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Conversion and its Results · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Let's begin our worship now. We're singing firstly today from Psalm 105.
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Psalm 105, and that's on page 374, a tune is Glasgow. We're singing verses 1 to 7.
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Give thanks to God, call on his name, to men his deeds make known. Sing ye to him,
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sing psalms, proclaim his wondrous works each one. See that ye in his holy name to glory,
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do accord. Let the heart of everyone rejoice that seeks the Lord. Let's come before the Lord with
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these words and trusting that we will indeed be among those who rejoice today in seeking the Lord.
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Give thanks to God, call on his name, we'll stand to sing.
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Give thanks to God, call on his name, to men his deeds make known. Sing ye to him, sing psalms, proclaim his
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wondrous works each one. See that ye in his holy name to glory do accord. And let the heart of everyone
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rejoice that seeks the Lord. The Lord Almighty, the Lord Almighty, and his strength, with steadfast hearts, sing ye.
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His blessed hand, his gracious face, sing ye continually.
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His blessed hand, his gracious face, sing ye continually.
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Think on the words that he has done, which admiration breeds. His wonders and the judgment's all, which from his path,
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his wonders and the judgment's all, which from his path, his wonders and the judgment's all, which from his path, his glory and the glory of the Lord.
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Think on the words that he has done, which admiration breeds.
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Think on the words that he has done, which admiration breeds. His wonders and the judgment's all, which from his path proceeds.
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write牧場, 여기는orde and the God of man thatнизetti organisations.
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THEMSEL approach came to God, that insights were filled滟ING
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HS cultured in the Lord and that he has done, which from his self and whether he has done,
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And ye that gave of children that whom ye chose for his own.
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Because ye and ye only is the mighty Lord our God.
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And his most righteous judgment's heart in all the earth abroad.
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Let's unite together now in prayer briefly. Let's call upon the Lord.
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Amen.
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Bless, we pray today, our young people and our children.
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Be with them, Lord, as they too engage in learning more about you and examining your word.
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We pray today that your blessing will be with them in the various classes and meetings that take place this morning.
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And we ask that your blessing will follow through into every aspect of their lives.
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Bless those who are leaders and teachers as well.
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Lord, we thank you again for them and for their willingness and for their dedication.
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We pray that they may know your blessing.
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And ask that they come to once again give of themselves and of their time to the teaching of our young people.
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And so go before us now throughout this day.
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And be with us in all that we do, whether in church or at home or elsewhere.
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We pray that we may do all things to your glory.
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And we ask it all in Jesus' name and for his sake. Amen.
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Amen.
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Okay, children, you probably won't be able to see this from there, but you maybe get an idea of what it is.
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It's a receipt.
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It's a receipt from Home Improvement Center.
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Some stuff that I bought there last week.
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And it has the three items that I bought listed there.
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And you'll find the price for each of them, beside each of the ones that are listed there.
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And then at the bottom there, you've got the total of the three items that I bought.
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And then down below that, you've got further details about what happened on that occasion.
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You've got details about the card I used.
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Not the whole number, but enough to identify that it was my card.
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You've got the date.
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And then you've got something called Authorization Code.
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With a number of numbers after it.
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Some seven or eight numbers after it.
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And then it says, please retain receipt.
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And please keep your receipt as proof of purchase.
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Now, what uses that to us today when we're thinking about God?
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We're thinking about his salvation and about a relationship to him.
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Well, just like I bought these three items, this paper is proof that I actually bought them.
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And proof that I paid for them.
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I didn't go into the shop and try and escape without paying.
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And this paper is the proof that I paid for these items.
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So actually, these items, because I paid for them, they've now become mine.
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They belong to me.
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I paid the right price for them.
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So I can say these are now mine.
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They were belonging to the shop, but now they belong to me.
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I paid that price for them.
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And in the Bible, we're told about the price that God paid.
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The cost of bringing us salvation.
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Of redeeming us.
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Of bringing us to himself.
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And it describes that cost for us very plainly.
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What did it cost to have our sins forgiven?
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What did it cost for us to come to know and be friends with God?
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It cost Jesus his life.
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The Bible tells us we're redeemed not by corruptible things like silver and gold,
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but by the precious blood of Christ.
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And that's proof that God has loved his people and continues to love them,
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that Jesus died on the cross for them.
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So if somebody were to come to me today and say,
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I don't think you paid for these items.
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You have to prove that you paid them.
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I can produce this receipt and say, here's the proof that I paid for them.
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And if somebody comes to you and says, you don't deserve to be a Christian.
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You're not a very good person yourself.
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Why do you call yourself a Christian?
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I can produce in my heart evidence that Jesus loved me.
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And I can say, because Jesus loved me and because he died for me,
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that's all the proof I need between myself and God.
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Now, as I said down, about halfway down there,
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you find an authorization or verification authorization code,
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which then has these numbers after it.
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In other words, that code, as far as I'm aware,
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actually belongs to what I did there in the shop,
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and it doesn't apply to anyone else.
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Nobody else can go into the shop and say,
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here's my verification code that I bought these items,
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because the shop could say, if they look up the records,
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no, you didn't actually buy them.
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James McKeever brought them.
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That's his verification code.
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And just the same as it is with our salvation as well,
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because Christ has died for us,
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God himself has a verification code for each one of us.
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Every time we come to the Lord to place our trust in him,
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God has, if you like, a spiritual verification code that says,
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that person has come to believe in Jesus,
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and he's acceptable to me.
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She's acceptable to me.
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And if somebody suggests to you,
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you have no right to actually be a Christian,
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you can say, well, but God says,
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because of what Jesus has done,
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he can prove that I belong to him,
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because he paid the price of my redemption.
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And I have a code between myself and God
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that nobody else can share,
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that cannot be given to anybody else,
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but is between me and God a proof
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that I am his,
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that he has bought me,
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that I belong to him.
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And then as you go down,
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you'll find some other items there.
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It says, please keep receipt as proof of purchase.
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Sometimes, as Christians,
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we find it difficult, maybe at times,
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just to be sure about how things are
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between ourselves and God.
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And then we look into our hearts,
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and we find it difficult then,
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because we start looking about our own faith,
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and about the strength of our faith,
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and how often we pray,
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and things like that.
