of good courage and we could be of good courage
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because he has overcome the world.
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And we thank you that his life led him to that place
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where not just he lived for his people and among his people,
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but that he died for his people,
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that he gave his life as a ransom for many.
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And as we are read in these words before us today,
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we are reminded of another Advent,
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another time when the Lord will return,
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that he will come to take his people to himself.
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And may we see that message today in the midst of everything else that's going on as well,
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as we think of counting down to Christmas Day
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and so much that takes our attention just now.
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May we remind ourselves and be reminded through your word and by your spirit,
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there is another great day of the Lord to come,
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a day that we do not know when it will be,
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and yet a day that we are instructed and guided to be ready for.
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And so we pray, Lord, for your spirit to help us to that end,
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to help us to know that our lives,
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which seem to maybe have such a distance ahead for us,
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that we are so indebted to you for the life that you give,
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but we are so aware too, Lord,
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of how quickly circumstances can change.
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And so we pray today, Lord, that you will help us
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by your spirit, by your grace,
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to know your love towards us,
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to know your warnings towards us,
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and to know your grace that is able to save.
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So may you bless us and keep us and watch over us,
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watch over all who are so busy at this time,
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traveling to and fro.
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We know that so many plans have been disrupted
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with the weather over these last few days.
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Many people will be longing to maybe get away to family
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or come home to family.
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We pray for safety and help to all who are in that position.
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We pray for safety and help to those who are involved
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in all the aspects of traveling,
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whether it's by plane or boat or train or car.
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Whatever it might be, Lord,
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we thank you for all who look after us
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and look out for us in that way.
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We pray your blessing on all who are involved
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in all of these things for safety in the midst of it all.
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We do pray, Lord, for these days ahead,
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for your peace and protection over us
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as so many families come to enjoy a time together.
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May we remember the joy of family and friendship
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and encouragement to one another in that.
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But may we give praise and thanks to you above all,
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for you're the giver of every good and perfect gift.
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And so we pray, Lord, that your spirit
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will be in the midst of all that we do.
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Remember those who are maybe lonely at this time,
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those who have maybe no family or friends around them,
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those who feel very isolated,
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for those whom this time of year is a difficult
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and even a painful time of year,
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especially those who maybe come to a first Christmas
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without loved ones.
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We know, Lord, that there are all these times
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when grief and sorrow comes,
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maybe in an overwhelming way.
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But we pray, Lord, for your comfort
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and for your blessing to be in the midst of it.
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Thankful for those who we have read of
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that are assured that to be absent from the body
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is to be home with the Lord,
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that there is that hope,
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that we do not grieve without hope,
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for there is hope in Christ.
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And so we pray, Lord, for your comfort
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and for your grace towards us.
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Pray for those who are unwell,
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for those who are struggling with ill health
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in homes or hospitals or at their own homes,
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for those who are concerned for loved ones,
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for those whose hearts are heavy just now, Lord,
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maybe with great burdens of loved ones upon them.
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We thank you that we are able to cast our cares upon you.
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That prayer is such a wonderful gift
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in the midst of these times.
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And maybe when we feel we cannot pray,
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we thank you for those who pray for us and with us.
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And so, Lord, we pray that you would bless us and keep us
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and make your face to shine upon us
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and upon your world,
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upon all the nations at this time,
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that we would bring peace in the midst of all
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the troubles that we see surrounding us.
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Guide us, then, we pray.
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Be with us in this day.
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May we rejoice in your goodness
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as we worship you,
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as we fellowship with one another this morning
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and also this evening too.
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And in the service,
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be with Kenny I as he leads it
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and in our fellowship in the evening as well.
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May you be pleased to bless us
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in the midst of all that we do
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and to rejoice in your goodness to us
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in the hope of the gospel
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and the salvation that is in Christ.
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Hear our prayers and continue with us now
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as all we ask.
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We ask the forgiveness of our sins
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in Jesus' precious name.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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We're going to worship God
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by singing to his praise again
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in Psalm 20
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in the Scottish Psalter,
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page 224.
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Psalm 20.
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We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 6.
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The tune is St. Andrew.
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Psalm 20 at verse 1, page 224.
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We'll sing from verse 1 to 6.
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To God's praise we stand to sing.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Let the singing,
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O let him have sent from above,
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and on his sanctuary.
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From Zion is the holy hill,
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let him give strength to lead.
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Let him remember all my gifts,
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accept thy sacrifice,
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and may thy hearts wish and fulfill
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thy thoughts and counsel wise.
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In thy salvation we will join,
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in our God's name we will.
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This may our banners and the Lord,
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thy prayers all fulfill.
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The Lord, thy God,
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his kingdom say,
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he from his holy hand,
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will hear him with the saving strength,
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by his own right can give.
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Amen.
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Well, you can turn back with me to a reading,
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in particular in chapter 5 of 1 Thessalonians.
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1 Thessalonians chapter 5.
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We're going to look at this section,
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verse 1 to verse 11,
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although it begins really at verse 13 of chapter 4,
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but there's two separate sides to what the Thessalonians are looking for,
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or asking for from Paul here.
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In verse 13 to the end of chapter 4,
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they're asking,
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what's the coming of the Lord going to be like?
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Paul speaks about the sound of the trumpet,
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how he's going to come in this way.
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He's not going to forget his people at all.
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He's going to come for them.
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But then in the second part,
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we're looking at this morning in chapter 5,
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it's more when is it going to be?
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When is it going to take place?
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Advent is the season that we've been hearing about so much just now.
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Advent is a countdown,
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but today we're thinking of Advent with a twist,
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if you like.
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We've been thinking very much about the Advent
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of the first coming of Christ.
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This time of year,
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when that's what's being remembered by so many people
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around the world,
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that God sent his Son into this world,
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that a Savior would be born into this world,
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that that was a countdown to remembering
30:18
that God has sent his Son.
30:22
But Advent is all about counting down.
30:26
Counting down to an event,
30:28
to something.
30:29
And it's something that we're often doing.
30:31
All of us are doing it.
30:32
Maybe every day of the year,
30:34
we're counting down to something.
30:37
We're counting down to maybe when holidays will come.
30:40
I'm sure many teachers and pupils
30:43
are counting down the days
30:44
till the Christmas holidays would come,
30:46
and they've arrived.
30:47
And there's a sense of relief in that,
30:49
a sense of joy,
30:50
a time to relax,
30:51
and to enjoy a time of holiday.
30:54
Work,
30:55
closing down for this period of Christmas
30:58
and into the new year,
30:59
it's a sense of counting down towards that,
31:02
and that time comes,
31:04
and you're able to relax a bit more.
