[0:00] We can resume our public worship of God by singing to his praise from Psalm 116.
[0:10] Psalm 116. And we're going to sing from the beginning. I love the Lord because my voice and prayer read it here.
[0:24] I, while I live, will call on him who bowed to me his ear. Of death accords and sorrow stood about me compass round. The pains of hell too cold on me, I, grief and trouble found.
[0:38] Upon the name of God the Lord then did I call and say, Deliver thou my soul, O Lord, I do thee humbly pray. God merciful and righteous is, yea gracious is our Lord.
[0:52] God saves the meek, I was brought low, he did me help afford. O thou my soul, do thou return unto thy quiet rest. For largely lo, the Lord to thee, whose bounty hath expressed.
[1:07] For my distressed soul from death delivered was by thee. Thou didst my mourning eyes from tears, my feet from falling free.
[1:17] Verses 1 to 8 of Psalm 116. To God's praise, I love the Lord because my voice and prayer read it here. I love the Lord because my voice and prayer she did hear.
[1:44] My wife and prayer she did hear. My wife and prayer she did hear. God long him, who vowed to me this year.
[2:00] Of death the courts and sorrows did. God fromlands오 top.
[2:11] 내가 lain cause, св DanielスД. laade surah negen bek preservation. The grief i acclaimed saying zaiden making rock交流 deed.
[2:25] Godל sad how geometria does may Nice celebration. Sad shalom sayes of sin for sin for purpose. Grand tipos a hundred, 10-10.
[3:01] To the heavenly place. God merciful and righteousness.
[3:17] Give patience is our Lord. God saves the meek I once brought low.
[3:34] He did me help afford. O thou, my soul, do thou return.
[3:51] Come to thy pocket rest. For our tree loath the Lord to thee.
[4:08] His bounty hath expressed. For my distressed soul from death.
[4:25] Till ever the earth was striking. Thou didst my morning.
[4:36] I was drawn tears. My feet from falling free.
[4:47] Let us join together in prayer. Let's pray. Most merciful and eternal God, help us to worship a God who is worthy of receiving the worship that is offered by your people in Christ's name.
[5:20] Help us to direct our attention and our affection to him. That the words that we have sung may truly reflect what is true of us.
[5:35] That we love him because he heard our voice and our prayers. And we love him because he first loved us.
[5:49] And that as we gather in his name, we give thanks that whoever else is here, that he is present.
[5:59] By the spirit that he promised to his own church. That he had to take his leave of this world. But it was a temporary arrangement.
[6:14] That he would come again and take his own to be with him where he was. And this is still to be fulfilled.
[6:28] But the certainty of it has not waned. And we give thanks that whoever it is that longs for that encounter with him in his promise.
[6:44] That they will not be denied or disappointed. We pray for your blessing upon our meeting, our gathering in Christ's name.
[6:59] That the word that is read, the word that is sung, and our consideration of it may lodge in our heart. And by the instrumentality of your spirit that it may be something that proves useful in our lives.
[7:20] We give thanks that your word that it is indeed the light to our path.
[7:30] That your word that your word that it may be something that radiates constantly, even in our darkest moments.
[7:42] Just as you who gave the word, our light, he is light. And your word is light. And we bless you and thank you that Jesus Christ, the alone saviour of sinners, is the light of the world.
[8:00] And that he came into the world to seek and to save his own. So bless us this evening in his name. Bless every gathering of the saints and all who join with them in worship.
[8:17] Congregations that we form as a presbytery. The surrounding congregations. And all who would seek to promote Christ in his death and in his life.
[8:29] And all who would testify to his saving grace. May they have souls for their hire. And may they be assured that he is able to bless abundantly far more than we could possibly ask.
[8:50] Remember the congregation that we are part of. Those who are with us here in this place of worship. May your blessing be imparted to them according to need, temporal and spiritual.
[9:05] Remember others of this congregation who cannot be with us. Many of whom are unwell at the present. We would pray for their recovery.
[9:18] And for your own ministry to them. As they suffer whatever illness has overtaken them. Guide the hands of those entrusted with their care.
[9:32] Be it physical, psychological or even spiritual. We ask Lord that you would remember. Those families that have lost loved ones in recent days.
[9:46] That you would remember all whose hearts are sore and afflicted by reason or death. We pray for your blessing upon the ministry of the gospel.