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And God stops us and says,
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look, that's not the proof that you need.
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The proof you need is what Jesus has done for you.
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And the devil might say to you today,
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as young people or older people,
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what's the proof that God loves you?
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What's the proof that you've got?
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Forgiveness of sins.
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And you don't look at yourself and say,
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well, I do this, and I do that,
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and I do this other thing.
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The proof is,
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I believe what Jesus did for me.
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And I believe that because Jesus died for me,
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that's the proof,
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above everything else,
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that God loves me.
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And at the top,
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it's got the place that I bought this from,
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Home Improvement Center.
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It's a shop that I like in town.
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I'm probably in it far too often,
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but anyway, it's there,
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and we buy some stuff from time to time.
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Home Improvement Center.
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But you know,
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when you come to Jesus,
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you actually come to the Life Improvement Center.
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And whatever you actually take from that place,
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it's always going to be for your good.
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It's going to last forever.
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And the proof of purchase
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that God gives you for your salvation,
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it's never out of date.
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Nobody can turn to you and say,
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well, that's two or three years old.
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We need some more proof.
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No, that's actually,
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supposing 20 years from now,
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somebody came to me and said,
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did you really buy these things?
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Are they still yours?
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Yes, that's the proof.
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And whatever the devil tries to persuade you of,
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if Jesus has saved you,
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you will always be saved.
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If Jesus is your Savior today,
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you'll be your Savior forever.
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That's the Life Improvement Center
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that Jesus is.
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So may God bless these few thoughts to us.
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We're going to now say the Lord's Prayer together.
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You'll find it on your sheet
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if you want to read it through.
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Our Father, 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 on earth as it is in heaven.
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Give us this day 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 and the glory forever.
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Amen.
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Let's sing again now to God's praise.
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We're singing this time in Psalm 119,
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page 165.
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And that's from verse 129 to 136.
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The tune is Finart.
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Your statutes, Lord, are wonderful.
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So I obey them from the heart,
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from my heart.
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Your words as they unfold give light
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and truth to simple minds impart.
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Psalm 119, verses 129 to 136.
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Your statutes, Lord, are wonderful.
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So I obey them from my heart.
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Your words as they unfold give light
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and truth to simple minds impart.
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With open mouth I hand and ear
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To know the laws that you proclaim.
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Show me the mercy you extend
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To those who love and praise your name.
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Direct my footsteps in your words
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Let stand or hold me in its sway
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From man's oppression set me free
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That your commands I may obey
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Upon your servant shine your face
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It's me the statutes you have made
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My eyes shed streams of bitter tears
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Because your law is not obeyed
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Let's turn now to read God's Word
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as we find that in 1 Thessalonians
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The first letter to the Thessalonians
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And reading the first chapter
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Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy
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To the Church of the Thessalonians
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In God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
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Grace to you and peace
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We give thanks to God always for you all
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Constantly mentioning you in our prayers
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Remembering before our God and Father
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Your work of faith and labor of love
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And steadfastness of hope
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In our Lord Jesus Christ
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For we know, brothers loved by God
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That he has chosen you
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Because our gospel came to you
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Not in word only
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But also in power and in the Holy Spirit
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And with full conviction
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You know what kind of men
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We prove to be among you for your sake
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And you became imitators of us and of the Lord
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For you received the word in much affliction
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With the joy of the Holy Spirit
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So that you became an example
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To all the believers in Macedonia
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And in Nehemiah
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For not only has the word of the Lord
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Sounded forth from you
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In Macedonia and Nehemiah
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But your faith in God
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Has gone forth everywhere
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So that we need not say anything
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For they themselves report concerning us
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The kind of reception we had among you
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And how you turned to God from idols
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To serve the living and true God
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And to wait for his Son from heaven
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Whom he raised from the dead
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Jesus who delivers us
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From the wrath to come
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Amen
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May God follow with his blessing
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That reading of his word
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We're now going to sing from Psalm 115
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Psalm 115
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That's on page 152
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I'm singing this time to June Tiverton
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Verses 1 to 9
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Lord not to us
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Lord not to us
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To your name be the praise
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Because your love and faithfulness endure
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O Lord always
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Why do the nations question us?
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Where is their God they say?
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Our God inhabits heaven high
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And over all holds sway
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And so on
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Down through to verse 9
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Psalm 115
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Psalm 115
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O Lord not to us
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O not to us
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Lord not to us
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O not to us
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To your name be the praise
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Because your love and faithfulness endure
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O Lord always
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Why do the nations question us?
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Why do the nations question us?
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Where is their God they say?
