Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Breaking Down Barriers

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Breaking Down Barriers · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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time. We're going to begin our worship this evening by singing to God's praise in Psalm 89,
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the Scottish Psalter verse in Psalm 89, page 344 of the Psalm books. We're going to sing from verse
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1 to verse 6. God's mercies I will ever sing, and with my mouth I shall thy faithfulness make to be
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known to generations all. We'll sing verse 1 to 6 to God's praise.
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God's mercies I will ever sing, and with my mouth I shall thy faithfulness make to be known
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to generations all. For mercy shall be filled, said I, forever to endure.
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Thy faithfulness deep in the hand, thou wilt be salvation. I with my chosen one have made,
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a covenant gracious me. And to my servant, to my love, to give this for now I,
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that I thy seed established shall forever to remain, and will to generations all,
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thy throne will maintain. The praises of thy wonders, Lord, the heavens shall express,
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and in the congregation of saints, thy faithfulness. For who in heaven with the Lord may once
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may one's sins self compare, who is like God among the sons of those that mighty are.
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Let us come to God.
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Let us come to God in prayer. Let us pray.
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Our Father in heaven, as we have sung these words, we are reminded of the wonder of who you are.
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Who in heaven with the Lord may once himself compare, the psalmist asks. And as we think of these words,
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we recognize that there is none, no one who compares to you. You are the God of mercy. You are the God of miracles.
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You are the God of creation. You are the God of salvation. You are the God of covenant and all your promises that are,
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yea and amen, in Christ Jesus our Lord. And we thank you that in these words that we have sung,
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we are reminded of so many of these promises, that you have established a covenant graciously,
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that you have loved your people, that you have sworn that you will keep them, that you will establish through your seed,
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one who will remain forever and to generations all your throne will be.
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And so we thank you that today we come to worship you and to offer up our praise to you as our Lord and as our God.
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God's mercies I will ever sing and we pray that that will be our portion day by day,
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that we'll be able to praise your great name, but also too that we will show it forth to generations all,
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to all people around us and to those who will come after us, God willing,
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we pray that we will leave, O Lord, the testimony of the power of your word and of your kingdom.
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We pray and thank you that you have promised that your kingdom will remain,
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that your kingdom will come and that it will come with power.
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And we pray to see that in our own day and age even now,
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as we think of the kingdoms of this world and how fragile they are at this time.
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We think of all the great uncertainties around us, Lord,
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in our own personal experiences and the experiences of our land and the experiences of our world.
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We are reminded on a daily basis, Lord, just how much change takes place,
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how much evil there is around us.
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We are reminded of the wickedness of our own hearts and the hearts of the many around us.
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But we thank you, too, that we are reminded, too, of the power of your gospel
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and that it is a power to change, a power to convict and convert those that lie in sin.
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And so we thank you, O Lord, that you have promised that you will build your kingdom,
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that you will build your church, and that not even the gates of hell will prevail against it.
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We thank you that the foundation of it is secure.
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It is built upon the rock that is Jesus Christ, our Lord,
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the one who came into this world and who gave himself for it.
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And so we thank you, Lord, for your great mercy and the wonder of it,
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that you would give your only Son so that sinners such as we are
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might know the great joy of salvation.
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So may you keep us, Lord, never losing sight of that,
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never losing the wonder of salvation and the joy of it.
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And we know at times, Lord, that even like David in the Psalms,
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how he expresses that great desire to have that joy of salvation restored.
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We acknowledge, too, Lord, how in our own sins that we fall short of your glory
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and how there are times in our own experiences when we long
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for that salvation joy restored to us.
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We pray, Lord, that together we will know great joy in your word
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and in your truth to us, even this evening and in the days ahead, O Lord,
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that you will make our hearts burn within us.
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So we will go from here this evening, not just rejoicing in ourselves,
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but longing for others to know the wonder of salvation in Jesus Christ.
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We do pray, Lord, for the work of your kingdom here in our midst
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and throughout our communities.
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We pray, Lord, for the blessing of your Spirit to be poured out upon us.
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We know that we can make many plans.
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We can make many attempts, as it were, to reach out with your word.
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But we know that apart from you, we can do nothing.
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And so we pray for your wisdom, for your leading, for your guidance,
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for your peace and blessing over us as a people.
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Help us to know what to do.
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Help us to do all for your glory.
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Help us to do it in a way that we would see, Lord, your power and presence with us.
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We know there are many needs.
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We know that they're always there before us.
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We can so often, maybe, as it were, bury our heads in the sand,
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hoping that many of them will go away.
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I think even of the conference that's been going on over this weekend,
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challenges to us all as people, as individuals, as congregations,
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as parents, as children.
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And we live in a world where there is so much moral depravity and so much wickedness around us.
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But we thank you, Lord, for issues being highlighted that are very sensitive.
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And sometimes we don't want to speak about them.
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But we know that there are issues that affect us all in different ways.
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And we pray, Lord, for that nearness to you,
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to be able to know your leading and your guiding and your protection in it.
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We pray for a nearness to one another,
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to be able to share and fellowship with one another
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when we struggle with a whole host of sins in our own experiences.
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May we find that there are brothers and sisters in Christ who are there for us.
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And may we find in you, Lord, a God of great grace and mercy,
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one who is able to heal and to help.
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And so we pray, Lord, that you will guard us,
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guard all our people, guard our young ones,
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and may you bless them even this evening together.
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And as they hear from both Joe and Ali this evening,
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we pray that your blessing will be on that time,
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that it will be something that they will acknowledge and give thanks for.
