Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / The Race of Faith
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- 0:00chapter 12 and the beginning of that chapter. Hebrews 12
- 0:07Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every
- 0:19weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us
- 0:29looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him
- 0:38endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
- 0:48The epistle to the Hebrews was written to Hebrews who had embraced the gospel,
- 1:08and we find a number of indications throughout the epistle as to the way they embraced it. It says
- 1:20that they were enlightened and also that they were involved in serving others,
- 1:31obviously under the influence of the Spirit of God, and they were showing themselves to have
- 1:41embraced the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. But we find at various points throughout the epistle
- 1:52to the Hebrews that the writer is showing them that they are not as fully committed now as they had
- 2:04been at the beginning. For example, in chapter 2, we find at the beginning of the chapter, therefore,
- 2:13we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
- 2:25And also in chapter 4 at verse 11, we read this,
- 2:31He is talking about many who had left the land of Egypt among the children of Israel,
- 2:53but who never actually entered the land of Canaan.
- 2:57And the reason for that was that they did not exercise faith.
- 3:06And he is using that example to prompt them to a more thorough following of the Lord in their lives.
- 3:20And it says also in chapter 6 at verse 11,
- 3:23And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness,
- 3:28to have the full assurance of hope until the end.
- 3:34Unbelief and disobedience were what prevented others from entering the rest
- 3:43that the Lord had promised his people in the land of Canaan.
- 3:48Unbelief and disobedience were what prevented others from entering the land of Canaan.
- 3:50And the writer here in chapter 11,
- 3:56he highlights the essential nature of faith in the life of those who have run that race of faith during Old Testament times.
- 4:09He starts early on with Abel and works through various giants of the faith down through the years.
- 4:22He comes to David and Samuel and so on as proof of those who had followed the Lord faithfully
- 4:32and obediently and obediently in their lives.
- 4:36And now they have passed into glory, into the ultimate rest that God has prepared for his people.
- 4:47And the writer, I think he is well aware that those to whom he is writing
- 4:54know about the Ismian Games or the precursor of the Olympic Games,
- 5:03where people used to run and combat in various ways.
- 5:10The Ismian Games were taking place in the vicinity of the city of Corinth.
- 5:15And the apostle, it's as if he sets verses at the beginning of chapter 12,
- 5:23in the center of that marvelous arena,
- 5:29where the saints of old, mentioned in chapter 11,
- 5:33as it were, are looking down now upon the saints to whom the apostle is writing.
- 5:41These Hebrews who had embraced the gospel.
- 5:45And it's as if he's placing them in this marvelous arena,
- 5:49and the voices and the witness of these long-gone saints of old
- 5:55are speaking to them and encouraging them to run their race in faith, looking unto Jesus.
- 6:05And I'd like to say a few words under three headings.
- 6:09First of all, he talks about the kind of preparation that is necessary
- 6:17in order for us to run the race of faith properly.
- 6:23That's the first thing.
- 6:25The second thing is that we are to commit ourselves
- 6:31to a wholehearted running of that race.
- 6:35And thirdly, as we run the race of faith,
- 6:42he tells us that there is a focus we need to have and to hold.
- 6:48That is, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith.
- 6:55Well, a few words under these three headings.
- 6:59First of all, the preparation.
- 7:01Therefore, he says, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
- 7:10let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely.
- 7:19We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.
- 7:29The people mentioned in chapter 11.
- 7:33They have run their race.
- 7:35And now it's as if they are looking onto us,
- 7:40New Testament believers.
- 7:42And the exhortation is that we need a particular preparation
- 7:48in order to follow their example.
- 7:53That is, to run our race to the glory of God,
- 7:57to live our life in a God-glorifying manner.
- 8:02And what does he say?
- 8:03Well, first of all, he says this in the middle of verse 1.
- 8:08Let us also lay aside every weight
- 8:12on the sin which clings so closely.
