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Living as Servants of God · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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to begin our worship now by singing to God's praise. We're singing in Psalm 1,
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in the Sing Psalm, Psalm 1a, on page 1 of the Psalm books. We're going to sing the whole of
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this Psalm together. Psalm 1. 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. Instead, he finds God's holy law,
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his joy and great delight. He makes the precepts of the Lord his study day and night. We'll sing
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the whole of this Psalm, 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 when Jew season yields its fruit, its leaves are always green.
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Not so the wicked, they are like the trap that's blown away.
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They will not stand when judgment comes, for with the righteous day,
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It is the Lord who sees and knows the way the righteous go.
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But those who live an evil eye, the Lord will overthrow.
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We'll join together in a word of prayer. Let us pray.
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Our Lord, our God, our Father in heaven, we do thank you for this day.
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We thank you for the beauty of it, the warmth of the sun and the freshness of the day.
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We thank you that it is your day that you have made for us.
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And let us rejoice and be glad in it, that we can come and worship you,
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that we can do so together as one.
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We thank you for these words that we have sung together.
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They remind us that we are blessed to have your word,
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that we are blessed to enjoy it together,
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whether it be in coming to worship you together here,
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or coming to the Sunday school and creche, or having it at home.
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We thank you that we can read about you and your goodness to us,
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and how you have blessed us abundantly.
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And we do thank you, Lord, that you are with us,
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that you remind us of that always,
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that you are the one who gives us all the food that we have,
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the clothes we enjoy.
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You give us our health and our strength,
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and you help us in times of need.
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And so we pray, Lord, that you will bless us and shine upon us today
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with your goodness and you.
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And bless the young ones and the teachers and leaders
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as they go out in a moment to the creche and the Sunday school and the tweenies.
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We thank you for all who help in that.
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We thank you for all who come along.
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We thank you for the news of the holiday club as well,
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and being able to look forward to that.
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And thank you for the explorers and the youth club and the youth fellowship
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and all that goes on for our young people on a regular basis.
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And we pray, Lord, that you will bless us and be with us in it all,
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that we will know your nearness to us in all of these things.
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So, Lord, go with us now and take care of us throughout this day
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and the week ahead as well in our schools, Lord,
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and all that we do.
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May you be with us and watch over us, we pray.
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We ask it all anew, Lord, giving thanks to you for all of these things.
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In Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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It was good to see you all here today.
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Was anybody rushing to get here today?
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Was anybody in a mad dash getting out the door
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trying to find all your bits and pieces before you came along to church?
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Or maybe mum and dad or granny and grandpa were rushing around
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looking for something before they left?
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And one thing that people are often looking for when they're heading out is keys.
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I don't know if you're like me,
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but often we spend so much time looking for keys and asking,
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have anybody seen the keys?
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Of course, we can't get anywhere without the keys.
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They're so important.
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So maybe some of you today have been playing hide and seek,
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trying to find the keys, trying to get ready to get out to church.
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And why are keys so important?
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Well, let me tell you about the keys I have here.
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There's three keys for three different things on here.
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They all have something important to do.
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There's one, it's a little key, but it's for a storage box.
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It's for a storage box.
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I can keep important things in a box,
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and I keep it locked so that nobody will steal it.
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I have to keep an eye on the neighbours and plaster field
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in case anybody comes along to steal anything that belongs to me.
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So I keep it under lock and key.
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So I've got a key to a storage box.
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I've also got a key to the house.
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Again, it's important that we have keys to the house.
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We can lock it if we're going out,
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and then we can open it when we get back.
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And one of the most important keys for getting to church
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is, of course, the car key.
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The car key is so important
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because without it, the car's not going to go anywhere.
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We'd have to walk or run to church instead.
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So we've got three very important keys there.
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And it reminds us that God gives us keys to things as well.
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God gives us access to things that in many ways are locked for us,
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but he opens it up for us.
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So you think of the little key, the storage key.
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It's important to be able to get into the storage box to get things out.
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Well, God says in his word that he's got an abundance store for us.
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He's able to give us lots of good things,
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but that we have to come and trust in him.
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In the book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament,
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in chapter 28 and verse 12,
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there it says,
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the Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens.
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He says he'll open his good treasury, his storage,
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if we put our trust in him and look to him.
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He's able to provide for all of our needs.
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When you think of the car key,
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when we think of going on a journey to go to a place without that key,
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we can't get there.
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Well, God talks about giving us a key that shows us the way.
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Psalm 25 speaks about that.
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He says,
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Show me thy ways, O God.
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Teach me your ways and lead me in them.
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So God says,
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I will show you the way.
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When we come to him through his word,
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he shows us the way and directs us in the way to go.
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And then you think of the house key.
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And God says,
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I've got a house.
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I've got a house,
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he says in John 14,
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that's got many rooms.
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There's a place for you if you put your trust in me.
