[0:00] As we come together around God's Word and we pray that the Lord will bless the Lord to us tonight. We're going to begin by singing in Psalm 84.
[0:11] Psalm 84, and I'm going to sing from verse 7 to the end. Psalm 84 at verse 7. So they from strength and weary go still forward unto strength, until in Zion they appear before the Lord at length.
[0:30] Lord, God of hosts, my prayer hear. O Jacob's God, give me it. See God our shield, look in the face of thine anointed Lord. For in thy courts one day excels a thousand.
[0:44] Rather in my God's house will I keep a door than dwell in tents of sin. For God the Lord's a sun and shield. He'll grace and glory give. And will withhold no proof from them that upright he do live.
[0:58] And thou that art the Lord of hosts, that man is truly blessed, who by assured confidence on thee alone doth rest. 7 to the end, Psalm 84.
[1:09] So they from strength and weary go. So they from strength and weary go.
[1:21] Still forward unto strength. Until in Zion they appear before the Lord at length.
[1:46] Lord God of hosts, my prayer hear. O Jacob's God, give me it.
[2:03] See God our shield, look on the face of thine anointed ear.
[2:21] For if thy courts one day excel. A thousand brotherhood.
[2:38] My God's house will I keep a door than dwell in tents of sin.
[2:57] For God the Lord's a sun and shield. He'll grace and glory give.
[3:15] And dwell with hope. And dwell with hope. No good from them. Thou doth rightly do live.
[3:32] O thou that art the Lord of hosts, that man is truly blessed, who by a children, confidence on thee alone doth rest.
[4:09] Let's bow in prayer. O Lord, O gracious God, as we bow before you this evening, we pray for the grace to worship you alive.
[4:24] We give thanks that you have declared in your word that you are a God of grace and of glory. And we give thanks that when grace begins, that glory will inevitably fall.
[4:38] And in many ways, glory is grace perfected. And grace is glory begun. And we give thanks, Lord, for the fact that you deal with us so graciously.
[4:50] Not according to your deserving. But in your wrath you have remembered mercy. And you have displayed that message to so many of us.
[5:01] We give thanks, O Lord, that we can call upon you. That you have commanded us to come to our throne of grace. And indeed, it's extraordinary when we realize that we come before the God who is creator of all, who holds this world in his hand.
[5:20] That he invites us to come, not timidly, but boldly. And so we pray that we might be bold, not in an arrogant way, but by faith that we may lay hold upon your word, upon your many, many promises.
[5:35] And that we may plead to these promises at the throne of grace. And we ask, Lord, that you will do in us and for us, far and beyond anything that we could ask or think.
[5:46] Help us, Lord, to see that you are God over all. And that you brought this world out of nothing. Your creative power is beyond our understanding.
[5:57] Because we cannot picture something coming from nothing. Because whatever we see being made, it is made from something. That you are beyond all that.
[6:10] And so we give thanks, Lord, for the faith. Because it is by faith, that's what your word tells us. By faith that we believe that you created the world and indeed the universe.
[6:23] And we give thanks tonight that you are the God who counts the number of the stars. And you name them one by one. And that you uphold this universe by the word of your power.
[6:34] And we give thanks, Lord, that our lives are not bobbing about just in a sea of random and chance. But that our lives are ordered and structured by you.
[6:48] And so we pray for the faith that lays hold upon these great truths. Faiths that undergird our life. And we pray that you will encourage your people.
[7:02] Because we live in a day when there is so much to discourage us. There is so much opposition to the word of God. So much hostility to the Christian faith.
[7:13] But we need not be surprised by this. Because our Lord said, just as the world hated him, they will hate you also. And so we pray, Lord, that we might always be ready to give an answer to those who question us.
[7:31] And we pray for the wisdom to answer correctly. And we pray for the grace to be wisely. We pray then that you will bless us, each one of us tonight.
[7:43] Bless our homes and bless our families. And we give thanks, Lord, that we can bring all our personal needs to you. We give thanks for the great invitation that your word gives.
[7:55] Bring everything to the Lord in prayer. With thanksgiving, we're told. To bring all our requests. Make all your requests known unto God. And the peace of God is the result of the peace of God that passeth understanding.
[8:11] Shall guard your hearts. And we pray that we might be constantly making our way to that throne. And seeking great things from you.
[8:23] We pray that you will bless us then. We pray for this community. And we give thanks for it. And this congregation. And we give thanks for it. And we can look back with fondness and gratitude and gladness.
