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Our Cornerstone · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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If we can turn back to our reading in Isaiah chapter 28. I'm reading at the beginning of this section at verse 14.
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! Isaiah 28 at verse 14, where we read,
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Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.
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Because you have said, we have made a covenant with death and with Sheol, we have an agreement.
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When the overwhelming whip passes through, it will not come to us.
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We have made lies, our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter.
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Therefore, thus says the Lord God,
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Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation.
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Whoever believes will not be in haste.
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You see a great contrast in these two verses.
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You hear the word of the people in the day.
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We have made a covenant with death, they say.
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We have everything in our hands.
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We have this protection over ourselves.
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And we will find refuge in our lies.
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And then you see the contrast of that with what the Lord is saying in verse 16.
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Thus says the Lord God,
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Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone.
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And really the contrast there is before us in where are the people finding their refuge?
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One, the people are making a refuge in their lies.
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And the other one is God calling the people to make their refuge with him.
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And in the security of the precious cornerstone that has a sure foundation.
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A few weeks ago at the beginning of this month, we had a communion weekend where we came together and remembered the Lord's death together.
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And we took part or many of us took part in the Lord's Supper.
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Many watched on perhaps as the Lord's Supper was dispensed.
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And part of coming to the Lord's Supper, to the Lord's Table, is when we are challenged to ask ourselves, where are we with the Lord?
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We call it examining ourselves.
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And every one of us should do that as we come to the Lord's Table.
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But it should never be the only time we do it.
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Maybe it's highlighted at that time in a way where we think, well, can I go to the Lord's Table?
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And there's maybe a sense of that overwhelming feeling, I can't.
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I'm not worthy.
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But even as we come away from the Lord's Table, as we go on, maybe looking ahead to the next one,
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do we wait until the next one comes round in August before we ask ourselves, am I worthy of sitting at the Lord's Table?
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Am I any better than I was the last time when I didn't?
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Or even if I did sit there, maybe I'm feeling more unworthy now than I was then.
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We're examining ourselves all the time.
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It's not just at one point as we approach the Lord's Supper.
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We should be examining ourselves on a daily basis.
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And examining ourselves in the light of God's Word.
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In looking to this morning and the service we heard this morning,
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did you go home and examine yourself in light of what you heard?
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Did you take it in?
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Did you ponder it?
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Did you think about it?
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Well, think about who is my example?
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Who am I looking to?
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Who am I seeking to follow?
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Who are the good people around me that I can learn from?
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Who can I encourage?
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How can I keep going?
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Did you examine yourself under all of these things that Gordon was preaching to us this morning under the heading of grace?
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Or even as we come this evening, do you come here to hear the Word of God?
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In the sense of, I'm going to go away and think about what I'm hearing.
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Think about what is being put before me again.
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And examine myself in light of this Word.
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And ask myself, where am I finding my refuge?
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Is it in the lies of this world?
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Or is it in this cornerstone, this precious stone that God shows to us as the person of Jesus Christ?
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As we look at Isaiah chapter 28 here, we find a people who are examining themselves.
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And they're examining themselves in light of everything that's going on around them.
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And they're basically coming to the conclusion, as we so often see in Scripture, that, well, we can go on without God.
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We don't need God.
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We're going to make refuge, lies, a refuge.
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We're going to make falsehood the place where we take shelter.
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And it sounds absurd to us.
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And so it did to God in his day as well, because he comes and speaks to them in a very different way.
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And he assures them that there they will find no hope.
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And yet, when we see everything that's going on around us, and we think of the days of Isaiah,
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when the people were examining themselves in light of the standards of others around them,
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and thinking, we're going to go this way.
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We're going to do this.
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And we don't need God's help in the midst of this.
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We can decide ourselves.
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We look at our own nation.
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We look at the world in which we're living today, and we see the exact same ideas going on.
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We'll find refuge in our lies.
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We'll make falsehood the place where we take shelter.
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And we'll call it wisdom.
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We'll call it progress.
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We'll call it we're getting on fine, and we'll put God out of the equation.
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But just as it was in the days of Isaiah, when God was warning of the seriousness of judgment that was upon the people,
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if they continued in this manner, so it is for ourselves today.
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Things are not at a distance from us this evening, where we think, well, it's not really impacting me,
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what our nation has decided, whether it's to do with infants,
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or whether it's to do with when we come to that point of dying in our lives, and who is in control.
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Or when we think of the wars and the rumors of wars that are going on around us, it's not at a distance.
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God is speaking.
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And God is speaking, not just to a few people in a few places.
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He is speaking to every one of us.
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Here and throughout the world, God is speaking to us.
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And he's showing us the kind of judgment that he can bring upon a people of this world.
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And none of us know how far that judgment might go.
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Often we get asked the question these days, do you think this is the end times?
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So many people have that in the back of their minds.
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Is this it?
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We don't know.
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We don't know because the word of God doesn't tell us exactly when it will come.
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But it does give us instruction as to the kind of things that we're going to see before it does come.
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We're going to see the wickedness of man in so many different ways.
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The evil being poured out in our world.
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Much of it done in the name of progress and wisdom.
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But God is warning us.
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God is warning us that yes, we are in the last days.
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We don't know when the Lord will return.
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We don't know how far things will go.
