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Looking For a Way · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Can I give you all a very warm welcome to our service today as we come together to worship
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God.
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Just a few of the notices to highlight before we go on.
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You'll have it on your notice sheet there.
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I just remember there's tea and coffee in the hall afterwards.
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You're very welcome to join together there through in the hall.
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The service is next Lord's Day.
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Remember there'll be no Gaelic service in the morning due to the baptism service in
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the church.
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And the morning service will be taken by the Reverend James McKeever and the English
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service here in the church.
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I will be taking that myself.
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So thank you from the Stornoway Christian Bookshop for all the support from local churches at
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this time and indeed throughout the year.
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We thank them for that and thank them for all the work they do there in the bookshop.
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There's a number of notices about upcoming events as well.
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I'll not go through them in detail, but you can see that there's volunteers required for
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different things if you're willing to help with the hall during this coming week.
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Thursday, Friday, there's the Goddess Good Africa.
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Lunch is there.
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There's this free breakfast on the Sunday morning, next Sunday morning at 8.30.
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Again, if you're able to help with that, then you can get in touch.
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And also with help with the visiting cruise ships coming into the town.
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Volunteers are needed there to greet visitors to the church during that time.
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So just read through the notices in your own time and see if you're able to help with any
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of these events.
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Well, we come to worship God today and we're going to begin by singing to his praise in Psalm
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130.
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In the Scottish Psalter, Psalm 130, page 421.
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We're going to sing the whole of this psalm.
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Lord, from the depths to thee I cried, my voice, Lord, do thou hear.
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And to my supplications voice give an attentive ear.
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We'll sing the whole of this psalm to God's praise.
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Lord, from the depths to thee I cried, my voice, Lord, do thou hear.
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Unto my supplications voice give an attentive ear.
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Lord, who shall stand if thou, O Lord, choose mark iniquity.
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But yet with thee, forgiveness is that fear thou mayest be.
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I wait for God, my soul doth wait.
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My hope is in his word.
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More than may not.
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More than may not.
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More morning watch.
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My soul doth wait for the Lord.
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I say, Lord, may not.
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May not to watch.
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The morning light to see.
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Let Israel hope in the Lord.
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Lord, with him mercy speak.
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And plentious preemption is ever found within.
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And from all his iniquities he Israel shall redeem.
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Amen.
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We'll come to God now in prayer.
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Let us pray.
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Our gracious Father in heaven, we rejoice to be able to approach your throne
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and to come in worship before you as a holy God, a just and a loving God,
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a God with whom there is much redemption as we have sung about for we recognize our unworthiness
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to stand before you and the psalmist says who can stand before you if you were to mark your
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iniquities against us but yet there is forgiveness with you and so we thank you that we can come in
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and through the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the one who came for sinners the one who
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came to lay down his life the one who gave his life as a ransom for many and we rejoice to be able to
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praise to worship to sing your praise to lift up our voices rejoicing in the promise that as we come
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to worship that you are in the midst to bless and may you fill our hearts with a sense of thankfulness
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today thankful for the freedoms we enjoy thankful for the many privileges and blessings that are ours
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but above all may you make us thankful for the salvation that is to be found in Christ Jesus
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and so we pray for your people here today those who who trust in you with all their hearts that you
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will strengthen that you will lead us in our faith that you will help us to walk closely with you
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we pray for those who are maybe as yet strangers to you in that way they long for you in all their
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hearts they are seeking for you but may be struggling in different ways with assurance with confidence
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in you with an unworthiness in and of themselves but we thank you that your spirit works in our hearts
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to remind us that salvation is not of ourselves but in the one who is the way the truth and the life
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and so may you help any here who are struggling in that way to fix their eyes on Jesus and you
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and to find in him the one who is able to help in all our needs and others may be lord who
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just have no interest in you at times lord we know that not just here but throughout our land
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throughout our nation and throughout our world today there are so many who are blind to your goodness
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who are indeed strangers to grace and we pray for the power of your spirit the power of your word
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to convict and convert and to bring people to salvation to bring people to repentance and to a
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knowledge of their need of Christ so we pray for the blessing of your spirit on your word proclaimed
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far and wide that you will be in the midst of all who gather in your name that you will gather a
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people to yourself and for yourself we thank you for the assurance in your word that you are building
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your church we thank you that we take heart in that that even in days when there seems to be
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little progress to that end in our eyes we thank you that you are working out your purposes and providence
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to your end and for your good we know that in the difficulties in life we learn so much
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and even more than in the good times we know that in the struggles we realize our full dependence upon
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you for when the way is easy we find that we put our own we put trust in and of ourselves for all
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things but help us lord that we would recognize our dependence upon you more and more we recognize
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the days we live in are so difficult for many we recognize oh lord the financial pressures on people
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just now with increasing costs of living in so many different parts and so many different ways
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and we pray lord for your church to have a burden a real burden for people around us to look out for
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our neighbors to love our neighbors as ourselves and we thank you for every endeavor to to minister to
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and to reach out to those who are around us we thank you for all the activities of the congregation
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here and even in this coming week we pray your blessing on all that will be done in your name
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we thank you for the work with our young people for the the twinnies and the creche as they meet today
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you bless all who help there and the children together as they gather for it lord we we pray that
