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Seeing Through Eyes of Faith · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Let's begin our worship today by singing to God's praise.
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We're singing in Psalm 27, in the Sing Psalms version.
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Psalm 27, in the Sing Psalms version, verse 1 to verse 5.
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The Lord's my Savior and my light, who will make me dismayed.
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The Lord's the stronghold of my life.
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Why should I be afraid?
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We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 5 to God's praise, and we stand to sing.
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The Lord's my Savior and my light, who will make me dismayed.
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The Lord's the stronghold of my life.
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Why should I be afraid?
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When evildoers threaten me
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To take my life away
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My hundred studies and my foes
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Will stumble in that day
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Although an army hands me in
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My heart will feel no dread
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Though one of this may shoot arise
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I will lift up my head
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One thing I'll plead before the Lord
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And this I'll seek for ways
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That I may come within God's eyes
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And dwell there all my days
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That on the beauty of the Lord
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That on the beauty of the Lord
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I constantly may kiss
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And in His heart
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And in His heart
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May seek to know
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Direction in His ways
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For in His dwelling
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For in His dwelling
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He will keep me safe
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He will keep me safe
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With troubled days
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With troubled days
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Within His dead
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He'll shelter me
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And all of the Lord
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And all of the Lord
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And all of me raise
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Now let's come to God in prayer
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Let us pray
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Our Father in heaven
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We have been reminded of the purpose
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Of coming to worship You
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Of coming to gather us a people
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To call upon Your name
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And to hear Your word proclaimed to us
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We come with that longing of the psalmist
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That we may gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
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Constantly
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For we would recognize that we need You
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And how we need You
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In the world in which we live
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And all that's going on around us
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We pray for Your calmness
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And Your peace upon us as a people
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That as we come in Your name today
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That You would still us
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That You would still us
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And help us to be still
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And to know that You are God
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So may Your word be blessed to each one of us
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From the youngest to the oldest
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That You would give us all ears
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To hear what You are saying to us
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And also give us eyes to see
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Eyes to see that in all the chaos around us
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That You are still God
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And that You reign on high
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And that the glory of Your name
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Is still proclaimed and heard
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Far and wide
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And for that we thank You
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We thank You that You are speaking to us
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And that You minister to us
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In all our different needs
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So we pray that You will encourage us
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In our homes and in our families
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To be a people of prayer
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To be a people who remember You
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Not just as we come to worship You
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For this time
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But that day by day
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We will go on in Your strength
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And that we will seek Your face
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On a daily basis
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That we will seek to honour You
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In our youth and into our old age
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In all that we do
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Whether it's in school or at home
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Or in the workplace
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Or throughout our communities
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That You will give us words
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To speak and share with one another
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And to encourage one another
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And ways to help one another
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We do pray Your blessing on us all together
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We thank You for all the young ones here today
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We thank You for the Sunday school
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The creche and the tweenies
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We do pray Your blessing upon all that is done there
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We pray for our day schools as well
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And as they look forward to the holidays
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In this coming week
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We pray for Your blessing over everyone
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Parents and families
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And teachers and staff
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That You will refresh and be with them all
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Look after them and take care of them
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So Lord continue with us in our worship now
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Help us and guide us in all that we do
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And hear our thanks and our praise to You
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As we offer up
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In the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
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For the forgiveness of our sins
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Amen
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Well as we were singing in that psalm
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We were reminded that it is such a good thing
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To come and worship and praise God together
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And it is good to come together
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And worship God on a beautiful sunny day
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When we feel His warmth
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A day like today
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What do you think?
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Is it a beautiful sunny day today?
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Hands up if you think it is a beautiful sunny day today
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The sun is shining
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And we feel the warmth of the sun
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Hands up if you think that is true
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No hands going up
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My goodness
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You must all think that it is just a terrible day outside
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Where is the sun then?
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Where is the sun then?
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Where is the warmth of the sun?
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Do you think just because we don't see the sun
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It is not shining?
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Or do you think just because we maybe think
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It is a horrible cold wet day outside
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That there is no heat from the sun?
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Well if we do we are mistaken
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And in our study in 1st Peter
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We are thinking about people who are looking around
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And they don't think the weather is nice and sunny and warm
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Because there are so many bad things going on around them
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They think it is just all these storms and gales that keep coming
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Because their eyes are very much just looking down
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Even if you are walking into church this morning
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You probably had your eyes down to the ground
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To try and keep your face away from the rain and the wind
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But actually if you lift up your eyes
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And if you look around
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You actually think to yourself
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Well the sun must be there
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Because if the sun wasn't there
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It would be pitch black
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If the sun wasn't there
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We would be freezing cold
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And just because it is cloudy and wet outside
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Cloudy and wet outside doesn't mean that there is no sun
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The sun is still there
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And for that we have to be thankful
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And I was reminded of that this week
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Because on Tuesday I flew to Glasgow
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And then on Thursday I came back on the plane from Glasgow
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And both of these days were almost days like today
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It was cloudy and wet and dull
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And you are thinking to yourself
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What a horrible day
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But then as the plane went up into the sky
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We came through the clouds
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And what do you think I could see then?
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I could see a blue sky
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I could see the sun
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The sun was there all the time
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And as a great reminder to ourselves
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Just as we are thinking about the people in Peter's day
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Think of our own day to day as well
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We can often focus on all that is wrong around us
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And ask, where is God in all of this?
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Why has he left us?