31:06
And all throughout the year,
31:08
there's a sense of counting down
31:10
to different things that might be going on
31:12
in our lives,
31:13
counting down to birthdays,
31:15
counting down to weddings,
31:17
just counting down to different times
31:20
and events in our life.
31:23
And if we're counting down,
31:25
it means that we're looking forward
31:27
to something.
31:29
The Advent calendars
31:30
that we've been thinking about,
31:32
they're counting down to Christmas Day,
31:34
and when we remember
31:35
that God sent His Son.
31:37
So we're counting down
31:38
to a particular thing.
31:40
We're counting down to the holidays.
31:42
We're counting down to that last day
31:43
when we come out of school
31:45
or the workplace for a time
31:46
and enjoy a time of holiday.
31:48
We're looking forward to something.
31:52
Advent is about counting down
31:53
to a particular situation.
31:56
Well, another Advent situation
31:59
is what we have here
32:01
in 1 Thessalonians.
32:04
And as I say,
32:05
particularly the end of chapter 4
32:07
and into chapter 5 here,
32:08
we have an Advent
32:10
of something else
32:11
that is going to happen.
32:13
Not looking to the coming of the Lord
32:16
in the first place
32:17
where God sent His Son into the world.
32:19
That has happened.
32:21
But we're looking to another Advent,
32:23
to another time
32:25
when the Lord will return.
32:27
The day of the Lord
32:28
as the heading is there
32:30
in your ESV Bible of chapter 5.
32:32
The day when the Lord will return.
32:36
And the church at Thessalonica
32:38
was like,
32:40
it was an early church.
32:41
It was a church that was young in the faith
32:42
and therefore it had many questions.
32:46
Many things that they'd maybe known
32:47
or learned before
32:49
that were very different now
32:50
to the gospel that they were hearing.
32:53
The good news of Jesus
32:55
and the salvation that He brought.
32:56
So there was a very different teaching
32:58
that they were hearing.
32:59
And you see it especially there
33:00
in chapter 4
33:01
when it's speaking about those
33:03
who have already passed away.
33:05
Their understanding before this
33:07
would maybe,
33:07
well, that's it.
33:08
They're gone.
33:09
They're forgotten about.
33:10
But Paul says,
33:11
no, they're not forgotten about.
33:13
They've gone,
33:14
but they will come.
33:15
Again, they will return.
33:17
The Lord will return
33:18
and take them to Himself.
33:20
And so there's this wonder
33:21
of the gospel
33:22
that God
33:23
not just sent His Son
33:25
into this world,
33:27
but they sent them
33:27
with a purpose
33:28
to save His people.
33:29
And that this salvation
33:30
is not just for this life,
33:32
but it's for eternity.
33:34
And that He is going
33:35
to come again.
33:37
And this then leads into
33:38
the second question
33:40
that they have.
33:42
And that is the question,
33:43
well,
33:43
if this is to be so,
33:46
when?
33:47
When will it be?
33:51
Can we count down the days
33:53
until this will happen?
33:56
When we think of Advent
33:58
counting down,
33:59
it's with a particular day in mind.
34:01
We have a particular number of days
34:03
we're counting down towards.
34:04
But is that something
34:05
that we can have
34:07
in this situation,
34:09
the coming of the Lord?
34:10
That's the question
34:12
that they have.
34:14
When will this be?
34:16
Is it a question
34:17
you have today?
34:19
In the midst of everything,
34:21
all the preparation
34:21
for Christmas just now
34:23
and coming together
34:24
as families,
34:25
all being well
34:25
on Christmas Day
34:26
and enjoying this season
34:28
of holiday,
34:29
is the question you have,
34:31
when will the Lord
34:33
come again?
34:34
Or is that just pushed
34:36
to the back
34:37
of your minds?
34:38
How often do you ask
34:40
the question,
34:40
or do you ever
34:41
ask the question,
34:42
I wonder,
34:43
when will the Lord
34:45
come again?
34:46
Or even maybe the question is,
34:48
will he come again?
34:51
So many people
34:51
have that kind of attitude
34:52
where they think,
34:54
well, we're seeing the world
34:55
in so much chaos,
34:56
so much pain,
34:57
so much grief
34:58
and heartache
34:59
for so many people.
35:01
Surely if the Lord
35:01
was going to come,
35:02
he would have come by now,
35:03
but he would write
35:04
all of these things.
35:06
And so the coming
35:07
of the Lord
35:07
is dismissed
35:08
as it will not happen.
35:12
As we think
35:12
of counting down
35:13
the days,
35:15
these days
35:17
towards Christmas,
35:18
as we think
35:18
of counting down
35:20
towards the coming
35:21
of the Lord,
35:23
may we see
35:24
that we are to remember
35:25
not just that
35:26
he has come,
35:28
but that he will come
35:29
again.
35:31
And this is not
35:31
to take the joy
35:32
out of Christmas,
35:34
because the more
35:35
we understand
35:36
that he came
35:37
in the first place
35:38
as a saviour
35:39
for the world,
35:40
and the more
35:40
that we understand
35:41
that he will come again,
35:43
the more we are able
35:44
to rejoice
35:45
in the praise
35:47
that he has come
35:48
to remember us,
35:50
and that he will come
35:50
to take us
35:52
to himself.
35:54
To enjoy Christmas
35:55
is not to have
35:55
everything ready
35:56
for this Wednesday,
35:59
but it's to have
36:00
everything ready
36:01
for each day of life,
36:03
living in light
36:03
of the fact
36:04
that the Lord
36:05
will return.
36:06
It's not about
36:07
one day,
36:08
but every day.
36:11
And so there's
36:11
three things
36:12
in this passage
36:12
I want us
36:13
to be aware
36:14
of at this time.
36:16
Three things
36:16
that Paul
36:17
answers in light
36:19
of the questions
36:20
that they have.
36:21
And he puts it
36:22
in this way,
36:23
the first thing
36:23
is to be aware
36:24
of the seasons.
36:27
He speaks there
36:28
in verse 1
36:28
of,
36:28
now concerning
36:29
the times
36:30
of the seasons,
36:31
brothers.
36:32
So he wants them
36:32
to be aware
36:33
of the seasons.
36:34
The second thing
36:35
is to be aware
36:36
of the situation.
36:38
In verse 4
36:39
he says,
36:40
but you are not
36:40
in darkness.
36:41
To be aware
36:42
of the situation.
36:44
And then the third
36:45
thing is
36:46
to be aware
36:47
of the solution.
