Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Behold the Gardener and His Tomb!

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Behold the Gardener and His Tomb! · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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I do want, however, to take this opportunity to thank Reverend Angus McRae for his willingness to come to take the services at this communion time, including this morning, the communion service itself.
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I'd like to thank him on your behalf for his ministry, that ministry which we, I'm sure, all enjoyed and benefited from as he led us so ably through John chapter 19.
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And I think he'll be finishing that off for us this evening.
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So, Angus, thank you very much indeed for your contribution and for coming to this, what was, as you said, yourself, your home congregation one time.
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We're pleased to have had you and we trust that God will bless you in your own ministry in Inverness, Free North, yourself and Anne, family and everybody associated with your ministry there.
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So, thank you for that.
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Thank you very much for these very kind words and it has been a pleasure and refreshing to be with you and to be encouraged indeed by seeing many signs of God's love and favour among you.
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And we pray God's blessing on the islands and on all of our nation.
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We so need to return to God and to his word.
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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.
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And may we all know the love and the goodness and the fear of our Lord.
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Thank you for your prayers and for your warm welcome.
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Let us worship God as we sing together in the 100th Psalm from the Scottish Psalter.
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If you have a psalm book in your hand, Psalm 100, the first version on page 362.
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Singing to old 100th, all people that on earth do dwell.
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Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
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Let's stand and praise God with the 100th Psalm.
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Amen.
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All people that on earth do dwell.
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Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
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Him set with mirthless praise for tell.
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Know that the Lord is God in me.
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We are his strong King of the sea.
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We are his strong King of the sea.
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And for his sheep King of the sea.
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All entered in his gates with praise.
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And looked with joy his poor son too.
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charity with honourable voice.
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By God with mercy James saw life.
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For now Coalition isashillous baby線.
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In the 100th Psalmلبw.
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At Northside as barcode his sin,
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We need to sing that part of the world.
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It isersolous baby線.
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And for of the 100th Psalm 또고.
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For now encuentroôt is known.
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Game of theoyape powiedz.
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Even though Cage his ruimtes is spent.
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Our God is good, His mercy is forever true,
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This truth that all times were pleased to,
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And shall flourish to each end you.
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Amen, what lovely singing.
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We turn to God in prayer.
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Let us pray.
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Know that the Lord is God indeed.
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Gracious Father, we draw near in the name that you love to hear,
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In the name of your worthy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
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We ask that we may worship you as we should,
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Knowing that the Lord is God,
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And knowing that the Lord is good,
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And worthy of praise and thanksgiving.
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We have individual reasons to worship you.
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You have been good to each one of us.
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And as a church fellowship and family,
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Here in this congregation, there are countless reasons to give thanks.
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As a community and island, as a nation,
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And as a church of Jesus Christ across the globe,
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We find ourselves ever in a place where we have been blessed,
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Far beyond what we might deserve.
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So we come to the gate of God,
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To the house of God,
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Into the company of God's people,
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And we sing with ages past,
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O enter then his gates with praise,
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Approach with joy his courts unto.
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Give us your Holy Spirit,
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Who is the means of joy that overcomes fear,
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And anxiety,
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And sickness,
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And all the works of the enemy of our souls,
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And all our own frailty.
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Give us supernatural help and supernatural grace,
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To grasp in our hearts and minds,
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What is the length and the height,
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And the breadth and the depth,
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Of your great love for us,
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In Jesus.
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We worship you for the gift of a gospel,
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To share with one another,
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And with this community,
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And with our world.
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Help us faithfully to receive,
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And then to pass on,
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The good news,
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The gospel of your Son.
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You have sent,
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Your messengers out,
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And you have sent your church out,
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Each one of us,
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To be messengers of your grace,
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And of your peace.
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And you have sent out,
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Both your Son who came in the flesh,
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And your Spirit,
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Who has always been working from the creation,
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And will continue working,
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Until there is a new creation.
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But especially in this age,
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Following the death and resurrection of Jesus,
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The Spirit is poured out,
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To give life,
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In a dying world.
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Good news,
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Good news,
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Of eternal life,
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Help us then,
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To come into your kingdom of love,
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And if we have not come in before,
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Grant grace to us,
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To come into that kingdom today,
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And to know the Lord,
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And that he is good,
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And to know Jesus,
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And that he has given himself for us,
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Lord,
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In our need,
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Show us the face of your Son,
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And may brightness and radiance shine,
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From him,
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Into our souls,
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As we read your word,
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And sing your praise,
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Speak to each one of us,
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And may none of us go home,
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Without having the experience,
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Of God being real to us,
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And give to us,
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Faith,
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And trust,
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And love,
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And repentance,
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That we may leave our sorrows,
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And our sins,
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And go to Jesus,
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And find in him,
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Rest,
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And hope,
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For children,
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And young people,
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In this gathering,
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Perhaps listening at home,
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For all who are part of this church,
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And for all who are in our prayers,
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Do us good,
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And grant to add to your church,
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In these days,
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Through conversion,
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Through new life,
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Spiritually,
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Many,
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Young and old,
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Men and women,
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Whatever our past,
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And whatever we face today,
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Or in the future,
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May we lean on you,
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Lord,
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If we have questions,
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Grant your spirit,
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That we may find answers,
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If we have troubles,
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May we give them over to you,
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Remember the pastor,
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We give thanks,
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For the ministry,
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That you have given,
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To James McKeever,
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Among the people here,
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Over these last eight years,
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And we ask,
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That you would give strength,
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And joy,
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For the days that are ahead,
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To James,
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And to Donna,
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Adding healing,
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And strength to them,
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And encouragement,
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And joy,
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And we give thanks,
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For the ministry,
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Alongside him,
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Of Calum Murdo,
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And of the elders,
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And of all whom they love,
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And we bless you,
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And thank you,
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For faithful,
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Pastors and teachers,
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And for those,
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Who show through,
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Hospitality,
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And through the diligence,
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Of being shepherds,
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Of your sheep,
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A care,
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For all the flock,
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For every member,
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Of the flock,
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Help us,
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As your people,
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To care for one another,
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And to notice,
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Those who are straying,
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Or in difficulties,
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Or lonely,
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Or in need of a blessing,
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Or an encouragement,
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Help us,
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Lord,
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To follow the good shepherd,
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And his voice,
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And to listen,
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To teaching,
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From those who shepherd,
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In his name,
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And to be led,
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In the way of righteousness,
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And in the way of peace,
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The fear of the Lord,
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Truly is,
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The beginning of knowledge,
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And wisdom,
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So grant us,
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Love and fear,
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We pray these things,
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Through Jesus Christ,
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To whom be honor,
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And glory,
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Amen,
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Amen,
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We're going to praise the Lord,
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With a psalm,
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We maybe don't sing quite so often,
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Psalm 111,
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This one from the Scottish Psalter,
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Psalm 111,
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The opening four verses,
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To the Tunargeal,
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Psalm 111,
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Praise ye the Lord,
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With my whole heart,
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I will God's praise declare,
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Where the assemblies of the just,
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And congregations are,
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It's on page 391,
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Psalm 111,
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To God's praise,
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I will God's praise,
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Please be the Lord,
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With my whole heart,
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I will God's praise declare,
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Where the assemblies of the just,
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And humph considemess,
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The full works of the Lord,
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Our God,
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Our great honour,
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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John 19.
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Verse 38.
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John tells us in chapter 18 about the arrest and the trial of Jesus.
