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Growing or Stumbling? · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Well, Psalm 96 in the Scottish Psalter, we're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 7.
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We'll sing a new song to the Lord, sing all the earth to God. To God sing, bless his name,
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show still his saving health abroad. Verse 1 to 7, and the tune is Southwark. We stand to praise God.
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O sing a new song to the Lord, sing all the earth to God. To God sing, bless his name,
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show still his saving health abroad. Among the heathen angels his glory to declare,
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and unto all the people show his works at what rest are.
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For great the Lord and greatly is to be magnified.
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Ye worthy to be near to see above all gods beside.
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For all the gods are idols of which slighted nations fear.
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But our God is the Lord, by whom the heavens created were.
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Great honor is before his face, and majesty divine.
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Strength is within his holy place, and their beauty shine.
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Do ye ascribe unto the Lord, all people in the time.
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Glory to ye unto the Lord, and mighty by the sky.
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Amen.
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I will come to God in prayer. Let us pray.
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Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the great privilege and beauty that there is in worshiping your name.
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We thank you that we come singing praise to you, and help us that we will come to sing a new song
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to the Lord and join in with all the earth as we offer up our praise to you today.
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We thank you that your people gather to worship just as we do,
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from the rising to the setting of the sun on this your own day.
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And we pray your blessing on our time together, and your word to us,
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that you will minister to all our hearts and speak to us powerfully through your word.
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We thank you, Lord, that we come, for you invite us.
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Your word does say to come to you.
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And so many invitations go out to us, Lord.
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We pray that we will always, first and foremost, hear your invitation to us,
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and that we would worship you with all our hearts.
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So may you encourage us and build us up through your word.
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Lord, bless us all together, both in our service and in the Sunday school,
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the creche and the tweenies too, Lord.
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May we all know that you are with us and that you are near to us,
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that you are our help and our strength on a daily basis.
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Bless the young ones, Lord, we pray.
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Look after them.
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Be with them in this week when there will be a holiday weekend.
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Take care of both children and families,
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and give rest to teachers too over the weekend.
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We pray, Lord, your blessing on all our people as we commit ourselves into your hands.
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Go before us, we pray, and we ask all things for the forgiveness of our sins.
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In Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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I'll just say a word to the young ones before you go out to Sunday school and creche in Twenies.
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It's good to see you today.
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I was just wondering this morning about the idea of that word saying in the prayer,
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to come, to come and to worship God.
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It's an invitation to us.
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And getting an invitation is a wonderful thing.
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We often get invitations.
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Maybe you get invitations to birthday parties.
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You get invitations to weddings.
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Maybe just now you're starting to hear about invitations.
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Maybe to where you're going to have your Christmas dinner or Christmas parties.
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And all of these kinds of things.
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Today there's an invitation going out for children to come to the holiday club on Saturday the 17th.
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So it's always great to get invitations.
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It's an exciting thing.
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And when someone invites you, it makes you sometimes feel special.
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That someone's remembered you.
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And it also makes you maybe feel excited that there's something to look forward to.
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That there's going to be something involved in the invitation that you've received.
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Maybe it's food.
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Maybe it's a party.
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Maybe there's something about the invitation.
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It's going to be a special time.
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Well, the greatest invitation that we have is the invitation that Jesus gives to us.
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When he speaks to us in his word, he so often tells us to come to him.
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An example is in Isaiah chapter 55.
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There it says to us in verse 1,
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Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.
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And he who has no money, come, buy and eat.
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Come, buy wine and milk.
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Without money and without price.
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There's a great invitation there.
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It doesn't matter.
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You don't need money to come.
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He says, just come.
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Come and take this.
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It's free.
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And that's the invitation of the gospel.
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Jesus says to us to come.
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And that word come, you can maybe break it down by its letters and just take this with you.
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When Jesus says to us to come, think of it like this.
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Who is the invitation from?
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It is from Christ.
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Christ himself is inviting us to come.
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So that's the C.
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And then you think of O.
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Christ offers.
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He is putting out an offer to us, an invitation to us.
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And we need to respond to that.
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So the O is he offers.
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He offers.
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M.
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Me.
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It's a personal invitation.
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It's an invitation to you today, every one of you, to come to Jesus who offers me.
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And then E.
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What does he offer us?
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Everything.
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He offers us everything.
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He offers us this great promise of life through him.
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So come, he says.
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Christ offers me everything.
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So may we hear this invitation, every one of us, and come to the Lord Jesus who will give to us everything we need for life and for eternity.
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Well, let's say the Lord's prayer together now.
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Amen.
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We're going to sing together now to God's praise in Psalm 10.
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It's in the Sing Psalms version on page 12.
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Psalm 10.
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We're singing at verse 12.
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Psalm 10 at verse 12.
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Arise, Lord, lift up your hand.
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Do not forget the poor.
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Why does the wicked say of God my conduct he'll ignore.
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We're going to sing from verse 12 to the end of the Psalm and the tune is Stroudwater.
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Arise, Lord, lift up your hand.
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But I, Lord, lift up your hand.
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Do not forget the poor.
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Why, master, waken, saint of God, my God, that ye may know?
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But you, O God, you see such a strong, and you will bring me rest.
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The pain of peace is just in you, you help the Father less.
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Lord, bring the wicked persons power, and all into the heart.
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For all the evil which he thought would never be my does.
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The Lord will never make us king, his throne will always stand.
