Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / We are the Servants of the God of Heaven and Earth and We are Rebuilding

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We are the Servants of the God of Heaven and Earth and We are Rebuilding · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Well, we give a very warm welcome as always to everyone today, to our service this morning,
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and trust that God will be with us and make himself known to us through his word being
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blessed.
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Welcome to those who are joining us online as well, and thank you for your participation
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in the service with us.
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There are quite a number of things on the bulletin sheet today, and I'm not going to
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go through them all, but just to highlight one or two of them for you, there is a testimony
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meeting tonight at 8.30pm, that's on Zoom.
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An informal time of fellowship, and we're looking forward to having Nadia MacDonald speaking,
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and that's for anyone to join in.
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Zoom details are the same as previous Sunday evenings.
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A monthly prayer meeting will be tomorrow evening at 7.30.
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That again is on Zoom, and the prayer link with Muriel in Cambodia on Tuesday at 11am.
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Other meetings throughout the week, you can please just read these yourselves.
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You can see the details there about the call that will be signed to Callum Murdoch-Smith,
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Reverend Callum Murdoch-Smith.
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Please read through these details carefully.
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It sets out what that's going to involve, and the presbytery have appointed a date for
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the signing of the call.
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That's the 20th of April, Wednesday 20th of April.
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That meeting is going to be here in the church, just to give plenty of space, and that will
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be at 7.30pm.
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Now, it's important that as many people as possible sign the call in person, so we're
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appealing to you.
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If you can at all to be there, please do make conscience of that, because one of the things
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the presbytery will want to see is the level of support for sending a call to Reverend Callum
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Murdoch-Smith.
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If you can't be there, and we understand, of course, that some people cannot be present
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themselves in person, so there are mandate forms which are available from the elders in
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your district.
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Just read through the details there, and if you haven't heard from your district elder
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by Saturday the 9th of April, well, please contact them for a mandate if you need one of
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those.
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And we pray for Mr. Smith, for his congregation too, and North Uist as these matters proceed
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through.
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Now, I'm to be on annual leave.
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I'm doing a wedding on the mainland next week, and I'm building a few days' holiday around
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that, so I'll be away for two Lord's Days, and you can find the details on the bulletin
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sheet each week, as usual.
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Thank you from the Women for Mission.
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The last week's spring stall amounted to £930, and that was distributed between Safe
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Families Scotland, Lacknadon Christian Hospital India, and Damaris Community House in Greece.
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And finally, the WFM Ladies' annual event is due to take place, God willing, on 20th of
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May.
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That's in the Caber Fé Hotel.
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Really looking forward to this after the COVID period has caused that that be not available
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for the last couple of years.
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So if you, there are booking forms now available.
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You can get these from Lizzie or from Donna.
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The details are there.
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And you need a booking form for the event, and they need to be in by 30th of April.
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So please just read through that as well.
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Well, let's worship God now.
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We're singing firstly to His praise in Psalm 113.
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Psalm 113 in the Scottish Psalter.
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That's page 393.
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Praise God, you servants of the Lord.
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O praise the Lord's name, praise.
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Yea, blessed be the name of God from this time forth always.
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From rising sun to where it's set, God's name is to be praised.
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Above all nations, God is high.
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Above heavens, His glory raised.
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Verses 1 to 8.
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Well, we'll sing the whole of the psalm.
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There's no point leaving out one verse.
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So if we sing the whole of the psalm.
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Praise God, you servants of the Lord.
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Praise God, ye servants of the Lord.
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O praise the Lord's name, praise.
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Praise God, ye blessed be the name of God from this time forth always.
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Praise God, ye blessed be the name of God from this time forth.
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From rising sun to where it's set, God's name is to be praised.
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above all nations, God is high.
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above heavens, His glory raised.
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Unto the Lord, a God that dwells on high, who can come here,
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himself that humble things to see, in heaven and earth that are.
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He from the dust aflisks the good, that very Lord a fly,
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and from the down lives the man, O Christ with poverty,
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that he may highly him advance, and with the princes say,
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with those that of his people are, the chief in princes great.
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The burden woman has to keep, he may get unto thee.
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Of sons of heaven, full of joy, praise to the Lord give ye.
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Now let's join together in prayer, let's call upon the Lord in prayer.
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Our gracious and eternal God, we give thanks to you today as we gather here in your presence,
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that you are the God who lifts us up out of the dungle of our sin,
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and sets us in your own family to be in that special relationship with you,
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where you have become our Father, where through the Lord Jesus Christ you are pleased to receive us,
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and adopt us into your family.
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And we thank you today for the privilege we have once again,
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of being able to gather here in worship.
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Lord, help us to prize it highly.
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Help us truly today to realize the privilege that is ours,
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and the honor you have bestowed upon us,
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that we are able to come in this way together to worship the Lord God.
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Help us, Lord, we pray, to reflect upon where we would be,
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if it were not that your grace reached us,
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and plucked us out of the dunghill and the darkness of sin,
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and brought us into your own marvelous light.
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And we thank you today, Lord, for all that that means to your people,
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and for the way in which they know you have set them on that course that is heavenwards.
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We come today with our adoration of you and our thanksgiving to you,
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for you are God and there is none like you.
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And we thank you today that you are set above all that you have created,
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as the sovereign creator, the redeemer of your people,
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the king and head of your church.
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Bless us, we pray, Lord, under your word today.
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We thank you that your word once again brings us that revelation of yourself and the teaching
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that you have given to us in it,
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with regard to yourself and regard to ourselves,
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to the world in which we live,
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to things past and present and future,
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even to the things of eternity.
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Lord, we thank you today that your word is so reliable for us,
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a word that we can trust,
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a word that we can commend to others as trustworthy,
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a word that has been proved to be the word of God
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down through the centuries and millennia of human life.
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And we thank you, Lord, that you have brought it to us in its completeness,
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as we find it in its written form in our Bibles.
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Help us, Lord, we pray as we turn to your word today,
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to do so in dependence upon your Holy Spirit,
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for we cannot ourselves understand the spiritual things of God, of his kingdom,
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without your own spirit opening our hearts and our understanding
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and giving us that enlightened mind in the knowledge of yourself.
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We pray today that your Holy Spirit will work mightily in our hearts.
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Help us, we pray, both in preaching and hearing your word,
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that we may find it an experience of a demonstration and power of your spirit
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as we come under your word and its teaching.
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We thank you for everyone here today, young and old,
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we bless you, O Lord, for the way that you are a God to us and to our families,
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as you have promised to be in covenant.
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And we thank you that whatever our age may be today,
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whatever our circumstances in life may be,
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whatever we may be able to reflect upon and think upon
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of our past, of our present situation,
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Lord, help us, we pray, to carry all of this before you into prayer
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and seek that you would be our God.
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Lord, we pray today that all who come acknowledging you as their God will come
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to have that relationship confirmed and assured of their relation with you,
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that they may go on in the confidence of faith.
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Forgive us, we pray too, for we come confessing our sin today.
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Lord, we confess our sin every time we come into your presence,
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whether together collectively, in public or privately,
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we always know that we have sin to confess.
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We do confess our sin and ask, O Lord, today for your forgiveness and for your cleansing
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and for your empowering of us so that we may
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take further steps away from the ways of sin into the path of holiness.
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Forgive us, we pray, for our sinful lapses,
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for the times when we go astray into worldliness and to practices that we know
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are not in accord with your truth, whether mentally or in our practice or in our words.
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Lord, forgive us, for we sin against you daily in thought and in word and in practice.
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Forgive us, we pray, for our lack, our lack of zeal, our lack of commitment.
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Forgive us, for, Lord, our failures in every respect
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to meet the standard that you set out for us in your word
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and in the primary example we have in the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
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O bless us, we pray today,
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and grant to us that our hearts may be established
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in your ways and in your truth.
