Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Don't Sit on the Fence

Transcript

Don't Sit on the Fence · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

0:00
Well, we'll turn back to our reading in Psalm 96.
0:05
We're going to look in particular at verse 7 to verse 9.
0:11
!
0:30
This section in the book of Psalms, as you go through from Psalm 90 through to, you could say, Psalm 100,
0:50
as you read through them, you find that you find recurring themes in them.
0:54
There is the recurring theme of worship and of who God is,
1:01
and there's the recurring theme of how the Lord reigns and the Lord is sovereign, the Lord is king over all.
1:10
And as we think of these things, the themes that we find in these Psalms, they make us ask questions of ourselves.
1:19
Are we worshipping the Lord with the glory that is due to his name?
1:24
Do we see him as king over all and king over us?
1:31
One preacher said about the Psalms in general,
1:36
The Psalms show us the anatomy of all parts of the Christian soul.
1:46
They express the whole range of Christian experience, from despair to gladness, from hopelessness to worship.
1:55
So there's the anatomy of all parts of the Christian soul.
1:59
And as you read through the Psalms, we all have our favourite Psalms, our Psalms we go to in different times in our life.
2:07
We do find that they do cover every aspect of our lives, the highs and the lows that we find in them.
2:14
And as we think of approaching a communion weekend, we find that it is a time as we draw near to God, as we prepare our hearts,
2:25
and especially maybe more so as we think so closely and so vividly of the elements that we will have before us on the Lord's Day,
2:34
the bread and the wine, as we think more vividly and clearly of what Christ has done for us as he gave his life on the cross for his people.
2:45
As we think of these things, then it should only stir up the range of emotions within our soul.
2:52
As we think of that sense of unworthiness that we have, of how hopeless we maybe feel, the despair that sin brings to us.
3:03
We have that range of emotions, but we also have the other end of the emotions as well.
3:09
We should.
3:10
The gladness of what God has done for us.
3:13
The rejoicing in what he has done for us that we couldn't do ourselves.
3:17
And then that leads us to a fuller worship of our God and of our Lord Jesus Christ.
3:26
And so where do you find yourself this evening in that range of emotions?
3:32
Where do you find your heart this evening as you seek to prepare, as we seek to prepare to come to the Lord's table?
3:40
Do we feel hopeless and despair?
3:44
Or do we feel that gladness and that joy in worship?
3:49
Well, as these days go on, we'll go through probably all of these emotions again and again.
3:56
But above all, that we would see and fix our eyes on Jesus in the midst of it all.
4:03
And so as we look at Psalm 96 together this evening, we see how it speaks of this joy in worship and song.
4:13
But it also has a warning for us as well.
4:18
The whole psalm is one that is directing us towards worship of God.
4:24
But not just to worship God for a moment or for a certain time, but at all times.
4:33
We're not just to come to worship God when we think it matters for ourselves, when we think it's important.
4:41
But how we come away from this evening or how we'll come away from the communion weekend
4:47
and how we go on in that sense of are we continuing to worship the Lord with that joy?
4:55
How are you living now and how do you go forward day by day?
5:01
There's a phrase we hear used from time to time and it's the phrase, sitting on the fence.
5:08
What does it mean?
5:09
What does it mean to sit on the fence?
5:12
Well, basically, it means avoiding making a decision.
5:18
You sit on the fence.
5:20
You avoid making a decision.
5:24
Because you're swayed, maybe you don't want to upset one group or another.
5:29
You don't want to commit, fully commit, because you don't know just for sure what's right.
5:35
We want a bit of everything.
5:37
And yet, when we're sitting on the fence, what we find is that we are gambling our salvation.
5:45
Because we're not fully committing ourselves one way or the other.
5:50
We're not committing ourselves to the Lord.
5:54
To gamble our salvation, it's a little like having an each-way bet.
5:59
You don't have confidence in a winning outcome, so you spread your bets.
6:04
To cover yourself no matter what.
6:08
You're not 100% sure of a winning outcome.
6:13
And that's what we see with the people of God.
6:15
We may ask, what does that have to do with us?
6:18
But that's what we see with the people of God.
6:20
You see it in this psalm.
6:23
In verse 5,
6:24
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols.
6:28
You see there, they were casting their lot everywhere.
6:31
They were sitting on the fence.
6:34
They didn't want to commit one way or the other.
6:36
So they tried to appease all gods.