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And the outcome of that in chapter 19 is a very unjust verdict.
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Jesus is led to be crucified.
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He is nailed to the tree and he dies.
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And what comes next?
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And what does it all mean?
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So we turn for the last time in this communion weekend to think about the man on the cross.
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Behold the man.
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And tonight reading about his burial and resurrection.
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Behold the gardener and his tomb.
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John 19.
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Verse 38.
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After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus but secretly for fear of the Jews,
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asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus.
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And Pilate gave him permission.
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So he came and took away his body.
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Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about 75 pounds in weight.
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So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.
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Now in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden.
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And in the garden, a new tomb, in which no one had yet been laid.
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So because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
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And in chapter 20, verse 1, I'll actually read verse 1 and 2.
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Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark,
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and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
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So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved,
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and said to them, they have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.
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And at verse 11, after these facts had been checked, the men visited the grave and left.
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But in verse 11, but Mary stood weeping outside the tomb.
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And as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white,
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sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.
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They said to her, Woman, why are you weeping?
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She said to them, they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.
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Having said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
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Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you weeping?
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Whom are you seeking?
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Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him,
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Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.
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And so on.
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This is God's truth, his inspired and holy word.
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May he bless it to each one of us.
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Well, before we consider something of these verses, we're going to sing from Sing Psalms,
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and from Psalm 9 in Sing Psalms, the version A of Psalm 9, and that is on page 9, I believe.
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Psalm 9A on page 9 of the Psalm book, singing the verses 15 to 20 of the Psalm.
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The tune is Paisley.
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Verse 15, the nations all have fallen down into the pit they made.
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Their feet are tangled in the net, which they themselves have laid.
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And on to the verse marked 20 from verse 15.
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The nations all have fallen down into the pit they made.
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Their feet are tangled in the net, which they themselves have laid.
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The Lord is known by righteous heart, His justice always stands.
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The wicked are then still in drought, the work of their own hands.
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The wicked will return to pay, the dead have laid on hold.
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Where all the heathen nations hold, have tough forgotten God.
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The needy will not be ignored, or gotten all their days.
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The wolves and longings of the bird will not be crushed away.
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Our minds forwardening
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March like and down.
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It's our prayer that God will give us all
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a hearing ear
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to hear his voice
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in the word of God tonight.
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And it may be that someone is praying for you
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that you will hear his voice
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in a new and special way.
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And it may be that you have been prayed
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for all your life
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and yet you have not heard
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the voice of the Lord.
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May tonight be the night
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when God speaks
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and we hear.
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Gracious Lord, we need wisdom.
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Salvation.
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Truth.
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Jesus.
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Draw near, we pray in his name.
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Amen.
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The end of chapter 19 of John's Gospel
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and the beginning of chapter 20
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of John's Gospel.
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The story of the gardener and his tomb.
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Behold, the gardener
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and his tomb.
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I've lived through some parts of my life
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that went by in a blink.
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Lots going on
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and busy, busy, busy
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and it just goes by in a moment.
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And I guess, like you,
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I've also lived through days
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that felt like months.
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Waiting for a phone to ring.
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Waiting for news.
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Uncertain.
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Unable to sit.
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Unable to walk.
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Unable to think.
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Unable to pray.
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Unable to do anything.
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Unable to pray.
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Unable to pray.
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And the minutes tick by
25:57
so slowly.
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What kind of day
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do you think
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the high
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Sabbath
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was
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at that
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Passover
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in Jerusalem?
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The preparation
26:10
day
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is the way
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the Jews
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would talk about
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getting ready
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for the weekly
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Sabbath.
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And this
26:17
was a preparation
26:18
day
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for an unusually
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special
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and significant
26:23
Sabbath
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because the
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great feast
26:25
of the Passover
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was being celebrated.
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And the Passover
26:30
coincided
26:31
with
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the Sabbath.
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So
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everything
26:36
had to be done
26:37
and done well
26:38
and done properly
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and there were
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certain things
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that you couldn't
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leave undone.
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So the preparation
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day was very
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busy for a lot
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of people
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in Jerusalem.
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It was also
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the day
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Jesus was nailed
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to the tree.
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The day
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he said
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I thirst.
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The day
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he said
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it is
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finished.
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And
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he died
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for sinners.
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It's the day
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he was taken
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down
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from the cross
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and buried.
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and then
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the sun
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set
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and the
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Sabbath
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began
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that Friday
27:25
night.
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And the
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Sabbath
27:27
went through
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Friday night
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through the
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whole night
27:31
through Saturday
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morning
27:33
through the
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whole of the
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daylight hours
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of Saturday
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and Sabbath
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didn't end
27:39
until the
27:39
sun set
27:40
on Saturday.
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and then
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the woman
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got their
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spices
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together
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so that
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early in the
27:50
morning when
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it was safe
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and it was
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light
27:53
as soon as
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they could
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they could
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visit
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their Lord's
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grave
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and say
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goodbye.
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that's
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where we
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are.
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What a
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long
28:08
slow
28:09
slow
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Sabbath
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that must
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have been.
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What did
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they talk
28:16
about?
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The
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friends of
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Jesus.
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How did
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they feel?
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They were
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in shock.
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They were
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sad.
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They were
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confused.
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I would
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like us
28:32
to see
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two things
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in this
28:34
story
28:34
tonight.
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And the
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first is
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to see
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a dead
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body
28:40
two
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friends
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and a
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garden
28:45
tomb.
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That's the
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first thing
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that the
28:48
text draws
28:49
our eye
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to.
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Joseph
28:51
of Arimathea
28:52
who has
28:53
not been
28:53
mentioned
28:54
before.
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He's
28:55
new.
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And another
28:57
character
28:58
Nicodemus
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who has
29:00
been
29:00
mentioned
29:00
before
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back in
29:02
chapter 3
29:02
of this
29:03
gospel.
29:04
And what
29:04
these two
29:05
men have
29:05
in common
29:06
is that
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they are
29:07
senior
29:08
members
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of the
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Jewish
29:11
people,
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of the
29:12
council
29:13
of the
29:14
71 elders,
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the Sanhedrin.
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They are
29:18
respectable
29:19
and respected
29:20
men.
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Nicodemus
29:24
came to
29:24
Jesus by
29:25
night to
29:25
talk to
29:26
him about
29:27
spiritual
29:28
things.
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He was
29:29
lost.
29:30
He was
29:30
spiritually
29:31
in the
29:31
dark.
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He probably
29:32
didn't
29:33
know it.
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And Jesus
29:34
says to
29:35
him in
29:35
chapter 3,
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you must
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be born
29:39
again.
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You must
29:40
have new
29:41
life from
29:43
God.
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If you
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are to
29:45
be in
29:46
the
29:46
kingdom
29:46
of God
29:47
and have
29:48
eternal
29:48
life,
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you must
29:50
start afresh
29:51
in a way
29:52
that only
29:53
God can
29:53
achieve.
29:54
life.
29:57
It
29:58
seems
29:58
Nicodemus
30:00
has become
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a follower
30:03
of Jesus
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but
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secretly.
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And it
30:09
seems that
30:09
this other
30:10
wealthy man,
30:11
Joseph from
30:11
Arimathea,
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who has the
30:14
money to
30:14
provide a
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tomb at
30:17
short notice
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for Jesus,
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he must have
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become a
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secret follower,
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a secret
30:24
disciple of
30:25
Jesus as
30:26
well.