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And garrison us, we pray, in the days ahead
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with your peace as our guardian in our souls.
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We ask today for your blessing for those who are ill.
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We think of our number, Lord,
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and ask that you'd bless those unable to be here because of illness
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in themselves or in their homes or families.
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Bless, we pray, any who are seriously ill
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and who may be approaching the borders of death,
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of leaving this world.
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We pray for them.
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We ask that you prepare them, Lord, for that great step
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so that they may be made ready to face you
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and to meet you in such a way as you will approve of them
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through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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O sanctify, we pray, this time to them.
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And we pray that such may be true of all of us,
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for we never know when our last day on earth might be.
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And we pray that you would bless today
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those who are unable to carry out their duties and functions
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as they used to through infirmity and old age
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and through the loss of certain senses
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and certain capacities that they once had.
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Remember our care homes, Lord, at this time
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when we know that an increase in the COVID infection
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has reached our local care homes.
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Again, we pray for them and for their staff.
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We ask that you'd bless all residents
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and bless those who care for them.
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Lord, guide us, we pray,
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through this time of pandemic that still remains with us.
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We look to you, O Lord,
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and ask that you would continue to protect
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and watch over us and keep us from death, we pray.
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We ask, O Lord, that all the measures taken
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will be successful in dealing with the virus
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in whatever way that requires to be done.
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We ask for our governments, again,
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that pray that you would give them wisdom.
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We pray that you would give them, Lord,
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to rule in the wisdom that your word brings to us
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and commend to us the wisdom of being in Christ,
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the wisdom of trusting in you
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and embracing your word and your laws.
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Lord, receive our thanks, we pray,
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for all that you are to us.
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And be with the troubled nations of the world today,
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whether it's war and famine and poverty.
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Again, we pray for Yemen,
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for those we know in various parts of the world
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that are facing persecution.
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We pray that you'd grant blessing, Lord,
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also to Ukraine as they continue to deal
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with their difficult and tragic situation.
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Lord, remember them in your mercy
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and grant once again to stay the hand of the oppressor
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and the aggressor.
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Lord, we ask that you would bring cessation to the war
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and to the violence and to the loss of life.
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And so continue to bless us here in our own community.
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Once again, we commend to you, Lord,
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those who look after our young in schools
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and in Sunday school
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and bless our children at this time
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as they spend time on holiday.
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Give them, Lord, your own protective care
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and bless to them the teaching they receive,
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especially the things of the gospel.
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Bless those who are preparing for camps
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later on in the summer.
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We ask for all those who have applied,
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oh, Lord, that you would bless that to them.
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Bless those who have given their time as leaders
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and bless our own Marianne
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as she anticipates leading a camp for the first time.
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We pray that you bless her in her preparation
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and as she still looks for a male leader
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to help with the work of camp.
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We pray that you will provide that for her, oh, Lord.
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And for all other camps, we ask your blessing.
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We ask for your protective care.
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We ask for your guidance.
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We ask for thankful hearts
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that we have such a facility once again available to us.
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And so receive us now, we pray.
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Guide us in our thoughts
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and help us in speaking and hearing
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to have your glory foremost in our minds.
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We ask it all for Jesus' sake.
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Amen.
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Well, our two children.
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It's great to see children out again today.
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I know it's been difficult for you as well in schools
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and when we've had to stop some of our meetings
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due to the COVID situation.
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So it's great to see you all
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and it's wonderful to have so many young faces
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once again present in person.
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You know what this is?
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It's a wee biscuit.
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Anybody know what it's called?
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What are they called?
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They're called party rings.
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Party rings, you probably had them if you had parties.
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You have had parties, I'm sure.
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Well, these party rings are very tasty
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and our Roscoe loves them.
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It's not often you can actually eat foods that dogs like.
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It's not often you can use a doggy treat and eat it yourself
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but this is one of them.
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They're not made for dogs.
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They're made for people
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but sometimes dogs like them as well.
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And this is one of Roscoe's favourites,
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these party treats.
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And they're held in a biscuit tin in our kitchen
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and the tin has got one of those lids
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that you can clamp down to keep things fresh.
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And it makes a bit of a noise when you open it.
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And you know if Roscoe's even through in the next room
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having a doze, sleeping there on his blanket
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and he hears the noise of the tin being opened,
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he'll shoot through into the kitchen
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because he knows it's party ring time.
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It's treats time.
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So he shoots off through here
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and waits until the party ring.
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And very often in the morning when I go up to the study,
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if I come down for a coffee and he then gets up,
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he's quite late getting up
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and if he hears the party ring,
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I'll take one out and take it with me up to the study.
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And he'll follow me all excitedly all the way upstairs
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until he actually gets to the chair in the study
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where he usually sleeps while I'm busy at the desk.
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So party rings for Roscoe.
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He likes these treats.
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Now we should be like that in our lives as well
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with regard to the things that God gives us
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as special treats.
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And one of the most special treats
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is his own word, the Bible.
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That's why we're here today
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because we're taking this treat that God has given us
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that's good for us
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because we know how important it is
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to know the Bible,
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to study the Bible,
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to have a hunger for the teaching of the Bible.
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In the Psalms, in Psalm 19,
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remember how David there in the Psalm 19
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was talking about the word of God
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and he talks in the various ways
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in which the word of God
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was so precious to him.
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The law of the Lord is perfect,
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reviving the soul.
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And he goes on to speak about
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what the word actually does.
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And he says,
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there are more to be desired,
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these words of God,
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there are more to be desired than gold.
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They are also sweeter than honey
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and the drippings of the honeycomb.
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In other words, for David,
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nothing was more special,
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apart from God himself,
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nothing was more special for him in this life
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than God's own word.
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And that's why you're here today.
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That's why you go to Sunday school,
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to tweenies.
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That's why you learn the Bible at home,
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because it is spiritual food
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that we should be as delighted to take
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as Roscoe is with his party rings.
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And of course,
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it's not just the Bible itself
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that's precious to us.
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Jesus also is our special spiritual food.
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And when Jesus and the salvation
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that's in God,
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that's in Jesus,
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that God has provided for us,
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when that is spoken of in the word of God,
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we come to church
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because we want our souls to be fed.
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We want our souls to be fed
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by this rich spiritual food,
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this treat that God has given us in Jesus,
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this salvation,
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this forgiveness of sins,
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this eternal life
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that God has wonderfully provided for us
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as the greatest treat of all.
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And so today,
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as we come young and old
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to listen to God's word,
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to listen to what God is saying to us,
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let's all try together
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to think about Jesus
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as our spiritual food.
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Remember,
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Jesus himself said
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in John's gospel,
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I am the bread of life,
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and he is the water of life.
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He is the spiritual food
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and water that we need.
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And today,
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that's why we come,
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not only to worship him
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and give thanks,
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but to receive from him
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the treat
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that is in his eternal life
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and in his word
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so that we come to enjoy
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our relationship with God
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where he's our savior
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and where we are his people,
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his family.
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So we're going to now
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say the Lord's Prayer together.
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Let's all together say
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the Lord's Prayer.
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Our Father,
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which art in heaven,
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hallowed be thy name.
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Thy kingdom come.
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Thy will be done
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on earth as it is in heaven.
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Give us this day
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our daily bread
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and forgive us our debts
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as we forgive our debtors.
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And lead us not into temptation,
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but deliver us from evil.
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For thine is the kingdom
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and the power
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and the glory forever.
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Amen.
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Now we're going to read God's word
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and the reading today
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is from the book of Ezra.
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The book of Ezra in chapter 5.
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Ezra comes after
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the two books of Chronicles
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and before the book of Job,
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Nehemiah,
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and then Job
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and then Psalms.
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So in Ezra chapter 5,
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we can read
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from the beginning of the chapter
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right through to the end.