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So, Lord, may you bless and be with each one in that as well.
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We thank you, too, for communion season just now.
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We thank you for the services taking place even at this time and point.
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We thank you for our own minister, the Reverend James McKeever, being there.
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And we pray, Lord, that they will have had a blessed weekend.
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And even now, as they worship together,
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may they know your presence, may they know your power,
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and may they know your great favor upon them as a people there.
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And throughout our islands at this time,
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as communion seasons draw to our close,
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we think of Graver next weekend
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and pray your blessing on the ministry of your word there.
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Thank you for the Reverend Ian McCritchie
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and for his work among the people and the congregation there.
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We pray that you will honor him and the people,
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elders, deacons, and congregation alike,
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that you will pour out your blessing on them.
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We pray that for all our congregations,
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far and wide, too,
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upon our whole world this day, Lord,
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that you would come in your power,
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convicting power,
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that you will come in your comforting power as well
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to all who need you,
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to all who mourn and grieve at this time.
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We pray, Lord, your comfort towards each one,
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both here in our own midst and far and wide,
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as we hear of great tragedies around the world,
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even at this time.
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We pray, Lord, your mercy and your peace upon us.
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And we thank you, Lord,
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as we come this evening to your word,
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that is a word that is so precious,
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a word that speaks powerfully to us,
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a word that has power even beyond what we can imagine,
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for it is your word and your truth.
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And we pray, Lord,
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that you will bless it to all our hearts this evening,
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that you will bless it far and wide,
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that the promises of it will all be fulfilled,
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that it will go return to you,
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having accomplished all for which you send it forth.
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And may that power be ours this evening
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to know that you are with us.
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So continue with us now
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and help us to do all to your glory
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as we sing your praise,
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as we offer up our prayers together,
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and as we open up your word.
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Guide us and lead us, we pray,
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pardoning all our sin,
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as we ask it all in Jesus' precious name.
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Amen.
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We are going to sing again to God's praise this time
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in Psalm 20,
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in the Singed Psalms,
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page 24 of the Psalm books.
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Psalm 20, verse 1-9,
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May the Lord answer you when you cry in distress.
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May Jacob's God keep you,
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whose name you confess.
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May God send assistance from his holy place
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and grant you from Zion support by his grace.
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We'll sing the whole of this psalm to God's praise.
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May the Lord answer you when you cry in distress.
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May Jacob's God keep you,
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whose name you confess.
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May God send assistance from his holy place
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and grant you from Zion support by his grace.
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May God keep in mind every sacrifice made,
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accept on the altar your offerings laid,
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and may he fulfill the desire of your heart,
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success to each one of your plans to impart.
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With joy we will shout when your victory's won.
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We'll lift up our banners in God's name alone.
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And so may the Lord hear your earnest request
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and answer your prayers as seems to him best.
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Now truly I know that the Lord from above
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protects his anointed in covenant love.
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From heaven in his holiness God hears his cry,
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and saves by the power of his right and all high.
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In horses or chalions some trust for defense,
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but the name of the Lord is our strong confidence.
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their blood to their knees while in strength we arise.
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O Lord save the King, hear and answer our cries.
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We can turn together to read God's word in the book of Acts and chapter 10.
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Acts chapter 10, we take up our reading at the beginning of this chapter.
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Our focus is mainly going to be towards the end of the chapter where we see Peter and Cornelius meeting together.
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But in order to get the full context, I would read from the beginning of the chapter and see
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the wonder of the way God spoke to Cornelius, first of all,
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and then to Peter through different visions and brought them to the point of coming together,
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something that wouldn't otherwise have happened as we will see.
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So Acts chapter 10 and at verse 1.
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At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius,
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a centurion of what was known as the Italian cohort,
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a devout man who feared God with all his household,
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gave alms generously to the people,
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and prayed continually to God.
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About the ninth hour of the day,
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he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come and say to him,
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Cornelius.
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And he stared at him in terror and said,
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What is it, Lord?
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And he said to him,
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Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.
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And now send men to Joppa
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and bring one, Simon,
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who is called Peter.
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He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner,
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whose house is by the seaside.
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When the angel who spoke to him had departed,
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he called two of his servants and a devout soldier
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from among those who attended him.
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And having related everything to them,
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he sent them to Joppa.
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The next day,
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as they were on their journey and approaching the city,
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Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
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And he became hungry and wanted something to eat.
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But while they were preparing it,
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he fell into a trance
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and saw the heavens opened
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and something like a great sheet descending,
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being let down by its four corners upon the earth.
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In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles
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and birds of the air.
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And there came a voice to him,
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Rise, Peter, kill and eat.
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But Peter said,
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By no means, Lord,
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for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.
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And the voice came to him again a second time,
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What God has made clean,
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do not call common.
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This happened three times,
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and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.
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Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed
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as to what the vision that he had seen might mean,
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Behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius,
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having made inquiry for Simon's house,
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stood at the gate
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and called out to ask
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whether Simon, who was called Peter,
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was lodging there.
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And while Peter was pondering the vision,
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the Spirit said to him,
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Behold, three men are looking for you.
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Rise and go down
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and accompany them without hesitation,
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for I have sent them.
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And Peter went down to the men and said,
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I am the one you are looking for.
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What is the reason for your coming?
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And they said,
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Cornelius, a centurion,
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an upright and God-fearing man,
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who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation,
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was directed by a holy angel
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to send for you to come to his house
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and to hear what you have to say.
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So he invited them to be his guests.
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The next day he rose and went away with them.