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you look after them and show your blessings upon them remember all our young people throughout these
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holidays just now we particularly remember those who are at camp or going to camp in these coming weeks
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we pray that'll be a real blessing upon our young people during these weeks ahead remember the leaders
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and all who organize and help to run the camps as well we pray for strength and help to each one of them
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may your spirit be with them we thank you for the the church being open in these coming days ahead
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with the festival taking place an opportunity to to open our doors here for visitors to come in and to
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to see the church to to meet with people we pray that will be a real sense of your your presence in that to
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watch over all our people and our communities in these days ahead lord in the midst of all that goes on may
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people be reminded of the the great hope that is found in jesus christ alone may we come to sing praises
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and praise his name remember the preaching of your word we thank you for the ministry of your word today
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and also as we look forward god willing to it next week with baptisms to take place we pray for your
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blessing on on the children to be baptized and their parents and families as well we thank you for all our
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young people and pray your covenant blessing on each and every one of them we thank you too for the
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the marriage that took place here on friday we pray for madhia and john ross asking your blessing on them
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as a couple that we pray for them lord that you will bless them and look after them day by day and
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remember their families too may you be near to them all so lord we pray your blessing on us today and
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throughout the day and may we know your mercy and your peace upon us so we ask you'll go before us
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and pardon us all our sin as we ask it all in jesus precious name and for his sake amen
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well we're going to just share a word with the young people just now it's lovely to see you here today
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to hear you it's great to always to hear young voices in our midst and i know it's your holiday
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time but it's so good that you're still coming to church during the holidays it's so important that
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we don't see a holiday as a time to take a holiday from church because it's great to come together and to
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hear the word of god i want to tell you something that that happened to me this week and perhaps you
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were aware of this happening as well many of you maybe heard a noise a loud noise on thursday on
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thursday morning i was sitting in the study about 10 o'clock i started to hear this noise this really
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loud noise i just wasn't sure what it was so i looked out my window i thought maybe it's my next
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door neighbor playing loud music or something like that but no the noise didn't seem to be coming from
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there at all so i just went outside i opened the door and i was hearing this loud ringing noise a
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siren was going off and it was so loud you could probably hear it all over stornway because that was
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the whole idea behind it because i remembered then that i'd read the day before on the internet that
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there was going to be this alarm going off it was the alarms to do with the gas plant and it was telling
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us that this is just a test this is just testing the the sound system the sirens going off so that in
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case there was an emergency they would know it works and that people can hear this siren all over the
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place so did anybody else hear the noise put up your hand if you heard that loud noise there's maybe one or
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two who heard the noise all right but what it was doing it was warning us of danger warning us of
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something going wrong and that if we were to hear it we were to know that something was going wrong and
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do something about it we want to know where we're to go maybe to find a safe place to go and then i read
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a verse in the bible reminds us of just the way that siren reminds us of hearing god's word and it's a
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version of the old testament in a book called joel and in joel chapter 2 we read these words it says
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blow a trumpet in sion sound an alarm on my holy mountain let all the inhabitants of the land
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tremble for the day of the lord is coming it is near so the prophet called joel there in the old
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testament he was god was saying to him to to blow this trumpet to sound this alarm on the mountain
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so that people could hear and what were they to hear well they were to hear that the lord was coming
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that the lord was coming so this was something they needed to hear so in order that they could find a safe
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place to go and in our own life too that is what we hear from god as well as we come to hear what the
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bible says to us we are hearing as it were god blowing this trumpet sounding this alarm in our midst
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making us aware of the dangers that are around us but reminding us of the place that we are to go to find
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refuge and that place is to come to put our trust in the lord jesus the bible warns us it sounds the
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siren sounds the alarm this loud noise going off but it tells us to find our safety to find our security
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in the lord jesus and so week by week even day by day we're hearing this alarm going off and we are to
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listen to it and to find our safety in the lord jesus so just like the gas sirens going off and warning
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us the load is a test of danger that is what the word of god does for us all too it warns us of the
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dangers we're in but the way we can find safety in jesus so may we come to know that safety and security
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for all of us that we find in the lord jesus well together we're going to to say the lord's prayer you
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have it on your order ourselves on the notice sheet and we'll say the lord's prayer together
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our father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth
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as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
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and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory
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forever amen and may god bless his word on these thoughts to us we're going to sing again to god's
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praise now we're singing in psalm 86 in verse 1 to 7 in the scottish psalter psalm 86
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we find this on page 340 psalm 86 at verse 1 oh lord do thou bow down thine ear and hear me graciously
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because i sore afflicted am and am in poverty we'll sing from verse 1 to verse 7 to god's praise
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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 because i sore afflicted am and am in poverty
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because i Have a coldly let my heartaltine ear and be graciously
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o yeaUR to hаль to die in the scottish psalmília
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O O how might know thy son sister world
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in grace?
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O thou my God thoupinest hay and O Lord
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I shall grandeaf sa naturale earth and observe no
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O my Lord, my servant's sake, that puts his trust in me.
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Say unto me, I daily cry, be merciful to me.
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Rejoice, my servant's soul, O Lord, I lift my soul to thee.
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For thou art gracious, O Lord, and ready to forgive.
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And rich in mercy, all that call upon me to relieve.
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Hear, Lord, my prayer unto the voice of my request attend.
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In troublous times I call on thee, for thou wilt answer sin.
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Amen.
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When he had gone out, Jesus said,
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Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
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If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.
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Little children, yet a little while I am with you.
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You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you,
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Where I am going, you cannot come.
