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The Gathered Church (2) · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We're going to begin our worship tonight singing in Psalm 118.
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Psalm 118, that's in the Sing Psalms version.
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You'll find that on page 155.
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We're singing verses 1 to 9.
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O thank the Lord, for he is good.
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His steadfast love endures always.
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Now let the house of Israel say,
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His love will last through endless days.
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And let the house of Aaron say,
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His love forever will endure.
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And let those who fear the Lord declare,
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His love will stand forever sure.
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What a great privilege it is to follow in the line of these ancient people,
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long ago in Old Testament times,
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who were called by the psalmist here to give thanks to God,
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those Jewish people, the house of Aaron,
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all those who would gather from time to time to worship the Lord.
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And we follow in that great line of worshipers, of God,
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the same God they worshiped, that we worship this evening.
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So verses 1 to 9 in Psalm 118.
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O thank the Lord.
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O thank the Lord, for he is good.
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O thank the Lord, for his love and europe is proceed.
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O bank of the person, our Lord, and king of . You were there.
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It'sי when the Holy Spirit is granted.
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uarialness, of God.
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O've he is good.
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God is belt-set teacher.
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How must o'er and aurait before the Lord are long efforts God,
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Now let the house of Israel say,
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His love will last through endless days.
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God is proud to serve as many people,
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He has堪 Einsatz hace Oh, God is faithful to him or sheep.
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And let the house of Edom sing,
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His love forever will endure.
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Let those who fear the Lord be clear,
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His love will stand forever sure.
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I cried in language to the Lord,
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He answered me and said,
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The Lord is with me and not here,
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What harm can be the good to Thee?
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The Lord is with me constantly,
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He is the one who gives me,
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I look in triumph on my foes,
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I will not eat to Thee, I free.
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It's better far to trust the Lord,
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Than look for help in man's defense,
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It's better far to trust the Lord,
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Than in the grace of confidence.
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Now we're going to engage in prayer,
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let's join together in prayer to the Lord.
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Almighty God, as we gather once again in Your presence,
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We thank You for these words that have brought us such reassurance,
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Words that assure us, Lord, of Your care for Your people,
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And words that teach us so clearly,
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How much better it is to trust in the Lord,
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Than to trust in anyone else.
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And we bless You for the way that that trust that You give us to place in Yourself,
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Is a trust that is placed in one who is always faithful,
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One who will never be diverted from His purpose,
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One who is always true to His promises,
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One who will bring all things to fruition in the experience of Your people.
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And we thank You, Lord, tonight for the rule that You have over us,
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And over the world in which we live,
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Despite the fact that there are so many things that we cannot understand,
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So many things that cause us to question,
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Even at times to be bewildered,
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So many things that we find taken up by those throughout the world,
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Who would seek to constantly find fault with the idea of God.
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We give thanks, Gracious One,
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That You assure us through Your Word,
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That You, in the way in which Your throne is set,
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Are the Lord above all things.
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And this gives us, Lord, confidence to draw near to You even tonight,
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And to do so as a body of Your people,
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Who come here to worship You.
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And we give thanks, O Lord,
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That Your worthiness to be worshipped is so perfect.
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Everything that You do is worthy of our praise and our adoration.
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And we ask, O Lord, as we come before You,
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Even at this time to pray,
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That You would enable us to come and give thanks, first of all.
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Enable us to adore You, to love You,
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Even before we ask anything for ourselves,
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Or anything to be done for us by You.
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Enable us, Lord, to dwell upon the great fact of Your beauty and Your constancy,
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Your constancy, of Your worthiness to be praised.
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And so we ask Your blessing,
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As we come together once again in this way.
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We ask Your blessing, Lord, upon Your Word for us.
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As we give thanks for Your Word,
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As we give thanks for the number of ways in which we use it,
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Even throughout a service like this.
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We pray, O Lord, that You would once again bless Your Word to us.
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As we come before You,
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Stretching out our hands to You, O Lord,
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And acknowledgement that we of ourselves are empty,
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Empty of resources and empty of ability to please You,
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And to bring understanding to Your Word.
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But we thank You that You have promised to give us that understanding.
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And we read in Your Word, Lord,
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Of those whose minds You opened,
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As You opened the Scriptures to them.
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And we pray that that will be our experience even tonight.
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And we can never say, O Lord,
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That our knowledge of You is as full as we would like it to be.
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And we can never say that we've reached the point where we need to now cease to learn,
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Cease to come to have more knowledge imparted to us from Your Spirit and from Your Word.
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And so we pray that You would help us even tonight to make a further contribution by Your grace,
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To make ourselves in Your presence to grow in grace and in the knowledge of You as our Lord.
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Lord, we bring our personal concerns to You as well.
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And although we have such a privilege of meeting together,
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A privilege of belonging to You as the gathered church of God,
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Nevertheless, Lord, we come with our individual concerns as well.
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We thank You that in the midst of the gatherings of Your people,
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You take note of individuals and individual circumstances.
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Lord, we give thanks that You take note of all the detail of the lives of Your people,
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That You are not beyond looking upon us in such a way as to draw near to us,
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To assure us in a personal way that we can safely trust in You.
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And we pray that You would speak to us personally, Lord, this evening.
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And we pray that You would do so no matter what others may feel,
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What others may experience,
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And what others may be in regard to their own relationship with You.
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Help us, we pray, each one, and help us all together
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To seek You in a way that would further our acquaintance with You,
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And our experience of You as our Lord and as our God.
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We bring before You too, O Lord, our needs as a congregation.
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We thank You for the way that You continue to provide for us,
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For the way in which we can say, O Lord, that You have helped us thus far on our journey through life.
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You have helped us in our history as a congregation and as a church.
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And we pray, gracious Lord, that You would grant Your blessing,
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That we may further have that blessing imparted to us as each week goes by.
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And we pray that You would grant Your blessing to extend into our homes,
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Our families, our children, our grandchildren, our relatives, our neighbors.
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O Lord, we pray for our communities.
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We pray for our island.
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We pray for all who no longer come to church.
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We pray for those who have never come to church.
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We pray for those, Lord, who are not concerned about being along with the worshiping people of God.
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We pray for those whose hearts are closed to the message of the gospel.
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We pray that You would bless them.
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We pray that You would give to them what You have given to ourselves.
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That desire after You, that desire to know You,
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That desire, O Lord, that comes out of a knowledge of ourselves,
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That we need You, a knowledge of ourselves that we cannot organize and create for ourselves in life.
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Those things that will be a sure foundation for us.
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Remember us, we pray, Lord, in all the different ways in which we seek to serve You,
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And be pleased to accompany all that we do in Your name,
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With Your blessing and with further evidence of Your delight in us.
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We ask that You would forgive our sins.
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Every time, Lord, we come together in this way,
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Each of us is surely aware that we come with our own sins,
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With our own confession,
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With our own need to divulge to You,
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Although You know already that we need Your pardon, Your cleansing, Your acceptance of us.
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Lord, our God, we ask as we confess our sins,
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That as You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
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And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,
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That we may know in You that blessing this evening,
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And that we may be assured that when our sin is forgiven,
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It is truly forgiven permanently.
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And even though we come on a regular basis to confess our sin,
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Lord, we take delight in the fact that in and through the Lord Jesus Christ,
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You come to blot out the transgressions of Your people,
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You come to wipe clean the record of debt,
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The record of guilt that is on our record,
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And You replace it with Your righteousness,
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With Your acceptance of Your people,
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And with the fact that You see them as righteous in Your Son.
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Oh, gracious Lord, help us to give all the more thanks to You
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For the reality of these things.
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We ask Your blessing to be tonight with those who are ill.
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We know those of our number, Lord, as a congregation
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Of whom we've heard in recent days of illness.
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We pray that You draw near to each and every one,
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And every home thereby affected.
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Remember those in hospital, those in the hospice,
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Those, Lord, who are in care homes throughout our island.
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We pray that You bless them and bless to them the care that they receive.
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Remember those who mourn the passing of loved ones.
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Gracious One, be near to them to comfort them.
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And be near to those throughout the world tonight
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Where the pain and the sorrow of death is so evident.