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And some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
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And on the following day they entered Caesarea.
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Cornelius was expecting them
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and had called together his relatives and close friends.
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When Peter entered,
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Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet
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and worshipped him.
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But Peter lifted him up saying,
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Stand up, I too am a man.
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And as he talked with him,
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he went in and found many Persians gathered.
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And he said to them,
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You yourselves know how unlawful it is
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for a Jew to associate with
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or to visit anyone of another nation.
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But God has shown me
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that I should not call any Persians
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common or unclean.
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So when I was sent for,
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I came without objection.
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I asked then,
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Why you sent for me?
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And Cornelius said,
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Four days ago,
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about this hour,
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I was praying in my house
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at the ninth hour.
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And behold,
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a man stood before me
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in bright clothing and said,
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Cornelius,
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your prayer has been heard
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and your arms have been remembered
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before God.
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Send therefore to Joppa
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and ask for Simon,
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who is called Peter.
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He is lodging in the house
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of Simon a Tanner by the sea.
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So I sent for you at once
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and you have been kind enough to come.
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Now, therefore,
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we are all here in the presence of God
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to hear all that you have been commanded
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by the Lord.
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So Peter opened his mouth and said,
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Truly,
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I understand that God shows no partiality,
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but in every nation,
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anyone who fears him
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and does what is right
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is acceptable to him.
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And for the word that he sent,
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as for the word that he sent to Israel,
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preaching good news of peace
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through Jesus Christ,
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he is Lord of all.
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You yourselves know what happened
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throughout all Judea,
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beginning from Galilee,
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after the baptism that John proclaimed,
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how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
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with the Holy Spirit
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and with power.
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He went about doing good
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and healing all who were oppressed
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by the devil,
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for God was with him.
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And we are witnesses of all that he did,
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both in the country of the Jews
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and in Jerusalem.
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They put him to death
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by hanging him on a tree.
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But God raised him on the third day
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and caused him to appear,
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not to all the people,
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but to us who had been chosen by God
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as witnesses,
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who ate and drank with him
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after he rose from the dead.
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And he commanded us
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to preach to the people
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and to testify
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that he is the one appointed by God
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to be judge of the living and the dead.
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To him,
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all the prophets bear witness
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that everyone who believes in him
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receives forgiveness
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through his name.
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And so on.
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And may God bless
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that reading from his word.
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Before we turn back to that passage,
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we'll sing again to God's praise
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in Psalm 119
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in the Scottish Psalter version.
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It's on page 400 of the psalm books.
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We're singing at verse 9
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down to verse 16.
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Psalm 119 at verse 9.
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By what means shall a young man learn
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his way to purify,
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if he according to thy word
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thereto attentive be?
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We'll sing this section of Psalm 119
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to God's praise.
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Psalm 119
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by what means shall a young man learn
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his way to purify,
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if he according to thy word
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there to attend to thee.
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Psalm 119
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by what means shall a young man learn
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and learn
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and learn
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with all my soul and heart.
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O let me not from the right path
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of thy calmness depart.
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thy word I in my heart abit,
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but I offend not thee.
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O Lord, the ever-blessed heart,
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thy statutes teach thou me.
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The judgments of thy mouth each warm,
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my lips keep lit up.
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More joy thy testimonies way,
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than riches all be gave.
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I will thy holy presence,
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my meditation.
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O Lord, the ever-blessed heart,
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my heart is one.
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And carefully I'll have respect
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upon thy statutes, my divine,
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shall constantly be set,
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upon thy statutes, my divine,
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shall constantly be set,
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and by thy grace I ever will
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thy holy word forget.
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O Lord, the ever-blessed heart,
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my holy word forget.
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Well, if we can turn back to our reading
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in Acts chapter 10.
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We can just read again at verse 33.
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Acts chapter 10 at verse 33,
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where Cornelius is speaking to Peter
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as they have come to meet together
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in the house of Cornelius.
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It says,
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So I sent for you at once,
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and you have been kind enough to come.
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Now, therefore, we are all here
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in the presence of God,
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to hear all that you have been commanded
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by the Lord.
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So Peter opened his mouth and said,
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Truly, I understand that God
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shows no partiality,
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but in every nation anyone who fears
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him and does what is right
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is acceptable to him.
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And so on.
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It's quite a remarkable passage,
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this chapter 10 in the book of Acts,
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how it describes to us
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this remarkable way
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where Peter and Cornelius,
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both in separate places,
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were given a message by God
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through different visions,
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how they were to come together.
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And as it says there in verse 33,
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the reason for their coming together
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was to be in the presence of God,
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to hear what the Lord has commanded.
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It's a remarkable coming together
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in so many different ways,
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as we'll see as we go through this passage.
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But it makes us wonder tonight
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of our own hearing the word of God
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and thinking,
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Are we worthy to hear this word ourselves?
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Do we deserve this word of God ourselves?
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When we think of maybe how long
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we've been under God's word,
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how long we've had God's word
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at our fingertips,
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are we worthy of it?
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What are we doing with it?
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Do we recognize that even here
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this evening we are all gathered
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in the presence of God?
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What does that mean?
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To be gathered in the presence of God,
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to be here to hear what he has to say to us,
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to realize who it is that is speaking to us.
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We become so accustomed just to coming
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and hearing what is said,
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but do we realize it is God who is speaking to us?
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Sometimes we need to be reminded
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that it is a wonder at all
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that God would speak to any of us,
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to you or to me,
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because we are truly undeserving of it.
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But there are times too when God,
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by his grace, just takes hold of us.