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The hidden nations of the world will perish from this land.
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O Lord, the needy once desired, you answered from all night.
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You give encouragement to them, and listen to their cry.
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For you, the fiend of fatherless, and those who are oppressed.
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So that from fear of mortal land, the helpless make our rest.
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I will turn together to read in God's word.
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We're reading two passages.
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First of all, in the Gospel of John, and chapter 1.
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The Gospel of John, chapter 1.
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And we read from the beginning of that chapter down to verse 18.
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John 1 at verse 1.
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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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He was in the beginning with God.
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All things were made through him.
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And without him was not anything made that was made.
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In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
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The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
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There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
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He came to the light.
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He came as a witness to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
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He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
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The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
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He was in the world, and the world was made through him.
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Yet the world did not know him.
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He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
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But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
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who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
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And the word became flesh, and dwelt among us.
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And we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son, from the Father, full of grace and truth.
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John bore witness about him, and cried out,
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This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.
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And from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
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For the law was given through Moses.
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Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
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No one has ever seen God.
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The only God who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
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Our second reading is going back to our study in 1 Peter.
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We're reading in chapter 2.
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1 Peter chapter 2.
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We're going to read from verse 1 down to verse 8.
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So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
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Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation,
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if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
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As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men, but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
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you yourselves, like living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house,
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to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
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For it stands in Scripture,
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Behold, I am laying in Sion a stone, a cornerstone, chosen and precious,
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and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.
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So the honor is for you who believe.
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But for those who do not believe,
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the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,
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and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.
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They stumble because they disobey the word as they were destined to do.
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Amen.
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And may God bless these readings from his word.
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We'll join together in a word of prayer.
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Let us pray.
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Our Father, in heaven, as we come to your word,
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may we realize just the power that is found therein,
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that we would recognize its authority.
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It is a word given by you,
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inspired through your spirit,
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as he gave words to men to write for us to receive.
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We thank you that you have given us a word that guides us in this world,
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that has guided generation after generation,
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reminding us, Lord, of the great gift that you have given to this world,
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your own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
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the one who was with you in the beginning, as we have read,
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the one through whom all things were made,
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and yet the word, as we read, that became flesh and dwelt among us.
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We thank you that Jesus came to make his habitation here with us,
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that in all our needs he saw and you sent.
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And we thank you that your word reminds us that he has given all for us,
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that he came to lay down his life for us,
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that we might have life through him.
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And help us, Lord, then,
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that as we come to your word anew today,
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that we would have a real longing for it and a thirst for it,
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that you would come, Lord,
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by your power to minister to our hearts,
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to speak to us a word that we may understand
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and to recognize the great power and authority that is behind your word,
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that your word calls us with that great invitation to come,
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to come and see the Christ who offers everything for us
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and who offers everything to us.
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We pray, Lord, that your spirit will be with us,
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to lead us and to guide us in all things.
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We thank you that your word is personal to us,
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that it ministers to us,
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not just as a congregation of your people
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or as the nations of the world,
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although it speaks widely and powerfully in that way.
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We thank you that there is a personal nature to it as well,
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that your word reminds us that our very names are known unto you,
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the very number of the hairs on our heads are all accounted to you.
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We are so personal to you.
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You have made us, you have formed us,
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and you have made us with a purpose.
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And we pray that our purpose and all our great needs
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will be met in you, in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
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Help us to know that you are with us,
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for that is your promise.
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Whenever we go through great trials or tribulations,
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even as we are thinking of from this letter of Peter
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to a scattered people,
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we know the great promises of the hope
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that you give to your people
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in every circumstance, in every generation,
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that you minister to us.
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You tell us, Lord, that though there will be difficulties
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and that they may not be removed from us,
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they will not ultimately harm us
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when our trust is in you.
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For we are being refined, even in the fire,
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that we will be found precious in your sight,
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that you would take away all the blemishes
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that are within us,
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the sins of our hearts,
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our shortcomings,
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O Lord, how so often we sin against you.
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But we thank you for your great forgiveness
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and for the way you form us and shape us
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and mould us as your people.
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We pray that you will build us up, O Lord,
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and that you will draw us and guide us
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by your Spirit day by day.
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We thank you for your cause throughout our land
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and throughout the world.
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When we know, Lord, the many great difficulties
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that surround our people
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and people far and wide,
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when there is oppression among the nations of this world,
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when there is so much that leaves us
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asking the question, Lord,
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even as the psalmist asked,
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Arise, Lord, lift up your hand.
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Do not forget the poor.
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Why does the wicked say of God,
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My conduct he'll ignore?
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We know that you never ignore
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the conduct of the wicked,
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but that, Lord, you will bring justice,
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that you will bring forth all that is deserving
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upon all of us as sinners.
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But we pray, Lord, for you to have mercy,
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to reach down to the needy ones,
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to hear prayers from here,
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to hear them on high,
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and to give encouragement
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to each and every one as we need.
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Far and wide, Lord,
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may your people know you as their Lord
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and as their God,
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the one who is perfect in every way
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and able to supply our every need.
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Give us grace for each day, Lord,
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and help us in all we do
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to do it for your glory.
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We thank you to be able to be involved
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in the work of your kingdom,
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and we continue to pray for the gospel ministry
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here in our islands and in our town
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and for ourselves as a congregation.
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Bless every endeavor to minister to people,
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young and old and throughout our communities.