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And particularly tonight, we remember, oh Lord,
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Those in Morocco and Marrakesh and the surrounding district
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Whose lives have been devastated by an earthquake
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With such great loss of property and of life.
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Lord, we pray that You would provide for them
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And that the agencies that seek to come to their aid
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Will know of Your own provision and Your blessing for them.
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And we ask especially, oh Lord, that You would grant to provide for them
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An understanding and a peace that comes from knowing Yourself.
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And we pray that You would help them, Lord, as they cry out in their agony.
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That You would help them and hear their cry
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And come to do for them more than we are able to ask or even think.
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Bless us then now, we pray.
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Here we come to You, Lord, to seek that we will hear Your voice speaking to us from the Scriptures.
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And we pray for the grace to hear
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And to hear in such a way that recognizes that the Lord is indeed addressing us.
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Hear us, we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.
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Once again, let's praise the Lord.
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We're singing this time in Psalm 91.
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Psalm 91 in the Scottish Psalter.
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That's page 351, verses 1 to 4.
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Words that remind us of the refuge that God is for all who trust in Him.
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How He provides for us security and safety in that refuge
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Against all that would seek to take us away from the Lord Himself and cause us distress.
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He that doth in the secret place of the Most High reside
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Under the shade of him that is the Almighty shall abide
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I of the Lord my God will say,
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He is my refuge still.
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He is my fortress and my God.
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And in Him trust I will.
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As somebody once said,
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We can never run away from God to hide from Him.
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He always sees us.
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But we can run into Him and find our hiding place and our refuge in Himself.
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And that's what faith actually does.
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It draws us into the refuge that God Himself is.
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So let's sing these verses 1 to 4.
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He that doth in the secret place.
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Of the Most High reside
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He that doth in the secret place.
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Of the Most High reside.
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He that doth in the secret place.
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And that of the Most High reside.
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the shape of him that is
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the almighty shall abide.
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I hope the Lord my God will sing.
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He is my refuge still.
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He is my fortress, my God,
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and in him trust I will.
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Assuredly he shall be saved,
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and give deliverance from subtle flowers,
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make and grow the noise of his to ends.
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His feathers shall be high, I trust,
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under his wings shall be.
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His faithfulness shall be a shield,
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and offer unto thee.
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Well, as you can see from the notes of the service,
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we have two readings tonight from the Scriptures
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from the New Testament.
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First in Mark chapter 15, verses 33 to 41.
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Now we are going to read a passage also from Hebrews chapter 10, verses 19 to 25.
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First to the Gospel according to Mark, chapter 15,
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and beginning reading at verse 33.
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We read about the death of Jesus on the cross.
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And when the sixth hour had come,
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there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
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And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice,
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Eloi, Eloi lama sabachthani,
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which means,
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My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
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And some of the bystanders hearing it said,
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Behold, he is calling Elijah.
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And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine,
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and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink,
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saying, Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.
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And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.
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And the curtain of the temple was torn in two from the top to bottom.
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And when the centurion who stood facing him saw that in this way he breathed his last,
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he said, Truly, this man was the Son of God.
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And if you take with you especially that reference in verse 38 to what happened to the curtain in the temple to our second reading in Hebrews chapter 10.
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We can read from verse 19.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
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by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain that is through his flesh,
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and since we have a great high priest over the house of God,
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let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
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with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience,
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and our bodies washed with pure water.
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Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
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for he who promised is faithful.
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And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and to good works,
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not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some,
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but encouraging one another,
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and all the more as you see the day drawing near."
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And you can see there the connection between the two passages
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where the curtain that separated the holy place from the most holy place at the death of Jesus was torn in two,
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and it was from the top to the bottom.
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It wasn't done from below by someone.
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It was a divine act.
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And that symbolized and represented how access to God was now above that of the Old Testament,
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as we read here in this passage in Hebrews that we'll come back to,
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that we are able to enter in by a new and living way,
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and that is, of course, Jesus himself, to draw near to God through him.
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So may he bless to us his word to his own praise.
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We're going to sing again Psalm 34 this time.
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Psalm number 34, that's on page 40,
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singing verses 1 to 9.
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Psalm 34, that's on page 40.
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At all times I will bless the Lord.
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I'll praise him with my voice.
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Because I glory in the Lord, let troubled souls rejoice.
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Together let us praise the Lord, exalt his name with me.
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I sought the Lord, his answer came.
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From fears he set me free.
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They look to him and shine with joy.
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They are not put to shame.
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This suffering man cried to the Lord.
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From him deliverance came.
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The angel of the Lord surrounds and guards continually
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all those who fear and honor him.
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He sets his people free.
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Come, taste and see.
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The Lord is good.
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Who trusts in him is blessed.
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Oh, fear the Lord, you saints.
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With need you will not be oppressed.
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These verses from the beginning.
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At all times I will praise the Lord.
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I will bless the Lord.
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Amen.
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At all times I will bless the Lord.
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I'll praise him with my voice.
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Because I glory in the Lord, let troubled souls rejoice.
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Together let us praise the Lord, exalt his name with me.
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I sought the Lord, his answer came.
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From fears he set me free.
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They look to him and shine with joy.
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They are not good to shame.
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This suffering man cried to the Lord.
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From him deliverance came.
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The angel of the Lord surrounds and guards continually.
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He sets his people free.
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Zeus come to god's promise.
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From his childrenitzer parий로 all the good souls,
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Nós ل��抓 tahu está,
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يرة bag unity
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jor
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Him
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이라
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and
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拍 !
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ganhar
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a
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é
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e
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al
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e
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e
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im
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Now, please turn with me to Hebrews chapter 10.
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Hebrews chapter 10, that passage we read from verse 19 to 25.
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We're going to focus on that for a short time this evening.
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Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
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by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is through his flesh.
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And since we have a great high priest over the house of God,
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let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, and so on.
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Three great exhortations there, beginning with let us, in these verses from verse 22 onwards.
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Let us draw near, let us hold fast, let us consider.
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Now, last week we began, last Sunday morning, we began a short study, or series of studies,
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on the gathered church.
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We took that from Matthew 18, and I did say at that time that I was going to do this,
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whether it be in the morning or the evening, we're going to follow this theme for a few weeks.
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As we look at the Bible's teaching on the gathered church, the church gathered together,
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especially in a focus on the worshiping church of God.
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And we saw last time that it was where two or three have been gathered together in his name,
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that he is there in the midst.
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And we focused on gathered in the name of Jesus,
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and we focused also on the second point, that Jesus is actually in the midst of his people,
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that he is in their hearts.
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And so in that sense, they carry Jesus with them as they come together.
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He is individually, he is in each individual life that he occupies, that lives by faith in him.
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And when we come together, we also bring that presence of Jesus in our hearts with us.
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Not to say that that's the only way in which Jesus is present in the gatherings of his people.
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But tonight, as we look at this passage,
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we can see that specific reference in verse 25 to being gathered together.
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He says there,
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Let's consider how to stood one another up to love and good works,
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not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.
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And you can see the balance in that verse.
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That is, on the one hand, he's saying,
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Let's not neglect to meet together.
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And the opposite of that, the other side of it is,
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Instead of neglecting to meet together, let's encourage one another.
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So obviously that means meet together in order to encourage one another.
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It's not just a matter of coming together to worship the Lord.
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That is the primary exercise of our gathering together as worshiping people,
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as a worshiping congregation.
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But here is another dimension to it as well.
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We gather together in such a way that seeks to encourage one another,
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through gathering together under the Word of God,
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and in fellowship, spiritual fellowship with one another.
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So we have the opportunities there,
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and the privilege of encouraging one another as well.
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Now we need to keep this passage, these verses,
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we need to keep them bound together as they are here in the passage before us.
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Because the three exhortations, as we said there,
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these three letters sentences, verses 22 to 25,
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these are actually set on a foundation, if you like,
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and the foundation is what goes before that.
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The gathering, the exhortations that are addressed to us as we gather together,
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they all stem from what we're told already in verses 19 to 21.
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Having certain things already in place.
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Having certain facts that we can rely upon.
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The facts especially about Jesus himself,
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and about the death of Jesus,
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and about the way that he's opened up for us through his death,
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into the presence of God.