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And when he speaks to us in a powerful way
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and we are left just in awe of him.
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And this encounter between Peter and Cornelius,
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it leaves them and those who are with them in great awe
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and wonder at the grace of God.
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Have you ever gone to a place where you went in,
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not really sure what it was going to be like
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or whether in going there
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it was really worth going at all in the first place.
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But then you have gone in
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and at the end of it you have really enjoyed yourself.
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You have loved the whole experience of being there
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and you didn't want to leave.
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Sometimes it can happen in the strangest of places.
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I remember once being in London
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and we were going to the theatre
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and I'd never been to the theatre before.
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And if I'm honest, it wasn't the first choice
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of where I would want to go on a night in London.
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But I went along, not really knowing
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maybe what to expect,
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not thinking I would really enjoy it.
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But by the end of the evening
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I was just blown away by the whole experience
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of watching this show in the theatre.
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It was a powerful experience
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and a wonderful experience in many ways.
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But then you think of the wonder
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of hearing the Gospel
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and the wonder of being under the Word of God
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and you recognise that even though
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there are many good things in this world,
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many experiences that we will enjoy
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and places that we go
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that we will delight in,
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there is nothing that compares
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to being gathered together
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under the Word of God
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and hearing what God has to say to us.
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And that's at the heart of what is before us here
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in this passage.
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Where Cornelius has gathered friends
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and family together,
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probably many of them not sure
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why they're there in the first place.
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Maybe many of them not wanting to be there,
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wondering should they be there at all.
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And when they see the guests that Cornelius has invited,
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Peter, to come into their midst,
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they're probably wondering,
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what's this all about?
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Maybe they'll just want to get up and leave.
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Peter himself is probably wondering the same.
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Why, Lord, are you taking me to these people?
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They would have so many questions.
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And yet we see here that God is working powerfully,
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powerfully in bringing them together
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to recognize there is unity in Christ,
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that Christ is one who breaks down so many different barriers.
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Their purpose in being together was to hear the Word of God.
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And here we are this evening,
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gathered together in Stornoway Free Church,
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Sunday, the 30th of October, 2022.
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Is it a significant date for ourselves?
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Many ways it's not.
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We'll be here.
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We'll move on.
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We'll maybe forget about it.
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But we're here by God's grace.
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We're here under God's Word.
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We're here because God has appointed this time for us to be here.
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It's an appointed time by God.
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And hear this.
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God has appointed this time for you and I to be gathered here
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in His presence to hear His Word.
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And as we see in this encounter between Peter and Cornelius,
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it really is a remarkable one.
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One that without God's power and intervention would not have happened in and of itself.
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That's made clear for us as you read through the whole of this chapter.
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Peter makes it clear as he arrives in the midst of this house of Cornelius
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that this is not a place that he should be.
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He says in verse 28,
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How Peter was viewing people before God intervened.
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How Cornelius was maybe viewing Peter before God had intervened.
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You can imagine them both having their own views of one another.
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But it's a reminder to us of the power of the Gospel.
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And what can this Word do for you and I this evening?
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Well, it can do exactly the same thing.
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It can break down barriers that maybe exist in our own hearts.
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People that we see around us who maybe we feel are undeserving of the Gospel
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for whatever reason that might be.
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Sometimes we need our hearts cleansed of that kind of attitude.
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To see that everyone is made in the image of God.
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To see that every soul is precious to God.
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To see that every one of us needs the Lord Jesus.
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Peter and Cornelius here needed their hearts changed.
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And perhaps as we think of the work of the Gospel here in our own midst,
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we need our hearts changed.
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We need our eyes opened more and more.
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To see the great need around us.
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To see the people around us truly for who they are.
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A people who are not unclean in any way.
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But who need the cleaning power of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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The Russian writer Leo Tolstoy once said,
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Everybody thinks of changing humanity.
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And nobody thinks of changing himself.
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Maybe that's our attitude so often.
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We look around us and we think everybody else needs to change.
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Those around us, they're the ones that need to change.
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But there are times when we have to look in our own hearts.
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And ask, is it me?
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Is it my attitude?
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Is it my life?
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Is it my ways that need to change?
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Peter and Cornelius recognize that here.
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And they're brought to that point where God changes their heart.
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And what comes from that is a pouring out of the Gospel.
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The blessing of the Gospel.
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Going far and wide.
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And maybe that's a prayer we should have for ourselves this evening.
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Lord, change our hearts.
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Change our hearts so we would not look down on anyone.
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Or not look above.
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That we are above anybody else.
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Change us, Lord.
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And then we can see about changing humanity.
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Sometimes we need to change our hearts.
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But that is what the Gospel does.
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So here we are gathered together this evening.
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Under the Word of God.
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To hear what He has to say to us.
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This is God's appointment.
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And I want to see three things about this appointment for us this evening.
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As we learn from this passage before us.
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And the first thing is this.
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God's appointed time.
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In this account in chapter 10.
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You have these main characters, if you like.
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Who are poles apart.
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Cornelius, we are told, is a Roman centurion.
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A Gentile.
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And on the other hand, you have Peter.
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One of the apostles.
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A devoted Jew.
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And they weren't going to mix.
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Not by their own choosing were they going to come together.
38:30
But behind everything here is God.
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God.
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God who appears to Cornelius.
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And God who appears to Peter.
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And the result of this is the Gospel spreading far and wide.
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And continuing to spread to this very day.
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So that we too are privileged to be under this Gospel ourselves.
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And the wonder of it.