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We pray for the holiday club planned
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for the Christmas time
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and pray your blessing on it
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that you will indeed be in the midst
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of all that we do in your name there.
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We pray for the work
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collecting for the baby bank.
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We, Lord, hear that there is such a pressing need
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and an increasing need for it.
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And we pray, Lord,
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that you will help us
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to try and meet these needs
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in whatever way we can
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to support and to encourage.
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We thank you for the work
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going into the production
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of the WFM recipe book.
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We thank you for all the work
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that's been done over the years
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and the great blessing it's been
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to so many causes throughout the world.
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And we pray, Lord,
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that you will continue to bless
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and encourage that work
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and that ministry too.
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We do pray, Lord,
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for our communities,
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for those who need you,
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those who are unwell,
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those who are troubled in heart and spirit,
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those who are mourning and grieving
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in our midst at this time.
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We know, Lord,
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the needs that are many around us.
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And we pray for your comfort
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of the Holy Spirit
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to surround and to help
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all who need you at this time.
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All who call upon your name,
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may you hear their cries,
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O Lord,
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and draw near to us,
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as we call,
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for help in our times of need.
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We thank you that you are indeed
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a refuge and a strength.
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And may we know your ever-present aid.
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May you bless your word to us now
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as we continue to sing your praise
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and to hear your word.
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Blessed to all our needs
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and to all our hearts.
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Uphold us throughout this day
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and guide us in everything that we do.
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Bless the ministry of your word today
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and into the evening as well.
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Remember Scott as he ministers tonight.
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Be with him.
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Bless him and uphold him too.
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And all your servants,
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near and far.
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So go with us now
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and pardon us all our sin.
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As we ask all things
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with the forgiveness
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offered in Christ's name.
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We ask it through that powerful
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and mighty name.
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The word that became flesh
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and dwelt among us.
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The Lord Jesus Christ.
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To him be glory now and always.
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Amen.
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We will sing to God's praise
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in Psalm 118
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in the Scottish Psalter.
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Page 399 of the Psalm books.
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Psalm 118
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singing at verse 19
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to verse 26.
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So set ye open unto me
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the gates of righteousness
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then will I enter into them
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and I the Lord will bless.
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And we see in verse 22
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words quoted in our reading
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in 1 Peter.
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The stone is made head cornerstone
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which builders did despise.
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This is the doing of the Lord
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and wondrous in our eyes.
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We'll sing verse 19 to 26
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to God's praise
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and the tune is credited.
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D.
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He'll sing verse 19 to 26 in the show called
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drowned in the wedding
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of righteousness.
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righteousness.
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Then will
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lie and
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turn into
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him, and
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now the
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Lord will
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bless.
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Then since
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the age of
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God
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died, the
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just shall
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enter in.
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The
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will
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lie
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for
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the
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weakest,
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and
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thus
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my
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safety
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be.
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That
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stone
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is
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written
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for
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our
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soul,
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which
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filled
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our
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city
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skies.
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This is
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the
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truth
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of
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the
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Lord,
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and
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wondrous
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in
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our
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eyes.
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This is
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the
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day
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God
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made
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in it,
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with
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and
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miss
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God's
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love he
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an
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daughter.
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Now,
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to
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Blessed is he in God's great name, that cometh us to save.
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We compromise, praise to the Lord, pertain to blessed heart.
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If we can turn back to our reading in 1 Peter chapter 2.
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We're looking through the verse 1 to verse 8 of this chapter as we continue our study in this letter.
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1 Peter chapter 2, just read again at verse 4.
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As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men, but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
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you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house.
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And so on.
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Just see these words at the beginning of verse 4.
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As you come to him.
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And we read of who this is.
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It's the Lord Jesus Christ.
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We read of it in John's Gospel 2.
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That great word that was with God in the beginning.
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The word through whom all things were made.
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And the word that became flesh and dwelt among us.
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The word that is truth and in whom there is glory.
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And as Peter is writing to this scattered church, people scattered far and wide,
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he is writing with this great truth to them.
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Reminding them of what God, who God is and what he's saying to them.
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Both in what he says himself as he writes, but also as we see very often through his letter,
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he quotes from the Old Testament.
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He reminds them so often of the truth that they already have.
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The truth that God has spoken in the past.
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We saw it the last time we were looking at this.
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He quoted from the Old Testament in the end of chapter 1.
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All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.
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The grass withers, the flower falls.
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But the word of the Lord remains forever.
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The word of the Lord remains forever.
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The word that is truth is the foundation of life.
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And this truth is all about Jesus.
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That's what he is reminding the people of in this letter.
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The truth that Jesus is always with them.
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No matter what they're experiencing, no matter what trials and tribulations that they are going through,
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that they would know that Jesus is always with them.
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We've seen it already in how he is.
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Their hope that salvation is through him.
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That in their future, security has its foundation through faith in him.
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It's all about Jesus.
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And all the time, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year,
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we are hearing more and more of Jesus.
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His gospel, the truth, the word that became flesh and dwelt among us.
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But as Peter is writing to the people then, and even as he's speaking to ourselves today,
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the question on our hearts should be, what are we doing with him?
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What are we doing with him?
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Do we just hear and let it pass by?
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Or are we hearing and being changed by the power of this word?
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Do you believe him?
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And do you believe his power?
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Do you believe that there is power in this word as you hear it read?
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Or as you read it yourself?
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As you come here today or as you listen online, do you know the power of this word?
