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Past, Present and Future · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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I'll begin our worship this evening by singing to God's praise. We're going to sing in Psalm 1a.
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Sing Psalm's version, page 1 of the psalm book, Psalm 1a.
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Blessed is the one who turns away from where the wicked walk, who does not stand in sinners' paths or sit with those who mock.
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Instead, he finds God's holy law, his joy and great delight. He makes the precepts of the Lord his study, day and night.
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We'll sing the whole of this psalm, 1a, to God's praise.
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Blessed is the one who turns away from where the wicked walk,
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who does not stand in sinners' paths or sit with those who mock.
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Instead, he finds God's holy law, his joy and great delight.
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He makes the precepts of the Lord his study, day and night.
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He prospers ever like a tree that's planted by a stream.
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And in whose season yields its fruit, its leaves are always green.
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Not so the wicked they are like the chaff that's blown away.
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They will not stand when judgment comes,
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For with the righteous stay.
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It is the Lord who sees and knows
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The way the righteous go.
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But those who live and need will lie,
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The Lord will overthrow.
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Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer. Let us pray.
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Our Father in heaven, we do come in need of your presence at all times,
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In need of your help, in need of your blessing over us.
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We know, Lord, that your word reminds us again and again
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That apart from you, we can do nothing.
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But we thank you that it continues to remind us, too,
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Of your great mercy towards us,
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Your great love towards us,
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That you are a God of faithfulness towards your people.
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And we have been singing of what it means to walk in the ways of being blessed.
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And we sing these words that remind us that
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It is about being close in our relationship with you.
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It is about your word and the study of it.
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And how your word instructs us and helps us
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Day by day to know you and to worship you as we should
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And to live according to your ways.
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To live a life pleasing to the Lord,
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Even as we were considering together this morning.
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And we thank you that your word
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Gives us such wonderful encouragement and instruction.
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A word that reminds us of
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Our frailties and yet your strength.
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That you are the one who makes strength perfect,
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Even in our weakness.
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And we thank you, Lord,
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That you are the one who is able to do so much for us.
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That there is none of us here this evening,
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As we come under your word,
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Who is ever too far away from you.
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That your mighty arm is not able to save.
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There is no one here who is going through
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Any struggles that you are not able to help with.
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There is no one here this evening
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Who can stand before you saying,
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Look at what I have done for you
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In our own strength.
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But we can all come and plead with you before you
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To have mercy on us.
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And thankful for all that you have done for us
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Through your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.
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And when we fall short, as we often do,
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We thank you that we have a great Saviour.
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That in Jesus Christ we have your Son,
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Who you sent into this world for sinners.
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And we are all that.
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But we thank you that he came to be with us.
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That he came to be among your people in this world.
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To bear witness to you.
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To show the fulfilment of all your prophecies and promises.
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To show the fulfilment of your great mercy towards us.
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That you would provide a Saviour.
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The one whom the woman at the well spoke of
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When she said that we know that Messiah is coming.
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And he stood before her and said,
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I am he.
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And we thank you that this evening we come
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Looking to Jesus, the one who is the Messiah.
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The Redeemer.
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The Saviour of the world.
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And we pray that you will
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Remind us of what that means.
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Remind us of who we are in light of it.
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That in the world that we live in,
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Which can be so confusing at times.
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And full of so much sorrow and sadness.
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So much uncertainty.
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A world that is so often changing
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Even before our eyes.
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And even as we change
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Before your eyes too.
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And yet we come
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To the one who never changes.
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The one who is the same
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Yesterday, today
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And forever.
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And we pray to know you.
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To know you
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And your mercy and your grace
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More and more abundantly.
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In all our lives.
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To know what it is to repent.
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And to confess our sins before you.
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To know what it is.
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To know forgiveness for our sins.
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That you are faithful and just
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To pardon our sins.
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And so help us that we would come
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In that sense of confession.
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But also repentance.
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Turning from our sin.
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And we thank you that in prayer
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We have such a wonderful way
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To come to you.
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Not just with words to you
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But even with the groanings of our hearts.
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That nothing is hidden from you.
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And we thank you
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That even before we open our mouths
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That every uttering of our lips
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Is known to you.
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Our very hearts are poured out to you.
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For you see them already.
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You know our grief and our pain.
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You know our joy and our gladness.
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You know all things about us.
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And you know the world in which we live.
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You created it and formed it.
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You were pleased with it.
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As we read at the beginning of the Bible.
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In the book of Genesis.
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And you saw all that you made.
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And it was very good.
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And yet.
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Not long after that.
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We know that sin.
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Sin came into the world.
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And spoiled the creation.
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And there is nothing good in us now.
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But we thank you for your goodness.
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And your mercy towards us.
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And we pray Lord.
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That in the wickedness of the world.
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In which we live.
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That you would come in your mercy.
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And in your power.
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We so often pray for circumstances.
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And situations around the world.
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That where we see evil and wickedness prevailing.
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Where we see the wickedness of man.
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And it's in humanity against one another.
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And we pray Lord.
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As we often do.
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For your mercy over those who desire evil.
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And whose hearts are wicked.
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We pray for mercy for them.
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But even as we have been singing in this psalm.
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We are reminded too.
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That you are a God who is able to overthrow.
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And sometimes maybe that needs to be our prayer as well.
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That you would overthrow those in authority.
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And ruling over nations.
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Where there is wickedness to the fore.
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Where there is war and greed.
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And so many tragic things happening.
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We pray Lord.
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That these wicked rulers.
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And environments Lord.
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Will be overthrown by you.
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And for a day of peace to come.
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For you to come in your power.
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And to show your power in our midst.
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You do so so often in many ways.
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And yet we heed it not.
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But we pray Lord.
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That as you show yourself in all of these ways.
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That you would bring us to our knees.
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And to cry out for mercy.
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So Lord hear our prayers.
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And receive our thanks at this time.
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For all your goodness to us.
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As a people here.
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And as we represent just a small part of your church this evening.
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We thank you for one another.
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We thank you for the bonds of fellowship that exist here.
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And for all your praying people.
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For all who gather week by week around your word.
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Both present in the building.
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And also tuning in online as well.
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And we thank you that we come prayerfully to you.
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Pleading with you Lord.
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For your goodness over us as a people.
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For your help towards every home and family represented here.
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To know your peace over us as a people.
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To know your strength in the midst of times of weakness.
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To know your blessing even as we pray for the week ahead.
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And we thank you that we can commit one another to you.
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We can commit those who are unwell.
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And those who are suffering in different ways.
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Those who are mourning and grieving.
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Lord we continue to pray for your help.
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And your comfort in the midst of so many difficult situations.
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But we thank you too that life is not always sadness and sorrow.
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But that there are times of much blessing and rejoicing.
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And we pray to know these days.
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Even in our own week ahead.
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That we would be able to rejoice with those who rejoice.
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As we even mourn with those who mourn.
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And we pray that there will be rejoicing in our midst.
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Oh Lord in this coming week.
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As we gather for worship and for communion.
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We pray as we read in the word.
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That there will be rejoicing in heaven.
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Over one sinner who repents.
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Lord we long to see that many come to Christ.
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And we pray.
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That your hand will be upon us for good.
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To that end even in these coming days.
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That by your word and by your spirit.
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By the preaching of your word.
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That we would come under your mighty hand.
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And that we would recognize who you are.
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And our great need of you.
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And so we pray your blessing.
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As we prepare for our communion weekend.
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To bless the preaching and ministry we receive.
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And the fellowship we enjoy with one another.
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Around your word.
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That you would be in the midst of all that we do.
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May you go before us in all of these things.
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Lord and prepare our hearts and the way ahead as well.
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And Lord help us to continue faithful in prayer day by day.
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Help us to walk closely and humbly with you.
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As we long to see your goodness over us.
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We pray Lord that you will help us and strengthen us.
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For all of our days.
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We pray for our church as a whole Lord.
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That you will pour out your blessing on us.
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That we would know the spirit.
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And its mighty work over our land and our nation in these days.
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Lord we ask all these things pleading with you.
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To remember us.
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To do us good.
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And to pardon all our sins.
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As we bring our prayers before you.
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In the mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
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As we ask it for his glory.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Well we will again sing to God's praise.