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But he hasn't
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Just like the sun is always there
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No matter the weather
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We still feel its warmth
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Even though we might think it's cold
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If the sun wasn't there
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We would perish
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But because the sun is there
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We have life
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And the same is true with God
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There are times when we think
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We can't see God
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Or where is God
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And especially when we are going through
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Times of difficulty
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But God is always there
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Just like the sun is shining
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We feel his warmth
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We know his blessing
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Even when the going is hard
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So we look up today
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We remind ourselves
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Just because it's a wet
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And windy and cloudy day
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The sun still shines
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And we remember that God
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In the midst of all our troubles
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And all our challenges
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God is always there
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Giving his warmth
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Giving his light
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And guiding us in all our ways
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So may we trust him
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In the beautiful sunny days
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But also in the days
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When it's wet and windy
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May we trust him
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With all our hearts
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We're going to say
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The Lord's prayer together now
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Let's say the Lord's prayer
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Our Father which art in heaven
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Hallowed be thy name
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Thy kingdom come
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Thy will be done on earth
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As it is in heaven
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Give us this day
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Our daily bread
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And forgive us our debts
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As we forgive our debtors
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And lead us not into temptation
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But deliver us from evil
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For thine is the kingdom
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The power and the glory forever
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Amen
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We're going to sing together
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To God's praise
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Once again we're singing
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In Psalm 43
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In the Scottish Psalter
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Psalm 43
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We're singing the whole of this Psalm
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Page 264
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Of the Psalm books
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Judge me O God
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And plead my cause
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Against the ungodly nation
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From the unjust
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And crafty man
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O be thou my salvation
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And then verse 3
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It says
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O send thy light forth
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And thy truth
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Let them be guides to me
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And bring me to thine holy hill
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Even where thy dwellings be
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We'll sing the whole of this Psalm
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To God's praise
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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great crowd. Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.
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And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, son of David,
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have mercy on me. And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more,
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son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stopped and said, call him. And they called the blind man,
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saying to him, take heart, get up, he is calling you. And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and
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came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, what do you want me to do for you? The blind man said to him,
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Rabbi, let me recover my sight. And Jesus said to him, go your way. Your faith has made you well.
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And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. And we'll turn to our second reading
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in 1 Peter chapter 1. We'll take up our reading at verse 8 as we continue our study in this letter.
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So 1 Peter, taking up our reading at verse 7, where we just remind ourselves what we were looking at
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last week, the tested genuineness of our faith. We go through various trials. And faith is more
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precious than gold. That perishes though it is tested by the fire, may be found to result in praise
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and glory and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him,
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you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is
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inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
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concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours,
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searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was
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indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to
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them that they were serving not themselves but you in the things that have now been announced to you
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through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which
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angels long to look. And so on. And may God bless these readings from his word. Again, bow our heads
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in a word of prayer. Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, as we continue in our worship of you,
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we thank you that you have already sent forth your light and your truth, that they have been what has
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been the guide to your church down through all the generations. And even at times when churches and
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people have wandered away from the truth, there is still your light shining brightly, guiding us back to
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yourself and back to your way. There are times when we have to come just like Bartimaeus because their eyes
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have been blinded, crying out, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. We do come confessing our sins.
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We acknowledge, O Lord, all that we have done past and even in the present, how we sin in so many ways.
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And acknowledging that even as we go forward, we go forward as sinners in need of help, in need of
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repentance. But assure that as we come to you, that you are the one who is able to help us to see
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and to see all things, to see through eyes of faith what you have done for us, the things that we could
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not do ourselves, the salvation we could not purchase for ourselves, the way to heaven that we could not
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find by ourselves, the hope of eternal life that we could never afford or purchase in any way.
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But we thank you that all has been done for us, that we have in Jesus Christ, the one who is the way,
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the truth, and the life. And we thank you that we can come anew day by day and rejoice in the hope that
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he is able to give. And so we pray for your blessing on us as a people, as we come to worship your name
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this day, as we come to hear your word, that you would truly bless it to our souls. That even these
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words that we have read of the Lord Jesus, that though we do not see him, we can believe in him
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and rejoice with a joy that is inexpressible. May you give us all that joy in our hearts today, the joy
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that only comes from you. And we pray that throughout our land and throughout this world,
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from the rising of the sun to its setting, that no matter what situation people find themselves in,
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no matter how dark our days may seem, that we rejoice that the Son of God is shining from on high,
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that the warmth of your word, the blessing of your spirit is still ours to be had. And so we continue
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to pray that you will send your light forth and your truth day after day, and that people will come
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to rejoice in it. We thank you for all our homes and our families, and we thank you for the gift of
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fellowship and prayer for one another. And we thank you that even as we come in prayer just now,
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there may be many people on our minds, many situations that we are praying for, and hear the
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prayers of all our hearts as we offer them up as one. And as we say amen together, Lord, we ask,
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hear our prayers, and your will be done in all things. Remember those who need you in particular
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ways. Remember those who are unwell, those who are laid aside at this time and struggling
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in maybe many different ways, unseen to us, when there are issues of the heart and the mind
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and even the soul. When there are troubles that surround us that no one else sees, we thank you
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that you see and that you know, and that you are able to guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.
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And so we pray that you will surround your people, that you will uphold them, that you will strengthen
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them as every need they have, that they will be able to cast their cares upon you, for you care for us.
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We pray your blessing on those who are blind to you in these days. We pray, Lord, that there will be a
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longing to see, and only you can give that longing to the hearts of the blind. So we pray for you to send
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your spirit down upon us, an awakening, Lord, in our hearts and in our souls, and to seek the Lord
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while he may be found, to call upon him while he is near. We pray, Lord, for your blessing over us
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as communities and as islands. We thank you, Lord, for all that is done for us as a people, for every
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service that we have to hand, for those who are on call in emergency services, for those who are working
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in different aspects of our community life, seeking to benefit the good of all our people, for those who
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are leaders over us and seek to direct us in the right path in these challenging days, financially and
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in so many other different ways. We pray, Lord, for you to give wisdom from on high, for you to lead us
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and to guide us. We pray for our nation and the nations of the world, and we see so many things
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happening in our midst. We think today of that great tragedy in Donegal for the families who are
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grieving and mourning there in a community that is so shocked and stunned by these events, a community
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much like our own, where people will know one another, love one another and care for one another,
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and I will be hurting so much. We pray, Lord, that you will surround them, that you will draw near to
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them, that your presence will be known to them, that you would comfort us only you can and give healing
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in the midst of all of their pain. We remember that for others throughout our world and greater
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situations as we see too where nations are in conflict and so many atrocities happening. We think of
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Ukraine so much in the news and continue to pray for peace and stability there, but we know that
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throughout the world so many of your people are suffering in different ways. There is a darkness
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that surrounds so many. There is a wickedness and an evil that is active in so many ways and places,
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but we thank you that there is greater at work too, that you are in our midst and that you are greater,
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that you are victorious. And we see that especially at the cross, where we see that even in the midst of
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the darkness, in the middle of the day, and in all the sorrow and anguish that surrounded it,
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that still there was life, and that you gave hope to all your people, that even in our darkest hour,
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we can look and see the one who suffered in our place, but now the one who is risen. On that glorious
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resurrection morning, the light of the gospel has resounded clearly from that day, so that even today as we
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gather, we have the hope that is spoken of even here in Peter, the good news of the gospel preached to
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many. And so we pray, Lord, for your word to go out with power, for it to convict and convert, for it to be
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found precious to us all, and that we rejoice not just in the word, but the one who is the word, that we
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would rejoice in Christ Jesus anew, and seek to follow him, and look to him with eyes fixed on him,
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eyes of faith. So pardon our sins, and hear our thanks, receive our praise, and all we ask, we ask in his
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precious name. Amen. Before we turn to look at 1 Peter, we'll again sing to God's praise in Psalm 19.