6:40
And all people.
6:42
And the people are being torn between worshipping God and worshipping idols.
6:49
Continuing as they were.
6:51
Covering all options.
6:53
And when we look at ourselves, that is how we can be.
6:58
That is how I was in the past.
7:01
I'm sure many of you were in the past.
7:03
You knew about God.
7:04
You heard about Jesus.
7:05
You knew what he did.
7:07
But you still wanted the world.
7:08
You still wanted to have that part of your life to yourself.
7:12
You weren't 100% committed.
7:14
Sitting on the fence, avoiding making a decision.
7:19
I want to live my life for God.
7:22
But just in case, I want to live it my own way and for myself as well.
7:29
Covering all options.
7:32
But this psalm, it makes demands of us.
7:37
Just like the whole word of God, it makes demands of us.
7:42
The psalm is asking us not to sit on the fence.
7:47
But decide who we will serve.
7:51
And you see it in verse 7 to verse 9.
7:54
Ascribe to the Lord.
7:56
Ascribe to the Lord.
7:58
Ascribe to the Lord.
8:00
Three times that phrase is used.
8:03
And then in verse 9.
8:04
Worship the Lord.
8:07
They're all really saying the same thing.
8:09
As we approach a communion weekend.
8:13
Are you sitting on the fence?
8:15
Are you still trying to please both sides of your life?
8:19
Or are you 100% confident that he alone is worthy of all praise?
8:28
We don't sit on the fence.
8:32
And so throughout this section of Psalms,
8:34
as we think of the theme of the sovereignty of God.
8:38
The kingship of God.
8:40
This psalm is another one of these psalms.
8:42
That the king makes demands of his people.
8:46
And there are three things I want us to see in these verses.
8:49
The call of the king.
8:51
The demands of the king.
8:53
And the response to the king.
8:55
So the first thing we see is the call of the king.
9:01
You see that the beginning of Psalm 96 is closely linked to Psalm 95.
9:09
Psalm 95 begins,
9:11
O come, let us sing to the Lord.
9:13
Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
9:18
Psalm 96 begins in the same way.
9:20
O sing to the Lord a new song.
9:22
Sing to the Lord all the earth.
9:26
There's the theme there of making praise to God.
9:32
How important it is to praise the Lord.
9:37
And to praise him for all that he has done.
9:42
And the more we hear the call of the king.
9:45
The more we hear the Lord speaking to us through his word.
9:49
The more that leads us into praise of him.
9:55
These psalms are in a section that are full of this call to worship.
10:01
This call to worship God.
10:03
And it could be captured in four words.
10:06
The call of the king.
10:08
Come.
10:10
For.
10:11
Worship.
10:13
And today.
10:15
Come.
10:17
There is the call here constantly.
10:19
For the people of God.
10:21
To come to him.
10:23
Why?
10:24
Because they have been hearing others calling them.
10:27
To worship idols.
10:29
To worship other gods.
10:31
But the Lord is saying.
10:32
Come.
10:34
And that's what he's saying to us.
10:37
Come.
10:40
And then you have.
10:41
For.
10:43
There is a reason.
10:45
To come and worship God.
10:46
And again you see that constantly.
10:50
Through these psalms.
10:52
Oh sing a new song to the Lord.
10:55
Declare his glory among the nations.
10:58
His marvelous works.
11:00
For great is the Lord.
11:02
And greatly to be praised.
11:04
In verse four.
11:05
There is always a for.
11:07
There is always a reason.
11:10
That we can see.
11:12
That we should come.
11:13
To God.
11:15
And then you have.
11:16
Worship.
11:18
Come.
11:19
There is the command.
11:20
There is the call.
11:21
For.
11:22
There is the reason.
11:23
And then there is the outcome.
11:25
Worship.
11:26
Worship is constantly there.
11:29
As well.
11:30
Worship is acknowledging.
11:32
Who God is.
11:34
Worshiping is bowing.
11:36
Ourselves.
11:37
Before him.
11:38
The people here.
11:40
They would bow.
11:41
Before their idols.
11:42
All their gods.
11:43
They would come and bow.
11:45
Before them.
11:45
But the Lord is saying.
11:46
Come.
11:47
And bow yourself.
11:48
Before me.
11:50
Worship.
11:51
Before me.
11:53
And then you see.
11:54
The urgency of it.
11:56
Because in this section.
11:57
You have come.