[9:57] Especially when you are in recent days. Especially when you are in recent days. Especially when you are in recent days. And you are in recent days. To remember the death of Christ until he comes. We delight in this privilege that you have afforded us.
[10:11] To bring that Christ to our attention. In that most meaningful way that he entrusted to his church. To this do in remembrance of me.
[10:22] The symbols that remind us of a broken body and shed blood. That were offered as sacrifice for sin.
[10:35] May they truly reinforce our indebtedness. To that living saviour. Who died for us but rose again. Who resides at the right hand of the majesty on high.
[10:48] And there intercedes. And pleads our cause on the basis of his own merits. We ask that you would bless the proclamation of the gospel the world over.
[11:00] Those that you have entrusted with that remit. To go out to the far corners of the earth and proclaim Christ. May their desire be met.
[11:15] Even as they see. Men and women young and old. Turn from their foolish ways to embrace Christ. There is none wise.
[11:26] Like us even when we are at our most foolish. But the wisdom that you have set before us. Is unlike the wisdom of this world.
[11:40] And we pray for your blessing. Upon your word to remind us of it. We pray for the world. And all in it.
[11:51] Especially these places that we are so familiar with. As far as their names are concerned. Where there is war. The turmoil associated with it.
[12:02] We pray for these conflict areas. And ask that resolution would be brought. And the glory would be yours. As a consequence.
[12:14] We pray for healing for those who are suffering from starvation. And the illnesses associated with it. And for the epidemics and pandemics that pan the earth.
[12:29] And suffer. Those who are embroiled in them suffer. As a consequence. We know that this world's resources are rich indeed.
[12:41] And so many of them are wasted. And we acknowledge that. And confess our sinfulness. In so many different areas. Of our own lives.
[12:53] So bless us together. And bless the congregation in all its activities. Continue to watch over us. And all we entrust to your care and keeping.
[13:04] Cleansing for the many sins. Through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. Let us sing to God's praise from Psalm 60.
[13:17] We're singing. We're to sing the whole psalm. But we'll sing the first six stanzas. Verses 1 to 6. Psalm 60.
[13:28] O Lord thou hast rejected us. And scattered us abroad. Thou justly hast displeased been. Return to us O God.
[13:39] The earth to tremble thou hast made. Therein didst bridges make. Do thou thereof the bridges heal. Because the land doth shake.
[13:51] And to thy people. Thou hard things hast showed. And on them sent. And thou hast caused us to drink. Wine of astonishment. And yet a banner thou hast given.
[14:03] To them who do thee fear. That it by them because of truth. Displayed may appear. That thy beloved people. May delivered be from throng.
[14:15] Save with the power of thy right hand. And hear me when I call. God in his holiness hath spoke. Wherein I will take pleasure. Shechem I will divide.
[14:28] And forth will suck us. Valley measure. Verses 1 to 6. Of Psalm 60. O Lord thou hast rejected us. And scattered us abroad. O Lord thou hast rejected us.
[14:47] And scattered us abroad. Thou justly hast displeased me.
[15:02] Return to us O God. The earth to tremble thou hast made.
[15:19] Then in this breachers make. Do thou thereof the breachers heal.
[15:35] Because the land dost shake. Unto thy people thou hard things.
[15:51] Hast showed and on them sent. And thou hast caused us to think.
[16:07] Why no astonishment. And yet a banner thou hast given.
[16:23] To them who he do fear. That it by them.
[16:35] Because of truth. Displayed may appear.
[16:46] That thy beloved people may. Delivered be from thrall.
[17:03] Save with the power of thy right hand. And hear me when I call.
[17:19] God in his holiness. God in his holiness. God spoke. Herein I will take pleasure.
[17:35] Share in thy will. Divide and four. Will's of God's valid measure.
[17:51] Let us hear God's word. As we have it in the New Testament scripture. The second epistle of Paul to Timothy.
[18:03] And we are going to read chapter 4. Second Timothy chapter 4. I charge thee therefore before God.
[18:23] And the Lord Jesus Christ. You shall judge the quick and the dead that is appearing. And his kingdom. Preach the word.
[18:34] Be instant. In season. Out of season. Reprove. Rebuke. Exalt. With all longsuffering and doctrine.
[18:45] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. But after their own lusts shall they heed to themselves, teachers, having itching ears.
[18:56] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth. And shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things. Endure afflictions. Do the work of an evangelist.
[19:09] Make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered. And the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight.
[19:21] I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me. A crown of righteousness which the Lord. The righteous judge.
