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Treasuring Jesus In Our Hearts · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Let's join together again in prayer. Let's call upon the Lord.
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O Lord, our God, as we once more come before you to seek your blessing and to give you thanks,
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we do come before you, O Lord, as those who confess our need,
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that your Spirit would once again work in our hearts and minds,
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that we may be stirred up in our souls to magnify and bless the Lord,
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that we might find our dependence upon you increased,
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that we might grow too, O Lord, in the love of your name and in the service that we owe to you.
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Bless us then, we pray today as a congregation of your people.
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We pray, Lord, that you would bless each and every family represented here,
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each and every family belonging to us, even if they're not able to be out here this morning.
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We ask your blessing for those who are watching online and participating that way in the service.
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We give thanks, Lord, for the technology that enables people who cannot come physically out,
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that they would nevertheless find a means by which they involve themselves in the service as it proceeds.
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We pray especially that the preaching of the gospel might today come to be blessed to those who hear it,
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either here or online.
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We thank you, Lord, for the many encouragements that you give us in relation to people's comments
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with regard to your word and how they prize it and how it remains to them a precious, precious gift from God.
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We pray today, Lord, for each one of us here.
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You know our needs and you know our concerns.
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You read our hearts and you're able to deal with us as no other can.
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We thank you today, Lord, for that, for the way that it brings to us encouragement,
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that we can bring all our concerns to God, even if we at times ourselves, Lord,
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feel unable to express them and put them adequately into words.
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You are able to read our thoughts and read our hearts.
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You are able, Lord, to read all that we experience in our inmost soul,
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the pains of our heart, the joys of our heart, our confessions of sin and shortcoming.
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We pray that as we come to you today, Lord, we may know anew of your blessing,
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of your hand upon us and of those rich things of the gospel being blessed to us once again.
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We ask, Lord, your blessing today for those who are ill or in other ways unable to be here with us today.
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We pray that you bless us in our families, in our family circles.
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We pray that whatever our circumstances, Lord, in life may be,
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help us to realize that they are ordered by your providence.
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As we look to you and seek your blessing,
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so you are able to bless our events of our lives to us as well,
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the providences in which we are involved.
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For you have ordered them and you have patterned them according to your wisdom.
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We pray, Lord, as we go through from day to day in life,
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that we may learn more and more to place our confidence and our trust in the hands of the Lord.
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Lord, bless those who are ill at this time.
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We pray that your blessing will reach them in their time of illness.
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We pray for your good hand to be upon them.
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We pray for their recovery.
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We pray that you bless their families.
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We pray especially, Lord, for those who are seriously ill
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and ask that you bless them whether at home or in hospice or in hospital.
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Graciously provide for them, we pray,
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and for all who care for us.
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During these times, we ask, O Lord, for thankful hearts,
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that you continue to remember us with those to whom you have given the skills
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that are able to deal with us and to nurse us,
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whether we are physically or mentally in need.
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We pray for those who have mental health issues at this time,
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and we commend them to you also.
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We ask, O Lord, that we may constantly bear them before you,
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and that you are able to deal with us in our minds as well as with our physical needs,
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that you would graciously, Lord,
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provide for them at this time your own healing and supporting touch in their lives.
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We pray, too, for those who are lonely and those who are isolated at this time
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when many people are able to be together to enjoy so much at this time of year.
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Lord, we recognize that there are others of whom this is not true.
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We pray for those who are on their own,
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for those who feel the time long,
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for those who don't have family members to call and visit them.
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We pray for those, Lord, caught up with various types of addictions.
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We pray for them and ask that you would, O Lord,
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that you would come into their lives powerfully and deliver them.
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And we pray that you would bless those who seek to give them counsel and advice and help.
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We pray, too, Lord, for those who experience the difficulties and trials of old age,
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for those whose memory is beginning to fail or has failed already.
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Remember them, Lord.
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Remember the trauma, the families for whom the trauma of these things is very real each day.
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We pray for those who today feel exhausted with looking after others.
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And we feel themselves, Lord, that their health is declining
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because they so willingly and lovingly give of their time to look after others.
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Remember them, Lord, we pray.
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And grant to continue to remember us as a people, as a community, and as a nation.
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Gracious One, remember us, we pray,
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with the power of your Spirit.
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Bless the gospel amongst us and make even these times when Jesus is probably more often spoken of
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than at other times.
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We ask, O Lord, that your word as it goes forth, even as it is read,
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might prove to be a blessing to many.
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Remember, we pray, the world at large as well.
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Lord, we are so conscious of how the peace that is often mentioned at this time of year
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is very much lacking in different parts of the world.
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O Lord, remember these nations and peoples of the world
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who are embroiled in war, in hatred, in violence, in strife.
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And I ask, O Lord, that your word may go forth with power
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to bring many people out of such situations,
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and even in these situations, to know yourself.
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And we pray for days of increasing peace in our nations and throughout the world.
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And we pray that the peace of the gospel especially
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will come to permeate the hearts and minds of many people,
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to lay aside hatred and violence,
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and come to follow the Lord himself as the Prince of Peace.
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And Lord, we ask that we may find better days to come
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than we see in these present days.
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And we pray that you would bless us now as we continue to wait upon you here.
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Bless your word to us especially.