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Psalm 19, singing at verse 7 to verse 11 in the Scottish Psalter, page 223 of the Psalm books.
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God's law is perfect and converts the soul in sin that lies. God's testimony is most sure and makes
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the simple wise. We'll sing from verse 7 to 11 to God's praise.
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God's law is perfect and converts the soul in sin that lies. God's testimony is most sure and makes the
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simple wise. The statutes of the Lord are right, and do rejoice the heart. The Lord's command is pure,
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the love is crushed, and pours the mother. The God says, the love of the Lord our calling has not
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The judges of the Lord are true, and righteous are together.
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They more than gold, they much shine gold to be decided on.
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And honey, honey, from the cold, that hopeth sweeter far.
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More over me, thy servant born, that he is my true friend.
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A great reward provided is for them that keep us safe.
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We can turn together to our second reading there in the first letter of Peter.
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1 Peter chapter 1.
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And we can take up our reading again at verse 8.
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Though you have not seen him, you love him.
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Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible
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and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls,
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and so on.
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We're continuing our study in this letter of Peter to a people who were scattered far
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and wide and a people who were suffering in many different ways and situations.
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And Peter here is speaking in verse 8 about their vision, what they're seeing, or maybe
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what they're not seeing at this time, but the promise they have of what they will see.
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The last time we were looking at verse 3 through to verse 7.
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And we were reminded there of the trials that the people were going through,
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but also of the hope that they had and the inheritance that they had to look forward to
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at the revelation of Jesus Christ, at the coming of Jesus Christ,
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the day when everyone will see the Lord Jesus.
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But for now he is saying, you do not see him.
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But he says, you love him.
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So I begin today by asking you a question.
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What is your eyesight like?
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Mine is poor.
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And from a very young age, I knew I would need to wear glasses to help me see.
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If I take off my glasses, everything just suddenly becomes a blur.
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And I can still remember the first pair of glasses I got and just how amazing it was to put them on
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and to actually be able to see things clearly, everything that I'd been missing out on for so long.
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The difference it makes when you're able to see properly.
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And maybe that's something that many of you know or have experienced in life
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through long or short-sightedness.
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The need to put on glasses, otherwise everything before you is just blurry.
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So as we dive into this letter of Peter,
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and we see him addressing this people who were scattered far and wide,
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living in a hostile world.
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They were living in a time just like our own,
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when the world is often hostile towards the gospel.
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But here is Peter writing to them with a great purpose.
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He's writing to them to help them, to encourage them.
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But he's writing to them not just to survive or to get on day by day in a quiet way,
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in a quiet sense, just to get through.
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He's writing to them to help them to thrive,
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to go on strengthened, equipped in life.
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And in particular, he's writing to them to be on the mission of God together,
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to remind themselves of this hope,
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this inheritance that they have, that they can share,
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even though they are going through their times of trial.
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And they know that as they are living in this world,
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to live for the Lord Jesus comes at a great cost.
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And the same is true for ourselves so often today.
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To live for faith in the Lord Jesus Christ often comes at a cost.
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Maybe we don't feel it or know it in the same way as the people in Peter's day
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or even many others throughout the world today.
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We know too, though, that we experience difficulties and trials along the way.
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And the difference between merely surviving or just getting by in this world
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and actually thriving is often based on what we see and what our focus is on.
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And so what Peter is getting at here in these verses is to have a clear vision,
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a clear focus, not in a physical sense, but in a spiritual sense.
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And to look at the world around us, not through eyes that are dimmed by sin
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and the darkness around us, but to look at things through eyes of faith.
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To have eyes of faith.
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To see, even as Bartimaeus saw, a vision restored through faith.
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Not just seeing physically, but seeing Jesus and following Him in the way.
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And so what is your vision like?
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What is your eyesight like in this sense?
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How are you seeing spiritually today?
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Are you looking at things around you and just seeking to survive,
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just to get through each day as it comes?
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Or are you looking to Jesus and seeking to thrive and to live for Him?
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That's a challenge the people in Peter's day had.
36:05
And it's a challenge to ourselves today.
36:07
And that is what Peter is encouraging them to hear.
36:11
To see Jesus in the midst of all their challenges.
36:15
To live in a world that has, yes, a different culture
36:20
to the way that we should be living in many ways.
36:23
But to live a life that we don't compromise our faith
36:27
because of the culture around us.
36:30
But also to say that we will not retreat from the culture around us.
36:34
We're not just going to go and back away from everything
36:37
that we see wrong in this world.
36:38
But we are to go forward as a people of faith.
36:42
With a vision of Christ.
36:44
And that being a vision that we long to share with others.
36:48
So it's helpful that Peter has the reality of life in mind here too.
36:54
Knowing the sufferings that the Christian will have.
36:58
But knowing too the great hope that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ.
37:03
And to have that vision of Him is so helpful
37:06
as we walk through this life.
37:09
As we journey in this world.
37:12
As strangers, as we've exiled, as we've seen already in this letter.
37:16
This is not our permanent home.
37:18
We're just passing through.
37:20
But as we are passing through.
37:22
We can say to ourselves as someone once did.
37:25
If I must walk the path of suffering.
37:28
Well we can remember that our Saviour has walked it first.
37:34
And when we wonder will these trials, will they never end?
37:38
We can look to our Saviour's life.
37:41
And remember suffering but then glory.
37:45
As it says in verse 11 there.
37:48
The end of verse 11.
37:50
Inquiring into the person or time of the Spirit of Christ Jesus in them was indicating.