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And do you understand what it can do or even what it is doing in you?
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We've been thinking the last time we were met together about how Peter was moving from looking up
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to the holiness of God, to looking out and to seeing how this word and truth ministering in our hearts
32:39
affects how we live and move in this world.
32:43
We were particularly thinking last time about how we are to love one another earnestly.
32:49
That through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and trusting and obedience to his word,
32:56
that we are to go forward loving one another.
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And as he continues, he's bringing more and more ingredients into our lives,
33:05
how we are to live outwardly with our eyes fixed on Jesus.
33:11
But it's always in remembering the truth of this unchanging and powerful word.
33:18
And this is our main focus together this morning, this power of this word and how it's able to transform lives.
33:29
It's done it before.
33:31
It'll do it again.
33:33
And the question is, are you allowing that power to change your own heart?
33:39
Story told of a Christian man who had a good friend.
33:43
He was a real special friend to him.
33:46
But this friend was very antagonistic towards the gospel, towards the word of God.
33:55
He didn't want to know anything about God's word.
33:58
He enjoyed his friendship with his Christian friend, but that's as far as it went.
34:04
He was saying, don't talk to me about your faith.
34:06
Don't talk to me about Christ.
34:08
And the Christian friend was just desperate to share the word with him in some form or other.
34:17
And so what he decided was that he would leave a Bible for the man in his home.
34:23
And the man's wife put the Bible into the study.
34:26
And when the man who was so antagonistic towards the gospel saw the Bible, he was enraged about this.
34:36
He was furious.
34:38
And he picked up the Bible and he started to rip the pages out of the Bible.
34:43
He began to throw the pages into the fire.
34:47
He just wanted rid of it.
34:48
Page after page, he was ripping it out and throwing it into the fire.
34:53
One point, as he was throwing the pages, one blew back and fell on the floor beside him.
35:01
He bent down to pick up that page, going to throw it back into the fire.
35:07
When he glanced at the words on the page, which went like a dagger through his heart.
35:12
It was Matthew chapter 24, verse 35.
35:17
And it says,
35:18
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away.
35:25
And that word went into that man's heart.
35:28
And it was the beginning of God starting to transform the heart that was so hard to soften it and to melt it
35:36
and to bring to realize the power that is behind that word.
35:39
The power of the Lord Jesus Christ.
35:42
And he couldn't get away from these words.
35:46
For days afterwards, these words were just going round in his head.
35:50
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word will not pass away.
35:57
And over time, he came to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ, the author of that word.
36:04
And he came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ with all his heart.
36:08
A heart that was so enraged and angry against God, melted by the power of this word.
36:16
And this word is powerful.
36:19
It changes hearts.
36:20
It changes lives.
36:22
And whose heart doesn't need change?
36:26
All our hearts need change.
36:28
And that change comes through this word of God changing our hearts.
36:34
Solomon, in the book of Proverbs, reminds us that the heart is the center of our lives.
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He says in Proverbs 4 verse 23,
36:45
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life.
36:52
Open your heart to this word, for that's the spring of life.
36:58
So there's three things I want us to see in verse 1 to verse 8 as we think about the truth and the power of this word.
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How it continues to infiltrate our hearts and take over our hearts.
37:12
And we see first it's a word that gives life.
37:16
Secondly, we see it's a word that builds up but also causes stumbling.
37:21
And thirdly, we'll see it's a word, a truth that gives recovery.
37:28
First thing we see is it's a truth that gives life.
37:34
How important are our Bibles?
37:38
How important is the word of God to you today?
37:42
We would only know probably how important it is if we were no longer had it.
37:48
If the word of God was taken from us.
37:53
Other books can be good to read and good for us.
37:57
But nothing compares to the word of God.
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Just imagine what life would be like without this word.
38:07
And without this Jesus who is the cornerstone of it.
38:12
What kind of people would we be?
38:14
What kind of world would we live in?
38:17
Well, we're giving it a hint of it as the world continues to push out God's word.
38:24
When it all becomes about ourselves and our own motives and desires in life.
38:32
We become very selfish, inward looking, greedy.
38:36
Just looking after number one.
38:38
No concern for others.
38:41
Where would we be without the grace and love of God?
38:44
The importance of this word.
38:47
Again, as outlined by Peter for us as he continues in this letter.
38:53
He places such importance on the word of God again and again.
38:59
Speaking God's word to them.
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Reminding them of the word that they have.
39:05
How it has been the foundation of all life up till then.
39:10
And from that point too to this day and going forward.
39:14
The word of God remains forever.
39:18
But when we push it away.
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It only leads us down a path of destruction.
39:23
Rejecting the word.
39:24
It leads us away from the God who is able to give life.
39:34
And give to the full.
39:37
And you get the impression here as he goes on into chapter 2.
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This is again on the basis of the word remaining forever.
39:46
But how we are to be obedient to the word and love one another earnestly.
39:50
He says in verse 1.
39:53
Put away all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and all slander.
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All these things that lead to so much sin in this world.
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All these things that lead us down the wrong path.
40:11
He's saying put them away.
40:14
Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander.
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The things that we see so rife in our world today.
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And we have to guard our own hearts against too.
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Because as we let these things into our hearts.
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They take over.
40:32
And that is what we become.
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And so he is saying no.
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Put these things away.
40:38
Put them off.
40:40
But as well as putting that away.
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He tells us what to put in its place instead.
40:46
Put these things away.