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Now the prophets Haggai
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and Zechariah,
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the son of Iddo,
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prophesied to the Jews
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who were in Judah and Jerusalem
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in the name of the God of Israel
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who was over them.
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Then Zerubbabel,
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the son of Shealtiel
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and Jeshua,
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the son of Josedach,
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arose and began
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to rebuild the house of God
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that is in Jerusalem.
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The prophets of God
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were with them,
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supporting them.
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At the same time,
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Tatanai,
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the governor of the province
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beyond the river,
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and Shethar Bosnai
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and their associates
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came to them
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and spoke to them thus,
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who gave you a decree
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to build this house
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and to finish this structure?
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They also asked them this,
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what are the names of the men
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who are building this building?
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But the eye of their God
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was on the elders of the Jews
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and they did not stop them
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until the report
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should reach Darius
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and then an answer
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be returned by letter
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concerning it.
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This is a copy of the letter
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that Tatanai,
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the governor of the province
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beyond the river,
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and Shethar Bosnai
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and his associates,
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the governors
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who were in the province
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beyond the river,
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sent to Darius the king.
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They sent him a report
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in which was written as follows,
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To Darius the king,
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all peace.
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Be it known to the king
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that we went to the province
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of Judah,
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to the house of the great God.
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It is being built
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with huge stones
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and timber is laid in the walls.
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This work was on diligently
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and prosperous in their hands.
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Then we asked those elders
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and spoke to them thus,
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who gave you a decree
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to build this house
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and to finish this structure.
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We also asked them the names
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for your information
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that we might write down
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the names of their leaders.
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This was their reply to us.
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We are the servants
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of the God of heaven and earth
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and we are rebuilding the house
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that was built many years ago,
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which a great king of Israel
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built and finished.
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But because our fathers
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had angered the God of heaven,
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he gave them into the hand
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of Nebuchadnezzar,
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king of Babylon,
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the Chaldean,
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who destroyed this house
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and carried away
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the people to Babylon.
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However,
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in the first year
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of Cyrus,
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king of Babylon,
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Cyrus,
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the king,
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made a decree
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that this house of God
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should be rebuilt.
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And the gold
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and silver vessels
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of the house of God,
24:47
which Nebuchadnezzar
24:48
had taken out
24:48
of the temple
24:49
that was in Jerusalem
24:50
and brought into
24:51
the temple of Babylon,
24:53
these Cyrus,
24:54
the king,
24:55
took out of the temple
24:56
of Babylon
24:56
and they were delivered
24:58
to one whose name
24:59
was Sheshbazar,
25:01
whom he had made governor.
25:04
And he said to him,
25:05
Take these vessels,
25:06
go and put them
25:07
in the temple
25:08
that is in Jerusalem
25:09
and let the house of God
25:10
be rebuilt on its site.
25:12
Then this Sheshbazar
25:14
came and laid
25:15
the foundations
25:15
of the house of God
25:17
that is in Jerusalem.
25:18
And from that time
25:19
until now
25:20
it has been in building
25:21
and it is not yet finished.
25:23
Therefore,
25:25
if it seems good
25:25
to the king,
25:27
let search be made
25:28
in the royal archives
25:29
there in Babylon
25:30
to see whether
25:31
a decree was issued
25:32
by Cyrus,
25:33
the king,
25:34
for the rebuilding
25:35
of this house of God
25:36
in Jerusalem.
25:38
And the king
25:38
send us his pleasure
25:40
in this matter.
25:43
Amen.
25:44
May God bless
25:45
that reading
25:46
of his word to us.
25:47
Let's pray some further
25:48
now from Psalm 47.
25:51
On page 62,
25:53
Psalm 47.
25:55
The tune is Warrington.
25:57
We're singing
25:57
the whole of the psalm,
25:59
verses 1 to 9.
26:02
All nations,
26:03
clap your hands
26:04
and shout.
26:05
Let joyful cries
26:06
to God ring out.
26:08
How awesome
26:09
is the Lord most high,
26:10
great king
26:11
who rules
26:12
the earth throughout.
26:14
Sing the whole psalm,
26:15
Psalm 47
26:16
to God's praise.
26:17
Amen.
26:17
O nations,
26:24
clap your hands
26:27
and shout.
26:29
Let joyful cries
26:33
to God
26:35
ring out.
26:37
How awesome
26:39
is the Lord
26:43
most high,
26:45
that King
26:47
and sing
26:52
and sing
26:54
Die
26:56
will
26:56
which
26:58
know
26:59
TP.
27:02
Oh,
27:03
The nations filled at which her foes.
27:11
In blessing Jacob, whom he loved,
27:19
A heritage for us he chose.
27:28
God has gone up with shouts of joy,
27:37
The Lord amid the trumpet sound.
27:46
Sing praise, sing praise to God most high,
27:54
To God our King, let praise our God.
28:05
For God is King of all the earth,
28:13
Sing sounds of praise to Him alone.
28:20
God rules the nations from on high,
28:30
He sits upon His holy throne.
28:39
The leaders of the nations come,
28:49
To yield themselves to heaven's God,
28:57
To Him beyond the shields of earth,
29:06
Exalted greatly is the Lord.
29:15
I'd like us to turn together now to the passage we read in Ezra,
29:21
Ezra chapter 5,
29:23
And focusing especially on verse 11,
29:27
We can read from verse 9,
29:30
Then we asked those elders and spoke to them thus,
29:34
Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?
29:39
We also asked them their names for your information,
29:42
That we might write down the names of their leaders.
29:45
And this was their reply to us,
29:47
We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth,
29:50
And we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago,
29:53
Which a great king of Israel built and finished.
30:01
Well, these chapters, as you find also with Nehemiah's book,
30:05
Give us information about the rebuilding that took place in Jerusalem
30:10
After the Jews had returned from their time in Babylon,
30:14
The 70 years that they spent there under the regime of the Babylonians.
30:20
And as they had begun building the house,
30:23
You can see from verse chapter 4 onwards,
30:26
They faced some very stiff opposition,
30:29
And it actually came to the point where a letter,
30:32
As you see in chapter 4,
30:33
Was sent to King Artaxerxes at the time,
30:36
Actually suggesting that these Jews were really out to overthrow the government,
30:42
The government of the empire,
30:44
And therefore they should stop this work,
30:46
Because this really, according to what was sent to Artaxerxes,
30:50
Was what they were about.
30:52
So the king then ordered that the work cease.
30:55
That's where you come through to the end of chapter 4 there.
30:59
The copy of the King Artaxerxes' letter,
31:02
And they went in haste back to Jerusalem,
31:05
And then the work of the house that is in Jerusalem stopped,
31:07
And it ceased,
31:08
Until the second reign of the king of Darius,
31:11
As the king of Persia.
31:12
The Persians had overcome the Babylonians,
31:15
And set up a new empire.
31:17
An empire, in fact,
31:18
In which there was a lot more freedom of religion,
31:21
So that the Jews could continue to rebuild the house.
31:24
But it came to an end,
31:26
It came to cessation at least,
31:27
To a pause,
31:28
For some 10 to 12 years or so,
31:31
Until this happened,
31:33
As you find in chapter 5,
31:35
It began again to rebuild,
31:37
And then they were questioned again,
31:38
And challenged again,
31:39
And a letter was sent to the king,
31:43
This time to Darius,
31:44
And they asked Darius to search the archives,
31:48
The history books,
31:49
Records that they had,
31:50
In order to find evidence that Darius,
31:54
That Nebuchadnezzar, rather,
31:58
Had actually given permission,
32:00
To come and rebuild this house in Jerusalem.
32:05
And the search was made,
32:09
As you find here in chapter 5,
32:11
And you then have the result of that,
32:14
In chapter 6,
32:16
When the rebuilding actually began again,
32:18
After this pause,
32:20
And it began,
32:22
And then they finished it.