[8:39] For all that this congregation needs. And I can do so very personally. And we give thanks, Lord, for the way that you have continued to guide and to bless.
[8:51] And we pray that particularly in a time of vacancy, that your blessing will be known. That you will keep everybody together. And that you will keep the evil one away from them.
[9:02] Because we know so often that the evil one is going about as a roaring lion seeking who may devour. And particularly at a time of vacancy. He is looking for an opening to get in.
[9:15] And to disrupt. And to cause difficulties. So we pray, Lord, that as you did a round job before you allowed Satan to them.
[9:27] That you will build a hedge around this congregation. And all that they are. And all that they have. And pray that you will provide for them. And that you will guide them in the right way.
[9:38] And that you will lead them. And lead a man also. So that both congregation and the man of your choice will come together.
[9:49] And that they will be led into a fruitful ministry here. We know, Lord, that you are indeed the great shepherd of the sheep. You are the great head of the church.
[10:01] And so we ask for your reading and your guidance. And your direction in all these things. We pray to bless the witness of your people here.
[10:13] Whether that witness is given on a public day like today. Or whether it is in the workplace or in the home. In all the different situations.
[10:24] And we give thanks, Lord, for the witnesses that go on. And for the prayers that are made. And indeed, as we look back over our lives. We see that often a word that was spoken by your people.
[10:39] That although it might have been dismissed initially. That it was thought upon later on. And so we pray that we might have that boldness. To speak a word in season.
[10:50] Whenever the opportunity is there for us. We pray your blessing on the fellowship afterwards. We pray for Andy as he speaks. Lord, be with him. Grant him your grace.
[11:01] Grant him wisdom. Grant him that we will give to him the words to speak. And that he will be blessed in being obedient.
[11:13] And in being willing to do what is always so hard to do. And so we pray to bless him. And bless all the family at this time. And so we pray that your blessings. We are aware of the loss that both he and Agi have experienced in recent times.
[11:28] And we ask, Lord, your blessing upon all whose hearts are heavy and sore. And pray that you will be with them. And that you will uphold them and keep them. Because it is always hard to deal with the losses that we experience in life.
[11:43] And so we pray that your blessings might be known to every grieving broken heart. We pray, Lord, that you will bless all tonight in all the different relationships that they have.
[11:58] Relationships at the home. Relationships in family. Relationships at work. Relationships in the church. Relationships in the community. Oh, Lord, these are all so important.
[12:10] And we ask your blessing upon these things. We pray, Lord, to bless the gospel as it is preached today. Not only here, but everywhere else throughout this world.
[12:21] Indeed, throughout this nation. Remember those who preach in very difficult places. Those who face opposition as they preach. Remember those who preach in prisons.
[12:33] Remember the army chaplains. Remember all of the English chaplains. We ask, Lord, your blessing upon them. We pray that ears will open to hear. And hearts will be responsive in order to believe.
[12:46] We pray for the spread of the gospel worldwide. And we thank the nations that do not have the freedoms that we have. Where there is oppression. Where they do not have the liberty to read openly as we do.
[13:01] Protect your people. Particularly your persecuted people. Deliver them, we pray. And we pray that the persecuted tonight may yet become like the apostle Paul.
[13:12] Those who begin to follow you. We give thanks, Lord, that you do great things. You have done them in the past. You are doing them in the present. And we pray that you will continue to do them in the future.
[13:24] And we pray your blessing upon us nationally. And we pray wisdom again for our leaders and those in authority over us. We pray that you will have mercy upon us. And we confess, Lord, our sin before you.
[13:37] We do so personally. And we do so as a congregation. And we do so as a nation. O Lord, be gracious to us. We have so deserted and turned our back upon you.
[13:50] We have forsaken so much with truth. We have turned, we have crows to your book. It is no longer holding any place in the land. And though it saddens our heart.
[14:02] At the apathy and the carelessness and the opposition. We pray, Lord, that you will turn the counsel of Ahithophel to foolishness. So that all the advisors who are out seeking to promote that which is ungodly.
[14:17] And that which is against your word. That their wisdom will indeed turn to foolishness. And that what they are pursuing, that their policies will turn to nothing.
[14:28] And we ask, O Lord, that you will bring truth to bear. And righteousness to prevail. And so we ask that you will bless us. Be with us here tonight.