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This time in Psalm 86 in the Scottish Psalter.
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Page 340 of the Psalm book.
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Psalm 86.
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We will sing from verse 1 down to verse 8.
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A psalm that reminds us that as we pray to God.
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We pray that he will hear and answer prayer according to his will.
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O Lord do thou bow down thine ear and hear me graciously.
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Because I sore afflicted am and am in poverty.
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Because I am holy let my soul by thee preserve it be.
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O thou my God thy servant save that puts his trust in thee.
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We will sing from verse 1 to verse 8.
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To God's praise.
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Amen.
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O Lord do thou bow down thine ear and hear me graciously.
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Because I sore afflicted am and am in poverty.
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Because I am holy let my soul by thee preserve it be.
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O thou my God thy servant save that puts his trust in thee.
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Sith unto thee I daily cry.
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Be merciful to me.
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Rejoice thy servant soul.
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O Lord I lift my soul to thee.
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For thou art gracious, O Lord.
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And ready to forgive.
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And rich in mercy.
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And rich in mercy.
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All that fall upon thee to relieve.
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Hear, Lord, my prayer.
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And to the voice of my request.
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In trouble, my prayer.
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In trouble, my prayer.
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In trouble, my prayer.
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In trouble, my prayer.
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I will call on thee.
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For thou will answer sin.
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Lord, there is none among the gods that they with thee compare.
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And like the works which thou hast done.
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Not any work is there.
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And then, I will call on thee.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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We will turn to reading God's word now in the New Testament and Paul's letter to the Colossians.
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Colossians chapter 4.
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You will find this around page 1185 or thereabouts.
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Colossians chapter 4.
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And we take up our reading at verse 2.
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Paul's concluding remarks to the church at Colossae.
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And he gives instruction to them.
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And he reminds us in the last part about people, greetings from different people.
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And it's that we're going to focus on at the end of the chapter from verse 12 in particular as we come to look at this passage.
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We'll read from verse 2.
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Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
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At the same time, pray also for us that God may open to us a door for the word to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison.
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That I may make it clear which is how I ought to speak.
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Conduct yourselves wisely towards outsiders, making the best use of the time.
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Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
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Tericus will tell you all about my activities.
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He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
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I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts.
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And with him, Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you.
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They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.
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Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you.
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And Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions.
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If he comes to you, welcome him.
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And Jesus, who is called Justice.
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These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God.
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And they have been a comfort to me.
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Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf, in his prayers that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
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For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
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Luke, the beloved physician, greets you, as does Demas.
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Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea and to Nympha and the church in her house.
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And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans.
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And see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.
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And say to Archippus, see that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.
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I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.
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Remember my chains.
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Grace be with you.
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Amen.
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And may God bless that reading from his word.
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Before we turn to look at this passage again, we'll sing to God's praise once again in Psalm 28.
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Page 33 of the psalm books.
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Let's sing Psalm's verse in Psalm 28.
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And we can sing from verse 4 down to the end of the psalm, verse 9.
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So you have these verses that show a pleading with the Lord to deal with the injustices of this world.
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And then in the final verses, you see what it is to lift up our eyes to the Lord.
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My heart uplifted leaps for joy.
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My thanks to him I gladly sing.
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The Lord God is his people's strength, a saving fortress for his king.
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We'll sing from verse 4 down to the end of the 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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Repay them for their evil deeds
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and for their acts of wickedness.
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Bring back on them what they deserve
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and punish their unrighteousness.
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Because the Lord's works they despise
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and treat his actions with disdain.
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In justice he will tear them down
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and never build them up again.
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Praise to the Lord for he has heard
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the plea for mercy which I made.
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He is my strength, he is my shield.
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I trust in him who sends me there.
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My heart uplifted leaps for joy.
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My thanks to him I gladly sing.
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The Lord God is his people's strength.
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A saving fortress for his king.
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Lord, save your people, your own flock.
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Be pleased, your heritage to bless.
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Be their good shepherd, carry them
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Forever in your faithfulness.
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We can turn back to our reading
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in Paul's letters to Colossians chapter 4.
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And like I say, we're looking at the end
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of this letter from verse 12 down to the end.
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We're seeing different characters
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and different people here
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and learning a little from them
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of what it means.
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Connected with what we were looking at this morning,
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you see this letter is just beside
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1 Thessalonians which we were looking at this morning
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and looking at the theme of living a life
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pleasing to God.
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And we see this evening
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what that looks like in some ways
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and also perhaps what it doesn't look like too
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as we look at some of these people mentioned
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at the end of this passage.
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We read in verse 12,
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Epaphras, who is one of you,
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a servant of Christ Jesus,
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greets you, always struggling on your behalf
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in his prayers that you may stand mature
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and fully assured in all the will of God.
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For I bear witness, bear him witness
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that he has worked hard for you
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and for those in Laodicea
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and in Hierapolis and so on.
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It's maybe hard for us to imagine
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what it was like to be a people
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receiving this letter from Paul
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as we read it together this evening.
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It maybe doesn't have the same impact
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as it did to the people
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who were hearing it for the very first time.
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The church at Colossae had known
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a great blessing
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as Paul had come to minister to them
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as the church was established
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there as they came to hear
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of the great mercies of God
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through Jesus Christ, his son.
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They'd learned so much.
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Paul had been then taken away from them.
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He had gone to other places.
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And as you read through this letter,
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you find that Paul is now in prison.
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And he's writing from prison
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this letter to them
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to encourage them
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and to strengthen them in the Lord,
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knowing that there's a great many challenges
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going on around them
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and especially those who are coming
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into their midst
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with a different kind of teaching,
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a different teaching to the gospel
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that was seeking to take them away
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from their faith
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in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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So it's hard to enter in
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just what it was like
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to hear this letter for the first time
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because so many of them
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would have been wondering
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what was happening to Paul,
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what was going on in his life,
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what was happening
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to all these people like Epaphras
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who had gone from them
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and gone with Paul,
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what was going on in their lives.
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And letters,
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especially as you find letters
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written by hand,
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very personal letters,
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they have a powerful impact on us.
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And you can maybe think of letters
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you've received yourself
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or letters you've read yourself.
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It's not as common today
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because we communicate
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in a very different way,
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whether it's texts or WhatsApps
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or short messages.
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We're often using them now.
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Perhaps in an email,
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we'll write a little longer,
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but we still keep it short
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and to the point.
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But there was a day
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when very personal letters
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would be written and sent.
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Maybe when you were away
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in university or college,
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back in the day,
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you were hearing from different people,
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writing letters to you,
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telling you what was happening
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back at home.
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For myself,
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it was when I was away at sea,
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different parts of the world
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and receiving letters from home
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and hearing what was happening.
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It didn't have to be anything
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out of the ordinary,
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just the little things.
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But just to receive a letter
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handwritten
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with such a personal touch
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that someone had taken time
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to write
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and was thinking of you
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as they wrote it,
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it means so much.
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And that is really
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what is behind this letter as well.
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There's a sense of
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the personal nature of it
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and Paul's love
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for the church at Colossae,
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as you see in so many
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of the letters that he writes
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in the New Testament.
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They're powerful.
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They're personal.
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They're longing
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that the people
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would be growing.
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We saw it this morning
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with 1 Thessalonians,
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his longing
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for the people
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to grow in the Lord,
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to live a life
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pleasing to God.
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So we live in a world
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where communication
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is so often instant,
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where if we send a message,
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we expect a reply
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within almost seconds sometimes.
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Maybe you've got someone
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in your life,
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a parent or a partner
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who they message
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and then if you haven't replied
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within a minute or two,
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they're getting worried,
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they're getting anxious
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and they're phoning you.
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You didn't reply
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to my message.
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Where are you?
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Is everything okay?
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Well, if Paul was sending letters
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from Rome,
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as he was in prison,
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to places like Colossae
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or Thessalonica,
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it was going to take months,
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maybe even over a year
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for the letter to get there
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and then a reply to come back.
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It wasn't the instant communication
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that we have.
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But his letters
30:46
are beautiful letters
30:48
and they're worth
30:49
just reading through
30:50
and taking your time.
30:51
God's word through him
30:53
to the church at Colossae here.
30:56
God's word to ourselves today.
