[0:00] A warm welcome to you all. It's lovely to see you. Lovely to see old foes on the pitch here as well.! I'm pretty sure he's only here to see if I can actually read and write. He wasn't convinced at all back in the day.
[0:18] It's great to be here. It's my first time with you. And of course we're looking for the blessing of the Lord as we open His Word today. And we're thinking about, we're going to be reading from 1 Peter, thinking about the living hope that we have in Jesus Christ.
[0:37] And when we're thinking about coming to praise Him, the words of a doxology which often goes to the psalm that we're just going to read. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
[0:55] So as we come today as worshippers, our prayer is that God will speak to us very clearly as we focus on Jesus Christ, Him crucified and raised from the dead, and the one who brings us living hope.
[1:14] So let's turn then by singing from Psalm 100. All people that on earth do dwell. It's the first verse and sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
[1:27] Him serve with mirth, His praise foretell. Come ye before Him and rejoice. And we'll sing the whole of the psalm to God's praise. All people that on earth do dwell.
[1:46] Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
[1:56] Him serve with mirth, His praise foretell. Come ye before Him and rejoice.
[2:16] Know that the Lord is God indeed. With our glory He did us play.
[2:34] We are His glory, He does not give. And for His sake He does not give.
[2:54] O enter then His gates with praise. Approach with joy His courts unto.
[3:12] Great Lord and bless His name always.
[3:22] For it is seemly so to do. For while the Lord the God is good, His mercy is forever assured.
[3:51] His truth at all times firmly stood. And shall fall from age to age and turn.
[4:10] And shall alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém alguém among us and within us as we come to open up our minds and hearts to you in worship and adoration in this time together.
[4:51] And we pray that as we do so that we would be impacted again by your truth that has set us free. Lord, I pray that we would truly be rejoicing in our hearts today at the incredible mercy and grace that we have in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.
[5:10] That it would be the very root of our joy. That we would understand that it is the foundation to everything that we have. And I pray then that you would help us as we try and focus.
[5:25] I pray that the Holy Spirit would give us an ear to hear what you are saying to us today. That you would grab us and show us your mighty mercy and salvation.
[5:38] That the living hope that we have through Jesus Christ raised from the dead. That the grave couldn't hold him. It is in you we trust and have our faith.
[5:50] So I pray that you would show us today again the incredible privilege that we have. To hear and think about and receive and enjoy the good news of Jesus and be transformed by it.
[6:10] So Lord, I pray that we will indeed have a heart full of passion for the gospel and full of passion and compassion for people around us.
[6:27] And we pray today for people who are suffering. People who have been off long term. We rejoice at those who have been able to return among us.
[6:38] We pray for your grace to be upon them. We pray for those who are suffering at home. Unable to be with us. Perhaps feeling isolated and alone. Or whatever it may be that they are going through.
[6:50] The trials and the traumas. The physical challenges that we face. Now and in the coming days in which we pray for those of us here today.
[7:00] Feeling the reality of a world that is diminishing to us. But we have a living hope that doesn't diminish, fade or spoil.
[7:16] So we pray into all of the suffering. All of the realities. All of the pain. All of the loss that the people in this community have faced over recent days and weeks and months.
[7:27] And we pray that we would find a rest today in the gospel of Jesus. And we pray for this church. We pray for all the churches up on the island in particular just now who are vacant.
[7:42] And we just ask that your provision of blessing will be upon them in terms of preachers. Lord we pray that you will raise up men called by you, prepared by you to preach and proclaim the gospel.
[7:57] In our day the challenge is significant for not only this denomination but others too. So we pray for the gospel. We pray for you to bring people to this harvest.
[8:11] This field where the fields are white for harvest. There are many questions that people have. Perhaps we over the years have maybe shut off from.
[8:22] But I pray that we wouldn't do that. That we would be open and ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us. That we would be a people, a signpost of grace ourselves in our own lives to people who are broken.
[8:36] And who have resisted you and your grace over the years. So I pray that we would be a movement of your people, a holy priesthood.
[8:48] Lord I pray then that you would raise us up. That you would give us something to go on in terms of why we are here. Teach us your way. And help us to reach the world around us.