[14:39] And pardon us, we pray, of every sin. We ask all for the forgiveness of that sin. In the name of our Saviour, Jesus. Amen. We are going to sing again this time in Psalm 26.
[14:53] The 26th Psalm. And we sing from the beginning to verse 8. Psalm 26.! Andì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „ì „
[16:02] I have walked in my integrity. Judge me, O Lord, for I am born in my integrity.
[16:21] I trust it also in the Lord. Slight therefore shall not die.
[16:38] Examine me and do me through. My heart can't bring no call.
[16:52] For thy love is before my night. Thy truth comes, thy path's growth.
[17:07] With persons with I have lost sight. Nor with disciples gone.
[17:24] Just help me, all ill men I hate. To sit with sunshine.
[17:39] My hand's in the Lord, said O Lord.
[17:50] Thy wash and glorify. So tonight, holy altar, go.
[18:06] And compass it will I. That I with voice soft and chilling.
[18:23] May for a patient be clear. And tell of all thy mighty works.
[18:39] That great and wondrous heart. God. The habitation through thy house.
[18:57] Lord, I have loved it well. In the place thy new delight.
[19:13] Where of thine honor dwell. And theì „iga dwell.
[19:47] had appointed seventy and he had sent the night of two by two and he said the harvest of duty is great but the laborers are few pray ye therefore the lord of the harvest that he would send those laborers into his harvest so we pick up at verse 17 and the seventy 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 tread on sephons 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 unto you but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven in that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou wast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight 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 would reveal him and he turned 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 and behold a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him saying
[21:44] Master what shall I do to you as I have eternal life he said to him what is written in the law how readest thou and he answered and he said thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as I said and he said unto him thou hast answered right this do and thou shalt live but he willing to justify himself said unto Jesus and who is my neighbour and Jesus answering said a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves which stripped him of his raiment and wounded him and departed leaving him half dead and by chance there came down a certain priest that way and when he saw he passed by on the other side and likewise a Levi when he was at the place came and looked at him and passed by on the other side and a certain Samaritan as he journeyed came where he was and when he saw he had compassion on him and went to him and bound up his wounds pouring in oil and wine and set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him and on the morrow when he departed he took out two pence and gave him to the host and said unto him take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more when I come again
[23:22] I will repay which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbour unto whom that fell on the thieves and he said he that showed mercy on him then said Jesus unto him go and do thou likewise and it came to pass as they went he entered into a certain village and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house and she had a sister called Neely which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word but Martha was comforted about much saving and came to him and said Lord dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone bid her therefore that she help me and Jesus answered and said unto her Martha, Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful and may he have chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her
[24:25] Amen and may God bless to us this reading of his own holy word we're going to sing again in Psalm 119 119 and in the second section of this psalm second part verses 9 through to 16 Psalm 119 verse 9 by what means shall a young man learn this way to purify if we according to thy word there too attentive be unfaindly thee have I sought with all my soul and heart oh let me not from the right path at thy commands thy word I in my heart have did that I offend not thee oh Lord thou ever blessed are thy statutes teach thou me the judgments of thy mouth each one my lips declared have more joy thy testimonies we than riches all we gave
[25:26] I will thy holy precepts make my meditation and carefully I have respect unto thy ways each one upon thy statutes mighty life shall constantly be said by thy grace I never will be thy holy word forget Psalm 119 1916 By what means shall a young man learn his way to purify By what means shall a young man learn his way to purify and be if he according to thy word there to not change in me unfailing leaving of my soul with all my soul and heart
[26:40] O let me know from the white path of life all must depart thy word dying thy heart thou said that I open no tree O Lord thou heaven blessed are thy statutes teach thou thee the judgments of thine of each wall my list declared!
[27:42] I have more joys thy test still more these ways than religious of me gave I will thy holy accept me my meditation!