32:23
So that's really the story you find,
32:25
Very interesting,
32:26
Over the,
32:27
Sorry,
32:28
It wasn't Nebuchadnezzar,
32:29
That gave the decree to build,
32:31
The house,
32:32
It was actually Cyrus,
32:34
After Nebuchadnezzar,
32:35
Had ruled for a while.
32:37
So that was the story behind,
32:39
This particular chapter,
32:40
And incident,
32:42
And after the permission,
32:43
Had then been given again,
32:45
They restarted the work,
32:47
And finished it.
32:48
But on the way there,
32:49
This is how they answered,
32:50
Those who challenged them.
32:51
Here you find in chapter 5,
32:53
Here at verse 11,
32:53
We are the servants,
32:55
Of the God of heaven and earth,
32:58
And we are rebuilding the house,
32:59
That was built many years ago.
33:02
Now that today for us,
33:04
Is also something,
33:06
Of relevance and significance,
33:08
For our particular day,
33:09
And practice as well.
33:11
Because that's effectively,
33:12
What we are always involved with,
33:14
In the church of God,
33:16
Not a physical building,
33:17
A spiritual building,
33:19
The building up of the kingdom of God,
33:21
The building up of that,
33:22
Cause of Christ,
33:24
That kingdom of Christ,
33:26
That kingdom of God,
33:27
In which we are all involved,
33:29
In whatever way,
33:30
We are involved,
33:31
As we'll see today,
33:32
There's a role for each and everyone,
33:34
Who belongs to the church,
33:36
To contribute to,
33:37
That building or rebuilding work.
33:40
And I want to focus on these two,
33:42
References that they gave,
33:44
First of all,
33:45
We are the servants,
33:47
Of the God of heaven and earth.
33:49
And secondly,
33:50
What they were saying about rebuilding,
33:52
And we are rebuilding,
33:54
We are the servants of God,
33:56
And we are rebuilding.
33:58
The first thing to ask,
33:59
As we look at the reference,
34:01
To being servants,
34:02
Obviously,
34:04
They're really testifying,
34:06
To those that are challenging them,
34:07
And asking the questions,
34:09
They're testifying to the fact,
34:10
That they're actually serving,
34:12
The higher power of God,
34:14
Not the emperor of Persia,
34:16
Or whatever kingdom may exist,
34:18
At any time on earth.
34:19
This is why,
34:21
They were actually doing the work,
34:23
Because they regarded themselves,
34:25
As servants of God,
34:27
And you see,
34:27
The title they give to God,
34:29
We are the servants,
34:30
Of the God of heaven and earth,
34:32
There's nothing,
34:33
That this God of heaven and earth,
34:35
Does not rule over,
34:37
Including what we're doing here,
34:38
They're saying to them,
34:39
Including the ruling of empires,
34:41
The coming and going of empire,
34:43
The rise and fall of empires,
34:44
This is the God of heaven and earth,
34:46
And we are his servants,
34:48
That's their testimony,
34:50
That's their response,
34:51
What a magnificent response it is,
34:54
They're presenting themselves,
34:57
As the servants,
34:58
Of this overlord,
35:00
This God of all,
35:00
This universal Lord,
35:02
And therefore,
35:03
The reason they're busy,
35:04
Building this,
35:05
And rebuilding the temple,
35:07
Is that,
35:08
They are not involved,
35:09
In a political enterprise,
35:10
They're not involved,
35:12
In something,
35:12
Merely political,
35:14
Or geographical,
35:15
What they're doing,
35:16
Is especially a spiritual work,
35:18
They are rebuilding,
35:20
The cause of God,
35:21
The people of God,
35:22
The covenant people of God,
35:23
The house of worship,
35:25
That worship the Lord,
35:26
It is primarily,
35:28
A spiritual enterprise,
35:31
The Lord involves,
35:32
Great timber,
35:33
Great stones,
35:34
All of that,
35:35
Behind all that,
35:36
Is the main purpose,
35:38
To build,
35:39
And rebuild,
35:41
Spiritually,
35:42
What had actually come,
35:43
To an end,
35:44
And been paused,
35:45
For so many years,
35:47
And this is no threat,
35:49
To the Persian king,
35:51
They're presenting this,
35:52
As something,
35:53
That they're obliged to do,
35:55
That they owe,
35:55
The God of heaven and earth,
35:57
And given that,
35:59
The king has been advised,
36:00
By those who oppose,
36:01
The work,
36:02
That all these Jews,
36:03
Are interested in,
36:04
Is sedition,
36:05
Or rebellion,
36:06
As in the past,
36:07
They suggested,
36:08
They want to make it clear,
36:10
This is no threat,
36:12
Whatsoever,
36:14
To the political regime,
36:15
Of the Babylonians,
36:17
Or now the Persians,
36:18
Now that's what,
36:21
Applies to ourselves today,
36:22
We are servants,
36:24
Of the God of heaven and earth,
36:27
What is the motive,
36:29
For being builders,
36:31
In the sense,
36:31
In which spiritually,
36:33
We are involved,
36:34
In the building up,
36:35
Of the church,
36:35
And the rebuilding,
36:36
Of the church,
36:37
In actually constructing,
36:39
If you like,
36:39
A spiritual enterprise,
36:41
Under the direction,
36:42
Of God,
36:43
Under the direction,
36:44
Of his Holy Spirit,
36:45
Under the direction,
36:46
Of his word,
36:47
And we'll see in a minute,
36:48
How God actually used,
36:50
The prophets,
36:52
The prophets that were,
36:53
Involved at the time,
36:56
How they were used,
36:57
In order to,
36:59
Bring,
36:59
Both teaching,
37:01
And encouragement,
37:02
And motivation,
37:03
From God,
37:04
To the people,
37:05
And how in,
37:06
In that regard,
37:07
They were so,
37:09
Zechariah and Haggai,
37:10
You have the books,
37:11
Of course,
37:11
In the Old Testament,
37:12
And this was the context,
37:13
In which they preached,
37:14
In which they acted,
37:15
As prophets of the Lord,
37:18
And today,
37:18
That's what we're,
37:19
Involved with ourselves,
37:21
We have,
37:21
All of this,
37:22
Around us,
37:23
That threatens,
37:24
If you like,
37:25
To extinguish the gospel,
37:26
As if that were possible,
37:27
Well it's not possible,
37:28
To extinguish the gospel,
37:30
It might be,
37:30
Possible to extinguish it,
37:32
From one place or other,
37:33
As it has been,
37:34
In different places,
37:34
In the world today,
37:35
As you look out,
37:36
Over what used to be,
37:37
A place of worship,
37:38
That's now gone,
37:40
But you cannot,
37:41
Extinguish the gospel,
37:42
You cannot actually,
37:43
Take Jesus away,
37:44
From people,
37:45
Even though you may,
37:46
Take their freedom,
37:47
Away from people,
37:48
You might take,
37:48
The structures away,
37:49
From people,
37:50
But you cannot,
37:50
Take the Lord,
37:51
Out of their hearts,
37:52
Thankfully you cannot,
37:53
Remove from their lives,
37:55
The presence of God himself,
37:57
The spirit of God himself,
37:59
And the worship of God,
38:01
And we,
38:04
Are facing days,
38:06
When we,
38:06
Come across such ideas,
38:08
That conversion,
38:10
The word conversion,
38:10
Which is,
38:11
Such a precious term,
38:13
As we take,
38:14
The teaching of scripture,
38:15
And apply it,
38:16
To the way people's lives,
38:17
Are changed,
38:18
By the gospel,
38:20
The way that God,
38:21
Brings about a change,
38:22
For good,
38:23
In our lives,
38:24
And how that is challenged today,
38:26
As if it were some sort,
38:27
Of therapy,
38:29
Which really is destructive,
38:30
Or harmful,
38:31
To human life,
38:32
And our struggle is,
38:33
In presenting,
38:35
The gospel,
38:36
And presenting an argument,
38:37
Against these ideas,
38:38
That this is no threat,
38:40
To people's well-being,
38:41
It's no threat,
38:42
To the government,
38:43
It's no threat,
38:44
To anything secular,
38:45
Other than the fact,
38:46
That we want to establish,
38:48
The kingdom of God,
38:49
Under his blessing,
38:51
And for a start,
38:52
I think I mentioned,
38:53
This last week as well,
38:54
For a start,
38:55
Conversion is not,
38:56
A therapy,
38:58
We're not engaged,
38:59
In seeking,
39:00
To have people's lives,
39:01
Changed by God,
39:03
To bring them,
39:04
Under some sort of regime,
39:06
That threatens them,
39:08
And just removes from them,
39:09
Everything that's precious,
39:11
As you study the gospel,
39:13
As you understand,
39:14
The word of God,
39:15
You understand that,
39:16
Conversion as God defines it,
39:18
Is a very good thing,
39:20
It's not something,
39:21
We want naturally,
39:23
It's something,
39:23
Every one of us,
39:24
I'm sure,
39:24
Puts away from us,
39:25
Because it challenges,
39:27
Our view of life,
39:28
It challenges,
39:29
Our relationship to the world,
39:30
And to God,
39:31
And to each other,
39:33
And yet we know,
39:34
That once we're converted,
39:35
Once God opens our eyes,
39:37
Once God gives us,
39:38
A new heart,
39:39
And new longings,
39:40
And new aspirations,
39:42
It's the best thing,
39:43
That ever happened to us,
39:46
If I were to ask,
39:47
Everyone in here today,
39:48
Who knows,
39:49
Of the power of God,
39:51
Changing their lives,
39:53
Put up your hand,
39:54
If you think your conversion,
39:55
Was a bad thing,
39:57
No hands go up,
40:01
Why is that?