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God is here orchestrating these events to bring these two men together.
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In a way that in many ways shocked them both.
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But it broke down many barriers that existed between them.
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You think, what kind of things would Cornelius have said about Peter?
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You wonder what kind of conversations they would have had before Peter comes.
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And what kind of man is he?
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Or what kind of people are the Jews?
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The Jews were seen or saw themselves very often as a class above.
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And the Gentiles, they were a different kind of people.
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There were two kinds of people in these days.
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The Jews, if you weren't a Jew, you were a Gentile.
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And there was no mixing between them.
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But many of the Gentiles, like Cornelius, who probably looked at the Jews and said,
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Oh, they are so legalistic.
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It's all about do's and don'ts.
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Why can't we just worship God the way we want to ourselves?
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Maybe Peter, as we see here, being saying things that we were not even meant to mix with you people.
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He would have been saying about Cornelius, he doesn't deserve to hear the gospel.
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He hates the way of the Jews and what they stand for.
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But look what happens when the grace of God intervenes.
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When God's appointed times comes and he brings them together.
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The result is this encounter between the two where they become united, if you like.
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They come under God's word.
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And the result of this encounter today is that all people throughout the world can hear the wonder of the gospel of God's grace.
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As he says there in verse 34, Peter says,
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Truly I understand that God shows no partiality.
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He shows no favoritism.
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He doesn't look on one person as better than another.
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There's no partiality.
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But in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is acceptable, what is right is acceptable to him.
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Is that our heart attitude too?
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We have to confess that there are times when we lack that kind of attitude.
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We can look around and think we're better than others.
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We've got everything sussed in the way that we worship or the way that we do church.
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That we know it all.
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That we know better.
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There are times we have to confess we don't.
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And we have to confess before God that in our hearts, our hearts are partial.
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We look on ourselves more than we look on others.
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We have to ask the Lord to break down that barrier.
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The wonder of it here is that God appoints this time when they come together.
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And in the same way, our lives aren't filled with chance happenings either.
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This was God's appointed time for Peter and Cornelius to come together.
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And this is our appointed day.
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This is our appointed time.
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This is our appointed place.
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And what are we going to do with it?
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How are we going to live our lives?
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How are we going to interact with those around us?
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We don't see any meeting with people as just chance meetings.
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Recently we looked at the Jesus meeting with the woman at the well.
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Again, a Jew and a Samaritan, they weren't meant to mix together either.
42:32
But God appointed that time and what a blessing came from that.
42:37
Hearts that were open to receive and to speak.
42:41
And the blessing that flowed from it.
42:43
So for ourselves, this is not a chance meeting that we're here tonight.
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Perhaps we've been invited.
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Perhaps this is our first time here.
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Perhaps we've come out of curiosity.
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Perhaps we're here most weeks, week after week.
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We are all here because God has appointed this time for us.
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But what are we going to do with it?
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Are we going to hear what God is saying to us?
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Are we going to hear that maybe God is using us and preparing us to be used in his service?
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Even though we might say, what can I do?
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What do I have to offer?
43:22
But that God has something for us all to do.
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Everyone has something to offer and something to give.
43:29
And perhaps God is laying on your heart a particular burden for a people or a group of people.
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So we look around ourselves today.
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There's so many people around us.
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Maybe you ask, well, are we allowed to go and speak to these kinds of people?
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There's visitors to our town.
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There's people who have moved here from other lands and other nations.
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People who have moved in to maybe next door to your home.
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And you're wondering, should I or can I even go and speak to these people?
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Well, it's important that we see that God has appointed such times for us.
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To be a people who will bear witness to God in our communities.
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To be a people who will show the wonder of the gospel to those, to all who are around us.
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Just like Peter, we need to understand that God shows no partiality.
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So this is our appointed time.
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This is our appointed place.
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And that we are to be a people who are ready to respond to God's will for us.
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To be a people who show forth the gospel to those around us.
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Peter was told to go and to meet with Cornelius.
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Are we told to go and meet with those around us?
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Well, yes, of course we are.
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In Matthew 28, verse 19, you have the great commission.
44:53
Commission to the church of Christ to go to all the nations, to all the people.
44:59
To show no partiality, but to seek the glory of the gospel for all people.
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So there is God's appointed time.
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The second thing we see here is this God's appointed word.
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If God has appointed this time for Cornelius and Peter coming together,
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he's also appointed the purpose of their coming together.
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And it is to hear the word of God.
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You notice the way Cornelius puts it there in verse 33.
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I sent for you at once and you have been kind enough to come.
45:34
Now, therefore, we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.
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There was a purpose in their coming to me together.
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And did Peter have to pause and think about what he was going to say?
45:53
Not at all.
45:55
He had the message ready to go.
45:57
And it begins, first of all, with a confession.
46:01
He confesses his own heart before them.
46:04
In verse 34, there is a confession there.
46:08
Truly, now I understand that God shows no partiality.
46:13
He knows his own heart has been wrong in the past.
46:16
And he is confessing that.
46:19
But he goes on then, in verse 36.
46:23
As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all.
46:34
This is the message that he has to bring to the people.
46:39
It is good news.
46:42
It is the gospel preached to all.
46:45
The gospel that is able to break down barriers.
46:49
The gospel that is able to unite and bring peace.
46:53
Because Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all.
46:59
He is Lord of all.
47:02
And as you look at this word, you recognize this is what our world needs.
47:08
This is what everyone around us needs to hear.
47:11
Good news.
47:13
And he goes on and explains all that has happened in their day.
47:18
How Jesus had come into the world.