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And he says to us that the way to get into this house,
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the key to getting in,
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is through Jesus,
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who says,
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I am the way,
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the truth,
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and the life.
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So we've got all these keys that are important for us
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to have in life.
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But we've got more important keys,
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too,
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that God gives us access to.
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The stores of his house,
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the abundance of good things he's able to give us,
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the direction he's able to show us,
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and the promise of a great house,
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a place that we will be forever with him.
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And he assures us,
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unlike this world,
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where things can be stolen from us,
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that when we trust in him,
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no one can steal these things from us
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because they're kept by God for us.
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So God gives us keys.
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And it's important that we look for these keys,
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that we look to him and trust in him.
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So may God bless these thoughts to us.
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We're going to say the Lord's Prayer together now.
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Let's say the Lord's Prayer.
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Our Father, which art in heaven,
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hallowed be thy name.
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Thy kingdom come.
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Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
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Give us this day our daily bread.
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And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
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And lead us not into temptation,
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but deliver us from evil.
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For thine is the kingdom,
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the power, and the glory forever.
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Amen.
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We're going to sing together in Psalm 25.
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This is in the Sing Psalms on page 29.
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Again, the psalm I was referencing there
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about the Lord directing us in our ways.
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So we're going to sing Psalm 25,
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verse 1 to verse 7.
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To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
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I trust in you continually.
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Do not let me be put to shame,
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nor let my foes gloat over me.
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We'll sing from verse 1 to 7.
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We stand to sing to God's praise.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
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I trust in you continually.
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Do not let me be put to shame,
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nor let my foes gloat over me.
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No one who sets his hope in you
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will ever suffer such disgrace.
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But those who act with treachery,
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humiliating shame will face.
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O Lord, reveal to me your ways,
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and all your paths help me to know.
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Guide me in your truth.
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Instruct me in the way to go.
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You are my Savior and my God.
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All day I hope in you alone.
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Remember, Lord, your love and grace,
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which from past ages you have shown.
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Do not recall my sins of youth,
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or my rebellious evil ways.
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Remember me in your great love for you,
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O Lord, our good always.
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Amen.
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We'll turn to read in God's word.
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We're going to read two passages.
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Our first reading in 1 Timothy, chapter 2.
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We'll read from verse 1 to verse 7.
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And then we'll turn into 1 Peter, chapter 2.
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So 1 Timothy, chapter 2.
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We read from verse 1 to verse 7.
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First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers,
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intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people,
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for kings and all who are in high positions,
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that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life,
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godly and dignified in every way.
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This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour,
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who desires all people to be saved
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and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
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For there is one God, and there is one mediator
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between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
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who gave himself as a ransom for all,
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which is the testimony given at the proper time.
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For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle.
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I am telling the truth.
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I am not lying.
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A teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
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Then we'll turn to 1 Peter.
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1 Peter, chapter 2.
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We're taking our study at this time.
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We'll read from verse 11 down to verse 17.
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It's a reminder of what we were looking at last week in verse 11.
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Today we're going to look at verse 13 to 17.
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Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles
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to abstain from the passions of the flesh,
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which war against your soul.
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Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable,
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so that when they speak against you as evildoers,
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they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
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Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,
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whether it be the emperor as supreme
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or to governors as sent by him,
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to punish those who do evil
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and to praise those who do good.
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For this is the will of God,
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that by doing good you should put to silence
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the ignorance of foolish people.
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Live as people who are free,
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not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil,
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but living as servants of God.
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Honor everyone.
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Love the brotherhood.
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Dear God, honor the emperor.
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And so on.
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And may God bless that reading from his word.
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We'll again join our hearts together in prayer.
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Let us pray.
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Our Father in heaven, as we have read in these passages,
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we are reminded of the importance of prayer for all,
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especially those who are rulers and leaders over us
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and over our nations and the nations of the world.
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And we do, O Lord, commit them to you.
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For your word reminds us that we seek
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that there would be good done for all people,
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that they would rule over as well
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and according to your truth.
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And when this is not the case, Lord,
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it is not to give up in prayer or to turn against them,
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but to remind ourselves of what your word says,
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to be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,
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that we would be witnesses for you in the midst of this world
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and in all that goes on.
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We do pray, Lord, that your church, your people,
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would be given the courage and boldness required
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to live honorably among the people of this world,
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to live with a conduct that is indeed honorable before all people,
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but also to be speaking with boldness your truth
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of the need that we have to turn to you in these days.
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Our greatest need is to know Christ Jesus.
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And we thank you that even as we've read in your word
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that your desire is that all people would be saved,
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that you are a God who has such great love for this world that you have made.
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We marvel at the beauty of it.
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We marvel at all that we see around us.
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But, Lord, we pray that we will marvel at you as God and Lord of all,
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the one who made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them.
