[0:00] We are going to worship God now singing to His praise from Psalm 139, Psalm 139 and verse 14.
[0:21] Psalm 139 at verse 14. In Thee will I praise, for fearfully and strangely made I am. Thy works are marvellous and write well, my soul doth know the same.
[0:35] My substance was not hid from Thee, when as in secret I was made, and in earth's lowest parts was wrought most curiously.
[0:46] Thine eyes my substance did behold, yet being unperfect. And in the volume of Thy book my members all were writ, which after in continuance were fashioned every one, when as they yet all shapeless were, and of them there was none.
[1:06] How precious also are Thy thoughts, O gracious God, to me! And in their sun how passing great and numberless they be! If I should count them, than the sand they more in number be, for time soever I awake, I ever am with Thee.
[1:26] And so on, these verses of Psalm 139 to God's praise. Verse 14. Thee will I praise, for fearfully and strangely made I am.
[1:38] Thee will I praise, for fearfully and strangely made I am.
[1:59] Thy words are hard, with that right well, my soul doth know the same.
[2:16] My substance was not in from Thee, when the silly and great life was made, and in the jaguar mir aquele, and my spirit the same.
[2:42] God's love is hard, Oatramando, O ثoub, oscoutjes, jeg subremet. Thy night that, my dest victims,atrai 200 Charリos To my help the joy we're ready Which after the end of the end You answer when I should give thee one When I should give thee one
[3:47] Of the ship let me And love them there was none How precious Lord to all Thy thoughts so precious All to me And in their song A passing grace A numberless living If I should count them The sound they more In numbering
[4:49] For times no end But I'll wait I never Not with thee Let's join together in prayer Let us pray Lord God in heaven We who are here on earth Seek to draw near If it was a matter of Physical locality That we who are here And God who is Some distance away By the way of man's reckoning That it would not be Possible for us to commune with you And yet you are spirit You are infinite
[5:50] You are eternal You are many things Besides As your word Sets these things out For us to Comprehend And to Contemplate But we Acknowledge that while It is set before us In Holy root That you sit upon the throne Of the universe That you occupy Heaven And the heaven Of heavens So too You are spirit And you dwell Amongst us And we Acknowledge As we Even spoke Of Freakingly In the morning That you are Here in this world Wherever We are In this world And especially Wherever your people are Because While you may be In all places And there is no place That you are not
[6:51] You are Especially Present To the senses Of your people As they Are led By your spirit To Comprehend Your presence But there are times When they are More Prevalent Than They are Absent When they are Oblivious To your presence One of your servants Said That the Lord Was in this place And I knew it not And you revealed Yourself to him As the God Who was there In a very real sense So much so That he never Forgot that place Where you revealed Yourself to him We acknowledge That there are times In our experience When that may be So of us That we can go
[7:53] In Our mind's eye To such places And remind ourselves Of occasions When you presented Yourself to our senses And especially To our soul We give thanks That you are a God Who is able To speak to us On these occasions And speak to us As you have spoken To us Time and time again As we have lived Our life here In this world Sometimes It is true of us That we need to have This constant prayer For recognition Of your voice When you are speaking To us In the words Of the psalmist These words That we have Contemplated In singing We are reminded Of the mystery Connected with The divine Being That you are In our thoughts That you Permeate
[8:54] The atmosphere That we breathe In special ways Stimulating These thoughts And creating In his desires That Oh Divine origin We acknowledge That Such Origin Is divine Because It cannot But be Sometimes We attribute What you are doing To What we are Our thinking Our feeling Our Going about Our daily business And that these things Could not but be Our own But Such is the work That you carry out In the lives Of your people That You are able To do Much Without us Realising that You are engaged In that activity Even as you Walked In the passion Of your Loving son