40:48
But then he says in verse 2.
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Like newborn infants.
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Long for the pure spiritual milk.
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That by it you may grow up to salvation.
40:57
If indeed you have tasted the Lord is good.
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Put these things away.
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And instead crave.
41:06
Long for.
41:06
Desire this pure spiritual milk.
41:10
That you may grow up to salvation.
41:13
What is this milk that gives salvation.
41:16
Gives life.
41:17
Gives growth.
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It is the word of God.
41:22
And when you think of that picture.
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Like newborn infants.
41:25
Long for the pure spiritual milk.
41:28
You can picture a newborn baby feeding.
41:32
And just the thirst that is being quenched.
41:34
And that longing.
41:36
From that life giving milk.
41:39
Often brings to my mind too.
41:41
When you think of sometimes animals.
41:43
And how they desire that life giving milk too.
41:47
You think of lambing time.
41:49
And maybe when you have had a pet lamb.
41:52
And you have had to feed it by the bottle.
41:54
And when that lamb comes to get his bottle.
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It's almost pulling the bottle out of your hand.
41:59
It's got that longing for that milk.
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Is that the kind of longing that we have for the word of God?
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Remember seeing one film clip of a calf.
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A young calf.
42:12
Who was being fed in a stall.
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Not by a bottle.
42:16
But by a bucket of milk being placed in front of it.
42:20
And how do you think that calf drank the milk?
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Was it just a little sip with its tongue?
42:26
No.
42:27
Not at all.
42:29
The calf was sticking its head right into the bucket.
42:32
Fully immersed in the bucket of milk.
42:35
Snorting it.
42:36
Sucking it up.
42:37
When the calf came up out of the milk.
42:39
It snorted milk out its nose.
42:42
It was just so full on.
42:44
And then it just stuck its head straight back.
42:47
Into that bucket of life giving milk.
42:49
Again we think.
42:52
Is that the longing that we have for this word?
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This powerful word.
42:59
That is able to change our hearts.
43:02
To guide our hearts.
43:03
And to guard our hearts.
43:06
We should be immersed in this word.
43:09
Craving.
43:10
Longing for it.
43:12
We have it before us.
43:14
Let us use it.
43:16
This word gives life.
43:20
This word changes people.
43:24
And changes us for the better.
43:27
I'm sure many of you.
43:29
Or maybe all of you have heard of the man Charles Spurgeon.
43:32
You'll have heard him quote it.
43:34
You'll have maybe read his works.
43:37
A man who did remarkable work for the Lord during his years.
43:41
Have you ever read about his conversion?
43:45
He was converted at the age of 15.
43:48
He'd been brought up in a Christian home.
43:51
And he tried to read the Bible.
43:53
And say his prayers himself.
43:55
But he knew that there was something missing.
43:58
He just wasn't fulfilled.
44:00
He was feeling quite miserable and low in his life.
44:04
But there was this one Sunday at the age of 15.
44:07
And he was on his way to church.
44:09
To his regular church.
44:11
But the night was snowing.
44:13
And cold.
44:14
And he got caught up in this snowstorm.
44:17
And he ended up going down an alley just to take shelter.
44:21
Expecting to continue on to his own church once it had passed.
44:25
But what happened was he ended up seeing another church.
44:28
An old Methodist church with a small congregation.
44:32
So he nipped in there just to take shelter.
44:34
And as he was sitting in there.
44:37
The regular preacher wasn't there.
44:39
And was a substitute as he calls it in his testimony.
44:43
He came into the pulpit.
44:45
And the man who was preaching.
44:47
He said he didn't have much to say.
44:50
And he just kept repeating the text that he was preaching from.
44:55
And the text was from Isaiah chapter 45 verse 22.
44:59
Which says look unto me and be ye saved.
45:03
All the ends of the earth.
45:05
For I am God and there is none else.
45:09
And that word cut him to the heart.
45:13
And that night God really worked in him.
45:17
And brought that assurance of salvation into his heart.
45:22
God's word is powerful.
45:27
So we are to put away all that hinders.
45:29
And instead crave this spiritual milk like newborn infants.
45:36
If we have tasted the Lord as good.
45:39
We long for more.
45:41
The second thing we see here is the truth.
45:45
It builds up and causes to stumble.
45:49
It's as if he takes us next into the building site.
45:54
And you see in going forward into verse 4 there.
45:59
As you come to him.
46:00
A living stone rejected by men.
46:03
He's talking here about the construction that goes on.
46:08
The cornerstone which is Christ.
46:12
Everything else is built on him.
46:15
It's all about Christ.
46:18
And how we are to come to him.
46:20
To worship him.
46:23
You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house.
46:28
To be a holy priesthood.
46:29
To offer spiritual sacrifices.
46:33
We are to be a people who worship.
46:37
This truth.
46:39
It builds us up.
46:41
And what Peter is saying here is.
46:45
You are to come to him.
46:47
To constantly come to him.
46:50
As you come to him.
46:52
Who is a living stone rejected by men.
46:57
He is saying keep coming to this word.
47:00
He doesn't just mean keep coming to church each week.
47:04
He doesn't mean just keep tuning in online each week.
47:08
What he means is keep coming to the Lord Jesus Christ.
47:13
Keep building yourself up on the foundation that is Christ.
47:17
Believing in him with all your heart.
47:22
For it says whoever believes will not be put to shame.
47:27
Whoever believes will not be put to shame.