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But we know that we are living in the last days.
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And the Lord is going to come.
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And when he comes, he will judge his people.
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And when we think of everything that's going on around us today,
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does it give us a sense of urgency?
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Does it make you ask this evening,
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where am I finding my refuge?
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Where am I looking in this world in which I'm living,
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in the life that I am living,
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where am I finding my hope?
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Where am I finding what will give me hope?
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Not just for just now, but for eternity.
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We are being warned.
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The Lord is speaking.
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And he is showing us a sense of his judgment upon us.
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But are we listening?
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Or are we like the people here in Isaiah who will say,
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no, we'll carry on and make lies our refuge.
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The fool, as we sang in Psalm 14,
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the fool says in his heart,
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there is no God.
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And it is foolish to think that tonight,
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that there is no God.
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But it's also foolish to know there is a God
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and not to take refuge in him.
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To say I'm not good enough to come to him.
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To say I'm too much of a sinner to come to him.
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That is foolishness.
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Because we need him.
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We can make different kinds of lies our refuge.
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The lies of the world, but also the lies in our own heart.
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That God would have nothing to do with me.
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Or that I do not need God.
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We are fools to think that.
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Instead, we should see what God is saying and saying to us here in verse 16,
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behold, I am the one who has laid us a foundation in Zion,
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a stone, a tested stone,
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a precious cornerstone of sure foundation.
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There is this stone.
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And what he's speaking about here is not just a physical stone,
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as we would think,
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but he is speaking about the Lord Jesus
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as the cornerstone, the precious stone.
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And it says at the end of this verse in 16,
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whoever believes will not be in haste,
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will not be in panic,
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but instead will have a calm and a peace
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because we know our refuge in Christ.
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So the difference is there for us to see.
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And this passage reminds us of what we have in Christ.
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And as we examine ourselves under God's word tonight
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to ask ourselves,
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how are we with God this evening?
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Are we finding our refuge in him?
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Is he the precious cornerstone of my life
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in which I am taking refuge?
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We look at ourselves and we panic.
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We look at ourselves and we feel fear.
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But what are we to do?
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We are to do as Robert Murray McShane once said.
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He was a minister in Dundee,
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died at a young age in his twenties.
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But he once said this,
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for every look at yourself,
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take ten looks at Christ.
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For he is altogether lovely,
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such infinite majesty,
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and yet such meekness and grace,
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and all for sinners,
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even the chief of sinners.
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For every look at yourself,
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take ten looks to Christ.
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And so as we look at God's word this evening,
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let's not just look at ourselves.
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But let's look at this precious cornerstone
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that is Jesus Christ our Lord.
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And there see where we can find
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a place of refuge,
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a place of calm.
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But the first thing we want to see
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about this stone as we look at it this evening,
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the stone that is Christ,
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is the first thing we think about is
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the stone that is rejected,
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that we sang of in Psalm 118.
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The psalmist there is closely tied in
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with what Isaiah is saying about the cornerstone.
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In verse 22 of Psalm 118,
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the stone the builders had refused,
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had rejected,
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it has become the cornerstone.
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But you see,
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first of all,
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it was rejected by many.
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And this chapter,
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chapter 28 of Isaiah,
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is really showing the judgment
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that is coming upon the people.
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It's right throughout the first half of
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Isaiah up to chapter 40.
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You see the judgment
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that is about to come.
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Then from chapter 40 onwards,
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you see the Lord then calling
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his people back to himself
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in the midst of judgment.
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But here it is still to come.
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There is the warning.
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In many ways,
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that's where we are tonight as well.
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We are under the warning
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of the judgment of God.
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And in verse 14,
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as we come in this chapter,
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it says,
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therefore,
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and so it's showing,
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it's important
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what has just been said
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in the beginning of the chapter.
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Under this judgment
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that you are under,
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therefore it says,
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hear the word of the Lord.
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Hear what the Lord is saying.
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And what you find is,
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what's happened is,
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the people are rejecting God.
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They are turning away from God.
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And it's happened in Isaiah's day
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among the religious leaders
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as well as the political leaders.
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They've all turned away from God.
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And the rot has set in.
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And that is what we see
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to this very day.
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God is judging this nation
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because the people,
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the leaders,
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have turned away from God.
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At the time of national crisis
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in the midst of the people
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in Isaiah's day,
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a time when the nation
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was coming under threat,
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the people,
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instead of turning to God,
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turned away from him.
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And you see,
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in verse 14,
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it says,
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hear the word of the Lord,
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you scoffers.
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You scoffers there
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mean that this is
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a repeated practice.
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It's not just a one-off.
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But the people are doing it
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again and again and again.
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Every decision that they're making,
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every direction they're turning,
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it's all going away from God
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again and again and again.
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And you see it in verse 15.
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It's their own wisdom.
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It says there,
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because you have said.
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They are making all
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their own decisions,
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using their own wisdom.
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Instead of listening
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to what the Lord is saying,
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they're listening to themselves.
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And where do they end up?
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They end up,
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we have made a covenant
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with death.
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death.
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This is the way
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that we are going.
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And does it not
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speak into our situation
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today?
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This is the way
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that we are going.
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This is the direction
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we are choosing to turn
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in our own wisdom.