[28:16] and carefully I will have respect unto thy wishing strong upon thy statutes my delight shall shall constantly be said and thy thy grace I never will thy holy word forget yet let's turn again to the chapter that we read in Luke chapter 10 if you look again at verse 39 she that is
[29:23] Martha had a sister called Mary which also sat at Jesus feet and heard his word we all have places that we like to go to probably favorite places maybe places that you like to go for a walk there might be places that you that mean a walk to you that you may be able to identify through something that has happened there some good experience we all have favorite places Jesus had we know that the garden of Gethsemane which we often think of as the garden of the great anguish of his heart which that is certain too was a place that he loved because it tells us that he often went there it was obviously a very special place to but we also know that Gethsemane was a special place to Jesus and
[30:24] Jesus as we know was a man the God man and his life was marked as a man of sorrows and he was acquainted with grief and the life of Jesus would be an awful lot would have been a lot more sorrowful had it not been for the ministry particularly of the women through his lifetime here because they ministered to him in his life and were seeking even to minister to him in his death and above all we know that this woman here Mary of Bethany was quite an exceptional follower of the Lord Genesis there are many great women of faith we can go through in the Bible there's the Sarahs and the Deborahs and the Ruths and the Elizabeths and the Marys and Lydias and so on but here this woman here Mary of Bethany was really quite an exceptional follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and it doesn't often tell us that
[31:28] Jesus although we know that he did it doesn't often say that Jesus particularly loved a person it's told of John the disciple who Jesus loved but it's also told us regarding Mary Martha and Lazarus that he loved them and this was a poem that Jesus could relax in we know that Jesus many nights he spent out in the open with the stars almost like the stars of his sheep and his father's love like the blanket that he said the foxes have holes the birds of the air have nests but the son of man is noble to lay his head so a home like the home in Bethany would be a very special place in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ and Bethany of course was the scene of one of Jesus greatest miracles when he raised
[32:29] Lazarus from the dead and Bethany was also the place where Jesus stood for the last time in this world you remember that when there was in that 40 day period when Jesus appeared and disappeared and reappeared again and we believe in these 40 days he was returning to the father and coming back again here to earth that he finally rose there was the public ascension before his disciples I don't believe that anybody but the followers of Jesus actually saw!
[33:07] Jesus after his resurrection only those who believed he made many appearances Paul tells us how he appeared to 500 and there were many appearances that he made but only to those who followed him only to those who believed in him and in a sense it's still the same at this moment because the world cannot see Jesus they don't want to see Jesus they see no beauty in him that they should decide but it's only when our eyes are opened by the spirit that we see him and of course when we begin to see him now by faith one day that faith will give way to sight when we will be in his presence and we will see him forever but that's what happened Jesus and many people suggest that it was as a token to the love of this home and particularly the love of Mary that Jesus made his way out that's what it tells us
[34:09] Jesus led the disciples as far as Bethany and lifting up his hands he blessed them and while he was blessing them he was parted from them and carried up into heaven a beautiful picture that we have there of the hands of Jesus like in benediction blessing over the disciples and as he's carried up into heaven with his hands outstretched we've got to think that his hands are still outstretched in benediction blessing over his people yes we know he's continually interceding for us on the right hand of the father but there is this sense of benediction blessing over his people and over the church and if you're a follower of the Lord Jesus tonight that's who Jesus is over you even although maybe tonight you don't actually feel like that so the hands of Jesus are stretched out over so it was from
[35:11] Bethany that Jesus finally ascended it wasn't from Jerusalem it wasn't from the temple it was in Jerusalem they had decided to crucify him it wasn't from his hometown Nazareth it wasn't from Capernaum where he did many mighty works because they had rejected him it was in the vicinity of this home Bethany that Jesus finally arose ascended now when we come into this home here we find it doesn't mention Lazarus at this time but it mentions the two sisters and we find Martha and Martha is the busy busy busy Martha and we find that she is over-severing it's interesting how in families and I'm sure we're all aware of it of the differences within families brothers and sisters they often have although there might be similarities sometimes they're very alike but they've often got different personalities different characteristics and sometimes you'll say of two brothers or a brother and sister there's just chocolate cheese sometimes absolutely it is and so it was in this home although there were many similarities there were also very noticeable differences and we find that