[9:55] In the company Of two Who were so Taken up With the griefs And the sadnesses Associated with The loss Of her loved One And as they Dwelled upon The death Of the saviour One that they Had come to know And one that they Believed was going To To be of great Significance In their future And yet That was taken From them By death And as they Reflected on What the Lord Had said to them And what he Had meant to them And their sorrows Were Were So deep And yet They could not See That the one Who walked With them Was that very Lord And we Give thanks That the eyes Of their Understanding Were Hopeful And they Were able To comprehend One that They wished To dwell With them Lord help us Even in Situations
[10:56] Such as These Even if That is our Situation this Evening That we Would Pray the God Of heaven To remain With us Even at The end Of the day And that we Would know There is Something of The tenderness And the Compassion Of one Who is Willing to Make himself Known to us In that Respect We pray for Your people With all their Pressing needs Needs that are Known to them Needs that are Hidden from them We pray for Griefs and sorrows And sadnesses That are secret That are private That are hidden And we ask That you would Sanctify Each one Those who are Your people Might they Learn something Of the Loving kindness Of their Lord Those who are Yet to be Numbered amongst Them May they know That there is One to whom They can go And upon whom They can rely
[11:56] And whose ear Is there for them To pour out Their heart Before And that you Are able to Hear them And minister To them In a way No other Can So visit The sick We pray Those that We know That are Dealing with Illnesses Of varying Descriptions Even the Weaknesses Of old age We pray That you would Remember Those who are Confined to Homes Some to Care homes Some in Hospitals Some who are In hospice We pray That you would Remember Those who are Part of the Caring professions And whose role It is To dispense Loving kindness In your name To such We remember All the situations That mark out Our sojourn Here in this world A world that Knows much Of these sorrows Because the
[12:56] Griefs that have Assailed us Attributable as They are to the Fall of man Are ever with us And this will Always be so Until the end Of time We pray Lord That you would Be near to us Through the gospel That your word Would come out Would go out With power And that it would Penetrate Stony hearts Pierce The The defences That we so Readily Raise up Against the Arrows Of the Mighty Almighty God Be Be a source Of Light to us That we may Know that These arrows And these darts That you send Out They are For our healing Rather than For our heart We give thanks That every Sinner that has Ever been Convinced Of their sin Any sinner
[13:58] That has been Convicted Because of Their sin Any Person that Has discovered Their lostness Have also Been directed To one Who could Heal And who could Save So we pray So we pray That you Would work Amongst us And in The lives Of those Who are Especially Estranged From you Remember Lord Those who Do not Presence Themselves In the Lord's house We pray That you Would reach Them where They are And convict Them Even Of their Guilt In denying Themselves And Denying their Souls And nurture And nourishment That our Needy souls Claim We remember The work Of the church And we pray For all Who are Ministers Offered And those Who Uphold These Ministries Wherever They are Carried out Within our Presbytery Within our Nation
[14:58] Those who Have gone Out with The gospel To far Flung Corners We pray That you Would bless The endeavours Of all Such Remember The Our Nations Of the World We pray Again For Afghanistan We Remember The Yemen Remember Places In the World That are Seldom Heard Of And yet Amongst Those Evils That are Done In the World That is Evil Wrought Against Your People Because They are Your People We pray For Your Grace To Accompany That which Is done To them That they May know That God Has not Forgotten Them Even Though This World Would Choose To Do So So Here Our Petitions Bless All That we Would Seek To Leave In Your Care Remembering Each One According To Need Guide In A Path Of Life And Bless Your Word As we Sing
[15:58] It And Read It Forgive Sin In Jesus Name Amen We're Going To Read From The New Testament Scriptures And We're Reading From The Gospel Of Luke The Gospel Of Jesus Christ According To Luke And We're Going To Read From The Beginning Of Chapter 10 And Read Down To Verse 24 Luke Chapter 10 From The Beginning Down To Verse 24 After These Things The Lord Appointed Other Seventy Also And Sent Them Two And Two Before His Face Into Every City And Place Whither He Himself Would Come Therefore Said He Unto Them The Harvest Truly Is Great But The Labourers Are Few Pray Ye Therefore The Lord Of The Harvest That He Would Send For Labourers