47:31
People today are always trying to find the plan for recovery.
47:37
In so many different ways and formats in life.
47:41
People are looking for recovery.
47:43
In so many different ways.
47:45
We think of economic recovery just now.
47:47
The Chancellor putting out another budget this week.
47:51
And looking for a way for our nation to recover.
47:55
And a plan being put into place.
48:00
We are to follow this plan for recovery.
48:02
Because that is the way we will make progress.
48:07
But so often the plans for recovery have no word of God.
48:14
And what Peter is saying here is.
48:16
As he looks to a people scattered.
48:19
Discouraged.
48:19
Going through trials.
48:21
And they are thinking.
48:21
How can we recover?
48:23
How can we come through this?
48:25
He is saying it is not about your plans.
48:27
It is not about rejecting Jesus.
48:31
What you need is Jesus Christ as the cornerstone.
48:36
The stone upon which everything else is built.
48:40
Because we are not going to recover.
48:42
We are not going to be in the right plan.
48:44
Unless we have him as the cornerstone.
48:48
And so the gospel says come.
48:52
Come to him.
48:55
Come to the one who is the living stone.
48:59
He was rejected by men.
49:02
But in the sight of God chosen and precious.
49:07
And how precious is this cornerstone.
49:11
How important is this cornerstone.
49:15
It is of greatest importance to us.
49:19
Without the right foundation.
49:21
Everything else will crumble.
49:25
And the gospel is our foundation.
49:28
Because Jesus Christ is the heart of that gospel.
49:33
It is all about him.
49:36
Romans chapter 1 verse 16 says.
49:39
For I am not ashamed of the gospel.
49:42
For it is the power of God to salvation.
49:46
For everyone who believes.
49:51
Faith and believing is at the heart of this gospel.
49:56
We are to believe in him.
49:59
The honor is for you who believe.
50:02
It says in verse 7.
50:04
So do you?
50:05
Do you believe in the Lord Jesus?
50:09
Do you believe in his gospel and its power?
50:12
Romans 1 verse 16 says.
50:16
I am not ashamed of the gospel.
50:18
I am not stumbling over the gospel.
50:21
I am not stumbling over Jesus.
50:23
My faith.
50:25
My trust.
50:26
Is in him.
50:28
But if you are ashamed.
50:30
If you do not believe.
50:32
You are just pushing that away.
50:33
You are stumbling over the very thing.
50:36
That is able to save.
50:37
The very thing that has the power.
50:39
To save you.
50:41
When it speaks there in Romans.
50:43
Of the power of God.
50:44
To salvation.
50:46
The word there for power.
50:47
In the Greek is dunamis.
50:50
And that is where our word today.
50:52
For dynamite comes.
50:55
That is the power.
50:56
That is behind this word.
50:58
That is the power.
50:59
That is behind this truth.
51:02
It is dynamite.
51:03
It is explosive.
51:04
It is power to break into our hearts.
51:09
As you look across to our nation these days.
51:12
As you see the work going on for the new pier there.
51:16
And you will hear it through certain points too.
51:19
The breaking of the rocks.
51:21
Those rocks that are so hard.
51:23
Being broken down bit by bit.
51:26
And then those rocks being used.
51:28
As the foundation of the new pier.
51:30
Well our foundation is Christ.
51:35
And it is his truth.
51:37
That breaks down our hard hearts.
51:40
Through the power of this word.
51:42
The dynamite of this word.
51:45
It is a word that is powerful.
51:48
And able to save.
51:51
You are either being built up by it.
51:54
Or you are stumbling over it.
51:57
But Peter says to come.
52:01
To come to him.
52:03
Who is the living stone.
52:06
He may have been rejected by others.
52:08
He may be being rejected by many today.
52:11
But you are to come.
52:13
And to put your trust in him.
52:17
And as Peter finally as we see here.
52:20
As he is speaking these words to them.
52:22
He is reminding that this truth.
52:25
This word.
52:26
Points to recovery.
52:29
The reason why the word became flesh.
52:32
And dwelt among us.
52:33
Was for our salvation.
52:36
That we might find our hope.
52:38
In the Lord Jesus Christ.
52:41
And again.
52:41
You just go back to chapter 1.
52:44
As we were thinking.
52:46
The foundation of this truth.
52:48
It is really what is in verse 19.
52:50
It is all about the precious blood of Christ.
52:55
What he has done for us.
52:57
The foundation.
52:58
The cornerstone is Christ.
53:00
And what he has done for us.
53:03
We are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.
53:09
Do you believe the word of God?
53:13
Do you believe that is the good news.
53:15
As it is preached to you at the end of chapter 1.
53:18
Do you believe that this word is able to change hearts.
53:24
To change even your heart.
53:27
It is a powerful word.
53:30
It is a word that has changed hearts over years.
53:35
And many have testified and do testify.
53:38
About knowing the power that there is in this word.
53:43
It is the power of God to salvation.
53:46
And I want to leave you today.
53:49
With a testimony.
53:52
A testimony of one.
53:53
Who came to experience this power for himself.
53:57
Even though he felt.
53:59
So unworthy.
54:00
And that his heart.
54:02
Was not able to be changed.
54:04
He came to know.
54:05
The power of God.
54:07
And the truth of God's word.
54:09
That was able to transform.
54:11
His life.
54:13
It is a powerful testimony.
54:15
It is a moving testimony.