37:56
When he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.
38:01
He suffered for us.
38:03
That our inheritance would be to be part of his glory too.
38:09
So we look to our Saviour.
38:12
And he is reminding us to keep our eyes on him.
38:17
To look to him.
38:18
So we're going to look at this in three different headings.
38:21
First of all, thinking of it all under the heading of seeing through eyes of faith.
38:26
Seeing first of all, we see what others can't.
38:30
Secondly, we see what has been done.
38:34
And then thirdly, we see what others long for.
38:39
So the first thing we see is we see what others can't.
38:44
As Peter is writing from his own experience.
38:48
And we looked at this in the first part of our study.
38:52
He was writing as one who had lived with the Lord Jesus Christ.
38:58
He had walked with him.
38:59
He had seen him.
39:01
He had seen the Lord and been with him.
39:03
And he'd gone through many different experiences.
39:06
Many different ups and downs in his own life.
39:09
But here he is now writing to our people who haven't seen him.
39:15
And we see that clearly in the change between verse 7 and verse 8.
39:20
He was saying in verse 7 that we are waiting the result of praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
39:28
That day when he is going to come and we are going to see him.
39:31
But then in verse 8 he says,
39:33
Though you have not seen him, you love him.
39:36
Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with a joy inexpressible.
39:44
So he knows what it's like to see Jesus.
39:50
But he's writing to our people who cannot see him.
39:54
And not seeing can often lead to questions.
39:58
When we are seeing something clearly in front of us, we understand it better.
40:04
But when we are not seeing something, even when someone is talking about it, we can struggle to understand.
40:12
Think about sitting in a classroom when you are learning.
40:16
And someone is describing a situation or something to you.
40:20
It's more difficult to understand when you are not actually seeing it.
40:23
But if you are taken to a place and you are shown something and you see it for your eyes, you begin to understand.
40:31
For example, the mechanics of how some kind of machine works.
40:36
You may be being explained to you how an engine works and you just, as it is being spoken of, you don't understand.
40:42
But when you see something in front of you, you begin to recognise the parts and what everything is doing.
40:47
So Peter is speaking having seen.
40:51
But he's writing to our people who have not seen.
40:55
And he's saying to them though, even though you do not see him, you love him.
41:02
And how can you love someone you haven't seen?
41:06
Well, he's trying to understand who he is.
41:09
And especially to understand through faith.
41:13
Peter here refocuses their attention, not on the sufferings going on around them, but on the one who has suffered for them.
41:22
He focuses their attention on the Lord Jesus Christ.
41:26
Though you do not see him, you believe in him and rejoice with a joy inexpressible.
41:33
You don't see the physical Jesus in front of you today.
41:37
But you see of him.
41:40
You hear of him.
41:41
You know of him in other ways.
41:43
You know of him through his word.
41:45
You know of him through his providence.
41:46
You know of him through his creation.
41:48
We see the Lord in many different ways.
41:51
And though we do not see him face to face, we can still love him.
41:55
Because of the difference he has made in our lives.
41:59
And it is only through eyes of faith that we can see that.
42:03
We see what others cannot see.
42:06
We see things that we didn't see ourselves in the past because we were blind.
42:11
Until Jesus opened our eyes, we couldn't see or understand.
42:16
But by grace, he opens our eyes to love him.
42:20
To see him through eyes of faith.
42:22
To rejoice with a joy inexpressible.
42:27
And even though there are things that will seek to take that joy away from us.
42:31
Those trials that we go through.
42:32
Peter is saying, refocus.
42:36
Look to Jesus.
42:38
Trust in him.
42:40
Perhaps the greatest example of this kind of situation was Thomas.
42:45
Another of the disciples.
42:48
And after the resurrection, you read about it in John chapter 20.
42:52
Thomas was there with, or he wasn't there when Jesus appeared to the other disciples.
42:58
And Thomas said, unless I see, I will not believe.
43:05
And a week later, he saw.
43:08
And what did he say?
43:10
He said, my Lord and my God.
43:14
But what was Jesus' response to Thomas in John 20?
43:20
He said, have you believed because you have seen me?
43:25
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
43:31
Who was Jesus speaking to?
43:34
Who did he have in mind?
43:36
Those people Peter was writing to scattered far and wide.
43:41
Those who had not seen him yet had not, but yet believed.
43:46
And he's saying blessed.
43:47
They are blessed.
43:50
He's writing to his church down through all the generations.
43:54
Church going through, God's people going through all their trials.
43:58
We have not seen him, yet they have believed and are blessed.
44:03
He's writing to ourselves today.
44:07
We have not seen him, yet we have believed through eyes of faith.
44:12
And we are blessed.
44:13
So what helps us to see in all of these situations?
44:20
It's the eyes of faith.
44:22
Otherwise, we cannot see.
44:26
I remember in school, and perhaps many of you experienced this as well,
44:30
either through school or through having medicals for work.
44:34
Part of the test you would go through would be an eyesight test, but also a colorblind test.
44:41
And you'd be shown, maybe you opened a book that had all kinds of different colored dots on it,
44:46
and there'd be a number or a shape that you had to recognize.
44:49
And if you weren't colorblind, it was easy to see.
44:53
You could see the numbers, maybe 25 or 16, and amongst all the dots.
44:59
But to a colorblind person, there's nothing there.
45:02
They cannot see.
45:04
That colorblindness is hiding everything from them.
45:07
It's impossible to see if they're colorblind.
45:10
It doesn't mean it's not there.
45:14
It is.
45:15
And you could say to the person, look, it's there on the page,
45:18
but because of their colorblindness, they just cannot see it.
45:23
And it's the same when it comes to seeing Jesus.
45:27
When we know him, we see him.
45:30
Because he's opened our eyes.
45:31
We've got eyes of faith.
45:33
But all around us is a people who cannot.
45:37
It's the gift of faith that enables us to see.
45:42
And so what's our focus?
45:45
During a time of recession and depression many years back,
45:49
similar to the situation our own nation is finding ourselves in,
45:53
or the world is finding itself in,
45:56
there was a man who was asked to go and speak to a room of businessmen
46:00
to try and get them to refocus in the midst of all of the challenges.