[16:59] Into His Harvest Go Your Ways Behold I Send You Forth As Lambs Among Wolves Carried Neither Purse Nor Scrib Nor Shoes And Salute No One By The Way And Into Whatsoever House He Enter First Say Peace Be To This House And If The Son Of Peace Be There Your Peace Shall Rest Upon It If Not It Shall Turn To You Again And In The Same House Remain Eating And Drinking Such Things As They Give For The Labourer Is Worthy Of His Hire Go Not From House To House And Into Whatsoever City He Enter And They Receive You Eat Such Things As Are Said Before You And Heal The Sick That Are Therein And Say Unto Them The Kingdom Of God Is Come Nigh Unto You But Into Whatsoever City He Enter And They Receive You Not Go Your Ways
[17:59] Out Into The Streets Of The Same And Say Even The Very Dust Of Your City Which Cleaveth On Us We Do Wipe Off Against You Not Withstanding Be You Sure Of This That The Kingdom Of God Is Come Nigh Unto You But I Say Unto You That It Shall Be More Tolerable In That Day For Sodom Than For That City Woe Unto Thee Horace Woe Unto Thee Beth Sidah For If The Mighty Works Have Been Done In Tyre And Sidon Which Have Been Done In You They Had A Great While ago Tolerable For Tyre And Sidon Of The Judgment Than For You And Though Capernaum Which Are Exalted To Heaven Shall Be Thrust Down To Hell He That Heareth You Heareth Me And He That Despises You Despiseth Me And
[19:00] He That Despiseth Me Despiseth Him That Sent Me And The Sevent Returned Again With Joy Saying Lord Even The Devils Are Subject Unto Us Through Thy Name And He Said Unto Them I Beheld Satan As Lightning Fall From Heaven Behold I Give Unto You Power To Thread On Serpents And Scorpions And Over All The Power Of The Enemy And Nothing Shall By Any Means Hearth You Not Withstanding In This Rejoice Not That The Spirits Are Subject Unto You But Rather Rejoice Because Your Names Are Written In Heaven In That Hour Jesus Rejoiced In Spirit And Said I I Thank Thee O Father Lord Of Heaven And Earth That Thou Hast Heard These Things From The Wise And Prudent And Has Revealed Them Unto Babes Even So Father For So It Seemed Good
[20:00] In Thy Sight And All Things Are Delivered To Me Of My Father And No Man Knoth Who The Son Is But The Father And Who The Father Is But The Son And He To Whom The Son Will Reveal Him And He Turned Him Unto His Disciples And Said Privately Blessed Are The Eyes Which See The Things That Ye See For I Tell You That Many Prophets And Kings Have Desired To See Those Things Which Ye See And Have Not Seen Them And To Hear Those Things Which Ye Hear And Have Not Heard Them Amen And May The Lord That His Blessing To This Reading Of His Word And To His Name Be The Praise We're Going To Sing Now From Psalm 56 Psalm 56 From The Beginning Of The Psalm Down To Verse 8 Show
[21:02] Mercy Lord To Me For Man Would Swallow Me Out Right He Me Oppresseth While He Doth Against Me Daily Fight They Daily Would Me Swallow Up That Hate Me Spitefully For There Be Many That Do Fight Against Me Almost High While I'm When I'm Afraid I'll Trust In In God I'll Praise His Word I Will Not Fear What Flesh Can Do My Trust Is In The Lord Each Day They Rest My Words Their Thoughts Against Me Are All For Ill They Meet They Lurk They Mark My Steps Waiting My Soul To Kill But Shall They By Iniquity Escape Thy Judgment So God God With Indignation Down Do Thou The People Throw My Wanderings All What They Have Been Thou Knows Their Number Two Into Thy Boft Put My Tears Are They Not In
[22:02] Thy Book And So On We Shall Sing From Verse One Down To Verse Eight Psalm 56 So Mercy Lord To Me For Man Would Swallow Me Out Right Show Mercy Lord To Me For Man Would Swallow Me I Fight In May O Present Why Be God Past Night
[23:07] SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES
[24:37] SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG AT SONG CONTINUES
[25:39] SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES SONG CONTINUES We can turn for a short while to the passage read, the New Testament Scriptures, the Gospel of Luke chapter 10. And we can read verse 20.
[26:05] Not withstanding in this rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.
[26:21] Rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. I would like us this evening very briefly to consider three thoughts arising out of this passage.
[26:38] First of all, we are told that the disciples rejoice. Secondly, we discern that the Lord rebukes.