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Our God inhabits heaven high
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And over all holds sway
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Their gold and silver images
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Are raftered cheerfully
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But they have mouths which cannot speak
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And minds which cannot see
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Their noses have no sense of smell
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Their ears can hear no sound
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They have no feeling
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In their hands
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Nor can they walk around
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Although these idols
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Do have throats
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No words
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No words
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Have they proclaim
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Their makers
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And their worship words
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Will all become like them
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O house of Israel
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Place your trust
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Upon the Lord alone
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He is the mighty help and shield
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Of all who are his own
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Well let's turn now to the passage we read there
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In 1 Thessalonians
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1
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And today we're looking at the last couple of verses there
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From verse 9
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Paul has been commending
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The Thessalonians for the clarity of their faith
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And for the way that they have made it so clear
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That they have come to trust in the Lord
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And that they themselves as apostles
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Are now in a position where they need not say very much about them
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Because it's become evident
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That these Thessalonians have embraced the gospel
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And come to trust in Christ
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And then from verse 9
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For they themselves report concerning us
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The kind of reception we had among you
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And how you turned to God from idols
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To serve the living and through God
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And to wait for his son from heaven
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Whom he raised from the dead Jesus
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Who delivers us from the wrath to come
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You'll be aware I'm sure I hope
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That there is a current government
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Scottish government consultation going on
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And it's with regard to so called conversion therapy
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And proposals that are going to be set before the government
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Before parliament to address what's called conversion therapy
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Though that doesn't seem to my mind to be any adequate definition
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Of what's meant by conversion therapy
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In any case it's important we engage with that
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Because there are serious implications
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If such proposals were to become law in our nation
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The deadline for it is 2nd April
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You can see details on the Free Church website
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On the Christian Institute website
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To give you guidance as to how to fill in the questions
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And it's important that we do that
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We mustn't just think
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Well it'll work out okay
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Or somebody else more qualified will do it
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We have to actually address these issues
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That are important to us all
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In the churches and as Christians in our nation
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It has serious implications
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Because if this were to become law
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It would actually mean that it would be dangerous for you
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Dangerous in the sense of being liable to prosecution
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To actually have a conversation with somebody
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Where you are trying to deal with gender issues
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Dangerous because even individuals
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Praying with somebody
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Would fall into the category of trying to coerce somebody
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To change their gender
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And that became a topic
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In the matter of prayer or conversation
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It's also important for you as parents
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And grandparents
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Because a serious question arises
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As to who has the right
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To determine what is and isn't
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Acceptable or right for our children
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Who has the right to say
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About our children
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This is really what they should believe
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This is what we are putting before them
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This is the lifestyle we commend for them
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According to the scriptures
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And anyway
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Whatever our parental views may be
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Parents ought to be the ones
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That have the right exclusively
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To actually teach their children
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And look after their children's moral
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And spiritual well-being
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These proposals would actually
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To some extent
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Take that out of parents hands
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And will place the powers
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In the hands of others
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Outside of that family home
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Or parental home
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So they become
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Those who determine what is and isn't right
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In terms of teaching our children
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Obviously it also
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Would have serious implications
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For preaching the gospel
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Because when we preach the gospel
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And the Bible's teaching about gender issues
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The so-called
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When we teach us
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We are going to look today
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At the matter of conversion
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It is well
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Spiritual conversion
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Then there is obviously
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If you look at the proposals
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A danger that the gospel itself
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Or at least an attempt would be made
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To curtail the gospel
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And to curtail the teaching of the Bible
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With regard to what is human
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What is human life
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What is human relationship
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What human relationships
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What marriage is about
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And what gender
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Is actually about as well
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All of these areas
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Are really critically important for us
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As human beings
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In this day and age
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I am just saying that
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Because it fits in with
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What I am saying today
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With regard to our topic
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Which is conversion
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I want to look at conversion
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As it arises from verses 9 and 10
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From the second part of verse 9
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Verse 9 into verse 10
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Where it talks about the conversion
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Of the Thessalonians
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From paganism
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To be servants of Christ
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And of God
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And I am going to use the three verbs
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That are used in these verses
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Pretty much as our headings today
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There are three main verbs
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Throughout these verses
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The first verb
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The first verb is
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To turn from
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How you turned to God
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From idols
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So turning from
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Idols to God
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That is the first verb
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Turning from
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And then there are two things
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As a result of that turning
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The second verb is the one
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Serving
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You turn to God from idols
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To serve the living and true God
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You will see that conversion
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Is very firmly attached to
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Serving God
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And thirdly
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There is the aspect of waiting
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For his son Jesus
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From heaven
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So that conversion
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Is inseparably tied
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To the mindset that waits
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For Jesus to return
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These three headings
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Conversion as a turning to God
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From idols
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And then two things as a result of that
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Conversion results
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In serving the living and true God
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And conversion results
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In waiting for Jesus to return
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Let's look at these quickly
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Just one after another
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Notice how he says here
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This is what has been true
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Of these Thessalonians
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They themselves report
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Those who are reporting about the way
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The Thessalonians received the gospel
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How you turned to God
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From idols
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To serve the living and true God
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Now he mentions idols there
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And of course we associate that
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With paganism
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With the kind of paganism
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In Thessalonica
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Prior to the gospel arriving
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Paganism that reaches back in history
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In those times to Greek and Roman
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Paganism and even beyond that as well
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It's very similar in fact
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The emphasis in this passage
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To what you find in Acts chapter 17
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In Acts chapter 17
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I remember Acts chapter 17
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Where Paul was for a while in Athens
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And he was just aghast at the sheer scale
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Of the idolatry in Athens
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And the number of idols
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That were actually part of the lifestyle
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Of the Athenians
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And it was a very lucrative thing
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To actually provide for
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Paganism
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Because there were certain religious objects
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That you could say were used in devotion
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To the gods so called
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And people made a lucrative living out of that
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So every time the gospel challenged that
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And people turned from that way of life
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To God
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Obviously these things were then left behind
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Anyway, idolatry
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Idolatry
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Had a very strong hold
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Of people in Thessalonica
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And in Athens
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And these cities
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At the time of the apostles
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Because
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They could see from Athens
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They could see from Thessalonica
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They could see Mount Olympus
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And Mount Olympus
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Was thought in Paganism
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To be the home of the gods
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That's where the gods lived
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And the gods were looking out
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And looking down upon you
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And if you left their ways
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And if you tried to
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To abandon that
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And especially follow the way of Christ
30:20
There was a great fear of
30:21
Revenge from these gods
30:23
And you can imagine the hold
30:25
That that actually had on people's lives
30:27
And in some ways you can find that
30:29
In different parts of the world today
30:31
Even within certain world religions
30:33
There's a great fear of
30:35
What will happen if I change
30:37
And become a Christian
30:39
There are many Christians throughout the world today
30:41
In various places in the world
30:42
That are persecuted
30:43
Because simply they've left
30:45
Their idolatry
30:46
If they've left their religion
30:47
And come to know Christ
30:49
And that's what it was like in Thessalonica
30:53
Now of course you'd have to expand on this
30:56
In terms of how we define gods
30:58
In our society
31:00
We mustn't just think that today
31:02
We're thinking here of the gods
31:03
The idols of the Thessalonians
31:05
And that's really all that has to do with idolatry
31:07
The Bible tells us
31:09
That idolatry really involves
31:10
Anything and everything
31:11
That you place instead of God
31:13
As a substitute for God
31:16
To which you give your devotion
31:17
Instead of giving it to God
31:20
Our society is crammed with idols
31:23
There are at least as many
31:25
If not more idols in our society today
31:28
Than there ever were in Thessalonica
31:30
All you've got to look at and see is
31:33
What do people devote their lives to?