[19:33] Shall give me at that day. And not to me only. But unto all them. Also that love is appearing. Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me.
[19:46] For Demas hath forsaken me. Having loved this present world. And has departed unto Thessalonica. Crescens to Galatia. Titus unto Dalmatia.
[19:59] Holy Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with thee. For he is profitable to me for the ministry. Antiphanes. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.
[20:11] The cloak that I left at Troas. With Carpus. When thou comest bring with thee. And the books. But especially parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil.
[20:24] The Lord reward him according to his works. Of whom be thou aware also. For he hath greatly withstood our words.
[20:35] But my first answer no man stood with me. But all men forsook me. I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me.
[20:48] And strengthened me. That by me the preaching might be fully known. And that all the Gentiles might hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
[21:00] And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work. And will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom. To whom be glory forever and ever.
[21:11] Amen. Salud Prisca and Aquila. And the household of Annesiphorus. Erastus abode at Corinth.
[21:23] But Trothemus have I left with my kingdom sick. Do thy diligence to come before winter. Jubilus greeteth thee. And Pudence and Linus and Claudia.
[21:35] And all the brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. And grace be with you. Amen. In the Lord and his blessing.
[21:46] Through this reading of his word. And to his name be the praise. We will continue singing in Psalm 60. From verse 7 to the end.
[21:59] Psalm 60 from verse 7. Psalm 60 from verse 7. Gilead I claim as mine by right.
[22:10] Manasseh mine shall be. Ephraim is of mine head the strength. Judah gives laws for me. Moab's my washing pot.
[22:22] My shoe I'll over Edom throw. And over Palestine's land I will in triumph go. O who is he who will bring me to the city fortified?
[22:34] O who is he that to the land of Edom will me guide? O God which hadst us cast off. This thing wilt thou not do.
[22:45] Even thou O God which didst not forthwith our armies go. Help us from trouble. For the help is vain which man supplies.
[22:56] Through God will do great acts. He shall tread down our enemies. Psalm 60 from verse 7 to the end.
[23:07] Gilead I claim as mine by right. Manasseh mine shall be. Gilead I claim as mine by right.
[23:22] Manasseh mine shall be. Every miss of mine head the strength.
[23:37] Judah gives laws for me. More as my washing pot.
[23:52] My shoe I'll over Edom throw. And over Palestine's land I will let triumph go.
[24:18] O who is he will bring to thee. The city fortified.
[24:35] O who is he that to the land of Edom will be guide?
[24:51] O God which hadst us cast off. This thing wilt thou not do.
[25:08] In thou O God which didst not forthwith our armies go.
[25:25] Help us from trouble. For the help is vain which man supplies.
[25:42] Through God will do great acts. He shall tread down our enemies.
[26:01] We are going to turn for a short while to the passage read. The second epistle of Paul to Timothy. And we will read again verse 10.
[26:14] For Demas hath forsaken me. Having loved this present world. And is departed unto Thessalonica.
[26:26] Crescens to Galatia. Tachtas unto Dalmatia. And so on. For Demas hath forsaken me.
[26:37] Having loved this present world. For many people. And I'm sure you could understand why it is like this.
[26:55] Everything is black and white. And there are no grey areas. And that's the way it seems that they treat life in all its different experiences.
[27:16] Good or bad. There's no indifferent. There's no middle ground. There's no middle ground.
[27:27] And you can understand that there are certain things which we are required to understand that there is no middle ground.
[27:41] We have the example of Jesus when he was teaching the Pharisees about what true religion was all about.
[27:54] And what the life of a follower of Jesus required. And he said, he that is not with me is against me.
[28:07] And he that gathereth not with me is scattered abroad. And that seems quite clear. And that seems quite clear. You are either for Jesus or you are against Jesus.
[28:20] You can't be indifferent. You can't sit on the fence. You can't say, well, some days I am, some days I am not.
[28:31] But neutrality in the Christian faith is not possible. And that is something we have to acknowledge.
[28:45] We have to understand that the word of God puts pressure upon us in certain areas which tells us quite clearly that we must decide one way or the other.
[29:01] But there are other situations which we may find ourselves reflecting on.
[29:14] Which we may dangerously conclude on the basis of evidence that this can only mean one thing.
[29:26] We make statements concerning salvation or who is numbered amongst the saved based upon the reality of their faith.
[29:42] And that reality of faith is based upon your own perception of it. Which is usually external. And the evidence that you gather are entirely observations that are made.