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Open up our hearts and our minds to receive the teaching of your word.
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And graciously receive our thanks.
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Cleanse us from all our sin.
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And we ask it freely in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Well, if we turn now to the gospel of Luke, chapter 2.
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We're going to look, as we said already, at verse 20 for a little time.
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Luke, chapter 2, and verse 20.
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And I'm dividing the sermon into two just to make it a bit easier,
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maybe for the young ones to listen,
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so that they're not such a stretch of mind for them to listen.
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So we're going to have two main points,
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and in between we'll sing another psalm,
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as it is on the outline of the service in the bulletin.
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So our text for today is Luke, chapter 2, and verse 20.
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Verse 19, sorry.
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But Mary treasured up all these things,
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pondering them in her heart.
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A loving mother never forgets any detail of her children's lives,
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if she can help it at all.
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Everything affecting her children for a loving mother
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is always remembered, always thought upon,
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always things that she tries to work her way through in her own mind.
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She remembers when they were born.
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She remembers before they were born.
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She remembers what they were like when they were born.
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She remembers their early days.
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She remembers their school days.
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She remembers their sufferings, their times of illness.
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She remembers many other things about them and what they said.
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She remembers them growing up.
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She remembers what was said of them by other people.
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And all of that she keeps in her mind.
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All of that she goes over from time to time, if not on a daily basis.
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Because to a loving mother, what is more precious than her children,
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apart from the Lord himself?
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That's how it is with Mary in verse 19 of this chapter.
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Mary is trying to put all of that together.
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Because what she's doing, as we'll see,
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is taking the things that she has seen and the things that she has heard,
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and putting all of that together, or trying to put all of that together in her heart and her mind.
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And as she's doing so, we read here that she treasured up all these things,
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pondering them in her heart.
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In her heart.
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So Mary is really noting the things that she had seen, the things that she had heard.
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She's trying to put all that together.
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Remember, this is a very early stage in the New Testament.
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Jesus has just been born.
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She had heard prophecies about him.
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She knew prophecies from the Old Testament scriptures about the Messiah who was coming.
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And as we'll see, she had been told by the angel, and now by the shepherds, things about this child.
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And as she tried to put all that together, we read here that she treasured these things in her heart,
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and she pondered them.
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She thought deeply about them.
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And you notice the word, but, at the beginning of the verse,
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but Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
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And that little word is always very important.
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Because what it's saying is, here is Mary, who is somewhat different to the others that are mentioned.
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We read that all who heard it, in verse 18, wondered at what the shepherds told them.
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They were amazed about it, but it doesn't really say that it affected their lives very much,
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apart from the fact that they wondered at it.
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They were amazed at it.
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But it didn't seem to change their lives in any way.
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But Mary pondered these things in her heart.
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Most of the people who heard the shepherds, who heard these things being told,
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it was interesting for the moment.
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They wondered at it.
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They filled them with a sense of amazement.
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But it seems to have just dissipated very quickly after that.
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And so it was throughout the whole ministry of Jesus.
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But Mary treasured these things and pondered them in her heart.
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And so especially about Mary.
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And the first point I want to make is that Mary's treasuring and pondering is a treasuring and pondering of the good news.
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Of the news of Jesus, the news that is, in fact, the gospel itself.
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We'll look at that.
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Mary's treasuring and pondering of the good news.
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Then we'll have a wee break for our singing.
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And secondly, we'll look at the benefits for ourselves of treasuring and pondering the things that God has brought us in the gospel.
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So, Mary's treasuring and pondering the good news.
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Well, it says here, she treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
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And the question in your mind possibly is, what things?
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What things is the verse speaking about?
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She treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
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Well, literally, the verse actually says words.
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In the Greek text of the verse, I should say, Mary treasured up all these words or sayings, pondering them in her heart.
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And you've got to go over the first part of Luke's gospel in order to actually see from chapter 1 and verse 26.
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There's Gabriel, the angel sent from God to a virgin, to this Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph.
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And then it goes on to tell what the angel said to Mary.
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So, there's the beginning of things, of the words, of the information that God sent to Mary, to this young woman.
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And then you find later on in chapter 2, later on in chapter 1, that you find Mary coming to visit Elizabeth,
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a cousin who was going to give birth to John the Baptist.
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And you find a conversation that took place there as well.
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And the words of Elizabeth especially about the child that Mary was going to have.
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So, that was something that was significant and important for Mary to take with her.
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Words of the angel, words of Elizabeth.
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Now she comes here again to hear from the shepherds about what they had experienced and what had been told them,
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especially what you find in verse 14 there.
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Glory to God in the highest.
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On earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.
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Or peace and goodwill to all men, as it's translated elsewhere.
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And the message then came in the shepherds as they told the things that they had been told themselves by the angel.
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So, here at verse 19 you find Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
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So, all of these things that she was told, the information, the revelation from God,
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especially about this child that she had now given birth to in chapter 2,
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she treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
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And these two words go together in a very important way.
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Treasuring it and pondering it.
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They belong together.
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And in fact, we'll see that something you really treasure in your heart is something you're going to be thinking about often.
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And that's exactly what you have.
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Mary was treasuring the things in her heart that she heard.
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And as she was treasuring them, so she pondered them.
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She considered them further.
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She thought about them.
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She was trying in her mind to just get to grips with all that had been said.