[9:01] And further afield in my line of work Lord I thank you for the people that I have met that have taught me many things. And to appreciate many things that we have.
[9:14] Perhaps have lost over the years in our own nation. But Lord we can be taught by those that you are bringing to salvation in other lands too. And so Lord encourage us.
[9:27] We live in difficult times around the world in wars. In Sudan for instance the terrible events that take place there on a daily basis.
[9:40] In South Sudan the conflict spreading over and hundreds of thousands of people fleeing. The violence and the DRC and all of these places Lord.
[9:51] Of course in the Middle East and in the Ukraine and Russia. And in many other places that we don't even hear about now in the news. Lord there are so many lives lost. And so many Christians being attacked in many of these countries.
[10:06] So Lord we pray that you will lift up your church today in which we are part of fear. And may we rejoice in you the King of Heaven. Our Lord our Saviour. And I pray that you would lift us up and equip us to be servants of you the King.
[10:20] To share this great message of salvation in Jesus Christ. And a living hope through his resurrection. And we pray all of these things in the name of Jesus our Lord and Saviour.
[10:33] Amen. Amen. I can't remember. Am I doing the kids address now or after the next singing?
[10:47] No. Okay. So there's a few younger folk here. And by that I mean you're under 20. and so I'm going to try and speak to you about a message.
[11:02] Now there's a great bit of scripture in the New Testament, it's from Matthew, where Jesus speaks about the wise and foolish builders. I'll read that in a moment, but I'm going to tell you a little story.
[11:15] Quite a number of years ago, this is maybe why Angus here is just wondering if I can actually read or not, from going back in the day.
[11:28] I actually went back to school many, many, many years ago. I went back to school at 21, and that's because I didn't really go to school in Angus' time.
[11:40] He had left the island and wondered if I'd actually ever managed to read. And I have, thanks and praise be to God, for that. So I went back to school, and when it came up to exam time, I was given the privilege of a caravan in Uig, and I would go over to Uig, and of course on the first night there was an almighty storm.
[12:04] And the caravan thankfully was tied down by two bits of rope over the caravan. Let's just say it was moving around, and I didn't sleep a wink. So I thought to myself, in the morning I woke up and I thought, well, you know, I'm going to go back to Stonroy just to go to the coffee pot or whatever and grab some breakfast there.
[12:25] So I jumped into the car, opened the gate, Machesho from the beach, and made my way over. And as I was leaving Uig, it was awesome going slowly, but there was this van behind me and he was flashing his lights.
[12:38] I thought, what in the world? I thought, I'm moving fairly quickly myself. What's this guy on? Anyway, I thought, I relented, surprisingly.
[12:49] And I pulled into the thing and he stopped, and he went down his window and he goes, there's something underneath your car. I think it's a cat. Or something like that. I could see legs anyway. And I went, oh, man, life, what in the world?
[13:03] And so I reversed into a, there was a lay-by with a little road. And when I reversed, there was a little boulder sticking up, so I just could put the other wheel onto it like that, just to raise it up.
[13:14] And of course, when I looked in behind the wheel, under the wheel arch of the rear of the car, I had a little lamb. And I was going, hell in the world, I can hardly get my hand in there.
[13:28] How did it get in there? So in the middle of the night, in the storm, this little lamb managed to wiggle its way in, and the way that the rear axle had a stabilizing bar alongside the axle, and there was a wee gap, and for some strange reason, it managed to get two of its legs over, between the axle and this stabilizing bar that was on the car.
[13:55] And I thought to myself, that is just incredible. And I thought, this poor thing has got to be dead. Anyway, I just put my arm in, pull him out, and his little feet were, let's just say, quite well scrubbed.
[14:11] He didn't need to get his nails done, sort of thing, right? But he was alive and was okay. So I thought, my goodness, I better put it in the boot, not realizing, you know, I was just terrified, what in the world have I done?
[14:25] But I didn't know. Anyway, I took it back to the farmer. I said, listen, this is what happened. Gave him his lamb back, and he goes, okay. Put it into the paddock, and I saw him the next day, and I said, how's the lamb?
[14:37] It's just fine. It was just a little cosmetic damage on the feet. Now, why is that story important for young people? Life can be really challenging anyway at the best of times.