30:59
There's a beauty in these words
31:00
and a power in these words.
31:03
And this evening,
31:04
I want to give you
31:05
two bits of homework.
31:08
The first bit I'm going to give you
31:10
just now to do later on
31:12
with something to do.
31:13
And then the last part
31:15
as we come to the end
31:16
is something to think about,
31:19
to take away and think about
31:20
and see if you can understand it
31:22
for yourself.
31:24
So the first one
31:25
is something to do.
31:27
And what I want you to do
31:28
is to go home tonight
31:29
and to read through
31:31
the whole of this letter.
31:34
It's not a long letter,
31:36
four chapters,
31:37
but to begin in chapter one
31:40
and just to take your time
31:41
and read through
31:43
the whole of the letter
31:44
and to see
31:46
the power of God's word,
31:48
to see what it's saying to us,
31:50
the wonder of God's love
31:52
and mercy to us,
31:54
the wonder of a concern
31:56
and a compassion
31:57
as we see Paul's heart
31:59
for the people here
32:00
and the way the power
32:03
of God's word
32:03
is able to change
32:05
and to keep us
32:06
on the right track.
32:08
So go home,
32:09
take your time
32:10
to read through.
32:11
It'll take only 10,
32:12
maybe 15 minutes
32:13
to read through
32:15
the whole of the letter
32:16
and it'll hopefully help
32:18
to put this evening sermon
32:19
into context as well.
32:21
We're only looking
32:22
at the very end
32:24
of the letter,
32:25
but if you just go back
32:26
even to the very start
32:27
of the letter,
32:28
it starts with
32:29
a real sense
32:31
of relationship there.
32:33
Paul,
32:33
an apostle of Christ Jesus
32:35
by the will of God
32:36
and Timothy,
32:37
our brother,
32:38
to the saints
32:39
and faithful brothers
32:40
in Christ at Colossae,
32:42
grace to you
32:43
and peace
32:44
from God,
32:46
our Father.
32:46
Then he goes into
32:47
the next section
32:48
that we are always
32:49
giving thanks to God
32:50
in our prayers
32:52
for you.
32:53
There's a warmth
32:53
from the outset,
32:55
there's teaching
32:56
as you go through it,
32:57
and then there's warmth
32:58
and love
32:59
as it comes
33:00
to a conclusion as well.
33:02
So that's your first part
33:03
of your homework,
33:05
to go home
33:05
and to read the whole
33:07
of this letter,
33:09
to get a feeling
33:10
of what's behind it
33:11
and the context
33:13
of it arriving
33:13
with a sense of concern
33:15
that people had
33:16
what was happening
33:17
and then hearing
33:18
the love of Paul
33:20
and the love of God
33:21
towards them
33:22
through it.
33:24
So this evening
33:25
we're going to
33:25
just look at the concluding
33:27
part of this letter
33:28
from verse 12
33:30
and looking down
33:32
to the end
33:33
of chapter 4.
33:35
And what you find
33:36
as Paul is concluding
33:37
his letters
33:38
is so often
33:39
he mentions people
33:40
by name.
33:42
And you can learn
33:43
a lot
33:43
from these people.
33:45
We've already looked
33:45
at this letter before,
33:48
verse 7 down to 11.
33:50
We looked at it
33:51
a few months ago
33:51
and we picked out
33:53
the characters
33:54
that we see there
33:56
and just learned
33:56
a little about them
33:57
and what it means
33:59
for ourselves.
33:59
We're just going to
34:00
do the same thing
34:01
this evening,
34:01
picking out some
34:03
of the characters
34:04
we see here
34:05
and learning a little
34:06
bit about them.
34:08
There's individual
34:08
characters,
34:10
but the last one
34:11
we're looking at
34:12
is Archippus,
34:14
but also the church.
34:17
It's the wider context
34:18
of this letter
34:19
being written
34:20
about a people.
34:23
It says in verse 16,
34:24
when this letter
34:25
has been read among you,
34:27
have it also read
34:28
in the church
34:29
of the Laodiceans.
34:30
The people of God
34:32
are to hear
34:33
this letter.
34:36
And when we think
34:37
of people,
34:39
we often describe people
34:41
in different ways.
34:44
And the title
34:45
for the sermon
34:46
this evening
34:46
is Past,
34:48
Present,
34:49
and Future.
34:51
And the reason
34:52
for that is
34:52
we see
34:53
how it applies
34:54
to people
34:55
here in Paul's day
34:57
and to ourselves
34:58
today as well.
34:59
This letter
35:00
speaks
35:00
into the people's past,
35:03
into their present,
35:04
and into their future
35:05
in the same way
35:06
as it speaks
35:06
to us
35:07
of the past,
35:09
the present,
35:10
and the future.
35:12
And what kind
35:13
of people
35:13
do we find
35:15
in life?
35:15
we find people
35:17
who sometimes
35:18
live in one
35:19
of these three
35:20
categories.
35:20
You can often
35:22
find people
35:23
being described
35:23
as people
35:24
who live in the past,
35:26
harking back
35:27
to previous days.
35:30
Others,
35:31
you hear of,
35:32
they're just living
35:33
in the present.
35:34
They're living
35:35
for the moment,
35:37
just wanting
35:37
to enjoy
35:38
the here
35:39
and now.
35:40
Or others,
35:42
they're living
35:42
with,
35:43
we sometimes say,
35:43
one eye on the future,
35:45
one eye on what lies
35:47
ahead.
35:48
But the reality
35:49
is we should be
35:50
all of these.
35:53
We should never
35:53
lose sight
35:54
of our past.
35:55
We want to live
35:56
in the present,
35:57
but we always
35:57
want to have
35:58
an eye,
35:59
not just one eye,
36:00
but both eyes
36:01
on the future,
36:02
on what lies ahead.
36:04
And that's
36:05
what we find
36:06
as Paul
36:07
concludes
36:08
this letter.
36:09
There's a little
36:09
of the past,
36:10
the present,
36:11
and the future.
36:13
And let's
36:14
begin by
36:14
reflecting on
36:15
the first
36:16
character we
36:16
have here
36:17
in verse 12,
36:19
Epaphras.
36:21
We take him
36:22
and we look at him
36:23
just for a few
36:24
moments.
36:25
The mention
36:25
of Epaphras
36:26
here would
36:27
take the people
36:28
back to the
36:29
past.
36:31
Epaphras,
36:32
it says,
36:33
who is one
36:34
of you?
36:38
He has been
36:38
with them
36:39
in the past.
36:41
But the question
36:42
would be,
36:43
well,
36:44
where is he
36:44
now?
36:46
If you go back
36:47
to chapter 1,
36:48
verse 7,
36:50
verse 6 and 7,
36:52
this word
36:53
that has come
36:54
to them,
36:55
as it says,
36:56
which has come
36:57
to you as indeed
36:57
in the whole world,
36:59
it is bearing fruit
37:00
and growing,
37:01
as it also does
37:02
among you
37:03
since the day
37:04
you heard it
37:05
and understood
37:05
the grace of God
37:07
in truth,
37:08
just as you learned
37:09
it from Epaphras.
37:10
our beloved
37:12
fellow servant.
37:14
He is a faithful
37:15
minister of Christ
37:16
on your behalf.
37:19
So,
37:20
there's a beauty
37:21
in these words
37:22
as they begin
37:23
to hear of Epaphras
37:25
from the outset
37:26
and here he is again
37:27
mentioned
37:28
in the closing stages.
37:31
It would be easy
37:32
for the people
37:33
of Colossae
37:34
to think
37:34
Epaphras
37:35
has almost
37:36
bailed out on them,
37:38
that he's gone
37:39
away from them
37:40
and just forgotten
37:41
all about them,
37:43
that he's not
37:44
concerned
37:45
for them anymore,
37:46
but Paul,
37:47
as he writes
37:48
to them,
37:48
he mentions Epaphras
37:49
at the beginning
37:50
and the end.
37:51
He's one of you
37:52
and he says
37:53
he still has
37:55
this concern
37:56
for you.
37:58
And what we see
37:59
in Epaphras
38:00
is what we would
38:00
long to see
38:01
in all of ourselves
38:03
as well.