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A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.
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Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
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By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
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Simon Peter said to him,
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Lord, where are you going?
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Jesus answered him,
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Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterwards.
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Peter said to him,
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Lord, why can I not follow you now?
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I will lay down my life for you.
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Jesus answered,
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Will you lay down your life for me?
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Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow till you have denied me three times.
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Let not your hearts be troubled.
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Believe in God, believe also in me.
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In my Father's house are many rooms.
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If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you.
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And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself,
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that where I am, you may be also.
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And you know the way to where I am going.
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Thomas said to him,
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Lord, we do not know where you are going.
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How can we know the way?
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Jesus said to him,
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I am the way and the truth and the life.
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No one comes to the Father except through me.
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If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.
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From now on, you do know him and have seen him.
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Philip said to him,
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Lord, show us the Father and it is enough for us.
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Jesus said to him,
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Have I been with you so long that you still do not know me, Philip?
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Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
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How can you say, show us the Father?
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Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
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The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own authority,
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but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
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Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
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or else believe on the account of the works themselves.
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Truly, truly, I say to you,
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whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do,
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and greater works than these will he do,
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because I am going to the Father.
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Whatever you ask in my name,
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this I will do,
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that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
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If you ask me for anything in my name,
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I will do it.
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And so on.
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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,
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we're going to sing again in Psalm 19,
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in the Scottish Psalter,
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Psalm 19 at verse 7,
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page 223.
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We're going to sing from verse 7 to verse 11.
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God's law is perfect and converts the soul and sin that lies.
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God's testimony is most sure
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and makes the simple wise.
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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 and sin that lies.
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God's testimony is most sure and makes the simple wise.
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The statutes of the Lord are right,
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And do rejoice the heart.
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God's law is perfect and the Lord's command is pure and of light to the eyes depart.
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God's law is perfect and the soul and the heart.
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God's law is perfect and of light to the deep-ass life itself.
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God's law is perfect,
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God's lawafred and imagine you come all around.
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The judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.
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They more than gold, they much shine gold to be desired are.
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Than honey, honey from the cold that dropeth sweeter far.
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Moreover they thy servant lord, how he is right to frame.
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A great reward provided is for them that keep the same.
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Well, can we turn back to our reading in the Gospel of John chapter 14.
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And we're going to read at verse 5 and verse 6.
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Where we read the question of Thomas to the Lord Jesus and Jesus' response to it.
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Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going.
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How can we know the way?
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Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life.
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No one comes to the Father except through me.
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Thomas' question and the Lord's response to it.
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As I was saying to the young ones just before they went out.
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We were mentioning about the noise we were hearing on Thursday.
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And the gas warning siren was quite an eye-opener.
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I remember hearing it maybe a number of years ago.
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But just hearing it again and just how loud it is and how far and wide it can be heard.
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It's quite an eye-opener.
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And what about yourselves?
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I mean, maybe some of you have heard it on numerous occasions.
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And when you hear it, what goes through your mind?
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What if it was real?
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What would you do?
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Where would you go?
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Maybe the only time you hear it just now is when they're doing a test.
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But what would happen if it was for real?
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Would you know where to run?
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Would you even know what it was?
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Maybe you've heard it over many years and now you just ignored it.
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Maybe you were hearing it for the first time on Thursday and wondering, what is that noise?
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It's a reminder to us in how we can be with the gospel as well.
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Perhaps you've heard the warning of the gospel on numerous occasions.
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And like you say about the gas warning sign, it's just a warning.
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It's not real.
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And the more often you hear the gospel, you almost come to that conclusion.
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Oh, it's just the word of God.
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We'll hear it again another time.
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It's not really that real.
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Or perhaps like hearing the siren for the first time.
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You're hearing the gospel for the first time and wondering, what is this?
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What is this warning you're talking about?
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What is this danger that I might be in?
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The gospel warning is going off all the time.
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And it's warning us of the imminent danger that we are in.
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It's asking us, are you safe?
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Do you have security?
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Do you know where to go in your day of trouble?
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Are you on the right way?
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Are you going on the right path?
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Are you running away from trouble and finding refuge?
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Or are you running into trouble and running into danger?
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The word of God tells us that when Jesus returns, he's going to come quickly.
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We're not going to have a warning moments before or days before saying,
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oh, he's coming on such and such a day.
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He's going to come, as the word of God says, like a thief in the night.
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Just like we were on Thursday just going about our normal day-to-day routines and the silence
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are going off.
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So it'll be in the Lord's return.
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We will all be going about our day-to-day business, doing our normal routine.
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But as Joel says in that chapter in the Old Testament, the warning sound is going off and
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the day of the Lord's return is imminent.
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The question is, do we know the way to safety?
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Do we know the way to salvation?
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Well, here in the passage before us, we see Thomas and the disciples who are gathered together
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with the Lord Jesus.
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They're with him just hours before he's going to go to the cross.
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They're hearing what he has to say.
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They're fearful.
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They're frightened of what lies ahead for them.
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Jesus has told them he is going to die.
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He has told them that there is one who is going to betray him.
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He has told another that he is going to deny him.
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He has given them all of these warnings.
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He has told them that where he is going, they cannot come as yet.
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And in all of this discussion that the disciples are having with Jesus, it's leaving the disciples
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with many different questions.
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And perhaps that's the way we are when we come to hear the gospel as well.
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We hear everything that Jesus is saying to us and we have all these questions running
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around our mind.