46:06
And the man who was invited in to speak,
46:08
he brought in a sheet of white paper,
46:11
he put it up on a board,
46:13
and he just proceeded to do a black dot with a pencil.
46:18
He then asked the men in the room,
46:21
what do you see?
46:23
The first person replied, I see a black spot.
46:27
The second person replied, I see a black spot.
46:32
And so it went on, one after another,
46:34
they all said, we see a black spot.
46:38
The man, he had expected this.
46:42
And he turned to them and said,
46:45
yes, there is a black spot,
46:48
but none of you are seeing the big sheet of white paper.
46:53
Your focus is on the small instead of the greater.
46:59
And that's really what Peter is saying here too.
47:02
He's saying to us,
47:03
our focus can be on the troubles and the trials of life.
47:08
And that can be just like the dot.
47:10
But the greater picture is that God has a plan and a purpose
47:14
for better for all of his people.
47:16
So we are to see through eyes of faith,
47:20
things that others cannot see.
47:23
We see through eyes of faith,
47:26
to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
47:31
But we see too, as we go on here,
47:33
we see through eyes of faith,
47:35
what has been done.
47:38
The eyes of faith help us to see clearly
47:41
what has been done for us.
47:44
How do you see yourself in life?
47:49
What do you see in your life that you're happy with,
47:52
that you're satisfied with?
47:54
Or what do you see in your life
47:55
that's maybe still lacking?
47:59
Sometimes we are not seeing clearly
48:02
and our focus is wrong.
48:05
Just like the men in the room
48:06
who all they could see was a black dot.
48:09
Perhaps our focus is on the tiny thing in life
48:14
that seems like the biggest issue in our life.
48:17
Instead of focusing on the greater issue
48:20
of who God is.
48:22
It would be easy for those who Peter was writing to
48:25
to just focus on the struggles
48:27
and the problems around them.
48:31
And to then be tempted just to forget about God
48:34
and to find peace and joy
48:37
in the things of this world.
48:41
To begin to think that God isn't with us.
48:45
We're going to have to go this alone
48:46
and sort all this out for ourselves.
48:50
God has disappeared out of you.
48:53
He's not even with us
48:55
in our greatest times of need.
48:57
We're going to have to achieve our own salvation
49:00
or fix eternity for ourselves.
49:04
But verse 10 goes on here to say
49:06
that we see this salvation.
49:10
We see what has been done for us
49:13
through eyes of faith.
49:15
It begins in verse 9 really
49:17
obtaining the outcome of your faith
49:19
the salvation of your souls.
49:22
What has been done for us
49:24
through Christ on the cross.
49:26
He paid a price that we could never pay
49:29
for the salvation of our souls.
49:33
And concerning this salvation
49:35
the prophets who prophesied about the grace
49:38
that was being to be yours
49:40
searched and inquired carefully in the scriptures
49:42
inquiring what person or time
49:45
the spirit of Christ in them was indicating
49:47
when he predicted the sufferings of Christ
49:50
and the subsequent glories.
49:53
The time of the sufferings of Christ.
49:59
We see through eyes of faith
50:02
what has been done for us.
50:05
But do we believe it?
50:07
That Christ died for our sins?
50:10
That he rose again on the third day?
50:13
That he is coming again?
50:16
Can we better anything
50:17
that he has done for us?
50:19
No.
50:21
We could never achieve any of it for ourselves.
50:23
But maybe for some it just sounds too simple.
50:29
Sounds too easy.
50:31
We live in a world
50:33
where everything is instant and quick.
50:36
Fast food is just becoming more and more.
50:39
Microwave meals
50:40
so that everything is done quickly.
50:42
Well back in the day
50:43
when they first started
50:45
bringing these kinds of things out
50:46
a company had produced
50:48
an instant cake mix.
50:50
You see it more and more now.
50:52
Everything is in one packet.
50:54
You pour it into a bowl.
50:56
Mix it together.
50:57
And it's all done for you.
50:59
Well when they first started
51:00
producing these things
51:01
a company had done this
51:02
and the instructions said
51:04
just add water and bake.
51:08
But they weren't selling.
51:10
Nobody seemed interested in them.
51:13
They were buying public.
51:14
We were uneasy about this.
51:16
A mix that all you had to do
51:17
was add water.
51:18
And so the people thought
51:21
the company thought
51:22
we've got to do something about this.
51:25
So they added another instruction.
51:26
They changed the formula.
51:28
And instead of just add water
51:30
they said add an egg
51:31
and water and bake.
51:34
And all of a sudden
51:35
people began to buy.
51:37
It became very popular.
51:40
Sales jumped dramatically.
51:43
It just sounded too easy initially.
51:45
And so they changed the formula.
51:48
It was too good to be true.
51:52
And in many ways
51:53
that's the way the gospel is to some as well.
51:56
The gospel tells us
51:57
the good news preached
51:58
that all we have to do is believe.
52:03
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ
52:05
and you will be saved.
52:06
But it can't be that easy
52:09
can it?
52:11
Surely there's something
52:12
we have to add into the mix
52:14
ourselves
52:14
to make a difference
52:15
to make it right.
52:17
Well the gospel is saying
52:18
no.
52:20
All you have to do
52:21
is believe.
52:24
Faith
52:24
is the gift of God.
52:26
It's not of anything
52:27
we've done ourselves.
52:30
It is the gift
52:31
we receive
52:32
through faith.
52:34
The salvation
52:35
of our souls.
52:38
The Bible is clear.
52:40
We're not saved
52:41
by anything
52:42
we add ourselves
52:43
into the mix.
52:45
We are saved
52:46
through faith.
52:47
Through the sufferings
52:48
of Christ.
52:50
And then
52:51
the subsequent
52:51
glories.
52:54
Unlike the cake
52:55
manufactured
52:56
God doesn't change
52:58
anything
52:58
in this formula.
53:00
It's the same
53:01
today
53:01
as it ever was.
53:03
Jesus.
53:04
But how is your vision?
53:06
How is your eyesight
53:07
when it comes to this?
53:08
Are you still thinking
53:09
but
53:10
surely I've got to do
53:12
something.
53:14
Surely there's something
53:14
I need to do
53:15
to finish off
53:16
this formula
53:17
this mix.
53:19
No.
53:20
It's all
53:21
done.
53:23
So how do you
53:24
see your life
53:25
and what is
53:26
your focus?