38:04
As we were reflecting
38:05
this morning
38:06
on what it means
38:07
to live
38:08
a life
38:08
pleasing to God.
38:11
Here is an example
38:12
for us.
38:13
Epaphras.
38:15
It says here
38:16
in verse 12,
38:17
Epaphras is one of you,
38:18
a servant
38:18
of Christ Jesus,
38:21
greets you,
38:21
always struggling
38:22
on your behalf
38:23
in his prayers,
38:24
that you may
38:25
stand mature
38:26
and fully assured
38:28
in all the will
38:29
of God.
38:30
For I bear him
38:31
witness
38:31
that he has
38:32
worked hard
38:33
for you
38:34
and for those
38:35
in Laodicea
38:36
and Hierapolis.
38:39
They may have
38:40
been thinking
38:40
that he has
38:41
abandoned them,
38:43
that he has
38:43
lost any thought
38:44
of them,
38:45
but it's the
38:46
complete opposite.
38:48
He's never
38:49
forgotten them
38:50
and he's always,
38:51
as it says,
38:52
struggling on your
38:53
behalf
38:54
in his prayers.
38:56
He always
38:57
has them
38:57
in his heart
38:59
and in his prayers.
39:00
He's longing
39:01
for them
39:01
to stand
39:02
mature
39:03
and fully
39:04
assured
39:04
in the will
39:05
of God,
39:06
even though
39:07
he is far
39:07
from them.
39:10
And that's
39:11
the wonder
39:11
of God's
39:12
grace
39:13
in life
39:14
as well.
39:15
The grace
39:16
that we see
39:16
in this life
39:17
of Epaphras.
39:19
He was fully
39:20
aware of the
39:21
dangers
39:21
of false
39:22
teaching
39:23
that was
39:23
present
39:24
in Colossae.
39:26
And he was
39:26
praying,
39:27
Lord,
39:28
keep them.
39:29
Lord,
39:29
look after
39:30
them.
39:31
Lord,
39:31
be near
39:32
them.
39:33
Hear my
39:33
prayers
39:34
for them.
39:35
When it
39:36
says there,
39:37
always
39:37
struggling
39:38
on your
39:39
behalf
39:40
in prayers,
39:41
it's not
39:42
meaning that
39:42
he's struggling
39:43
in the sense
39:44
of he just
39:44
can't get
39:45
his prayer
39:46
together.
39:46
He can't
39:47
find the
39:47
words for
39:48
prayer.
39:49
It's a
39:49
struggle of
39:50
a fight
39:51
in prayer.
39:53
It's a
39:53
struggle of
39:54
never letting
39:55
go
39:56
in prayer.
39:58
And it's
39:58
the kind
39:59
of struggle
39:59
that we
40:00
should have
40:01
in our
40:01
prayers
40:02
as well.
40:03
We're not
40:03
going to
40:04
let issues
40:05
go.
40:05
We're not
40:06
going to
40:06
let people
40:06
go in
40:07
our prayers
40:08
just because
40:09
we feel
40:10
our prayers
40:11
are not
40:12
being answered.
40:14
We are
40:14
going to
40:14
keep
40:15
praying.
40:16
We are
40:16
going to
40:17
keep
40:17
struggling
40:18
in our
40:19
prayers
40:19
on behalf
40:20
of them,
40:21
whether it's
40:22
family or
40:22
friends or
40:23
work colleagues
40:24
or anyone
40:25
we have
40:25
around us,
40:26
to have
40:27
a people
40:28
that we
40:29
are praying
40:30
for.
40:32
I noticed
40:32
online just
40:34
yesterday that
40:35
North Tolstair,
40:36
the congregation
40:37
there,
40:38
they're setting
40:39
a challenge
40:40
to the
40:41
congregation
40:41
for each
40:43
month.
40:44
And for
40:44
the month
40:44
of February,
40:46
it's to
40:46
think of
40:47
three people
40:48
in the
40:49
community
40:49
and to
40:50
pray for
40:51
them.
40:52
And I
40:53
think that's
40:53
a great
40:53
thing.
40:54
To think of
40:55
three people
40:56
and to
40:57
pray for
40:58
them,
40:58
for that
40:59
month,
40:59
to pray
41:00
for them.
41:01
We will
41:02
all have
41:02
people on
41:03
our minds,
41:04
family members,
41:05
people we
41:05
know well
41:06
that we
41:07
pray for
41:08
often.
41:09
But even
41:09
from time
41:10
to time,
41:11
to think
41:11
of someone
41:12
new,
41:12
someone
41:12
different,
41:14
and to
41:14
pray for
41:15
them.
41:16
This is
41:16
the example
41:17
of Epaphras.
41:19
He's one
41:20
of you,
41:20
a servant
41:21
of Christ
41:22
Jesus,
41:22
struggling
41:23
on your
41:24
behalf
41:24
in his
41:25
prayers.
41:27
He is
41:27
laboring
41:28
in prayer.
41:29
He's
41:29
intense
41:30
in prayer
41:31
and he's
41:31
intentional
41:32
in his
41:33
prayers.
41:35
But we
41:35
see to
41:36
another
41:36
side
41:37
that,
41:38
yes,
41:38
there is
41:38
prayer,
41:39
but he's
41:40
also one
41:41
who is
41:42
hard-working.
41:44
It says,
41:45
I bear
41:45
witness that
41:46
he has
41:46
worked hard
41:47
for you
41:48
and for
41:48
those in
41:49
Laodicea
41:50
and
41:51
Hierapolis.
41:51
He's
41:53
a faithful
41:54
servant
41:55
of Christ
41:56
Jesus.
41:58
In his
41:58
prayers,
41:59
struggling
41:59
and laboring
42:01
there,
42:02
but also
42:02
in his
42:03
work.
42:05
He is
42:05
laboring,
42:07
working hard
42:08
for them
42:09
and for
42:09
others
42:10
in the
42:11
kingdom
42:11
of God.
42:12
And again,
42:13
it's a
42:14
challenge for
42:15
ourselves
42:15
too.
42:16
as we
42:17
think of
42:18
a life
42:19
pleasing
42:19
to God,
42:20
what does
42:21
that
42:21
entail?
42:22
Well,
42:23
again,
42:24
it's just
42:24
a wonderful
42:25
example to
42:26
us to
42:27
be a
42:28
people of
42:28
prayer and
42:30
to be a
42:30
people of
42:31
practical,
42:32
practicing
42:32
our faith
42:34
in life,
42:35
doing
42:35
for the
42:36
Lord.
42:38
And he's
42:39
got this
42:39
heart
42:40
desire that
42:42
the people
42:42
would stand
42:43
mature and
42:45
fully assured
42:46
in the
42:47
will of
42:48
God.
42:49
And if
42:50
you're
42:50
thinking,
42:51
what do
42:52
I pray
42:52
for people?
42:54
Well,
42:54
there is a
42:55
prayer for
42:55
us,
42:56
that people
42:57
would come
42:57
to know
42:58
the Lord,
42:59
that people
43:00
would come
43:00
to stand
43:01
in the
43:02
Lord,
43:02
to become
43:03
mature in
43:04
the Lord,
43:05
to become
43:05
fully assured
43:06
in the
43:07
will of
43:08
God,
43:10
that God
43:10
would work
43:11
in their
43:12
lives and
43:13
in their
43:14
hearts.
43:14
So,
43:14
Epaphras,
43:16
he was
43:16
one they
43:17
maybe felt
43:17
had abandoned
43:19
them in
43:19
some ways,
43:20
had never
43:21
been heard
43:21
of again,
43:23
and yet
43:23
they're
43:23
reminded
43:24
here he's
43:25
never
43:25
forgotten
43:26
them.
43:27
He's
43:27
always
43:28
laboring
43:29
for them
43:30
in prayer.
43:31
He's
43:31
always
43:32
working
43:33
hard for
43:34
them.
43:34
So,
43:34
an
43:35
encouragement
43:35
and an
43:36
example
43:37
to them
43:38
at Colossae,
43:39
but also
43:40
to
43:40
ourselves
43:41
as well.
43:42
the
43:44
second
43:44
ones we
43:45
want to
43:45
look at
43:46
here.