40:02
Because we know,
40:04
That conversion,
40:06
The change that God brings about,
40:08
In our lives,
40:09
Is a change that delivers us,
40:11
From the slavery of sin,
40:13
From the darkness of sin,
40:14
From the worldliness of sin,
40:16
Into the wonderful light,
40:18
Of the gospel,
40:19
The wonderful light,
40:20
Of salvation,
40:21
The wonderful,
40:22
Marvelous light,
40:24
As Peter puts it,
40:25
That God takes us into,
40:27
When he takes us out,
40:28
Of the darkness of sin,
40:29
The darkness of our own making,
40:32
We need delivered from,
40:35
And the bright light,
40:36
Of God's making,
40:38
Is what we're delivered into,
40:41
And so,
40:41
You can take this in principle,
40:43
And apply it,
40:45
To our own world today,
40:46
And you see,
40:46
These people are saying,
40:47
Well,
40:48
We are the servants,
40:50
Of the God of heaven and earth,
40:52
And the challenge,
40:53
That's come to us,
40:53
Is not a small challenge,
40:56
It's a great challenge,
40:57
It's something,
40:57
That really has,
40:59
A lot of force behind it,
41:01
But they're not afraid,
41:02
To say,
41:03
We actually serve,
41:05
A higher power,
41:06
Than any local,
41:07
Or national government,
41:09
And this higher power,
41:10
Is the way,
41:11
Is the reason,
41:12
Why we're doing,
41:13
What we're doing,
41:14
Remember how,
41:16
In the acts,
41:19
Of the apostles,
41:20
As well,
41:20
You find,
41:21
That the apostles,
41:22
Were challenged,
41:23
As you see,
41:24
In chapter four,
41:25
Of the acts,
41:25
Where they came,
41:27
To be challenged,
41:28
For what they were teaching,
41:30
What they were actually preaching,
41:32
And,
41:32
They saw,
41:34
The boldness of Peter,
41:35
And John,
41:35
Especially in that passage,
41:37
That they were uneducated,
41:38
Common men,
41:39
They were astonished,
41:41
They recognized,
41:42
They had been with Jesus,
41:44
And seeing the man,
41:45
Who was healed,
41:46
Standing beside them,
41:47
They had nothing to say,
41:48
In opposition,
41:50
But when they had commanded them,
41:51
To leave the council,
41:52
They conferred with one another,
41:54
Saying,
41:54
What shall we do to these men,
41:55
For a notable miracle,
41:57
Has been performed,
41:58
Through them,
41:58
That's evident to us all,
41:59
We can't deny it,
42:01
But in order,
42:02
That it may spread,
42:03
No further among the people,
42:05
Let us warn them,
42:06
To speak no more,
42:08
To anyone,
42:09
In this name,
42:10
In the name of Jesus,
42:12
Because you see,
42:13
People's lives were changed,
42:15
Businesses were being affected,
42:16
Idolatry was being affected,
42:18
And all the businesses,
42:19
That supported idolatry,
42:21
Were being affected,
42:22
People were being changed,
42:23
They were being converted,
42:24
They were turning out of the ways,
42:26
Of the slavery,
42:27
Of sin,
42:27
And idolatry,
42:28
And superstition,
42:29
Into the ways of God,
42:30
So they said,
42:31
Let's warn them,
42:32
To speak no more,
42:33
To anyone,
42:34
In this name,
42:36
That sounds familiar,
42:37
Doesn't it?
42:38
So,
42:41
Peter,
42:42
And John answered them,
42:46
Whether it is right,
42:47
In the sight of God,
42:48
To listen to you,
42:50
Rather than to God,
42:52
You must judge,
42:55
For we cannot but speak,
42:57
Of what we have seen,
42:59
And heard,
43:00
That's how it is,
43:01
Friends,
43:01
With us today,
43:02
We cannot but speak,
43:04
What we have seen,
43:05
And heard,
43:05
We are,
43:06
As a church of Christ,
43:07
As the church of Christ,
43:08
In the world,
43:09
As the people who worship God,
43:11
And follow God,
43:12
And follow Jesus,
43:13
We cannot but speak,
43:14
The things which we have seen,
43:15
And heard,
43:16
God has laid them,
43:17
On our hearts,
43:18
God has told us,
43:19
And taught us,
43:20
The difference between,
43:22
Living under the dominance,
43:23
Of sin,
43:24
And living under the lordship,
43:25
Of Christ,
43:26
And that's what the gospel,
43:27
Really says to you,
43:27
And to me,
43:28
And that's what we seek,
43:29
As a congregation,
43:30
To witness to the world,
43:32
That they needn't be,
43:33
Afraid of conversion,
43:35
That they needn't be,
43:35
Afraid of Christians,
43:36
That would be the best thing,
43:37
That ever happened to them,
43:39
I know you can't persuade them,
43:40
Without the Holy Spirit,
43:41
Taking that message,
43:43
Of the gospel,
43:43
And opening their hearts,
43:44
To receive it,
43:45
But we are obliged,
43:46
To maintain,
43:48
The integrity,
43:48
Of our witness,
43:50
We cannot but speak,
43:53
The things which we have seen,
43:55
And heard,
43:56
We do it with love,
43:57
We do it with tact,
43:59
But it's the fact,
44:00
That we are God's servants,
44:02
That motivates,
44:03
It's our doing of it,
44:04
And our attitude,
44:07
In building,
44:07
As they say here,
44:08
Is we are servants,
44:10
Of the God,
44:12
Of heaven,
44:12
And earth,
44:13
We're not fellow directors,
44:14
With God,
44:15
As if we're directors,
44:17
Of this spiritual company,
44:19
That the Trinity,
44:20
Is God,
44:21
The Father,
44:21
The Son,
44:22
And the Holy Spirit,
44:23
We are his servants,
44:25
And as servants,
44:26
He is our king,
44:28
We're obliged,
44:28
To do this,
44:29
Because he is our master,
44:31
He is a good master,
44:33
He's not someone,
44:33
Who actually treats,
44:35
His employees,
44:36
Cruelly if you like,
44:38
He's not someone,
44:39
Who keeps from them,
44:40
What is their due,
44:41
What is their right,
44:42
You remember how,
44:42
How Paul put this,
44:44
When he wrote to the Corinthians,
44:45
In chapter 6,
44:46
First Corinthians,
44:47
You are bought,
44:48
You are not your own,
44:49
He said to the Corinthians,
44:50
You are bought,
44:51
With a price,
44:53
He's appealing to the Corinthians,
44:55
To dedicate themselves,
44:57
More fully to God,
44:58
Than they were doing,
44:59
They had started,
45:00
All cuts,
45:01
Sorts of practices,
45:03
Sinful,
45:03
Sinful behavior,
45:06
And attitudes,
45:07
And he's calling,
45:08
The apostle is calling,
45:09
In repentance,
45:10
Back to God,
45:12
He says,
45:12
You are bought,
45:13
With a price,
45:15
The price is,
45:17
The ransom price,
45:18
The blood of Christ,
45:19
The death of Jesus,
45:20
That's what it took,
45:21
To bring them to God,
45:24
And now he's saying,
45:24
You owe this to him,
45:26
Because he bought you,
45:28
He paid the price,
45:30
To make you his servant,
45:31
And you became his servants,
45:32
Willingly,
45:33
And that's what motivates,
45:36
You and I today,
45:37
Not just as individuals,
45:39
But collectively,
45:40
As a congregation,