11:58
For.
11:59
Worship.
12:00
But it is also about.
12:01
Today.
12:02
Today is something.
12:04
You hear.
12:04
Throughout this section.
12:06
There is always.
12:06
That urgency.
12:07
Urgency.
12:08
Of coming.
12:09
To worship God.
12:10
It is not a case.
12:11
Of sitting the fence.
12:12
And leave it for a time.
12:13
To decide.
12:14
It is today.
12:16
Today.
12:16
If you hear my voice.
12:18
Harden not your heart.
12:20
There is that sense.
12:21
Of urgency.
12:24
And so.
12:25
There is that call.
12:26
That we are constantly hearing.
12:29
And as we come.
12:30
To worship.
12:31
As we come.
12:32
To praise.
12:33
As we come.
12:33
To hear.
12:34
From God's word.
12:35
These are the things.
12:36
That we are constantly hearing.
12:39
The call.
12:40
Come.
12:41
The reason.
12:42
For.
12:43
What we are to do.
12:45
To worship.
12:46
To make ourselves.
12:47
Lie down.
12:48
Before God.
12:49
And today.
12:51
Today.
12:52
Is the call.
12:55
There is repeated.
12:56
Opportunity.
12:57
Throughout.
12:58
These psalms.
12:59
Here.
12:59
For all of these reasons.
13:01
To come.
13:03
And worship.
13:04
God.
13:06
Now.
13:06
Is that not a reason.
13:08
Not to sit on the fence.
13:10
The king.
13:12
Is calling.
13:13
The lord.
13:15
Is calling.
13:16
And we are called.
13:18
To choose.
13:21
One of the most.
13:23
Frustrating.
13:24
Parts.
13:25
Of parenting.
13:26
Is when you.
13:27
Call a child.
13:28
Or tell a child.
13:29
To do something.
13:32
But how many times.
13:33
Do you have to tell.
13:36
And how many times.
13:37
Do you hear.
13:38
The reasons.
13:39
And the excuses.
13:40
That come.
13:42
I didn't hear you.
13:44
I forgot.
13:46
I did something else.
13:48
There is always something.
13:50
The reasons come.
13:51
Thick and fast.
13:53
We are frustrated.
13:55
With children.
13:56
Sure people are frustrated.
13:57
With us.
13:58
But imagine.
13:59
Imagine the lord.
14:00
And his call.
14:02
To his children.
14:04
And how often.
14:05
Our father in heaven.
14:06
Has called you.
14:08
And you say.
14:09
I didn't hear.
14:11
I forgot.
14:13
I did something else.
14:16
Is that an excuse.
14:17
You can give.
14:18
To God.
14:19
This evening.
14:19
You did hear.
14:23
You didn't forget.
14:24
You chose not to.
14:26
You didn't do something else.
14:28
You were disobedient.
14:31
The father.
14:32
Is calling.
14:34
And we are not.
14:35
To make.
14:36
Our excuses.
14:39
But if he is calling.
14:40
The second thing we see is.
14:42
That there are demands.
14:43
What is he asking.
14:45
Of us.
14:46
Well that's what we see.
14:48
Next.
14:49
In this section.
14:50
Of the psalm.
14:50
As well.
14:52
In the opening verses.
14:53
There was a repeated phrase there.
14:56
Sing.
14:57
To the lord.
14:58
Sing.
14:58
To the lord.
14:59
Three times.
15:00
It's used.
15:02
This is the lord's.
15:03
Calling his people.
15:05
To worship.
15:06
With all joy.
15:07
And praise.
15:08
And to witness.
15:09
To all around us.
15:10
Declare his glory.
15:12
It says in verse three.
15:13
Among the nations.
15:15
His marvelous works.
15:16
To all.
15:17
The people.
15:18
So there's this broad.
15:20
Spectrum.
15:20
Of what.
15:21
Sing.
15:22
To the lord.
15:22
Means.
15:23
What praising.
15:24
The lord.
15:25
Means.
15:27
But it's not just.
15:29
To carry on.
15:29
As you are.
15:30
With a little addition.
15:31
Of god.
15:32
In your life.
15:34
It's how are we doing it.
15:36
In a constant way.
15:39
When the king.
15:41
Is putting demands.
15:42
On us.
15:42
How.
15:44
Do we respond.
15:46
Well when you look.
15:46
In the old testament days.
15:48
The people.