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We will take all these matters
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of life and death
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into our own hands.
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And where does it lead us?
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To find refuge
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in lies.
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To find shelter
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in falsehood.
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And there is hope
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in any of these things
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is foolishness.
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It's like we read of
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in Matthew,
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or Jesus preaches
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in Matthew chapter 7,
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the wise and the foolish
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builder.
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The Lord is saying here
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in Isaiah 28,
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hear the word of the Lord.
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Listen,
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but they don't.
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And so what is the outcome?
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The same as it would be
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in Matthew 7.
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Everyone who hears
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these words of mine
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and does not do them
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will be like a foolish man
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who built his house
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on the sand.
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And the rain fell
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and the floods came
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and the winds blew
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and beat against the house
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and it fell
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and great
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was the fall
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of it.
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There is the outcome
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of this wisdom.
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It's foolishness.
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Foolishness.
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It's foolishness.
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To go on listening
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to our own wisdom
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is foolishness.
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To go on
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in the direction
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that we are going
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rejecting God,
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it is foolishness
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and there will be
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a great destruction.
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The Lord
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is being rejected.
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Isaiah 53,
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verse 3,
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he speaks,
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we've looked at it recently,
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he's despised
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and rejected by men,
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a man of sorrows
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and acquainted with grief.
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Again,
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speaking about
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the Lord Jesus.
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In John,
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chapter 1,
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verse 10,
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he was in the world
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and the world
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was made through him
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yet the world
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did not know him.
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He came to his own
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and his own people
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did not receive him.
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He was rejected.
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rejected.
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The cornerstone
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of Psalm 118,
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rejected.
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And so it asks
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ourselves this evening,
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what are we doing
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with this cornerstone?
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What are we doing
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with Jesus?
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As you look at yourself,
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as you examine yourself,
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are you rejecting him again?
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Are you making lies
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your refuge?
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Are you making falsehood
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your shelter?
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Are you rejecting
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the Lord Jesus Christ?
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Instead of looking at him,
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we're looking to ourselves.
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We'll go back to
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Robert Murray McShane's quote
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when he said,
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for every look at you,
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take it yourself,
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take ten looks at Christ.
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He went on to say this,
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let your soul be filled
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with heart ravishing sense
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of the sweetness
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and excellency of Christ
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and all that is in him.
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Let the Holy Spirit
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fill every chamber
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of your heart
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and so there will be
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no room for folly
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or the world
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or Satan
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or the flesh.
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By rejecting Jesus,
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we are making room
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for folly,
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the world,
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Satan
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and the flesh.
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And so McShane was saying,
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look to him.
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Look to him
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that the Spirit of God
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might fill
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every chamber
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of your heart.
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So as you examine
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your heart this evening,
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what is in there?
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Is it yourself
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or is it Christ?
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Somebody commenting
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on what McShane commented
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there was saying this,
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here is the punchline
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to the entire thought.
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The excellency of Christ
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is both the brilliant contrast
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to the sin
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in our hearts
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and the remedy
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to the sin
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we find there.
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the brilliant contrast
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to the sin
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in our hearts
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is the excellency
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of Christ.
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So as we look
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at our hearts
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and we see
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the sin in our hearts,
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we see
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the excellency
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of Christ
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and we see there
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the remedy
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for the sin
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that we find in it.
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So it's not about
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rejecting
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Christ.
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Christ.
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It's about
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receiving him,
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trusting him.
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The fool
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says in his heart,
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there is no God.
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So don't
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be foolish
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this evening.
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Well the second thing
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we see as we move on here
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is we see
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the grounded stone.
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We see the foundation
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of this stone.
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What happened
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to the stone
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that was rejected
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in Psalm 118?
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It became
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the cornerstone.
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It became
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that foundation
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to everything.
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And there
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we are reminded
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of Christ.
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He was rejected
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by many
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and yet
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all the time
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he was being made
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that sure foundation
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of our faith.
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And the psalmist
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says
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this is the Lord's
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doing.
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It is marvelous
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in our eyes.
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is it marvelous
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in your eyes
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this evening
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that you can look
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to Christ
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and see the
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excellency of Christ
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and know that Christ
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is the one
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who is able
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to fill your heart
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and find refuge
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in him.
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I say I may have
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been writing
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700 years
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before
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the coming
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of the Lord
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Jesus Christ
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yet you see
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here
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Christ
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in verse 16
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behold I am
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the one
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who has laid
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as a foundation
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in Zion
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a stone
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a tested
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stone
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a precious
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cornerstone
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of a sure
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foundation.
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We see it
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here
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the cornerstone
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is Christ.
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Jesus himself
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when he was
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standing
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before the scribes
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and the Pharisees
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he quoted
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Psalm 118
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in Matthew
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21
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verse 42
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he says
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the stone
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the builders
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reject
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has become
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the cornerstone
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but they
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couldn't see it
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they were rejecting
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him
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and here was
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the Lord
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that stone
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before them
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and here we
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have the Lord
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before us
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this evening
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and are we
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rejecting him
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as well?
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We would be
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foolish.