- 8:20Those of us who sometimes look at games on TV,
- 8:25people who are running our race,
- 8:29let's say it's 100 meters,
- 8:30well, they appear at the starting blocks,
- 8:35maybe with outer garments on,
- 8:39but when the time comes for them to start their race,
- 8:43they take these outer garments off
- 8:46and they are dressed merely in attire that's suitable
- 8:52for running that particular race.
- 8:57And that's the kind of picture we have here.
- 8:59Let us, he says, lay aside every weight.
- 9:06Every weight.
- 9:07Doesn't matter what weights they were carrying
- 9:12into the stadium.
- 9:14They have to leave them aside.
- 9:18And so it is in the Christian life.
- 9:20There are many things that will prevent you and me
- 9:26from living my life and your life
- 9:29to the glory of God.
- 9:33There is worldliness in all its forms.
- 9:37There is the power of the flesh.
- 9:43And there are the wiles of the evil one.
- 9:46The world and the flesh and the devil.
- 9:50That trinity, as it were,
- 9:53will clutter your life and my life
- 9:56in such a way that we will not be able
- 10:00to run our race to the glory of God.
- 10:07We must lay aside these things.
- 10:11What things are they in spiritual terms?
- 10:16Well, the apostle Peter says this.
- 10:19He speaks in similar terms to the apostle here.
- 10:23And he says in 1 Peter 2,
- 10:25put away all malice and all deceit
- 10:30and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
- 10:37And like newborn babes,
- 10:40long or desire the pure spiritual milk
- 10:44that you may grow thereby.
- 10:50These elements that are so destructive
- 10:55to a Christian's life,
- 10:59put them away.
- 11:02Ask the Lord to show them to you.
- 11:05And then when he shows them to you,
- 11:07confess them and seek forgiveness for them
- 11:10and seek to be rid of them
- 11:12by the grace of God
- 11:14and by the power of the Holy Spirit,
- 11:17turn your back upon them.
- 11:20And then when the apostle Paul
- 11:22is writing to the Colossians,
- 11:24he says this, chapter 3, verse 5,
- 11:28put to death, therefore,
- 11:30what is earthly in you,
- 11:33sexual immorality, impurity,
- 11:37passion, evil desire,
- 11:40and covetousness.
- 11:42Which is idolatry.
- 11:45The apostle Paul knew very well
- 11:48the things that want to attach to you
- 11:53as you walk through life.
- 11:56And he says,
- 11:58for you to run your race properly,
- 12:01you have to deal with these things.
- 12:04Otherwise, they'll bring you right down.
- 12:07And then he says something else
- 12:11as he tells them how to prepare.
- 12:14Let us lay aside every weight
- 12:17and sin which clings so closely.
- 12:21Well, the sin,
- 12:27probably of original sin,
- 12:31which is the root, as it were,
- 12:34of all of our sins.
- 12:36And it clings so closely to us.
- 12:40And even having been born again,
- 12:43that sin of our fallen nature
- 12:47will seek to reassert itself
- 12:49because we have,
- 12:52as the confession of faith says,
- 12:54a remnant of corruption within us still,
- 12:58even as believers in Christ.
- 13:01A remnant of corruption.
- 13:03And it will seek to rise up
- 13:05and dominate your life.
- 13:10But I think,
- 13:11given the way the apostle here
- 13:13is writing to the Hebrews,
- 13:16when he's talking about sin
- 13:17which clings so closely,
- 13:20I think probably he's talking about
- 13:23the sin of unbelief.
- 13:24Because that was their problem,
- 13:29I think.
- 13:30That they weren't really
- 13:32committing themselves fully
- 13:35to the Lord
- 13:37like the people in chapter 11
- 13:40had done.
- 13:42They weren't fully committing themselves.
- 13:46And it says here,
- 13:49let us
- 13:50cast that sin away.
- 13:53this sin clings
- 13:55so closely.
- 13:57The picture we have there
- 13:59in the original is,
- 14:01it's as if it's like
- 14:02one of these
- 14:03long garments
- 14:05that the people in the East
- 14:07wear or used to wear.