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And treasured is an important word.
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Let's look at the two words separately, although they're joined together, as I said, in a very important way.
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Mary treasured up all these things.
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It really means to keep very carefully something that is precious to you.
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Think of something like precious jewels, for example, items of precious jewelry.
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Very often they're kept together, especially ones that are most precious to you.
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They're kept together, and they're kept carefully.
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And very often you ponder them in your mind or think about them as well, because they're precious to you.
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That's how we can look at God's words to Mary.
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But more than that, God's words in the whole of the gospel message.
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God's words, indeed, in the whole of the Bible.
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That's what you really have in your Bibles today, friends.
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That's what you have, a collection of these precious jewels that God has given us.
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These jewels of truth, these precious items, these precious words of God that you find set out in this collection in the Scriptures.
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What do you have in the Bible?
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You have statements from God.
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You have promises from God.
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You have commands from God.
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You have exhortations from God.
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You have different kinds of invitations from God.
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Various other types of passages that you have all the way through the Bible, which we regard rightly as the Word of God,
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come to be put together over all of these centuries, but now freely in your possession and mine,
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as these precious spiritual jewels that God has given us in this collection box of the Bible.
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What are they for?
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What is this for?
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Why has God revealed all this to us?
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Why are we today on Christmas Eve worshiping God here and using the Bible as a central feature,
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if not the central feature of our service, of our worship?
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Well, because these words of God are to be treasured.
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They're to be looked after and prized in our hearts as Mary prized the words that came from God,
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whether it was from the angel or through the shepherds.
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She regarded them as God having given her this information.
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This information about Jesus.
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Are we treasuring the incarnation today?
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Are we treasuring the truth and the fact of the Son of God coming into this world to be born as a human,
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taking our human nature to himself?
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Are we treasuring it today in the way that you find others in the Bible described as treasuring the words of God?
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You go through that great Psalm, Psalm 119, which is really about the Word of God and responses to the Word of God
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and attitudes to the Word of God, different words used there for the Word of God.
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Statutes, precepts, words, commands, comes to the same thing.
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That's what you've got packed into your Bible.
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And in that one of the verses there in Psalm 119, verse 162 says,
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I prize your word as one that finds great spoil or great treasure.
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As if he had come across the most precious jewels that you could ever see in this life.
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That's what he says about his word.
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I prize your word.
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I prize your commandment.
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I value them so highly.
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As someone who has come across great spoil.
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Is that what the incarnation is to yourself and to myself today?
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Is the coming of Jesus something you prize deeply as your most precious jewels?
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Is the truth about Jesus given that place in your heart and my heart today?
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So we find her treasuring.
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These words.
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And then also pondering.
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She treasured up all these words, pondering them in her heart.
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Now pondering is another interesting word.
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Because it literally means to gather things together.
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Or to assemble things together.
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That's really the background meaning, if you like, of the word.
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And it's developed different meanings and nuances from that background meaning.
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She was pondering.
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Something she went on doing.
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That's the language that used shows.
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This is something that she went on doing.
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It wasn't something that just came to her for a moment.
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She didn't just ponder it for a few brief moments and then forget about it and move on to something else.
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Because the verses really put in such a way that Mary treasured up all these things and went on pondering them in her heart.
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She kept on assimilating, putting together these great truths that she had come to be spoken to by God.
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So it means really bringing things together, comparing things, weighing things up.
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Now here we are today and we're in a way like Mary because this word of God, this truthful word of God is reliable.
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When you read about this event, this particular event itself, it's really because you can trust the word of God as being accurate.
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It's really taking you back.
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It's just as if you were there.
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It's just as if you were there before the manger.
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As if you were there kneeling in front of the manger with the infant Jesus in it.
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Are we pondering it?
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Are we trying to bring together today everything that's revealed about this Jesus for our benefit?
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Are the things of the Old Testament, the things that we find in the New Testament Gospels,
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the things that Paul wrote and Peter wrote and John wrote,
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these are all the precious jewels.
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These are all the wonderful jewels of truth.
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And here is Mary as she finds all of these sayings and these statements and these words.
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What is she doing?
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She's bringing them together.
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That's essentially what Bible study is.
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It's not just coming to church once in a week or twice in a week or whatever and listening to a sermon.
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Good though that is.
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Important though that is.
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Significant though that is.
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Beneficial we hope though that is.
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It's something that you follow up by putting together, by assembling together each and every day the things that God has revealed.
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And especially as we're here today focusing on the coming of Christ.
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All the things that have to do with His coming.
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All the things that have to do with the Son of God and this wonderful, amazing fact that He took our human nature.
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It's for our thinking of.
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It's for our thinking of.
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For our weighing up.
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You see Mary you could say here is exercising her memory, her mind and her heart.
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All three elements of her person, if you like, of her soul are engaged in this treasuring and in this pondering.
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It's something that affected her emotionally.
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She's using her heart is in it.
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It's not something just formal and stiff and distant.
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She's caught up in it.
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Her mind obviously is caught up in it.
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Her memory is caught up in it.
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She's remembering the things she heard.
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Her mind is trying to work through them.
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She's thinking deeply about it and is moving her heart.
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All of that is in exercise at the manger of the Lord.
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And we're at the manger of the Lord today.