[36:38] Martha is just too busy and it's not that Martha wasn't a good woman because it tells us that Jesus loved Martha tells us that Jesus loved Mary Martha and Lazarus and it's not that Jesus was finding fought with her and serving because Jesus wants us all to serve we use the expression that we're saved to serve it's something that we automatically do when we become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ that we serve him we serve with our life our life is service too in whatever we can do and we're seeking always to serve him what Jesus is highlighting here about Martha is that she is obsessed with serving you know there are some people and if anybody's coming to the house the patted calf is killed it doesn't matter who it is they go there's no end of trouble they just go as if you would think that it was the king who was coming to the house and there's nothing wrong with that that's in many ways that's very good but the thing is that you become so engrossed with what you're doing and there's so much involved that you don't have time for anything else and I think maybe sometimes we've found that at communion times sometimes you know with all the people that sometimes we can always become too tired with regard to the services and fellowships where we maybe put too much energy don't get me wrong it's hospitality is an essential part an absolutely key element of a
[38:18] Christian walk and fellowship in this world but Jesus is basically saying to Martha slow down because Martha is complaining to Jesus and she's saying my sister's doing nothing I'm doing everything and there's my sister and all she's doing is just sitting there and what Jesus is saying to Martha is I'm not saying to you don't serve of course you're to serve but get the balance right and you see Mary it's very clear here that Mary was doing something that Jesus is telling Martha pay attention just now to what your sister is doing your sister is listening that's what it tells Mary sat at Jesus feet and heard his word and it's very interesting that we find every time that we meet
[39:24] Mary she is at the feet of Jesus and again we highlighted the difference in the two sisters remember when Lazarus died when Lazarus was there they sent for Jesus and the word of course Lazarus died the word had come that Jesus had arrived and it tells us straight away Martha ran out to meet him but mainly sat still in the house in fact if you were to find two males who really exemplified these two women you would look at Peter and John Martha is impetuous Martha is impatient she's always going to be doing she's running ahead John was more reflective and so it is with Mary she is the one that tells us that she stayed in the house at that time so Mary is the one who sat at the feet of Jesus and it tells us that
[40:28] Jesus said that Mary has chosen that good part that's what he goes on to say Mary has chosen that good part which shall not be taken from her you see Mary had come to discover who Jesus was and the more she got to know Jesus the more she wanted to know you and I know that at a human level it quite often works the other way you meet someone you get to know them a bit and you know you say ah great but the more you get to know someone you then often discover there's areas and aspects of that character you say oh I didn't see that maybe not the best maybe there might be a few unsavoury things about them because we're all like that initially we can all be fine but once a person gets to know the real you you you know warts and all but it's the very opposite with
[41:31] Jesus because the more that we get to know the more wonderful he becomes the more we want to know the more we want to discover the deeper desire to have a greater knowledge a greater understanding of who he is and that's who he was that's the kind of person she was she wanted to discover more and more and more and see when Jesus says Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken from herì „ he he elsewhere says that one thing is needful one thing is needful and that's what he says that the one thing is needful here is Jesus he is he is remember who he is he is Lord over all he was involved in the creation of this world remember the very beginning it says God said let us make let us, there's the Trinity Father, Son and Holy Spirit we're involved in all the creation and here is the God man, Jesus Christ and he knows the one thing above everything else in this world there is one essential, one thing we need for and Mary has chosen that root part and I hope tonight that all of you have chosen that one thing that is need for him, because as we said this morning, life is empty without it's like the jigsaw and there's the missing piece and it's not until Jesus is in his place that your life is complete that you have everything that you need for time and for eternity because eternity is coming soon we don't know when and you see, this world promises us so much but this world has absolutely nothing for us when we come to die nothing everything that the world gives it loans us to us it just gives us for a time it takes everything back not one thing that we get in this world we keep forever and ever but it's different with what the Lord gives what the Lord gives us forever eternal life the moment you come to faith in Jesus Christ eternal life has begun and it can never end it's a good part which can never be taken nothing, no force, no power and don't we let us not misunderstand that our forces and powers are what?