- 14:09It's as if
- 14:10it's all around you.
- 14:12And that's the way sin is.
- 14:15And the sin of unbelief
- 14:16was for these people.
- 14:19And each of us
- 14:20must seek the grace of God
- 14:22to be able
- 14:24to do what he asks us here.
- 14:26Lay aside every weight
- 14:28and sin
- 14:30which clings so closely.
- 14:32Ask the Lord,
- 14:33give me faith.
- 14:35Give me stronger faith.
- 14:37Increase my faith.
- 14:39We often feel,
- 14:40don't we,
- 14:41like the man
- 14:42who said to the Lord Jesus,
- 14:44I believe.
- 14:46Help thou my unbelief.
- 14:48Ask the Lord,
- 14:49strengthen my faith.
- 14:51Increase my faith.
- 14:52That I may be able
- 14:54to run this race
- 14:55in a God-glorifying way.
- 14:58So that's the first thing.
- 15:00A word or two
- 15:01on this preparation.
- 15:04But secondly,
- 15:05he asks them
- 15:07and he joins in with them
- 15:09when he says,
- 15:11let us run
- 15:12with endurance
- 15:14the race
- 15:15that is set before us.
- 15:17He doesn't say,
- 15:23let us
- 15:23amble along.
- 15:26Let us go
- 15:27for a gentle stroll.
- 15:29Doesn't say that.
- 15:31He says,
- 15:32let us
- 15:33run.
- 15:35And that talks
- 15:36about
- 15:36full commitment.
- 15:39It talks about
- 15:40a wholehearted
- 15:43giving of
- 15:44oneself
- 15:44to following
- 15:46the Lord
- 15:47and doing
- 15:47the Lord's will
- 15:48day by day
- 15:51in whatever
- 15:51circumstance
- 15:52you find yourself,
- 15:54whether it's
- 15:54in a family circle
- 15:55or an employment
- 15:56situation
- 15:57or in a
- 15:58social gathering,
- 16:00doesn't really matter.
- 16:01We are called
- 16:02upon
- 16:03to engage
- 16:04fully
- 16:05as Christians.
- 16:09Show your light.
- 16:11Speak
- 16:12words
- 16:14appropriate
- 16:15to the situation.
- 16:18Let us run.
- 16:20And he says,
- 16:20let us run
- 16:21with endurance
- 16:22the race
- 16:23set before us.
- 16:26The word
- 16:27race
- 16:27in the original
- 16:29has this
- 16:29connotation
- 16:30that it
- 16:32involves
- 16:33agonizing.
- 16:36It's
- 16:37an
- 16:37agonizing
- 16:38race
- 16:39is the
- 16:40Christian
- 16:41life.
- 16:42It's
- 16:42not
- 16:43a
- 16:43walk
- 16:45with
- 16:45folded
- 16:46arms,
- 16:47shall we
- 16:47say.
- 16:48It's
- 16:49full
- 16:49commitment
- 16:50and expect
- 16:51difficulties
- 16:52and expect
- 16:54trials
- 16:54and expect
- 16:56heartbreaks,
- 16:58expect
- 16:58disappointments.
- 17:01That's
- 17:01the way
- 17:01the runner
- 17:02in the race
- 17:04very often
- 17:04experiences
- 17:05the race.
- 17:06Run,
- 17:07he says,
- 17:08with
- 17:09endurance.
- 17:09endurance.
- 17:13What does
- 17:14he mean
- 17:14by run
- 17:15with
- 17:16endurance?
- 17:18The race
- 17:19set before
- 17:19you.
- 17:21Well,
- 17:22the race
- 17:22may have
- 17:23elements
- 17:25in it
- 17:25that you
- 17:26didn't
- 17:26really expect
- 17:27to be in
- 17:27the Christian
- 17:28life at
- 17:28all.
- 17:29just like
- 17:31the
- 17:32different
- 17:33kind of
- 17:33races
- 17:34there are
- 17:36in the
- 17:36Olympic
- 17:37Games.