30:28
So here's
30:29
comfort.
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There's no
30:33
doubt Jesus
30:33
is dead.
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There is a
30:36
body.
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But at
30:39
least he has
30:40
some friends
30:41
and two of
30:43
them are
30:43
named in
30:45
the text.
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And they
30:49
go and ask
30:50
the Roman
30:50
governor,
30:51
Pilate,
30:51
for his
30:52
body.
30:55
It's at
30:56
that point
30:56
Pilate is
30:57
quite surprised
30:58
actually that
30:59
Jesus has
30:59
died already
31:00
and suddenly
31:02
there is an
31:02
urgency for
31:04
the bodies
31:04
to be removed
31:05
from the
31:06
crosses near
31:08
Jerusalem
31:08
because it
31:10
is a high
31:11
Sabbath,
31:11
it is the
31:12
Passover,
31:13
and it
31:14
says in
31:15
the law of
31:15
the Lord
31:16
that the
31:17
land is
31:17
defiled
31:18
if a
31:20
body is
31:20
left
31:21
hanging
31:21
on a
31:22
tree
31:22
through the
31:24
night.
31:25
Let me
31:26
read to
31:26
you God's
31:27
word.
31:28
Deuteronomy
31:28
21 verse
31:29
22 says,
31:31
if a man
31:32
has committed
31:32
a crime
31:33
punishable
31:34
by death
31:34
and he
31:35
is put
31:36
to death
31:36
and you
31:37
hang him
31:38
on a
31:38
tree,
31:39
his body
31:40
shall not
31:41
remain all
31:42
night on
31:42
the tree,
31:43
but you
31:44
shall bury
31:45
him the
31:46
same day,
31:47
for a
31:48
hanged
31:49
man is
31:50
cursed
31:51
by
31:53
God.
31:55
You
31:55
shall not
31:56
defile your
31:57
land that
31:59
the Lord
31:59
your God
32:00
is giving
32:00
you for
32:02
an
32:02
inheritance.
32:05
That was
32:06
God's law
32:07
and it
32:08
was going
32:09
to be
32:09
followed.
32:11
The land
32:12
could not
32:12
afford to
32:13
be polluted,
32:15
the high
32:15
Sabbath could
32:16
not afford
32:17
to be
32:18
polluted,
32:19
and the
32:20
man who
32:21
was under
32:21
the curse
32:22
of God,
32:23
Jesus
32:24
from
32:24
Nazareth,
32:26
he must
32:27
be cut
32:27
down from
32:28
his cross.
32:31
Now he
32:31
was already
32:32
dead,
32:33
and that
32:34
meant they
32:34
didn't break
32:35
his legs,
32:37
they didn't
32:37
break a
32:37
bone of
32:38
his body,
32:40
he was
32:40
the perfect
32:41
blemish-free
32:43
Passover
32:44
sacrifice
32:45
that God
32:47
had planned
32:47
for over
32:49
a thousand
32:49
years.
32:51
Romans
32:52
were not
32:54
squeamish
32:54
about executing
32:56
their enemies,
32:56
they were
32:57
pretty brutal
32:58
horrible,
33:00
cruel people.
33:02
If they
33:03
were left
33:03
to their
33:03
own devices,
33:04
they would
33:05
happily leave
33:06
the bodies
33:06
of condemned
33:07
criminals
33:08
to die
33:09
slowly for
33:10
days,
33:11
and then
33:12
to rot
33:12
until the
33:14
birds were
33:14
finished with
33:15
them.
33:18
But the
33:19
Jews,
33:19
especially
33:20
near their
33:21
temple and
33:21
their holy
33:22
city,
33:24
insisted
33:24
it.
33:25
The bodies
33:26
must come
33:27
down.
33:28
This is the
33:28
day of
33:29
preparation.
33:30
They must
33:31
be taken
33:31
and buried.
33:34
And what
33:34
would normally
33:35
happen is
33:35
that an
33:36
executed
33:36
criminal was
33:37
too contaminated,
33:39
too dirty,
33:40
too unholy to
33:41
go into a
33:43
decent grave
33:44
with decent
33:44
people.
33:45
people.
33:46
And so,
33:48
the plan
33:49
was to
33:50
dispose of
33:51
these bodies,
33:53
probably in a
33:54
common grave
33:55
for convicted
33:56
felons,
33:58
definitely outside
33:59
the city,
34:00
out of sight,
34:02
out of mind,
34:04
take out the
34:05
trash.
34:06
Well,
34:09
the dead
34:10
body of
34:11
Jesus had
34:13
friends,
34:15
and they
34:15
begged the
34:16
governor for
34:18
his body.
34:19
No, they
34:20
weren't going
34:20
to defile
34:21
anybody else's
34:22
remains buried
34:25
somewhere by
34:26
putting him
34:27
into a tomb
34:28
that had
34:28
already been
34:29
used.
34:30
He was going
34:31
to be put
34:31
into a new
34:32
grave.
34:34
And remarkably,
34:36
almost as if
34:38
it was
34:39
planned,
34:41
there are
34:42
friends,
34:44
and near
34:45
the cross
34:46
there is a
34:47
garden,
34:48
and in the
34:49
garden there
34:50
is a new
34:51
tomb where
34:52
no body
34:53
has ever
34:54
been laid.
34:56
And the
34:57
governor
34:58
says,
34:59
yes,
35:00
you can have
35:01
his body.
35:03
This is
35:04
state property,
35:05
but if you
35:05
want it,
35:06
you can
35:06
have it.
35:07
Do with
35:08
it what
35:08
you want.
35:10
And these
35:11
two secret
35:12
disciples are
35:13
not secret
35:14
disciples anymore.
35:16
They are on
35:17
the side of
35:18
their master,
35:19
even though
35:20
he's dead.
35:22
And they
35:23
have procured,
35:25
or they
35:25
already had,
35:26
this grave
35:28
in a
35:28
garden near
35:30
the cross.
35:32
And so,
35:33
with love,
35:35
and with as
35:36
much care as
35:37
they can
35:37
manage,
35:38
and with
35:38
their spices,
35:40
and with
35:40
their linen
35:40
cloths,
35:41
they give us
35:42
decent a
35:43
burial as
35:44
they can
35:45
to Jesus.
35:48
In the
35:49
Apostles'
35:49
Creed,
35:51
which probably
35:51
dates back
35:52
to probably
35:54
the second
35:55
century in
35:55
one form
35:56
or another,
35:57
a very
35:58
ancient form
35:59
of words
36:00
of Christian
36:00
belief,
36:02
it highlights
36:03
not just
36:04
that Jesus
36:05
was God
36:07
and man,
36:08
and that
36:09
he died,
36:10
and that
36:10
he was
36:11
raised.
36:13
The fact
36:14
that Jesus
36:14
had a body
36:16
that needed
36:16
to be
36:17
buried
36:18
is in
36:20
the Creed.
36:21
you maybe
36:22
know the
36:23
words.
36:24
I believe
36:25
in Jesus
36:26
Christ,
36:28
his only
36:29
son,
36:30
our Lord,
36:31
who was
36:32
conceived
36:32
by the
36:33
Holy Spirit,
36:34
born of
36:34
the Virgin
36:35
Mary,
36:36
suffered
36:36
under
36:37
Pontius
36:37
Pilate,
36:38
was
36:39
crucified,
36:41
died,
36:42
and was
36:44
buried.