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We have all these questions we want to ask.
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And if you have questions, do ask them.
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Because you'll often find that the questions you have, they may seem silly to you, but they're
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the same questions that other people will have too.
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So we look at God's word and see what it's saying to us.
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And Thomas and the disciples in the midst of worry and anxiety and fear, they're seeking
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direction and they're being told by Jesus where that refuge is, where that direction is found
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when Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life.
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I'm sure many of you are avid readers.
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You enjoy reading a book, especially maybe at this time of year, if you're going away
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on holiday, you maybe take a book or two with you to read this on your holiday time.
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It may be a novel.
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It may be an autobiography or something like that.
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Where do you start reading the book?
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Do you just open it at any page and start reading?
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Do you open it at the middle and start reading backwards or going from the middle towards the
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end and then go to the start?
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Well, if you read a book like that, you're maybe not going to understand or to know what's
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happening at that particular point.
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When we're reading a book, we should often begin at the beginning.
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You enter into the story.
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You find out from the beginning what's going on, what's happening.
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You enter into a story.
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Sometimes it's happy.
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Sometimes you laugh.
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Sometimes it's sad.
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And sometimes you will cry.
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But when you read the Bible, how do you read the Bible?
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Yes, we can open it anywhere and start reading.
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You can pick a verse, as it were, or pick a book or a chapter and just start reading.
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And it'll always have something to say to you.
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But as well with the Bible, we are to see it from beginning to end.
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Whether we're thinking of the whole Bible or a book of the Bible, read it from the beginning
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to the end.
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And when you think of the Gospels, read them from the beginning through to the end.
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And you see the outworkings of what Jesus came to do in this world.
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Sometimes it'll make you happy.
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Sometimes it'll make you sad.
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And that's the reality of the world that we live in.
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But it's the most important book for us to read.
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It tells us the greatest story ever told.
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It shows us where we are going wrong.
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It shows us how we can be right with God.
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And so today we think of how important it is to read this book.
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It reminds us that in Jesus, we have one who is able to give us hope.
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And as you think about what is happening in these verses before us, and indeed in this
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section of John's Gospel, when you think of Jesus with his disciples and the worries and
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anxieties that they have, it's the common theme in our own lives as well.
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Our own fears, our own worries, our own anxieties going forward.
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Looking for direction.
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Looking for a way in life that will give us hope, that will give us peace.
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And where do we find it?
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Well, verse 6 gives us the answer.
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Jesus said to him,
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And it's these words I want us just to think about today.
38:08
Jesus saying, I am the way, the truth, and the life.
38:14
And as we think about looking for direction and hearing the warning of the Gospel today,
38:19
to think about these three things that Jesus is saying.
38:23
First of all, we see Jesus say, I am the way.
38:29
I am the way.
38:32
Martin Luther once called John chapter 14 the best and most comforting sermon preached by
38:40
Christ while on this earth.
38:43
A jewel and a treasure not purchasable with any of the world's goods.
38:49
Why did he see so much in it?
38:53
Well, you just have to read the opening verse.
38:56
Verse 1 of this chapter.
38:58
Let not your hearts be troubled.
39:01
Believe in God.
39:03
Believe also in me.
39:07
If we are looking for a way,
39:11
just as Thomas is looking for a way as he asks this question,
39:15
what does that indicate to us?
39:18
It means there is an uncertainty.
39:22
We're not sure.
39:24
We are maybe lost.
39:27
We've lost our way.
39:29
We've lost direction in our life.
39:31
It's leaving us confused as to where we've been and where we're going.
39:37
And so this question that Thomas has here is a question we might have ourselves.
39:44
We do not know where you are going.
39:47
How can we know the way?
39:50
How can we know the way?
39:54
You would say that Thomas may be the only one who is a little uncertain here.
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But the great thing as you read in the wider context of this verse is that he is not the only one who has this question.
40:10
He's often referred to as doubting Thomas.
40:13
Maybe a little unfairly.
40:16
Because you see there are others who have very similar questions here as well.
40:21
Peter in chapter 13.
40:24
In verse 37.
40:26
Peter said to him, Lord.
40:28
In verse 36.
40:30
Simon Peter said to him, Lord.
40:31
Where are you going?
40:34
So he has a question.
40:37
Peter has this question.
40:39
In verse 8 of chapter 14.
40:42
Philip.
40:42
Another of the disciples has a question.
40:45
Lord.
40:46
Show us the Father.
40:47
And it is enough for us.
40:49
They all have their questions.
40:53
It's a great reminder to us that we will all have questions too.
40:59
We will all have our own uncertainties.
41:02
They are all troubled.
41:05
They are all anxious.
41:07
And you are never alone in your anxiety in this world.
41:11
You are never alone in your questions in this world.
41:15
Even Thomas.
41:17
As he says here in verse 5.
41:19
It's not, Lord.
41:20
I don't know where you are going.
41:23
It's we.
41:24
We do not know where you are going.
41:27
How can we know the way?
41:30
He's asking almost on behalf of the others.
41:34
They all want to know this way.
41:37
They are all troubled.
41:38
And that's the great response to Jesus here.
41:42
He says it twice in this chapter.
41:45
In verse 1.
41:46
Let not your hearts be troubled.
41:48
And in verse 27.
41:50
He says.
41:52
Peace I leave with you.
41:52
My peace I give to you.
41:54
Not as the world gives.