45:41
To say,
45:42
We are servants,
45:43
Of the God,
45:44
Of heaven,
45:45
And earth,
45:46
And you see,
45:49
As you go on reading this,
45:51
You actually see,
45:52
How they were doing this,
45:54
How they're responding here,
45:55
With humility as well,
45:58
Indeed,
45:58
With the spirit of penitence,
46:00
He's making it plain,
46:01
In verse 12,
46:02
Because our fathers,
46:04
Had angered the God of heaven,
46:06
He gave them into the hand,
46:07
Of Nebuchadnezzar,
46:08
King of Babylon,
46:09
The Chaldean,
46:10
Who destroyed this house,
46:11
And carried them away,
46:14
To Babylonia,
46:16
In other words,
46:16
He's answering,
46:18
The suggestion,
46:19
That somehow,
46:20
They're just involved,
46:21
In sedition,
46:22
Or another attempt,
46:23
To overthrow the government,
46:24
It was never like that,
46:25
They're saying,
46:26
In the first place,
46:27
The reason,
46:28
That they actually,
46:29
Ended up in Babylon,
46:30
Was because,
46:31
They had disobeyed,
46:32
And rebelled,
46:33
Against their God,
46:34
Not against the king,
46:36
Of Babylon,
46:38
And therefore,
46:39
The God,
46:40
Against whom,
46:40
They had rebelled,
46:41
Gave them into the hand,
46:43
Of the king of Babylon,
46:45
And they're recognizing now,
46:46
The greatness,
46:47
Of the privilege they have,
46:48
Of being back in Jerusalem,
46:50
Of rebuilding the house of God,
46:53
Of coming back again,
46:54
To give their contribution,
46:56
To the work of rebuilding,
46:59
And that's what we do as well,
47:02
We are servants,
47:04
Of the God of heaven and earth,
47:07
And we take into account,
47:09
All our own failures,
47:11
All that makes us also,
47:13
Needy of repentance,
47:15
Everything by which we say to God,
47:17
As we seek to build spiritually,
47:20
And add to what's there before,
47:22
We actually do this,
47:24
In a spirit,
47:24
Of confession of our own,
47:26
Our own sin,
47:27
We are not better,
47:28
In ourselves than anyone out there,
47:30
Or those who came before us,
47:32
Or those who will come after us,
47:34
We all have our sin,
47:36
And sins to confess,
47:39
Our failures,
47:39
Our lapses,
47:40
But we are servants,
47:42
Of the God of heaven and earth,
47:44
What is it today,
47:45
What is it that motivates you,
47:46
What is it that motivates you,
47:47
As an individual,
47:48
What is it that motivates us,
47:50
As a congregation,
47:51
What is it that really,
47:52
Brings us to be,
47:55
Involved in the work of the gospel,
47:58
Not just in preaching the gospel,
47:59
But being like yourselves,
48:01
A congregation,
48:02
A gospel congregation,
48:03
The activities associated,
48:05
With the church,
48:05
With the gospel,
48:06
What is it that motivates you in that?
48:09
Isn't it this?
48:11
Isn't it that you are servants,
48:12
Of the God of heaven and earth?
48:15
Isn't it that he is so worthy,
48:17
Of you doing this?
48:19
Isn't it that he has done far more,
48:21
For you and for me,
48:22
Than we could ever do for him?
48:24
We are servants,
48:27
Of the God of heaven and earth,
48:30
And we are secondly,
48:32
We are rebuilding,
48:34
This is why they are rebuilding,
48:36
Because they are serving,
48:38
The God of heaven and earth,
48:40
What is it that makes,
48:42
Building or rebuilding,
48:43
Spiritual necessary?
48:45
Spiritual rebuilding,
48:46
What is it that makes that necessary?
48:48
Let's confine it to our own,
48:50
To our own context,
48:52
As a congregation,
48:53
What is it that makes,
48:54
Rebuilding necessary?
48:55
What is that about?
48:56
What exactly do we mean,
48:58
By spiritual rebuilding?
48:59
And how does that come about?
49:01
What's the reason for it?
49:02
Well for one thing,
49:03
The work of building spiritually,
49:05
Always goes on.
49:07
There is always a need,
49:08
For other converts,
49:09
For new converts,
49:10
For new converts,
49:11
The work of rebuilding,
49:13
In a sense,
49:13
Is never finished in this life,
49:15
For the church,
49:17
Because there will always be,
49:18
A need,
49:20
As day by day goes by,
49:21
As year by year goes by,
49:23
To maintain,
49:24
The work of the gospel,
49:25
Maintain the work,
49:26
Of building,
49:27
The cause of Christ,
49:29
Of course,
49:30
We are not saying,
49:30
That we are,
49:31
The builders,
49:32
We are servants,
49:33
Of the most high God,
49:34
He ultimately,
49:35
He is the builder,
49:36
But he is using,
49:37
The employment,
49:38
Of his people,
49:39
They are his workers,
49:40
They are his servants,
49:42
Through them,
49:43
He builds his kingdom,
49:44
You may have seen,
49:48
I am sure you have seen,
49:48
Some,
49:49
Archaeological excavations,
49:52
That have gone deep down,
49:53
In parts of the world,
49:55
At certain sites,
49:57
That are of historic importance,
49:58
And you can see,
50:01
The different layers,
50:02
That are built up,
50:03
One on top of the other,
50:05
Of civilizations,
50:06
That actually existed,
50:07
In that place,
50:08
Maybe one overrun,
50:09
By another,
50:10
Just as you find here,
50:11
Jerusalem overrun,
50:12
By the Assyrians,
50:14
And the Babylonians,
50:15
And then the Persians,
50:17
And all of these,
50:17
And the Romans afterwards,
50:19
All of these civilizations,
50:21
Or empires,
50:21
Or movements,
50:22
Building layers,
50:23
If you like,
50:24
One on top of the other,
50:25
As time goes by,
50:26
As centuries go by,
50:27
And you can see these layers,
50:29
And you can find stuff,
50:30
In each of these layers,
50:31
Whether it's pottery,
50:32
Or other things,
50:34
That tell you,
50:34
What these people were about,
50:36
And you can see from that,
50:37
Well this is what happened,
50:38
This is the history,
50:39
Of this place,
50:41
Here's the bottom layer,
50:43
Try and work out,
50:43
Which era that was from,
50:45
And then as you come up,
50:46
You see the more recent ones,
50:48
All the way through,
50:49
To the present day,
50:51
And you can see the wonder,
50:52
Of how the development,
50:54
Has taken place,
50:54
In these layers of building,
50:56
Well that's how it is,
50:56
For the church as well,
50:58
In a sense,
50:59
Because we are building,
51:00
If you like,
51:01
On the layer,
51:01
Of the generation,
51:02
That's gone before us,
51:04
And we hope,
51:04
That the generation following us,
51:06
Are going to be building,
51:07
On the layer,
51:07
That we are setting down,
51:09
Just now,
51:10
There's a constant work,
51:12
Of building,
51:12
And of rebuilding,
51:14
A constant work,
51:15
Of laying on,
51:17
The previous layers,
51:18
The layers,
51:19
That's what you find,
51:20
In your families,
51:20
After all,
51:21
Isn't it?