36:46
He
36:46
descended
36:46
to the
36:47
dead,
36:49
and so
36:50
on.
36:51
and so
36:52
on.
36:54
There was
36:54
a day
36:55
in Scotland
36:55
when if
36:56
you wanted
36:57
to be
36:57
baptized,
36:58
or if
36:58
you wanted
36:59
to baptize
37:00
your children,
37:01
the minister
37:02
would say
37:03
to you,
37:04
do you
37:04
understand
37:05
the Christian
37:06
faith?
37:07
And if
37:08
you knew
37:08
the truths
37:09
of the
37:09
Apostles'
37:10
Creed,
37:11
you had
37:12
demonstrated
37:12
that you
37:13
understood
37:13
the basics
37:14
of the
37:15
Christian
37:16
faith.
37:17
And if
37:17
you were
37:17
making a
37:18
profession
37:18
of faith,
37:19
there was
37:20
content to
37:21
it,
37:21
there was
37:21
truth to
37:22
it.
37:23
Can you
37:23
say the
37:24
belief?
37:26
Part of
37:27
what the
37:27
church has
37:28
believed
37:28
for centuries
37:30
is that
37:31
Jesus died,
37:33
was
37:34
buried.
37:37
He was
37:38
in the
37:38
same place
37:39
of death
37:40
and weakness
37:41
as everyone
37:43
else who
37:44
has ever
37:44
died.
37:45
died.
37:47
That's
37:47
part of
37:48
our faith.
37:50
Is it
37:50
gospel?
37:51
Is it
37:51
good news?
37:54
I think
37:55
it is.
37:57
And I
37:57
think it
37:58
should be
37:58
comforting
37:59
and helpful
38:00
to you
38:01
and me
38:01
and to
38:02
the people
38:03
we share
38:03
our hope
38:04
with.
38:05
Because no
38:06
other religion,
38:08
no other
38:08
philosophy
38:09
says we
38:10
follow someone
38:11
who has
38:12
tasted
38:12
death and
38:14
whose body
38:14
has been
38:15
cold in
38:15
the grave
38:16
and he
38:17
has an
38:18
answer
38:19
for death.
38:22
He has
38:23
defeated
38:24
tears
38:25
and sorrow.
38:29
When John
38:30
writes his
38:31
gospel,
38:31
it is
38:32
always so
38:33
that people
38:33
would believe.
38:35
That's the
38:35
purpose for
38:36
it all.
38:38
And he
38:38
gives you
38:39
facts
38:40
so that
38:41
you will
38:42
believe
38:43
that Jesus
38:44
is good
38:45
news
38:46
for a
38:47
dying
38:47
world.
38:49
Fact
38:49
number
38:50
one
38:50
that we
38:51
can
38:51
believe.
38:53
Your
38:54
Lord
38:54
had a
38:56
funeral.
38:59
He
39:00
tasted
39:01
death.
39:04
And if
39:04
you think
39:05
you'll ever
39:06
go to
39:06
another
39:07
funeral,
39:08
you need
39:09
a Lord
39:10
who
39:11
understands
39:12
funerals.
39:13
And if
39:14
you think
39:15
that one
39:15
day you
39:16
will have
39:17
a funeral
39:18
for yourself,
39:20
then you
39:21
need a
39:22
Lord who
39:22
knows the
39:23
last enemy
39:24
and who
39:25
is greater
39:26
and stronger
39:27
than death,
39:29
the last
39:29
enemy.
39:31
Part of
39:31
the gospel,
39:32
part of
39:33
the good
39:34
news is
39:34
that our
39:35
Lord Jesus
39:36
had a
39:36
funeral.
39:38
Fact
39:39
number
39:39
two,
39:41
your
39:41
Lord's
39:42
grave
39:43
was
39:44
pristine,
39:46
unoccupied,
39:47
on Friday
39:48
morning,
39:50
unused,
39:50
and it
39:52
was unoccupied
39:54
again on
39:56
Sunday
39:56
morning.
39:58
The Lord
39:59
only needed
40:00
his tomb
40:01
for a
40:04
little part
40:05
of three
40:05
days,
40:07
a little
40:08
part of
40:08
Friday,
40:10
and then
40:11
the Saturday
40:12
Sabbath
40:13
into
40:15
Sunday
40:16
morning.
40:17
that's
40:18
all.
40:21
He'll
40:22
never need
40:22
it again.
40:24
He'll
40:24
never be
40:25
buried
40:25
again.
40:27
Death
40:27
cannot
40:28
challenge
40:28
him or
40:29
humiliate
40:29
him,
40:30
and nothing
40:31
can.
40:33
We get
40:34
weak,
40:35
we get
40:36
sick,
40:37
not him.
40:40
His
40:41
grave was
40:41
unoccupied
40:43
when he went
40:43
into it.
40:44
he was
40:44
not a
40:45
dead
40:45
body,
40:46
lost
40:46
among a
40:47
heap of
40:48
dead
40:48
bodies,
40:49
misfiled
40:50
and forgotten
40:51
in Jerusalem.
40:52
He died,
40:54
and on
40:55
the third
40:56
day he
40:57
was raised,
40:59
and many
40:59
saw him.
41:01
That is
41:02
fact.
41:03
Number
41:04
two,
41:05
your Lord
41:05
had a
41:06
funeral,
41:06
your Lord's
41:07
grave was
41:08
unoccupied
41:09
on Friday
41:09
morning,
41:10
and unoccupied
41:11
again on
41:13
Sunday
41:13
morning.
41:15
Fact
41:15
number
41:16
three,
41:18
and this
41:19
is important
41:20
to John,
41:23
your Lord's
41:24
grave was
41:26
located in
41:28
a garden.
41:33
People
41:33
sometimes call
41:34
the gospel
41:35
of John
41:36
the gospel
41:36
of the
41:37
signs.
41:38
There are
41:39
many signs.
41:41
At the
41:41
end of
41:42
the gospel,
41:42
the writer
41:44
says that
41:45
Jesus did
41:46
many other
41:47
things that
41:47
are not
41:47
written in
41:48
this book.
41:48
These are
41:49
written that
41:49
you might
41:49
believe,
41:50
and he
41:51
specifically
41:51
mentions the
41:53
signs.
41:53
Jesus did
41:54
many signs.
41:56
He did
41:56
many things,
41:58
but what's
41:59
recorded is
42:01
recorded to
42:03
invite us
42:04
and to
42:05
compel us
42:06
to believe
42:07
and trust
42:08
in Jesus.
42:09
Jesus.
42:11
So why
42:12
does it
42:13
matter
42:13
that John
42:15
tells us
42:16
near the
42:17
cross was
42:18
a garden
42:19
and in
42:21
the garden
42:22
was a
42:23
tomb?
42:27
No
42:27
sign
42:29
in this
42:30
gospel
42:31
is without
42:33
significance.
42:35
the signs
42:36
all point
42:38
to
42:39
something.
42:41
What does
42:42
the garden
42:42
tomb
42:43
point to?
42:47
Well, I
42:48
think that's
42:48
something we
42:50
can try and
42:50
unpack tonight,
42:52
but it's
42:53
important.
42:54
The garden
42:55
is mentioned
42:56
twice in
42:57
verse 41.
42:59
There was a
43:00
garden, and
43:01
in the garden
43:02
a new tomb.