47:20
And beginning in Galilee after his baptism.
47:23
And so it goes on.
47:25
All of these things had taken place.
47:27
He was crucified.
47:28
But then on the third day, he rose again.
47:32
He explains then the wonder that God sent his son into this world.
47:37
What an amazing message they had.
47:42
And what an amazing message we have ourselves too.
47:46
The wonder of this gospel that God sent his son into this world for us.
47:54
And for those around us who will come through faith to believe.
47:59
They are all acceptable.
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Everyone who will believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
48:06
That is the word that he proclaimed.
48:11
And who needed to hear this?
48:13
They all did.
48:15
Peter needed to hear this.
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Because the Lord convicted him in his own heart.
48:20
And he had to confess the sin of partiality that he had been suffering with.
48:26
But Cornelius needed to hear the word too.
48:31
All who were with him needed to hear the word.
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And his word had to spread far and wide.
48:37
And you just look at Cornelius just for a moment.
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What kind of man he was.
48:43
It says a lot of good things about him.
48:46
At the beginning of the chapter, Cornelius was a centurion of what was known as the Italian cohort.
48:53
A devout man who feared God with all his household.
48:58
Gave alms generously to all the people and prayed continually.
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Everything would seem right on the outside with this man Cornelius.
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He was a good man.
49:09
A devout man.
49:11
But he needed to hear what Peter had to say.
49:15
He needed to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified for our sins.
49:21
But you see, he was a good man.
49:24
Well, if you just jump over to chapter 11, verse 14.
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There, Peter is reporting back to the church all that had taken place.
49:34
And in verse 13, he's telling about this account of his encounter with Cornelius.
49:39
He told us how he had seen the angels stand in his house and say,
49:43
Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter.
49:47
He will declare to you a message by which you will be saved.
49:52
You and all your household.
49:55
They had to hear this message.
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And how many people around ourselves tonight, many of us need to hear or re-hear this message.
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The wonder of the grace of God that is through faith that we are saved.
50:13
So we see this wonder of the word of God.
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The word of God that is powerful to save.
50:22
And this is the word of God that we have to share with others.
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To remind them that this is good news.
50:32
That this is what they need in their life now.
50:35
And for all eternity that's before us.
50:38
We need the Lord.
50:41
C.S. Lewis who once said,
50:43
God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from himself.
50:49
Because it is not there.
50:51
There is no such thing.
50:53
And perhaps you're trying to balance it, to juggle it in your life.
50:57
To find happiness in the world and to find happiness with God.
51:02
To try and get the two of them in balance.
51:05
But it's not working.
51:07
Because it is God you need.
51:10
And God alone.
51:12
And to come and trust in him.
51:15
And the same is true for all around us.
51:19
As we think of those who need to hear the gospel.
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Those who feel there's all happiness in this world.
51:26
That life is fulfilled in every other way apart from God.
51:30
No.
51:31
We have this word that needs to be shared.
51:35
This word that is powerful to save.
51:39
And the greatest burden of all that God puts on our heart.
51:43
Is when he reminds us of our end.
51:46
That God here as well as appointing a time.
51:51
Appointing his word.
51:53
He reminds us here too that he's appointed a judge.
51:58
He has appointed a judge.
52:01
In verse 42.
52:04
And he commanded us to preach to the people.
52:07
And to testify that he is the one.
52:10
Appointed by God.
52:12
To be judge of the living.
52:14
And the dead.
52:16
That's the seriousness of this.
52:19
The wonder of this encounter.
52:22
The appointed time.
52:24
The amazement of that.
52:25
The wonder of the word of God.
52:27
The amazement of that.
52:28
But the seriousness too.
52:31
That he has appointed one.
52:33
To be judge of all.
52:35
And that puts a sense of urgency of all of this as well.
52:41
That if our hearts are showing partiality.
52:45
If we don't see others as worthy of the gospel.
52:49
That God would break down our hearts in that.
52:52
That we would say it's not them that needs to change.
52:55
But us too.
52:57
That our hearts need to change.
53:00
You know there are many places that we can go.
53:04
Many places that we can go for a while.
53:07
And we can leave them behind.
53:09
You think of your own weekly routines.
53:13
You go into the workplace.
53:15
And you leave.
53:16
You go into school or college.
53:19
And then you leave after a time.
53:22
Even coming to church.
53:23
You come in for a time.
53:25
And then you leave.
53:27
And you're saying to yourself all of these things.
53:30
I just want them to pass by.
53:32
I just want the time to go on.
53:34
But all the time.
53:36
Our time is going on.
53:37
It's taking us closer towards this appointed time.
53:41
And this appointed judge.
53:44
A time we will not get out of.
53:46
A meeting we will not get away with.
53:48
And since life is short and uncertain.
53:51
And eternity is before us forever.
53:54
The important question to ask of us all is.
53:57
How can I be saved?
53:59
How can I know I am right with God?
54:03
And how can I tell others of this great need to be right with God?
54:08
While he's saying here.
54:09
There's an appointed judge.
54:11
And it says in verse 43.
54:13
To him.
54:14
All the prophets bear witness.
54:17
That everyone who believes in him.
54:20
Receives forgiveness of sins.
54:23
Through his name.
54:25
There is a serious day coming.
54:28
But there is hope.
54:29
In this gospel.
54:31
For all.
54:32
Who believe.
54:33
Everyone who believes in him.
54:35
Receives forgiveness of sins.
54:38
Through his name.
54:40
How can we be ready.
54:42
For this day when it comes.