51:21
Because,
51:22
Many of you here today,
51:23
Will have an association,
51:24
With previous Christians,
51:27
In your own families,
51:28
And they laid down,
51:29
Their own layer,
51:30
If you like,
51:31
Of teaching,
51:32
Of example to you,
51:33
And you've come as a Christian,
51:35
Now to follow,
51:36
To build upon that layer,
51:38
You yourself now,
51:39
Are following,
51:40
What they themselves,
51:41
Did,
51:42
And what they themselves,
51:43
Witnessed to,
51:44
And if you're maybe here,
51:45
And you don't have,
51:46
That family ancestry,
51:48
You don't have,
51:49
A previous generation,
51:50
Of Christians,
51:51
That laid down,
51:52
A layer,
51:52
On which you can build,
51:54
Well here's your great opportunity,
51:55
And here's your great privilege,
51:56
To begin one for yourself,
51:59
To let your family,
52:01
Be the first,
52:02
To lay down,
52:03
This layer,
52:03
On which future generations,
52:05
Can build,
52:06
That's what we're involved with,
52:07
In following Christ,
52:09
That's what we're involved with,
52:10
In belonging to the church,
52:13
And it's so sad,
52:13
Isn't it?
52:14
Sometimes you,
52:15
Not infrequently,
52:17
Sadly,
52:18
You come across people,
52:19
Who were raised,
52:20
In a Christian family,
52:22
But have gone away,
52:23
From the gospel,
52:25
And from church,
52:25
And from God,
52:27
Altogether,
52:28
Sometimes we come to,
52:30
Sadly,
52:31
The funeral of,
52:33
Prominent Christians,
52:34
Perhaps,
52:35
Have reached an old age,
52:37
And,
52:37
Not speaking of anyone,
52:38
In particular,
52:39
But it happens,
52:41
And the families,
52:41
Gathered there,
52:42
And have no connection,
52:43
With the church,
52:44
No connection with the gospel,
52:46
No connection to Jesus,
52:47
As far as can be known,
52:49
And that's a,
52:50
A hugely tragic sight,
52:52
Because it means,
52:53
The building stopped for them,
52:56
They've just given up,
52:57
They're not prepared to add,
52:59
Their own contribution,
53:01
To the valuable layers,
53:03
That were laid down for them,
53:05
And we really cannot,
53:08
We cannot,
53:09
Properly estimate,
53:10
The privilege we have,
53:12
Of being brought up,
53:13
In a Christian setting,
53:14
In a Christian family,
53:15
In a worshipping family,
53:17
In a family that testifies,
53:18
To God,
53:19
And to his worth,
53:20
And to his gospel,
53:21
Is a massive,
53:22
Massive privilege,
53:24
And it's something,
53:24
That sadly,
53:25
So many families,
53:26
Around you here in the town,
53:27
And in our community,
53:29
Don't actually have,
53:31
Prize it,
53:32
Make sure,
53:33
That's something you treasure,
53:34
And build on it,
53:35
For yourself,
53:37
And make sure,
53:37
As far as possible,
53:38
You pass it on,
53:39
To the next generation,
53:40
You can't guarantee,
53:41
That any of our children,
53:43
Are going to actually,
53:43
Follow in our footsteps,
53:45
Spiritually,
53:45
But that's not,
53:46
For want of trying,
53:47
In our part,
53:48
And here we are saying,
53:50
This is what happens,
53:52
In this regard as well,
53:53
The work always goes on,
53:55
And of course,
53:55
That means that,
53:57
As you very well know,
53:58
We have,
53:59
Deaths in every congregation,
54:02
That leave gaps,
54:03
And the gaps that are left,
54:06
Means we need to rebuild,
54:09
We need to ask,
54:10
That God will bless us,
54:11
Meantime,
54:13
And that he will bring others,
54:14
To fill the gaps,
54:15
And add to the number,
54:16
Of his people,
54:17
Who are following him,
54:18
And worshipping him,
54:19
In this life,
54:21
The work of rebuilding,
54:23
Always goes on,
54:24
In that sense,
54:25
But then of course,
54:27
And more directly,
54:28
And more up to date,
54:29
Really in a sense,
54:30
Is precisely,
54:32
Rebuilding after COVID,
54:35
And I want to mention that,
54:36
In closing,
54:37
Because COVID has been,
54:39
A huge challenge to us,
54:41
As a church,
54:42
Huge challenge to the church,
54:43
Everywhere,
54:44
Huge challenge to us,
54:45
As a congregation,
54:47
Because some of our activities,
54:49
Were stopped for a while,
54:50
Some of them have begun,
54:51
And then had to stop again,
54:53
We're rebuilding in a sense,
54:55
In that way,
54:56
After the devastation of COVID,
54:58
And after the pandemic,
54:58
Has had its own effects,
55:01
Not only is that,
55:02
The case that,
55:03
Activities have stopped,
55:04
But even as you come back,
55:06
Into rebuilding,
55:07
These activities again,
55:08
There's a sense of frustration,
55:10
Because things aren't still,
55:12
At the level that you'd want,
55:13
For freedom,
55:14
For confidence,
55:16
For the rebuilding,
55:17
To the extent that you'd want,
55:19
Some have lost,
55:23
Confidence,
55:24
Altogether,
55:26
Some are afraid,
55:27
To come back out,
55:28
In person,
55:29
Like you are today,
55:31
In church,
55:31
Some,
55:32
Maybe watching online,
55:33
Are still hesitant,
55:34
And maybe,
55:35
Aren't yet confident enough,
55:37
To come,
55:38
And take their place,
55:39
In the church building,
55:40
Some sadly,
55:42
Have fallen away,
55:43
Altogether,
55:44
And no longer follow the Lord,
55:47
And no longer show an interest,
55:49
In the things of God,
55:49
Or of his worship,
55:50
Or of his gospel,
55:51
Or with his people,
55:52
Now we need to rebuild,
55:56
We're involved in our rebuilding,
55:59
Acknowledging God's providence,
56:01
Acknowledging his purpose,
56:02
Whatever it might be,
56:03
In bringing this pandemic to us,
56:05
And there's an element there,
56:06
Of self-examination,
56:08
For all of us to ask ourselves,
56:10
What has this to do with me?
56:11
It has a lot to do with me,
56:12
A lot to do with you,
56:14
As we re-examine our lives,
56:15
And our relationship with God,
56:17
God has sent the pandemic,
56:18
For one reason,
56:19
At least amongst many,
56:21
I'm sure,
56:21
That are known to himself,
56:22
And that's so that you and I,
56:24
Will ask ourselves,
56:26
Where have I been in the building work?
56:28
Where have I been in the rebuilding,
56:29
Of the cause of Christ?
56:30
And where am I now?
56:31
And what am I going to do now?