- 17:37There is
- 17:37the
- 17:38short
- 17:39100
- 17:39meters
- 17:40and then
- 17:40there's
- 17:41the 500
- 17:41meters
- 17:42and all
- 17:43the way
- 17:43up to
- 17:43the
- 17:43marathon.
- 17:47And the
- 17:48person who
- 17:48is running
- 17:49the race
- 17:51with hurdles,
- 17:52he's got
- 17:54problems that
- 17:55the man
- 17:55running the
- 17:57100 meters
- 17:57doesn't have.
- 18:00And the
- 18:00man who's
- 18:01running in
- 18:02the marathon
- 18:02doesn't
- 18:04really have
- 18:07much to do
- 18:07with the
- 18:08man who's
- 18:08running the
- 18:10shorter distance,
- 18:11the 100
- 18:11meters.
- 18:12It's as if
- 18:12it's a
- 18:13different kind
- 18:14of race
- 18:14altogether,
- 18:15different
- 18:16elements in
- 18:16it.
- 18:18And things
- 18:19crop up
- 18:19that we
- 18:21have to
- 18:21deal with.
- 18:23And so
- 18:23it is
- 18:23with the
- 18:24Christian
- 18:25life.
- 18:26We don't
- 18:27know what's
- 18:28in our
- 18:28Christian
- 18:29life laid
- 18:30out for
- 18:30us until
- 18:31we reach
- 18:32that point.
- 18:34And
- 18:35sometimes
- 18:35there are
- 18:38situations
- 18:38that surprise
- 18:40us,
- 18:41that disappoint
- 18:42us,
- 18:45situations
- 18:45we didn't
- 18:46expect,
- 18:46the
- 18:48hardness
- 18:49of my
- 18:49heart
- 18:50under the
- 18:51gospel.
- 18:53Sometimes
- 18:53I read
- 18:55the Bible
- 18:55and really
- 18:57I don't
- 18:58feel I'm
- 18:59connecting
- 18:59with it.
- 19:02Sometimes
- 19:02when I hear
- 19:03a sermon
- 19:04I can't
- 19:05follow it.
- 19:07Sometimes
- 19:07I can't
- 19:08follow the
- 19:08experience of
- 19:09older Christians
- 19:10as I
- 19:11listen to
- 19:12their
- 19:12testimony
- 19:12and their
- 19:13experiences.
- 19:14I really
- 19:15can't
- 19:15understand
- 19:16it.
- 19:18And
- 19:18sometimes
- 19:19I feel
- 19:20that the
- 19:21Lord has
- 19:21not spoken
- 19:22to me
- 19:22for a
- 19:23long,
- 19:24long time.
- 19:25And the
- 19:26greatest
- 19:26thing I
- 19:27long for
- 19:27is to
- 19:29have a
- 19:29moment of
- 19:30his
- 19:30fellowship
- 19:30and to
- 19:32see a
- 19:32glimpse of
- 19:32his
- 19:32glory.
- 19:37Let us
- 19:37run with
- 19:38endurance,
- 19:39patiently
- 19:41wait for
- 19:41the
- 19:42Lord.
- 19:43Patiently
- 19:44deal with
- 19:46the situation
- 19:47as you
- 19:47have it.
- 19:48Prayerfully
- 19:49deal with
- 19:50it.
- 19:50And
- 19:51sometimes
- 19:51prayer is
- 19:52such a
- 19:52hard
- 19:53exercise
- 19:54to
- 19:55fulfill.
- 19:56When you
- 19:57feel your
- 19:57heart
- 19:58hard and
- 19:59you feel
- 20:00worldliness
- 20:01seeming to
- 20:02fill your
- 20:03mind and
- 20:05tying your
- 20:06affections,
- 20:07as it
- 20:07were,
- 20:07to the
- 20:08earth rather
- 20:08than
- 20:09having your
- 20:10affection set
- 20:11upon the
- 20:11things that
- 20:11are above,
- 20:13we need
- 20:14to wait
- 20:15upon the
- 20:16Lord.