36:49
In verse 8
36:50
he says,
36:51
but since we belong
36:52
to the day,
36:53
let us be sober,
36:54
having put on
36:54
the breastplate
36:55
of faith
36:55
and love
36:56
and for a helmet
36:58
the hope
36:58
of salvation.
37:01
So there is
37:01
to be aware
37:02
of the seasons,
37:03
to be aware
37:03
of the situation
37:04
and to be aware
37:06
of the solution.
37:08
And so the first
37:09
thing we want to see
37:09
is to be aware
37:10
of the seasons.
37:14
The people
37:14
in Thessalonica
37:15
they had questions.
37:16
Questions are
37:17
quite natural
37:18
for every one
37:18
of us to have.
37:19
We all have
37:20
questions of
37:21
different things.
37:22
And when it comes
37:23
to questions
37:23
about faith,
37:25
when it comes
37:25
to questions
37:26
about eternity,
37:27
we're so often
37:27
looking for answers,
37:29
but where are we
37:29
going to find
37:30
the answers?
37:32
Well the people
37:33
in Thessalonica
37:34
they had already
37:35
been taught
37:35
different things,
37:36
but now they're
37:37
hearing a new
37:37
teaching about
37:38
Christ who has
37:39
come.
37:40
And they want
37:41
to know more.
37:43
And so they bring
37:43
their questions
37:44
to Paul.
37:46
They bring their
37:46
questions to him
37:47
in the hope
37:48
that he will be
37:49
able to answer
37:49
the questions
37:50
that they have.
37:52
And there are
37:52
some questions
37:53
as you see
37:54
as you read
37:54
through Paul's letters,
37:55
not just this one,
37:56
that he answers
37:57
many of the
37:58
questions that
37:59
people have
38:00
about faith.
38:01
People still
38:02
have to this
38:02
day about faith
38:03
and what it
38:04
means.
38:05
But there's
38:05
one question
38:06
that almost
38:07
just seems
38:08
unanswerable.
38:10
They're trying
38:11
to pinpoint
38:13
something here.
38:15
The end of
38:16
chapter 4
38:17
they've heard
38:17
what the day
38:18
of the Lord's
38:19
return is going
38:20
to be like.
38:20
It's going
38:20
to be amazing
38:21
in so many
38:22
different ways.
38:23
But now
38:25
they've got
38:25
this question
38:26
when?
38:28
When will
38:29
this be?
38:30
When will
38:31
God return?
38:33
Now why
38:34
would they be
38:34
asking this
38:35
question?
38:36
Well surely
38:37
it would help
38:37
them to prepare
38:38
for his return
38:40
if they knew
38:40
when he was
38:41
coming.
38:42
If we're
38:43
looking ahead
38:44
to something,
38:45
if we're
38:45
preparing for
38:46
something,
38:47
whatever it
38:47
might be,
38:47
whether it's
38:48
Christmas or
38:49
holidays or
38:50
weddings,
38:51
whatever it
38:51
might be,
38:51
if we've got
38:52
a date in
38:52
mind,
38:53
we're able
38:54
to work
38:54
towards that
38:56
date.
38:57
We're able
38:57
to make
38:58
preparations
38:58
in light
38:59
of the
39:00
moment of
39:01
time and
39:01
how much
39:02
time we
39:02
have left
39:03
to prepare.
39:04
So they're
39:04
saying to
39:05
Paul here,
39:05
wouldn't it
39:06
help us to
39:06
know when
39:07
Jesus is
39:08
going to
39:08
come again?
39:10
So therefore
39:11
we will be
39:11
able to
39:11
prepare ourselves
39:13
in the right
39:13
manner for
39:14
his coming,
39:15
his second
39:16
coming,
39:16
his second
39:17
advent.
39:20
Think to
39:21
yourself just
39:21
now,
39:21
what difference
39:22
would it
39:23
make if
39:23
you knew
39:24
what day
39:25
the Lord
39:25
was coming
39:26
again for
39:27
the second
39:28
time?
39:29
What would
39:30
you do
39:30
differently
39:30
in your
39:31
life if
39:32
you knew,
39:32
for example,
39:33
that he was
39:33
coming two
39:34
years today?
39:36
What would
39:37
you change?
39:38
What would
39:39
you alter in
39:40
your life?
39:40
Would you
39:40
think, no,
39:40
I don't have
39:41
to change
39:41
anything,
39:42
I'm quite
39:43
happy the way
39:43
things are,
39:44
I'll be
39:44
ready when
39:45
he comes?
39:46
If you're a
39:47
Christian,
39:47
you would
39:48
hopefully have
39:49
that hope.
39:49
You would
39:50
say, well,
39:50
I know I
39:51
am ready
39:51
for his
39:52
coming.
39:54
But if
39:54
not, if
39:55
you had
39:55
said, well,
39:56
two years
39:56
today is
39:57
going to
39:57
come, how
39:57
would that
39:58
change your
39:58
life?
40:00
Would you
40:00
think, well,
40:01
I've got
40:02
more time to
40:02
do my own
40:03
things now
40:03
because I
40:04
know exactly
40:04
when he's
40:05
coming.
40:06
I'll spend
40:07
maybe 18
40:07
months just
40:09
doing what I
40:10
want to do,
40:10
fulfilling my
40:11
own desires,
40:12
and then maybe
40:12
the last six
40:13
months, then
40:14
I'll start
40:15
getting ready
40:15
for the
40:16
Lord's
40:16
return.
40:16
then I'll
40:18
start making
40:19
things right
40:19
in that
40:20
sense.
40:22
Is that
40:22
the way
40:22
you would
40:23
live if
40:23
you knew
40:24
a date
40:25
when he
40:25
was coming?
40:27
It's
40:27
certainly
40:27
not the
40:28
way you
40:28
should
40:28
live.
40:30
Because even
40:31
if we were
40:32
told and we
40:32
knew and we
40:33
don't, we
40:34
had two
40:35
years till
40:37
he came.
40:38
The reality
40:39
is we
40:39
might not
40:40
have two
40:40
years.
40:41
We might
40:42
not have two
40:42
weeks, two
40:43
days, two
40:44
hours, because
40:46
we don't
40:46
know what
40:47
will happen
40:47
in our
40:47
lives.
40:49
And so
40:50
it would
40:50
be foolish
40:51
to live
40:51
in a
40:52
sense of
40:52
Advent,
40:53
counting
40:54
down with
40:54
that mindset.
40:55
That would
40:56
be wrong.