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And we pray today, Lord, that your word will go out with power here
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and in all places where people gather to worship you,
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that you will remind us again, O Lord, that your word is truth
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and that your word is powerful and mighty to save.
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And we do pray that you will draw us closer to yourself by it and by your spirit,
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that you will work in our hearts, not just to come and worship you
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because that is something we always do,
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but there will be the great longing in our hearts, the great delight in our hearts,
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the great joy in our hearts that we can draw near to you as God and Lord
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through your own Son, Jesus Christ, through his name, the name above every name,
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the name of the one who gave his life as a ransom for many,
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the one who showed his great love for us as he bore our sin on the cross,
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the one who is risen, and that that is our hope, the hope of the resurrection,
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that all who believe in him would not die but have everlasting life.
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And we thank you that the gospel is that wonderful, glorious news,
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that no matter what this world brings to us, no matter the troubles that come our way,
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that we can be of good cheer for Jesus our Lord has overcome the world.
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And we pray that your people near and far,
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that your people who may be on the hilltops at this time rejoicing in your goodness,
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or even those who may be in the valley of the shadow of death,
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that they will know your goodness and mercy following all the days of their lives.
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We thank you, Lord, that you give to your people that glorious hope that we have in Jesus Christ.
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And we pray that in times of great need, in times of sorrow, in times of sadness or ill health,
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whatever's going on, that we will be able to fix our eyes on Jesus, that we'll be able to look to him.
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And so remember your people as we commit them to you, many known to us and others, Lord, unknown.
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But yet, O Lord, all known by you, all precious in your sight, all those whose name are in the Lamb's Book of Life.
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And we thank you, Lord, that you watch over in every time of need.
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We thank you that you are near, that you are a God of great comfort and mercy, a God of all glory and grace.
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And we pray for those, particularly in our thoughts today, we continue to remember Professor Donald McLeod and the family.
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We commit them to you, Lord, that you will surround them and be near to them.
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We remember, even as we've heard earlier, of the passing of Tim Keller, one who maybe we didn't know personally,
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but one even over these last few weeks in the Hope, in the Prodigal Son course we've been hearing about.
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And he explained the truth of the gospel to us, Lord, through many of his courses and writings and his ministry far and wide.
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And we thank you for all your servants who give their lives to you in that way.
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And all who serve you in just the little ways as well.
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We don't have to be great writers or authors to be servants of the King.
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We serve you, Lord, with all that we have in the day-to-day ways of life and all that we do.
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And we know and thank you, Lord, for the many who serve you in the ordinary ways of life, prayerfully and practically.
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And we give thanks to you for your body, one body with many parts.
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And yet, O Lord, all seeking to uphold one another.
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So bless us and continue to strengthen us in your name and by your grace.
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Remember your cause, O Lord, far and wide.
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Remember us in all that we do for your name and for your sake.
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Even in the week ahead, Lord, we commit all things to you.
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We commit our prayer to you.
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We commit our lives to you.
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We commit our witness to you.
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Asking your blessing on work among young and old alike.
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Thankful, Lord, for you are the one who is able to open eyes and to bring salvation to many.
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We look ahead to our communion time in a fortnight.
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And we pray, Lord, that you will encourage us and strengthen us for that.
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That we will come thankful for the Lord Jesus.
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Thankful for all that he has done.
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Thankful that we can do this in remembrance of him.
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And we pray that you will encourage us in our hearts to profess your name.
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Be that if we've been at the table maybe over many years.
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Encourage us and strengthen us for it.
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Or be it that we've never sat at the Lord's table but longed to be there.
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We pray, Lord, that you will give us that courage to take that stand and to profess our faith.
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We thank you, Lord, for our community as a whole as well.
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And we pray your blessing over us.
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Look after us, Lord, in our homes and our families as we commit ourselves into your hands.
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Take care of us, Lord, and go before us each and every day.
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Guide us, Lord, we pray.
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As we have sung, guide us in your paths and in your ways.
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Teach us, Lord, to do your will.
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Guide us, O Lord, that we would see the house with many rooms.
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A place prepared for you for all your people.
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That we will keep our eyes looking to Jesus.
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Even as we seek to live as servants for him in this world and all that we do.
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Bless your word to us throughout this day.
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Guide us by it, Lord, and bless us, we pray.
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Remember Scott as he ministers this evening.
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Be with him in the service there.
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Bless your word through him.
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And bless all your people and hear our prayers.
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Watch over us and go before us now, pardoning all our sin.
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As we ask it all in Jesus' name. Amen.
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We will sing again to God's praise in Psalm 119 in the Scottish Psalter.
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This is on page 410 of the psalm books.
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Psalm 119.
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And we're going to sing from verse 123.
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Psalm 119 at verse 123.
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My eyes do fail with looking long for thy salvation.
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The word of thy pure righteousness while I do wait upon.
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We'll sing from verse 123 to the end of this section.