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Where's my heart?
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How is it with my heart?
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Is it hitting my emotions?
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How is it with my mind?
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How is it with my will?
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Has it made me more aware of my need to depend upon Christ?
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To love Jesus?
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To talk about Jesus?
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To commend Jesus?
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As I kneel in front of the manger today,
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what is it with my heart?
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And my mind and my memory?
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Am I treasuring this?
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Am I pondering the incarnation, the coming of the Lord?
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Is it something that in the exercise of my mind?
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And am I saying from today onwards,
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this is something that I will have to do every day.
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It's something I want to do even for a few moments.
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At the beginning or at the end of a day or both.
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I'm trying throughout each day that I live
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to exercise my mind, my heart, my memory
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and gather together as I go along through life
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those things that have to do with Jesus.
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The things that have to do with the truth of God incarnate,
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God in the manger,
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God coming into this world,
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God the Savior,
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God the Redeemer,
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the Lord Jesus Christ.
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So Mary's treasuring and pondering the good news.
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She treasured up all these things,
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pondering them in her heart.
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Treasuring them as you keep precious jewels together
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and pondering them as you try and bring together
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all of these truths about the Lord
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and how you not just store them in your heart
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but work your way through them
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and the relationship between
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each and every part of the truth about Jesus
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as they're brought to you in the Bible.
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So we'll pause just for a moment now
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and sing.
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And this time we're singing
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from Psalm 119
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and from verse 33,
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that's on page 159.
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Verses 33 to 40.
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Teach me to follow your decrees
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then I will keep them to the end.
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Give insight and I'll keep your law
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with all my heart to it attend.
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We'll sing the four stanzas down to verse 40.
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To God's praise.
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Teach me to follow your decrees
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then I will keep them to the end.
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In this I count by being pure law
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with all my heart to it attend.
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With me endure
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the man's breath.
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For there, O Lord,
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delight I find
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and guide my heart
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to war to loss.
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from selfish gain
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from selfish gain
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reset my mind.
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O turn my eyes
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from worthless things
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give life according
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to your word.
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To me, your servant
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keep your flesh
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so that you may be feared, O Lord.
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remove from me
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the shame I dread
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your loss
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excel
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in uprightness
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O how I long
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for your decrees
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deserve me
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in your righteousness
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well the second point
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we want to spend a little bit of time over
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is the benefits for ourselves
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of treasuring and pondering
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the truth about Jesus
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or the things of the gospel.
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We've seen Mary's treasuring
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and pondering
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and something of what these words mean
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what benefit is it to ourselves
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to treasure
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and to ponder the things of Christ
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the things of the gospel.
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Well, three things
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I'm going to mention
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first of all
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it helps us grow
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in our understanding of Jesus
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helps us grow
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in our understanding of Jesus
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who he is
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that he is indeed God
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that he is God
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having come into this world
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he didn't cease to be God
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he was still the creator
28:25
and the upholder of the universe
28:27
mysteriously and wonderfully
28:29
even in becoming human.
28:31
He didn't lay aside his deity
28:33
he didn't lay aside
28:34
any of the attributes of godhood
28:38
when he came into this world
28:40
and became man.
28:41
So as we bring together
28:43
the truths of the gospel
28:44
and of the Bible together
28:46
in understanding Jesus
28:48
we grow in our understanding
28:49
of who he is
28:51
and it's important
28:52
we always ask
28:53
who is this?
28:54
Luke's gospel asks that
28:55
a number of times
28:56
we find passages
28:58
where the question
28:59
is asked by various people
29:00
who is this man?
29:01
And it's such an important question
29:03
who is he?
29:05
Not just what has he done
29:06
but who is he?
29:08
He is the Son of God
29:10
that's his person
29:11
the Son of God
29:13
who took human nature
29:15
the human nature
29:16
does not describe
29:17
in itself entirely
29:18
who he is
29:19
because he is
29:20
the person of the Son of God
29:22
who took this nature
29:24
this human nature
29:26
we have to himself
29:27
and it helps us grow
29:29
in our understanding of Jesus
29:31
not only who he is
29:32
but why he became human.
29:35
Our last study
29:36
remember the words
29:38
you shall call his name Jesus
29:40
for he will save
29:42
his people
29:42
from their sins.
29:45
Why did he come
29:46
into this world?
29:47
Why did the Son of God
29:48
why did God
29:49
in his Son
29:50
come into this world
29:52
to take out human nature
29:53
to place himself
29:54
as he placed himself
29:56
in a situation
29:57
of being deprived
29:59
of so many comforts
30:00
a situation
30:01
of being tested
30:02
of being tempted
30:03
of suffering
30:04
a situation
30:06
where he ultimately
30:07
came to suffer
30:09
the death of the cross
30:10
and die
30:11
the death of the cross
30:12
the death
30:13
that you and I
30:14
deserved
30:14
for our sins.
30:16
Why?
30:16
Why did the Father
30:17
send him into the world
30:18
to such a situation
30:21
and such a death
30:21
as he experienced
30:23
and accomplished
30:24
at Calvary?
30:26
Well it's so that
30:27
you and I
30:28
would be saved
30:29
or could be saved
30:30
he shall be called Jesus
30:32
for he will save
30:34
his people
30:35
from their sins.