43:47
We want
43:48
to take
43:48
Luke and
43:49
Demas,
43:51
and we
43:51
see that
43:52
in verse
43:52
14.
43:54
Luke,
43:55
the beloved
43:55
physician,
43:56
greets you,
43:57
as does
43:58
Demas.
44:00
Now,
44:01
it doesn't
44:02
seem to
44:03
say much
44:04
to us,
44:05
but
44:06
we're
44:07
reminded
44:08
here that
44:08
there's
44:08
something
44:09
in the
44:10
present,
44:10
and the
44:12
present
44:12
here with
44:13
both Luke
44:14
and Demas
44:15
is that
44:16
they are
44:16
fellow
44:17
workers
44:17
with
44:19
Paul.
44:20
So,
44:21
if you
44:21
look at
44:22
the current
44:23
situation as
44:24
Paul is
44:24
writing to
44:25
the Colossians,
44:26
if you look
44:27
at Philemon
44:28
as well,
44:29
you find
44:29
them mentioned
44:30
there,
44:31
Demas and
44:32
Luke as
44:32
well,
44:33
fellow
44:33
workers
44:34
with
44:35
Paul,
44:35
and it
44:36
all looks
44:37
good.
44:38
It all
44:38
looks
44:39
positive.
44:40
And again,
44:41
just looking
44:42
back to
44:42
this morning,
44:43
as we
44:43
were thinking
44:43
of Paul
44:45
writing to
44:45
the Thessalonians,
44:46
he was so
44:47
encouraged by
44:48
the report
44:48
that Timothy
44:49
brought back
44:50
from Thessalonica
44:51
about what
44:52
was happening
44:53
there,
44:53
that they were
44:53
standing firm
44:55
in the faith.
44:56
They were
44:56
encouraged to
44:57
hear that.
44:58
And initially,
44:59
there's encouragement
45:00
here for us.
45:01
Luke and
45:02
the beloved
45:03
physician greets
45:04
you,
45:04
as does
45:05
Demas.
45:05
So,
45:06
they're there
45:07
with Paul.
45:07
They're there
45:07
working
45:09
for them.
45:10
That's the
45:12
present.
45:14
But then you
45:15
start looking
45:16
into Luke
45:17
and Demas
45:18
in the future.
45:20
What you find
45:22
with Luke
45:22
is encouraging.
45:24
He stands
45:25
firm in the
45:26
Lord.
45:26
We have the
45:27
gospel of Luke.
45:28
We have the
45:29
book of Acts,
45:31
all written
45:31
by Luke,
45:33
the physician.
45:34
We have an
45:35
insight into
45:36
his life,
45:36
how he
45:37
walked
45:38
closely
45:38
with the
45:40
Lord,
45:41
how he
45:42
was living
45:43
a life
45:43
pleasing to
45:44
the Lord,
45:45
and the
45:45
Lord was
45:45
working in
45:46
him.
45:48
But as we
45:48
were thinking
45:49
of this
45:49
morning,
45:50
the reason
45:50
that Paul
45:51
was writing
45:51
to the
45:52
Thessalonians
45:52
was that
45:53
their pathway
45:54
would continue
45:55
in that
45:56
direction,
45:57
that their
45:57
pathway would
45:58
be one
45:58
that's living
45:59
close to
46:00
the Lord
46:01
all the
46:01
time,
46:01
and growing
46:02
in their
46:03
knowledge and
46:03
understanding
46:04
of God,
46:05
and their
46:05
sanctification,
46:06
as we were
46:07
thinking about
46:07
God working
46:08
in them.
46:10
And he
46:11
was writing
46:11
that to
46:12
these churches,
46:13
whether it's
46:13
Thessalonica
46:14
or Colossae,
46:15
knowing there's
46:17
always the
46:17
temptation of
46:19
drifting away.
46:21
And that's
46:22
what you find
46:23
with Demas.
46:25
Because when
46:26
you read of
46:27
Demas in
46:27
2 Timothy
46:28
chapter 4
46:30
and verse
46:31
10,
46:32
listen to what
46:33
it says of
46:34
him.
46:34
for Demas,
46:36
because he
46:37
loved this
46:38
world,
46:39
has deserted
46:40
me and
46:41
has gone
46:41
to Thessalonica.
46:44
Because he
46:45
loved this
46:47
world,
46:48
has deserted
46:49
me.
46:51
He had
46:51
left
46:52
Paul.
46:54
He had
46:54
gone away
46:55
from Paul
46:56
and from
46:57
God.
46:58
And that
46:59
stands there
47:00
as a reminder
47:01
to us of
47:02
the need
47:03
to always
47:04
seek to
47:04
walk
47:05
closely
47:05
with God.
47:08
In that
47:08
section
47:09
in
47:09
2 Timothy,
47:13
it says,
47:14
Luke is
47:15
with me.
47:16
And you
47:17
see there
47:18
the difference.
47:19
Demas,
47:20
because he
47:20
loved the
47:20
world,
47:21
has gone
47:21
away.
47:23
Luke is
47:24
with me.
47:27
And there's
47:28
the challenge
47:28
for us.
47:30
You know,
47:30
what are we
47:31
doing for
47:32
the Lord?
47:34
Are we
47:35
standing firm
47:36
in our
47:37
faith?
47:38
That's great
47:39
when we are
47:40
in the
47:40
present,
47:41
but always
47:42
be on your
47:43
guard for
47:43
the future.
47:45
Never take
47:45
your eyes
47:46
of the
47:47
Lord.
47:49
That's the
47:49
warning that
47:50
comes through
47:51
loud and
47:51
clear here.
47:52
Luke,
47:53
yes,
47:53
he's with
47:54
Paul.
47:55
He's standing
47:56
firm.
47:56
And Demas is
47:57
here at this
47:58
moment,
47:59
but Demas,
48:00
because he
48:00
loved the
48:02
world,
48:03
deserted him.
48:05
And I'm
48:05
sure we all
48:06
know people
48:07
who have
48:08
seemed to
48:08
be walking
48:09
close with
48:10
God.
48:12
They've been
48:12
with us
48:13
perhaps over
48:14
the years,
48:15
and we know
48:16
that they're
48:17
not there
48:17
now.
48:19
And why
48:20
is that?
48:21
So often
48:22
it's just
48:22
because of
48:23
what happened
48:24
to Demas,
48:25
because he
48:26
loved the
48:27
world.
48:28
we allow
48:30
the Lord
48:31
to lose
48:32
focus in
48:33
our lives
48:33
and in
48:34
our hearts.
48:35
We allow
48:35
things to
48:36
come in
48:37
that take
48:37
us away
48:38
from that.
48:38
Little by
48:39
little,
48:41
as we
48:41
stop living
48:42
a life
48:43
pleasing to
48:44
God,
48:45
then we
48:46
find ourselves
48:47
just drifting
48:48
away.
48:50
Drifting
48:50
away little
48:52
by little.
48:55
But we
48:55
should never
48:56
stop praying
48:57
for those
48:58
who find
48:58
themselves in
48:59
that situation.
49:00
And we
49:01
should never
49:01
stop praying
49:02
for ourselves
49:03
that we
49:03
will be
49:04
kept from
49:05
drifting away
49:06
as well.
49:08
Whatever we
49:08
do, we
49:09
are to do
49:10
as to
49:11
the Lord.
49:12
That's what
49:13
Paul teaches
49:14
so often
49:15
throughout this
49:16
letter.
49:17
To do as
49:18
unto the
49:19
Lord.
49:20
To do all
49:20
for Him.
49:21
because the
49:23
moment we
49:23
start doing
49:24
it for
49:24
self,
49:25
that's when
49:26
the world
49:27
starts to
49:27
come in
49:28
and the
49:28
love of
49:29
this world
49:29
and the
49:29
praise of
49:31
people in
49:31
this world
49:32
becomes more
49:33
important than
49:34
walking closely
49:35
with God.
49:37
Luke,
49:38
the beloved
49:39
physician,
49:40
greets you
49:40
it sees.
49:41
The one
49:41
who remained
49:42
faithful to
49:43
God,
49:44
who served
49:44
God with
49:45
all his
49:46
heart.
49:47
And then you
49:47
have the
49:48
comparison
49:48
of Demas,
49:51
the one
49:51
who loved
49:52
the world
49:52
and deserted,
49:55
who turned
49:55
away.