[30:01] And upon the basis of these observations you can, or you do, conclude one thing or another.
[30:12] And if we cite for example, and the examples are there for us in the scripture.
[30:24] If a believer succumbs to drunkenness or succumbs to alcoholism, what conclusion are we meant to arrive at?
[30:44] If a believer succumbs to adultery, what conclusions are we expected to arrive at?
[30:56] If a believer falls prey to cowardice and ends up denying Christ.
[31:10] That person who believes, that person who believes, that person who believes, denies Christ. What conclusion are we expected to make? And the black and white person will say, well these people have blotted their copy book to the degree that you could not envisage such a person to have a genuine faith.
[31:35] Surely it couldn't be possible that a believer would fall prey to any of these gross sins. And yet the names of these people are writ large in the scripture.
[31:52] We know that Noah succumbed to drunkenness excessively. We know that David suffered from excesses that left him with his name bespurged because of it.
[32:11] We know that the apostle Peter openly and loudly denied his Lord. And if we were simply going to treat them on the basis of a principle established by ourselves, each one of these individuals would be denied salvation.
[32:35] They would be denied the possibility of ever experiencing life without end.
[32:47] And it's just as well that our Lord is different to ourselves. We are saints who are sinners who sinned.
[32:59] No, I'm not going to excuse the sin of the saint. Whatever that saint has done.
[33:11] One thing that is true about each one of these very well known saints that we mentioned. While it may appear to us that they recovered from their sin.
[33:25] That they were restored to fellowship with God. That they repented of their sin. The consequences of their sin was something that they had to live with for the rest of their days here on earth.
[33:44] I doubt very much it. Any one of them or any one of the saints that you choose to discover whose names are written in the scripture.
[33:55] That you will ever be able to say to them that they had anything other than a running sword. A wound that refused to heal.
[34:07] Oh, you say God is merciful. That doesn't change. God is forgiving. And so he is. The person who has received mercy and who is forgiven may not be willing to forgive themselves.
[34:28] And may not be as merciful to themselves. So why the preamble to this? So why the preamble to this, the preamble to this? Why the preamble to this? Have a great story.
[34:39] We have a great story. We have a great story. Our character here. Who is spoken of in the scripture. And we don't know an awful lot about him. But it seems to be something that is true of him that grieved the apostle Paul.
[34:56] And I want us to think very briefly about him. Because we need to understand where Paul is coming from when he makes mention of him.
[35:08] In a list of people, some of them we don't know anything about. And even Demas himself, we don't know an awful lot about him. But it is sufficient for us to understand that the way Paul speaks of him, that whatever is true about him was deeply hurtful to the apostle.
[35:35] That's something we can notice even in passing. It's not just individual sins that cause harm to the individual and create friction between the individual and their God and cause a breach between that God and the person who professes his name.
[36:03] There is a breach caused which God may heal. But it is not just between God and that individual. It is something that impacts also on the body that is his.
[36:20] The church of Jesus Christ. So I want us to understand first of all where Paul is coming from.
[36:32] When he makes mention of this. And it's interesting how many names are mentioned by the apostles. Some of them, you'll know something about them. Many of them, you will never hear of them again.
[36:47] But we have to understand from this passage that Paul himself is in a peculiar circumstance.
[36:58] In a situation we are familiar with. Because I think we have looked at this letter recently. And we have noted how, to all intents and purposes, the words of this epistle tell us that Paul himself has not longed for this word.
[37:17] We quoted these words. Many are of the opinion that Paul is intimately aware of his forthcoming death.
[37:55] Now it's not something that Paul lived his life in this world without being aware of. He lived in the shadow of death. He was an enemy to many and they despised him bitterly and they were intent on his destruction.
[38:13] Just as he himself was intent on the destruction of the believer before he came to know Christ. But it seems at this point whether Christ has made it known to him or not or whether it is something that the spirit has indelibly imprinted in his psyche the approach of death is clear to him.
[38:37] And he is in prison and he is in prison in Rome away from his friends, many of them. And his circumstances, his physical circumstances seem to be quite extreme.
[38:58] Many say he asks to bring his cloak before winter and some reckonies of an old age and that he is exposed to the extremities of the natural world.
[39:19] Whatever it is we know that mentally this would be something that would touch him very deeply.
[39:30] The fact that somebody who he had known had turned his back upon him. And we know from as I said there is not an awful lot written about Demas that we can actually identify but we know that he was a companion of Paul in his missionary journey.