40:57
And so
40:58
what Paul
40:58
says here
40:59
is he
40:59
answers the
41:00
question about
41:01
well when
41:02
is this
41:02
going to
41:03
be?
41:03
He says
41:03
now concerning
41:04
the times
41:05
and the
41:05
seasons,
41:06
brothers,
41:06
you have
41:07
no need
41:08
to have
41:08
anything
41:08
written to
41:09
you,
41:09
for you
41:09
yourselves
41:10
are fully
41:11
aware.
41:12
You already
41:12
know the
41:13
answer he's
41:13
saying here.
41:14
And so
41:15
do many
41:15
of you,
41:16
I'm sure
41:16
you know
41:17
the answer
41:17
to this
41:18
question.
41:19
When will
41:19
the Lord
41:19
come?
41:22
Well, we
41:22
realize it's
41:23
not a date.
41:25
It's not a
41:26
day that we
41:26
can count
41:27
down towards.
41:29
He says
41:29
for you
41:29
yourself are
41:30
fully aware
41:31
that the
41:32
day of the
41:32
Lord will
41:33
come like
41:34
a thief
41:34
in the
41:35
night.
41:37
It's going
41:37
to come
41:38
suddenly.
41:41
The reason
41:42
that he's
41:42
not able to
41:43
answer it
41:43
is the
41:44
same reason
41:44
that it's
41:44
never been
41:45
able to
41:45
be answered.
41:46
In the
41:47
Old Testament,
41:47
even in the
41:48
teaching of
41:48
Christ in
41:49
the New
41:49
Testament,
41:50
it's not
41:51
a day that
41:51
can be
41:52
pinpointed
41:52
with a
41:53
date and
41:53
a time
41:54
and a
41:55
year.
41:57
It's a
41:57
day that's
41:58
described in
41:59
this way
41:59
suddenly,
42:00
like a
42:01
thief in
42:01
the night
42:02
when you
42:02
least expect
42:03
it.
42:03
That's the
42:04
way it's
42:04
described.
42:05
You go
42:06
back to
42:06
Joel in
42:07
the Old
42:07
Testament,
42:08
and especially
42:08
chapter 2,
42:10
and you read
42:10
through that
42:11
chapter,
42:11
and it's
42:12
talking about
42:12
this day
42:13
of the
42:14
Lord's
42:14
return.
42:15
It's
42:16
amazing the
42:16
kind of
42:17
picture it
42:18
gives of
42:19
the way it's
42:20
going to be.
42:20
It's going to be
42:21
an awesome day,
42:22
an amazing day,
42:23
a terrifying
42:23
day,
42:25
a day where the
42:26
people of God
42:27
can rejoice in.
42:28
happen.
42:29
But it's going to
42:30
happen suddenly
42:31
and quickly.
42:33
That's the
42:33
point that
42:34
Joel makes
42:34
very clear in
42:35
the Old
42:35
Testament.
42:37
Jesus himself
42:38
was asked this
42:39
question.
42:39
You think,
42:40
well,
42:40
surely Jesus
42:41
had the
42:42
answer.
42:43
Well,
42:43
you read in
42:44
Mark 13,
42:45
verse 32,
42:46
but concerning
42:46
that day,
42:48
the day of
42:48
the Lord's
42:49
second coming,
42:50
the day of
42:50
his second
42:50
advent,
42:51
or that hour,
42:52
no one knows,
42:53
he says,
42:54
not even the
42:54
angels in
42:55
heaven,
42:56
nor the
42:56
son,
42:57
but only
42:58
the father.
42:59
And so he
43:00
says,
43:00
be on your
43:01
guard,
43:01
keep awake,
43:02
for you do
43:03
not know
43:03
when the
43:04
time will
43:05
come.
43:06
He says
43:07
the same
43:07
in the
43:08
gospel of
43:08
Luke,
43:09
chapter 12,
43:10
verse 40,
43:10
you also
43:11
must be
43:12
ready for
43:12
the son
43:12
of man
43:13
is coming
43:14
at an
43:14
hour you
43:14
do not
43:15
expect.
43:17
We don't
43:18
know when
43:19
it's going
43:20
to be,
43:22
but we are
43:23
to live in
43:23
light of what
43:24
the scripture
43:24
tells us,
43:25
and what
43:26
the scripture
43:27
tells us
43:27
is to be
43:28
ready,
43:29
to be
43:29
aware of
43:29
the seasons,
43:30
he might
43:30
come like
43:31
a thief
43:32
in the
43:32
night.
43:33
December
43:34
the 7th,
43:35
1941,
43:37
was a
43:38
day,
43:38
the day
43:38
when a
43:39
devastating
43:39
attack
43:40
happened
43:40
in Pearl
43:41
Harbor,
43:42
in Hawaii.
43:43
A day
43:44
started like
43:44
an ordinary
43:45
day,
43:46
a sense
43:46
of peace,
43:48
but a
43:48
day that
43:49
ended in
43:49
complete
43:50
devastation
43:50
for so
43:51
many,
43:52
2,300
43:53
people,
43:53
or nearly
43:54
that number
43:55
lost their
43:55
lives that
43:56
day.
43:57
And yet
43:58
just a few
43:58
months earlier
43:59
in September,
44:00
someone had
44:00
said,
44:01
a Japanese
44:01
attack on
44:02
Hawaii is
44:03
regarded as
44:03
the most
44:04
unlikely thing
44:05
in the
44:06
world,
44:07
with one
44:08
chance in
44:09
a million
44:09
of being
44:10
successful.
44:12
But what
44:13
happened?
44:15
Devastation
44:16
came.
44:18
Are we
44:18
living in
44:19
a prepared
44:20
state or
44:21
a state of
44:22
denial where
44:22
there's false
44:23
comfort?
44:24
there's two
44:24
ways you
44:25
could look
44:26
at that
44:26
text which
44:27
says the
44:27
day of
44:28
the Lord
44:28
will come
44:29
like a
44:29
thief in
44:30
the night.
44:31
You can
44:31
live like
44:32
that thought
44:33
well a
44:33
thief in
44:34
the night.
44:35
Not every
44:35
house is
44:36
bargained.
44:37
It won't
44:38
happen to
44:38
me.
44:40
And so you
44:40
live in
44:41
denial,
44:41
it's no
44:41
concern.
44:43
But that's
44:44
not the
44:44
way to
44:45
live.
44:46
The way
44:46
to live
44:47
is to
44:47
think the
44:48
Lord will
44:49
come.
44:51
Without
44:51
focus on
44:52
that,
44:52
the Lord
44:52
will come.