[44:04] that are trying the utmost to take you and to take you away from the Lord but you cannot Jesus tells us that his people are in his father's hand and in his hand and there is no force of power even in hell that can prize open the hand of God and take you out that is the ultimate security and yes, those people may wander they may backslide they may be in a far country for a long time all these things can happen but that good portion once the prisoners come into faith and a union with Jesus Christ they are saved for time and for all eternity and so it is important that we take Christ he's offered to us as a bread of life remember how the the prodigal in the far country said there's bread enough and to spare in my father's house and here am I I'm perishing with hunger there's a lot of people perishing with hunger who sit in church and there's the bread of life offered and yet they don't breathe so I pray tonight that you have taken this good part so we find Mary here she's at the feet of Christ and as we said every time we meet Mary she is at the feet of Christ remember as we said when Lazarus had died and Martha ran out to meet Jesus when he arrived
[45:37] Mary sat still in the house and then word was sent Jesus asked for Mary and Mary came to Jesus and what did she do she fell down to the feet and by doing that she was casting herself entirely upon him she was showing her dependence was totally on him it's like the picture we have of Jairus remember when his daughter was critically ill and he went to ask Jesus he was pleading with Jesus to come it tells us that he fell down at Jesus' feet pleading for it to come it's a place of of just other dependence Lord if you don't help nobody else can help and you know the Lord often takes us to these places and these points in life I'm sure you've been at that point in life and you say Lord if you don't help me here nobody else can I really
[46:38] I really need your help your strength your grace at this particular time and so we find this is what Mary does she throws herself at the feet of Jesus again when you go to John chapter 12 we find that Mary at the feet of Jesus this time she's anointing the feet of Jesus remember where she took that box of incredibly expensive ointment and she poured it out anointing Jesus and of course she had her critics people who were saying could that not have been sold and the money given to the poor and they there were a lot of critics that the poor made but what she did was something that Jesus acknowledged and Jesus praised us what she did and Jesus is saying that as long as his word is that people will know what she did and you know what Mary did she did she
[47:39] Mary understood things about Jesus that Peter didn't that John didn't that James didn't Mary was the most discerning follower that Jesus had in this world and you say to yourself how can you say that well it's quite clear from scripture because say for instance when Jesus began to tell the disciples of what was going to happen to him or how he was going to be taken and put to death we find Peter Peter said put these thoughts away from your Lord and of course Jesus recognized that it was Satan that was speaking to Peter Peter wasn't grasping the nature of Jesus' mission he was he was looking for Jesus to bring an earthly kingdom a kingdom of power and oh yes Peter believed in Jesus as a Messiah completely but he didn't understand his mission none of him gasped what was going to happen apart from
[48:47] Mary Mary understood because Jesus tells us that when she did that he said it was against the day of my burial that she has done this it's not that easy Mary understood that Jesus was going to die and it's very interesting that you find that women went to anoint the body of Jesus but Jesus wasn't there he was risen but Mary did it beforehand and that is why we were able to say that Mary was the most spiritually minded discerning follower that Jesus had more so than his immediate disciples at that particular time and that her knowledge and her awareness and her spirituality and her discernment came from being always at the feet of Christ by being at the feet of Christ was the place where she was listening the place where she was learning the place where she was growing and developing she had a hunger for the word and you know that's where you and I must sit at the feet of the word because where do we find
[50:04] Jesus it's the word he has a word made flesh and dwelt among us and this is where we must this is where we must live in the word that's how we came to faith in the first place faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God and that's why it's so important that we ask the Lord to open our minds open our understanding help me to see wonderful things out of your law and we're also sanctified through the word remember Jesus said in his high priest prayer sanctify them through the truth your word is true and that's what happens in our lives we know that sanctification we often talk theologians tell they would look at sanctification in two ways they call it definitive sanctification and progressive sanctification to sanctify is to set apart for holiness and the moment you're born again at one sense you're sanctified you're set apart to the Lord and for the Lord it's like a once and for all but the progressive sanctification is the ongoing work that takes place in our life where the
[51:30] Holy Spirit is conforming us more and more to the image of Christ and the more the word the water of life the true water of life runs through us the more that Christ will become you know when you see a fast flowing stream of water it's always gushing over a long period of time that water will smooth the rough stones that's what happens not over but over a long long period of time over the years the rough is smooth it's become smooth because of the constant flow of water and in a similar way the more that the Spirit the water of life flows through us the more of the cleansing the more Christ-like that we become so it's important that we are much in the word and it's through the word that we bring glory to