41:56
Do I give to you.
41:57
Let not your hearts be troubled.
42:00
Twice he says that.
42:02
Twice he gives them comfort.
42:05
And the greatest comfort he is giving them.
42:08
Is that they can know the way.
42:12
They can know the way that they are to go.
42:16
There are many times in life.
42:19
Where we maybe come to a point.
42:21
And we say.
42:22
I just don't know where I am going.
42:25
I just don't know now which way to turn.
42:28
I have tried so many things.
42:32
And you maybe ask yourself.
42:33
Well does the Bible really give me any help.
42:38
Is that a place that I can turn.
42:41
And look and seek.
42:42
For an answer to the way in which I am to go.
42:45
Yes.
42:47
Because it is God's word to us.
42:50
In our times of trouble.
42:52
When Jesus himself says.
42:55
I am the way.
42:58
When you are anxious.
42:59
You look to me.
43:01
Believe.
43:03
Believe.
43:04
In God.
43:05
He says.
43:05
Believe.
43:06
Also.
43:07
In me.
43:09
I will show you.
43:11
The way you are to go.
43:13
I am going.
43:13
He says.
43:14
To prepare a place.
43:16
For you.
43:17
And if I go.
43:18
To prepare a place for you.
43:19
I will come again.
43:21
And will take you to myself.
43:24
That where I am.
43:25
You may be also.
43:26
And Thomas is wondering.
43:29
Where is this?
43:31
How do we find our way.
43:32
To this place.
43:34
To this place that the Lord is preparing.
43:37
Our ultimate aim in life.
43:38
Our ultimate goal and destination.
43:41
Should be too long to be with the Lord.
43:43
For all eternity.
43:44
For all eternity.
43:46
And Thomas' question is answered by Jesus.
43:49
Who says.
43:50
I am the way.
43:52
Everything else you are looking for in life.
43:57
I am the way.
43:59
I am the one.
44:01
That you are to follow.
44:03
The second thing.
44:05
In Jesus' response here.
44:07
He says.
44:08
I am the truth.
44:11
If someone is giving you advice.
44:13
Or help.
44:15
The question that naturally comes to our minds is.
44:18
How can I be sure?
44:20
Can I depend on what this person is saying to me?
44:26
Can I truly rely on this advice that I am being given?
44:31
And as you read the Bible.
44:33
As well as asking questions.
44:36
It is also answering questions.
44:38
In a way that gives us such great assurance.
44:42
It gives us such great confidence.
44:44
Thomas.
44:47
Thomas' question.
44:48
Is given this assurance.
44:50
And the answer.
44:51
When he is asking.
44:53
We do not know.
44:54
Where you are going.
44:55
How can we know the way?
44:57
He is also asking behind that.
44:59
How can I be sure?
45:00
How can we be sure?
45:03
And Jesus knows this.
45:06
And that is why he says.
45:08
I am the truth.
45:10
I am the truth.
45:14
The word.
45:15
That became flesh.
45:18
And dwelt among us.
45:20
The word of life.
45:22
The word that points us.
45:24
To the way to the father.
45:25
The way to salvation.
45:28
But the question is.
45:29
Do you believe.
45:31
What the Bible says?
45:33
Do you believe it with all of your heart?
45:36
Do you believe the assurances.
45:38
The promises.
45:39
That it gives.
45:41
Throughout the Old and the New Testament.
45:44
You often find people.
45:46
Who didn't believe.
45:48
Who turned away.
45:49
From the word of God.
45:51
Earlier in John's gospel.
45:53
In chapter 6.
45:54
Verse 60 and 66.
45:57
There there are large crowds.
45:59
Who have gathered round Jesus.
46:02
But what it says is.
46:04
Many of them found it too hard.
46:07
Too difficult to understand.
46:08
And what happened.
46:09
They turned away.
46:11
They didn't follow him.
46:13
Anymore.
46:15
The way was.
46:16
Was too hard for them.
46:19
And for ourselves.
46:20
There will be times.
46:21
When the way is hard.
46:23
When the way.
46:24
Is difficult.
46:25
And that's.
46:26
When we need.
46:27
The truth.
46:28
To understand.
46:30
The truth.
46:31
Of Jesus.
46:32
Saying.
46:32
In this world.
46:33
You will have many troubles.
46:35
But be of good courage.
46:37
For I have overcome.
46:38
The world.
46:39
To rely on these words.
46:41
He says here.
46:42
Let not your hearts.
46:43
Be troubled.
46:45
Believe in God.
46:46
Believe also.
46:48
In me.
46:48
It's to find.
46:52
Our way.
46:53
And those difficulties.
46:54
To believe.
46:55
The truth.
46:56
And not just then.
46:57
Turn away.
46:58
Or as some people do.
47:00
Not just turning away.
47:01
From Jesus.
47:02
But they.
47:02
They change the message.
47:04
Of Jesus.
47:05
To make it easier.
47:07
To make it more.
47:08
Compatible.
47:09
To our lives.
47:10
Jesus.
47:11
Jesus.
47:12
Says.
47:13
Stick to the truth.
47:15
Believe me.
47:17
I.
47:18
Am the truth.
47:20
Abraham Lincoln.
47:22
The former president.
47:23
In the United States.
47:25
Was once having.
47:26
A discussion.
47:27
A debate.
47:28
With someone.
47:29
Who was.
47:30
Unconvinced.