15:48
Were governed.
15:50
By kings.
15:51
For the majority of it.
15:52
We saw.
15:52
See in the beginning.
15:53
The judges are there.
15:55
But then.
15:55
We want a king.
15:57
Over us.
15:57
And then you have the kings.
15:58
Who came.
16:00
One after another.
16:00
From the appointment.
16:01
Of Saul.
16:02
As king.
16:03
The people were guided.
16:04
By different kings.
16:05
Down through.
16:06
The generations.
16:08
And when you read.
16:09
Through.
16:09
The book of kings.
16:10
Itself.
16:11
You see there.
16:12
The cycle.
16:13
Of the people.
16:15
How.
16:16
In a good time.
16:17
With a good king.
16:18
They're doing right.
16:19
But then they get a bad king.
16:21
And things go wrong.
16:22
And they follow.
16:23
The ways of that king.
16:24
And they become disobedient.
16:26
To God.
16:27
And the disobedience.
16:29
Is so often linked.
16:30
To having.
16:31
Other gods.
16:32
To following after.
16:33
Other gods.
16:34
And that's the warning.
16:37
That the psalmist here.
16:38
Puts before us.
16:40
In verse 4.
16:41
And verse 5.
16:42
For great is the Lord.
16:44
And greatly to be praised.
16:46
He is to be feared.
16:46
Above all gods.
16:48
For all the gods.
16:49
Of the peoples.
16:50
Are worthless idols.
16:53
The Lord made.
16:54
The heavens.
16:56
And so you see here.
16:58
The demands.
16:59
Of the king.
17:02
If it was true.
17:03
Of the nation.
17:04
Here of God's people.
17:06
And how easily.
17:07
They went.
17:08
For other gods.
17:10
And when you see it.
17:11
Of all the different nations.
17:12
Around them.
17:13
How easy it is.
17:14
For ourselves too.
17:17
We see.
17:18
That problem.
17:19
In our own heart.
17:20
How easy it is.
17:21
For us.
17:22
To make.
17:23
Other idols.
17:24
Other gods.
17:26
But the Lord.
17:27
Puts.
17:27
Demands.
17:28
On us.
17:30
To come and worship.
17:31
God means.
17:32
A whole.
17:34
New direction.
17:35
In our lives.
17:36
For them.
17:37
And for us.
17:39
It means.
17:40
Putting away.
17:41
All these false gods.
17:43
It means.
17:44
Letting go.
17:45
Of all these.
17:46
Worldly things.
17:47
The worldly kings.
17:49
And the worldly gods.
17:50
As they have them here.
17:52
And for ourselves too.
17:54
It means.
17:55
They cannot sit.
17:56
On the fence.
17:57
Any longer.
17:59
They have got to come down.
18:00
On one side.
18:02
Or the other.
18:04
As.
18:06
Joshua said.
18:08
It was.
18:09
Choose this day.
18:11
Who you will serve.
18:12
There has got to be.
18:13
A choice.
18:14
Made.
18:15
And that is what the psalmist.
18:17
Is putting before them here.
18:18
In verse 7.
18:20
To verse 9.
18:21
There are the demands.
18:23
Of the king.
18:24
Ascribe.
18:25
Ascribe.
18:26
To the lord.
18:27
O families of the peoples.
18:29
Ascribe.
18:29
Ascribe.
18:29
To the lord.
18:30
Glory and strength.
18:32
Ascribe.
18:33
To the lord.
18:33
The glory.
18:35
Due his name.
18:36
There are these.
18:37
Demands.
18:38
Idols.
18:39
Are worthless.
18:41
Earthly kings.
18:43
Are not always right.
18:45
But the lord.
18:45
Is eternal.
18:46
Majestic.
18:47
And to be praised.
18:48
At all times.
18:50
Ascribe.
18:51
Means.
18:52
Give.
18:54
Worship.
18:55
Means.
18:56
Giving.
18:57
To god.
18:57
What is due.
18:59
To his name.
19:00
And so there is this demand.
19:03
And as we come.
19:05
To this communion season.
19:07
Are we giving.
19:08
In that way.
19:10
Are we hearing.
19:11
The demands.
19:12
Of the king.
19:13
Not as something.
19:14
Heavy.
19:15
Weighed on top of us.
19:17
But as something.
19:18
That we would delight in.
19:20
And rejoice in.
19:21
That he has put it.