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Four stanzas to God's praise.
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Psalm 119.
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Psalm 119.
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Psalm 119.
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Psalm 119.
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My eyes do fail with looking long for thy salvation.
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The word of thy pure righteousness, while I do it upon.
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In mercy with thy servant yield, thy laws me teach and show.
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I am thy servant, wisdom give, that I thy laws may know.
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T'is time thy work, Lord, for they have made hoy thy law divine.
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Therefore thy precepts, O thy love, than gold, yea, gold most fine.
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Concerning all things thy command, all right thy judge therefore.
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And every false and wicked way, I perfectly abhor.
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Well, we can turn back to our reading in 1 Peter chapter 2.
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We read at verse 16 and 17, although we're looking at this wee section, verse 13 to 17.
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We read again at verse 16.
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Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil,
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but living as servants of God.
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Honor everyone.
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Love the brotherhood.
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Fear God.
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Honor the emperor.
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We continue our study in this letter of 1 Peter, writing to a people who had been scattered and suffering for their faith.
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And what we've seen so far in the letter is how Peter has given them great reminders of the blessings and promises that they have in Christ.
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He reminds them, too, that there is a promise of great hope in Christ Jesus.
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He reminds them that they are to live holy lives.
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And he reminds them, as we saw the last time, that they are to keep their conduct among the Gentiles honorable.
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They are to live among the people in this way, holy and living honorable lives.
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And when you think of the setting, the situation that people are living in, it can be quite hard for us to understand just how they could do this.
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And how Peter could be saying this.
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In the midst of being mistreated, in the midst of God's word being trampled upon, they are being told to live holy lives.
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Being honorable to everybody.
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Living among the Gentiles in an honorable way.
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In verse 13, being subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution.
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How could they do this?
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Well, that's what Peter is teaching them here and teaching ourselves as well.
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When we see the way in the situation that they were living on, when God's word is being trampled upon,
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and we see the world in which we live in today, we think of the similarities.
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When there is an anger and a wrath against the things of God.
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When there is persecution always under the surface in our own nation.
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But in other nations, it's very much to the fore.
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People suffering for their faith.
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It's a blessing to live in days of peace when God is honored and worshipped by many people and nations.
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But what about when that is not the case?
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How do we conduct ourselves today when we maybe feel dismayed and anxious about the direction our nation or the world is going in?
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Well, this is the very subject that Peter is addressing for us here.
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For the people then and for ourselves today.
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And we remember that as he was writing to the people then and to ourselves,
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it's not just a case of living honorable lives merely to survive in this world,
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but to thrive.
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And that the gospel would thrive in our world as well.
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Last time we were looking at this last section,
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we were thinking of living honorable lives among the Gentiles.
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It was a kind of broad view of theological reasons and practical principles for living in this way.
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He spoke about being a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, all of these things.
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But now as we go on, he's going into specific ways in different areas of life where we are to conduct ourselves in this way.
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And he begins here with how Christians then and now are to live and behave with those in authority over us.
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And it's a great challenge.
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I'm sure I don't have to say that to you today.
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It's a great challenge.
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How we live and conduct ourselves among leaders who seemingly are going so far away from the word of God.
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It's one of the most challenging things for us when we see so much of the moral and social agendas today
33:29
falling far below or even going directly against God's word and God's truth.
33:37
So what's our response to be?
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Many people today will go one of two ways when it comes to being subject to authority.
33:51
Some will go a way of capitulation.
33:55
We'll just go along with whatever is said and told for us to do.
34:01
Others will go to the other direction and pull away from it all.
34:05
Withdraw from everything else.
34:07
Hide away from it and live in a bubble, as it were.
34:10
But what Peter is teaching us here and what other passages in the Scripture teaches us as well is that there's another way.
34:21
And that is one where we become subject for the Lord's sake under every human institution.
34:28
Where we respect and honor those in authority over us.
34:33
But we also stand courageous and with boldness.
34:38
We don't capitulate and give in to it all.
34:43
We don't withdraw away from it.
34:45
We engage with it.
34:48
And that's what Peter is teaching here.
34:52
Kevin de Young in his book, The Hole in Our Holiness, he says this.
34:56
It sounds really spiritual to say God is interested in a relationship, not in rules.
35:06
But it's not biblical.
35:08
From top to bottom, the Bible is full of commands.
35:13
They aren't meant to stifle a relationship with God, but to protect it, seal it, and define it.
35:21
Commands are there for a reason.
35:25
Not to stifle a relationship with God, but to protect it.
35:31
And in this we have a command from God in these verses.
35:35
In verse 13, be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution.
35:42
There is a command here for us.
35:45
And so I want us to look at this under three headings.
35:50
Living as servants of God in the midst of a world that is going so far away from God.
35:59
How do we do it?
36:00
Three things.
36:01
First, our attitude.