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These great facts, he says there,
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are what leads them then to the exhortations.
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Having these in place, he's saying,
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let us now do this.
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In other words, we're reminding ourselves,
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and this is reminding us anyway,
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that when we gather together to worship God,
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we gather together in response to what God has already done.
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We don't come to gather together in worship
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as if God would then do something in return,
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or repay us for the fact.
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There may be some aspects of truth to that, of course, as well.
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But this is the great fact.
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This is the great fact.
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God has already done this for us.
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God has been active in Jesus Christ,
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providing us with this access into his own presence.
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It's a new and it's a living way.
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And we have boldness, confidence to enter the holy places
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by the blood of Jesus,
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by this new and living way that he's opened through his flesh,
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through his death on the cross,
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and his own person.
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When we come,
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as we're gathered tonight in worship,
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what we're doing is gathering together
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in response to something that's already taken place.
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We're not doing something that will give cause to God to bless us.
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He is freely able to bless us in any case or not.
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But we're coming together in response to,
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in believing response,
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in worshiping response to what he has already done
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and what he has done conclusively
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by the death of Jesus on the cross.
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And that's such an important aspect
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of thinking of the church gathered together,
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the gatherings of the church,
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the gatherings of the church,
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especially for worship,
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public worship,
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as we're doing this evening
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and every other time we come.
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We come because this has already happened.
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And this is actually something that requires of us
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that we respond to that
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by coming together
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and coming to God through this new and living way
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that Jesus himself is.
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We could say a lot more than that,
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but you will notice the plurals that he's using.
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We saw this last time,
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the importance of noticing the plurals in the Bible
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the plurals by which God addresses his people,
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whether it's here on the Old Testament,
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these New Testament epistles,
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Hebrews,
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those of Paul,
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those of John,
31:35
all of these have the same feature,
31:37
that they address the people of God as a people.
31:41
Of course,
31:42
as we said last time,
31:43
that means addressing us as individuals as well.
31:46
Everything here is addressed to you
31:48
and to me in an individual sense.
31:50
We have to make individual use of it.
31:53
But nevertheless,
31:54
primarily,
31:55
it's an address to us as a gathered people.
31:58
Let us draw near.
32:01
Let us hold fast
32:03
the confidence of our,
32:05
the confession of our hope.
32:06
Let us consider
32:08
how to stir one another up to love
32:10
and to good works.
32:11
They're plurals.
32:12
They're addressed to a people.
32:14
They're addressed to a gathered church of God.
32:17
And that's important for us also
32:19
as you go through the various aspects
32:23
of what we are privileged to have
32:25
as Christians and as believing people.
32:27
We're privileged to have,
32:29
yes,
32:29
individually,
32:30
but especially together.
32:32
Together in such a way as worships him
32:34
in response to what he has done.
32:38
So let's look at these three exhortations briefly.
32:40
The first of these,
32:41
you'll find is,
32:42
let us draw near.
32:44
Let us draw near
32:45
with a true heart
32:46
in full assurance of faith,
32:49
with our hearts sprinkled clean
32:50
from an evil conscience
32:52
and our bodies washed
32:53
with pure water.
32:55
Now this passage has a lot in it
32:56
that we're not going to go into
32:57
in any detail
32:58
because as I said,
32:59
it's important
33:00
that we keep it all together
33:01
and get the main parameters of it
33:04
worked out
33:04
in our understanding
33:06
and then put that to ourselves.
33:08
And what he's doing here is saying,
33:10
here is what we're doing
33:11
in response to what God has done in Christ.
33:13
We're coming together
33:15
to draw near to God.
33:18
That's what you're doing this evening
33:19
if you've come here
33:20
with a mindset
33:21
upon worshiping him
33:22
with everybody else
33:24
who's come here tonight
33:25
to worship the Lord.
33:26
You are drawing near to God
33:28
and of course you can do that
33:29
and you do that
33:30
in an individual sense as well.
33:32
When you go on your knees
33:33
or when you pray to God,
33:34
however it is,
33:35
your posture is to pray to God.
33:37
You're drawing near to God.
33:39
When you sing in praise to God
33:41
on your own,
33:42
you're drawing near to God.
33:43
You're conscious
33:44
that you're drawing near
33:46
to this God you're worshiping.
33:48
And it's a wonderful privilege,
33:50
more so than in an individual sense,
33:53
to come together
33:54
to worship the Lord
33:55
means together we're coming
33:57
to draw near to him.
33:59
We're coming into his presence.
34:02
We're coming through this new
34:04
and living way
34:04
into the very presence of God.
34:07
We don't need any other warrant
34:11
to come than what's already
34:12
been done for us
34:13
and his own invitation
34:15
and exhortation based upon that.
34:17
Let us draw near to him.
34:21
Are we conscious tonight
34:22
that this is what we're doing?
34:25
Is that not our mindset
34:28
as we come through these doors
34:30
to gather together
34:31
in this place of worship
34:33
that we are actually intending
34:35
and seeking to draw near to God?
34:39
That we look at what worship is
34:40
in all the various aspects of it,
34:43
but it's primarily
34:44
a drawing near to God
34:46
through Christ,
34:47
through this new and living way.
34:50
And he says here,
34:51
we're drawing near
34:51
with a true heart
34:54
and a true heart
34:58
in full assurance of faith.
35:00
Well, a true heart really there
35:01
is something that means
35:04
just opposite to hypocrisy.
35:07
We're coming with a genuine sincerity
35:10
in our hearts to worship God.
35:12
Our worship is never perfect
35:13
as it leaves ourselves.
35:15
Our minds at worship
35:16
are not perfectly attuned
35:18
to listening to God
35:19
or to speaking from the pulpit
35:21
about God.
35:22
We're still sinners.
35:23
We're failing in so many aspects
35:24
of what we do,
35:25
even in our worship.
35:26
But here he's saying
35:28
we're coming with a sincere heart.
35:30
Your being here tonight
35:32
at this service of worship
35:35
is something that you can say
35:37
of yourself,
35:38
I want to be there.
35:39
I'm sincere about my desire
35:41
to worship God.
35:43
I'm not drawing near to him
35:44
just as a matter of form,
35:46
just in terms of a formality,
35:49
just doing something outwardly.
35:51
I'm coming before him
35:52
with a sincere heart.
35:55
I'm not coming to him
35:56
in pretense.
35:57
I'm not pretending
35:59
to be something
36:00
that I'm not.
36:03
I'm coming
36:03
with a sincere heart.
36:05
And you see,
36:05
he's putting it in the plural,
36:07
let us draw near
36:08
with a sincere,
36:09
with a sincere,
36:10
with a true heart.
36:12
Let us draw near
36:12
with a true heart.
36:14
And then he says
36:15
in full assurance of faith.
36:17
Another aspect of
36:18
the drawing near,
36:20
of the coming together,
36:21
that we come
36:22
in full assurance of faith.
36:24
Now that sometimes
36:25
troubles people.
36:27
And it used to trouble myself
36:29
until I came across
36:31
a meaning given to it
36:34
that really helped me out
36:36
because every time
36:37
I thought of this
36:38
in full assurance of faith
36:39
coming near to God,
36:40
I thought,
36:41
well, I'm failing there
36:42
because my faith
36:43
is sometimes so poor.
36:45
My faith is sometimes
36:46
so weak.
36:48
I wish I had
36:48
a stronger faith.
36:50
And if I had
36:50
a stronger faith,
36:51
I would fit into
36:52
the category
36:53
of what this writer
36:54
is saying,
36:55
drawing near to God
36:56
with a full assurance
36:59
of faith.
37:00
But then you see,
37:01
that's not what
37:02
this phrase means.
37:04
It doesn't mean
37:05
drawing near to God
37:06
fully persuaded
37:08
that you are saved
37:09
or having that
37:11
full assurance
37:12
that yes,
37:13
you are saved,
37:14
you are a believer,
37:15
you are indeed
37:16
trusting in Christ.
37:19
Let me read to you
37:20
what that great
37:22
Puritan theologian
37:24
John Owen says
37:26
in his commentary
37:26
on Hebrews
37:27
about this phrase.