30:36
It's not so that we
30:37
would have nice stories
30:38
about him at Christmas time
30:39
it's not so that we
30:40
would know formally
30:41
the things the Bible
30:42
tells us about Jesus
30:44
it's not so that we
30:45
become accomplished
30:46
theologians
30:47
not that that's a bad thing
30:48
it's so that we'd be saved
30:51
so that we come to
30:53
possess him
30:54
and embrace him
30:55
and take him
30:55
as he's offered
30:56
in the gospel
30:57
as the catechism says
30:58
as our savior
31:00
he is offered
31:02
as God's gift
31:03
don't leave that gift
31:05
unwrapped
31:05
this Christmas time
31:06
if you haven't
31:07
already unwrapped it
31:08
what I mean by that
31:09
is taking the gift
31:11
of God
31:11
that Jesus himself
31:12
is
31:13
and making it
31:14
your gift
31:15
God's gift
31:15
to you
31:16
making it personally
31:18
your gift
31:19
God's gift
31:20
to you
31:20
your acceptance
31:21
of that gift
31:22
you would never leave
31:25
the most important
31:27
and precious gift
31:28
given to you
31:29
at Christmas time
31:30
or any time
31:31
and just leave it
31:32
unwrapped
31:33
and just keep
31:34
looking at it
31:35
formally
31:35
and just leaving it
31:37
and ignoring it
31:38
and pushing it
31:38
into a corner
31:39
well some people
31:41
sadly do that
31:42
with the greatest
31:42
gift of all
31:43
it's not that they
31:45
absolutely
31:46
don't care
31:47
but they just
31:51
don't want to
31:51
commit their
31:52
whole life
31:52
to him
31:53
they think
31:55
that's just
31:55
going too far
31:56
that you don't
31:58
need to become
31:59
as people think
32:01
religious
32:01
remember
32:02
there's a big
32:04
difference
32:04
between religion
32:05
and Jesus
32:07
religion
32:08
and salvation
32:09
religion
32:11
itself
32:11
is a formal
32:13
thing
32:13
I know we talk
32:14
about the Christian
32:15
religion
32:16
but sometimes
32:17
people think
32:18
being a Christian
32:19
is just having
32:19
religion
32:20
and having a Bible
32:22
and having a set
32:23
of rules
32:23
that you value
32:24
that you
32:25
maybe try
32:26
and keep
32:26
but no
32:27
salvation
32:28
is not the same
32:29
as religion
32:29
salvation
32:30
is faith
32:32
in Christ
32:33
bringing that
32:34
salvation
32:35
into our
32:35
possession
32:36
salvation
32:37
is being
32:38
saved from
32:39
our sins
32:40
from the
32:41
consequences
32:42
of our sins
32:43
from the guilt
32:43
of our sins
32:44
I think we saw
32:44
that last time
32:45
when we saw
32:46
the name
32:47
Jesus
32:47
he will save
32:48
his people
32:48
from their sins
32:50
that's why
32:52
he became human
32:54
and it helps us
32:54
our understanding
32:56
of Jesus
32:56
but not only
32:57
in that sense
32:58
to save us
32:59
from our sins
32:59
but even through
33:00
the course of life
33:02
we learn about
33:04
Jesus
33:04
and the benefits
33:05
of treasuring
33:06
and pondering
33:07
the truth about him
33:09
is that he will
33:09
we will know
33:10
his companionship
33:12
through life
33:12
we will know
33:14
that he's with
33:14
us through life
33:15
we will know
33:16
that he stands
33:16
beside us
33:17
as we go through
33:19
the different
33:19
experiences
33:20
and the difficulties
33:20
especially
33:21
of life
33:22
Hebrews chapter 2
33:23
and verse 18
33:25
you remember
33:26
finishes
33:26
in that way
33:27
he had made
33:29
in every respect
33:31
like his brethren
33:32
that's like
33:33
ourselves
33:33
human beings
33:35
for because
33:36
he himself
33:36
has suffered
33:37
when tempted
33:38
he is able
33:40
to help
33:40
those who are
33:41
being tempted
33:42
and that word
33:43
help means
33:43
come to their aid
33:45
come alongside
33:46
them
33:46
and come to
33:47
support them
33:48
it means
33:50
a strengthening
33:51
it means
33:52
an encouragement
33:53
it means
33:53
all of the things
33:54
that you find
33:55
inside that word
33:57
help or strengthening
33:58
that's why
34:00
he came into the world
34:01
that's why
34:02
he came to die
34:03
the death of the cross
34:04
that's why
34:05
he took out humanity
34:06
we don't have
34:07
a priest
34:08
as Hebrews
34:09
elsewhere says
34:10
we don't have
34:10
a high priest
34:11
in heaven
34:12
as the high priest
34:13
of his people
34:13
who is unable
34:15
to sympathize
34:16
with us
34:16
in our weaknesses
34:17
doesn't matter
34:20
what you have
34:21
to confess
34:21
today
34:22
about yourself
34:23
about your concerns
34:25
about your worries
34:26
about your troubles
34:27
about your illnesses
34:29
about your state of mind
34:31
about your loved ones
34:32
you know
34:34
that there's someone
34:34
today
34:35
on the throne
34:36
of heaven
34:36
who has been
34:38
through all of that
34:38
himself
34:39
and who as the
34:42
son of God
34:42
in our nature
34:43
is now able
34:44
to help
34:45
to succor
34:46
as the AV puts it
34:47
to strengthen
34:48
to give you
34:49
the help you need
34:50
that no one else
34:52
can give you
34:53
that's why
34:55
you treasure
34:56
and ponder
34:57
the truths
34:58
about Jesus
34:59
because as you
35:01
gather them together
35:02
you begin more
35:02
and more to understand
35:03
this savior
35:05
is for me
35:06
you begin to understand
35:08
how can I possibly
35:09
go on without him
35:11
how can I face
35:13
the issues of life
35:14
without him
35:14
how can I die
35:15
without him
35:16
how can I go to face