49:57
So there's
49:58
these warnings,
49:59
these contrasts
50:00
for us of
50:01
a life pleasing
50:02
to God on
50:03
one hand,
50:04
but a life
50:05
of turning
50:06
away from
50:06
God on
50:08
the other.
50:10
There's a
50:10
past,
50:11
there's a
50:11
present,
50:12
there's a
50:13
future in
50:14
all of these
50:15
lives.
50:15
Luke and
50:16
Demas and
50:17
ourselves.
50:19
It's not
50:19
just about
50:19
looking back
50:20
and saying
50:21
that's when
50:21
I was
50:22
converted.
50:23
It's not
50:23
just about
50:24
looking to
50:25
the present
50:25
and saying
50:26
I'm standing
50:26
firm now,
50:27
but it's
50:28
looking to
50:28
the future
50:29
as well
50:30
and pleading
50:30
with God,
50:31
Lord keep
50:31
me.
50:32
Keep me
50:33
on your
50:33
right path.
50:34
Keep me
50:35
close to
50:36
you.
50:39
The final
50:39
thing I want
50:40
us to see
50:41
here is
50:42
when we
50:42
look at
50:43
Archippus
50:44
and the
50:46
church.
50:47
And what
50:48
do we
50:48
learn from
50:50
them?
50:51
Well, when
50:52
you look at
50:52
what it
50:53
says about
50:54
Archippus
50:54
here, it
50:55
doesn't say
50:55
much again.
50:57
Say to
50:57
Archippus,
50:58
see that
50:59
you fulfill
51:00
the ministry
51:00
that you
51:01
have received
51:02
in the
51:03
Lord.
51:05
In many
51:06
ways, it's
51:06
maybe a
51:07
little like
51:08
both Luke
51:08
and Demas.
51:11
Luke went
51:12
on to
51:12
fulfill the
51:13
ministry that
51:14
he was
51:14
given.
51:15
Demas
51:16
deserted.
51:17
And here's
51:18
a reminder
51:19
to Archippus
51:20
too.
51:20
See that
51:21
you fulfill
51:22
the ministry
51:22
that you
51:23
have received
51:24
in the
51:25
Lord.
51:26
And then
51:27
when it
51:27
speaks about
51:28
the church
51:29
as well,
51:31
and what
51:31
does it
51:31
say to
51:32
us?
51:34
Well,
51:35
Paul is
51:35
writing here
51:36
to his
51:37
beloved
51:38
and to
51:39
the Lord's
51:40
beloved.
51:41
As it
51:41
says at
51:41
the start
51:42
of chapter
51:43
1,
51:44
verse 2,
51:44
to the
51:45
saints and
51:45
faithful
51:46
brothers in
51:47
Christ at
51:48
Colossae.
51:49
He's
51:49
writing to
51:50
the church,
51:52
to the
51:52
people of
51:54
God.
51:55
And what
51:56
he's saying
51:56
to them
51:57
is kind
51:58
of marrying
51:58
the two
51:59
things together
52:00
that we've
52:00
looked at
52:01
already.
52:02
The place
52:02
of prayer
52:03
and the
52:05
place of
52:05
working
52:06
for the
52:07
Lord.
52:08
Epaphras
52:09
was one
52:09
struggling on
52:11
your behalf
52:11
in prayers
52:12
but working
52:13
hard.
52:15
Luke was
52:16
one who
52:17
worked hard
52:18
and kept
52:18
on praying
52:19
and demons
52:19
deserted.
52:20
Archippus is
52:21
reminded too,
52:23
see that you
52:23
fulfill the
52:24
ministry that
52:24
you have
52:25
received in
52:25
the Lord.
52:26
It's showing
52:27
the different
52:27
aspects of
52:29
what church
52:30
looks like.
52:32
A praying
52:32
people and
52:34
a practical
52:35
people.
52:36
People who
52:37
are fulfilling
52:37
the ministry
52:39
of the Lord
52:39
that has been
52:40
given to
52:41
us.
52:44
And when
52:44
you think
52:45
about it,
52:45
when you
52:45
look at
52:46
the past
52:47
of the
52:47
church in
52:48
Colossae,
52:49
what was
52:50
it?
52:51
As we
52:52
read through
52:52
this letter
52:53
we see
52:54
the wonder
52:55
of the
52:55
gospel that's
52:56
changed this
52:57
city,
52:57
changed this
52:58
place.
52:58
The power
52:59
of the
52:59
gospel has
53:01
come to
53:01
them and
53:02
has transformed
53:03
the place.
53:05
There's still
53:06
challenges,
53:06
there's still
53:07
false teaching
53:08
coming in,
53:09
but the
53:09
church of
53:10
God has
53:10
flourished
53:11
here.
53:12
But it
53:13
was not
53:13
always that
53:14
kind of
53:15
place.
53:16
It was a
53:17
place of
53:17
paganism,
53:19
false gods,
53:20
many gods,
53:21
false teaching
53:22
was there
53:23
in abundance,
53:25
and it had
53:26
been transformed
53:26
by the
53:28
gospel.
53:29
It had a
53:30
past that
53:31
was ungodly,
53:33
it has a
53:33
present that
53:34
was very much
53:35
God in their
53:36
midst, but
53:37
what would it
53:37
hold for their
53:38
future?
53:41
Well, that's
53:41
what he was
53:42
writing to,
53:42
to encourage
53:43
them to
53:44
remain faithful
53:45
in prayer and
53:46
the ministry
53:47
that the
53:48
Lord had
53:49
given to
53:49
them.
53:51
And when
53:51
we look at
53:52
ourselves here
53:53
in our own
53:54
islands, what
53:56
do we see
53:56
when we look
53:57
to the
53:57
past?
53:58
So often
53:59
our past
54:00
can look
54:00
back to
54:01
days when
54:02
churches were
54:03
flourishing and
54:04
abounding,
54:04
times of
54:06
revival and
54:06
great blessing
54:07
in our
54:08
islands.
54:10
But you
54:10
don't have
54:11
to go too
54:12
much further
54:13
back to
54:13
realize that
54:14
there was a
54:15
time when
54:15
the church
54:16
here was
54:16
almost
54:16
non-existent,
54:19
when paganism
54:20
and all these
54:20
kinds of
54:21
things were
54:21
in our
54:22
islands.
54:23
And the
54:24
church came
54:24
into the
54:25
midst of
54:25
that and
54:26
transformed,
54:28
transformed
54:28
people,
54:29
transformed
54:29
communities,
54:31
transformed so
54:31
many lives.
54:33
And we're
54:34
thankful for
54:35
the gospel
54:35
that came
54:36
to our
54:37
islands.
54:38
But what
54:39
of the
54:40
future for
54:41
ourselves?
54:43
What of
54:43
the future
54:44
for our
54:45
church here?
54:47
Well, we
54:47
stand in
54:48
historic
54:49
times in
54:50
many ways.
54:51
We always
54:51
stand in
54:53
historic
54:53
times.
54:55
But this
54:55
is a time
54:56
that God
54:57
has given
54:58
to us as
54:59
a people.
55:01
And just
55:02
as Paul
55:02
was writing
55:03
to the
55:03
church at
55:04
Colossae,
55:04
to encourage
55:05
them to
55:06
be strong
55:07
in the
55:08
Lord,
55:08
to have
55:08
courage,
55:09
to be
55:10
prayerful,
55:11
and to be
55:11
fulfilling the
55:12
ministry that
55:13
the Lord has
55:13
given to
55:14
them.
55:15
And so
55:15
it is saying
55:16
the same
55:17
to us.
55:19
We have a
55:19
ministry
55:20
from God.
55:22
We have a
55:22
commission
55:23
from God
55:24
in His
55:24
Word.
55:25
We have
55:25
instruction
55:25
from God
55:27
in His
55:27
Word.
55:28
Are we
55:29
fulfilling
55:29
that ministry
55:31
in our
55:31
personal lives?
55:32
Are we
55:32
listening to
55:33
the gospel?
55:34
Are we
55:35
heeding
55:35
the Word
55:36
of God
55:36
to us
55:37
to repent
55:39
and to
55:40
believe?