31:35
Fame, celebrity, money, sport, sex, self
31:43
You could add to that list
31:46
And each one of these and all of them together
31:48
Involve idolatry
31:50
The Bible talks about covetousness
31:52
Which is idolatry
31:54
The love of self
31:56
The envy of others
31:58
So there's so many things
31:59
You could expand on this text
32:02
And expand on the whole definition of idolatry
32:05
To embrace the idolatry
32:07
That's currently so evident in our day as well
32:11
And in fact, as John Calvin put it
32:14
In one of his writings
32:16
And it's true of you and it's true of me
32:18
That we are naturally or natively
32:21
As we are born as sinners
32:24
As we follow the ways of sin
32:25
Calvin said
32:26
The heart of human beings
32:29
Is a factory of idols
32:33
A factory of idols
32:36
We manufacture, we create idols for ourselves
32:40
And it is the power of Christ
32:42
The power of grace
32:44
The power of God
32:46
That destroys and breaks
32:48
That relationship with idolatry
32:50
And here are the Thessalonians
32:51
The Thessalonians being commended
32:52
For the fact that they turned to God
32:55
From idols
32:57
And that word turned
32:59
Is also an interesting word
33:01
It actually means to actually have a complete turnaround
33:04
A 360 or 180 degree turn
33:09
If you like, you're going one direction
33:11
You turn back in the very opposite direction
33:13
And you're coming from one way of life
33:16
And following one way of life
33:18
To which you're devoted to be completely
33:19
The opposite direction
33:22
You turned to God
33:24
From idols
33:26
Now it's obvious as you read your Bible
33:28
The following of idols
33:29
Is the very opposite direction
33:31
In lifestyle
33:32
To following God
33:33
And to worshipping God
33:35
Whatever idol we might follow today
33:38
Whatever occupies our heart
33:40
In terms of giving it our devotion
33:42
Instead of giving it to God
33:44
We're travelling in the wrong direction
33:45
We're travelling in the opposite direction
33:46
We're travelling in the opposite direction
33:48
To what we know is pleasing to God
33:49
And good for ourselves
33:51
And the Thessalonians
33:53
They turned to God
33:56
From idols
33:58
Now conversion
34:01
Is always that
34:03
Whether it's dramatic
34:05
And sudden
34:06
Or sometimes gradual
34:08
Some people here would know
34:09
The exact moment perhaps
34:10
When they were converted
34:11
When Jesus came into their life
34:12
Powerfully
34:13
When the Holy Spirit
34:14
Convinced them of their sin
34:15
Of their need to turn to God
34:18
And seek His forgiveness
34:20
Other people
34:21
Myself included
34:22
Could not put a finger on
34:23
The exact moment
34:24
Even the exact week
34:25
Or day
34:27
Or month even
34:28
That that happened
34:29
It was a process over time
34:30
Where you came to know
34:31
That something was wrong in your life
34:33
You came to know the Gospel
34:34
You came to work through
34:35
The implications of not being right
34:37
With God
34:38
And you came to trust in Christ
34:42
Whatever sudden or gradual
34:45
At the end of the day
34:47
It amounts to the same thing
34:49
You turn around
34:51
From the life you live as a sinner
34:54
And you turn back and face God
34:57
And come to Him
34:59
You turned from to
35:02
From idols
35:04
From sin
35:05
From a life of self pleasing
35:08
To God
35:09
And that's what conversion really is
35:11
To be converted
35:12
Is to be turned around
35:14
Of course there's things like
35:15
Repentance
35:16
And faith
35:17
And other things associated with this
35:19
Not going into that just now
35:21
Today I'm just going to focus on
35:22
Conversion itself
35:24
And the meaning and definition of it
35:26
From these verses
35:27
So you're turning from one thing
35:28
To the next
35:29
It's a movement in your soul
35:31
It's a movement in your whole life really
35:33
Your whole life comes to a turnaround
35:36
And as you turn around
35:38
As you turn to God
35:40
You come to a new
35:42
Allegiance in your life
35:44
A new devotion
35:46
An allegiance to a new master
35:48
You no longer live to please yourself
35:50
You no longer live to please your friends
35:53
You no longer live to please
35:55
The ideals of the society you live in
35:58
You please God
35:59
Your concern
36:01
Your concern is to please Him
36:03
Thomas Chalmers
36:05
Was for quite a number of years
36:07
Preaching the gospel
36:09
Or preaching from the Bible
36:11
At least he would say himself
36:13
When he wasn't converted
36:14
He was one of the moderates
36:16
As they were called at that time
36:18
Ministers in the church
36:20
But weren't actually themselves
36:22
Converted or believers
36:24
And they generally preached as Chalmers did
36:25
As Chalmers did
36:26
A moralistic message
36:28
A message to do with
36:30
With morality
36:31
In general
36:32
Sometimes specific sense
36:33
But there was little of Christ in it
36:35
There was no emphasis in it
36:37
On conversion
36:38
Or the need to change your life
36:40
But when Chalmers was converted
36:42
And the Lord came into his life powerfully
36:45
He described it as
36:47
Coming under new ownership
36:49
But it was he said
36:51
The expulsive power
36:52
The expulsive power
36:53
Of a new affection
36:55
The expulsive power
36:57
Of a new affection
36:59
Why did he put it that way?