35:18
God without having him
35:19
as my savior
35:21
it helps you to grow
35:23
in your understanding
35:25
of Jesus
35:25
but
35:25
secondly it helps us
35:27
to grow
35:27
in our
35:28
appreciation
35:29
of Jesus
35:31
and once you treasure
35:32
and you ponder
35:34
the truths
35:35
that you find
35:35
about Jesus
35:36
in the Bible
35:37
so as you do that
35:39
just as it was
35:40
for Mary
35:41
there's an increase
35:42
in your love
35:43
your affection
35:44
your regard
35:46
for this Jesus
35:47
you increase
35:48
in your thankfulness
35:49
thankfulness to God
35:50
for him
35:51
thankfulness to himself
35:53
for all that he's done
35:54
for you
35:54
and for who he is
35:55
thankfulness for his
35:56
perfection
35:57
thankfulness for his
35:59
faithfulness
36:00
thankfulness for everything
36:01
the Bible tells you
36:03
as you bring all us
36:03
you gather us
36:04
you ponder these things
36:06
and it helps you as well
36:10
to add to
36:10
your dependence upon them
36:12
which you and I
36:13
certainly at times
36:14
have to confess
36:15
it's not as it should be
36:16
but the more you find out
36:19
about him
36:19
and the more you put
36:20
these truths together
36:22
about Christ
36:22
well the more you
36:24
add to your dependence
36:26
the more you add to
36:27
your willingness
36:27
to serve him
36:28
the more you add
36:30
to the concern
36:32
to make him known
36:33
to your fellow human beings
36:35
it's as you find out
36:36
more about him
36:37
as you treasure
36:38
and ponder the truth
36:39
about Jesus
36:40
in your heart
36:41
so you're constrained
36:42
all the more
36:43
then the more you find out
36:44
the more you appreciate that
36:45
the more you ponder that
36:46
the more you say
36:47
I have to tell other people
36:48
about this
36:49
I have to tell them
36:51
where they can find salvation
36:52
I have to tell them
36:54
about this Jesus
36:55
like the woman
36:56
of Samaria
36:56
in John chapter 4
36:57
come and see this man
36:59
is not this the Christ
37:01
he told me all the things
37:02
that ever I did
37:03
and what did they do
37:05
they went out
37:06
from that town
37:07
they went out
37:07
to meet Jesus
37:08
they flocked out
37:09
to meet him
37:10
and then they said
37:11
to the woman
37:11
eventually after Jesus
37:12
had been with them
37:13
for a time
37:14
now we believe
37:15
not for your word
37:16
for we have heard
37:18
him ourselves
37:19
and know that this
37:21
is indeed the Christ
37:22
the savior of the world
37:24
is that not
37:27
where you are today
37:28
is this not
37:30
the most wonderful thing
37:33
in your own experience
37:34
that God has given you
37:37
the benefit of treasuring
37:38
and pondering Jesus
37:40
to increase your understanding
37:42
of him
37:43
and who he is
37:43
and what he's done
37:44
but to also
37:46
grow in your appreciation
37:48
because all of these things
37:49
as you assimilate them
37:50
you see
37:51
like Mary
37:52
what they will do
37:52
is just fill
37:53
your praise of God
37:55
you'll begin
37:57
more and more
37:58
just to fill
37:59
all of these things
37:59
into and fit
38:00
these things
38:01
into your praise
38:02
think of the psalmist
38:03
Psalm 116
38:04
I love the Lord
38:06
because he has heard
38:08
my prayers
38:09
and listened
38:10
to my voice
38:11
he speaks then
38:12
about
38:13
how he was
38:15
in such a predicament
38:16
how the Lord
38:17
heard him
38:18
how the Lord
38:18
rescued him
38:19
and came to his aid
38:20
1 Peter chapter 1
38:22
and verses 8 and 9
38:24
tells us about
38:25
Jesus we don't see
38:26
physically
38:27
here is Peter
38:28
writing to
38:29
these people
38:30
scattered through
38:31
all the regions
38:32
he mentions
38:32
and what's their situation
38:33
they're being
38:34
persecuted
38:36
some of them
38:36
for their faith
38:37
they're certainly
38:37
suffering greatly
38:38
for what they believe
38:39
for their faithfulness
38:40
to Jesus
38:41
and they don't see him
38:43
they can't see him
38:45
physically
38:45
like they did
38:47
in the days
38:47
of the apostles
38:48
and these disciples
38:49
here
38:49
in the gospels
38:51
what does Peter say
38:54
whom
38:55
though not seeing
38:58
you love
38:59
and in whom
39:01
though now you see him
39:03
not yet believing
39:04
you rejoice
39:06
with joy
39:06
unspeakable
39:07
and full of glory
39:08
what is Peter saying
39:10
it's saying
39:10
the more you put together
39:11
in your heart
39:12
the more you treasure
39:13
in your heart
39:14
the more you ponder
39:15
in your heart
39:16
the things
39:16
of the Lord himself
39:17
the more it will add
39:19
to your sense
39:20
of appreciation
39:20
and thankfulness
39:22
to God
39:22
and dependence
39:23
upon him
39:23
and the more it will
39:26
enlarge
39:26
your determination
39:28
to praise the Lord
39:29
to have your mouth
39:31
filled with praise
39:32
because what Peter
39:34
is really saying
39:35
is
39:35
the more you get
39:36
to know about Jesus
39:38
and the more you get
39:38
to know Jesus himself
39:40
especially
39:40
not just knowing
39:42
about him
39:42
but knowing himself
39:43
the more you do that
39:45
the more you treasure
39:46
and ponder these things
39:48
the more you have
39:50
a foretaste of heaven
39:51
because that's what
39:54
Peter is saying
39:55
you rejoice
39:56
with joy
39:57
unspeakable
39:58
and full of glory
39:59
where is that?