19:22
In our hearts.
19:23
Our hearts.
19:23
That were hard.
19:25
And cold.
19:25
Against him.
19:26
That he has put it.
19:27
In our hearts.
19:28
To give this glory.
19:29
To him.
19:31
No longer.
19:31
Are we giving it.
19:32
To ourselves.
19:33
Or to other things.
19:34
In this world.
19:35
But we are ascribing.
19:36
This glory.
19:38
To him.
19:39
We are not.
19:40
To sit on the fence.
19:42
Instead.
19:42
It is to be like.
19:43
Daniel.
19:44
Of old.
19:45
When you think.
19:46
Of ascribing.
19:47
To the Lord.
19:48
The glory.
19:48
Due his name.
19:49
You think of.
19:50
Daniel.
19:51
And the pressure.
19:51
That was put on him.
19:53
Not to pray.
19:54
To God.
19:56
But to worship.
19:58
King.
19:58
Darius.
20:00
And what did he do?
20:02
He ascribed.
20:03
To the Lord.
20:04
The glory.
20:05
Due to his name.
20:07
He delighted.
20:08
In his Lord.
20:10
And in his king.
20:11
I say.
20:14
Of old.
20:15
As well.
20:16
In chapter 6.
20:18
He says.
20:18
Woe is me.
20:19
For I am ruined.
20:20
Because I am a man.
20:21
Of unclean lips.
20:22
And live among.
20:23
A people.
20:24
Of unclean lips.
20:25
For my eyes.
20:26
Have seen the king.
20:28
The Lord.
20:29
Of hosts.
20:32
Have we seen.
20:33
The king.
20:34
If you have seen.
20:38
Your sin.
20:40
You know what it is.
20:41
To see the king.
20:43
Because he says.
20:44
Come.
20:45
He says.
20:46
Come.
20:48
He says.
20:48
Look.
20:50
He makes demands.
20:51
On us.
20:53
They are clearer.
20:54
For ourselves.
20:55
Today.
20:55
Because we have a king.
20:56
Who is Jesus.
20:58
And what has Jesus done.
21:00
For us.
21:01
He went to the cross.
21:03
To take our sins.
21:05
On himself.
21:06
And that.
21:07
Demands.
21:09
A response.
21:11
And when you think.
21:12
Of what he has done.
21:15
When you look.
21:16
To the cross.
21:18
How.
21:19
Could we possibly.
21:20
Sit on the fence.
21:22
How could we possibly.
21:23
Think.
21:24
Maybe there is something else.
21:27
Maybe there is another way.
21:29
When the centurion.
21:30
Who looked on.
21:31
As Jesus.
21:33
Was crucified.
21:34
What did he say.
21:36
Surely.
21:37
He was the son of God.
21:39
He saw.
21:40
For himself.
21:42
So we have a king.
21:44
Who is worthy.
21:45
Of all glory.
21:48
We are to ascribe.
21:49
That glory.
21:50
To him.
21:51
As a people.
21:52
As individuals.
21:54
Collectively.
21:55
We are to give that glory.
21:56
And strength.
21:57
To the Lord.
21:58
The glory.
21:59
Due.
22:00
To his name.
22:00
To worship the Lord.
22:02
In the splendor.
22:03
Of holiness.
22:06
When we look at the cross.
22:09
How can we swither.
22:11
How can we sit.
22:13
And not come down.
22:14
On his side.
22:18
Well the final thing.
22:20
We see here.
22:21
Is the response.
22:23
To the king.
22:25
There must be a response.
22:27
In the midst.
22:28
Of all of this.
22:29
If the king.
22:30
Is calling.
22:32
If he's showing.
22:33
His demands.
22:35
There has got.
22:36
To be.
22:37
A response.
22:39
And there are always.
22:41
Two responses.
22:44
Obedience.
22:45
Or disobedience.
22:48
And which one.
22:50
Are we going to do.
22:52
As we come.
22:54
To this weekend.
22:55
Are we going to be obedient.
22:56
To our king.
22:58
To remember.
22:59
Him.
23:01
Not looking to ourselves.
23:04
But looking to Jesus.
23:07
And what response.
23:09
Does it call for.
23:11
Well there are three.
23:13
In a positive way.
23:15
And the first.
23:16
Is faith.
23:19
The call here.
23:21
Is to the people.
23:22
To turn.
23:23
To turn away.
23:25
From the worthless.