44:54
He will
44:54
come to
44:55
you,
44:55
he will
44:56
come to
44:56
me,
44:57
he will
44:57
come to
44:58
us all.
44:59
The Lord
45:00
will come.
45:01
Just like
45:02
he did in
45:02
the first
45:03
time when
45:04
God sent
45:04
his son
45:05
into this
45:05
world and
45:07
people didn't
45:07
expect him,
45:08
didn't receive
45:09
him, didn't
45:09
look at him
45:10
the way they
45:10
should, as
45:11
the saviour
45:12
of the
45:12
world.
45:13
He's going
45:14
to come
45:14
again as
45:14
the judge
45:15
of the
45:16
world.
45:17
Advent is
45:18
about looking
45:19
back, but
45:20
it's about
45:21
looking ahead.
45:21
as well.
45:23
He will
45:23
come like
45:24
a thief in
45:25
the night.
45:26
Be aware
45:26
of the
45:28
seasons.
45:30
But the
45:30
second thing
45:30
we see is
45:31
to be aware
45:31
of the
45:32
situation.
45:34
And we
45:35
see that as
45:35
we move
45:35
on in
45:37
verse 4.
45:37
But you
45:38
are not
45:38
in darkness,
45:39
brothers,
45:40
for that
45:40
day to
45:41
surprise you
45:42
like a
45:43
thief.
45:44
You are
45:45
not in
45:46
darkness.
45:48
This is the
45:49
blessing the
45:50
church at
45:51
Thessalonica
45:51
had.
45:52
And this
45:53
is the
45:53
blessing that
45:54
we have
45:54
today.
45:55
We have
45:55
the word
45:56
of God.
45:58
We have
45:58
the guidance
45:59
of the
45:59
word of
45:59
God.
46:00
The Lord
46:00
has spoken.
46:02
We have
46:02
the gospel.
46:03
The gospel
46:04
that is
46:05
good news
46:06
as we
46:07
hear so
46:08
often at
46:08
this time
46:09
of year
46:09
when the
46:09
angels
46:10
sang
46:10
good news
46:11
of great
46:12
joy as
46:13
saviour
46:13
who is
46:14
Christ
46:15
the Lord.
46:16
That is
46:17
the good
46:17
news.
46:17
But there
46:17
is also
46:18
the warnings
46:19
in the
46:20
scriptures as
46:21
well.
46:22
The warnings
46:23
that we
46:23
have here
46:25
in Thessalonians
46:26
chapter 4.
46:29
For the
46:29
Lord himself
46:30
will descend
46:31
it says in
46:31
verse 16
46:32
from heaven
46:32
with a
46:33
cry of
46:34
command
46:34
with the
46:34
voice of
46:35
an archangel
46:36
and with
46:36
the sound
46:37
of the
46:37
trumpet
46:38
of God.
46:40
It's the
46:40
same message
46:42
that Joel
46:42
had.
46:43
The blessing
46:43
that he was
46:44
to his
46:45
people in
46:45
the Old
46:46
Testament
46:46
when Joel
46:47
in chapter
46:47
2 says
46:48
verse 1
46:49
blow a
46:50
trumpet
46:50
and sound
46:51
an alarm
46:52
on my
46:52
holy
46:52
mountain.
46:53
Let all
46:54
the inhabitants
46:54
of the
46:55
land
46:55
tremble
46:56
for the
46:56
day of
46:56
the
46:56
Lord
46:57
is
46:57
coming.
46:58
It
46:58
is
46:58
near.
47:00
There
47:00
is
47:00
warning.
47:01
The
47:02
trumpet
47:02
sound
47:03
is a
47:03
warning
47:03
sound
47:04
that there
47:05
is
47:05
danger
47:05
that there
47:06
is
47:06
a
47:06
major
47:07
event
47:07
coming
47:08
and so
47:10
the
47:10
trumpet
47:10
will
47:11
sound.
47:13
But who
47:14
was blessed
47:14
in Joel's
47:15
day?
47:17
Was it
47:17
everyone who
47:17
heard that
47:18
sound?
47:19
No.
47:21
It was
47:22
those who
47:22
took action
47:23
in the
47:23
midst of
47:24
that
47:24
sound.
47:26
Those who
47:26
are blessed
47:27
are the
47:28
ones who
47:28
heed the
47:29
warning.
47:30
And the
47:31
same is
47:31
true for
47:32
ourselves
47:33
today.
47:34
We need
47:34
to heed
47:34
the warning
47:35
of Scripture
47:37
to enjoy
47:39
this season
47:40
and the
47:40
joy of
47:41
it,
47:42
but to
47:43
realize
47:43
too that
47:44
it's
47:44
pointing
47:45
ahead
47:45
to
47:46
another
47:46
day,
47:46
another
47:47
advent,
47:48
another
47:48
coming
47:49
of the
47:50
Lord.
47:52
There
47:53
are
47:53
those
47:53
who
47:53
are
47:53
in
47:54
darkness
47:54
and
47:54
there
47:54
are
47:55
those
47:55
who
47:56
are
47:56
in
47:56
light.
47:57
And it's
47:58
to be
47:58
in
47:58
light,
47:59
that is
48:00
where we
48:00
need to
48:00
find
48:01
ourselves.
48:01
And that's
48:02
what he
48:02
says here,
48:02
you are
48:03
not in
48:03
darkness,
48:04
brothers,
48:04
for this
48:05
day to
48:05
surprise you.
48:06
You know
48:07
it's
48:07
coming,
48:08
he says.
48:08
You know
48:09
he is
48:10
coming.
48:10
So prepare,
48:12
be ready.
48:15
Don't have
48:15
a false
48:16
peace.
48:17
The peace
48:17
that Jeremiah
48:18
spoke of
48:19
in the
48:19
Old Testament
48:20
when he
48:21
said peace,
48:21
peace,
48:22
when there
48:22
is no
48:23
peace.
48:25
We can
48:26
easily think
48:27
we have
48:27
peace,
48:28
but all
48:30
around is
48:30
the trouble
48:31
that we
48:31
don't see
48:32
because we're
48:32
in darkness.
48:34
There's
48:34
a waterfall,
48:37
famous waterfall
48:38
in Africa,
48:38
Victoria Falls.
48:40
It's on the
48:41
border of
48:42
Sambia and
48:42
Zimbabwe.
48:44
A bit like
48:45
the Niagara
48:45
Falls,
48:46
they're world
48:47
famous and
48:47
many people
48:48
go to
48:48
visit them.