55:42
And then
55:43
are we
55:43
heeding
55:44
the Word
55:44
of God
55:45
to be
55:46
struggling
55:47
in prayer,
55:48
to be
55:49
praying for
55:50
our people,
55:51
to be
55:51
praying for
55:52
our communities,
55:53
and to
55:53
be,
55:54
do we
55:54
live a
55:55
life
55:55
working
55:57
hard as
55:58
servants
55:59
for the
56:00
Lord,
56:00
fulfilling
56:01
the
56:01
ministry
56:02
that God
56:03
has given
56:04
to us?
56:06
We need
56:07
both.
56:09
We have
56:11
seen only
56:11
prayer can
56:13
change,
56:14
and we say
56:15
that so
56:16
often.
56:17
But in both
56:18
Epaphras and
56:20
Archippus and
56:21
Luke too,
56:22
we have the
56:23
challenge to
56:24
be prayerful,
56:26
but to
56:27
be serving
56:28
the Lord
56:28
with all
56:29
our heart
56:30
as well.
56:32
A life
56:32
pleasing
56:33
to God
56:34
is both.
56:37
And this
56:37
is where I
56:37
want to
56:38
leave you
56:38
with your
56:39
last bit
56:40
of homework.
56:41
And it's
56:42
something to
56:43
think about.
56:45
And I
56:45
want to
56:45
read to
56:46
you a
56:46
little from
56:46
something that
56:47
Charles Studd
56:48
wrote.
56:50
Charles Studd
56:51
was a
56:51
missionary
56:52
to China,
56:53
and he's
56:55
possibly most
56:57
famous for
56:58
something that
56:59
he wrote,
56:59
a quote that
57:00
we maybe often
57:01
hear, where
57:02
he said,
57:03
only one life
57:04
will soon be
57:05
passed, only
57:06
what's done
57:07
for Christ
57:08
will last.
57:10
I'm sure
57:11
many of you
57:11
will have
57:12
heard that
57:13
quote.
57:14
But I want
57:15
to leave you
57:15
with something
57:16
else that he
57:17
wrote.
57:18
It's a little
57:18
longer than
57:19
that, but I
57:19
want to share
57:20
it with you.
57:22
He said,
57:23
too long
57:23
have we
57:24
been waiting
57:24
for one
57:25
another to
57:26
begin.
57:27
The time
57:28
of waiting
57:28
is past.
57:30
The hour
57:31
of God
57:32
has struck.
57:33
War
57:34
is declared.
57:36
In God's
57:36
holy name
57:37
let us
57:38
arise
57:39
and build.
57:41
The God
57:41
of heaven,
57:43
he will
57:43
fight for
57:44
us,
57:44
as we
57:45
for him.
57:47
We will
57:47
not build
57:48
on the
57:49
sand,
57:50
but on
57:51
the bedrock
57:52
of the
57:52
sayings
57:53
of Christ
57:54
and the
57:55
gates
57:55
and
57:56
minions
57:56
of hell
57:57
shall
57:57
not
57:57
prevail
57:58
against
57:58
us.
57:59
Should
58:00
such
58:01
men
58:01
as we
58:01
fear,
58:03
before the
58:03
world,
58:04
I,
58:05
before the
58:06
sleepy,
58:06
lukewarm,
58:07
faithless,
58:08
namby-pamby
58:09
Christian
58:09
world,
58:10
we will
58:11
dare to
58:11
trust our
58:12
God.
58:13
We will
58:14
venture our
58:14
all for
58:15
him.
58:16
We will
58:16
live and
58:17
we will
58:17
die for
58:18
him.
58:18
And we
58:19
will do
58:20
it with
58:20
his joy
58:21
unspeakable,
58:22
singing
58:23
aloud in
58:23
our hearts.
58:25
We will
58:25
a thousand
58:26
times sooner
58:27
die trusting
58:28
only our
58:29
God than
58:30
live trusting
58:31
in man.
58:33
And when
58:33
we come to
58:34
this position,
58:35
the battle
58:36
is already
58:36
won,
58:37
and the
58:37
end of
58:38
the glorious
58:38
campaign in
58:39
sight.
58:40
We will
58:41
have the
58:41
real holiness
58:42
of God,
58:43
not the
58:44
sticky stuff
58:45
of talk
58:45
and dainty
58:46
words and
58:47
pretty thoughts,
58:48
we will
58:49
have a
58:49
masculine
58:49
holiness,
58:51
one of
58:51
daring
58:52
faith and
58:53
works for
58:54
Jesus
58:55
Christ.
58:56
It's a
58:57
real challenge
58:57
in these
58:59
words to
59:00
us.
59:01
And that
59:01
is what
59:01
his longing
59:02
was.
59:02
He saw
59:03
the time
59:04
of conflict
59:05
and war
59:05
that they
59:06
were in
59:06
as Christians.
59:07
And he
59:08
was challenging
59:09
the church
59:10
to arise.
59:12
But this
59:13
is a challenge
59:14
and something
59:14
really to
59:15
think about
59:15
as he
59:16
went on
59:16
to say
59:17
this.
59:18
We
59:19
Christians
59:20
too often
59:21
substitute
59:21
prayer for
59:23
playing the
59:24
game.
59:25
Prayer is
59:26
good, but
59:27
when used
59:28
as a
59:28
substitute
59:29
for
59:29
obedience,
59:30
it is
59:31
nothing but
59:32
blatant
59:32
hypocrisy
59:33
and despicable
59:35
pharisaism.
59:37
To your
59:37
knees,
59:38
man, and
59:39
to your
59:39
Bible,
59:41
decide at
59:41
once,
59:42
don't hedge,
59:43
time flies,
59:45
cease your
59:45
insults to
59:46
God, quit
59:47
consulting the
59:48
flesh and
59:49
blood, stop
59:50
your lame,
59:51
lying, and
59:51
cowardly
59:52
excuses,
59:54
enlist.
59:57
When I
59:58
read the
59:58
first part
59:59
of that,
59:59
I thought,
1:00:00
wait, there's
1:00:01
a challenge
1:00:01
there.
1:00:03
We
1:00:03
Christians
1:00:03
too often
1:00:04
substitute
1:00:05
prayer for
1:00:06
playing the
1:00:07
game.
1:00:08
Prayer is
1:00:08
good, but
1:00:09
when used
1:00:10
as a
1:00:10
substitute
1:00:11
for
1:00:11
obedience,
1:00:11
it is
1:00:13
nothing but
1:00:13
a blatant
1:00:14
hypocrisy.
1:00:17
Is he
1:00:17
right?
1:00:20
Something to
1:00:21
go away and
1:00:22
think about.
1:00:24
But the
1:00:24
challenge is
1:00:25
certainly there
1:00:26
for us.
1:00:27
We are in
1:00:28
warfare.
1:00:30
We are in
1:00:31
conflict.
1:00:33
Yes, it's
1:00:34
a time to
1:00:35
pray.
1:00:36
It always
1:00:37
is.
1:00:39
But we
1:00:40
need
1:00:40
obedience.
1:00:41
obedience to
1:00:44
the will
1:00:44
of God,
1:00:45
to the
1:00:45
ministry
1:00:46
that we
1:00:47
have received
1:00:47
from the
1:00:48
Lord.
1:00:50
And he
1:00:50
leaves us
1:00:50
with that
1:00:51
challenge.
1:00:53
Enlist.
1:00:55
Enlist.
1:00:57
Be
1:00:58
among the
1:00:59
people of
1:01:00
God.
1:01:01
Be in the
1:01:02
army of
1:01:03
God.
1:01:03
Be in
1:01:04
this
1:01:04
conflict
1:01:05
that we
1:01:06
are in.
1:01:07
And that
1:01:08
was a
1:01:08
challenge
1:01:08
to the
1:01:09
Colossians.
1:01:11
To stand
1:01:12
firm in
1:01:13
the conflict
1:01:14
that they
1:01:15
were in.
1:01:16
We see it
1:01:16
so powerfully
1:01:17
at the
1:01:17
end of
1:01:18
Philippians
1:01:18
when it's
1:01:19
talking about
1:01:19
putting on
1:01:20
the armour
1:01:21
of God
1:01:21
and to
1:01:22
stand
1:01:22
firm.