[14:54] And I think we as young people think we don't need to learn from other people's experiences. We want to learn from our own mistakes.
[15:04] But sometimes, people like myself can say, don't go there. Don't do the silly things that we did. And there's good reason for that, okay?
[15:19] We can go and do the things that we want to do, that we think that we ought to do, we would like to do. We go in the storms of life to the wrong places and look for shelter.
[15:32] And we do things in life that we don't think that will have any damage to us in our lives. And so, as a young person, we might try and resist our parents or our grandparents and tell them, back off, I'm going to do this my way.
[15:50] And I think when there is good advice, especially scriptural advice, it is really important for you to hear what God is saying so that you can have that as the foundation of your life.
[16:02] So that you don't have to do what I did and make a lot of mistakes. Okay? I know some of you already know that. But tons of mistakes. Why? Because I wouldn't listen, especially to God, but also to other people who gave me good advice and I didn't listen.
[16:20] Therefore, Jesus says, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
[16:34] The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock.
[16:47] But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
[17:00] The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell with a great crash.
[17:11] Sometimes, you seek to build your life because you think, and I did it, I thought I knew better, and I was building my life on sand, and it came crashing down.
[17:31] It came crashing down. Now, it's an interesting thing, isn't it, that sometimes we learn from things, and when I finish with this, this is probably the longest kids' address you will ever hear, but I love speaking to young folk because I think it's important.
[17:47] Many years ago, what changed the direction of my life was down in Glasgow, and I'd been out with the brotherhood of footballers, and I had got very, very drunk, including them as well.
[18:04] It was very early in the day. We went home at night at eight o'clock to get ready to go out again, and I did something that was the beginning of the change in the direction of travel in my life.
[18:19] We were in a second-story flat on Gibson Street in Glasgow, and I opened the windowsill, and I sat on the window ledge to speak to a person, a girl on the street who was walking past that I recognized.
[18:33] And she was absolutely terrified, looking at me like that, going, right, I'm going for the bus now, you get back inside, but I'd close the window. One of the guys in the flat hadn't been out, and he saw someone outside his window, and he thought, there's someone in our garden.
[18:54] To which she then replied, we don't have a garden, it's a second-story flat. Then he ran to the window, opened it, grabbed me, pulled me in. Now, I didn't think a thing of it at the time, but it was the next morning.
[19:05] The next morning was this. This was the beginning of the change in the story of Roddy Barris from the person who built his house on the sand. The next morning, I woke up.
[19:17] I didn't need to be reminded. I woke up, and I sat upright, and I was sweating. All I could see in my head was this image with a finger on my chest, and with the words, I can take it away any time, of me sitting on the window ledge.
[19:37] And I went, right. Now, the guys around me didn't know anything about that. So, they now know, some of them now know, what the beginning of the change was.
[19:48] It was at this moment I realized, more than anything else, through fighting and drinking and everything else, I was a guy who built his house on sand. I was the foolish builder.
[20:01] And that was the beginning of change when I learned to trust in Jesus, to listen to his word, and to put it in my life by faith, trusting him, this free gift of faith.
[20:12] It's amazing. Amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. Someone who didn't listen, learned to listen. And now my life is built on this rock that can never crumble, fail, or fall.
[20:27] It's very easy to go along with the crowds as we do in life, and as I did. But this, this message, Jesus, the builder, the rock that we build our lives upon, is the message that we need to hear and put into practice.
[20:43] because it is so important for us to do that. Not to build our house on sand. That's foolish. And you'll discover that, I hope, before it's too late. Right, we're going to sing again.
[20:55] Sing from 93, Psalm 93. I'll sing a whole of that. I think it's only five stanzas. The Lord does reign and clothed is he with majesty most bright.
[21:10] His works do show him clothed to be and girt about with might. Let's sing the five verses to the praise of God. The Lord does reign and clothed is he with majesty most bright.
[21:36] His works to show him clothed to be and girded up with might.
[21:48] The world is also established holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy They lifted up their voice.
[22:42] The cross uplifted up their wings. And created a mighty noise.
[22:59] But yet the Lord that is on high.
[23:09] Is more of might by far. Than noise of many waters.
[23:24] Or great sea bellows are. Thy testimonies every once.