37:29
Obviously,
37:29
he met in his own day
37:31
with people
37:31
who thought that
37:32
this full assurance
37:33
of faith meant
37:34
reaching a very height
37:36
of assurance
37:37
that you are a believer.
37:38
This is what he says.
37:39
The full assurance
37:40
of faith here
37:41
represents
37:43
not the assurance
37:44
that any have
37:45
of their own salvation,
37:47
nor any degree
37:49
of such an assurance.
37:51
It is only
37:52
the full satisfaction
37:54
of our souls
37:55
in the reality
37:57
and efficacy
37:58
of the priesthood
38:00
of Christ
38:00
to give us
38:02
acceptance with God
38:03
in contrast
38:04
to all other ways
38:06
and means thereof.
38:09
And that really
38:09
is saying to it
38:11
full assurance
38:12
of faith,
38:13
Owen is saying,
38:14
means you are
38:15
fully persuaded
38:16
that Jesus
38:17
is everything
38:18
you need
38:19
in order to have
38:20
that full acceptance
38:21
of God.
38:23
That everything
38:24
you require
38:25
in order to
38:26
have a life
38:27
that God
38:28
himself receives
38:30
and takes delight
38:32
in and accepts
38:33
as righteous
38:34
in his sight,
38:36
that's all
38:37
in Jesus.
38:38
And the full assurance
38:39
of faith,
38:40
as Owen said,
38:41
is the full satisfaction
38:44
of our souls
38:45
in the reality
38:46
and efficacy
38:46
of the priesthood
38:47
of Christ
38:48
to give us
38:48
that acceptance
38:49
with God.
38:50
So if you're
38:51
coming tonight
38:51
and saying,
38:53
I know that
38:54
I don't have anything
38:55
in myself
38:56
and my own ability
38:57
that I can create
38:59
in order to give me
39:00
acceptance with God.
39:01
I know I can't
39:02
come to God
39:04
and draw near to God
39:05
with his people
39:06
to worship him
39:07
thinking that somehow
39:08
my sincerity,
39:10
although I'm sincere,
39:11
that my sincerity
39:12
is something
39:13
that will guarantee
39:14
me acceptance
39:15
before God.
39:17
I can't come
39:18
before him
39:18
and say,
39:18
Lord,
39:19
I prayed today
39:20
and I prayed
39:20
a number of times
39:21
today
39:22
and I'm pleased
39:23
that I was able
39:24
to pray
39:24
and on the basis
39:25
of that
39:25
I'm persuaded
39:26
that you'll accept me.
39:27
You can't come
39:28
with that.
39:29
Great and wonderful
39:31
though prayer is.
39:33
No,
39:33
you come
39:33
to draw near
39:35
to God.
39:36
We come to draw near
39:37
together
39:37
as we come
39:38
to draw near
39:39
to God
39:39
and we're saying
39:40
this,
39:40
Lord,
39:41
I have everything
39:43
I need
39:44
for your acceptance
39:45
and I accept
39:46
this as being
39:48
perfectly sufficient
39:50
for me
39:50
that Jesus
39:52
in his death
39:53
is everything
39:54
and all I need.
39:56
You're saying
39:57
that tonight.
39:58
Then you have
39:59
that full assurance
40:00
of faith.
40:01
You're saying
40:02
that you discount
40:03
every other possibility
40:05
of something
40:07
of every other
40:08
means that you
40:09
may think of
40:10
would give you
40:11
acceptance with God
40:12
and you're saying
40:13
no,
40:14
Lord,
40:14
I don't want
40:15
to trust
40:15
in any of these.
40:16
I know I mustn't
40:17
do that.
40:18
It's not going
40:18
to bring me
40:19
acceptance with you
40:21
at all
40:21
but here is
40:22
my acceptance.
40:24
Here is my
40:25
ground of confidence.
40:27
Here is Jesus.
40:31
I believe in him.
40:33
I trust in him.
40:35
I trust myself
40:36
to him.
40:37
I put myself
40:39
in his hands
40:40
and at his disposal.
40:42
I receive him
40:44
as my righteous
40:45
savior.
40:46
I receive him
40:47
as Lord
40:48
your provision
40:49
for a poor
40:50
sinner like me.
40:53
I receive him
40:54
gladly.
40:54
I receive him
40:55
with relief
40:56
for my soul
40:57
because I am
40:59
persuaded
41:00
by your word
41:01
that that gives me
41:03
acceptance
41:04
in your sight.
41:05
let us draw
41:07
near
41:08
let us draw
41:10
near
41:10
with a true
41:11
heart
41:12
and in the full
41:14
assurance of faith
41:15
with our hearts
41:16
sprinkled clean
41:17
from an evil
41:18
conscience
41:18
and our bodies
41:20
washed with pure
41:21
water.
41:21
well in a word
41:22
that really just
41:23
indicates the
41:24
totality
41:25
with which God
41:27
saves us
41:28
and brings us
41:28
into acceptance
41:29
with himself.
41:30
We need
41:30
a clean
41:32
conscience.
41:33
We need a conscience
41:34
that's sprinkled
41:35
clean from an evil
41:36
conscience.
41:37
We need outwardly
41:38
as well in our
41:39
behavior
41:39
to have our bodies
41:41
washed with pure
41:42
water.
41:42
A spiritual way
41:43
of stating that
41:45
our entire
41:46
person
41:47
needs to be made
41:48
acceptable with God
41:49
and that's what Jesus
41:50
does.
41:52
That's what faith
41:53
in Jesus brings.
41:54
Not that faith
41:55
is meritorious.
41:57
It's Jesus himself
41:58
who has
41:59
the merit
42:00
and through that
42:02
we receive
42:02
this acceptance
42:04
with God
42:05
this
42:06
sprinkling
42:08
of our conscience
42:09
from
42:09
our hearts
42:10
sprinkled clean
42:11
from an evil
42:12
conscience.
42:15
A conscience
42:16
that you want
42:17
to always pronounce
42:18
that you are
42:20
right with God.
42:21
Of course
42:22
your conscience
42:23
even as a believer
42:24
convicts you
42:26
when you know
42:26
you've done wrong
42:27
or when you know
42:29
you haven't done
42:29
something you ought
42:30
to have done.
42:31
That's perfectly
42:32
alright
42:33
in the sense
42:34
that I mean
42:35
it's perfectly
42:36
alright in the
42:36
sense that
42:37
it shows you
42:39
and indicates
42:39
there's something
42:40
there in you
42:41
that really is
42:42
keeping you
42:43
in the right
42:43
direction
42:44
and that you're
42:45
relying upon
42:46
Christ himself
42:48
for your acceptance
42:49
with God
42:50
and not anything
42:51
in yourself.
42:52
Let us draw near
42:53
let us draw near
42:55
he says
42:55
with a true heart
42:56
and in full
42:58
assurance of faith
42:59
with our hearts
43:00
sprinkled clean
43:01
from an evil
43:02
conscience
43:02
and our bodies
43:03
washed
43:03
with pure water.
43:06
But then he goes
43:07
on
43:07
with another
43:09
exhortation
43:09
let us hold
43:10
fast
43:11
the confession
43:12
of our hope
43:13
without wavering
43:15
for he who promised
43:16
is faithful.
43:18
Now notice he's saying
43:19
it's the confession
43:20
of our hope
43:22
rather than confession
43:24
of faith
43:25
which we very often
43:26
come across
43:27
this is the confession
43:28
of our hope.
43:30
What does Jesus do?
43:31
What does God do
43:32
when he brings us
43:34
and saves us
43:35
and puts us
43:36
in Christ
43:37
and brings to us
43:38
that salvation
43:42
that becomes ours
43:43
then through faith
43:44
in Christ
43:45
what is he doing?
43:46
He's giving us hope.
43:48
Remember how Paul
43:50
when he wrote
43:50
to the Ephesians
43:51
in chapter 2
43:52
he described
43:53
what the Ephesians
43:54
once were
43:55
when they were
43:56
unsaved
43:58
heathen
43:59
pagans
44:00
in all their idolatry
44:01
before the Lord
44:03
sent the gospel
44:04
to them
44:04
and they came
44:05
to be saved
44:06
through the gospel
44:07
through the preaching
44:09
of the gospel
44:10
you were
44:11
he says
44:11
at that time
44:12
cut off
44:14
from the commonwealth
44:15
of Israel
44:16
without God
44:18
and without hope
44:20
in the world.