1:01:23
That is
1:01:23
the same
1:01:24
context as
1:01:25
runs through
1:01:25
so many
1:01:26
of the
1:01:26
letters.
1:01:28
To stand
1:01:28
in the
1:01:29
Lord.
1:01:30
To enlist.
1:01:32
To pray.
1:01:34
And to be
1:01:34
obedient.
1:01:37
They shall
1:01:37
pass for
1:01:38
us all.
1:01:39
as there
1:01:40
always is
1:01:40
as you
1:01:41
reflect on
1:01:42
the past
1:01:42
even of
1:01:43
Colossae
1:01:43
we reflect
1:01:44
on our
1:01:44
own past.
1:01:46
A time
1:01:46
when God's
1:01:48
word was
1:01:48
not even
1:01:49
here.
1:01:50
We have a
1:01:51
past where
1:01:52
we've seen
1:01:52
God's
1:01:53
blessing.
1:01:55
We have a
1:01:55
present when
1:01:57
we're seeing
1:01:57
where we are
1:01:58
now.
1:01:59
We long
1:02:00
for the
1:02:00
hand of
1:02:01
God upon
1:02:02
us and
1:02:03
his blessing
1:02:03
and favour
1:02:04
towards us
1:02:06
as a
1:02:06
people.
1:02:07
But what
1:02:08
will we
1:02:11
stand on
1:02:12
the side
1:02:12
of God?
1:02:14
Will we
1:02:14
enlist in
1:02:16
his army?
1:02:17
Will we
1:02:18
struggle in
1:02:19
prayer?
1:02:21
Will we
1:02:21
work hard
1:02:22
in obedience
1:02:23
to him
1:02:24
to fulfil
1:02:25
the ministry
1:02:28
that the
1:02:28
Lord has
1:02:29
given to
1:02:30
every one
1:02:31
of us?
1:02:32
To love
1:02:32
the Lord
1:02:33
and to
1:02:34
work for
1:02:35
him as
1:02:37
he works.
1:02:38
in us.
1:02:39
Let us
1:02:40
pray.
1:02:43
Our
1:02:44
gracious
1:02:44
Father in
1:02:45
heaven,
1:02:45
we thank
1:02:46
you for
1:02:46
so many
1:02:47
ways that
1:02:47
you have
1:02:48
been so
1:02:48
faithful to
1:02:49
us and
1:02:50
the way
1:02:51
that you
1:02:51
bless us
1:02:52
with your
1:02:52
word,
1:02:53
the way
1:02:54
your word
1:02:54
challenges
1:02:55
us and
1:02:55
yet reminds
1:02:56
us of
1:02:56
the many
1:02:57
encouragements
1:02:58
that we
1:02:58
have.
1:02:59
We pray,
1:03:00
Lord,
1:03:00
that you
1:03:01
will make
1:03:01
us a
1:03:02
faithful
1:03:02
people,
1:03:04
even like
1:03:04
Epaphras,
1:03:05
one who
1:03:05
struggled in
1:03:07
prayer for
1:03:07
our people
1:03:08
he loved,
1:03:09
that we
1:03:09
would be
1:03:09
so,
1:03:10
that we
1:03:11
would labour
1:03:11
in our
1:03:12
own prayers
1:03:12
for those
1:03:13
we love
1:03:13
and those
1:03:14
all around
1:03:15
us,
1:03:16
but too
1:03:16
that we
1:03:17
would be
1:03:17
a people
1:03:17
who work
1:03:18
hard,
1:03:20
who work
1:03:20
hard for
1:03:21
the cause
1:03:21
of Christ,
1:03:22
depending on
1:03:23
your strength
1:03:24
and blessing
1:03:24
for us,
1:03:26
but also
1:03:26
looking to
1:03:28
you and
1:03:29
seeking to
1:03:29
honour you
1:03:30
in fulfilling
1:03:31
the ministry
1:03:32
that you have
1:03:32
given to
1:03:33
each and
1:03:34
every one
1:03:34
of us.
1:03:35
So hear
1:03:35
our prayers
1:03:36
and guide
1:03:36
us in
1:03:37
our thoughts
1:03:38
and in
1:03:39
our
1:03:39
continued
1:03:39
prayers.
1:03:40
We ask
1:03:41
it all
1:03:41
in Jesus'
1:03:42
name.
1:03:43
Amen.
1:03:50
We'll
1:03:50
conclude by
1:03:51
singing to
1:03:52
God's
1:03:52
praise on
1:03:54
Psalm 36,
1:03:56
page 251.
1:04:01
Psalm 36
1:04:02
6 on
1:04:03
page 251.
1:04:05
We'll
1:04:05
sing from
1:04:05
verse 5
1:04:06
to verse 9.
1:04:08
Thy mercy,
1:04:08
Lord, is in
1:04:09
the heavens.
1:04:10
Thy truth
1:04:10
doth reach
1:04:11
the clouds.
1:04:12
Thy justice
1:04:12
is like
1:04:13
mountains
1:04:14
great.
1:04:15
Thy
1:04:15
judgments
1:04:15
deep as
1:04:16
floods.
1:04:17
We'll
1:04:17
sing from
1:04:18
verse 5
1:04:18
to verse 9
1:04:20
to God's
1:04:20
praise.
1:04:21
verse 10.
1:04:22
Amen.
1:04:23
Amen.
1:04:24
Amen.
1:04:25
Amen.
1:04:26
Thy mercy,
1:04:28
Lord, is in
1:04:31
the heavens.
1:04:33
Thy truth
1:04:35
doth reach
1:04:37
the clouds.
1:04:40
Thy justice
1:04:43
is like
1:04:45
mountains
1:04:47
great.
1:04:48
thy judgments
1:04:51
deep as
1:04:54
floods.
1:04:55
Lord,
1:04:57
thou
1:04:58
preservest
1:05:01
man
1:05:02
and
1:05:03
peace.
1:05:05
How precious
1:05:07
is
1:05:08
thy grace.
1:05:12
Therefore,
1:05:13
in shadow
1:05:16
of thy
1:05:19
wings,
1:05:20
men's
1:05:21
sons their
1:05:23
thrust
1:05:24
shall
1:05:25
place,
1:05:27
they
1:05:28
with
1:05:30
the
1:05:31
fatness
1:05:32
of
1:05:34
thy
1:05:35
house
1:05:35
shall
1:05:37
be
1:05:38
well
1:05:39
satisfied.
1:05:40
from
1:05:43
rivers
1:05:45
of
1:05:47
thy
1:05:48
pleasures
1:05:49
thou
1:05:51
wilt
1:05:52
drink
1:05:53
to
1:05:53
them
1:05:55
provide.
1:05:59
Because
1:06:00
of
1:06:02
life
1:06:03
the
1:06:03
fountain
1:06:05
here
1:06:07
remains
1:06:08
alone
1:06:10
with
1:06:12
thee.
1:06:14
And
1:06:15
in
1:06:16
that
1:06:17
purest
1:06:19
light
1:06:20
of
1:06:21
life
1:06:22
we
1:06:23
clearly
1:06:24
life
1:06:26
shall
1:06:27
see.
1:06:28
after
1:06:31
the
1:06:31
benediction
1:06:31
I'll
1:06:32
go to
1:06:32
the
1:06:32
door
1:06:32
to
1:06:33
my
1:06:33
right.
1:06:33
We'll
1:06:33
close
1:06:34
with
1:06:34
the
1:06:35
benediction.
1:06:36
Now
1:06:36
may
1:06:36
grace,
1:06:37
mercy,
1:06:37
and
1:06:37
peace
1:06:38
from
1:06:38
God,
1:06:39
Father,
1:06:39
Son,
1:06:40
and
1:06:40
Holy
1:06:40
Spirit
1:06:41
rest
1:06:42
upon
1:06:42
and
1:06:42
abide
1:06:43
with
1:06:43
you
1:06:43
all
1:06:44
now
1:06:44
and
1:06:44
forever
1:06:45
more.
1:06:46
Amen.
1:06:58
God
1:07:02
life
1:07:03
him.
1:07:05
For
1:07:07
그렇
1:07:07
me
1:07:07
him.
1:07:09
Thank you.