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Peter
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and Paul
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in the New
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Testament
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they use
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this verse
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as well
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in 1 Peter
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chapter 2
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verse 6
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Peter says
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here
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for it
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stands
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in scripture
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behold
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I am
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laying
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in Zion
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a stone
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a cornerstone
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chosen
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and precious
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and whoever
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believes
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in him
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will not
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be put
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to shame
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you see
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he adds
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that
23:07
believes
23:08
in him
23:09
the stone
23:11
is Christ
23:13
and so
23:14
why
23:15
was Jesus
23:16
quoting
23:16
Psalm 118
23:18
why was
23:18
Peter
23:19
and Paul
23:19
why would
23:20
they both
23:20
quote
23:21
this verse
23:22
from Isaiah
23:22
to encourage
23:24
a people
23:25
in their
23:26
faith
23:27
to bring
23:28
them
23:28
to see
23:29
their need
23:30
of Christ
23:31
that this
23:33
stone
23:33
is what
23:34
they need
23:34
for their
23:35
salvation
23:36
that's what's
23:38
spelled out
23:38
for us
23:39
in verse
23:40
16
23:41
and it
23:42
uses
23:43
these
23:43
different
23:44
phrases
23:44
as laid
23:46
a foundation
23:47
in Zion
23:48
a stone
23:48
a tested
23:49
stone
23:49
a precious
23:50
cornerstone
23:52
and saying
23:53
so much
23:54
to us
23:54
there
23:55
saying so
23:56
much
23:56
that the
23:57
people
23:57
would
23:57
recognize
23:58
when people
24:00
were building
24:00
in those
24:01
days
24:01
there would
24:02
be a
24:02
substantial
24:03
stone
24:04
that was
24:04
set
24:05
in the
24:05
ground
24:06
on which
24:06
everything
24:07
else
24:07
was built
24:08
so there
24:10
was no
24:11
mistaking
24:12
what God
24:13
was saying
24:14
the stone
24:16
was required
24:17
for building
24:18
on and
24:18
the Lord
24:19
is saying
24:20
here
24:20
I have
24:22
set
24:22
this stone
24:24
a tested
24:25
stone
24:25
a precious
24:27
cornerstone
24:28
and that is
24:31
what he is
24:31
building
24:32
his church
24:33
on
24:33
so that even
24:35
as the world
24:36
is shaken
24:37
as the world
24:38
is rocked
24:39
as even
24:40
maybe at times
24:40
when our faith
24:41
is rocked
24:42
we have
24:43
this precious
24:44
cornerstone
24:45
it is
24:47
the foundation
24:48
on which
24:49
everything
24:50
is built
24:50
we are not
24:52
building
24:52
on our
24:53
own wisdom
24:54
we are
24:55
building on
24:55
the wisdom
24:56
of God
24:57
who has
24:57
given us
24:58
this stone
25:00
God
25:02
is building
25:03
his church
25:04
and he is
25:06
building it
25:07
on the rock
25:08
that is
25:08
Jesus Christ
25:09
I was
25:11
watching a
25:11
building
25:13
program
25:13
this last
25:14
week and
25:15
somebody
25:15
had bought
25:16
a plot
25:16
of land
25:17
and they
25:17
wanted to