[26:55] And thirdly, we are reminded of what we ought to do. That we should ensure that our names be written in heaven.
[27:15] So three things I would like us to consider arising out of these words. We can see that the disciples are full of joy.
[27:30] Jesus has sent them out. We read that they are sent out and 70 along with them.
[27:43] Whether that's 70 in total or perhaps 70 plus 12. They are sent to every city and place. They are sent to go before Christ as forerunners.
[27:58] To speak of Christ. To forewarn the people of his coming. And they are sent to the people of his coming. And they are sent to the people of his coming. And they are given power to heal the sick.
[28:11] To proclaim the coming kingdom. And they are also forewarned about the danger of their mission.
[28:22] They are told that they are to go out as lambs before wolves. Or amongst wolves. And we read there that they would be encountered with a mixed reception.
[28:42] That there would be some who would take their message with gladness. With delight. That they would welcome them. And that they would welcome them into their homes.
[28:56] Because of the one whose name they were coming in. But there were also those who would reject them. And despise them because of the one in whose name they were coming.
[29:16] Jesus tells them how things will be. And that's important for us to recognize. Because sometimes we get things wrong.
[29:29] More often than not we get things wrong. We think that the Christian message is always a message that is bound to be acceptable.
[29:43] Bound to be received. Bound to carry favour. Or to bring favour. Bound to be received. Bound to be received. And when that doesn't happen.
[29:54] It's almost surprising to us. Jesus does not hide the realities of what this world is about from anyone. And we shouldn't forget.
[30:09] That there are many in this world who do not receive the message of the Gospel. Into whatsoever city ye enter and they receive you not.
[30:22] Go your ways out into the streets of the same and say, Even the very dust of your city which cleaveth on us, We do wipe off against you.
[30:33] Notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. That's an interesting statement.
[30:48] Whether people choose to acknowledge Christ or not. Whether people choose to accept Christ or not. That the Lord has come into this world to seek and to save the lost.
[31:07] And if the lost choose not to receive Christ or to acknowledge Christ as Saviour, that's not going to alter the message of the Gospel. That's not going to change why he came and what he came to do.
[31:21] Whether we live in a generation of people who in the majority appear to believe that the majority opinion is the one that will prevail.
[31:35] And that will ultimately end in the world wiping off the face of the planet, as it were. The name of Christ.
[31:46] There have been many generations who have had the same thought. But the name of Christ is still proclaimed. The believer in Christ still exists.
[32:03] There might be few in number. There might not be as many amongst their own people as once were there. But that will not change. The message will not change.
[32:14] Now these disciples went out and they encountered those that Christ said that they would encounter.
[32:26] Those who received them gladly and those who despised them. And we are told that they returned from their mission filled with joy.
[32:36] Now you would think that Jesus is against their rejoicing. That's not what this is saying at all.
[32:49] He is never against the men and women of this world having enjoyment. Or having pleasure. Just for the sake of being opposed to it.
[33:04] And yet he is opposed to the rejoicing of the disciples at this point. In a very specific way. And that must be underlined.
[33:17] They had good reason to rejoice for every sinner that repented. They had good reason to rejoice for the success of their mission in the proclamation of the gospel.
[33:32] And for every man, woman and child that heard of Christ and believed in Christ. They had every reason to be glad for that.
[33:44] But Christ points to one thing and one thing in particular. That is that they are rejoicing as it were for the wrong reason.
[34:00] 70 returned again with joy saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning falling, fall from heaven.
[34:16] Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions. And over all the power of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the spirits are subject to you.
[34:36] But rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. I think what we must see is that very subtly the disciples have been distracted by reason of the success of their going out in Christ's name and for the activity they were engaged in, giving fruit to the glory of God.
[35:05] But they were distracted from the very reason for which they were sent out to focus upon what should have been peripheral, what should have been of less import.
[35:27] If we read as a part of this the fact that the Lord Jesus himself rejoiced, he rejoiced at the gospel being preached.
[35:41] I think we should recognise that. Many of the commentators say this is the only passage in the scripture that tells us that Jesus rejoiced. This is the only passage, the only part of scripture where we read of the Christ rejoicing for any reason.