43:03
And in
43:04
chapter 20
43:05
at verse 15,
43:06
when Mary
43:07
of Magdala
43:08
is upset
43:09
because the
43:10
grave is
43:11
empty, and
43:12
she doesn't
43:12
know what's
43:13
happened to
43:13
the body
43:14
of her
43:14
Lord, she
43:15
sees a
43:16
man, it
43:18
is Jesus,
43:19
raised from
43:20
the dead, but
43:20
she doesn't
43:21
immediately
43:21
recognize him,
43:23
and the
43:23
text says
43:24
she supposed
43:26
he was
43:27
the gardener,
43:29
because gardens
43:30
have gardeners.
43:33
well, it
43:34
turns out,
43:36
although she
43:36
didn't recognize
43:37
Jesus fully,
43:38
she was
43:39
bang on,
43:40
she was
43:40
correct.
43:43
He was
43:44
the gardener
43:45
in his
43:47
guard.
43:49
I hope I
43:50
can explain
43:50
that in a
43:52
way that
43:52
will make
43:53
sense.
43:54
Well, our
43:54
first thought
43:55
tonight has
43:56
been to
43:57
just look at
43:58
the end of
43:58
chapter 19,
43:59
a dead
44:00
body,
44:00
true
44:01
friends,
44:03
and a
44:03
garden
44:04
tomb.
44:06
Now, thinking
44:07
about that
44:07
gardener and
44:09
his resurrection,
44:11
my second
44:11
thought for
44:12
you tonight
44:13
is this.
44:15
Secondly, we
44:16
have no
44:17
dead body,
44:18
just a
44:21
gardener,
44:23
no dead
44:25
body anymore.
44:26
more.
44:28
He's not
44:29
dead,
44:30
but alive.
44:34
The secret
44:35
disciples,
44:37
Joseph of
44:38
Arimathea,
44:40
Nicodemus,
44:41
they love
44:43
Jesus,
44:44
but their
44:46
faith is not
44:47
fully formed.
44:48
they want
44:50
to follow
44:51
Jesus.
44:52
They'll no
44:53
doubt pay
44:53
a high
44:54
price for
44:56
asking for
44:57
his body
44:58
and giving
44:58
him this
44:59
honorable
44:59
burial,
45:00
when many
45:01
in Jerusalem
45:01
just want
45:02
to dishonor
45:03
Jesus and
45:03
forget him,
45:05
but they
45:06
don't yet
45:07
believe he
45:08
is risen
45:10
from the
45:10
dead.
45:12
They're
45:13
procuring a
45:14
grave for
45:15
Jesus.
45:16
They're
45:16
preparing a
45:17
body that
45:18
is going
45:18
to decay.
45:21
They need
45:22
more good
45:24
news,
45:25
more growth,
45:26
more maturity.
45:28
They need
45:28
someone to
45:29
disciple them
45:30
with the
45:31
Easter gospel.
45:34
They'll get
45:35
that.
45:37
The most
45:38
loyal friends
45:40
of Jesus
45:41
include
45:43
many women
45:45
who followed
45:46
him.
45:48
and it's
45:49
not a
45:49
surprise
45:50
that one
45:52
of them
45:52
is first
45:52
to the
45:53
tomb.
45:55
When the
45:55
Jewish
45:56
Sabbath is
45:56
over,
45:57
now on
45:57
the first
45:58
day of
45:58
the week,
46:00
what we
46:00
call Sunday,
46:01
what becomes
46:02
our Lord's
46:03
Day,
46:03
becomes our
46:04
Christian
46:04
Sabbath,
46:05
on the
46:06
first day
46:06
of the
46:06
week,
46:07
Mary Magdalene
46:07
came to
46:08
the tomb
46:08
early,
46:09
while it
46:10
was still
46:10
dark.
46:11
God.
46:14
I don't
46:16
know this
46:16
for certain,
46:18
but looking
46:20
at the
46:20
other
46:20
gospels
46:21
and comparing
46:22
them all,
46:23
the impression
46:25
I get is
46:26
that there
46:26
were a
46:27
group of
46:27
women,
46:28
female
46:29
disciples of
46:30
Jesus,
46:31
who were
46:32
ready to
46:34
wash his
46:35
body,
46:36
anoint his
46:36
body,
46:37
and do
46:38
maybe a
46:39
better job
46:40
than Joseph
46:41
and Nicodemus
46:42
would have
46:42
done,
46:44
as the
46:45
Friday sun
46:46
was setting.
46:48
And you
46:49
would expect
46:49
them to go
46:50
together to
46:51
the tomb,
46:51
but somehow
46:52
Mary from
46:53
Magdala is
46:54
detached from
46:56
the other
46:57
woman,
46:57
and she
46:58
gets there
46:58
first,
46:59
and it's
47:00
still dark.
47:02
It's early,
47:03
early,
47:03
early on
47:03
Sunday morning,
47:05
and in
47:05
John's
47:06
Gospel,
47:06
when people
47:07
come and
47:08
go in
47:08
the dark,
47:09
we are
47:09
supposed,
47:10
I think,
47:10
to understand
47:12
that spiritually
47:13
they're in
47:14
the dark.
47:14
Nicodemus
47:15
came in
47:15
chapter 3
47:16
at night.
47:20
People go
47:21
out into
47:22
the night
47:23
in this
47:23
Gospel
47:24
when they're
47:25
confused.
47:27
It's still
47:28
dark,
47:30
and there's
47:32
no Jesus,
47:34
and the
47:35
grave has
47:35
been disturbed,
47:36
the stone
47:37
is rolled
47:37
away.
47:40
Where's
47:41
his body?
47:42
She's not
47:43
seeing clearly
47:44
yet.
47:46
Now that's
47:47
good news
47:48
for you and
47:49
me,
47:49
because we
47:50
don't always
47:51
understand
47:52
everything right
47:53
away,
47:53
and we don't
47:54
always understand
47:55
everything in
47:56
our teens or
47:57
in our
47:57
twenties.
47:57
Sometimes
47:58
faith is
48:00
a slow
48:01
growing thing,
48:02
and sometimes
48:05
there are
48:06
seasons
48:06
where
48:07
our fears
48:10
and our
48:10
doubts
48:11
and the
48:11
busyness of
48:12
life,
48:14
they're like
48:15
a cloud
48:16
that comes
48:16
between us
48:17
and the
48:17
sun.
48:18
if you
48:22
have lost
48:24
touch
48:25
with the
48:28
fear of
48:28
the Lord
48:29
that is the
48:30
beginning of
48:31
knowledge and
48:31
wisdom,
48:33
that cloud
48:34
needs to be
48:35
blown away,
48:36
and it is
48:38
the truth
48:38
of the
48:39
death and
48:40
resurrection
48:41
and the
48:42
grace and
48:42
mercy and
48:43
love of God
48:44
in Christ
48:45
that will
48:46
be that
48:47
strong wind
48:48
that will
48:49
clear those
48:50
clouds of
48:50
confusion
48:51
away.
48:54
Later,
48:56
Mary of
48:56
Magdala
48:57
would be
48:57
joined by
48:58
Joanna,
48:59
wife of
48:59
Chusa,
49:01
and Salome,
49:02
mother of
49:03
James and
49:03
John,
49:04
and Mary,
49:05
mother of
49:05
James and
49:06
Joseph,
49:06
and some
49:09
other woman.
49:10
What a group
49:10
of remarkable
49:11
godly women
49:12
they were,
49:13
but they
49:14
are not
49:15
yet maybe
49:16
fully formed
49:17
in their
49:18
faith.