37:00
He didn't just say
37:01
It was the power of a new affection
37:03
A new affection for the Lord
37:04
That he hadn't had before then
37:06
No, he called it the expulsive power
37:08
Of a new affection
37:10
Because as the affection for the Lord
37:12
Came into his life
37:14
It expelled affection for idols
37:16
Affection for sin
37:18
Affection for self
37:19
It was an expulsive power
37:22
And wherever you and I
37:23
To whatever degree
37:25
Come to know the Lord Jesus Christ
37:28
If we know him at all
37:30
If we know him properly
37:32
It will be an expulsive experience
37:35
It will be something that deals with sin
37:38
As something to be expelled
37:40
Something no longer to be given
37:42
A place of welcome in your life
37:45
Something that you want to be without
37:47
You turn from sin
37:51
To God
37:53
And indeed that's part of the catechism's definition
37:56
Of repentance
37:58
Saving grace
38:00
By which a sinner turns
38:02
From sin unto God
38:04
And there's the first thing they said
38:07
That he said about
38:09
The Thessalonians
38:11
And their conversion
38:12
How you turned to God
38:14
From idols
38:15
To serve the living
38:17
And through God
38:18
And obviously that would make an impact
38:20
In that society
38:22
Here were people whose life
38:23
Was devoted to the idolatry
38:25
Of society at the time
38:27
Here were people who made it their business
38:29
To actually gain from that idolatry
38:31
Some of them
38:33
Here were people whose lifestyle
38:34
Corresponded to their belief in these idols
38:36
These gods that lived on Mount Olympus
38:38
As they thought
38:39
All of a sudden
38:40
That's come to an end
38:41
All of a sudden
38:42
People know them as
38:43
They're now under a new ownership
38:44
They're saying that they serve
38:45
The Lord Jesus Christ
38:47
It's a complete turnaround
38:49
Completely different
38:51
And obviously that would be
38:53
Have a mighty impact
38:54
That's why Paul says
38:56
They themselves report
38:57
Concerning the kind of reception
38:59
We had among you
39:00
So today
39:03
You have to look in your heart
39:04
And I have to look in my heart
39:05
And say
39:07
Who has or what has
39:09
My primary affection
39:11
What do I love more than anything else
39:14
Who do I love more than anyone else
39:17
Who has the first claim on my attention
39:20
Who has the first claim on my devotion
39:24
Who has the first claim on my service
39:27
On my time
39:28
On my gifts
39:29
In my relationships
39:32
They turned
39:34
To God from idols
39:37
So conversion
39:39
As a turning point to God
39:41
From idols
39:43
And there are two things that follow from that
39:44
As we said
39:46
That conversion firstly
39:48
Results in
39:49
Serving the living and through God
39:52
They're turned to God from idols
39:55
To serve the living and through God
39:56
That's life going
39:57
In the opposite direction
39:59
To what it was
40:00
They were serving idols
40:01
And here is something entirely different
40:03
And it's very obvious that
40:05
That Paul is describing God deliberately
40:08
As the living and through God
40:10
In contrast to the idols
40:13
That they once served
40:14
As we sang in Psalm 115
40:16
Very often idols were crafted
40:19
Or shaped to have a human form
40:21
Sometimes distorted
40:22
Sometimes very often ugly
40:25
But nevertheless
40:27
A form that
40:29
Was recognizable
40:31
And not that every idol was like that
40:34
But here is Paul saying
40:37
And the psalmist was saying
40:39
They have noses
40:40
They have eyes
40:41
They have faces
40:42
They have ears
40:43
They don't hear
40:44
They don't smell
40:45
They don't see
40:46
They're dead
40:47
They can do nothing for you
40:48
They can do nothing for you
40:50
And you turned
40:51
He said
40:53
To God from idols
40:54
To serve
40:55
The living
40:57
And through God
40:58
We are here today
40:59
Worshipping
41:00
The living and through God
41:02
And that includes
41:03
Every alternative
41:04
To Christ
41:05
Every alternative
41:07
To salvation in Christ
41:08
Every alternative
41:09
To that
41:11
We can use the word religion
41:12
If you like
41:13
The religion that focuses
41:14
On Christ
41:15
The Christian faith
41:16
Every alternative
41:17
To that
41:18
To some degree
41:19
Or other
41:20
Is following idols
41:21
And being involved
41:22
With idolatry
41:23
It doesn't matter
41:24
Which one you take
41:25
Of even the major world religions
41:26
Islam
41:27
Hinduism
41:28
Buddhism
41:29
All of them together
41:30
Or secularism
41:31
Which itself
41:32
Becomes idolatry
41:33
Those who are devoted to it
41:34
It doesn't matter
41:35
Which of them you take
41:36
And it's not hatred
41:40
And it's not phobia
41:44
To mention disagreement
41:46
With these ideologies
41:51
Otherwise we are being untrue
41:53
To Jesus and to the Bible
41:55
But we can say lovingly
41:57
And tactfully
41:58
That the Bible does not allow us
42:01
To embrace any aspects
42:03
Of what is idolatry
42:04
And think we can just tack that
42:07
On to Christianity
42:08
That's what it tried down
42:09
The years of the Old Testament
42:10
Wasn't it?
42:11
When the people of Israel
42:13
So often imported
42:14
The paganism
42:15
And the idolatry
42:16
From the nations around them
42:19
God sent
42:21
The prophets especially
42:23
The likes of Isaiah
42:25
Jeremiah
42:26
All the way through
42:27
These books of the prophets
42:28
You'll see
42:29
How frequently
42:30
Idolatry is mentioned
42:31
And how often
42:34
Idols are described
42:35
And a wonderful phrase
42:36
Which the authorised version has
42:37
I can't remember
42:38
Exactly if it's like that
42:39
In the ESV
42:41
Lying vanities
42:44
Lying vanities
42:47
Vanities
42:49
Which lie
42:51
Futile objects
42:53
Which take you away
42:54
Into falsehood
42:56
Lying vanities
42:58
But he says
43:01
To serve the living
43:02
And true God
43:05
Instead of that
43:07
The living God
43:09
Well why does he call him
43:10
The living God?
43:12
Well for one thing
43:13
Because
43:15
He is the only life
43:16
That's uncreated
43:19
God does not have a created life
43:22
The life of God is eternal
43:24
Life of God is uncreated
43:27
Nobody gave him life
43:29
Nobody created life for him
43:32
Unlike for you and for me
43:34
And not only is he uncreated in himself
43:39
But he's the one who creates life
43:42
He created human beings
43:44
He created animal life
43:46
He created plant life
43:48
He created life whatever it is outwith of himself
43:51
And he created human life
43:54
Especially human beings
43:56
In his own image
43:58
The life we have
44:00
That we have from God
44:02
Is a life that originates with God
44:04
Yes it's become corrupted by our sinfulness
44:07
And fallenness
44:09
And disobedience against God
44:11
But he's the one who creates life for us
44:14
And the wonderful thing is that this
44:17
You could trace this into another avenue
44:18
Which I'm not going to do just now
44:19
But as the uncreated life that he is
44:23
As God
44:24
As the one who creates life
44:26
Including our human life in the beginning
44:28
So he's the one who has created life for us in Christ
44:32
When you look at the way in which Jesus was buried
44:37
And then rose from the dead
44:39
And you can see in that itself
44:42
That here is the one who creates life for us
44:45
The fact that Jesus rose from the dead shows us
44:47
This is God's concern that we might have life
44:50
How did Jesus put it?