[36:02] We read in the scripture of Christ being a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. We read of occasions when Jesus wept. That when he was moved to sorrow, a great size coming forth from his body because of what he was witnessed to.
[36:21] And some people take from that that Christ at no point had any cause for joy. But that's going beyond scripture.
[36:33] What we read here is that And so on.
[36:53] His rejoicing is without a shadow of doubt, free from any accusation that his joy was pure, that his joy was delight in the fruition of the gospel being successful, men and women being converted.
[37:14] People hearing the word and believing the truth of that word and embracing by faith the Christ of which that word spoke.
[37:24] And he rejoiced in that. And so the disciples should have rejoiced because of that. The disciples had every right to rejoice and be glad.
[37:40] I agree with Bishop Ryle. Although I looked at various commentators and not many of them go down this road.
[37:51] But Bishop Ryle says this, When he saw a few poor men and women receiving the glad tidings of salvation, even his heart was refreshed.
[38:02] He saw it and was glad. Christ saw that and was glad. But the disciples at this point are distracted by the accompaniment of the preaching.
[38:18] Christ empowered them to preach the gospel. Christ gave them power over spirits and devils. Christ gave them the capacity to deal with the enmity that was in the world before them.
[38:33] And when they saw that, they were, they were, they were in a sense, captivated by that.
[38:49] If I speak to you, Christian, tonight, I would sincerely hope that if you ever hear of a convert, wherever that convert is found, that you would rejoice in your heart because of that.
[39:06] I would want to rejoice with you for every sinner that has come to knowledge of Christ Jesus. Every Christian friend here should have that desire in them to rejoice at the thought of the gospel yielding fruit.
[39:26] I would hope that you, unconverted man or woman, boy or girl, that you too would rejoice in your heart because you are seeing there a hope for your own soul, that there is possibility for you that you too one day might close in with that Christ and experience salvation.
[39:51] But it is a slender hope until such time as you make that Christ your own. But Christ here is pointing out to the fecalness of our human nature.
[40:10] And this is the strange thing when you hear the words of Christ to the disciples. Although they have a legitimate right to rejoice by this subtle deviation, they are momentarily perhaps or even without thinking distracted into looking at something that is really not the reason for their rejoicing.
[40:46] Their true cause for rejoicing is the conversion of the unconverted. The coming to Christ of those who are estranged from them are never knowing that Christ in their life.
[41:02] Jesus, I believe, rebukes them because they have lost sight of that fact. I mentioned Bishop Ryland.
[41:13] He says there was much false fire in their joy. What he means by that is this, that intermingled with the joy that they had was the distraction of these other things that accompanied their preaching.
[41:35] You know, they were empowered. It doesn't matter who the preacher is. It doesn't matter how powerful he preaches. It's not by virtue of their ability to preach or the power that they possess in preaching the gospel that converts result.
[41:53] It's because God in his misery touches the lives of those who are dead in trespasses and sins and quickens them. It's God's doing. The disciples could no more convert a sinner than any one of us could convert a sinner except it be for the power of God that equipped them to do it.
[42:16] And for a moment these people were seeing devils brought under their sway as it were. They couldn't do that without God's help.
[42:29] Now perhaps I'm doing them a disservice and I said not all the writers agree. And the point may be a subtle one but I believe because of the emphasis that the Lord Jesus Christ himself puts upon it that it is a real one.
[42:50] Whatever the signs may be whatever the evidences that God is working may be the ultimate end of what is done is the conversion of sinners.
[43:06] Let me take you for a moment through the day of Pentecost. You read that chapter for yourself. Read what happened on the day of Pentecost.
[43:17] You read of the wind the brushing wind that came. You read of the cloven tons of fire. you read of all the supernatural accompanying events that were concurrent with the spirit working in the lives of three thousand souls and bringing them to faith in Christ.
[43:42] What is it that's important to remember? That these things took place? Oh no doubt these things are memorable. These things are evidences in themselves that there is something strange happening, that there is something mighty and powerful taking place, but were it not for the converts, were it not for the quickening of dead lost souls, these other things would have been of no consequence.
[44:15] And that's what Jesus wants these disciples to remember. do you remember? Read this passage in Acts for yourselves.