23:26
Idols.
23:26
That they have been.
23:27
Worshipping.
23:28
And to ascribe.
23:29
To the Lord.
23:31
To give.
23:33
To the Lord.
23:35
To be a people.
23:37
Of faith.
23:40
Faith.
23:41
Reminds us.
23:41
It's not of us.
23:43
Because faith.
23:45
Is placed.
23:45
Elsewhere.
23:47
And our faith.
23:48
Is to be in the Lord.
23:50
Jesus Christ.
23:51
Christ.
23:52
Faith.
23:53
Faith in the midst.
23:54
Of ridicule.
23:56
Faith in the midst.
23:57
Of challenges.
23:59
Faith in the midst.
24:01
Of doubt.
24:03
But to be a people.
24:04
Of faith.
24:05
Who ascribe.
24:06
To the Lord.
24:07
The glory.
24:08
That is due to him.
24:10
There was a man.
24:12
Who.
24:12
He wasn't.
24:13
A believer.
24:14
But he had a Christian.
24:15
Friend.
24:17
And he often.
24:17
Used to.
24:18
Tease him.
24:19
Or mock him.
24:20
About his faith.
24:22
And this one day.
24:23
He says to his friend.
24:24
Say George.
24:26
What would you say.
24:27
If when you die.
24:29
You found there wasn't such.
24:31
A place.
24:31
As heaven.
24:32
After all.
24:35
Well.
24:36
The friend.
24:36
Who was a believer.
24:37
Smiled and said.
24:38
Well.
24:38
I would say.
24:40
I've had a good time.
24:41
Trying to get there.
24:44
But then he turned it back.
24:46
On his friend.
24:47
And he asked him.
24:49
A question.
24:50
What about you friend.
24:52
What would you say.
24:53
If when you die.
24:55
You found there was.
24:56
Such a place.
24:57
As hell.
24:57
After all.
25:00
How do you respond.
25:01
To that.
25:03
It will be too late.
25:07
Faith.
25:08
Is looking.
25:09
To Jesus.
25:10
First Kings.
25:12
18.
25:13
Verse 21.
25:14
Elijah.
25:15
As he's there.
25:15
With the people.
25:16
Who are worshipping.
25:17
Their Baal.
25:18
Their God.
25:19
He says to them.
25:20
How long will you go.
25:21
Limping between.
25:22
Do different opinions.
25:23
If the Lord is God.
25:26
Follow him.
25:27
But if Baal.
25:28
Then follow him.
25:30
And the people.
25:32
Did not answer him.
25:34
A word.
25:36
He says.
25:38
Don't sit in the fence.
25:40
If the Lord is God.
25:43
Follow him.
25:45
Have faith.
25:46
In him.
25:47
Faith.
25:48
Is a response.
25:51
Commitment.
25:52
Is a response.
25:54
As well.
25:55
The nations.
25:56
Are used to.
25:57
Bringing their offerings.
25:58
Before their false.
26:00
Gods.
26:02
But here.
26:02
In verse 8.
26:03
We are told.
26:03
Bring.
26:04
An offering.
26:05
And come into.
26:06
His courts.
26:08
So.
26:10
The psalmist is saying.
26:11
Here is your response.
26:14
How are you going to decide?
26:16
Are you going to leave.
26:17
These idols.
26:18
These worthless.
26:18
Gods.
26:19
Behind.
26:20
And will you not come.
26:21
And give this offering.
26:24
To God.
26:25
Come into.
26:27
His courts.
26:29
Come into.
26:30
His house.
26:30
To his people.
26:32
To his kingdom.
26:34
Commit yourself.
26:36
To him.
26:38
Is God just.
26:40
Part of your life.
26:42
Or is he your whole life.
26:45
The one you commit.
26:46
All your ways to.
26:48
It commands.
26:50
A response.
26:52
It commands.
26:52
It commands.
26:53
A commitment.
26:55
As the hymn writer says.
26:56
When I.
26:57
Survey.
26:57
The wondrous cross.
26:59
On which the prince.
27:00
Of glory died.
27:01
Love.
27:02
So amazing.
27:03
So divine.
27:05
Demands.
27:06
My soul.
27:07
My life.
27:09
My all.
27:10
There are demands.
27:14
And there is a response.
27:16
How.
27:17
Do we respond.
27:19
Are we going.
27:21
To commit ourselves.