[40:00] In Colossians chapter 4 he is mentioned along with the Apostle and the Apostle appreciates his presence.
[40:15] He mentions some names there and he says my fellow prisoners salute you Marcus, sister, son to Barnabas touching whom you have received commandments if you can and so on.
[40:31] He is listing there the names of individuals that mean something to himself. But amongst them is this person and this person is someone who is with him in his ministry and who supports him and accompanies him prayerfully and physically present.
[41:07] and there is no question in the mind of those who are who are who are reading the scripture that the place that he holds in the affection we have to say in the affection of Paul is is clear.
[41:31] and then again when he speaks about him in the epistle to Philemon the same seems to come through very plainly and very clearly.
[41:53] This is somebody who was alongside him who accompanied him who probably labored he was a fellow laborer is how he is described with Paul.
[42:09] Whatever a fellow laborer does Paul's vision of mission is such that this is what is at the heart of his life and this person was to the fore as far as that is concerned.
[42:26] But Demas has forsaken Paul he says he's he's forsaken and the word that he uses is not just he's gone away but the word forsake or desert is the word that is used and it may be and you could excuse Paul for thinking of his own his own position how he values friendship in that situation and when that friendship is not is not shown that it is inevitable that the hurt is greater.
[43:22] we can't say because we're not told. We do know that Paul feels the need to mention it and we need to ask why what is it what is it that possibly could grieve the apostle so much that he feels the need to mention it and to mention it so clearly as something that has touched his heart and vexed his spirit.
[44:03] There are two possibilities I think that Paul tells us what what it is he has loved the present world.
[44:20] and how can there be two possibilities if that is the explanation given? We don't know what it means to love the present world in the context in which Paul cites it.
[44:37] There could be two possibilities that I think of. Possibly there may be more but there are two that come to mind. The first of these is this that Paul himself was somebody who was patiently waiting for death even a martyr's death.
[45:02] He was willing to go to whatever it was that God had appointed for him. As somebody who loved the Lord he was ready to die in the Lord's name.
[45:20] And you could say well Paul you understand this better than anyone else. If his love for the world meant that he did not want to leave it then surely you could tolerate that.
[45:42] You have to you can't put yourself into his shoes but you can at least think of it. When it comes to thinking about dying and thinking about the moment of death and what it will involve for you there are different elements that belong to it.
[46:05] Many people fear death but when they fear death they fear the pain of dying or when they fear death they fear the pain of separation from loved ones or when they fear death they fear what lies beyond the world that they know because as I heard an old Christian who was being tested on his death bed say when he was being encouraged to think about the promises that belonged to the people of God as they left this world to go on to the next and to these promises were laid before him he said oh well he said I am more used to this side I am more familiar with the world than what lies beyond and that's a believer of many years saying that so there is ample evidence experientially why the prospect of leaving the world by way of the martyr's death might bring dread and fear and for that reason you would expect a measure of sympathy a measure of understanding and clearly
[47:41] Paul treats Demas in a different way to the way that he treats Alexander the coppersmith he seemed to be vehemently opposed to Alexander in verse 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil the Lord reward him according to his works he's not as he's not as violently opposed to demons in that sense we need to understand that I was thinking of how many of the martyrs we read about and their lives and their deaths are recorded for us and in a way their lives and their deaths are celebrated but we have no record of so many that chose to avoid the martyr's crown because of the fear that filled their heart
[48:52] I was trying to remember the name of one particular martyr he did die he died at the stake but prior to him going to the stake he had been tortured and he recanted his faith and when he recanted his faith he signed a confession to that effect but shortly after him doing that he he repented and he demonstrated grief that he had ever denied his lord and he begged the martyr's death which he got and he was tied to a stake and the flames were lit and the first thing he did when the flames were burning was to put his hand into the flame that he signed his denial of
[50:07] Christ with it seems an awful thing but the cruelty the awfulness that was around the punishment that was meted out to those who believed in Christ is beyond words but this passion he embraced death and he embraced the flames thankful that he was able to do it but we have to understand what Paul is saying here well it could encompass you know fearing death and loving the world could be a way of understanding that but I'm afraid that that is not really what is meant by it it seems that what we read here is that
[51:13] Demas has forsaken me having loved this present world and is departed unto Thessalonica now he's gone away from one place where persecution was rife and fled to a part of the world where it was possible to be a Christian without suffering the same persecution at least at that time it may be simply that but it may also be that the world itself was something that was drawing him more than anything that was out of the world there are attractions in the world the scripture tells us that draw a person away from a relationship with Christ that are detrimental to that relationship