44:24
One thing
44:25
that characterizes
44:26
the unsaved sinner
44:27
is the absence
44:30
of hope
44:30
because hope
44:33
in the biblical
44:34
sense of it
44:35
is not somehow
44:36
hoping that things
44:37
will improve.
44:39
That's a worldly hope.
44:40
That's a hope
44:41
really without any
44:42
foundation
44:42
even though it might
44:44
be good to some extent
44:45
to have a hope
44:46
that something
44:47
will happen
44:48
to improve
44:49
one's life
44:49
but when you're
44:50
thinking of this hope
44:51
the hope
44:52
that you have
44:53
through Christ
44:54
and through faith
44:55
in Christ
44:55
the confession
44:56
of hope
44:56
that's mentioned
44:57
here is the hope
44:58
that's founded
44:59
upon Christ's
45:00
own resurrection
45:00
from the dead
45:01
especially
45:02
when you come
45:04
to receive Christ
45:06
you come to receive
45:07
not just
45:08
the Christ
45:08
who died
45:09
but the Christ
45:10
who is now alive
45:11
who is risen
45:12
from the dead
45:13
and is alive
45:14
forevermore
45:14
and it's there
45:17
that you find hope.
45:20
You know
45:20
we're so used
45:21
to being
45:22
at funeral services
45:23
here in this
45:24
congregation
45:24
in our community
45:25
we have
45:27
so many times
45:29
gathered with
45:30
families
45:31
who have lost
45:31
loved ones
45:32
and that's part
45:34
of life
45:35
in this world
45:36
as long as
45:37
this world
45:38
continues
45:38
and one of the
45:41
things that's
45:42
really so sad
45:43
to see
45:44
so desperately
45:45
sad to see
45:46
is that
45:46
people come to die
45:48
who've not
45:49
expressed any
45:50
confession of hope
45:51
while they lived
45:52
who didn't have
45:54
that trust in Christ
45:56
who couldn't
45:57
confess
45:58
I have a hope
45:59
that's now
46:00
firmly based
46:01
upon the
46:01
resurrection
46:03
of Jesus
46:03
from the dead
46:04
and therefore
46:05
God assures me
46:06
that that hope
46:07
will be fulfilled
46:08
and that I will
46:09
share in the
46:10
triumph of Jesus
46:11
over death.
46:13
That's what you
46:13
want tonight
46:14
to have
46:14
as a characteristic
46:15
of your life
46:16
to have that hope
46:18
that the Bible
46:18
speaks of
46:19
the hope of the gospel
46:20
the hope that comes
46:21
through Jesus Christ
46:22
put away every kind
46:23
of hope
46:24
other than that
46:25
because hoping
46:26
for the best
46:27
is just
46:28
vain hope
46:29
it's not
46:30
necessarily worth
46:32
anything at all
46:33
when you come to hope
46:36
and have hope
46:37
in Jesus
46:38
that hope
46:40
is based
46:40
on Christ's
46:42
resurrection
46:42
it's a hope
46:43
that looks to
46:44
the promises
46:45
of God
46:46
that they will
46:47
fulfill
46:47
they will be
46:48
fulfilled
46:48
because notice
46:49
what he's saying
46:49
let's hold fast
46:51
the confession
46:51
of our hope
46:52
without wavering
46:53
for he who promised
46:55
is faithful
46:56
why am I sure
46:58
tonight
46:59
that the hope
47:00
I have
47:00
of resurrection
47:01
life
47:02
of life
47:03
in heaven
47:03
through faith
47:05
in Christ
47:05
through my coming
47:06
to give myself
47:07
in response
47:09
to his love
47:10
to be ruled
47:11
by him
47:11
to be saved
47:12
by him
47:12
why am I
47:13
persuaded
47:14
that that is
47:15
actually sure
47:16
and certain
47:17
for me
47:18
because he is
47:20
faithful
47:20
who has
47:22
promised it
47:22
God is not
47:24
going to be
47:25
other than
47:25
true to his word
47:26
and when God
47:28
gives you
47:30
that hope
47:30
in your heart
47:31
that looks
47:32
forward to heaven
47:33
despite all
47:35
the imperfections
47:36
that you and I
47:36
have in our
47:37
lives tonight
47:38
one thing
47:39
you can be sure
47:40
of is this
47:41
having this
47:42
hope in Jesus
47:43
is certain
47:45
to be realized
47:46
in glory
47:48
with him
47:48
what a great
47:50
privilege that is
47:51
and doesn't
47:53
it show you
47:54
how empty
47:56
a life is
47:57
crammed
47:58
with all the
47:59
things that
48:00
this world
48:00
can actually
48:01
give you
48:02
and without
48:04
this hope
48:04
what does it
48:06
profit
48:06
as Jesus
48:08
himself said
48:08
what shall
48:10
it profit
48:10
a man
48:11
though he
48:11
gains
48:11
the whole
48:13
world
48:13
and lose
48:16
his soul
48:16
let us
48:19
hold fast
48:20
the confession
48:22
about hope
48:22
without wavering
48:23
and you see
48:24
that's where
48:26
the gathered
48:27
church again
48:27
the whole
48:28
concept
48:28
the whole
48:29
truth
48:30
the fact
48:30
of a
48:31
gathered
48:31
church
48:32
the fact
48:32
of gathering
48:33
together
48:33
that's where
48:34
it really
48:34
comes into
48:35
its own
48:35
as far
48:36
as this
48:36
is concerned
48:37
because we
48:38
all have
48:38
that hope
48:39
individually
48:40
when we're
48:40
Christians
48:41
when we're
48:41
in the
48:41
Lord
48:42
when we've
48:42
come to
48:43
put our
48:43
trust
48:44
and our
48:44
faith
48:44
in him
48:45
and when
48:45
that hope
48:46
then is
48:47
realized
48:47
in your
48:47
heart
48:48
but you
48:50
see in
48:50
order to
48:51
encourage
48:51
one another
48:52
to strengthen
48:54
that hope
48:54
that's in
48:55
you individually
48:56
you think
48:57
well I need
48:58
to be with
48:58
the Lord's
48:59
people
48:59
I need
49:01
to be
49:01
a part
49:02
of and a
49:02
member of
49:02
that gather
49:03
church
49:04
and if I
49:05
want my
49:05
hope to
49:06
be something
49:07
that grows
49:07
if I want
49:08
to have
49:09
if I want
49:10
to have
49:10
a holding
49:12
fast of
49:13
that confession
49:14
of my
49:14
hope
49:15
if I want
49:16
that holding
49:17
of my
49:17
hope to
49:18
become
49:18
stronger
49:19
I can't
49:20
do it
49:20
without the
49:21
Lord's
49:21
people
49:21
not at
49:22
least not
49:22
very successfully
49:23
but here we
49:26
are together
49:27
and here we
49:29
are addressed
49:29
in a way
49:30
that God
49:32
sees us
49:33
gathered together
49:34
as worshipping
49:34
people
49:35
and here
49:37
is what
49:37
God is
49:38
saying
49:38
to us
49:39
together
49:39
let us
49:41
hold fast
49:43
the confession
49:44
of our
49:45
hope
49:45
without
49:47
wavering
49:47
so there's
49:50
let us
49:50
draw near
49:51
let us
49:52
hold fast
49:53
and then thirdly
49:54
there's let us
49:55
consider
49:55
let us
49:57
consider
49:57
how to stir
49:58
up one another
49:59
to love and to
50:00
good works
50:00
now I think
50:00
I've referred to
50:01
this verse
50:02
previously
50:03
and we have
50:04
preached on
50:04
some aspects
50:05
of this
50:05
previously
50:06
and it's
50:07
better I think