25:18
build a
25:18
house on
25:19
it
25:19
and they
25:20
knew the
25:21
ground
25:21
wasn't the
25:22
best but
25:22
they didn't
25:23
realise just
25:24
how bad
25:25
it was
25:26
when they
25:27
started clearing
25:27
the ground
25:28
you could see
25:28
this digger
25:29
just digging
25:30
in and
25:31
underneath the
25:32
top layer
25:32
of soil
25:33
they had
25:33
clay
25:34
and the
25:35
clay was
25:36
just going
25:37
down and
25:38
down and
25:38
down
25:39
it was
25:40
just seemed
25:41
to be
25:41
never ending
25:42
and they
25:42
were so
25:43
amazed
25:43
at the
25:44
depth
25:44
and it
25:46
caused
25:46
them
25:47
panic
25:47
because
25:49
they realised
25:49
we can't
25:50
build here
25:51
we've got
25:53
to hit
25:53
rock
25:54
now the
25:55
builder
25:56
could easily
25:56
have said
25:56
well we've
25:57
gone down
25:57
far enough
25:58
we'll just
25:58
build on
25:59
this clay
26:00
they don't
26:00
really need
26:01
to know
26:02
but he
26:04
couldn't
26:05
because he
26:06
knew that
26:06
very soon
26:07
if they did
26:07
that the
26:08
building was
26:09
going to
26:09
start to
26:10
give way
26:10
it didn't
26:12
have a
26:13
sure
26:13
foundation
26:14
and when
26:16
you look at
26:16
the people
26:17
in Isaiah's
26:17
day here
26:18
their foundation
26:19
was very
26:20
much on
26:21
clay
26:21
their wisdom
26:23
was in the
26:24
lies that
26:25
they were
26:25
taking refuge
26:26
in and
26:27
falsehood
26:28
they had
26:29
taken shelter
26:30
so what was
26:30
going to
26:31
happen
26:31
it's all
26:33
going to
26:33
come
26:33
crumbling
26:34
down
26:35
and the
26:37
wisdom of
26:38
this world
26:38
is just
26:39
like that
26:39
it's being
26:40
built on
26:41
a foundation
26:42
that is
26:43
weak
26:43
and it's
26:45
going to
26:46
come crumbling
26:47
down
26:48
but the
26:50
Lord didn't
26:51
spare anything
26:52
when he laid
26:54
this foundation
26:55
a very different
26:56
foundation
26:57
this stone
26:58
the foundation
26:59
stone in
27:00
Zion
27:01
a stone
27:01
a tested
27:02
stone
27:02
he spared
27:05
nothing
27:05
he gave
27:09
his son
27:09
that he
27:12
might give
27:12
his life
27:13
for his
27:14
people
27:15
that Jesus
27:17
would be the
27:18
foundation
27:18
of our
27:19
faith
27:20
Gordon was
27:22
mentioning this
27:22
morning of
27:23
our righteousness
27:24
when our
27:26
righteousness is
27:26
in ourselves
27:27
it's got no
27:28
foundation
27:29
Paul was
27:31
saying there
27:32
in Philippines
27:33
he had all
27:33
of these
27:33
things he
27:34
could claim
27:34
as his
27:35
own
27:36
foundation
27:37
his own
27:39
righteousness
27:40
but it was
27:40
nothing
27:41
it was
27:41
rubbish
27:42
compared to
27:44
the surpassing
27:45
worth of
27:46
knowing Christ
27:47
Jesus
27:47
as Lord
27:49
tested
27:51
stone
27:53
a precious
27:54
stone
27:55
the stone
27:56
that the
27:57
builders would
27:58
use would be
27:58
an expensive
27:59
stone
28:00
it would be
28:00
a costly
28:01
stone
28:01
because it
28:02
needed to
28:03
be secure
28:04
it needed to
28:06
be right
28:06
for the
28:07
foundation
28:08
and God
28:09
did not
28:09
spare
28:10
anything
28:10
the cost
28:12
was paid
28:13
in full
28:14
what are we
28:17
relying on
28:18
our
28:20
falsehood
28:20
our lies
28:22
or the
28:23
stone
28:24
that is
28:25
Jesus
28:25
Christ
28:26
probably the
28:28
young people
28:28
here just
28:29
now tonight
28:30
but did
28:31
you get any
28:31
school reports
28:33
in the last
28:33
few weeks
28:34
when you come
28:35
to the end
28:36
of term
28:36
or maybe
28:37
you're waiting
28:37
for results
28:38
of exams
28:40
it can be a
28:40
bit of an
28:41
anxious time
28:42
there was
28:43
once a
28:44
school boy
28:44
brought home
28:45
his school
28:46
report
28:47
and it
28:48
had very
28:49
poor
28:50
grades
28:51
he didn't
28:53
do very
28:53
well
28:53
at all
28:55
and he
28:56
gave it to
28:56
his father
28:57
his father
28:57
read it
28:58
and he
28:59
said to
28:59
him
29:00
what do
29:01
you have
29:01
to say
29:02
about this
29:03
you haven't
29:04
done well
29:05
and the wee
29:07
boy replied
29:08
well there's
29:08
one thing
29:09
dad for
29:09
sure
29:10
you can
29:11
be proud