[52:19] Paul warns the church in Rome and he says be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God don't be conformed to the world be transformed the only thing that can transform is the world of God and the world needs to be applied to our lives because this world has a magnetic attraction which finds plenty of combustible material in our own heart and in our mind the apostle John in his own ministry wrote extensively about the danger there is for the church and for the
[53:22] Christian believer to be drawn by the world away from Christ in 1st John chapter 2 verse 15 love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the father is not in him for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but is of the world and the world passes away and the lust thereof it's amazing how the world and what is in the world can appear to us to be so important that we have to grasp it that we have to cling to it and it's as if you're clinging to vapour because vapour disappears vapour you can't hold it in your fingers and the devil is very good at making you believe that what you're desiring is not all that bad it's just what everybody else wants or everybody else has and it won't do you all that much other but the interesting thing about the way the devil works is if he entices you into the world or whatever the world has made attractive to you even momentarily he'll soon come to you and say if you were a real
[55:09] Christian you wouldn't have been attracted to it if these things are so precious to you are so nice in your eyes you wouldn't have been drawn to them have you ever experienced that have you ever found that the devil will tempt you with things that he will say are innocent and harmless and perfectly in order for you to participate in them and having done that he will say aha I always knew that you had a flaw in your character I always knew that you hadn't really achieved the Christian experience in the final analysis whatever it is the world holds out to us the question that we have for it is does it come between me and
[56:13] Christ does it come between me and walking with Christ or following Christ it does seem that John the beloved apostle had his own share of trials and the only answer he had for that was to look to Jesus Demas has forsaken me having loved this precious this present world and has departed unto Thessalonica he was just a disappointment to Paul if Demas and I believe he was a child of God if he was all that he was meant to be as far as a Christian is concerned do you ever think that he would live content in Thessalonica without having any thought of his friend
[57:16] Paul that he had turned his back on that he had gone away from that he had in his need chosen to leave behind the only way out as we say is to look unto Jesus the apostle John says that the only person able to overcome the world is the person who believes Jesus be the son of God this is the only way to overcome the world and it's an interesting thought just take it with you the world needs to be overcome it needs to be overcome and if you don't overcome the world the world will overcome you and if you don't overcome the world the way that
[58:25] Christ allows you to or equips you to then you will always find that you will be the one who suffers the most as a consequence of it Demas where is he today well some people have put him to hell believe it or not some people have sent him to hell I wonder what the basis for doing that was perhaps he heard we believe that he did perhaps he didn't stand where he should and I think it's most clear that he did we could accuse Paul of being too much taken up with himself it's all about him it's all about these friends of him it's all about those people who were with him well you wouldn't blame him if that was the case but he reminds us of the need that we have and all them that are mentioned of having an ongoing and a constant relationship with the
[59:47] Christ who is the saviour of sinners let us pray oh lord oh god we give thanks in all our forsakeings and all our back slidings and all our occasions where we are filled full of misgivings that you are there ever ever constant able to draw us to yourself may it be so even this evening any one of us who might know the need that there is to come back to Christ and to come back to where we ought to be may you give us the strength and the grace so to do grant mercy for sin in Jesus name amen our closing psalm is psalm 18 and we're going to sing the last four stanzas psalm 18 the last four stanzas God lives blessed be thy my rock the
[60:49] God of my health praised be God doth avenge me and subduze the people under me he saves me from mine enemies yea thou hast lifted me above my foes and from the man of violence set me free therefore to thee will I give thanks the heathen folk among and to thy name O Lord I will sing praises in a song he great deliverance gives his king he mercy doth extend to David his anointed one and his seed without end these verses God lives blessed be my rock the God of my health praised be God lives blessed be my rock the God of my health praise me
[61:51] God doth avenge me and subduce the people under me he saves me from mine enemies yea thou hast lifted me above my foes and throng the man all violence set me free therefore to thee where will
[62:55] I give hands the even folk command and to thy name oh lord I will sing praise in that song he great deliverance gives his king he mercy doth extend to him his anointed one and his seed with love again remember the congregation and fellowship please stay for that immediately after the service sister now may grace mercy and peace from God the Father the Son and the Holy
[64:18] Spirit rest and abide which you will never and always amen