49:20
They need
49:22
the good
49:23
news
49:24
of the
49:26
gardener.
49:28
They need
49:29
to meet
49:30
the one
49:30
who calls
49:31
himself in
49:32
this gospel
49:32
in another
49:33
place,
49:34
the resurrection
49:35
and the
49:36
life.
49:39
He's already
49:40
told them
49:41
again and
49:43
again,
49:43
that he's
49:44
going to
49:45
die and
49:45
on the
49:45
third day
49:46
he's going
49:46
to be
49:47
raised.
49:48
And it
49:48
doesn't
49:48
seem to
49:49
have been
49:50
understood
49:50
or accepted
49:51
or penetrate
49:52
or to
49:52
believe.
49:53
It's
49:54
afterwards
49:54
that this
49:56
light begins
49:58
to dawn.
50:00
No,
50:01
there is no
50:01
dead body
50:02
in the tomb.
50:03
There is no
50:04
dead Jesus
50:05
in Jerusalem.
50:07
There's just
50:07
weeping,
50:08
confused
50:09
disciples.
50:09
Mary runs
50:11
to find
50:12
Peter
50:13
and John
50:15
whom Jesus
50:15
loved
50:16
and they
50:18
run
50:19
and they
50:20
run
50:21
and they
50:21
run to
50:22
the tomb
50:23
and Simon
50:24
Peter
50:25
can't run
50:27
quite as
50:27
fast
50:28
as John
50:30
but John
50:32
hesitates
50:33
at the
50:34
tomb.
50:38
Both of
50:39
them were
50:40
running
50:40
together.
50:40
The other
50:41
disciple
50:41
outran
50:42
Peter.
50:43
Peter
50:43
got there
50:44
first.
50:45
John
50:45
waits.
50:48
John
50:48
got there
50:49
first.
50:50
Peter
50:51
is the
50:52
first to
50:52
go in
50:53
so and
50:53
to look.
50:54
But John
50:55
outruns
50:57
Peter
50:57
in
50:59
dawning
50:59
faith,
51:01
dawning
51:02
realization.
51:03
yes,
51:06
my Lord
51:07
is not
51:08
dead.
51:10
He's not
51:11
here.
51:12
But they
51:12
still need
51:13
to grow.
51:13
They still
51:14
need further
51:15
understanding.
51:16
Verse 9
51:16
tells us
51:17
as yet
51:17
they did
51:18
not
51:18
understand
51:19
the
51:19
scripture
51:19
that he
51:20
must rise
51:21
from the
51:21
dead.
51:22
What did
51:22
they think?
51:24
Did they
51:24
think God
51:25
had maybe
51:25
taken his
51:26
body
51:26
a bit
51:28
like he
51:28
took
51:28
Elijah
51:29
to glory
51:30
that God
51:31
had taken
51:32
his son
51:33
to glory?
51:35
I don't
51:35
know what
51:35
they believed
51:36
but they
51:37
weren't
51:37
fully on
51:39
the page
51:39
yet
51:40
with a
51:41
mature
51:41
understanding
51:43
to take
51:45
the Apostles
51:45
Creed
51:46
the woman
51:48
and the
51:50
male
51:50
disciples.
51:51
I don't
51:53
think they
51:54
could say
51:54
the belief
51:55
quite
51:55
yet.
51:57
I don't
51:58
think they
51:58
could quite
51:59
say I
51:59
believe in
52:00
God the
52:00
Father
52:00
Almighty
52:01
and I
52:02
believe in
52:02
Jesus
52:02
Christ the
52:03
Son
52:03
and I
52:04
believe in
52:04
his death
52:05
and I
52:05
believe in
52:06
his burial
52:06
and I
52:07
believe in
52:07
his resurrection
52:08
and I
52:09
believe in
52:09
his church
52:10
his Holy
52:11
Spirit
52:11
his second
52:13
coming.
52:14
They're
52:15
moving towards
52:16
it but I
52:16
don't think
52:17
they're quite
52:17
there yet.
52:18
so what
52:19
will get
52:20
them
52:20
where they
52:22
need to
52:23
be?
52:27
The
52:28
gardener
52:29
standing
52:32
in his
52:34
garden.
52:37
Sometimes
52:38
there is
52:40
a theme
52:41
that runs
52:43
through the
52:43
Bible
52:44
and it
52:45
pops up
52:46
in a few
52:47
places and
52:50
it is
52:50
helpful to
52:52
make a
52:53
connection.
52:55
And I
52:56
think this
52:56
is one of
52:57
those places
52:58
where we
53:00
have the
53:01
text of
53:02
scripture
53:03
repeatedly
53:04
drawing our
53:05
eye to the
53:06
fact that
53:07
the place
53:07
where Jesus
53:08
was buried
53:09
was in
53:10
a garden
53:11
and that
53:13
one of
53:14
those women
53:14
who loved
53:15
him and
53:16
followed him
53:16
thought he
53:18
was the
53:18
gardener.
53:22
She knew
53:23
him as
53:23
her Lord
53:24
when he
53:25
spoke her
53:26
name
53:27
Mary
53:27
and she
53:31
calls him
53:32
her
53:32
rabbi,
53:32
her
53:33
master.
53:37
It's
53:38
very
53:38
lovely
53:38
but use
53:41
your imagination,
53:42
use your
53:42
knowledge of
53:43
the scripture.
53:43
where does
53:45
the scripture
53:46
tell us
53:47
about
53:48
gardens
53:49
and
53:49
gardeners?
53:52
Well the
53:53
most obvious
53:54
place
53:55
is at the
53:56
beginning of
53:57
the scripture
53:58
in the
54:00
story of
54:01
creation and
54:01
fall
54:02
where the
54:03
first
54:04
Adam
54:05
Adam and
54:07
Eve,
54:08
our parents,
54:09
on behalf of
54:10
the whole
54:11
human race,
54:12
are in
54:13
a garden
54:14
where they
54:15
meet with
54:16
God.
54:17
They are to
54:18
tend that
54:19
garden,
54:20
they are to
54:21
work that
54:22
garden.
54:23
Adam is
54:24
a gardener
54:25
and he is
54:27
on friendly
54:30
terms
54:30
with his
54:32
creator.
54:35
And the
54:35
garden is
54:36
wonderful and
54:37
God makes
54:38
provision and
54:39
the garden is
54:40
spoiled by
54:40
sin and
54:41
corrupted and
54:42
the world is
54:44
corrupted and
54:45
death gets
54:46
in and the
54:47
death penalty
54:48
comes on
54:48
Adam and
54:49
Eve and
54:50
the children
54:51
of Adam
54:51
and Eve
54:52
because in
54:53
that first
54:54
garden,
54:55
the first
54:56
gardener is
54:57
a spiritual
54:58
failure.
55:02
John in
55:04
his gospel
55:05
is showing
55:06
us another
55:09
Adam,
55:11
a second
55:12
and last
55:13
Adam because
55:14
we'll never
55:15
need a third
55:16
Adam because
55:17
the second
55:18
and last
55:19
Adam is
55:20
not going
55:21
to fail
55:22
the spiritual
55:23
tests that
55:24
he undergoes.
55:27
He is going
55:28
to obey
55:29
and drink
55:30
the cup
55:31
the father
55:31
gives to
55:32
him.
55:33
In the
55:34
Genesis
55:34
garden and
55:36
gardener
55:37
there is
55:38
the tragedy
55:38
of sin
55:39
and death.