29:11
of me
29:12
I
29:13
didn't
29:13
cheat
29:14
finding a
29:17
positive
29:18
in the
29:18
midst of
29:18
everything
29:19
else
29:19
that was
29:20
negative
29:20
when we
29:23
stand
29:24
before
29:25
God
29:25
and he
29:28
looks at
29:28
us
29:28
and we
29:29
failed
29:30
in so
29:31
many
29:32
things
29:32
what are
29:35
we going
29:35
to say
29:36
to him
29:37
all we
29:39
can do
29:40
is be
29:41
honest
29:42
and if
29:44
we're
29:44
saying
29:44
it is
29:45
not in
29:45
my
29:46
righteousness
29:46
we are
29:48
saying
29:48
I haven't
29:49
tried to
29:49
cheat
29:50
I haven't
29:51
tried to
29:52
do things
29:53
by myself
29:54
I haven't
29:54
tried to
29:54
do things
29:55
in my
29:56
own way
29:56
I haven't
29:56
been the
29:57
one who
29:58
has made
29:58
lies my
29:59
refuge
29:59
or taken
30:00
shelter in
30:01
falsehood
30:02
I haven't
30:03
done any
30:03
of these
30:04
things
30:04
Lord
30:04
from the
30:05
depths
30:06
I cried
30:06
to you
30:07
like the
30:08
psalmist
30:09
says
30:09
because that
30:10
is all
30:11
we can
30:12
do
30:12
all we
30:15
can do
30:15
is look
30:16
and see
30:16
the precious
30:18
cornerstone
30:19
that is
30:20
Jesus
30:20
Christ
30:21
to try
30:23
and do
30:23
anything
30:23
else
30:24
is cheating
30:25
we're
30:26
cheating
30:26
God
30:27
we're
30:28
making
30:28
him out
30:29
to be
30:29
a liar
30:30
we're
30:32
making
30:32
out his
30:33
word
30:33
to be
30:34
false
30:34
if we
30:34
can
30:34
say
30:35
we'll
30:35
go
30:36
by
30:36
ourselves
30:36
and
30:37
our
30:37
own
30:37
wisdom
30:37
he is
30:39
calling
30:40
us
30:40
to put
30:41
our
30:41
trust
30:42
in
30:43
him
30:43
as we
30:45
read in
30:46
John
30:46
those few
30:47
verses
30:48
in
30:48
verse
30:48
10
30:49
where
30:51
the
30:51
people
30:52
rejected
30:53
the
30:53
Lord
30:54
it
30:55
goes
30:55
on
30:55
to
30:55
say
30:55
in
30:56
verse
30:56
12
30:56
and
30:56
13
30:57
but
30:58
to
30:58
all
30:58
who
30:58
did
30:58
receive
30:59
and
30:59
who
30:59
believed
31:00
in
31:00
his
31:00
name
31:00
he
31:00
gave
31:01
the
31:01
right
31:01
to
31:01
become
31:02
the
31:02
children
31:03
of
31:03
God
31:04
that is
31:06
what we
31:06
are
31:06
through
31:07
faith
31:08
through
31:09
believing
31:10
in him
31:10
through
31:10
trusting
31:11
in him
31:12
and the
31:12
stone
31:13
that he
31:13
has
31:13
given
31:13
the
31:14
Christ
31:15
that he
31:16
has
31:16
given
31:17
are
31:19
are we
31:19
listening
31:20
to
31:20
his
31:21
word
31:22
that is
31:23
the
31:23
question
31:24
and as
31:24
we
31:25
close
31:25
it's
31:26
a
31:26
question
31:26
I
31:26
want
31:27
to
31:27
put
31:27
to
31:27
you
31:28
are
31:29
you
31:29
listening
31:29
to
31:30
what
31:30
the
31:30
Lord
31:31
is
31:31
saying
31:32
are
31:33
you
31:34
examining
31:34
yourself
31:35
in the
31:35
light
31:35
of
31:36
his
31:36
word
31:37
to
31:37
us
31:38
where
31:39
there
31:39
are
31:39
two
31:39
places
31:40
we
31:40
can
31:41
take
31:41
refuge
31:42
in the
31:42
lies
31:43
of
31:44
this
31:44
world
31:45
or in
31:47
the
31:47
rock
31:47
the
31:48
cornerstone
31:49
that is
31:50
Jesus
31:50
Christ
31:52
I said
31:54
before
31:54
whoever
31:54
believes
31:55
will not
31:56
be in
31:57
haste
31:58
it means
32:00
they will
32:01
find their
32:02
calm
32:02
their
32:03
peace
32:04
in the
32:05
Lord
32:05
Jesus
32:06
Christ
32:07
Christ
32:09
is
32:10
a
32:11
living
32:11
stone
32:12
it
32:14
means
32:14
that
32:15
we
32:15
can
32:16
look
32:16
to
32:16
him
32:16
who
32:17
died
32:17
for
32:17
our
32:17
sins
32:18
who
32:19
was
32:19
raised
32:19
from
32:19
the
32:20
dead
32:20
and
32:20
who
32:20
was
32:20
triumphant
32:21
over
32:22
sin
32:23
it
32:24
is
32:24
the
32:24
stone
32:24
that
32:25
his
32:25
church
32:26
is
32:27
being
32:27
built
32:28
upon
32:29
what
32:31
is
32:31
our
32:31
vision
32:32
of
32:32
the
32:33
Lord
32:33
Jesus
32:33
do
32:35
we
32:35
see
32:36
the
32:36
excellency
32:37
of
32:37
Christ
32:37
as
32:38
we
32:38
look
32:38
to
32:38
him
32:39
look
32:40
at
32:40
yourself
32:41
once
32:41
but
32:41
look
32:42
to
32:42
Christ
32:42
ten
32:43
times
32:44
and
32:45
what
32:45
do
32:45
you
32:45
see
32:46
in
32:48
this
32:48
world
32:48