40:01
where is that in perfection?
40:02
it's in heaven
40:03
but it begins
40:05
to flow into your heart
40:06
the more you know
40:09
this Jesus
40:09
the more you treasure him
40:13
the more you ponder him
40:15
the more you value him
40:17
the benefits
40:19
of treasuring
40:20
and pondering
40:21
well it helps us grow
40:22
in our understanding
40:22
of Jesus
40:23
it helps us grow
40:25
in our appreciation
40:25
of Jesus
40:26
and thirdly finally
40:27
it helps us prepare
40:29
for meeting with Jesus
40:32
the incarnation
40:34
was the beginning
40:36
of his life
40:38
as a human being
40:39
the end of it
40:43
the crowning of it
40:44
end of it
40:45
in that sense
40:46
is in his return
40:47
he's gone to glory
40:49
he's sitting at the right hand
40:52
of God
40:52
he's presiding over the universe
40:54
but he's going to return
40:56
and on the day of his return
40:58
he will be seen
41:00
not as he came
41:00
the first time
41:01
as an infant
41:03
in a manger
41:04
dependent on his mother
41:06
being nursed by his mother
41:08
being helped by his mother
41:09
he's not going to come
41:10
then in his humiliation
41:12
and in his dependence
41:14
upon other human beings
41:15
he's going to come
41:16
in his glory
41:17
he's going to come
41:18
in the majesty
41:19
of his kingship
41:20
he's going to become
41:21
he's going to come
41:22
decked out
41:23
in all the garments
41:24
if you like
41:24
of his glorious kingship
41:26
he's going to be accompanied
41:27
with an innumerable
41:28
company of angels
41:30
the whole world
41:31
will know
41:31
here is the king
41:32
blow the trumpet
41:34
he's arrived
41:35
you know
41:39
in 1st Thessalonians
41:40
there's a passage
41:40
among others
41:42
that tells us
41:43
how grand
41:44
this will be
41:45
what an immense
41:47
moment this will be
41:48
what an awesome
41:48
thing it will be
41:49
when Jesus returns
41:51
1st Thessalonians 4
41:54
verses 16 to 17
41:56
for the Lord himself
42:00
will descend from heaven
42:01
with a cry of command
42:03
with a voice of an archangel
42:05
with the sound
42:06
of the trumpet of God
42:08
and the dead in Christ
42:09
will rise first
42:10
then we who are alive
42:11
who are left
42:12
will be caught up
42:13
together with them
42:14
in the clouds
42:14
to meet the Lord
42:16
in the air
42:16
and so we will always
42:18
be with the Lord
42:19
what a moment
42:21
what an event
42:23
what a glorious sight
42:25
what an indescribably
42:28
great coming
42:31
this is
42:31
not a helpless
42:34
babe
42:34
in a manger
42:36
but a king
42:38
of glory
42:38
in all his splendor
42:40
and how do you
42:42
prepare for that
42:43
well you bring
42:45
together in your heart
42:47
you ponder
42:48
you treasure
42:48
all the things
42:50
that are spoken
42:51
about him
42:52
you placed your
42:53
trust in him
42:54
you ask him
42:56
to look after you
42:57
when you come
42:57
through every issue
42:59
of life
42:59
and through death
43:00
and when you come
43:01
to meet him
43:01
in eternity
43:02
you see what it's saying
43:06
in verse 18
43:06
of that passage
43:07
in 1 Thessalonians
43:09
therefore
43:09
encourage one another
43:11
with these words
43:13
because these words
43:16
we don't just
43:17
assimilate them
43:18
and gather them
43:19
together
43:19
and ponder them
43:20
and treasure
43:20
in our own hearts
43:21
just for our own
43:22
personal benefit
43:23
as we gather
43:25
together
43:25
we're gathering
43:26
together
43:27
as a people
43:28
who have the same
43:30
truths of God
43:31
prized surely
43:33
and treasured
43:34
in our hearts
43:34
and it's not just
43:35
for our own benefit
43:36
we don't keep it
43:37
to ourselves
43:38
the apostle said
43:39
encourage one another
43:42
with these words
43:44
you remember
43:46
at Christmas time
43:47
how
43:49
as children
43:50
we treasured
43:53
and pondered
43:54
what Christmas
43:56
was going to be
43:57
to us
43:57
we looked forward
43:59
to opening presents
44:00
whether they be
44:02
many or few
44:03
it was always
44:04
an exciting time
44:05
and so it is
44:07
for the children
44:07
who are here today
44:09
and thank you
44:09
for being here today
44:10
it's great to have you
44:11
and it's great
44:12
to be here
44:12
at Christmas time