54:44
It is to be standing in Christ.
54:47
To be trusting.
54:49
In him.
54:51
There was a story told.
54:54
Of the time when the.
54:55
Pioneers were making their way.
54:58
Through the country of the United States.
55:00
They'd arrived.
55:01
On the east coast.
55:03
And they were making their way inland.
55:04
Setting up towns.
55:06
And villages along the way.
55:08
And there was this one time.
55:10
When a large crowd.
55:11
Were making their way.
55:12
Through the prairies.
55:14
Making their way.
55:15
To a place.
55:16
That they were looking forward.
55:17
To building new homes.
55:19
And a new life.
55:20
And they were journeying.
55:22
Through the prairies.
55:23
And their wagons.
55:25
Drawn by oxen.
55:26
And it was slow progress.
55:29
It took a long time.
55:31
Men and women.
55:32
Boys and girls.
55:33
All making their way.
55:34
Some on the wagon.
55:36
Some having to walk.
55:37
It was very slow progress.
55:39
And as they were traveling.
55:41
Through the prairies.
55:42
This one day.
55:43
It was very warm.
55:44
And it had been for a time.
55:45
Very dry place.
55:47
But they began to see smoke.
55:49
On the western horizon.
55:51
And the smoke was coming.
55:53
Towards them.
55:54
Towards them.
55:55
And they began to realize.
55:57
What was happening.
55:58
The prairie was so dry.
56:00
And the sun was so hot.
56:02
That the dry grass.
56:03
Had started burning.
56:05
And the little wind.
56:06
That there was.
56:07
Was blowing the fire.
56:08
Towards them.
56:09
And they recognized soon.
56:11
That there was no getting away.
56:13
From this fire.
56:14
It was heading towards them.
56:16
And at a faster pace.
56:17
That they could get away.
56:19
They had passed a river.
56:20
The day before.
56:21
But they knew.
56:22
There was no time.
56:23
To get back.
56:24
To that river.
56:25
And what were they going to do.
56:26
They were starting.
56:27
To get terrified.
56:28
They were horrified.
56:29
By what lay ahead of them.
56:31
But then one man.
56:33
Knew what had to be done.
56:35
And to the shock.
56:37
Of those.
56:38
Around him.
56:39
He said.
56:40
We have to set on fire.
56:41
The grass.
56:42
That's behind us.
56:43
And the people.
56:45
Are thinking.
56:46
You're crazy.
56:47
Why are you going to start a fire.
56:48
That's just beside us.
56:49
But he said.
56:50
No.
56:51
This is what we have to do.
56:52
We have to burn the grass.
56:54
That's behind us.
56:55
That we've already.
56:56
Travelled past.
56:57
And so he did that.
56:58
He set the fire alight.
56:59
And the grass.
57:00
Started to burn away from them.
57:02
Back the way.
57:03
That they'd came.
57:04
And as it gathered pace.
57:06
And as the fire moved back.
57:08
Away from them as well.
57:10
The people began to realize.
57:11
The wisdom.
57:12
That this man had.
57:13
You see.
57:14
The grass.
57:15
That had been burned.
57:16
The area was getting bigger.
57:18
And bigger.
57:19
And they started to move on.
57:21
To the land.
57:22
That had been scorched.
57:23
Recognizing.
57:24
That as the fire.
57:25
That was coming.
57:26
The other direction.
57:27
Came towards them.
57:28
It was going to go around them.
57:30
And miss them.
57:31
It couldn't touch them.
57:32
Where the fire had already been.
57:34
And that in itself.
57:36
Is a reminder.
57:37
Of the wonder of the gospel of Christ.
57:40
The man said.
57:42
To one little child.
57:43
The flames.
57:44
Cannot reach us here.
57:46
For we are standing.
57:48
Where the fire has been.
57:50
And when we think.
57:52
Of what we have in Christ.
57:53
That is our hope too.
57:55
As we trust in him.
57:58
We recognize.
57:59
The day of judgment.
58:00
Brings judgment.
58:01
For our sins.
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But when we are standing.
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In Christ.
58:06
We cannot be touched.
58:08
We are safe.
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Through the precious blood.
58:11
Of Christ.
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The fire.
58:13
Cannot touch us.
58:15
Because Christ.
58:17
Has borne our sin.
58:18
He stood.
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Where we deserve to stand.
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He bore.
58:23
The wrath of God.
58:24
On the cross.
58:25
And through his.
58:27
His.
58:28
Obedience.
58:29
We too.
58:31
Can be saved.
58:33
We are standing.
58:35
Where Christ has been.
58:37
But are you tonight.
58:40
Are you standing.
58:42
On that ground.
58:43
Are you standing.
58:45
On that rock.
58:46
That is Christ Jesus.
58:48
The wonder.
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Of it all.
58:50
Is God has given us.
58:52
This time.
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He has appointed.
58:54
This time.
58:55
For us.
58:56
To hear.
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What God.
58:58
Is saying.
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To us.
59:00
That we would see.
59:01
The wonder.
59:02
Of the gospel.
59:03
Our need.
59:04
Of the gospel.
59:05
Around us.
59:06
Of the gospel.
59:07
That he has appointed.
59:09
The word.
59:10
That speaks.
59:11
To us.
59:12
So clearly.
59:13
Reminds us.
59:14
That we are sinners.
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Who are deserving.
59:16
Of the wrath.
59:17
Of God.
59:18
But it reminds us.
59:19
To.
59:20
That God has appointed.
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One.
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Who is judge.
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And all.
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Who believe.
59:25
In him.