48:50
But they
48:51
both have a
48:52
similar thing
48:52
that happens
48:53
as well.
48:53
When there's
48:54
a raging
48:54
torrent of
48:55
water coming
48:56
down the
48:56
falls,
48:57
it creates
48:57
a mist,
48:58
almost like
48:59
a fog that
49:00
we would
49:00
see on a
49:01
calm day,
49:01
and you
49:02
can't see
49:02
properly.
49:04
But people
49:04
often want to
49:05
go and visit
49:05
these because
49:06
it's so
49:06
spectacular.
49:08
And one
49:08
day there
49:08
was this
49:09
man who
49:09
was visiting
49:09
Victoria Falls.
49:12
And he
49:13
was walking
49:13
around a
49:14
pathway that
49:15
skirts the
49:16
gorge.
49:17
And he
49:18
saw a sign
49:19
just towards
49:20
the edge
49:21
of the
49:21
gorge.
49:22
And he
49:22
couldn't see
49:23
it through
49:23
the mist
49:24
that the
49:24
water was
49:24
creating.
49:26
And so he
49:26
decided,
49:27
I need to
49:27
go and see
49:28
that sign,
49:29
see what it
49:29
says in
49:30
case I'm
49:30
missing
49:30
something
49:31
important
49:32
here.
49:32
And so he
49:32
started just
49:33
walking
49:34
towards it.
49:35
It was
49:35
quite muddy,
49:36
it was
49:36
quite slippery,
49:37
but he
49:37
just knew
49:38
he had
49:38
to see
49:39
the sign.
49:39
But as
49:40
he came
49:40
closer to
49:41
the sign,
49:42
as he
49:42
was just
49:42
about at
49:43
it, he
49:43
realised what
49:44
it said.
49:46
And on
49:46
the sign
49:46
it said
49:47
danger,
49:48
crumbling
49:49
edge.
49:51
So the
49:51
more he
49:52
was going
49:52
towards the
49:53
sign,
49:54
the more
49:54
he was
49:54
putting
49:55
himself in
49:56
danger.
49:56
The edge
49:57
of the
49:57
cliffs there
49:58
could just
49:58
collapse.
50:02
And that's
50:02
what it is
50:03
to be in
50:03
darkness.
50:04
darkness.
50:05
We're
50:06
blinded to
50:07
the warnings
50:08
of this
50:08
world and
50:08
we're just
50:09
walking into
50:09
trouble as
50:10
it were.
50:12
But he
50:13
says here,
50:13
but you
50:13
are not
50:14
in darkness.
50:16
And so
50:16
the word
50:17
of God
50:17
guides us
50:19
away from
50:20
the edge
50:20
of the
50:20
cliff and
50:20
it guides
50:21
us towards
50:21
the safety
50:22
that is
50:23
the rock
50:23
that is
50:24
Jesus
50:24
Christ.
50:27
We have
50:27
warnings
50:28
in
50:29
scripture
50:29
again and
50:30
again guiding
50:31
us away
50:32
from danger.
50:34
When you
50:35
look through
50:35
your Bibles,
50:36
do you
50:37
think it
50:37
says more
50:37
of the
50:38
first
50:38
coming
50:39
of
50:39
Christ
50:39
or the
50:41
second
50:41
coming
50:42
of
50:42
Christ?
50:43
I mean
50:43
the first
50:43
coming
50:43
of
50:44
Christ
50:44
was
50:45
such
50:45
a
50:45
monumental
50:46
occasion
50:46
when God
50:47
sent
50:47
his
50:47
son
50:48
into
50:48
this
50:48
world
50:49
as a
50:49
saviour
50:50
for the
50:50
world.
50:51
Do you
50:52
think it
50:52
says more
50:52
of that
50:53
or more
50:54
of the
50:55
second
50:55
coming
50:55
of
50:56
Christ?
50:57
Well
50:57
the ratio
50:58
is about
50:58
eight to
50:59
one.
51:01
But it
51:02
says eight
51:02
times more
51:03
about the
51:03
second
51:04
coming
51:04
of the
51:05
Lord
51:05
than the
51:06
first
51:07
coming
51:07
of the
51:07
Lord.
51:09
And that's
51:09
a reminder
51:10
to us
51:10
of Advent.
51:12
It's great
51:13
to count
51:13
down towards
51:14
Christmas time
51:15
and the
51:16
first coming,
51:17
remembering the
51:17
first coming
51:18
of the
51:18
Lord.
51:20
But it's
51:20
to be
51:20
prepared for
51:21
the second
51:22
coming.
51:24
We are
51:24
not in
51:25
darkness.
51:26
Another
51:26
day that
51:27
people often
51:27
count down
51:28
to was
51:29
that yesterday,
51:30
what was
51:31
significant about
51:32
yesterday was
51:33
the winter
51:33
solstice.
51:35
So as of
51:36
today,
51:36
now the
51:37
days are
51:37
getting
51:37
longer.
51:39
You may
51:39
not see
51:40
it for a
51:40
while,
51:40
but that
51:41
is the
51:42
case.
51:42
Somebody
51:42
said that
51:43
today we'll
51:44
have five
51:45
seconds more
51:46
daylight than
51:47
we did
51:47
yesterday.
51:49
It sounds
51:50
insignificant.
51:53
It sounds
51:53
so small,
51:54
so minute,
51:55
and yet there's
51:55
a difference
51:56
day by day.
51:57
But imagine
51:57
the difference
51:59
between darkness
52:00
and light
52:00
through faith
52:02
in Christ.
52:03
Just a
52:03
glimpse of
52:05
the glory
52:05
of Christ
52:06
and the
52:07
joy of
52:08
his salvation
52:09
makes all
52:09
the difference
52:10
in our
52:11
lives.
52:13
Be aware
52:14
of the
52:15
situation
52:15
that we're
52:16
in.
52:17
There is
52:17
a danger
52:18
of drifting
52:18
away in
52:19
darkness,
52:20
but there
52:21
is a joy
52:21
and hope
52:22
of the
52:23
light
52:23
of the
52:24
gospel.
52:25
We are
52:26
not in
52:27
darkness.
52:28
We have
52:28
light.
52:29
We have
52:29
the gospel
52:30
before us.
52:33
And so
52:33
thirdly and
52:33
finally,
52:34
I just want
52:34
us to see
52:35
here,
52:36
be aware
52:36
of the
52:37
solution.
52:39
Be aware
52:39
of the
52:40
solution.
52:42
And you
52:42
notice that
52:43
verse 4
52:44
has a
52:45
but there,
52:46
but you
52:46
are not
52:46
in darkness,
52:47
so you
52:48
can be
52:49
ready for
52:49
the day.