53:28
Well Peter
53:28
is saying
53:29
our focus
53:30
is to be on Christ
53:32
and his finished work.
53:35
He has done it all.
53:36
It is complete.
53:39
An old man
53:40
was once sharing
53:41
with a young friend
53:42
about his own
53:43
experience
53:44
in life.
53:46
Looking back
53:47
over many years
53:48
he said
53:48
son
53:49
I'd like to tell you
53:51
about my life.
53:53
He began by saying
53:54
I was born
53:55
into this world
53:56
as a sinner.
53:57
I was baptized
54:00
soon after I was born
54:01
and I became
54:02
a baptized sinner.
54:05
As I grew older
54:06
I wandered away
54:08
from the church
54:09
and found pleasure
54:10
in the things
54:10
of this world
54:11
and I became
54:13
a sinful sinner.
54:16
However
54:16
he said
54:17
I began to realize
54:18
that my life
54:19
needed to change
54:21
and I needed
54:22
to do something
54:23
and so I started
54:25
attending church
54:27
and he said
54:29
I became
54:29
a church
54:29
attending sinner.
54:32
Then he said
54:33
one happy day
54:34
my life
54:36
was transformed
54:37
when I accepted
54:37
Jesus Christ
54:39
as my own
54:39
personal
54:40
saviour
54:41
and I became
54:43
a saved
54:45
sinner.
54:47
You know
54:48
son
54:48
he said
54:49
a saved sinner
54:50
is the only kind
54:51
of sinner
54:51
that can find
54:52
real joy.
54:54
And the Lord
54:55
will welcome
54:55
him
54:56
into heaven.
54:59
Does that
55:00
life
55:00
experience
55:02
does it resonate
55:03
with you?
55:05
Maybe that's the way
55:06
your life
55:06
has been
55:07
to baptize
55:08
going into the world
55:10
and going your own way
55:11
becoming a sinful
55:12
sinner.
55:13
Maybe then
55:14
starting to come back
55:15
to church
55:15
and thinking
55:16
that's what's going
55:17
to make the difference.
55:19
But you're still
55:19
just a church
55:20
attending sinner.
55:21
sinner.
55:22
The key is
55:23
seeing Jesus
55:24
and believing
55:26
in him
55:26
loving him
55:27
with all your heart
55:29
still a sinner
55:30
but becoming
55:32
a saved sinner.
55:34
When we see
55:35
what has been
55:37
done
55:37
for us
55:38
that is what
55:39
we are to look
55:40
upon.
55:41
That's what can
55:42
fill us with joy
55:43
inexpressible
55:44
through faith
55:46
through eyes
55:47
of faith
55:47
seeing
55:48
what Christ
55:49
has done.
55:52
So our eyes
55:53
are to be fixed
55:54
on him.
55:56
The final thing
55:57
we see here
55:58
then is
55:58
what others
55:59
long for.
56:02
As you look
56:02
at verse
56:03
12
56:04
well
56:04
10 through to 12
56:06
really
56:06
but verse 12
56:07
it says
56:08
it was revealed
56:08
to them
56:09
that they were
56:10
serving not
56:10
themselves
56:11
but you
56:11
speaking about
56:12
the prophets
56:13
of old
56:13
and the things
56:14
that have now
56:15
been announced
56:15
to you
56:16
through those
56:17
who preach
56:17
the good news
56:18
to you
56:18
by the Holy Spirit
56:20
sent from heaven
56:21
things into which
56:22
angels
56:23
long
56:24
to look.
56:26
In these verses
56:28
from verse 10
56:29
to 12
56:29
there's
56:31
people
56:32
various people
56:33
and even the angels
56:34
looking to see
56:35
what is being said
56:37
in this word.
56:39
And what's the
56:39
greatest gift
56:40
anyone has ever
56:41
given to you?
56:43
There may be
56:44
many things
56:45
in life
56:45
that you
56:46
hold precious
56:47
gifts
56:47
that have
56:47
been given
56:48
to you
56:48
that are
56:49
precious
56:50
maybe a
56:51
piece of
56:52
jewelry
56:52
a perfume
56:54
keys to a
56:55
car
56:56
an item
56:57
of technology
56:58
there are
56:59
many things
57:00
that we can
57:00
appreciate
57:01
in life
57:01
and we
57:01
give great
57:02
thanks for
57:03
well Peter
57:05
is reminding
57:06
a people
57:07
here
57:07
a people
57:08
who had
57:08
very little
57:09
in the sense
57:10
of gifts
57:11
in the way
57:12
that we enjoy
57:12
so much
57:13
but he is
57:14
reminding them
57:15
that all
57:16
that they
57:16
have
57:16
is right
57:17
before them
57:18
and for
57:20
ourselves
57:20
today
57:21
the greatest
57:21
gift
57:22
we can
57:22
have
57:22
is right
57:23
before
57:24
us
57:25
the word
57:26
of God
57:26
and I'm
57:28
sure at
57:28
some point
57:29
along the
57:29
way
57:29
you've
57:30
received
57:30
a bible
57:31
it may
57:32
have been
57:33
in Sunday
57:33
school
57:34
or school
57:34
may have
57:35
been through
57:36
the Gideons
57:36
distributing them
57:37
it may have
57:38
been through
57:39
a family
57:39
member
57:40
or a friend
57:40
who's given
57:41
you a bible
57:42
and maybe
57:44
written a little
57:45
message in the
57:46
front of it
57:46
it's lovely
57:49
to receive
57:50
them
57:51
and why
57:52
has that
57:53
person
57:53