- 20:18Wait upon
- 20:18him.
- 20:22So as
- 20:23you go
- 20:23on,
- 20:24you must
- 20:25continue
- 20:26trusting in
- 20:27an unseen
- 20:28God,
- 20:31trusting in
- 20:31an unseen
- 20:32Savior.
- 20:34You haven't
- 20:34seen him with
- 20:35your bodily
- 20:35eyes,
- 20:36God
- 20:37God.
- 20:38Like these
- 20:40people in the
- 20:41Old Testament
- 20:42hadn't seen him
- 20:43either.
- 20:43Nevertheless,
- 20:43they believed
- 20:44in him
- 20:44unto salvation
- 20:46and lived
- 20:47their lives
- 20:48focusing on
- 20:49him and
- 20:50longing for
- 20:51him.
- 20:52And so it
- 20:53is with
- 20:53ourselves.
- 20:55A Christ we
- 20:56haven't seen
- 20:56has been made
- 20:58precious to
- 20:59us,
- 20:59and we
- 21:01must continue
- 21:02to look to
- 21:04him.
- 21:05We must
- 21:06have repentance
- 21:06in our
- 21:07life.
- 21:08We must
- 21:09have obedience
- 21:10in our
- 21:11life.
- 21:11We must
- 21:12have
- 21:13self-denial
- 21:15in our
- 21:16life as
- 21:18we journey
- 21:18on, as
- 21:20we run
- 21:20this race
- 21:21with patience.
- 21:23But then
- 21:25the third
- 21:27point is
- 21:28that he
- 21:29tells us
- 21:30what focus
- 21:31we need
- 21:32to have.
- 21:34That is
- 21:34one with
- 21:35endurance
- 21:35the race
- 21:36that is
- 21:37set before
- 21:37us,
- 21:38looking to
- 21:40Jesus,
- 21:41the founder
- 21:42and perfecter
- 21:43of our
- 21:45faith.
- 21:46Looking to
- 21:47Jesus.
- 21:49The word
- 21:50here,
- 21:51looking,
- 21:51means
- 21:53looking
- 21:54away
- 21:54from
- 21:55anything
- 21:55and
- 21:56everything
- 21:56else
- 21:57that
- 21:58would
- 21:58seek
- 21:58to
- 21:59draw
- 21:59your
- 21:59attention
- 22:00and
- 22:02focus
- 22:02upon
- 22:02the
- 22:03Lord
- 22:03Jesus.
- 22:04Give
- 22:05me
- 22:05eyes,
- 22:06O Lord,
- 22:07for
- 22:07yourself,
- 22:08not for
- 22:09anything
- 22:09or anyone
- 22:10else,
- 22:11as a
- 22:11Savior.
- 22:13Looking
- 22:13unto
- 22:13Jesus,
- 22:15the Savior
- 22:15who is
- 22:17able to
- 22:17save me
- 22:18to the
- 22:18uttermost.
- 22:21Jesus,
- 22:21who gave
- 22:22full
- 22:23satisfaction
- 22:24to the
- 22:25justice
- 22:25of God
- 22:27by the
- 22:28obedience
- 22:29of his
- 22:30life
- 22:30and his
- 22:32atoning
- 22:32death
- 22:33upon the
- 22:34cross.
- 22:35To Jesus
- 22:35who rose
- 22:36on the
- 22:36third
- 22:37day,
- 22:38triumphant
- 22:38over death
- 22:39and the
- 22:40grave,
- 22:41and who
- 22:43now sits
- 22:44at the
- 22:44right hand
- 22:45of the
- 22:46majesty on
- 22:47high,
- 22:47looking
- 22:48unto
- 22:49him
- 22:50and
- 22:51relying
- 22:51upon
- 22:51him.