59:26
It says here.
59:27
Everyone who believes.
59:28
In him.
59:29
Receives forgiveness.
59:30
Of sin.
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Through his name.
59:33
The reality is.
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None of us.
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Deserve it.
59:38
The wonder of it is.
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That God gives it freely.
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And we are not to show.
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Any partiality.
59:45
In that.
59:46
But to share.
59:47
With all around us.
59:49
The wonder of this gospel.
59:51
And the forgiveness.
59:52
Of sins.
59:53
That is ours.
59:54
Through his name.
59:56
May we never lose sight.
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Of the wonder.
1:00:00
Of it all.
1:00:01
But proclaim.
1:00:02
And praise.
1:00:03
His glorious name.
1:00:05
To all around us.
1:00:07
Amen.
1:00:08
Let us pray.
1:00:09
Our father in heaven.
1:00:13
We do rejoice.
1:00:14
That in Christ.
1:00:15
There is such great hope.
1:00:16
The one who came.
1:00:18
To bear our sins.
1:00:20
The one.
1:00:21
Who we can have forgiveness.
1:00:22
Of sin.
1:00:23
To all.
1:00:24
Who believe in him.
1:00:25
And we pray Lord.
1:00:27
That as your word.
1:00:29
Ministers to our hearts.
1:00:30
That it will change our hearts.
1:00:32
Just as Peter and Cornelius.
1:00:34
Were changed.
1:00:35
By the wonder.
1:00:36
Of the way that you spoke to them.
1:00:38
And how they recognized.
1:00:40
Their need of.
1:00:41
One another.
1:00:42
But also their great need of Christ.
1:00:44
And to share that hope.
1:00:46
With all around them.
1:00:47
We pray that you will do that for us.
1:00:49
That you will unite us.
1:00:51
In the bonds of love in Christ.
1:00:53
That we will be able to share that love.
1:00:55
With others.
1:00:56
And that they would come to know.
1:00:58
The wonder.
1:00:59
Of the good news.
1:01:00
That is Christ Jesus.
1:01:01
Our Lord.
1:01:02
We pray it all.
1:01:03
In his glorious name.
1:01:04
Amen.
1:01:05
We are going to conclude.
1:01:10
By singing.
1:01:11
To God's praise.
1:01:12
In Psalm 40.
1:01:13
In the sing Psalms version.
1:01:15
Find this on page 51.
1:01:16
Psalm 40.
1:01:17
Singing at verse 13.
1:01:18
Down to the end of the Psalm.
1:01:19
Be pleased.
1:01:20
O Lord.
1:01:21
To rescue me.
1:01:22
O Lord.
1:01:23
Come quickly.
1:01:24
To my aid.
1:01:25
May all who seek.
1:01:26
To take my life.
1:01:27
With shame.
1:01:28
And turmoil.
1:01:29
Be repaid.
1:01:30
We will sing.
1:01:31
From verse 13.
1:01:32
Down to the end of the Psalm.
1:01:33
To God's praise.
1:01:34
Be pleased.
1:01:35
O Lord.
1:01:36
To rescue me.
1:01:37
O Lord.
1:01:38
Come quickly.
1:01:39
To my aid.
1:01:40
May all who seek.
1:01:41
To take my life.
1:01:42
With shame.
1:01:43
And turmoil.
1:01:44
Be repaid.
1:01:45
We will sing.
1:01:46
From verse 13.
1:01:47
Down to the end of the Psalm.
1:01:48
To God's praise.
1:01:50
Be pleased.
1:01:52
O Lord.
1:01:53
To rescue me.
1:01:57
O Lord.
1:01:58
Come quickly.
1:02:00
To my aid.
1:02:03
May all who seek.
1:02:04
To take my life.
1:02:05
With shame.
1:02:06
To take my life.
1:02:07
With shame.
1:02:08
To take my life.
1:02:10
May all who seek.
1:02:12
To take my life.
1:02:15
With shame.
1:02:16
To take my life.
1:02:18
With shame.
1:02:19
And turmoil.
1:02:20
To be repaid.
1:02:25
May all who blot.
1:02:29
My overthrow.
1:02:34
Turn back.
1:02:35
To space.
1:02:36
The way they came.
1:02:38
May all who blot.
1:02:39
My overthrow.
1:02:40
Turn back.
1:02:41
To space.
1:02:42
The way they came.
1:02:45
May all who blot.
1:02:46
May all who blot.
1:02:48
May all who do.
1:02:49
Why.
1:02:51
May all who luke.
1:02:53
My face.
1:02:54
May all who luke me.
1:02:56
Poor.
1:02:57
May all who luke me.
1:02:59
May all who'M.
1:03:00
May all who luke me.
1:03:03
May all who TFIM свой borne.
1:03:05
May all who mauvais.
1:03:07
May all who the rejoice.
1:03:09
May all who revenge.
1:03:11
Deathly.
1:03:12
May all who Goodman fight.
1:03:13
For heaven of harm.
1:03:15
Be joyful in you all their days.
1:03:24
Let those who love salvation say,
1:03:34
Exalted be the Lord always.
1:03:42
Yet I am good and in great need.
1:03:54
Lord, thank you me, I humbly pray.
1:04:01
You are my Savior and my help.
1:04:11
Come, O my God, do not delay.
1:04:19
Amen.
1:04:22
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my right.
1:04:26
Close with the benediction.
1:04:28
Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God,
1:04:31
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
1:04:34
rest upon and abide with you all,
1:04:36
now and forevermore.
1:04:38
Amen.