36:04
Secondly, our approach.
36:06
And then thirdly, our agenda.
36:09
How should we live faithfully for Jesus Christ in such circumstances as this?
36:18
Well, it begins with our attitude.
36:23
When we look around the world today, there's a number of different types of governments and authorities ruling throughout the world.
36:32
We have monarchies.
36:34
We have parliaments.
36:35
We have republics and other kinds too around the world.
36:39
And we'll look around and we maybe have our own thoughts on which is best.
36:44
Some we would say are better than others.
36:46
But what's our attitude towards them?
36:51
We may not like it.
36:53
We may criticize.
36:56
We may even rebel against certain authorities.
37:00
But is that the right approach?
37:02
Would we be right if we don't agree with something as Christians to stand with banners saying,
37:10
Not my king.
37:12
Or not my president.
37:14
Is that what the scriptures teach us?
37:17
No, because what we see in the scriptures is we are told that all authority is through God.
37:25
Romans 13 says in verse 1,
37:28
But you say,
37:41
Surely that can't stand today.
37:43
Surely that can't be right for today when our governments, our rulers are so far from God and things are heading in a worrying direction.
37:52
Surely we don't agree with that.
37:56
Well, when you look at when Paul was writing to the Romans or when Peter is writing here,
38:02
you have to look at the context of the days that they were living in.
38:06
And when we're looking at Peter here in writing to these people that had been scattered far and wide,
38:14
what was the reason they were scattered?
38:17
Persecution.
38:19
Where did the persecution come from?
38:21
It came from those who were ruling over them.
38:25
Persecution arose against Christians.
38:28
This was during the reign of Nero.
38:31
He was the ruler of the day.
38:33
And if you read and look into Nero, he was one who was cruel, very cruel against Christians.
38:43
Persecution arose and verbal slander, social exclusion.
38:48
Christians were suffering, but it got worse.
38:52
It started to be widespread persecution.
38:56
And this is the context that Peter is writing in.
38:59
This is when he is saying, be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution.
39:06
Peter, who was put to death himself during the reign of Nero.
39:12
And you think, well, how can he be saying this?
39:17
Well, Peter is showing that the people that authorities and rulers, good or bad,
39:22
are human institutions put there by God.
39:26
And because of that, our attitude should be one of thankfulness.
39:36
Now you say, have you lost your mind?
39:39
How can we be thankful for an emperor such as Nero, who was persecuting the church?
39:45
How can we be thankful in our day and age when authorities and rulers over us are putting the word of God far, far away from public life?
39:55
Well, to see our attitude is to be one like Christ.
40:01
Peter is here saying, we should be thankful that even in the bad rulers we have over us,
40:08
that God is above all.
40:12
And that we have authorities and rulers over us,
40:16
who, as we read here, the main purpose is to do good.
40:20
In verse 14, governors are sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
40:29
The thing is, when we look around us and we say we don't agree with the people and authority over us,
40:35
we have to remember it could be so much worse.
40:41
What if there was no rule, no government, no authorities over us?
40:46
What would life be like then?
40:49
Chaos.
40:51
You see it in Scripture when God gave people over to do what was right in their own eyes.
40:56
It descended into chaos.
41:00
So even when there's rulers over us who are wicked and evil in our eyes,
41:07
we can still be thankful that God has people and places
41:10
that keep even a semblance of control over things,
41:16
that allow us to live our lives not always the way we would want to live,
41:22
but even to have freedom to worship God,
41:26
to have freedom to be witnesses,
41:28
to show forth, as we were looking at the last time,
41:31
to show forth, to proclaim the excellencies of him
41:35
who called us from darkness to light.
41:38
Peter was reminding the people here that even under the human institutions,
41:45
that they still have God on their side.
41:49
We can criticize,
41:52
but how often do we pray for our leaders?
41:57
How often do we pray for those locally, nationally, internationally,
42:02
who are ruling over us or others throughout this world,
42:06
praying that they would see God and know him?
42:11
He says,
42:13
be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution.
42:20
But he also goes on to say,
42:22
in verse 15,
42:23
for this is the will of God.
42:25
This is the will of God,
42:28
that by doing good,
42:30
you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
42:35
Even in the midst of wicked rulers,
42:38
the Christian is a servant of God,
42:42
of Christ, our King,
42:45
that we put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
42:51
So does our attitude to authority need to change?
42:57
Do we have that honor for the emperor,
43:01
as he says here?
43:02
Do we honor those in authority over us?
43:05
Do we become subject for the Lord's sake
43:08
to every human institution?
43:13
It's hard,
43:15
but it's a command of God.
43:17
And as we go on,
43:19
secondly,
43:20
we see the approach in the midst of this.
43:24
We think of the approach to authority as servants of God.
43:30
He says here,
43:31
be subject to human institutions.
43:34
What's he saying?