- 22:53Isn't
- 22:54it amazing
- 22:54when you
- 22:55look at
- 22:55the song
- 22:56of Solomon
- 22:56in chapter
- 22:58eight,
- 22:58I think
- 22:59it's
- 22:59verse five,
- 23:00it says,
- 23:01who is
- 23:01this
- 23:01coming up
- 23:03from the
- 23:04wilderness,
- 23:05leaning
- 23:05upon
- 23:06her
- 23:07beloved?
- 23:09That's the
- 23:10church in
- 23:11the Old
- 23:11Testament,
- 23:12and that's
- 23:13the church
- 23:13in the New
- 23:14Testament
- 23:14also,
- 23:15coming up
- 23:16from this
- 23:17wilderness,
- 23:17on this
- 23:18wilderness
- 23:18journey,
- 23:19leaning upon
- 23:20him,
- 23:21looking to
- 23:22him,
- 23:23following
- 23:23him,
- 23:26and in
- 23:26a sense,
- 23:27emulating
- 23:28him,
- 23:29copying
- 23:29him,
- 23:30because it
- 23:31says here,
- 23:33who for the
- 23:33joy that
- 23:34was set
- 23:34before him
- 23:35endured the
- 23:37cross,
- 23:38despising
- 23:39the shame,
- 23:40and he is
- 23:40now seated
- 23:41at the right
- 23:42hand of the
- 23:42throne of
- 23:43God.
- 23:44He had
- 23:45great
- 23:46difficulties,
- 23:47he had
- 23:48trials and
- 23:49afflictions,
- 23:50whose sorrow
- 23:51was like
- 23:51unto his
- 23:52sorrow,
- 23:53who had
- 23:54such a
- 23:55difficult
- 23:55race as
- 23:56he did,
- 23:58he ran
- 23:58it though,
- 24:00and it
- 24:00says here,
- 24:01for the
- 24:02joy set
- 24:02before him,
- 24:03the joy
- 24:04set before
- 24:05him,
- 24:06primarily
- 24:07was that
- 24:08he wanted
- 24:09to glorify
- 24:10his father
- 24:11in heaven,
- 24:12by fulfilling
- 24:13the task
- 24:14the father
- 24:14had given
- 24:15him to
- 24:15do,
- 24:17and
- 24:17secondarily,
- 24:18the other
- 24:19aspect of
- 24:20his joy
- 24:20was that
- 24:21he would
- 24:21save his
- 24:22people from
- 24:23their sins,
- 24:24but he
- 24:26has promised
- 24:27a joy for
- 24:29all of his
- 24:30people,
- 24:30who prepare
- 24:33this way,
- 24:35and who
- 24:35run this
- 24:36race,
- 24:37and who
- 24:38look to
- 24:38him,
- 24:40he has
- 24:40promised that
- 24:41he has
- 24:42gone to
- 24:42prepare a
- 24:43place for
- 24:43them,
- 24:43in heaven,
- 24:45and if
- 24:45I go and
- 24:46prepare a
- 24:47place for
- 24:47you,
- 24:47he said,
- 24:48I will
- 24:48come again
- 24:49and receive
- 24:51you unto
- 24:51myself,
- 24:52so that
- 24:53where I
- 24:53am,
- 24:54there you
- 24:56may be
- 24:56also.
- 25:00Jesus,
- 25:02the founder
- 25:03and perfecter
- 25:04of our
- 25:05faith,
- 25:07has he
- 25:08become
- 25:08precious to
- 25:09you?
- 25:11Have you
- 25:11something like
- 25:13Moses of
- 25:15old,
- 25:16turned your
- 25:19back upon
- 25:20the best
- 25:21things that
- 25:22this world
- 25:22can offer?
- 25:24When it
- 25:24says of
- 25:24Moses here,
- 25:26you refuse
- 25:27to be called
- 25:27the son of
- 25:28Pharaoh's
- 25:28daughter,
- 25:30choosing
- 25:30rather to
- 25:32be mistreated
- 25:33with the
- 25:33people of
- 25:34God,
- 25:35than to
- 25:35enjoy the
- 25:36fleeting
- 25:36pleasures of
- 25:38sin.