44:51
I have come in contrast to all who are thieves and robbers who came before me
44:57
Who didn't care for the sheep
45:00
I have come that they might have life
45:04
And have it more abundantly
45:06
And that care, that concern, that compassion, that love that Jesus has for his people, for his flock
45:12
Led him to the cross
45:15
Led him to the death of the cross
45:18
So that life would be created for us
45:22
Who deserved it not
45:24
But who welcome it nevertheless
45:27
And today
45:29
Your greatest privilege
45:31
Or one of your greatest privileges
45:33
Is to know the gospel
45:35
That tells you about the life
45:37
That Jesus has brought about for you
45:38
And your great privilege
45:41
In terms of your own human experience
45:43
Is to come to know this for yourself
45:46
To have this living Christ
45:50
This living God
45:52
In your life
45:53
At the centre of your life
45:54
Foundational to your life
45:56
The living
45:58
And the true God
46:00
You see he mentions as well the true God
46:01
Whether
46:02
So called God or idol is false
46:05
Lying vanities
46:07
We mentioned the phrase earlier
46:09
And so
46:10
Now you're relating to the true God
46:13
And that corresponds with having truth
46:15
In our hearts
46:19
Conversion results
46:21
In serving the living and true God
46:24
But notice this word serving as well
46:25
You turn to God from idols
46:28
To serve the living
46:31
And through God
46:33
To serve God
46:35
You see the test
46:36
The test of conversion
46:37
Is not just being able to claim something
46:39
As having happened in your life
46:41
Any of us can really make that claim
46:43
And say well I'm fine
46:44
I go to church I'm a Christian
46:46
And Paul is saying
46:49
Well one of the great tests
46:51
One of the great
46:52
Not just a test
46:53
Evidences of being converted
46:56
Is that you've come to turn
46:57
To serve the living God
46:59
Serving God
47:02
Honouring God
47:04
Knowing that it's a privilege
47:05
To be a servant of God
47:07
Well that's something
47:09
That actually marks you out
47:11
As a Christian
47:13
You know when you go to
47:15
The likes of John chapter 13
47:16
That famous incident
47:17
Where Jesus
47:19
Took off his outer garments
47:20
He girded himself with a towel
47:21
Taking this form of a servant
47:25
And began to wash the feet
47:27
Of the disciples
47:29
That was Jesus saying
47:30
That's what makes a person great
47:32
Not what they claim to be
47:35
But what they show themselves
47:37
To be in service
47:39
The service of others
47:40
And especially in the service of God
47:42
And this is what
47:44
The apostle is saying
47:46
In Thessalonians
47:47
To serve the living
47:49
And through God
47:51
Your aim
47:52
As a Christian
47:53
Is to please God
47:55
I know you and I can say
47:57
Every day we live pretty much
47:58
I'm sure I fail
48:00
In meeting that standard
48:02
You come to confess that
48:03
Before God
48:05
That you haven't made it today
48:07
A hundred percent
48:08
For the whole of the day
48:09
To set out to please God
48:11
But nevertheless
48:13
You know that
48:15
That's the bias of your heart
48:17
The intent of your heart
48:19
The desire of your heart
48:21
And in Colossians
48:23
Paul gave us a text
48:25
Just in the previous letter
48:27
Of Colossians
48:29
He gave us a text
48:30
That really should seek to
48:32
Place in our minds
48:33
Every morning we get up
48:35
Because it's one of those texts
48:36
That really should follow us
48:37
Should follow us into every day
48:40
Where he says
48:41
In chapter 3 verse 17
48:44
Whatever you do
48:46
In word or action
48:49
Do everything
48:51
In the name of the Lord Jesus
48:53
Giving thanks to God the Father
48:55
Through him
48:57
See how comprehensive that is
48:59
Whatever you do
49:01
In word or deed
49:02
In word or action
49:04
Do everything in the name
49:05
Of the Lord Jesus
49:06
In other words
49:07
For the glory of Jesus
49:08
For the praise of Jesus
49:10
Set that
49:12
As the benchmark
49:14
As the direction of your life
49:16
That every day
49:18
You would like to
49:20
Rise up with that conviction
49:22
In your mind
49:23
To follow it through
49:24
For the rest of the day
49:26
I must do all
49:28
To the praise of my God
49:30
I must endeavor to do everything
49:33
For the honor of Jesus
49:34
As the seven
49:35
Why?
49:36
Because he has bought me
49:37
He has made me his own
49:40
He has paid the price
49:42
Of my redemption
49:44
And I owe it to him
49:46
To live a life that pleases him
49:48
Not myself
49:51
So
49:52
Conversion is a turning to God
49:54
From idols
49:55
And that results
49:56
And that results firstly
49:57
In serving the living and through God
49:58
And results secondly
49:59
In that conversion
50:00
Results in waiting for Jesus
50:03
To return
50:05
And you notice how waiting
50:06
Is coupled here with serving
50:08
To serve the living and through God
50:10
And to wait for his son
50:12
From heaven
50:14
Even Jesus
50:15
And he makes it clear
50:16
This is his identity
50:18
He makes it clear who he means
50:20
To wait for the son of God
50:21
Well who is the son of God?