52:51
Then again
52:51
in verse 8
52:52
it says,
52:53
but,
52:53
but since
52:55
we belong
52:55
to the
52:56
day,
52:57
let us
52:57
be sober
52:58
having put
52:58
on the
52:59
breastplate
52:59
of faith
53:00
and love
53:00
and for
53:01
our helmet
53:02
the hope
53:03
of salvation.
53:04
For God
53:04
has not
53:05
destined us
53:06
for wrath,
53:07
but to
53:07
obtain
53:08
salvation
53:08
through
53:09
our Lord
53:11
Jesus
53:11
Christ.
53:13
So if
53:13
we are
53:13
aware
53:14
that the
53:15
coming of
53:16
the Lord
53:16
could be
53:17
any time,
53:18
and if
53:18
we are
53:19
aware of
53:19
the different
53:20
situations
53:20
that we
53:21
can find
53:21
ourselves
53:22
in,
53:22
the darkness
53:23
or the
53:23
light,
53:25
well the
53:25
final thing
53:25
we have
53:26
to ask
53:26
is,
53:27
what is
53:27
the
53:27
solution?
53:29
What can
53:30
we do?
53:31
How do
53:32
we prepare
53:32
for the
53:33
return
53:34
of Christ?
53:37
You make
53:38
your preparation
53:38
for Christmas
53:39
Day,
53:40
you have a
53:40
shopping list,
53:41
you have a
53:41
list of
53:41
presents,
53:42
a list of
53:43
people you
53:43
want to
53:44
invite,
53:45
you have
53:45
preparations,
53:46
everybody is
53:47
preparing for
53:48
it.
53:48
If you are
53:49
in the
53:49
town or
53:50
around the
53:50
town the
53:51
last few
53:51
days,
53:51
the place
53:52
is busy
53:52
with people
53:53
all getting
53:55
ready for
53:56
that one
53:57
day,
53:58
but you
53:59
wonder,
54:01
are we
54:01
putting as
54:01
much effort,
54:03
as much
54:04
focus and
54:04
much attention
54:05
into preparing
54:06
for this
54:06
day,
54:07
for the
54:08
day of
54:08
the Lord's
54:09
return?
54:11
The solution
54:12
is yes,
54:13
we can
54:14
enjoy life,
54:15
we can
54:16
enjoy the
54:16
blessings of
54:17
families and
54:18
friendships and
54:19
seasons in
54:20
this world,
54:21
but it's
54:22
to be all
54:23
in light of
54:24
the fact that
54:25
the Lord
54:25
will return.
54:28
As Joel
54:29
spoke in
54:29
the Old
54:30
Testament,
54:31
and as
54:31
Paul speaks
54:32
here,
54:32
and as
54:33
Christ
54:33
himself spoke
54:34
about this
54:35
day,
54:35
it was
54:36
always with
54:36
like a
54:37
two-edged
54:37
sword.
54:39
There is
54:40
the threat
54:40
of judgment,
54:42
but there
54:43
is the hope
54:44
of salvation.
54:47
Verse 9,
54:48
for God
54:49
has not
54:49
destined us
54:50
for wrath,
54:51
for judgment,
54:52
if we are
54:52
putting our
54:53
trust in
54:53
him,
54:54
but to
54:55
obtain salvation
54:56
through Jesus
54:57
Christ,
54:57
our Lord,
54:58
who died
54:59
for us.
55:01
And so it
55:02
takes us
55:03
not just
55:03
to the
55:04
cradle,
55:05
to the
55:05
place of
55:05
Christ's
55:06
birth,
55:07
and to
55:07
that first
55:07
advent,
55:09
but it
55:10
takes us
55:10
to the
55:11
cross,
55:13
and to
55:13
the cross
55:14
where we
55:14
are able
55:14
to prepare
55:15
for the
55:16
day of
55:16
the Lord's
55:17
return,
55:17
because there
55:18
we see
55:18
the reason
55:20
Christ came
55:20
into this
55:21
world to
55:21
save his
55:22
people from
55:23
their sins
55:23
was by
55:24
dying on
55:25
the cross
55:25
himself,
55:27
by taking
55:27
the sin
55:28
that we
55:29
have in
55:30
our hearts,
55:31
and by
55:32
giving us
55:32
the hope
55:33
of salvation
55:34
through faith
55:35
in him.
55:37
So there
55:38
is the
55:39
solution.
55:41
Do you
55:41
need to
55:41
hear it
55:42
again?
55:43
You've
55:43
heard it
55:44
how many
55:44
times you
55:46
come towards
55:46
the end
55:47
of another
55:47
year,
55:49
2024.
55:50
It's hard
55:51
to believe
55:51
you in
55:52
just saying
55:52
it.
55:53
It doesn't
55:53
seem that
55:54
long ago
55:54
since we
55:54
were in
55:54
19-something,
55:56
but here
55:56
we are,
55:57
2024,
55:58
the end
55:58
of the
55:59
year again,
56:00
and how
56:00
many times
56:01
have you
56:01
heard this?
56:03
How many
56:03
times have
56:04
you remembered
56:04
the first
56:05
coming of
56:07
the Lord
56:07
and his
56:08
birth into
56:09
this world?
56:11
But how
56:12
important is
56:13
the second
56:13
coming?
56:15
How important
56:16
is the
56:16
second
56:16
advent when
56:18
he comes
56:18
to judge
56:19
the world?
56:21
The Lord
56:22
is coming.
56:23
We remember
56:24
that he
56:24
has come
56:25
and the
56:26
amazement
56:26
of that
56:27
that God
56:27
would give
56:28
his son
56:28
for us.
56:31
But let's
56:31
not forget
56:32
that he is
56:33
coming again.
56:35
The countdown
56:36
is on,
56:36
but it's not
56:36
a date you
56:37
can mark
56:37
on your
56:38
diary or
56:39
on your
56:39
calendar.
56:40
We don't
56:41
know when.
56:43
He will
56:43
come like
56:44
a thief
56:45
in the
56:46
night.
56:47
What's
56:48
the biggest
56:48
stumbling
56:49
block for
56:49
you just
56:50
now?
56:51
To stop
56:52
you from
56:52
being ready
56:53
for this
56:54
day?
56:55
Is it a
56:56
doubt that
56:56
this day
56:57
is not
56:58
going to
56:58
come?
56:59
Or this
56:59
day is
57:00
far in
57:01
the distance?