55:41
Where are
55:41
the other
55:42
gardens in
55:43
the Bible?
55:45
Well how
55:45
about the
55:46
garden of
55:47
Gethsemane
55:48
where Jesus
55:50
was arrested
55:51
and where
55:52
Jesus wept
55:54
and sweat
55:55
so much
55:57
that he
55:58
sweat blood.
56:00
The
56:01
gospels are
56:01
very interested
56:02
in that
56:03
garden.
56:05
And the
56:05
gardener in
56:06
that garden
56:07
of tears
56:08
is sowing
56:09
prayers
56:10
and sowing
56:12
in his
56:12
agony
56:13
the
56:15
determination
56:16
not to
56:17
do his
56:18
own will
56:19
but the
56:19
father's
56:20
will so
56:21
that the
56:21
church would
56:22
be saved
56:23
and the
56:24
failure of
56:25
the first
56:25
Adam would
56:26
be undone.
56:27
and now
56:31
this garden
56:32
a garden
56:34
with a
56:35
tomb in
56:35
it
56:36
and a
56:38
man
56:38
maybe
56:39
supposes
56:40
to be
56:40
the
56:42
gardener.
56:43
He's in
56:44
a resurrection
56:45
body
56:46
but his
56:48
people are
56:48
still weeping
56:49
he wants
56:51
them
56:52
to have
56:53
joy
56:54
and hope.
56:57
the time
56:58
for tears
56:59
is passing.
57:03
They are
57:04
confused
57:05
and he
57:07
wants to
57:07
instruct
57:08
them
57:09
so that
57:10
their
57:10
confusion
57:11
will be
57:12
replaced
57:13
with
57:13
comfort
57:14
joy
57:15
and
57:15
confidence
57:16
to go
57:17
to the
57:17
ends of
57:18
the earth
57:18
with the
57:19
gospel.
57:21
When
57:21
Mary wants
57:22
to hold
57:22
on to
57:23
Jesus
57:23
physically
57:24
he says
57:26
to her
57:27
in words
57:28
that are
57:29
a little
57:30
puzzling
57:31
you can't
57:31
hang on
57:32
to me
57:32
just now
57:33
I have
57:34
to ascend
57:35
to my
57:36
father
57:36
and to
57:37
your
57:37
father
57:37
because
57:39
Jesus
57:40
the
57:40
gardener
57:41
of the
57:41
resurrection
57:42
is going
57:42
to tend
57:43
his
57:44
church
57:45
his
57:45
vine
57:46
his
57:46
branches
57:47
from
57:49
the
57:49
father's
57:50
right
57:51
hand
57:52
in glory
57:53
I am
57:56
the vine
57:56
you are
57:57
the
57:57
branches
57:58
my
57:59
father
58:00
is the
58:01
gardener
58:02
Jesus
58:03
is a
58:04
gardener
58:04
but so
58:05
is the
58:06
father
58:06
and the
58:07
father
58:08
wants
58:08
Jesus
58:09
at his
58:10
side
58:10
and the
58:11
spirit
58:12
representing
58:13
God
58:14
here on
58:14
the earth
58:14
tending
58:15
the vine
58:17
that is
58:17
growing and
58:18
spreading
58:18
which is
58:19
the life
58:19
giving
58:20
church
58:21
the fruit
58:22
bearing
58:22
church
58:23
are you
58:24
part of
58:24
it
58:25
and do
58:26
you want
58:27
to be
58:27
part of
58:27
it
58:28
there is
58:30
one other
58:30
place in
58:31
the bible
58:31
where you
58:33
find a
58:33
gardener
58:34
and a
58:34
gardener
58:35
and that
58:37
is surely
58:37
in the last
58:38
two chapters
58:39
of the bible
58:39
where the
58:40
imagery and
58:41
the language
58:42
echoes
58:42
the story
58:43
of eden
58:44
and creation
58:44
and there
58:46
is no
58:46
more death
58:47
and satan
58:48
is defeated
58:49
and he is
58:49
no more
58:50
and where
58:51
there is
58:52
no more
58:53
sighing
58:53
and sorrow
58:54
where there
58:55
is a
58:55
garden
58:56
city
58:57
with a
58:58
tree of
58:58
life
58:58
growing in
58:59
it
58:59
and with
59:00
all manner
59:01
of trees
59:02
with fruit
59:02
for the
59:03
healing
59:03
of the
59:03
nations
59:04
with the
59:06
precious
59:06
things
59:07
that were
59:07
in eden
59:08
the precious
59:10
metals
59:10
and precious
59:11
stones
59:12
and the
59:13
precious
59:13
people
59:14
of God
59:15
not needing
59:16
a temple
59:16
because the
59:18
Lord God
59:18
and the
59:19
Lamb are
59:19
there
59:20
they are
59:21
the gardener
59:24
in the
59:25
garden city
59:26
New Jerusalem
59:28
banqueting
59:31
feasting
59:32
in the
59:34
presence
59:34
of God
59:36
serving
59:36
achieving
59:38
working
59:39
in the
59:40
presence
59:41
of God
59:42
God
59:42
who did
59:45
Mary see
59:46
she saw
59:49
her Lord
59:50
her
59:52
gardener
59:53
her hope
59:55
for you
59:58
and for
59:58
me
59:59
we have
1:00:00
not a
1:00:01
dead
1:00:01
saviour
1:00:02
not a
1:00:03
dead
1:00:03
memory
1:00:04
but a
1:00:05
gardener
1:00:06
who has
1:00:08
been dead
1:00:09
but who
1:00:10
now tends
1:00:11
his church
1:00:12
and wishes
1:00:13
it to be
1:00:14
fruitful
1:00:14
in John
1:00:15
12 24
1:00:16
Jesus
1:00:17
says
1:00:17
truly truly
1:00:18
I say
1:00:19
to you
1:00:19
unless a
1:00:20
grain of
1:00:20
wheat
1:00:20
falls into
1:00:21
the earth
1:00:21
and dies
1:00:22
it remains
1:00:23
alone
1:00:23
he's talking
1:00:25
about himself
1:00:25
on his
1:00:26
cross
1:00:26
but if it
1:00:27
dies
1:00:28
it bears
1:00:30
much
1:00:31
fruit
1:00:33
well I'm
1:00:36
finished
1:00:36
and our
1:00:37
communion
1:00:37
again
1:00:38
is finished
1:00:39
one
1:00:41
question
1:00:41
do you
1:00:45
have
1:00:45
hope
1:00:46
do you
1:00:50
have hope
1:00:51
in your
1:00:51
life
1:00:52
is the
1:00:55
future
1:00:56
and is
1:00:57
your
1:00:57
eternity
1:00:58
good
1:01:00
I'm a
1:01:04
chaplain
1:01:04
in a
1:01:05
high school
1:01:05
in Inverness
1:01:06
and we
1:01:07
don't get
1:01:07
many
1:01:08
opportunities
1:01:08
to share
1:01:09
very much
1:01:10
of God's
1:01:11
truth
1:01:11
there
1:01:11
it's quite
1:01:12
limited
1:01:12
but some
1:01:14
of the
1:01:15
chaplains
1:01:15
go in
1:01:15
every week
1:01:16
on a
1:01:17
Thursday
1:01:17