27:22
To the Lord.
27:23
In faith.
27:25
And the third thing is.
27:27
And the final thing here.
27:28
For us this evening is.
27:29
There is a response.
27:31
Of worship.
27:33
Worship.
27:34
Worship.
27:36
What do you want.
27:38
Out of this.
27:39
Coming weekend.
27:42
What do you hope.
27:43
To get.
27:45
Is that how you're coming.
27:47
To it.
27:47
First.
27:49
What will I get out.
27:52
Or is it.
27:53
First and foremost.
27:55
Not linked.
27:57
To what you put in.
28:01
If we expect.
28:02
Anything of God.
28:03
And we long.
28:04
For something.
28:05
Out of this weekend.
28:06
We long.
28:07
For encouragement.
28:07
We long.
28:08
For blessing.
28:10
We long.
28:10
For fellowship.
28:11
We long.
28:11
For God.
28:12
To be near.
28:13
We long.
28:14
For all of these things.
28:17
But what are we putting in.
28:20
What are we putting into it.
28:23
You see.
28:24
Ascribe.
28:25
As it's repeated here.
28:27
And worship.
28:29
There's their demands.
28:32
But there are response.
28:33
There are response.
28:36
To seeing.
28:36
The glory of God.
28:39
And to longing.
28:41
For him.
28:43
And so.
28:45
Will we not worship.
28:47
Will we not praise.
28:49
Our king.
28:51
The king.
28:52
Of glory.
28:54
Will we not ascribe.
28:55
To him.
28:56
All that is due.
28:58
And worship him.
29:00
In splendor.
29:01
And holiness.
29:03
That we might receive.
29:06
Blessing.
29:07
From him.
29:08
It's not just about.
29:10
What we get out.
29:12
But what we put in.
29:15
And the more that we see.
29:17
What God has given for us.
29:20
And what Jesus has done.
29:22
For us.
29:24
That demands.
29:26
Our life.
29:27
Our soul.
29:28
Our all.
29:31
Let us pray.
29:35
Lord our gracious God.
29:37
We thank you.
29:38
For the one who is.
29:40
Our king.
29:40
And our God.
29:42
Our Lord.
29:43
We thank you.
29:44
That we have.
29:45
In the midst of a world.
29:47
Full of idols.
29:49
A true and a living God.
29:51
And that we have a saviour.
29:53
In Jesus Christ.
29:54
One who we can come.
29:57
And see and hear.
29:59
His call.
30:00
One who demands.
30:02
A response.
30:03
Of us.
30:05
And we pray.
30:06
Oh Lord.
30:06
That in these coming days.
30:08
Even today.
30:10
That our response.
30:11
Will be one.
30:12
Full of worship.
30:14
And ascribing the glory.
30:15
Due to his name.
30:18
Hear our prayers.
30:19
Lord.
30:19
Grant us.
30:20
Your peace.
30:21
And your blessing over us.
30:23
Your help.
30:24
And your guidance.
30:25
In all of our hearts.
30:26
That we might come.
30:28
In our weakness.
30:29
And in our trembling.
30:30
But in your strength.
30:32
As we ask it in Jesus name.
30:34
Amen.
30:35
Amen.
30:38
We're going to conclude.
30:40
By singing to God's praise.
30:42
In Psalm 105.
30:44
Scottish Psalter verse.
30:46
In Psalm 105.
30:48
Page 374.
30:50
Of the Psalm books.
30:51
We'll sing from verse 1.
30:53
To verse 4.
30:55
Give thanks to God.
30:56
Call on his name.
30:57
To men his deeds make known.
30:59
Sing ye to him.
31:00
Sing Psalms.
31:01
Proclaim his wondrous works.
31:03
Each one.
31:04
See that ye in his holy name.
31:06
To glory.
31:07
Do accord.
31:08
And let the heart of everyone.
31:10
Rejoice.
31:11
That seeks the Lord.
31:12
We'll sing from verse 1 to 4.
31:14
To God's praise.
31:15
We stand to sing.
31:16
Amen.
31:16
Amen.
31:17
Thank you.
31:47
Thank you.
32:17
Thank you.
32:47
Thank you.
32:49
Thank you.
32:51
Thank you.
32:57
Thank you.
32:59
Thank you.
33:03
Now may grace, mercy and peace from God,
33:14
Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon
33:17
and abide with you all now and forevermore.
33:20
Amen.