[52:39] God because Jesus shows us how in the parable of the sword the seed is the word of God and as it was sold remember some of it went on stony gowns some of it was plucked up by the birds some went amongst thorns and weeds but some fell on good ground and it brought forth thirty-four sixty-four and a hundred-fold fruit and you see not every Christian is the same Mary was a hundred-fold she was bearing a hundred-fold fruit she was a really bright fruit-bearing Christian and I believe that in the life of the believer there might be days when they're just bearing thirty the same person I believe in their lifetime can be bearing thirty and can be bearing sixty and can be bearing a hundred because you and I know that we wish that we were always just a blaze for the
[53:43] Lord and totally focused upon the Lord and that our lives were shining examples of what a Christian should be but we know it's not always like that we're not always a hundred-fold we're not even sixty-fold sometimes sometimes if you're honest as I often think I'm not even a third but it shows us we're all different and we ought not to be critical of one another but the Lord it's every Christian that bears fruit is bringing glory to the Lord through listening to the word that we're cleansed that's what Jesus says now you clean through the word that I have shown you it's through the word that the Lord listens to us remember this is what it says if you abide in me and my words abide in you you shall ask what you will and it shall be done for you and the more that we know what the word is saying the more the word is part of our life it will fashion our prayers and the more that we pray according to the word we pray according to
[54:54] God's will and God tells us that if we pray according to his will he will hear us and he will answer us what we ask so we find that here is me almost at the feet of Christ and what an example to us and there is one last thing that we will say that the feet of Christ is also the place of thanksgiving there is a beautiful example given to us in scripture remember there were ten lepers came to Jesus and they were only to be cleansed Jesus said go and show yourselves to the priest and on that way they discovered they were cleansed they had been healed remember what happens one of them came running back and it tells us and remember it was a Samaritan it tells us this one of them when he saw that he was healed turned back and with a loud voice glorified
[55:54] God and fell down at Jesus feet giving him thanks Jesus praised that man that leper that Samaritan that came back but he asked a question where are the nine there were nine there were ten cleansed and only one came back to give thanks and it's always a reminder to us you know sometimes we can be pleading and pleading before the Lord and the Lord answers our prayers do we return the thanks in the same way that we were pleading before it is vital it is so important that we turn to thanks so we find this that it's vital it's so important that we just like me at the feet of Jesus that we are at the foot of his word that we are dealing upon his word that we have a hunger for his word because his word alone will change us and as we finish this we said area have you this one thing need for
[57:08] Jesus said this one thing need for because as we said the word has nothing for you he promises so much but as we said he takes it all back and you know it must be the most awful thing when you come to leave this world to leave all on your own we either leave in one way or another we either leave in the company of Christ or we leave our own and I cannot even begin to imagine how awful it is to go down into death all on your own because it's the one place nobody can do anything for you you are on your own but if you have this one thing need for if you have the portion of Christ as you he's with you and he's going to take you home you make sure tonight and ask the Lord and be bold say Lord I need to get this and I'm sure that every person who comes to church wants to be a
[58:15] Christian one day so often we sort of say well Lord I know I want to be a Christian I don't want to die without you but maybe we're not bold enough to say to the Lord not yet but in our heart of hearts that's what we're saying sometimes we're scared of how will it affect me how will it affect me at work how will it affect me in the community what will people say what will people think of me I know the way people speak of Christians I don't know if I can handle that but the thing is that once the Lord takes hold of you these thoughts disappear they're gone it's amazing I was there and every Christian was there I would imagine most of us were there we had these thoughts of what about this and what about that remember one thing need once the Lord takes hold of you he takes charge of all these things as well you trust him you believe in him accept him let us pray we pray to bless us we give thanks for being under your word and we give thanks for everybody who is under your word there's always hope that any man or woman who is under your word who is under your word and so we pray that you will bless us and that you will give us hearing ears and understanding hearts and again we pray your blessing upon the fellowship tonight we give thanks for fellowship we give thanks for the bonds in the gospel we give thanks Lord for the encouragement that we can be to one another watch over us then we pray take away from us our every sin in Jesus name we ask amen we are going to conclude singing in
[60:13] Psalm 73 Psalm 73 we are going to sing from verses 23 to 26 Psalm 73 from verse 23 Nevertheless, continually, O Lord, I am with you.
[60:39] Thou dost me hold by my right hand, and still the foe's. Thou wilt I counsel, while I live, wilt me conduct and guide, and to thy glory afterward receive me to abide.
[60:52] Whom have I in the heavens high? To thee, O Lord, alone, and in the earth do I decide, besides thee there is none. My flesh and heart are faint of me, but God does fail me ever.
[61:06] For of my heart to God is a sin and portion forever. Verses 23 to 26, Psalm 73. Nevertheless, continually, O Lord, I am with you.
[61:18] Nevertheless, continually, O Lord, I am with you.
[61:36] Thou dost me hold by my right hand, and still the foe's.
[61:52] Thou wilt I counsel, while I live, will be called out and guide, Until thy glory often warn, receive me to abide.
[62:29] whom high is the heavens high. But thee, O Lord, alone, and still the earth do I decide, Besides thee there is none.
[63:04] My flesh and heart are the things I fail, But God does fail me ever.
[63:24] But all my heart of this does stay, And for the Lord's love forever.
[63:42] Tell me the grace of the Lord. Tell me the grace of the Lord, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Yes, and abide upon each one of you now and forever. Amen.