at the
1:01:18
lunch hour
1:01:19
and put
1:01:20
on a
1:01:20
hot chocolate
1:01:21
club
1:01:21
and at
1:01:22
least we
1:01:23
can chat
1:01:23
and if
1:01:24
people are
1:01:24
there and
1:01:25
if they
1:01:25
want to
1:01:25
talk
1:01:26
then we
1:01:27
can talk
1:01:28
and on
1:01:29
Thursday
1:01:30
just passed
1:01:31
a couple
1:01:32
of days
1:01:33
ago
1:01:33
three of
1:01:34
us
1:01:35
three of
1:01:35
the
1:01:35
chaplains
1:01:36
were in
1:01:37
lots of
1:01:38
hot chocolate
1:01:38
was consumed
1:01:39
and everyone
1:01:42
was invited
1:01:43
to answer
1:01:44
a question
1:01:45
where do you
1:01:47
find hope
1:01:48
one person
1:01:53
said in
1:01:55
music
1:01:55
I quite
1:01:57
like that
1:01:58
answer
1:01:58
if you
1:02:01
listen to
1:02:01
good music
1:02:02
maybe it
1:02:02
will give
1:02:03
you hope
1:02:03
a few
1:02:06
people said
1:02:07
in my
1:02:07
family
1:02:07
and my
1:02:09
friends
1:02:10
they give
1:02:10
me hope
1:02:11
one
1:02:14
honest
1:02:14
person
1:02:15
said
1:02:18
what most
1:02:18
people in
1:02:19
this
1:02:19
generation
1:02:19
seem to
1:02:20
believe
1:02:20
I find
1:02:21
hope
1:02:22
in
1:02:24
myself
1:02:24
but it's
1:02:28
a bad
1:02:28
answer
1:02:29
because I
1:02:32
will let
1:02:34
you down
1:02:34
and I
1:02:35
will let
1:02:36
myself
1:02:36
down
1:02:37
and you
1:02:38
will let
1:02:38
yourself
1:02:39
down
1:02:39
and this
1:02:41
generation
1:02:42
that tells
1:02:42
us to look
1:02:43
within for
1:02:44
our hope
1:02:44
and our
1:02:45
answers
1:02:45
is telling
1:02:46
us a
1:02:46
lie
1:02:47
do you
1:02:53
know what
1:02:53
the most
1:02:53
popular
1:02:54
answer was
1:02:55
among the
1:02:55
pupils of
1:02:56
Milburn
1:02:56
Academy
1:02:57
who came
1:02:57
on Thursday
1:02:59
where they
1:03:00
find hope
1:03:01
in a
1:03:04
pet
1:03:05
in a
1:03:07
dog
1:03:08
I've
1:03:11
got
1:03:12
nothing
1:03:12
against
1:03:12
pets
1:03:13
nothing
1:03:15
against
1:03:15
dogs
1:03:16
but if
1:03:18
that's the
1:03:18
source of
1:03:19
hope and
1:03:19
comfort
1:03:20
it will
1:03:22
die
1:03:23
the
1:03:25
gardener
1:03:26
will never
1:03:29
die
1:03:29
do you
1:03:32
have hope
1:03:33
because you
1:03:34
know the
1:03:34
voice of
1:03:35
Jesus
1:03:35
and you
1:03:36
follow his
1:03:37
voice
1:03:38
that's
1:03:40
that's
1:03:40
the source
1:03:42
of hope
1:03:43
that even
1:03:45
overcomes
1:03:46
death
1:03:47
in my
1:03:49
father's
1:03:50
house
1:03:51
are many
1:03:51
mansions
1:03:52
if it
1:03:54
were not
1:03:54
so
1:03:55
would I
1:03:56
not have
1:03:57
told you
1:03:58
I go
1:03:59
to prepare
1:04:01
a place
1:04:02
for you
1:04:03
and if
1:04:04
I go
1:04:05
I will
1:04:05
come
1:04:06
again
1:04:07
that you
1:04:08
may be
1:04:09
there
1:04:09
with me
1:04:11
Lord
1:04:13
Jesus
1:04:13
you are
1:04:14
the one
1:04:15
who went
1:04:16
to the
1:04:16
garden
1:04:16
tomb for
1:04:17
us
1:04:17
and stood
1:04:18
in the
1:04:18
garden
1:04:19
as the
1:04:19
resurrection
1:04:20
tend
1:04:22
our souls
1:04:23
and make
1:04:24
us fruitful
1:04:25
and give
1:04:26
us faith
1:04:26
give us
1:04:28
joy
1:04:28
love
1:04:30
give us
1:04:32
salvation
1:04:33
give us
1:04:34
hope
1:04:35
for we
1:04:36
ask it
1:04:37
in your
1:04:38
name
1:04:38
amen
1:04:40
we're going
1:04:41
to conclude
1:04:42
with words
1:04:43
from a
1:04:44
resurrection
1:04:44
psalm
1:04:45
psalm 16
1:04:46
in sing
1:04:47
psalm
1:04:47
psalm 16
1:04:48
in sing
1:04:49
psalm
1:04:50
psalm
1:04:50
psalm
1:04:50
psalm
1:04:51
17
1:04:51
of the
1:04:53
book
1:04:53
the verses
1:04:53
7 to
1:04:54
11
1:04:55
of sing
1:04:56
psalm
1:04:56
16
1:04:57
to Selma
1:04:58
the land
1:04:59
allotted
1:05:00
me
1:05:00
is in
1:05:01
a pleasant
1:05:02
sight
1:05:03
and surely
1:05:04
my inheritance
1:05:05
to me
1:05:06
is a delight
1:05:07
we'll stand
1:05:08
and sing
1:05:09
I hope you can
1:05:10
stay for the
1:05:11
fellowship
1:05:11
and may the
1:05:12
Lord bless you
1:05:13
in the days
1:05:14
to come
1:05:15
I praise
1:05:23
the Lord
1:05:25
my God
1:05:27
whose
1:05:29
whose
1:05:29
counsel
1:05:30
guides
1:05:32
my
1:05:32
choice
1:05:34
and
1:05:36
me
1:05:37
live
1:05:38
in the
1:05:39
night
1:05:40
my
1:05:41
heart
1:05:42
because
1:05:44
my
1:06:00
world
1:06:00
The Lord alone, because He is at my right hand, and not He overthrew.
1:06:18
Therefore my heart is glad, my tongue with joy will sing,
1:06:34
my body to the rest of the earth in hope and way of being.
1:06:50
For you will not allow my soul in depth to stay,
1:07:04
nor will He be, dear Holy One, to see that tomb's decay.
1:07:20
It hath been known to me the path of my divine.
1:07:35
Let us pray.
1:07:57
Remember us with tender love.
1:08:00
Bless those gathering for the fellowship later,
1:08:03
and bless the good things, the food, and so on,
1:08:08
that we share in there and our fellowship in Jesus Christ.
1:08:12
And we commit and commend one another to God's grace and keeping
1:08:16
for this day and for all of our days.
1:08:20
May the grace of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
1:08:24
be with us and with all whom we love evermore.
1:08:30
Amen.
1:08:33
Amen.
1:08:35
Do I get out of here?
1:08:35
Yes, thank you.
1:08:36
Thank you.
1:08:38
Thank you so much.
1:08:38
Thank you.
1:08:42
Amen.
1:08:46
Thank you.
1:08:49
Thank you.
1:08:54
Thank you.
1:08:55
Thank you.
1:08:58
Thank you.
1:08:59
Thank you.