47:31
By anything.
47:31
That Abraham Lincoln.
47:32
Would say.
47:33
Especially when it came.
47:35
To the matters.
47:35
Of faith.
47:37
And Abraham Lincoln.
47:38
Was getting.
47:39
So fed up.
47:40
In this debate.
47:41
And discussion.
47:41
That he was having.
47:43
And he said.
47:44
To the man.
47:45
Who was debating.
47:45
With him.
47:45
He said.
47:46
Well.
47:46
Let's see then.
47:47
How many legs.
47:48
Has a cow got?
47:51
Four.
47:52
Said the man.
47:53
A little annoyed.
47:54
By the question.
47:55
Of course.
47:56
It's four.
47:58
And Abraham Lincoln.
47:59
Said.
47:59
Yes.
47:59
That's right.
48:00
You're right there.
48:02
Now he said.
48:03
Suppose you call.
48:04
The cow's tail.
48:05
A leg.
48:07
How many legs.
48:08
Then.
48:09
Would the cow have?
48:11
Well.
48:11
The man said.
48:12
Five.
48:12
Of course.
48:14
So confident.
48:15
In his reply.
48:18
And Abraham Lincoln.
48:19
Said.
48:19
Well.
48:19
Now.
48:20
That's.
48:20
Where you're wrong.
48:22
You see.
48:23
Calling.
48:23
The cow's tail.
48:25
A leg.
48:26
Doesn't make it.
48:28
A leg.
48:29
And yet.
48:30
That's the way.
48:31
We are sometimes.
48:32
With the Bible.
48:34
We change.
48:35
Or try to change.
48:36
The truth.
48:37
And make it into something.
48:38
It's not.
48:40
If the Bible tells us.
48:42
Something is wrong.
48:44
It's wrong.
48:45
No matter how much.
48:46
You try and change it.
48:48
To something.
48:49
That seems so right.
48:50
And good.
48:50
If the Bible says.
48:51
It's wrong.
48:52
It's wrong.
48:54
And if the Bible says.
48:56
It's right.
48:57
It is right.
48:59
You cannot.
49:00
Change it.
49:01
No matter what.
49:01
You try.
49:02
To do.
49:03
To change it.
49:03
To suit your own desire.
49:05
You cannot.
49:08
And that's why.
49:09
Jesus says.
49:10
In this chapter.
49:10
That.
49:10
He is.
49:12
The truth.
49:14
There is no other way.
49:15
To the Father.
49:16
There is no other way.
49:17
To salvation.
49:19
There is no other way.
49:20
To peace with God.
49:22
Except.
49:23
Through him.
49:25
You cannot.
49:26
Change it.
49:27
You cannot.
49:28
Adapt it.
49:28
To your own way.
49:30
Or to suit.
49:31
Your own need.
49:32
It is truth.
49:34
This is the truth.
49:37
He.
49:37
Is the truth.
49:39
And we can be sure.
49:40
Of that.
49:41
Because it is.
49:41
Jesus himself.
49:42
Who tells us.
49:45
He says.
49:45
I.
49:46
Am.
49:47
The truth.
49:49
The question is.
49:51
Do you believe.
49:53
Do you believe.
49:55
That he is the truth.
49:57
And what difference.
49:58
Does it make.
50:00
What difference.
50:01
Does it make.
50:01
If I believe this.
50:03
Or not.
50:04
Surely.
50:05
There are many ways.
50:06
To God.
50:07
Surely.
50:08
There are many ways.
50:09
To peace.
50:11
Well.
50:12
The Bible.
50:12
Says.
50:13
There isn't.
50:14
Without him.
50:16
We perish.
50:17
Without him.
50:19
We are lost.
50:20
Without this.
50:21
Truth.
50:22
Truth.
50:22
Your eternity.
50:24
Is so different.
50:26
You perish.
50:28
But with him.
50:30
Is truth.
50:32
And with him.
50:33
As we see.
50:33
Finally.
50:34
There is.
50:35
Life.
50:38
Thomas's question.
50:40
Lord.
50:41
We do not know.
50:42
Where you are going.
50:43
How.
50:43
Can we know.
50:44
The way.
50:45
As well as.
50:46
Behind it.
50:47
Looking for direction.
50:48
As well as.
50:49
Behind that question.
50:51
Looking for assurance.
50:53
Behind it too.
50:54
Is the search.
50:55
For salvation.
50:57
This search.
50:58
For peace.
50:59
This search.
51:00
For something.
51:01
That will truly.
51:02
Satisfy.
51:04
In life.
51:05
And Jesus.
51:06
Says.
51:07
I am the way.
51:09
I am the truth.
51:10
And then thirdly.
51:11
I am.
51:12
The life.
51:15
When you read a book.
51:17
There is a story.
51:18
Line.
51:18
Running.
51:19
Through it.
51:20
A book.
51:21
It is a story.
51:22
About.
51:23
Maybe a person.
51:24
If you are reading.
51:24
An autobiography.
51:25
It tells you.
51:26
Their upbringing.
51:27
Their life.
51:28
And what they have done.
51:29
There is this theme.
51:30
Running through it.
51:31
Or there is a story.
51:33
Behind it.
51:34
An event.
51:35
Or an action story.
51:37
Or something like that.
51:37
There is this theme.
51:38
Running through.
51:39
That is obvious.
51:40
From beginning.
51:41
To end.
51:43
And if you ask yourself.