50:22
It is the same Jesus
50:24
Who lived in this world
50:25
As the son of God
50:26
In our nature
50:28
To wait for his son
50:30
From heaven
50:31
And waiting here
50:33
It's not something that you just do passively
50:35
And just wait for it to happen
50:37
Waiting always
50:39
In this sense of it
50:40
In the New Testament
50:42
Involves
50:43
Waiting expectantly
50:45
Waiting eagerly
50:47
Waiting for something with anticipation
50:48
That it's really of supreme importance to you
50:52
And in fact
50:54
As you actually go through
50:56
Both of these letters to the Thessalonians
50:58
It's interesting that
51:00
In each chapter of both letters
51:02
You have a reference
51:04
To the return of Jesus
51:05
In some way or other
51:07
You can go through that yourself later
51:09
Just read through the other very short letters
51:11
You can read through them pretty quickly
51:13
And in each of these chapters
51:15
Somewhere or other
51:16
A reference to the return of Jesus
51:19
In other words
51:20
For the apostle here
51:21
In writing to the Thessalonians
51:23
He obviously saw it as really important for them
51:26
To take on board
51:28
To take into mind
51:29
The fact that Jesus was returning
51:32
And the fact that they ought to wait for that
51:35
Expectantly
51:37
Knowing that it was going to be
51:38
The crowning of the redemption
51:39
As he came
51:40
And revealed himself
51:41
As the glorious
51:43
Son of God
51:44
Now in his exalted glory
51:46
To take them back
51:47
To be with himself in heaven
51:49
That was so important
51:51
Is it important
51:52
To yourself to think of
51:54
The return of Jesus
51:56
How does the return of Jesus
51:59
Fit into your thinking today
52:01
Where do you place it
52:03
Among the things that are important for you
52:05
Not just to know and to know about
52:06
But to actually have your heart set upon
52:12
Because if you follow
52:14
The thinking of the apostle
52:16
His heart
52:17
And he's wanting the Thessalonians heart
52:19
To be absolutely set upon
52:21
The return of Jesus
52:23
Just as much as they ought to
52:25
Still consider the death of Jesus
52:26
The resurrection of Jesus
52:27
The resurrection of Jesus
52:28
This Jesus whom God raised from the dead
52:30
As he puts it here
52:31
There's a reference to the resurrection
52:32
Whom he raised from the dead
52:34
Jesus
52:36
So we have to actually eagerly anticipate
52:38
His return
52:39
And if we are his today
52:41
It's going to be one of the great moments of our life
52:45
To actually have the Lord's return
52:49
In our experience
52:51
To experience that for ourselves
52:53
To welcome him
52:56
It's such a huge feature
52:58
Of these letters to the Thessalonians
53:01
And it should be
53:02
In my life and in your life as well
53:04
Notice he says
53:05
He raised him from the dead
53:07
He doesn't just say
53:08
Jesus the son of God
53:10
Whom he raised from the dead
53:13
I wonder why he's actually including
53:15
These verses
53:16
Well it's so that
53:17
They will actually realise
53:18
This is the same Jesus
53:20
Who was raised from the dead
53:21
That is going to return
53:22
It's not a different person
53:24
The same Jesus who died on the cross
53:26
Is the Jesus who rose from the dead
53:29
Here is the emphasis on God the Father
53:31
Raising him from the dead
53:33
And by raising him on the dead
53:34
Giving assurance
53:35
That his work on the cross
53:36
Was fully accepted
53:38
That's another angle of theology
53:40
Let's leave it there
53:42
But to whom he raised from the dead
53:45
It's the same person
53:47
Who's going to return
53:48
Though not in the same form
53:50
If you like
53:51
He's going to return in his glory
53:53
He actually came the first time
53:55
As a servant
53:57
In his lowliness
54:00
But it's an argument in favour of
54:03
The return of Jesus
54:04
That he has in fact
54:05
Been raised from the dead
54:07
You see some people constantly
54:09
Will say to us
54:10
What proof do you have that Jesus lives?
54:12
What proof do you have that Jesus is going to return?
54:14
What proof do you have that the end of the world
54:15
Is going to be at the return of Jesus
54:17
Or associated with the return of Jesus
54:20
And of course you've got to come back at that point
54:22
And say well I can't do anything for you
54:24
Unless you believe the Bible
54:26
But if I believe the Bible
54:29
As the word of God
54:31
As the word of God that's been given to me
54:34
From his own mouth
54:36
Then I have to believe what he tells me in this word
54:40
As being true and dependable
54:42
And dependable
54:45
And again in the book of Acts
54:47
It's interesting how
54:48
That same passage in Acts 17
54:51
Dealing with the idolatry of Athens
54:54
That Paul as he was addressing these men of Athens
54:58
In verses 30 and 31
55:00
He went on in his argument in presenting
55:03
These things being then God's offspring
55:06
29
55:07
Think that divine beings like gold
55:09
Or silver or stone
55:11
An image formed by the art and imagination of man
55:16
The times of ignorance God overlooked
55:18
But now he commands every people everywhere to repent
55:22
Why?
55:23
Because he has fixed a day
55:25
On which he will judge the world in righteousness
55:28
By a man or by the man whom he has appointed
55:31
That's Jesus
55:33
He has fixed a day
55:34
God has fixed a day
55:35
It's in his diary
55:36
It's not going to go beyond it
55:37
In which he will judge the world in righteousness
55:43
In other words
55:45
Every single one of us
55:47
Will be judged in righteousness
55:49
No bribes
55:50
No excuses
55:52
Nothing's going to be in our favor on that day
55:55
Apart from the righteousness of Christ
55:58
Apart from having Jesus as your savior
56:01
But then he goes on to say
56:02
He has appointed the day
56:04
In which he will judge the world in righteousness
56:07
By a man whom he has appointed
56:09
And of this he has given assurance to all
56:12
By raising him from the dead
56:16
Isn't that interesting?