50:08
that the way
50:08
it's worded
50:09
in the
50:10
authorized
50:10
version on
50:11
this occasion
50:12
at least
50:12
because literally
50:14
what the text
50:14
is saying
50:15
is let us
50:16
consider
50:16
one another
50:17
let us
50:19
consider
50:20
one another
50:21
so as
50:22
to stir
50:23
one another
50:23
up to love
50:24
and to good
50:25
works
50:25
and that makes
50:25
a big difference
50:26
he's saying
50:28
more than
50:28
let's consider
50:29
how to
50:30
stir one
50:31
another up
50:31
what he's
50:31
really saying
50:32
is let's
50:33
give attention
50:34
to one
50:34
another
50:34
let's
50:36
actually
50:37
be thoughtful
50:38
and prayerful
50:39
in regard
50:40
to one
50:40
another
50:40
let's
50:41
consider
50:41
in that
50:42
sense
50:42
of it
50:43
it's a
50:43
very strong
50:44
word actually
50:44
it's used
50:45
back in
50:46
chapter 3
50:47
at the beginning
50:49
of chapter 3
50:50
you find it
50:51
used there
50:52
at the very
50:54
start of it
50:55
you who
50:56
shared
50:56
in heavenly
50:58
calling
50:58
consider
50:59
Jesus
51:01
consider
51:02
Jesus
51:03
now obviously
51:04
that means
51:05
a serious
51:05
consideration
51:06
giving
51:08
your mind
51:09
to thinking
51:10
of
51:10
giving your
51:11
mind to
51:12
your relationship
51:13
with Jesus
51:14
to consider
51:15
himself
51:16
all the time
51:17
focus upon
51:18
him
51:18
keep your
51:20
focus upon
51:21
him
51:21
and that's
51:22
the same
51:23
word
51:23
that's now
51:24
used here
51:24
in considering
51:25
one another
51:27
let us
51:28
consider
51:29
one another
51:31
and you see
51:31
how that fits
51:32
into not
51:33
neglecting
51:33
to meet
51:34
together
51:34
because to
51:35
consider one
51:36
another means
51:37
that we
51:37
gather together
51:38
that we
51:39
interact with
51:40
each other
51:40
that we
51:41
are not
51:42
being
51:42
nosy
51:43
and busy
51:44
bodies
51:44
looking into
51:45
other people's
51:46
lives and
51:46
aspects of
51:47
the lives
51:48
that we
51:48
have no
51:48
business
51:49
prying into
51:49
that's not
51:51
what he's
51:51
on about
51:51
here
51:52
he's on
51:52
here about
51:52
actually
51:53
improving
51:54
our own
51:55
progress
51:56
spiritually
51:57
and he's
51:59
saying
51:59
let us
52:01
consider
52:02
one another
52:03
let's give
52:05
due
52:06
thoughtful
52:06
prayerful
52:07
attention
52:08
to one
52:09
another
52:09
because that's
52:12
the opposite
52:13
really isn't
52:13
it of
52:14
I think I
52:14
mentioned
52:15
last time
52:15
the world
52:18
and the
52:18
worldliness
52:19
that you
52:19
see around
52:20
us sadly
52:21
is very
52:22
much
52:22
I can
52:23
just look
52:24
after my
52:24
own life
52:25
and I
52:25
want to
52:25
look
52:25
after my
52:26
own
52:26
life
52:26
this
52:27
kind
52:28
of
52:28
inward
52:29
selfish
52:30
individualistic
52:31
view of
52:32
life
52:32
well the
52:34
gathered
52:35
people of
52:35
God
52:36
are the
52:36
opposite
52:37
to that
52:37
because you
52:38
don't gather
52:39
here with
52:39
other people
52:40
thinking well
52:41
it's all
52:42
about me
52:42
and it's
52:44
all about
52:44
what I
52:44
can get
52:45
out of
52:46
the service
52:46
of worship
52:47
that I'm
52:47
attending
52:48
that's really
52:49
all I'm
52:49
concerned with
52:50
how I can
52:50
improve my
52:51
own spiritual
52:52
standing
52:52
and understanding
52:53
and progress
52:54
yes there's
52:55
that individual
52:56
aspect but
52:57
you're coming
52:57
and you're
52:58
considering others
52:59
you're considering
53:00
one another
53:01
we're considering
53:02
together
53:03
each other's
53:04
lives so as to
53:05
help one
53:06
another along
53:07
the path of
53:08
life
53:09
let us
53:11
consider
53:12
one another
53:14
and you know
53:15
we can do
53:16
that before
53:17
we ever come
53:18
to church
53:18
and we should
53:20
be doing that
53:20
before we ever
53:21
come to church
53:22
let me just
53:23
put it to
53:23
myself
53:24
and put it
53:25
to yourselves
53:25
as well
53:26
because we
53:26
here together
53:27
did I
53:30
think before
53:30
I left
53:31
home
53:31
before I
53:33
left my
53:33
house to
53:34
come to
53:34
this service
53:35
did I
53:36
think even
53:37
briefly of
53:38
what it would
53:38
be like to
53:39
meet with
53:39
others and
53:40
those who
53:40
are going
53:40
to be
53:41
meeting with
53:41
me
53:41
did I
53:44
come into
53:44
this building
53:45
tonight and
53:45
take my
53:46
place wherever
53:46
I'm seated
53:47
and was one
53:49
of the first
53:49
things I did
53:50
look around
53:51
me and see
53:52
who else is
53:53
here how can
53:53
I pray for
53:54
them what's
53:55
my responsibility
53:56
for them to
53:57
ask that they
53:58
too will be
53:59
blessed or did
54:00
I just think
54:01
of myself or
54:02
did I just to
54:03
come in and
54:04
just start talking
54:05
about the things
54:05
of the day
54:06
and here he is
54:09
saying let us
54:10
consider one
54:11
another let's
54:14
make it a
54:14
practice when
54:16
we come through
54:17
these doors to
54:18
worship the
54:18
Lord together
54:19
that we give
54:21
due prayerful
54:22
attention to
54:23
each other
54:24
as you look
54:25
around you and
54:25
you see people
54:26
and you know
54:26
that they have
54:27
different needs
54:28
maybe somebody
54:28
is recently
54:29
bereaved
54:29
maybe somebody
54:30
is going
54:31
through some
54:32
very difficult
54:32
challenges in
54:33
life that you
54:34
know are
54:35
already made
54:36
public
54:37
maybe somebody
54:38
you know has
54:40
a difficulty in
54:41
their family that
54:42
they are wrestling
54:43
with and that has
54:44
become known
54:44
it is not
54:45
something to be
54:46
ashamed of
54:47
but as you
54:48
sit there and
54:49
as you see
54:49
such people
54:50
around you
54:50
and me too
54:51
let's consider
54:54
one another
54:55
so as to
54:57
stir up you
54:58
see he's
54:58
saying to
54:59
love and
55:00
to good
55:01
works
55:01
and that's
55:03
tied up with
55:03
what he said
55:04
here encouraging
55:05
one another
55:06
not neglecting
55:07
to meet
55:07
together as
55:08
is the habit
55:09
of some
55:10
but encouraging
55:11
one another
55:12
and all the
55:13
more as you
55:13
see the day
55:13
approaching
55:14
as we said
55:14
at the beginning
55:15
here the two
55:16
sides are the
55:16
same issue
55:17
the same
55:17
coin if you
55:18
like
55:18
instead of
55:19
neglecting to
55:20
meet together
55:21
we are actually
55:22
meeting together
55:23
so as to
55:23
encourage one
55:24
another
55:25
so as to
55:26
give consideration
55:27