given it
57:54
to you
57:55
why have
57:55
you received
57:56
it
57:56
because the
57:57
one who is
57:58
giving it
57:58
knows
57:59
the difference
58:00
it can
58:01
make
58:01
it is the
58:03
word of
58:04
God
58:04
that can
58:05
help us
58:06
to see
58:06
and to
58:07
truly
58:08
see
58:09
and it
58:10
comes
58:10
with a
58:11
love
58:12
and a
58:13
longing
58:13
that you
58:13
would
58:14
search
58:14
and know
58:15
the
58:16
Christ
58:16
that it
58:16
speaks
58:17
of
58:17
just as
58:18
Peter
58:19
is writing
58:19
to them
58:20
in the
58:20
midst
58:20
of their
58:21
trials
58:21
it's not
58:22
so their
58:22
focus will
58:23
be on
58:23
the
58:23
trials
58:24
but that
58:25
they lift
58:25
their eyes
58:26
and see
58:26
Jesus
58:27
in the
58:27
midst
58:28
of it
58:28
and that
58:30
is the
58:30
longing
58:30
that we
58:31
have
58:32
for one
58:33
another
58:33
too I
58:33
hope
58:34
that we
58:35
would come
58:36
to see
58:37
Jesus
58:38
when you
58:40
see it
58:40
spoken of
58:41
here
58:41
concerning
58:42
this
58:43
salvation
58:43
the prophets
58:44
who prophesied
58:45
about the
58:46
grace that
58:46
was to be
58:47
yours
58:47
searched
58:48
and inquired
58:49
carefully
58:50
they went
58:51
and they
58:51
looked
58:52
into this
58:53
word
58:54
the question
58:56
is
58:57
have you
58:57
have you
59:00
inquired
59:00
and searched
59:01
diligently
59:02
this word
59:03
and what
59:04
do you
59:04
see in
59:05
it
59:05
do you
59:08
just
59:08
hear it
59:09
and put
59:09
it on
59:09
the shelf
59:10
to the
59:10
next
59:11
time
59:11
or will
59:12
you take
59:13
it away
59:13
and search
59:14
diligently
59:15
and even
59:15
like
59:15
Bartimaeus
59:16
of old
59:17
cry out
59:18
to Jesus
59:19
son of
59:19
David
59:20
have
59:20
mercy
59:21
on me
59:21
help
59:23
me
59:24
that I
59:24
might
59:25
see
59:25
give
59:27
me a
59:27
vision
59:27
of faith
59:28
to see
59:29
in the
59:30
midst
59:30
of everything
59:31
in life
59:31
how precious
59:32
you are
59:33
if you
59:35
are seeking
59:36
a way
59:37
in this
59:37
world
59:38
to know
59:38
eternal
59:39
life
59:40
and the
59:41
blessing
59:41
of Christ
59:42
come
59:42
and search
59:44
this word
59:44
diligently
59:45
and don't
59:47
let it
59:47
go
59:47
don't put
59:48
it on
59:49
the shelf
59:49
take it
59:51
out and
59:51
read it
59:51
through
59:52
and see
59:53
to yourself
59:54
what it
59:54
says about
59:55
the way
59:55
to life
59:56
and the way
59:58
everlasting
59:58
it is
59:59
found
1:00:00
in Christ
1:00:01
Jesus
1:00:02
so if
1:00:03
you are
1:00:04
seeking
1:00:04
seek
1:00:05
inquire
1:00:06
diligently
1:00:07
even though
1:00:08
you do
1:00:09
not see
1:00:09
him
1:00:09
you can
1:00:10
come
1:00:11
to love
1:00:12
him
1:00:12
and rejoice
1:00:13
with joy
1:00:14
inexpressible
1:00:15
obtaining
1:00:16
the salvation
1:00:17
of your
1:00:17
souls
1:00:18
the greatest
1:00:19
thing you
1:00:20
can ever
1:00:20
know
1:00:21
the joy
1:00:22
of Christ
1:00:23
and if
1:00:25
you are a
1:00:25
Christian
1:00:26
today
1:00:26
what will
1:00:28
you do
1:00:28
with this
1:00:28
word
1:00:29
are you
1:00:30
going to
1:00:30
take it
1:00:31
home
1:00:31
and put
1:00:31
it back
1:00:32
on the
1:00:32
shelf
1:00:32
until the
1:00:34
next time
1:00:34
we meet
1:00:35
or is it
1:00:36
your meat
1:00:37
day by
1:00:38
day
1:00:38
is it
1:00:39
your sustenance
1:00:40
day by
1:00:41
day
1:00:42
is it
1:00:42
your longing
1:00:43
and your
1:00:43
desire
1:00:44
not just
1:00:44
that you
1:00:45
will know
1:00:45
it better
1:00:46
but that
1:00:47
others
1:00:47
will know
1:00:48
it
1:00:48
that others
1:00:49
will come
1:00:50
and see
1:00:51
the beauty
1:00:51
of Christ
1:00:52
it's a story
1:00:54
told of a
1:00:55
missionary
1:00:55
who was a
1:00:56
physician
1:00:57
who went
1:00:57
to China
1:00:58
and was
1:00:58
working in
1:00:59
the hospitals
1:01:00
there
1:01:00
he was an
1:01:01
eye specialist
1:01:02
and back
1:01:04
in the days
1:01:04
when he went
1:01:05
there many
1:01:05
people were
1:01:06
blind
1:01:06
because of
1:01:07
cataracts
1:01:08
they couldn't
1:01:09
see
1:01:09
and one
1:01:11
man came
1:01:12
to this
1:01:12
physician's
1:01:13
hospital
1:01:13
and was
1:01:13
cured
1:01:14
of his
1:01:15
blindness
1:01:15
and he
1:01:16
rejoiced
1:01:17
that he
1:01:17
was able
1:01:18
to see
1:01:18
and he
1:01:19
went away
1:01:19
rejoicing
1:01:20
well a
1:01:22
fortnight
1:01:22
later
1:01:23
48
1:01:25
blind
1:01:26
men
1:01:26
came
1:01:27
with him
1:01:27
to the
1:01:28
doctor
1:01:28
out of
1:01:29
the
1:01:29
wilderness
1:01:30
out of
1:01:30
the
1:01:30
wilds
1:01:31
they
1:01:32
came
1:01:32
to them
1:01:33
holding
1:01:33
onto
1:01:34
a rope