when
32:48
we
32:48
look
32:49
into
32:49
ourselves
32:49
we
32:50
feel
32:50
a
32:51
sense
32:51
of
32:51
worry
32:52
anxious
32:53
about
32:54
everything
32:54
that's
32:54
going
32:54
on
32:55
around
32:55
us
32:56
but
32:57
when
32:57
we
32:57
look
32:57
to
32:58
Christ
32:58
we
32:58
see
32:59
the
33:00
one
33:00
on
33:01
whom
33:01
the
33:01
church
33:01
is
33:02
being
33:02
built
33:03
a
33:04
church
33:04
that
33:04
is
33:04
secure
33:05
not
33:05
just
33:05
for
33:06
today
33:06
but
33:07
for
33:07
all
33:08
eternity
33:09
New
33:11
York
33:11
today
33:12
is a
33:13
huge
33:14
city
33:14
population
33:15
of
33:16
over
33:16
8
33:17
million
33:17
people
33:18
and
33:18
it
33:19
covers
33:19
a
33:20
vast
33:20
area
33:21
but
33:24
when
33:24
people
33:24
first
33:25
came
33:25
to
33:26
New
33:27
York
33:28
as it
33:28
is
33:28
now
33:28
it
33:29
was
33:29
initially
33:29
called
33:30
New
33:30
Amsterdam
33:31
by a
33:32
Dutch
33:32
colony
33:33
and
33:35
they
33:35
set
33:35
up
33:36
their
33:36
own
33:36
colony
33:37
there
33:37
and
33:39
they
33:39
only
33:39
went
33:39
so
33:40
far
33:40
into
33:41
Manhattan
33:42
as it
33:42
is
33:43
now
33:43
and
33:44
there
33:44
they
33:44
built
33:45
a
33:45
wall
33:46
because
33:47
they
33:47
thought
33:47
that's
33:48
as
33:48
far
33:49
as
33:49
we're
33:50
going
33:50
to
33:50
go
33:50
it'll
33:52
keep
33:52
us
33:52
safe
33:53
in
33:53
our
33:53
place
33:54
and
33:55
it'll
33:55
protect
33:55
us
33:56
from
33:56
those
33:56
the
33:56
Native
33:57
Americans
33:58
and
33:58
others
33:58
who
33:59
might
33:59
come
33:59
and
34:02
if
34:02
you
34:02
know
34:02
you
34:02
New
34:03
York
34:03
today
34:03
there's
34:04
a
34:04
street
34:05
called
34:05
Wall
34:06
Street
34:06
and
34:08
that's
34:08
where
34:08
this
34:08
original
34:09
wall
34:10
was
34:10
built
34:11
and
34:12
the
34:12
name
34:12
stuck
34:13
but
34:14
if
34:15
you
34:15
look
34:15
on
34:15
a
34:15
map
34:15
now
34:16
you
34:16
find
34:16
Wall
34:17
Street
34:17
beyond
34:18
it
34:18
is
34:19
a
34:19
mass
34:20
of
34:20
streets
34:21
the
34:22
people
34:23
only
34:23
thought
34:23
they
34:24
would
34:24
go
34:24
so
34:25
far
34:25
and
34:26
populate
34:26
a
34:27
small
34:27
area
34:28
but
34:30
now
34:30
it's
34:31
stretching
34:31
beyond
34:32
what
34:32
the
34:32
eye
34:32
can
34:33
see
34:33
with
34:34
over
34:34
8
34:35
million
34:35
people
34:36
living
34:36
in
34:37
New
34:37
York
34:37
and
34:37
its
34:38
surrounding
34:38
areas
34:39
the
34:41
people
34:41
who
34:41
first
34:41
landed
34:42
there
34:42
they
34:43
thought
34:43
this
34:44
will
34:44
be
34:44
us
34:45
but
34:48
as
34:49
it's
34:49
gone
34:49
on
34:49
it's
34:50
exceeded
34:51
what
34:51
anybody
34:52
could
34:52
see
34:52
well
34:54
when you
34:55
look at
34:55
the
34:55
church
34:56
in the
34:56
days
34:57
of
34:57
Jesus
34:57
when you
34:58
go
34:58
to
34:59
the
34:59
book
34:59
of
34:59
Acts
34:59
and
35:00
you
35:00
find
35:00
a
35:01
small
35:01
number
35:02
what
35:03
you
35:04
find
35:04
is
35:04
Jesus
35:05
speaking
35:05
to
35:06
them
35:06
and
35:06
saying
35:06
you're
35:06
going
35:06
to be
35:07
my
35:07
witnesses
35:07
here
35:08
in
35:09
Jerusalem
35:09
going
35:11
out
35:11
to
35:11
Judea
35:12
and
35:13
going
35:13
to
35:13
all
35:13
the
35:14
ends
35:15
of
35:15
the
35:15
earth
35:15
the
35:17
church
35:17
we
35:18
were
35:18
being
35:18
told
35:19
then
35:19
is
35:20
going
35:20
to
35:21
grow
35:21
and
35:23
the
35:23
church
35:23
is
35:24
still
35:24
growing
35:25
today
35:26
because
35:28
the
35:28
foundation
35:29
is
35:30
Jesus
35:30
Christ
35:31
and
35:33
his
35:33
church
35:34
is
35:34
being
35:34
built
35:35
until
35:35
he
35:36
comes
35:37
so
35:39
whatever
35:39
else
35:39
is
35:40
torn
35:40
down
35:41
in
35:41
our
35:42
world
35:42
whatever
35:43
else
35:44
shakes
35:45
our
35:45
world
35:46
today
35:46
and
35:47
our
35:47
world
35:48
is
35:49
being
35:49
shaken
35:50
it's
35:50
being
35:51
shaken
35:51
by
35:52
the
35:52
lies
35:53
that
35:53
people
35:53
take
35:54
refuge
35:54
in
35:54
it's
35:55
been
35:55
shaken
35:55
by
35:56
the
35:56
falsehood
35:57
that
35:57
people
35:58
find
35:58
hope
35:59
in
35:59
by
36:00