51:44
That question.
51:45
Of the Bible.
51:46
What is the theme.
51:48
That runs.
51:50
Through the Bible.
51:50
From beginning.
51:51
To end.
51:53
Or what is the theme.
51:55
That you read of.
51:56
In the Gospel of John.
51:58
From the beginning.
51:59
Of the Gospel.
52:00
Through to the end.
52:02
It is the recurring theme.
52:04
Isn't it?
52:05
It is the theme.
52:06
Of life.
52:08
And of eternal life.
52:11
Of our sin.
52:12
And the consequences of it.
52:14
The pain of death.
52:15
That that has brought.
52:16
The theme that you see.
52:18
Running throughout.
52:20
From the fall.
52:21
Back in Genesis.
52:22
And the pain that that brought.
52:24
Running through.
52:25
To revelation.
52:27
And the hope of eternal life.
52:29
For all who believe.
52:30
It is that life.
52:32
Is found in one place.
52:34
The God who gives.
52:36
And the God who takes away.
52:38
And the life that you speak.
52:41
That John speaks of.
52:43
In his Gospel.
52:44
Again and again.
52:45
Is this hope.
52:47
Of eternal life.
52:49
Whether you are looking at.
52:51
John 3.
52:52
16.
52:53
That great verse.
52:54
That speaks of.
52:55
The eternal life.
52:56
That is found in Christ.
52:58
Or if it is towards.
53:00
The end of his Gospel.
53:01
In chapter 20.
53:02
At verse 30.
53:04
When there is a sort of.
53:05
Summary of the whole Gospel.
53:06
There.
53:07
It says.
53:07
Now Jesus did many other signs.
53:10
In the presence of his disciples.
53:12
Which are not written in this book.
53:14
But these are written.
53:16
So that you may believe.
53:17
That Jesus is the Christ.
53:19
The Son of God.
53:21
And that by believing.
53:22
You may have life.
53:25
In his name.
53:28
It is the theme.
53:29
That runs throughout.
53:31
Life.
53:32
And the life.
53:33
That Jesus offers.
53:35
This life.
53:36
Eternal.
53:37
This life.
53:38
That gives hope.
53:39
To our troubled hearts.
53:43
This hope.
53:44
That is for all.
53:45
Who will believe.
53:47
I read a powerful testimony.
53:49
Of a girl.
53:50
Whose life.
53:51
At once.
53:51
Revolved.
53:52
Around drugs.
53:54
Her lifestyle.
53:55
Had gone in that direction.
53:57
And the only thing.
53:58
That mattered to her.
53:59
The only thing.
54:00
That she craved.
54:01
Day by day.
54:02
Was getting the drugs.
54:03
That kept her going.
54:05
The drugs.
54:06
That she believed.
54:07
Would fully satisfy her.
54:11
Until.
54:12
Someone told her.
54:14
About something else.
54:15
That could transform her life.
54:17
And that would leave her.
54:18
Fully satisfied.
54:20
And that something.
54:21
Was the Lord Jesus.
54:22
And she came.
54:26
To believe.
54:27
She came.
54:28
To faith.
54:29
With help.
54:30
She overcame.
54:31
Her addiction.
54:32
And she found that joy.
54:33
That is only found.
54:35
In Christ.
54:36
And she lives.
54:38
For him.
54:40
He has given her life.
54:42
And life.
54:42
To the full.
54:44
And you maybe say to yourself.
54:46
But my life's not like that.
54:48
My life.
54:50
Hasn't gone that far down.
54:51
Him.
54:54
Well think of Thomas's question.
54:56
Here.
54:57
And the one who was asking it.
54:58
On behalf of the other disciples.
55:01
Too.
55:01
Their lives weren't bad.
55:04
But they still needed help.
55:06
They needed a savior.
55:08
They needed life.
55:10
And that life was only found.
55:11
In Christ.
55:13
We all have sinned.
55:15
And fall short.
55:16
Of the glory of God.
55:18
Every one of us.
55:22
The girl whose addiction was broken.
55:24
She found.
55:26
Satisfaction.
55:27
In Christ Jesus.
55:31
And that is the only place.
55:34
Any of us will find.
55:36
Through satisfaction.
55:37
It's the only place.
55:38
Any of us.
55:40
Will find life.
55:42
It is in him.
55:43
A man called Thomas Kempis.
55:46
Once said.
55:48
Without the way.
55:49
There is no going.
55:51
Without the truth.
55:53
There is no knowing.
55:56
And without the life.
55:58
There is no living.
56:02
That is life.
56:03
Without Christ.
56:06
There is no going.
56:07
There is no knowing.
56:08
There is no living.
56:10
But with him.
56:11
You have all of these.
56:13
You have the way.
56:15
The truth.
56:16
And the life.
56:18
And maybe.
56:19
You are seeing the place.
56:21
That you want to go.
56:24
Maybe you are hearing.
56:25
Of this savior.
56:27
This wonderful savior.
56:28
Christ Jesus.
56:29
And you are wondering.
56:30
I can see it.
56:31
But how.
56:32
Do I get there.
56:33
Sometimes it feels.
56:34
Like you are in a maze.
56:37
A maze.
56:37
That has got the sign.
56:38
In the middle.
56:39
And you know.
56:40
Where you have got to go.
56:41
But you just can't find.
56:42
The direction.
56:44
Every turn you take.
56:45
It is another dead end.