to one another
55:28
in order that
55:30
we will have
55:31
our own lives
55:31
as we pray
55:33
for one another
55:34
and consider
55:34
one another
55:35
so that we
55:36
will actually
55:37
be stirred up
55:38
by that
55:39
to love
55:40
and to good
55:41
works
55:41
a wonderful
55:41
thing isn't
55:42
it when
55:42
when you think
55:43
of how
55:44
love for God
55:45
and love
55:45
for God's
55:46
people
55:46
and love
55:47
for God's
55:47
church
55:48
brings us
55:50
and persuades
55:50
us and
55:51
constrains us
55:52
to come
55:52
together
55:53
and worship
55:53
then you
55:55
find the
55:55
cycle going
55:56
around the
55:56
other direction
55:57
if you like
55:57
that gathering
55:58
together
55:59
actually adds
56:00
to your love
56:01
for one another
56:02
and for God
56:03
it's a complete
56:04
cycle
56:05
love brings you
56:06
to be with
56:07
others who are
56:08
worshipping
56:08
and being with
56:09
others who are
56:09
worshipping
56:10
increases your
56:11
own love
56:11
and your appetite
56:12
for them
56:13
let's consider
56:15
one another
56:16
not neglecting
56:18
to do this
56:19
as he says
56:19
is the habit
56:20
of some
56:21
even in his
56:23
day
56:23
during this
56:25
early time
56:25
in the church
56:26
at the time
56:28
even of the
56:28
apostles
56:29
he was already
56:30
aware that
56:31
some people
56:32
were making
56:32
a habit
56:33
of not
56:36
gathering
56:37
with the
56:37
others who
56:38
came to
56:38
worship
56:39
not neglecting
56:41
to meet
56:41
together
56:42
as is
56:43
the habit
56:43
of some
56:44
I'm sure
56:45
it was
56:46
in some ways
56:47
understandable
56:48
because these
56:49
Hebrews were
56:49
obviously
56:50
suffering for
56:51
their faith
56:52
and they were
56:53
going through
56:54
some very
56:54
testing times
56:55
and you'll
56:57
find here
56:57
in the likes
56:58
of this
56:59
chapter itself
57:00
at verses
57:00
32 there
57:01
to 39
57:02
where he says
57:03
recall the
57:04
former days
57:04
when after
57:05
you were
57:05
enlightened
57:05
you endured
57:07
a hard
57:07
struggle
57:07
with sufferings
57:08
sometimes
57:09
being publicly
57:10
exposed to
57:10
reproach
57:11
and affliction
57:12
and so on
57:13
and he's
57:13
saying
57:13
recall these
57:15
things
57:15
go back
57:16
in your
57:16
mind
57:16
and think
57:17
well this
57:17
is really
57:18
the life
57:18
that I
57:19
entered
57:19
on willingly
57:20
so why
57:21
should I
57:21
think
57:21
differently
57:21
now
57:22
he's
57:24
saying
57:24
don't
57:26
neglect
57:26
don't let
57:26
us neglect
57:27
gathering
57:28
together
57:28
but it
57:29
may very
57:30
well be
57:30
that it
57:30
wasn't
57:31
it certainly
57:31
isn't the
57:32
case in
57:32
our day
57:33
and in
57:33
our context
57:34
that you
57:35
have
57:35
persecution
57:36
in the way
57:37
you have
57:37
it in
57:38
other parts
57:38
of the
57:39
world
57:39
and in
57:40
the way
57:40
you find
57:41
it described
57:41
in some
57:42
of these
57:42
New Testament
57:43
letters
57:43
it's not
57:44
however
57:45
difficult it
57:46
may be
57:46
for us
57:47
whatever
57:47
opposition
57:48
you meet
57:48
with
57:49
you can't
57:50
really say
57:51
that it
57:51
equates to
57:52
persecution
57:53
such as you
57:54
found in
57:54
those days
57:55
or still
57:55
find in
57:56
places
57:56
throughout
57:57
the world
57:57
here is
58:00
what one
58:01
commentator
58:01
said
58:02
William Lane
58:03
in his
58:04
commentary
58:04
on Hebrews
58:05
it is
58:06
natural to
58:07
think
58:07
that the
58:08
neglect
58:09
of the
58:09
meetings
58:10
was
58:10
motivated
58:11
by fear
58:12
of
58:12
recognition
58:12
by outsiders
58:14
in a
58:15
time of
58:15
persecution
58:16
or by
58:17
some other
58:18
acute
58:18
concern
58:19
it is
58:20
sobering
58:21
to discover
58:22
that in
58:22
the early
58:23
second
58:23
century
58:24
in Rome
58:25
it was
58:26
simply
58:27
preoccupation
58:28
with business
58:29
affairs
58:30
that accounted
58:31
for the
58:31
neglect
58:32
of the
58:33
meetings
58:33
of a
58:35
church
58:35
that is
58:37
sobering
58:38
but then
58:39
you see
58:39
you go back
58:40
to the
58:40
Lord's
58:40
own
58:40
teaching
58:41
in the
58:42
parable
58:42
of the
58:42
sower
58:43
what do
58:44
you find
58:44
in the
58:44
parable
58:44
of the
58:45
sower
58:45
well you
58:46
find him
58:47
saying
58:47
that there
58:48
were all
58:48
these
58:48
different
58:48
types
58:49
of soil
58:49
four
58:50
different
58:50
types
58:50
of soil
58:51
into
58:52
which the
58:52
seed
58:52
fell
58:53
the seed
58:54
of the
58:54
gospel
58:55
represented
58:56
in its
58:57
reception
58:58
or lack
58:59
of it
58:59
by these
59:00
four soils
59:00
what were
59:01
they like
59:01
well the
59:02
one that
59:03
was
59:03
by the
59:04
roadside
59:04
the devil
59:06
came and
59:07
picked away
59:08
what was
59:10
sown in
59:11
the heart
59:11
and then he
59:13
says what
59:13
was sown on
59:14
the rocky
59:14
ground
59:14
is one who
59:15
hears the
59:16
word and
59:16
immediately
59:17
receives it
59:17
with joy
59:18
yet he has
59:19
no root in
59:20
himself but
59:21
endures for a
59:21
while and
59:23
when tribulation
59:23
or persecution
59:24
arises on
59:25
account of
59:25
the word
59:26
immediately he
59:27
falls away
59:27
well we've
59:29
said already
59:29
that's not a
59:30
category that
59:30
we can easily
59:31
fit into
59:32
because the
59:33
level of
59:33
persecution
59:34
we face
59:36
in whatever
59:36
opposition we
59:37
have it
59:37
doesn't really
59:38
amount much
59:38
to opposition
59:39
though it
59:40
might be very
59:40
difficult and
59:41
I don't want
59:41
to minimize
59:42
it but then
59:43
the next one
59:44
as for what
59:45
was sown
59:46
among thorns
59:47
this is the
59:49
one who
59:49
hears the
59:50
word but
59:51
the cares
59:52
of the world
59:53
and the
59:54
deceitfulness
59:55
of riches
59:56
choke the
59:57
word and
59:58
it becomes
59:59
it proves
1:00:00
unfruitful
1:00:02
you see
1:00:04
there it
1:00:04
is the
1:00:04
cares of
1:00:06
this life
1:00:06
the cares
1:00:07
of this
1:00:07
world and
1:00:08
the deceitfulness
1:00:09
of riches
1:00:10
the materialistic
1:00:11
bent of our
1:00:12
hearts will
1:00:14
draw us very
1:00:14
quickly away
1:00:15
from profiting
1:00:16
from the word
1:00:17
of the gospel
1:00:18
planted in our
1:00:18
hearts
1:00:19
that's why we
1:00:21
need each other
1:00:22
that's why we
1:00:23
need to gather
1:00:24
together in a
1:00:25
way that doesn't
1:00:25
neglect the meeting
1:00:27
together to
1:00:27
encourage one
1:00:28