rejecting
36:01
God
36:02
don't
36:04
be
36:04
foolish
36:05
tonight
36:05
God
36:07
is
36:08
speaking
36:09
to
36:09
us
36:10
he
36:11
is
36:11
building
36:12
his
36:13
church
36:13
its
36:14
foundation
36:15
is
36:16
Jesus
36:17
Christ
36:17
a
36:18
precious
36:18
cornerstone
36:20
who
36:20
gave
36:20
himself
36:21
for
36:22
his
36:22
church
36:23
are
36:25
you
36:26
taking
36:26
refuge
36:27
in
36:28
the
36:28
lies
36:29
of
36:29
this
36:30
world
36:30
are
36:32
you
36:32
examining
36:33
yourself
36:33
under
36:34
the
36:34
word
36:35
of
36:35
God
36:35
and
36:35
saying
36:36
I
36:36
don't
36:37
need
36:37
him
36:37
you
36:39
need
36:39
him
36:40
now
36:40
because
36:42
God
36:43
is
36:43
sending
36:44
his
36:44
judgment
36:45
but
36:47
he has
36:48
offered
36:48
salvation
36:49
in
36:50
Christ
36:51
and
36:53
so
36:53
he
36:53
says
36:54
behold
36:55
I am
36:56
the one
36:57
who has
36:57
laid
36:57
as a
36:58
foundation
36:58
in
36:59
Zion
36:59
a
37:00
stone
37:00
a
37:01
tested
37:02
stone
37:02
a
37:03
precious
37:03
cornerstone
37:05
of sure
37:05
foundation
37:07
whoever
37:08
believes
37:09
in
37:10
him
37:11
we can
37:11
add
37:12
will
37:13
not
37:13
be put
37:14
to
37:15
shame
37:15
do
37:19
you
37:19
believe
37:19
in
37:21
Jesus
37:21
today
37:23
is a
37:25
day when
37:25
we see
37:25
so much
37:26
to make
37:26
us fear
37:27
in this
37:28
world
37:28
but for
37:30
every look
37:30
we take
37:31
at ourselves
37:32
take
37:33
ten looks
37:34
to Christ
37:34
his
37:36
excellency
37:37
his
37:38
beauty
37:38
and find
37:40
your
37:41
refuge
37:41
in
37:42
him
37:43
let us
37:44
pray
37:44
Lord our
37:48
gracious
37:48
God
37:49
we thank
37:49
you
37:49
that in
37:50
the world
37:51
that's full
37:51
of lies
37:52
and falsehoods
37:53
that we
37:54
do have
37:54
one
37:55
who is
37:55
truth
37:56
and who
37:57
is described
37:58
as we
37:58
have read
37:58
as that
37:59
precious
37:59
cornerstone
38:01
that sure
38:02
foundation
38:03
and help
38:03
us this
38:04
evening
38:04
that we
38:05
might find
38:06
our refuge
38:07
in him
38:08
so we
38:09
might be
38:10
safe
38:10
and secure
38:11
in a
38:12
world full
38:12
of trouble
38:13
that we
38:14
would see
38:14
that our
38:15
eternity
38:16
and our
38:17
eternal
38:18
life
38:19
is secure
38:19
through
38:20
faith in
38:21
him
38:21
Lord hear
38:22
us we
38:23
pray
38:23
and forgive
38:24
us our
38:24
sins
38:25
as we
38:25
ask all
38:26
in his
38:26
precious
38:26
name
38:27
Amen
38:28
we'll
38:35
conclude
38:35
by singing
38:36
to God's
38:37
praise
38:37
in
38:37
Psalm
38:37
96
38:38
in
38:39
the
38:39
Scottish
38:39
Psalter
38:40
Psalm
38:44
96
38:45
we're
38:46
going to
38:46
sing from
38:46
verse
38:47
10
38:48
down to
38:49
the end
38:49
of the
38:50
psalm
38:50
to God's
39:12
praise
39:12
among the
39:21
heathens
39:22
say
39:23
God
39:25
reigns
39:26
the
39:27
world
39:28
shall
39:30
steadfast
39:31
lay
39:33
be
39:35
fixed
39:37
from
39:38
whom
39:39
he
39:40
shall
39:42
judge
39:43
the
39:44
people
39:45
righteously
39:49
let
39:52
him
39:53
be
39:54
glad
39:55
before
39:57
the
39:58
Lord
39:59
and
40:01
let
40:02
the
40:03
earth
40:04
rejoice
40:06
let
40:09
seas
40:10
and
40:11
all
40:12
that
40:13
is
40:14
therein
40:16
cry
40:18
out
40:19
and
40:20
make
40:21
a
40:21
noise
40:24
let
40:25
fields
40:27
rejoice
40:28
and
40:29
death
40:30
rejoice
40:31
everything
40:32
that
40:33
spring
40:35
earth
40:36
off
40:37
the
40:38
earth
40:40
then
40:42
woods
40:43
and
40:44
every
40:45
tree
40:46
shall
40:47
sing
40:48
with
40:50
blood
40:51
bless
40:52
and
40:53
with
40:54
mirth
40:56
before
40:58
the
40:59
Lord
41:01
because
41:02
he
41:03
comes
41:04
to
41:06
judge
41:07
the
41:08
earth
41:10
comes
41:11
he
41:12
he
41:13
he
41:14
he
41:15
he
41:16
he
41:17
he
41:18
he
41:19
he
41:20
he
41:21
he
41:22
he
41:23
he
41:24
he
41:25
he
41:26
he
41:27
he
41:28
he
41:29
he
41:30
he
41:31
benediction
41:32
i'll go to the main door and close with the benediction
41:35
now may grace mercy and peace from god father son and holy spirit rest and abide with you all now and forevermore amen
41:56
i
41:58
i
41:59
i
42:00
i
42:01
i
42:01
i
42:02
i
42:04
i
42:06
i
42:08
i
42:10
i