[44:28] There were people present at that moment who saw the very things that were responsible for the conversion of their souls, for the quickening of their souls.
[44:41] They saw these things, they heard these things, they had eyes to see all of these supernatural occurrences, and they believed it to be the result of strong drink.
[44:54] They believed it to be the result of something other than God, anything but God. so it is to this day.
[45:07] But for the believer, they must not be distracted from God or from the fact that it is God that is working. And Jesus reminds us of that in the way that he deals with the disciples at this point.
[45:28] And you know the disciples were not free from missing the point. They were not free from time to time in being distracted by personal ambition.
[45:44] On more than one occasion, the disciples had to be challenged about what they desired for themselves. Not for the glory of God, not for the good of his kingdom, not for the blessing of sinners, but where am I going to be in the kingdom?
[46:07] Remember the mother of James and John. She wanted her sons to be sitting one on the right and one on the left of the Lord in glory.
[46:19] What was that but personal ambition? because they had lost sight for a moment of who God was and what God was doing and what the Lord Jesus Christ was in the world to do and what it meant to serve him and follow him and work for him.
[46:41] The wrong priority. And Jesus tells them what their priority should be. rejoice not he says that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.
[47:05] If you want a real reason for celebration, if you want a real reason to have your heart filled with elation and joy, think of this.
[47:21] In the Bible we read of the book of life. At death the names of all who are in the book of life are written out, they're removed from it.
[47:35] But there is another book of life in which only the righteous are named. and the names of the righteous are never removed from that book.
[47:52] I think in his comments on this passage here, Leon Morris, who very often focuses on the original Greek, he says the words that are used by Christ here tells us, it's in the perfect tense, it tells us that those who are in the book of life are there permanently.
[48:19] They are written in heaven permanently. They are not going to be obliterated by anything, by any power, by anything that man can do, anything that God will do, because he himself has written it in heaven.
[48:33] a permanent inscription by the hand of God and whoever that person is, his name cannot be removed.
[48:49] The epistle to the Hebrews refers to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. if you go to the epistle, to the book of the Revelation, written by John, there you find repeated reference to the book of the Lamb.
[49:12] The Lamb's book of life, chapter 3, we read, he that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name, out of the book of life.
[49:26] But I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. And that's what Jesus is saying. Yes, I've sent you out.
[49:40] Yes, you've been successful in proclaiming the gospel. Yes, you've seen success and you've seen converts. You've seen the spirits, the evil spirits, yield to you.
[49:56] the devil's turned their back on you. Because I have empowered you, because I have equipped you to deal with such. And you have been emboldened by my spirit, so that would be the case.
[50:13] But that is not your true reason for rejoicing. if you want a reason to rejoice, ensure that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, written in heaven, he says here.
[50:31] God is good. And when we ask ourselves the question, what are the things that cause us to rejoice, must?
[50:44] What is it that brings joy to our hearts? And very often, they're selfish. Maybe there's no doubt about it, I wouldn't say, maybe, I think it's definitely the case that many of the things that give us pleasure and delight and joy in this world, they are things that we can legitimately rejoice for.
[51:10] We rejoice in our family, we rejoice in our work, we take delight in success in all of these things. But these things are not the things that will survive, it will not be the things that truly matter.
[51:36] Some of you will have heard of the preacher D. L. Moody, and if you ever read any of his sermons, he was someone who was very, very good at using the power of emotion to stimulate his congregation, move him to tears.
[51:56] that wasn't a bad thing, I suppose, his preaching was greatly blessed during his lifetime. One of the illustrations he uses is based upon a hymn, I'm not very familiar with it, but I've heard it quoted occasionally.
[52:17] early. And it goes something like this, when the role was called up yonder, I'll be there. And he tells the story of what we quoted in the morning, the American Civil War, of a soldier who was lying on the battlefield, and he was dying, crying, and his fellow soldiers were hearing him cry, and they thought he was crying for water, and when they went to him, and they asked him if they could give him a drink, and he says, I'm not wanting a drink.
[53:01] They're calling my name in heaven, and I'm saying, but I'm ready, I'm here. A roll call of heaven, and he was responding because he was ready to go.