43:35
He's saying,
43:36
be good citizens.
43:38
And remember,
43:39
this is all connected to verse 12,
43:41
when it says,
43:42
keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable.
43:45
Keep it honorable.
43:48
Be good citizens.
43:50
I'm not saying here we bow down in weakness
43:53
to those who are in authority over us,
43:56
who we see going against the word of God.
44:00
But we show our strength of faith in all of this.
44:06
We are to hold fast to the word of God.
44:11
Be good citizens.
44:13
You see it through the Old Testament.
44:16
You see it in the New Testament.
44:18
People,
44:19
God's people,
44:20
living under wicked rulerships
44:22
in very morally corrupt societies.
44:25
And yet,
44:26
what was their approach?
44:28
It was to honor God above everything else.
44:32
To honor God.
44:35
We are to keep earthly laws
44:37
that do not require us to break the law of God.
44:40
And you see in verse 15,
44:45
what the purpose and the approach of this is.
44:47
For this is the will of God,
44:48
that by doing good,
44:50
you should be to silence the ignorance
44:51
of foolish people.
44:54
And he gives a warning in this as well, though.
44:58
In verse 16,
45:00
live as people who are free,
45:03
not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil,
45:06
but living as servants of God.
45:11
What is he saying here?
45:13
Well, it goes back to things that he was saying earlier in chapter 1,
45:18
where he was speaking to the people and writing to them.
45:21
And it would be so easy for us to come to the wrong conclusion
45:25
when we see wickedness going on around us,
45:27
we can say,
45:28
well, I'm free in Christ.
45:30
I don't have to listen to what authorities and rulers over me say.
45:35
You see, I am free through him.
45:37
I am a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.
45:41
He speaks of them as to those who are elect,
45:44
exiles of the dispersion in verse 1 of chapter 1.
45:48
He's reminded them their citizenship is in heaven.
45:52
But what he says here in verse 16 is,
45:55
that is not an excuse to a cover-up for evil.
46:01
It's to keep our conduct honorable
46:04
and to do good and to live as good citizens in this world.
46:12
We could say, this is not my home.
46:15
We're just passing through.
46:17
I'm now free.
46:19
But that's not what he wants from us.
46:23
He wants us to engage
46:26
and to live as good Christians in this world
46:30
among those who are foolish and ignorant
46:33
to the things of God.
46:36
How thankful we should be for the Word of God.
46:39
What a blessing it is that it teaches us.
46:42
But what a blessing too when it rebukes us,
46:47
when it brings us back on track,
46:50
when we are going the wrong way.
46:53
So he says,
46:54
do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil,
46:57
but live as servants of God.
47:02
What does this mean?
47:05
One writer puts it like this.
47:07
He's saying,
47:08
don't back off from society
47:10
and don't accommodate society.
47:14
Be a better citizen than anybody else
47:17
because Christ has set you free indeed.
47:21
Cherish your freedom
47:23
and cherish the Christ
47:25
who secured your freedom
47:27
by refusing to abuse that freedom.
47:31
We are to live as servants of God.
47:38
Look in the Old Testament
47:39
and we're all familiar with the story of Daniel, I'm sure.
47:43
And we often say that phrase,
47:45
dare to be a Daniel.
47:48
And we see Daniel as one who stood up in the midst
47:51
and against a people
47:53
who were going against the things of God.
47:56
But how did he do it?
47:58
He didn't dishonor Nebuchadnezzar as king.
48:05
He didn't turn away from rules and authorities in the world.
48:09
He kept his focus on honoring God.
48:13
He prayed to God.
48:16
He gave all honor and glory to God.
48:20
And that is what made the difference.
48:23
People saw the God of Daniel.
48:25
They saw the God that he was worshiping.
48:29
The same with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
48:32
As they were put into the fiery furnace.
48:35
They saw their God.
48:38
They saw who was with them in the fiery furnace.
48:42
And they came to worship God.
48:45
And again, when we think of the world we live in today,
48:49
dare we be a Daniel, what does it mean?
48:51
It means not to dishonor those who rule over us.
48:57
Not to speak wickedly or unkindly against them.
49:00
But to honor God.
49:03
And to give all glory to God.
49:07
Is that our approach?
49:09
To put God first.
49:13
Showing honor to God.
49:16
And then showing honor to those who are ruling over us.
49:21
It's so important for us.
49:23
Not to withdraw from society.
49:26
But to be in society.
49:29
To be salt and light in the places that we are.
49:33
And to pray that those who we often see,
49:35
especially maybe in politics today,
49:37
we say,
49:38
how can they stay in their position there in politics
49:41
when it's so morally corrupt?
49:43
We should thank God that there are those who will stand for the cause of God.
49:50
And pray for them.
49:53
Prayer in public life used to be so common.
49:56
But even that is being pushed away now.
50:00
It causes offense.