another
1:00:28
encouraging one
1:00:30
another instead
1:00:31
of neglecting
1:00:33
of one another
1:00:33
and he's
1:00:34
saying it's to
1:00:34
love and to
1:00:35
good works
1:00:36
because that's
1:00:38
really outwardly
1:00:39
what a Christian
1:00:40
life is known
1:00:41
as in the
1:00:42
world
1:00:42
not people
1:00:44
who keep
1:00:44
themselves entirely
1:00:45
apart from
1:00:46
contact with
1:00:47
the world
1:00:47
but people
1:00:49
hopefully of
1:00:50
which the
1:00:50
world could
1:00:51
say these
1:00:53
are people
1:00:53
who are
1:00:54
dedicated to
1:00:55
love
1:00:55
and to
1:00:57
good works
1:00:58
to helping
1:00:58
people
1:00:59
and he says
1:01:01
all the more
1:01:01
as you see
1:01:03
the day
1:01:03
drawing near
1:01:04
just finally
1:01:04
with these
1:01:05
words
1:01:05
all the more
1:01:07
as you see
1:01:08
the day
1:01:08
drawing near
1:01:10
what is the
1:01:13
day
1:01:14
that's drawing
1:01:16
near
1:01:16
it's the day
1:01:16
of Christ's
1:01:17
return
1:01:17
the day of
1:01:19
his judgment
1:01:20
of the world
1:01:21
what he's saying
1:01:23
to us here
1:01:23
is the more
1:01:25
we realize
1:01:25
as we surely
1:01:26
do every day
1:01:27
that we're
1:01:28
another day
1:01:28
nearer to
1:01:29
the coming
1:01:30
of Christ
1:01:30
that we're
1:01:32
another day
1:01:33
nearer to
1:01:34
the judgment
1:01:36
of the world
1:01:37
and of us
1:01:37
all by Jesus
1:01:38
what should
1:01:39
that be doing
1:01:39
for us
1:01:40
what should
1:01:42
our response
1:01:42
be to that
1:01:43
well it's this
1:01:44
that we do
1:01:46
this
1:01:46
that we do
1:01:48
this meeting
1:01:48
together
1:01:49
and encouraging
1:01:50
one another
1:01:50
all the more
1:01:52
as you see
1:01:52
the day
1:01:53
drawing near
1:01:53
in other words
1:01:54
he's saying
1:01:54
the more
1:01:56
you think
1:01:56
about the
1:01:57
return of
1:01:58
Jesus
1:01:58
and the
1:01:59
day of
1:01:59
judgment
1:01:59
the more
1:02:00
we should
1:02:01
be concerned
1:02:02
never to
1:02:03
neglect the
1:02:03
meeting of
1:02:04
ourselves
1:02:05
together
1:02:05
but rather
1:02:07
encouraging
1:02:08
one another
1:02:09
as the
1:02:10
gathered
1:02:11
church
1:02:11
of God
1:02:13
now all
1:02:14
of that
1:02:14
fits in
1:02:14
with what
1:02:16
we're beginning
1:02:16
to do
1:02:17
monthly
1:02:18
at our
1:02:18
Wednesday
1:02:19
first Wednesday
1:02:19
of the month
1:02:20
where we
1:02:21
began looking
1:02:22
at six
1:02:22
studies
1:02:23
of what
1:02:24
are called
1:02:24
six steps
1:02:25
to loving
1:02:25
your church
1:02:26
very practical
1:02:27
way of looking
1:02:28
at things
1:02:28
but it's
1:02:29
designed so
1:02:30
that we
1:02:30
will think
1:02:31
of a
1:02:32
relationship
1:02:33
with each
1:02:34
other
1:02:34
that we
1:02:35
will actually
1:02:36
think of
1:02:36
as this
1:02:37
passage
1:02:37
tonight
1:02:38
says
1:02:38
not neglecting
1:02:39
to meet
1:02:40
together
1:02:40
but encouraging
1:02:41
one another
1:02:42
and thinking
1:02:44
of what it
1:02:44
is we're
1:02:44
doing
1:02:45
when we're
1:02:45
part of
1:02:46
the church
1:02:47
of God
1:02:47
and our
1:02:48
privilege
1:02:49
to love
1:02:49
the church
1:02:50
to love
1:02:50
the people
1:02:51
of God
1:02:51
to love
1:02:52
the gathered
1:02:53
worshipping
1:02:53
people of
1:02:54
God
1:02:54
let us
1:02:56
not he
1:02:56
says
1:02:57
neglect
1:02:58
the gathering
1:02:59
of ourselves
1:03:00
together
1:03:00
let us
1:03:01
draw near
1:03:02
let us
1:03:03
hold fast
1:03:04
let us
1:03:06
consider
1:03:06
one another
1:03:08
may God
1:03:09
bless
1:03:10
these thoughts
1:03:11
on his
1:03:12
word to us
1:03:13
we're going
1:03:13
to conclude
1:03:14
this evening
1:03:14
singing in
1:03:16
Psalm 65
1:03:17
Psalm 65
1:03:19
that's on
1:03:20
page 82
1:03:21
and verses
1:03:26
1 to
1:03:27
5
1:03:27
so on
1:03:36
page 82
1:03:36
Psalm 65
1:03:37
and Zion
1:03:38
praise awaits
1:03:39
you Lord
1:03:40
to you our
1:03:41
vows will
1:03:41
pay
1:03:42
to you all
1:03:43
people will
1:03:43
come near
1:03:44
you hear us
1:03:45
when we
1:03:45
pray
1:03:46
when we
1:03:47
were overwhelmed
1:03:47
by sins
1:03:48
and guilt
1:03:49
upon us
1:03:49
lay
1:03:49
you pardoned
1:03:51
all our
1:03:51
trespasses
1:03:52
and washed
1:03:53
our guilt
1:03:54
away
1:03:54
how blessed
1:03:56
are those
1:03:56
you choose
1:03:57
and bring
1:03:58
within your
1:03:59
courts of
1:03:59
grace
1:04:00
we're filled
1:04:01
with blessings
1:04:02
in your house
1:04:03
and your most
1:04:04
holy place
1:04:05
with awesome
1:04:06
deeds of
1:04:06
righteousness
1:04:07
you answer
1:04:09
us oh
1:04:09
God
1:04:10
our savior
1:04:11
hope of
1:04:12
further seas
1:04:13
and all
1:04:15
the earth
1:04:16
abroad
1:04:17
so let's
1:04:17
sing these
1:04:18
verses to
1:04:18
God's
1:04:19
praise
1:04:19
amen
1:04:21
to you
1:04:23
in Zion
1:04:25
praise
1:04:27
I
1:04:27
wait
1:04:29
to
1:04:29
Lord
1:04:31
to
1:04:32
you
1:04:33
our
1:04:34
vows
1:04:36
we'll
1:04:37
pray
1:04:38
to
1:04:39
you
1:04:40
all
1:04:42
people
1:04:43
will
1:04:45
come
1:04:46
near
1:04:47
you
1:04:48
hear
1:04:49
us
1:04:51
when
1:04:52
we
1:04:53
pray
1:04:54
when
1:04:56
we
1:04:57
will
1:04:58
overwhelm
1:05:03
our
1:05:03
sins
1:05:04
and
1:05:06
guilt
1:05:06
upon
1:05:08
us
1:05:10
lay
1:05:11
you
1:05:13
pardon
1:05:14
all
1:05:16
our
1:05:17
trespasses
1:05:20
and
1:05:21
washed
1:05:22
our
1:05:24
guilt
1:05:25
away
1:05:26
how
1:05:27
blessed
1:05:29
are
1:05:30
those
1:05:31
you
1:05:32
choose
1:05:33
and
1:05:34
bring
1:05:35
within
1:05:36
your
1:05:37
courts
1:05:38
all
1:05:39
and
1:05:40
all
1:05:41
our
1:05:42
and
1:05:44
the
1:05:45
Lord
1:05:46
of
1:05:47
grace
1:05:48
we're
1:05:49
filled
1:05:50
with
1:05:51
blessings
1:05:52
in
1:05:53
your
1:05:54
eyes
1:05:55
in
1:05:56
your
1:05:57
hope's
1:05:58
holy
1:05:59
place
1:06:00
with
1:06:02
awesome
1:06:03
peace
1:06:04
of
1:06:05
righteousness
1:06:06
the
1:06:08
needs
1:06:09
of
1:06:10
righteousness
1:06:11
you
1:06:12
answered
1:06:14
us
1:06:15
O
1:06:17
God
1:06:18
our
1:06:19
Savior
1:06:21
hope
1:06:23
of
1:06:24
far
1:06:25
the
1:06:26
seas
1:06:27
and
1:06:28
all
1:06:29
the
1:06:31
earth
1:06:32
have
1:06:33
the
1:06:34
love
1:06:35
the
1:06:36
Lord
1:06:37
after
1:06:38
the
1:06:39
benediction
1:06:40
I'll go to the main door if you allow me to get to the door please
1:06:41
now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ the love of God the Father
1:06:46
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you now and evermore
1:06:50
amen