1:01:34
the one
1:01:36
who had
1:01:36
been given
1:01:37
his vision
1:01:37
back at
1:01:38
the front
1:01:39
leading
1:01:39
the way
1:01:40
leading
1:01:40
the other
1:01:41
48 blind
1:01:42
men
1:01:42
behind
1:01:43
him
1:01:43
holding
1:01:44
onto
1:01:44
the rope
1:01:45
he brought
1:01:46
them
1:01:47
to the
1:01:47
physician
1:01:48
who was
1:01:49
able
1:01:49
to cure
1:01:49
they had
1:01:50
walked
1:01:51
250
1:01:52
miles
1:01:53
why did
1:01:56
he do
1:01:56
it
1:01:56
because he
1:01:58
knew
1:01:59
who could
1:02:00
help them
1:02:00
to see
1:02:01
he knew
1:02:02
who could
1:02:03
give them
1:02:03
their vision
1:02:04
back
1:02:04
and Christian
1:02:06
today
1:02:07
if your eyes
1:02:08
have been
1:02:08
opened
1:02:09
if you have
1:02:10
eyes of
1:02:11
faith
1:02:11
you have a
1:02:12
great gift
1:02:13
to give
1:02:14
to others
1:02:14
to say
1:02:16
come
1:02:17
see a
1:02:18
man who
1:02:19
knows
1:02:19
everything
1:02:19
about
1:02:20
could
1:02:21
this be
1:02:22
the
1:02:22
Christ
1:02:23
may we
1:02:25
come
1:02:26
and see
1:02:27
through
1:02:27
eyes
1:02:28
of
1:02:28
faith
1:02:28
the
1:02:29
things
1:02:30
that
1:02:30
others
1:02:30
can't
1:02:31
the
1:02:32
things
1:02:33
that
1:02:33
have
1:02:33
been
1:02:34
done
1:02:34
for
1:02:34
us
1:02:35
and
1:02:36
the
1:02:36
things
1:02:36
that
1:02:36
others
1:02:37
long
1:02:38
for
1:02:38
to
1:02:39
see
1:02:40
as
1:02:41
Bartimaeus
1:02:42
saw
1:02:42
to
1:02:43
see
1:02:43
Jesus
1:02:44
with
1:02:44
eyes
1:02:45
of
1:02:45
faith
1:02:46
and
1:02:46
follow
1:02:47
him
1:02:47
on
1:02:48
the
1:02:48
way
1:02:48
yes
1:02:50
there
1:02:50
are
1:02:50
many
1:02:50
challenges
1:02:51
around
1:02:52
us
1:02:52
there
1:02:53
are
1:02:53
many
1:02:53
troubles
1:02:54
and our
1:02:54
focus
1:02:55
can so
1:02:55
often
1:02:55
be
1:02:56
on
1:02:56
that
1:02:56
but
1:02:57
let's
1:02:58
see
1:02:58
the
1:02:58
greater
1:02:59
let's
1:02:59
lift
1:03:00
let's
1:03:00
let's
1:03:02
see
1:03:02
Jesus
1:03:02
and the
1:03:03
hope
1:03:04
that he
1:03:04
gives
1:03:05
in the
1:03:05
midst
1:03:06
of
1:03:06
everything
1:03:06
and
1:03:07
rejoice
1:03:08
with joy
1:03:09
inexpressible
1:03:10
that he
1:03:11
has gone
1:03:12
before us
1:03:13
to show
1:03:14
the way
1:03:14
to eternal
1:03:16
life but to
1:03:16
lead us
1:03:17
in that
1:03:18
way
1:03:18
everlasting
1:03:20
let us
1:03:21
pray
1:03:21
our father
1:03:24
in heaven
1:03:25
we do
1:03:26
rejoice
1:03:26
in your
1:03:27
goodness
1:03:27
to us
1:03:28
for all
1:03:28
that you
1:03:28
have done
1:03:29
for us
1:03:29
and that
1:03:30
even though
1:03:31
we do
1:03:31
not see
1:03:31
you
1:03:32
we can
1:03:33
love you
1:03:33
with all
1:03:34
our hearts
1:03:34
and rejoice
1:03:35
with a joy
1:03:36
inexpressible
1:03:37
that comes
1:03:38
through
1:03:38
seeing
1:03:39
through
1:03:39
eyes
1:03:40
of
1:03:40
faith
1:03:40
we
1:03:41
acknowledge
1:03:42
our
1:03:42
blindness
1:03:42
so often
1:03:43
and like
1:03:44
Bartimaeus
1:03:45
of old
1:03:46
we cry
1:03:46
Jesus
1:03:47
son of
1:03:47
David
1:03:48
have
1:03:48
mercy
1:03:49
on me
1:03:49
and help
1:03:50
us to
1:03:51
see
1:03:51
the beauty
1:03:52
of Christ
1:03:53
and all
1:03:53
his glory
1:03:54
for we
1:03:55
ask it
1:03:55
in his
1:03:56
precious
1:03:56
name
1:03:57
Amen
1:03:57
we're going
1:04:03
to conclude
1:04:03
by singing
1:04:04
to God's
1:04:05
praise
1:04:05
in Psalm
1:04:06
25
1:04:07
the first
1:04:09
version of
1:04:10
the psalm
1:04:10
in the
1:04:11
Scottish
1:04:11
Psalter
1:04:12
page
1:04:12
231
1:04:13
to thee
1:04:14
I lift
1:04:15
my soul
1:04:16
O Lord
1:04:16
I trust
1:04:17
in thee
1:04:17
my God
1:04:18
let me
1:04:19
not be
1:04:19
ashamed
1:04:20
nor foes
1:04:21
triumph
1:04:22
for me
1:04:22
we'll sing
1:04:23
from verse
1:04:23
1
1:04:24
to the end
1:04:25
of verse
1:04:25
5
1:04:25
to God's
1:04:26
praise
1:04:27
没
1:04:47
on
1:04:48
let me
1:04:50
not
1:04:51
be
1:04:52
ashamed
1:04:54
Now to save for me.
1:05:02
Work down the day of日,
1:05:10
говорить for tooth shape,
1:05:14
Ochocam,
1:05:18
The Lord, who stand with thy cross transgress, let shame upon them fall.
1:05:34
Don't take thy grace, O Lord, thy past, Lord, teach thou me.
1:05:50
And do thou lead me in my truth, and my teacher be.
1:06:07
For thou art all the dust, to thee salvation's end.
1:06:23
And I have all thee all the day, expecting to attain.
1:06:41
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left.
1:06:44
We'll close with the benediction.
1:06:46
Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, rest upon and
1:06:53
abide with you all, now and forevermore.
1:06:56
Amen.
1:07:15
Amen.
1:07:16
Amen.
1:07:17
Amen.
1:07:18
Amen.