54:18
And it is a testimony that was told.
54:20
By a preacher in the past.
54:22
Called Charles Finney.
54:24
Dr. Charles Finney.
54:26
And he was once preaching.
54:28
In the city of Detroit.
54:30
In Michigan.
54:31
In the United States.
54:34
And that night.
54:35
There was a man in the congregation.
54:38
A man who was known.
54:39
By so many who belonged to that congregation.
54:42
A man who was known.
54:45
For stumbling in so many ways.
54:47
In life.
54:49
Who rejected.
54:50
The Lord Jesus.
54:52
And who in the eyes of so many.
54:53
Had no interest.
54:54
In him.
54:56
But this man that night.
54:57
He was under conviction.
55:00
The Lord was speaking.
55:02
Into his heart.
55:03
And that night.
55:06
Dr. Charles Finney.
55:07
Was preaching.
55:09
On a text from 1 John.
55:11
Chapter 1.
55:13
The text was.
55:14
The blood of Jesus Christ.
55:16
God's son.
55:18
Cleanseth us.
55:19
From all sin.
55:21
That was.
55:22
What he was preaching.
55:24
After the service.
55:26
The man who was under conviction.
55:28
He went to Dr. Finney.
55:29
And asked him.
55:31
If he would walk home.
55:32
With him.
55:34
Some of the others.
55:34
In the church.
55:35
Knowing that man.
55:37
They advised against him.
55:38
Going with him.
55:40
But Charles Finney.
55:41
Felt that he should.
55:43
And so he went.
55:44
And walked home.
55:46
With him.
55:47
And when they reached.
55:48
A building.
55:50
The stranger.
55:51
The strange man said.
55:52
I want you to come in.
55:53
Here.
55:54
With me.
55:55
And they went in.
55:56
And stranger.
55:57
Locked the door.
55:58
Behind him.
55:59
And put his key.
56:00
The key in his pocket.
56:01
But he said.
56:02
Don't be afraid.
56:04
I'm not going to hurt you.
56:06
I just want to ask you.
56:08
A few questions.
56:10
The first question.
56:12
He asked of Charles Finney.
56:13
Was.
56:14
Do you believe.
56:15
What you preached.
56:17
Tonight.
56:19
Dr. Charles Finney.
56:21
Responded by saying.
56:22
I most certainly.
56:24
Do.
56:25
Well the man continued.
56:27
You see this building.
56:28
We're in.
56:30
Here we are.
56:31
In this room.
56:31
It's the back.
56:32
Of the bar.
56:34
Which I own.
56:36
And he said.
56:37
Wives.
56:38
Come into my bar.
56:40
With their babies.
56:42
Begging me.
56:42
Not to sell drinks.
56:44
To their husbands.
56:46
And yet.
56:46
I turn.
56:47
A deaf ear.
56:48
To their cry.
56:49
Dr.
56:50
Finney.
56:50
Tell me.
56:52
Can God.
56:53
Forgive.
56:53
A man like me.
56:56
Dr.
56:56
Finney replied.
56:57
I have.
56:58
I have.
56:58
But one authority.
57:00
The word of God.
57:01
Which says.
57:02
The blood of Jesus Christ.
57:04
God's son.
57:05
Cleanseth us.
57:07
From all sin.
57:10
The man.
57:10
Kyron.
57:11
Saying.
57:11
That's not all.
57:13
In another room.
57:14
Back there.
57:15
I run.
57:16
I run.
57:16
A gambling hall.
57:18
It's not enough.
57:19
That we get.
57:20
People to spend.
57:21
Their money on drink.
57:23
We make sure.
57:24
That we get.
57:24
Every penny.
57:25
Of them.
57:26
Of them.
57:27
By taking them.
57:28
Into the gambling room.
57:29
And fixing the cards.
57:31
So they're never.
57:32
Going to win.
57:34
And we send.
57:35
These men home.
57:36
To their families.
57:37
Their hungry families.
57:38
Penniless.
57:40
Dr.
57:41
Finney.
57:41
Tell me.
57:42
Honestly.
57:43
Can God.
57:44
Forgive.
57:45
A man.
57:45
Like me.
57:48
And again.
57:48
Dr.
57:49
Finney replied.
57:50
Again.
57:50
He says.
57:51
I have.
57:51
But one authority.
57:52
The word of God.
57:53
Which says.
57:54
The blood of Jesus Christ.
57:56
God's son.
57:57
Cleanseth us.
57:58
From all sin.
58:01
The man carried on.
58:03
And said.
58:04
That's not all.
58:07
Across the street.
58:08
Is my home.
58:09
Where my wife.
58:10
And my little daughter.
58:11
Live.
58:13
Neither of them.
58:14
Has heard a kind word.
58:15
From me.
58:16
In five years.
58:19
I'm an awful husband.
58:21
I'm an awful father.
58:23
I'm an awful man.
58:25
Dr.
58:26
Finney.
58:27
Do you think God.
58:29
Could forgive.
58:30
A man.
58:32
With a heart.
58:32
Like that.
58:34
Dr.
58:35
Finney carried on.
58:37
With his head lowered.
58:39
And his eyes.
58:39
Beginning to fill.
58:40
With tears.
58:41
He said.
58:41
My friend.
58:43
You have painted.
58:43
One of the darkest.
58:44
Pictures.
58:46
I have ever.
58:47
Gazed on.
58:50
But still.
58:51
I have one authority.