- 25:39He had
- 25:39seen
- 25:39something
- 25:40more
- 25:40glorious.
- 25:41He had
- 25:42tasted of
- 25:43something
- 25:43sweeter than
- 25:45the best
- 25:45things in
- 25:46this world.
- 25:47That's why
- 25:48he was
- 25:48able to
- 25:49turn away
- 25:50from the
- 25:51things of
- 25:52Egypt,
- 25:52because he
- 25:53had looked
- 25:54in the
- 25:55face of
- 25:55the Lord
- 25:56with the
- 25:57eyes of
- 25:57faith,
- 25:58and the
- 25:59Lord had
- 25:59revealed
- 25:59himself to
- 26:00him in
- 26:01a saving
- 26:02way.
- 26:03Well,
- 26:03these three
- 26:04points,
- 26:04then,
- 26:05the preparation
- 26:05that we
- 26:07have asked
- 26:08of us
- 26:09here.
- 26:10Lay aside
- 26:10every weight
- 26:11and sin
- 26:12which clings
- 26:13so closely,
- 26:15and then
- 26:15also the
- 26:16engagement
- 26:17to run
- 26:18with endurance,
- 26:20the race
- 26:21that is set
- 26:22before us,
- 26:23and the
- 26:24focus,
- 26:25looking to
- 26:26Jesus,
- 26:27the founder
- 26:28and perfecter
- 26:30of our
- 26:31faith.
- 26:33May God
- 26:33bless these
- 26:34thoughts to
- 26:35us.
- 26:36Let us
- 26:36pray.
- 26:38Help us,
- 26:39O Lord,
- 26:40to take to
- 26:41heart what
- 26:44the Bible
- 26:44is asking
- 26:45of us,
- 26:46and give
- 26:48us grace,
- 26:50the grace
- 26:51of faith
- 26:52and obedience
- 26:54in order
- 26:55to comply
- 26:56with what
- 26:58you ask
- 26:58of us.
- 27:00We haven't
- 27:01got the
- 27:02ability
- 27:03ourselves,
- 27:04apart from
- 27:05your grace
- 27:07being administered
- 27:07to us,
- 27:09and enabling
- 27:10us to do
- 27:10what pleases
- 27:11you.
- 27:12We thank
- 27:13you for
- 27:14your kindness
- 27:15in giving us
- 27:16this opportunity
- 27:17to meet
- 27:17with your
- 27:18people here.
- 27:20We pray for
- 27:21your blessing
- 27:21to be upon
- 27:22them,
- 27:23every soul
- 27:24here,
- 27:26every family
- 27:26circle,
- 27:27and every
- 27:27circumstance
- 27:28that each
- 27:30one has.
- 27:31We thank
- 27:32you that
- 27:32you're able
- 27:33to undertake
- 27:33for them
- 27:34and do
- 27:35for them
- 27:36exceeding
- 27:36abundantly
- 27:37above what
- 27:39we are able
- 27:39to ask or
- 27:40think.
- 27:41Remember,
- 27:41those who
- 27:41are ill
- 27:42and laid
- 27:42aside,
- 27:44we ask,
- 27:44Lord,
- 27:45that you
- 27:45would bring
- 27:46healing where
- 27:47that is in
- 27:47accord to
- 27:49your will,
- 27:50and where
- 27:51it is not,
- 27:52that you
- 27:52would prepare
- 27:53by your
- 27:53saving grace
- 27:54those who
- 27:56must descend
- 27:58into the
- 27:58Jordan of
- 27:59death,
- 28:00that they
- 28:01might meet
- 28:01their Lord
- 28:02in peace.
- 28:04Bless us
- 28:05now,
- 28:05Lord,
- 28:05we pray,
- 28:06as we sing
- 28:06your praise
- 28:07in conclusion,
- 28:08and forgive
- 28:09our sins
- 28:09in Jesus'
- 28:10name.
- 28:11Amen.