50:01
So we take it away.
50:04
And we should long for days when prayer in public is more and more common.
50:09
There was a man called Peter Marshall.
50:13
He was a Scottish-born pastor.
50:16
And he went to America.
50:18
And he actually became the Senate chaplain in the United States.
50:23
Such an important role.
50:26
And part of his role was that he would pray before their meetings.
50:30
This was during the 1940s.
50:32
Just after the Second World War.
50:36
And one of his prayers is recorded.
50:38
Well, many of his prayers are recorded.
50:39
But one of them said this.
50:41
Lord Jesus, thou who art the way, the truth, and the life.
50:46
Hear us as we pray for the truth that shall make all free.
50:51
Teach us that liberty is not only to be loved, but also to be lived.
50:56
Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in books.
50:59
It costs too much to be hoarded.
51:03
Help us to see that our liberty is not the right to do as we please,
51:10
but the opportunity to please to do what is right.
51:15
That was how they went into their meeting.
51:19
Freedom not to do as we please,
51:21
but the opportunity to please to do what is right.
51:25
The fools that Peter speaks of here,
51:31
those who are foolish,
51:34
are the ones who need God.
51:39
But we as servants of God,
51:41
as it says in verse 15,
51:43
that by doing good,
51:45
you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
51:50
Again, it goes back to verse 12 as well.
51:54
Those that we are to live honorable lives before,
51:58
even when they speak against you as evildoers,
52:00
that they may see your good deeds
52:02
and glorify God in the day of visitation.
52:08
Our approach is to honor God
52:11
by being subject for the Lord's sake in these things.
52:17
The final thing I want us to see is,
52:22
what's our agenda in all of this?
52:26
Can you imagine today going up to the king?
52:31
Well, a prime minister and saying,
52:33
look, you fool,
52:35
Christ is king,
52:37
and you are a subject.
52:40
Can you imagine doing that?
52:42
Well, in the year 1596,
52:47
James VI was king of Scotland.
52:50
And a minister called Andrew Melville
52:52
was able to meet with him.
52:55
He met with him amid concerns
52:57
of the direction Scotland was going in.
53:00
Royal policy was undermining the gains
53:03
of the gospel that had come about
53:05
as a result of the Reformation.
53:07
And eventually, Andrew Melville
53:11
met with the king,
53:13
but he lost patience with the king.
53:16
And he called him God's silly vassal,
53:20
God's silly subject,
53:21
called him a fool.
53:24
And then he went on to say,
53:25
there are two kings
53:26
and two kingdoms in Scotland.
53:29
There is Christ Jesus the king
53:31
and his kingdom, the church,
53:34
whose subject King James VI is.
53:36
And of whose kingdom he is not a king,
53:39
not a lord, not a head,
53:41
but a member.
53:43
He put the king in his place.
53:46
But what was his agenda?
53:49
Melville and others saw in passages
53:51
like here in Peter and Romans chapter 13,
53:55
he saw that we have the resources.
53:58
We have a God who is able to equip a nation
54:01
to be a blessing to the people.
54:03
And he saw the need for respect
54:08
and honor on the one hand,
54:10
but also the need for courage
54:13
and boldness on the other.
54:17
Can we have a conversation with those
54:19
in power over us?
54:21
Or how would we even write a letter
54:24
to someone who's an authority
54:25
and power over us?
54:27
What would be our approach?
54:28
Would it be to condemn?
54:30
Or would it be to encourage,
54:34
to remember that there is one king
54:36
and Lord over all,
54:38
and that that is Christ?
54:41
By living as servants of God
54:44
and doing good,
54:46
by pointing foolish people
54:48
to the king of kings
54:50
and the Lord of lords,
54:52
there we can be Daniels,
54:53
we can be Shadrach, Meshach,
54:55
and Abednego in the Old Testament,
54:57
we can be the Paul and Peter
54:59
and others in the church
55:00
of the New Testament
55:01
who didn't shy away,
55:05
who didn't capitulate
55:06
with all that was going on,
55:08
but who were in their place
55:11
in that time,
55:13
a salt and light
55:14
for the glory and the gospel.
55:18
Their agenda was not one
55:21
to dishonor the rulers of the day,
55:23
but to honor God
55:25
and in so doing point
55:28
to a better way,
55:30
a greater way,
55:31
a way that our nation
55:33
would know blessing again
55:34
with the peace of God.
55:40
In verse 17 here it says,
55:44
honor everyone,
55:46
love the brotherhood,
55:47
fear God,
55:49
honor the emperor.
55:50
You see it starts and fear,
55:52
starts and finishes
55:53
with honor.
55:56
Honor everyone
55:57
and honor the emperor.
55:59
There's no distinction.
56:02
Live honorable lives
56:03
before all
56:04
that they may see
56:06
your good deeds
56:07
and glorify God.