58:53
The blood.
58:54
Of Jesus Christ.
58:56
Cleanseth us.
58:58
From all sin.
58:59
The word.
59:02
Was taking hold.
59:04
Of the man's heart.
59:06
Finney prayed.
59:07
With a man.
59:08
The man opened the door.
59:10
And ushered him out.
59:11
Into the night.
59:12
And he stayed.
59:13
In that room.
59:14
All night.
59:16
Until daybreak.
59:18
He ripped.
59:19
Every deck.
59:20
Of cards.
59:21
That was in that building.
59:22
He poured.
59:24
Every bottle.
59:25
Down the sink.
59:27
And he poured.
59:28
His heart.
59:28
Out to God.
59:30
And the Lord.
59:31
Cleansed.
59:32
Him from all.
59:33
His sin.
59:35
He went across.
59:37
The road.
59:37
In the morning.
59:38
And he sat.
59:38
In the living room.
59:40
And his little girl.
59:41
Called.
59:42
Daddy.
59:43
Mom.
59:43
Mom says.
59:44
Breakfast.
59:45
Is ready.
59:47
When he replied.
59:48
With a kind.
59:49
And polite word.
59:51
His daughter.
59:52
Ran back.
59:52
To his.
59:53
To her mother.
59:54
And said.
59:55
Dad spoke.
59:56
Nice to me.
59:58
Something's wrong.
1:00:00
And the mother.
1:00:01
Followed the little girl.
1:00:02
Back into the living room.
1:00:03
And that man.
1:00:04
Called them both.
1:00:06
Took them.
1:00:06
Each one.
1:00:07
On each knee.
1:00:07
And he explained.
1:00:08
To their amazement.
1:00:10
That they had.
1:00:11
A new husband.
1:00:13
And a new father.
1:00:15
He said.
1:00:15
I'm done.
1:00:16
With that business.
1:00:18
Across the street.
1:00:19
Christ.
1:00:20
Is now.
1:00:21
My master.
1:00:25
The blood.
1:00:27
Of Jesus Christ.
1:00:28
Cleanseth.
1:00:29
From all sin.
1:00:31
That is how powerful.
1:00:33
It is.
1:00:33
To take hold.
1:00:34
In the hearts.
1:00:36
That are even.
1:00:37
Harder than anything.
1:00:38
We could imagine.
1:00:38
Ourselves.
1:00:39
All our hearts.
1:00:41
Are so hard.
1:00:43
That man.
1:00:44
Went on.
1:00:45
To follow Jesus.
1:00:46
The rest of his days.
1:00:47
Serving the Lord.
1:00:49
Through that church.
1:00:52
A great lesson.
1:00:53
About a faithful preacher.
1:00:56
Who had every trust.
1:00:57
In the word he preached.
1:01:00
And a faithful man.
1:01:01
Who came to believe.
1:01:03
And go on.
1:01:04
In the strength.
1:01:05
Of the Lord.
1:01:07
It is a word.
1:01:08
That is powerful.
1:01:10
And the word says.
1:01:12
Come.
1:01:12
Come.
1:01:13
Come.
1:01:14
To every one of us.
1:01:17
Because Christ.
1:01:18
Offers me.
1:01:20
Everything.
1:01:22
Let us come.
1:01:23
And know.
1:01:24
The power.
1:01:25
Of this word.
1:01:26
To crave.
1:01:27
And long.
1:01:28
For it.
1:01:29
Not to stumble.
1:01:30
Over it.
1:01:31
But to be built.
1:01:32
Up by it.
1:01:34
To all grace.
1:01:35
And glory.
1:01:36
By the Lord.
1:01:37
Jesus Christ.
1:01:38
May he bless.
1:01:39
His word.
1:01:40
To us.
1:01:41
We'll conclude.
1:01:46
By singing.
1:01:47
To God's praise.
1:01:48
In Psalm 34.
1:01:50
In the Scottish.
1:01:52
Psalter version.
1:01:53
Psalm 34.
1:01:54
At verse 5.
1:01:58
We'll sing.
1:01:59
Down to verse 9.
1:02:01
They looked to him.
1:02:02
Enlightened were.
1:02:02
Not shamed.
1:02:04
Were their faces.
1:02:05
This poor man cried.
1:02:07
God heard.
1:02:07
And saved him.
1:02:08
From all his distresses.
1:02:11
We'll sing from verse 5 to 9.
1:02:13
To God's praise.
1:02:14
They looked to him.
1:02:23
And lighted were.
1:02:27
Not shamed.
1:02:31
Where their faces.
1:02:33
This poor man died.
1:02:34
This poor man died.
1:02:38
All hurt and sick.
1:02:43
It from all his distresses.
1:02:50
The angel of the Lord.
1:02:59
set up.
1:03:11
On God's death.
1:03:12
that Somehow
1:03:17
and
1:03:37
in the
1:03:39
midst
1:03:40
fear
1:03:42
God
1:03:44
is
1:03:45
saints
1:03:46
and that
1:03:49
in fear
1:03:50
shall be
1:03:53
with
1:03:54
what
1:03:56
opens
1:03:57
after the benediction I'll go to the main
1:04:03
door we'll close with the benediction
1:04:05
now may grace
1:04:06
mercy and peace from God
1:04:09
Father Son and Holy Spirit
1:04:11
rest upon and
1:04:12
abide with you all now and
1:04:14
forevermore. Amen.