44:13
in church
44:13
worshipping the Lord
44:14
with your parents
44:16
or grandparents
44:16
or other adults
44:18
there's nothing
44:19
we like better
44:19
than having
44:20
children here
44:21
and hearing
44:22
children's noises
44:22
and children's voices
44:23
it doesn't disturb us
44:25
at all
44:26
it encourages us
44:27
it gives us
44:27
a great thrill
44:28
so you're looking
44:30
forward to Christmas
44:31
Christmas day
44:33
aren't you
44:33
looking forward
44:34
to opening your presents
44:35
looking forward
44:37
to actually
44:38
whether or not
44:39
you get the things
44:40
that you asked for
44:41
looking forward
44:42
to just
44:43
that moment
44:44
when you open up
44:45
those presents
44:46
and these thoughts
44:47
right now
44:47
in your mind
44:48
what are you doing
44:49
you're treasuring that
44:50
they're precious to you
44:52
you're pondering it
44:54
you're thinking about it
44:55
your mind
44:57
and your heart
44:57
are engaged in
44:58
thinking about
44:59
these presents
45:00
and opening these presents
45:01
and being
45:01
having a good time
45:03
well that's what
45:06
we do with Jesus
45:08
we treasure him
45:12
we ponder him
45:15
until that great day comes
45:18
when he himself
45:21
has the greatest gift
45:22
will arrive before us
45:26
in his glory
45:27
and until that day
45:30
here's our privilege
45:32
friends
45:32
our privilege
45:34
to gather together
45:35
and also
45:37
for ourselves
45:37
individually
45:38
to treasure
45:40
and ponder
45:42
in our hearts
45:43
the truth
45:44
about Jesus
45:46
let's pray
45:48
Lord our God
45:51
we thank you
45:52
for your word
45:53
we thank you
45:54
we thank you
45:54
for all that it
45:55
contains
45:55
we thank you
45:57
especially that it
45:58
brings to us
45:58
that good news
46:00
that great message
46:01
of a saviour
46:02
who was born
46:03
in the city of David
46:04
a saviour
46:05
who is Christ
46:06
the Lord
46:07
we thank you
46:08
Lord for
46:09
all that you are
46:10
in yourself
46:11
that you have been
46:12
from all eternity
46:13
as God
46:14
we thank you
46:16
for all that you
46:16
came to be
46:17
in taking our humanity
46:19
to yourself
46:20
we thank you
46:21
for the prospect
46:22
of your coming
46:23
having accomplished
46:24
all that you did
46:25
in this world
46:27
oh Lord
46:28
we thank you
46:28
that your people
46:30
look forward
46:31
to your arrival
46:32
yet on the last day
46:34
prepare us
46:35
we pray for that
46:36
and give us daily
46:38
to think
46:38
and to ponder deeply
46:39
and treasure
46:40
in our hearts
46:41
all that is revealed
46:43
about you
46:44
hear us now
46:45
we pray
46:45
for Jesus sake
46:46
Amen
46:47
our final psalm today
46:50
is psalm number 4
46:51
we're singing
46:53
in the
46:54
Sing Psalms version
46:55
of Psalm 4
46:56
that's on page 4
46:59
and the last
47:01
three verses
47:02
from verse 6
47:03
oh who can show us
47:07
any good
47:07
I hear so many say
47:09
oh Lord
47:10
shine on us
47:11
with your light
47:12
show us your face
47:13
I pray
47:14
you filled my heart
47:16
with greater joy
47:17
than others
47:17
may have found
47:18
as they rejoiced
47:19
at harvest time
47:20
when grain and wine
47:21
abound
47:22
I will lie down
47:24
and sleep in peace
47:25
my heart will rest
47:26
secure
47:27
for you alone
47:28
oh gracious Lord
47:29
will keep me
47:31
safe
47:32
and sure
47:33
these verses
47:34
oh who
47:35
can show us
47:36
any good
47:36
I hear so many say
47:56
oh Lord
47:58
shine on us
48:02
with your light
48:04
with your light
48:05
show us
48:07
your face
48:09
I pray
48:12
you filled my heart
48:18
with greater joy
48:22
than others may have found
48:29
as they rejoice
48:34
whose ancestors
48:36
could run
48:38
and love
48:39
who can hold
48:39
can increased
48:40
and youth
48:44
more behind
48:45
how and the months
48:45
in heaven
48:46
I will try
48:46
earth
48:46
should to run
48:47
through me
49:04
For you alone, O gracious Lord, will keep me safe and sure.
49:21
If you allow me to get to the main door, please, I'll see you there after the benediction.
49:25
Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father,
49:29
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you now and always. Amen.
49:34
Amen.