56:34
And am I going to keep withholding,
56:35
My contribution,
56:37
From the work of the church?
56:42
We need to,
56:43
Seek to be great encouragers,
56:45
To people,
56:47
Because this is a time,
56:48
For encouragement,
56:50
There are times,
56:52
Of course,
56:53
For critique,
56:54
There are times,
56:55
For rebuke,
56:56
The Bible brings that to us,
56:58
And God is very good,
56:59
At doing that himself,
57:01
But this is a time,
57:03
Especially for encouragement,
57:04
And we are here as worshipers of God,
57:07
To encourage one another today,
57:10
Under the worship of God,
57:11
Under what we owe to God,
57:13
We owe to each other,
57:14
To encourage us,
57:15
And we need to go to our neighbors,
57:16
And to our friends,
57:18
And to those who are hesitant,
57:19
And those who are reluctant,
57:20
And those who have fallen away altogether,
57:22
And we need to try and encourage them,
57:24
To be part of the rebuilding,
57:26
To come back,
57:27
And to seek the Lord again,
57:29
In their hearts,
57:30
To come and join together with us,
57:32
In the work of the church,
57:35
In the work of rebuilding,
57:37
What is it,
57:40
What is necessary,
57:43
For you to be,
57:44
Involved in the work of rebuilding,
57:48
What is necessary for you to,
57:49
Contribute to the work of the church,
57:52
In building up,
57:53
The cause of Christ,
57:54
Under the gospel,
57:55
Well,
57:57
Many things you might say,
57:58
In answer to that question,
57:59
But one thing especially,
58:02
That you love the Lord,
58:04
That's what these people,
58:06
Were motivated by,
58:07
They loved God,
58:09
They were concerned,
58:10
As servants,
58:10
Of this God of heaven and earth,
58:12
To be involved in rebuilding,
58:14
Because they loved him,
58:15
They loved his cause,
58:16
They loved his,
58:17
His,
58:19
They loved his people,
58:20
They loved his covenant,
58:21
They loved his promises,
58:22
That's what gave them the motivation,
58:26
That's why they were involved with it,
58:29
That's why they were working in rebuilding,
58:32
And today when you love the Lord,
58:36
You want to be involved as much as you can,
58:39
Not at a minimum,
58:42
Not neglecting other things you have to do in the world,
58:46
Family responsibilities,
58:47
Work responsibilities,
58:48
But nevertheless not,
58:51
At a minimum,
58:52
In your contribution,
58:53
To building up the cause of Christ,
58:56
Thomas Watson wrote,
58:58
A wee book,
58:59
It's still available,
59:00
It's a wonderful book,
59:01
A book that you will,
59:03
I'm sure,
59:03
Read many times,
59:05
It's called,
59:06
The Godly Man's Picture,
59:08
And the subtitle of it is,
59:10
Characteristic Marks,
59:12
Of a Man Who is Going to Heaven,
59:14
Of course by that he means women as well,
59:15
It's just a way of referring to people,
59:20
And this is what he says,
59:21
A godly man strives to be an instrument
59:24
For making others godly,
59:27
He is not content to go to heaven alone,
59:30
But wants to take others there also,
59:33
The glory of Christ is as dear to him
59:36
As his own salvation,
59:39
Therefore to promote this,
59:41
He strives with the greatest effort
59:43
To bring souls to Christ,
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It is a glory to Christ,
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When multitudes are born to him,
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Every convert is a jewel
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Adorning his crown,
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Though Christ's glory cannot be increased
59:58
As he is God,
1:00:00
Yet as mediator it may be,
1:00:03
The more that are saved,
1:00:05
The more Christ is exalted,
1:00:08
Why else should the angels rejoice
1:00:10
Rejoice at the conversion of a sinner,
1:00:13
But because Christ's glory now shines,
1:00:17
The more.
1:00:19
We are servants,
1:00:21
Of the God of heaven and earth,
1:00:24
And we are rebuilding,
1:00:28
And that means you,
1:00:29
And it means me,
1:00:31
None of us can say,
1:00:33
That's not a task for me,
1:00:35
That's not a task for which I am equipped,
1:00:38
First of all,
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Make sure you're born again,
1:00:42
Make sure you're a Christian,
1:00:43
Make sure you're in Christ,
1:00:45
That's the priority,
1:00:47
But as a Christian,
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Once you've seen to that,
1:00:50
You are a servant of the most high God,
1:00:53
And you are involved in the rebuilding,
1:00:57
The constant work of building spiritually,
1:01:00
In the church of God,
1:01:02
On earth,
1:01:03
Let's pray,
1:01:04
Almighty God,
1:01:07
We give thanks for the privilege,
1:01:10
Of involving us in the rebuilding of your church,
1:01:13
In the constant ongoing work of the gospel,
1:01:17
We thank you Lord,
1:01:18
For the provision that you make for us,
1:01:20
In the work of your spirit in our own hearts,
1:01:23
And in the promise of your spirit,
1:01:25
That your word will not go forth without effect,
1:01:28
We ask that you would give us Lord today,
1:01:30
To increase our own zeal and commitment,
1:01:34
To your cause,
1:01:35
And to the work of your church on earth,
1:01:37
We ask that,
1:01:39
Like Isaiah,
1:01:39
We might be able to say,
1:01:41
Lord,
1:01:41
Here I am,
1:01:43
Send me,
1:01:44
And may it be true of us,
1:01:45
Oh Lord,
1:01:46
That we fulfill,
1:01:47
That obligation to yourself,
1:01:50
And so that we carry forward,
1:01:52
The work of the gospel,
1:01:54
For generations to come,
1:01:56
But to also,
1:01:58
In regard to the generations,
1:02:01
That have gone before us,
1:02:03
Receive our thanks be with us,
1:02:04
Throughout this day,
1:02:05
And pardon our sin,
1:02:06
For Christ's sake,
1:02:08
Amen.
1:02:10
Our final psalm today,
1:02:12
This morning is Psalm 48,
1:02:15
Psalm 48 from page 273,
1:02:20
And verses 10 to 14,
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O Lord,
1:02:26
According to thy name,
1:02:28
Through all the earth thy praise,
1:02:30
And thy right hand,
1:02:31
O Lord,
1:02:31
Is full of righteousness,
1:02:33
Always.
1:02:34
We'll sing to a tune,
1:02:35
Gainsborough,
1:02:36
That's Psalm 48,
1:02:38
On page 273,
1:02:40
The last four verses,
1:02:41
O Lord,
1:02:42
According to thy name,
1:02:43
O Lord,
1:02:49
According to thy name,
1:02:56
Through all the earth thy praise,
1:03:03
And thy right hand,
1:03:07
O Lord,
1:03:08
O Lord,
1:03:09
Is full of righteousness,
1:03:14
Always.
1:03:16
Because by judgment,
1:03:23
Let thy right hand,
1:03:24
O Lord,
1:03:25
Let thy right hand,
1:03:26
Let thy right hand,
1:03:28
Let thy right hand,
1:03:30
Let thy right hand,
1:03:32
Rejoice,
1:03:35
Of true joy,
1:03:38
The daughters all,
1:03:43
Send forth a cheerful voice,
1:03:51
Walk up,
1:03:53
Walk up,
1:03:54
And sigh on,
1:03:57
And around,
1:04:01
The high terms thereof tell,
1:04:08
Considering her fallacies,
1:04:16
And mark,
1:04:18
And mark,
1:04:19
Our bold works well,
1:04:25
That ye may tell,
1:04:30
Most gravity,
1:04:33
For this,
1:04:37
God a fight,
1:04:41
And God forevermore he will
1:04:50
Even unto death the sky
1:04:58
Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
1:05:02
The love of God the Father
1:05:03
And the communion of the Holy Spirit
1:05:05
Be with you now and evermore
1:05:07
Amen
1:05:11
Amen