57:03
This day
57:03
is a day
57:04
I'll prepare
57:05
for later.
57:06
time.
57:07
The biggest
57:08
obstacle is
57:09
this,
57:10
that you
57:11
have plenty
57:12
of time,
57:13
or so
57:14
you think.
57:17
Time
57:17
is not
57:19
in our
57:19
hands.
57:20
It is in
57:21
the Lord's
57:22
hands.
57:23
And the
57:24
Lord says
57:24
today to
57:25
be ready.
57:26
Not just
57:27
ready for
57:28
Christmas and
57:28
this week,
57:30
but ready for
57:31
every day.
57:32
Lived in
57:33
light of the
57:34
Lord could
57:35
return any
57:35
time,
57:37
like a
57:37
thief in
57:37
the night,
57:39
and to
57:39
be ready.
57:40
Not saying
57:41
this to
57:42
take the
57:43
joy out of
57:43
Christmas.
57:45
I'm not
57:46
saying this to
57:46
be the
57:46
scrooge who
57:47
would spoil
57:48
Christmas Day
57:49
for anyone.
57:51
Quite the
57:51
opposite.
57:53
I'm saying
57:53
this so
57:55
that you
57:55
will enjoy
57:56
Christmas on
57:57
every day
57:58
to the
57:59
full.
58:01
Because if
58:01
you live it
58:02
in light,
58:02
not just
58:02
of his
58:03
coming
58:03
in the
58:04
first place,
58:05
but remembering
58:06
he will
58:07
come again.
58:08
That he
58:09
came, as
58:09
he says in
58:10
John 15,
58:12
that we
58:12
would have
58:12
life to
58:13
the full.
58:15
And that
58:16
we would
58:16
see that
58:16
life is
58:17
in him.
58:18
And that
58:18
we would
58:19
put our
58:19
trust in
58:20
him today.
58:22
He is
58:23
the solution.
58:25
Because if
58:25
we put our
58:26
trust in
58:26
him, we
58:28
are ready
58:28
for that
58:29
day.
58:30
Prepare for
58:32
this week.
58:32
prepare for
58:34
time with
58:35
family and
58:35
loved ones.
58:36
Prepare to
58:37
enjoy all
58:38
of these
58:38
things.
58:40
But prepare
58:41
in light of
58:42
the fact
58:42
that he
58:43
will come
58:44
again.
58:45
And when you
58:46
know this,
58:46
and when you're
58:47
ready,
58:48
then you can
58:49
rejoice
58:49
and be
58:51
glad
58:51
in him.
58:53
May he
58:54
bless you,
58:54
may he
58:55
guide you,
58:56
may he help
58:57
you to know
58:57
and to be
58:58
ready for
59:00
his second
59:00
advent.
59:01
let us
59:02
pray.
59:04
Our
59:05
Father in
59:05
heaven, we
59:06
do praise
59:07
and thank
59:07
you for
59:08
the very
59:09
fact that
59:09
you remembered
59:10
your people,
59:11
that you
59:11
sent your
59:11
son into
59:12
this world.
59:13
But we
59:13
thank you
59:14
too for
59:14
the fact
59:15
that he
59:16
will come
59:16
again.
59:17
And we
59:18
thank you
59:18
for the
59:19
word that
59:19
guides us
59:20
to that
59:20
end.
59:21
That is
59:22
not a
59:22
day that
59:22
we are
59:22
aware when
59:23
it will
59:23
be,
59:24
but a
59:25
day that
59:25
we need
59:25
to be
59:25
ready for
59:26
and help
59:26
us to
59:27
prepare our
59:28
lives
59:28
accordingly,
59:29
to look
59:30
to you,
59:30
to trust
59:31
in you,
59:32
and to
59:32
know the
59:32
joy of
59:33
salvation to
59:34
the full,
59:35
not just
59:35
in the
59:35
one who
59:36
was born
59:36
into this
59:37
world,
59:38
but the
59:38
one who
59:38
died on
59:39
the cross
59:39
for our
59:40
sins,
59:41
the one
59:41
who rose
59:42
from the
59:42
grave,
59:43
the one
59:43
who ascended
59:44
into heaven,
59:45
and the
59:45
one who
59:46
will come
59:47
again.
59:48
Look to
59:49
us, we
59:49
pray, Lord,
59:50
look down
59:50
upon us,
59:51
bless us,
59:51
we ask,
59:52
in Jesus'
59:53
name,
59:53
Amen.
59:54
Amen.
59:54
We're
59:58
going to
59:59
conclude by
59:59
singing again
1:00:00
to God's
1:00:01
praise in
1:00:01
Psalm 43,
1:00:03
you'll find
1:00:03
this on
1:00:04
page 54
1:00:05
of the
1:00:05
psalm
1:00:05
books,
1:00:07
Psalm 43,
1:00:11
we'll sing
1:00:12
from verse
1:00:12
3 down
1:00:13
to the
1:00:13
end of
1:00:14
the
1:00:14
psalm,
1:00:14
the tune
1:00:14
is
1:00:15
Finart,
1:00:16
O send
1:00:19
your light
1:00:20
forth and
1:00:20
your truth,
1:00:21
let them
1:00:21
direct me
1:00:22
in your
1:00:23
grace,
1:00:23
and bring
1:00:24
me to
1:00:24
your
1:00:24
holy
1:00:25
hill,
1:00:26
and to
1:00:26
your
1:00:26
sacred
1:00:27
dwelling
1:00:27
place.
1:00:28
We'll
1:00:28
sing from
1:00:28
verse 3
1:00:29
to 5
1:00:29
to God's
1:00:30
praise,
1:00:31
we stand
1:00:31
to sing.
1:00:32
Amen.
1:00:53
singing,
1:00:57
singing,
1:00:59
singing,
1:01:23
To God my joy and my delight
1:01:32
And I will praise you with the heart
1:01:41
O God, you are my Lord of night
1:01:50
Why are you down as to my soul?
1:02:01
Why are you so disturbed in me?
1:02:10
Trust God, for I will praise you yet
1:02:19
I say you are my glorious King
1:02:27
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left
1:02:32
We won't use the door to my right this morning
1:02:35
Just because of the wind outside
1:02:36
To stop the drafts coming through the church
1:02:38
So we'll just use the main door and the door to my left
1:02:41
We'll close with the benediction
1:02:43
Now may grace, mercy and peace
1:02:46
From God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
1:02:49
Rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore
1:02:53
Amen
1:03:23
Amen
1:03:53
Amen
1:03:54
έ
1:04:14
Amen
1:04:16
έ