56:18
The raising of Jesus from the dead
56:20
Is giving assurance, Paul says, to all
56:24
To all human beings who come to know and read the gospel
56:27
Because the gospel is saying to us
56:29
Here's your assurance that there is a day of judgment coming
56:33
Because Christ has been raised from the dead
56:36
And it's this Christ who has been raised from the dead
56:38
Who will be at that day the judge of the living and the dead
56:41
You know there's a day of judgment coming
56:45
Because you read in your Bible that Jesus was raised from the dead
56:48
And because Jesus was raised from the dead
56:50
And God is giving us assurance
56:53
That he has appointed a day
56:56
In which he will judge the world
56:58
By this man
57:00
By this person
57:02
And he finishes by saying
57:05
In this text we have today
57:07
To wait for the son from heaven
57:09
Who he raised from the dead
57:10
Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come
57:16
The wrath to come is of course God's judgment
57:20
God's judgment on the wicked
57:22
God's judgment on the ungodly
57:24
God's judgment on the Christless
57:27
It's the wrath to come
57:30
The wrath of God
57:32
The indescribable
57:34
Awesome
57:36
Wrath of God
57:37
God's righteous
57:40
Indignation
57:42
Against sin
57:44
That fell on Jesus
57:47
So that it need not fall on you and me
57:50
But fall on you and me it will
57:53
If we haven't made Jesus our Saviour
57:58
He will judge the world
58:00
This Jesus
58:02
Who delivers us from the wrath to come
58:04
And why does he say
58:05
Deliver us
58:06
Why is it present tense
58:08
Well there are different views of that
58:10
But I think it's saying that
58:13
He has delivered us
58:15
There's a sense in which we're already delivered
58:17
If we're saved
58:18
If we're converted
58:20
If Christ has rescued us
58:22
From sin
58:24
From guilt
58:26
That's going to remain the case
58:28
But there's a process going on
58:30
It's really associated if you like
58:31
With our sanctification
58:32
Or with being kept by God until that day
58:33
And so in a sense there's that
58:36
He is still delivering us
58:38
He is still keeping us
58:40
From that wrath coming to overwhelm us
58:43
He delivers us
58:45
From the wrath to come
58:47
Experts
58:50
Predict that
58:52
A major earthquake will take place
58:55
These are people who are experts in that field
58:57
That a major earthquake
58:58
That a major earthquake will take place
59:00
In the vicinity of Tokyo in Japan
59:02
In the vicinity of Tokyo in Japan
59:06
Sometime within the next 20 to 30 years
59:09
And they speak about it
59:12
It's not something that's maybe possible
59:14
But something that's almost certainly going to be the case
59:18
It's not if
59:20
It's a matter of when
59:21
It's a matter of when
59:23
There are, I don't know, 30 or 40 million people
59:27
Living in Tokyo or around these areas
59:30
And these experts are saying
59:32
We know that this is coming
59:34
We have to prepare for it
59:36
We have to do everything possible to try and mitigate
59:39
This disaster
59:41
We're sure it's going to take place
59:44
Because we judge, we measure the various forces that are at play at the moment
59:48
So it's not a matter of if it's going to happen
59:54
We can't tell precisely when
59:56
But it is going to happen
59:59
And isn't that how it is with the day of judgment
1:00:04
It's not a matter of if
1:00:08
But when
1:00:10
But you needn't worry about that today
1:00:13
If your life is in Christ
1:00:15
You are safe
1:00:18
The earthquake of wrath
1:00:20
Will not overwhelm you
1:00:23
Jesus will be your protector then as he is now
1:00:26
But you need to make sure
1:00:30
That you are found in him
1:00:32
Not having a righteousness of your own
1:00:35
But the righteousness
1:00:37
That is of God
1:00:39
By faith
1:00:41
May God bless these thoughts to us
1:00:43
Let's pray
1:00:45
Almighty God
1:00:47
We give thanks for the grace of conversion
1:00:50
The grace of regeneration
1:00:52
The grace that changes us inwardly
1:00:55
From what we are by nature
1:00:57
Into being servants of the living and through God
1:01:00
Help us, we pray Lord
1:01:02
To value your grace day by day
1:01:04
Help us to measure ourselves
1:01:07
Not by our own achievements
1:01:09
But by what you have done for us
1:01:10
Help us each day to be concerned
1:01:13
To live out our faith
1:01:15
And especially to be known as people who serve the living and through God
1:01:19
Enable us to counter the various ways in which this age in which we live
1:01:24
Seek to counter the gospel
1:01:27
And remember every effort made Lord to uphold your cause
1:01:30
And to uphold that gospel and to uphold your laws
1:01:34
In that age in which we live
1:01:35
Receive our thanks now
1:01:37
And cleanse us from our sin
1:01:39
For Christ's sake
1:01:40
Amen
1:01:46
We're going to conclude our service today singing in Psalm 27
1:01:49
Let's sing psalms again
1:01:52
Psalm 27
1:01:54
On page 32
1:01:56
Singing this time to the tune Belmont
1:01:57
We're singing from the middle of verse 9
1:02:02
Four verses to the end of the psalm
1:02:05
O God my Saviour
1:02:08
Leave me not, do not reject my plea
1:02:11
My parents may forsake me Lord
1:02:13
But you will welcome me
1:02:15
Teach me O Lord how I should live
1:02:17
And lead me in your way
1:02:19
Make straight my path
1:02:21
Because my foes oppress me
1:02:24
Every day
1:02:25
And yet I am sure that in this life
1:02:28
God's goodness I will see
1:02:30
Wait for the Lord
1:02:31
Be strong
1:02:32
Take heart
1:02:34
For Him wait patiently
1:02:36
These verses O God my Saviour
1:02:38
Leave me not
1:02:40
O God my Saviour
1:02:42
Leave me not
1:02:44
O God my Saviour
1:02:48
Leave me not
1:02:52
Do not
1:02:55
Do not
1:02:56
Reject
1:02:58
My plea
1:03:02
My
1:03:03
My
1:03:04
My
1:03:06
My
1:03:08
My
1:03:09
My
1:03:10
My
1:03:11
My
1:03:12
My
1:03:13
My
1:03:14
My
1:03:15
My
1:03:16
My
1:03:17
My
1:03:18
My
1:03:19
My
1:03:20
O Lord, how I should live and lead me in your way.
1:03:35
Make straight my path because my foes oppress me every day.
1:03:52
Give me not over to the will of human enemies.
1:04:08
For liars rise to slander me and breathe out cruelties.
1:04:26
Yet I am sure that in this life of goodness I will see.
1:04:43
Wait for the Lord, be strong, take heart.
1:04:53
For him wait patiently.
1:05:01
Forgive me, I won't go to the door today.
1:05:03
I don't want to pass this cold on to anybody, so please excuse me for that.
1:05:08
Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father,
1:05:11
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you now and evermore.
1:05:16
Amen.
1:05:16
Amen.