56:09
And when you look
56:10
at this section,
56:11
they're all interconnected.
56:14
In verse 13,
56:15
we are to take this stance
56:16
of being subject
56:17
for the Lord's sake.
56:20
And we are to do it
56:22
in verse 15
56:23
because it is the will
56:24
of God.
56:26
We are to do it
56:27
in verse 16,
56:28
as servants of God.
56:30
And we are to do it
56:31
in verse 17,
56:33
fearing God.
56:36
Fear God, it says.
56:37
Worship Him
56:39
and live as subjects
56:42
of those in authority
56:44
over us.
56:45
with what agenda
56:47
that they might see
56:50
our good deeds
56:51
and glorify God.
56:57
If we as a church
56:59
here in Stornway
57:00
were taken away
57:02
and these doors
57:03
were closed
57:04
and nobody noticed
57:06
and nobody missed
57:09
our input
57:11
into this town
57:12
or into our society,
57:14
then something
57:16
would be seriously wrong.
57:20
We haven't been fulfilling
57:21
our duties.
57:25
And that is what Peter
57:26
is reminding the people
57:27
here in ourselves.
57:29
That even as we live
57:31
as exiles,
57:32
even as we live
57:34
as citizens
57:35
of the kingdom of heaven,
57:37
we live
57:38
in the midst
57:39
of this world
57:41
and among the people
57:43
and authorities
57:44
of this world.
57:47
And it doesn't mean
57:48
backing off.
57:51
It doesn't mean
57:52
capitulating.
57:55
It means mission.
57:58
It means
57:59
engagement.
58:00
bearing witness
58:03
to a different life,
58:05
a different way,
58:07
a different world
58:08
that comes
58:10
through faith
58:11
in Jesus Christ.
58:13
Because that is
58:15
our hope
58:16
and that is
58:17
what we believe
58:18
is able to bless
58:19
a town,
58:21
a nation
58:22
and this world.
58:25
So may God
58:25
help us
58:26
to live
58:28
as his servants.
58:30
being subject
58:31
to those
58:33
in authority
58:34
over us,
58:35
but above all
58:37
by being
58:39
servants
58:40
of God.
58:42
Let us pray.
58:44
Our Father in heaven,
58:46
give us
58:47
both courage
58:48
and boldness
58:49
to be a people
58:51
who will be
58:51
your servants
58:52
wherever you place us
58:54
and whatever we do.
58:56
Help us,
58:56
O Lord,
58:57
to uphold
58:57
those in authority
58:58
over us
58:59
prayerfully,
59:01
seeking to honour
59:02
them, O Lord,
59:03
that they would see
59:04
even our good deeds
59:05
and glorify you.
59:07
Help us,
59:08
Lord,
59:08
that we would continue
59:09
to long for
59:11
and desire
59:11
for the goodness
59:13
of God
59:13
to be known
59:14
throughout
59:14
our island
59:16
here,
59:17
throughout our nation
59:18
and throughout
59:18
the world,
59:20
that you would come
59:20
in a day of your power,
59:22
that you would use us,
59:23
O Lord,
59:24
as your servants
59:25
for your glory
59:26
and for your sake.
59:28
Amen.
59:31
We're going to conclude
59:33
by singing
59:33
to God's praise
59:34
in Psalm 77
59:36
in the Scottish Psalter.
59:38
Psalm 77.
59:44
We'll sing from verse 14,
59:46
two stanzas.
59:47
Thou art the God
59:48
that wanders dust
59:50
by thy right hand
59:51
most strong.
59:52
Thy mighty power
59:53
thou hast declared
59:54
the nations among.
59:55
To thine own people
59:57
with thine arm
59:58
thou didst redemption bring
59:59
to Jacob's sons
1:00:01
and to the tribes
1:00:02
of Joseph
1:00:03
that do spring.
1:00:04
We'll sing these two verses
1:00:05
to God's praise.
1:00:07
Amen.
1:00:12
Thou art the God
1:00:17
that wanders
1:00:20
by thy right hand
1:00:22
by thy right hand
1:00:26
most strong.
1:00:27
Thy mighty power
1:00:32
thou hast declared
1:00:37
the nations among.
1:00:44
The nations among
1:00:46
to thine own people
1:00:48
with thine arm
1:00:50
own people
1:00:52
with thine arm
1:00:56
thou didst redemption
1:01:01
bring
1:01:03
to Jacob's sons
1:01:08
sons and to the tribes
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of Joseph
1:01:17
that do spring.
1:01:23
After the benediction
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I'll go to the main door.
1:01:26
We'll close with a benediction.
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Now may grace, mercy,
1:01:29
and peace
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from God,
1:01:31
Father,
1:01:31
Son,
1:01:32
and Holy Spirit
1:01:33
rest upon
1:01:34
and abide with us all
1:01:35
now and forevermore.
1:01:37
Amen.