[53:17] Now, maybe you're saying, that's not the way it is, but the way it is, is the way Christ says it is. There is a book, there is something that God has composed, upon which he has written, large, the names of those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
[53:48] And every single one of these, they are not forgotten, they are not despised, they are not neglected by God, they are not overlooked by God, they will be remembered by God, because he has written their name, where it will not be expunged.
[54:13] Next Tuesday, the Presbytery will meet, and at that meeting of Presbytery, the Presbytery will begin its meeting with a roll call. every minister and elder who is a member of Presbytery, their name will be called, and those who are there will respond, those who are not will not.
[54:36] there may be some whose names are on that roll, there may be some whose names are on the communion roll, there may be some who are believing themselves to be on this roll, that Christ is speaking of, that they are on it, but they are not.
[55:02] And that's why Christ is saying to the disciples, rejoice because your names are written in heaven, rejoice because you know yourself to be amongst God's people, rejoice because you know that Christ is your saviour and your Lord.
[55:25] There's your true reason for joy, whatever you are able to do in his name, whatever you are encouraged to do in his name, whatever he equips you to do in his name.
[55:36] No, maybe in our day and generation we don't have face to face confrontation with devils in the way the disciples were. But it doesn't mean that they're not in this world, the evil spirits are not at work in this world, that the devil is not rampant in this world, not at all, he's better equipped than he ever was to disguise his activity.
[56:04] Just take a good look at the world in which you live in, and this world doesn't believe in God, none does it believe in the devil. But that doesn't mean that God is not God, or the devil is not the devil.
[56:19] And God's people are equipped by God to defend themselves against the wicked one and all his devices.
[56:35] But their success is no reason to celebrate simply on the basis of their success, or otherwise. But because Christ is Christ, God is God, and salvation is salvation, and the names of the saved are written large, in the Lamb's Book of Life, written in heaven.
[57:00] So in the words of the hymn, when the role is called up yonder, you'll be there if there is such a thing. Well, think of the words of the Lord Jesus.
[57:15] He delighted. It's amazing when you think of the way he was. He rejoiced. He rejoiced, All things are delivered to me of my Father, and no man knoweth who the Son is but the Father, and who the Father is but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
[57:36] And he turned to his disciples and said, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them, to hear the things which you hear, and have not heard them.
[57:55] You are privileged amongst this world of ours and the number of us. You're privileged. So privileged for your exposure to the gospel, for your instruction in the God's word.
[58:15] You have much to be grateful for. God's love. But don't deceive yourself that that is all you want, that is all that you need.
[58:28] You want to be sure of your name being written in heaven. May God bless his word to us. Let us pray. Lord God, we pray that you would encourage us to believe that the salvation of the just lies in your hands and whoever you have sent out into this world will always encounter enmity and will always encounter things that will frustrate and cause great grief.
[59:02] but we give thanks that your word will yield fruit to the glory of your name and those who yield their lives to the claims of the gospel will find that their names are at large where they cannot be forgotten.
[59:19] Hear our prayers and cleanse from sin in Jesus' name. Amen. Our closing psalm is Psalm 87. Psalm 87 will sing the whole psalm.
[59:30] Upon the hills of holiness he his foundation sets. God more than Jacob's dwellings all delights in Zion's gates.
[59:41] Things glorious are said of thee, thou city of the Lord, Rahab and Babel, I to those that know me will record. Behold, even Tyrus and with it the land of Palestine and likewise Ethiopia, this man was born therein.
[59:58] And it of Zion shall be said, this man and that man there was born and he that is most high himself shall establish her. When God the people writes, he'll count that this man born was there, there be that sing and play and all my wealth praise in the hour.
[60:19] Psalm 87, the whole psalm to God's praise, upon the hills of holiness he his foundation sets. God upon the hills of holiness see his foundation sets.
[60:44] God more than jade, God spread his own he writes in Zion's gate, things glory has said of thee, thou city who sings the Lord.
[61:17] Upon Bethlehem, like the Lord's Son, know me well before.
[61:31] Beholding time, as I will end, the land of others die, and like what he is, the hope beyond man won't have, and then the Lord's Son of God CHOIR SINGS
[62:45] CHOIR SINGS