56:48
But you know.
56:49
There is a way.
56:51
Because someone has gone.
56:52
Before you.
56:54
And Jesus says.
56:56
That he goes.
56:57
Before us.
56:59
And it may seem.
57:00
Like the way.
57:01
Is so difficult.
57:02
And we can't.
57:02
Just find the way.
57:04
But he is saying.
57:07
I am the way.
57:10
I will show you.
57:13
In all the realities.
57:14
Of this world.
57:16
In all the questions.
57:18
And direction.
57:18
You may be seeking.
57:20
To find.
57:21
He.
57:22
Is.
57:23
The way.
57:25
When you put your trust.
57:27
In him.
57:28
He promises.
57:29
Never to leave you.
57:30
That he will stay beside you.
57:33
That he will guide you.
57:34
Along.
57:35
The way.
57:37
And so.
57:38
If you are.
57:39
Looking.
57:40
And seeing.
57:41
And longing.
57:41
For that direction.
57:43
Trust.
57:44
With all your heart.
57:46
In the Lord.
57:46
Jesus Christ.
57:49
And as.
57:50
God's people.
57:52
When you know.
57:53
The way.
57:55
Your greatest desire.
57:56
And love.
57:57
Should be.
57:58
Tell others.
57:58
Of that way.
57:59
J.C.
58:01
Ryle.
58:02
Put it like this.
58:02
He said.
58:03
Tell the young.
58:04
Tell the poor.
58:05
Tell the aged.
58:07
Tell the ignorant.
58:08
Tell the sick.
58:09
Tell the dying.
58:10
Tell them all.
58:11
About Christ.
58:13
Tell them of the power.
58:14
Tell them of his love.
58:16
Tell them of his doings.
58:19
Tell them of all.
58:20
That he has done.
58:21
For the chief of sinners.
58:22
Tell them.
58:23
What he is willing to do.
58:24
Until the last day.
58:26
Of time.
58:27
Tell them.
58:28
Over.
58:29
And over.
58:30
Again.
58:31
Again.
58:33
The gospel.
58:34
Siren.
58:35
Sounds.
58:36
Again.
58:37
Today.
58:39
It's not just.
58:41
A test.
58:42
It's not just.
58:43
Something that you say.
58:44
Don't worry.
58:45
It's just.
58:46
A test.
58:47
Nothing to worry about.
58:50
It's always.
58:51
Real.
58:52
And it always.
58:53
Needs.
58:54
A response.
58:56
The siren.
58:58
The siren.
58:59
Sounds.
59:00
But will we heed.
59:02
The warning.
59:04
We thank God.
59:06
That Jesus says.
59:08
I am the way.
59:09
And the truth.
59:11
And the life.
59:13
With Thomas.
59:15
With Peter.
59:16
With Philip.
59:17
And the other disciples.
59:18
Who were looking for a way.
59:20
Looking to know.
59:20
Where Jesus was going.
59:22
And the way to him.
59:23
We thank God.
59:25
That we have the response.
59:27
That we look to Jesus.
59:29
Who says.
59:30
I am the way.
59:32
And the truth.
59:33
And the life.
59:36
As the bell.
59:38
The siren.
59:39
Goes off.
59:39
Again.
59:41
Will you come.
59:43
And follow.
59:44
Him.
59:44
And find your refuge.
59:48
In him.
59:49
Who gives life.
59:51
Who shows the way.
59:53
And who is.
59:55
The truth.
59:56
May God bless.
59:58
These thoughts.
1:00:00
To us.
1:00:05
We're going to sing.
1:00:07
In conclusion.
1:00:08
In Psalm 25.
1:00:11
In the Sing Psalms version.
1:00:13
Psalm 25.
1:00:18
At verse 4.
1:00:21
O Lord.
1:00:22
Reveal to me.
1:00:23
Your ways.
1:00:24
And all your paths.
1:00:26
Help me to know.
1:00:28
Direct.
1:00:28
And guide me.
1:00:29
In your truth.
1:00:30
Instruct me.
1:00:32
In the way.
1:00:33
To go.
1:00:34
We'll sing from verse 4.
1:00:35
To the end of verse 9.
1:00:37
To God's praise.
1:00:43
O Lord.
1:00:44
O Lord.
1:00:44
Reveal to me.
1:00:47
Your ways.
1:00:51
And all your paths.
1:00:56
Help me to know.
1:01:00
Direct.
1:01:02
And guide me.
1:01:05
In your truth.
1:01:09
Instruct me.
1:01:12
In the way.
1:01:15
To go.
1:01:18
You are my Savior.
1:01:24
And my God.
1:01:28
All day.
1:01:30
I hope.
1:01:37
Remember Lord.
1:01:47
Your love.
1:01:48
Praise God.
1:01:50
past ages you have shown.
1:01:58
Do not recall my sins of youth
1:02:07
or my rebellious evil ways.
1:02:17
Remember me in your great love
1:02:26
for you, O Lord, are good always.
1:02:37
Because the Lord is just and good,
1:02:46
He shows His path to all who stray.
1:02:57
He guides the meek in what is right
1:03:05
and teaches them this holy way.
1:03:14
Amen.
1:03:18
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left-hand side.
1:03:22
We'll close with the benediction.
1:03:24
now may grace mercy and peace from god father son and holy spirit
1:03:30
rest upon and abide with us all now and forevermore amen
1:03:54
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