[23:42] His faithfulness takes hell. And holiness forever Lord.
[23:58] Thy heart's become of wealth. And holiness forever Lord.
[24:30] For us. So let's hear God's word. From 1 Peter. Chapter 1 verse 1 down to 12. Peter. An apostle of Jesus Christ. To the strangers scattered throughout Pontus.
[24:43] Galatia. Cappadocia. Asia. And Bithynia. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. Through sanctification of the Spirit. Unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.
[24:57] Grace unto you. And peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Which according to his abundant mercy. Have begotten us again unto a lively hope.
[25:12] A living hope. By the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible. And undefiled. And that fadeth not away.
[25:23] Reserved in heaven for you. Who are kept by the power of God through faith. Unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
[25:36] Wherein ye greatly rejoice. Though now for a season. If need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. That the trial of your faith being much more precious.
[25:50] Than of gold that perishes. Though it be tried with fire. Might be found unto praise and honor and glory. At the appearing of Jesus Christ.
[26:02] Whom having not seen ye love. In whom though now you see him not. Yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable.
[26:14] And full of glory. Receiving the end of your faith. Even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired.
[26:25] And searched diligently. Who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you. Searching what manner of time the spirit of Christ.
[26:39] Which was in them. Did signify. When it testified beforehand. The sufferings of Christ. And the glory that should follow. To whom it was revealed.
[26:52] That not unto themselves. But unto us. They did minister these things. Which are now reported unto you.
[27:02] By them. That have preached the gospel unto you. With the Holy Ghost sent down. From heaven. Which things the angels desired to look into.
[27:15] May God bless his holy word. We're going to sing from Psalm 98. We're going to sing the first five stanzas.
[27:26] That's down to the verse marked six. Oh sing a new song to the Lord. For wonders he hath done. His right hand and his holy arm.
[27:38] Him victory hath won. So down to the end of verse six. O sing a new song to the Lord.
[27:54] For wonders he hath done. His right hand and his holy arm.
[28:11] His right hand and his holy arm. His right hand and his holy arm. The Lord God is salvation.
[28:29] At cross the church in the Lord. His right hand and his holy arm.
[28:40] And his holy arm. And his holy arm. He openly hath shown.
[28:54] Remind for all His grace and truth, Christus has been.
[29:12] And the salvation of our God, All hands of earth have seen.
[29:30] Let all the earth unto the Lord, Stand forth a joyful noise.
[29:49] Let the pure voice allow to end, Sing graces and rejoice.
[30:06] With heart, with heart, The voice of sound, Of duty, home, I sing.
[30:24] With prophets for this godly sound, Before the Lord the King.
[30:41] Amen. Let's turn our thoughts into 1 Peter. And we'll particularly look at verse 3, 4 and 5.
[30:54] And to see what the Lord is saying to us. We'll do a little bit of application at the end as I said earlier. Peter, so it will be helpful for us before we think about what Peter himself has recorded quite a number of years later we think probably around AD 65, 66, it was not long before he was put to death by Nero Paul was also killed around that time, early 60s to mid 60s we think in Rome as well but just as a passing thought to give us a little inclination as to the depth of what Peter is thinking about so if you go to Peter and we look at Peter through the Gospels Peter of course is a favourite of some of us who made mistakes in life, said the wrong things or whatever we kind of look at Peter as the guy that we would probably be more closely related to in that regard anyway, there is something about Peter that he understood that Jesus Christ was the Messiah but he didn't fully realise what the Messiah would do and what he would do to redeem sinners like you and me and so he believed that he was the Son of God the Messiah in that sense, but he didn't know the extent of the work of the Messiah they still had this view that he would end up on the throne in Jerusalem and so what you begin to see is Peter vehemently said out loud
[32:42] I will die for you and Peter said, no Peter at this point yes you will later die for me, that's true but firstly you will deny me three times and when you hear the cockerel crowing you will know so you have this person who was around Jesus for three years who heard the teaching of Jesus for three years and according to John from chapter 13 to 17 you have what you call the upper room discourse where Jesus is preparing the disciples after the departure of Judas in chapter 13 to betray him he's preparing them for what is to come he's actually preparing them for his departure for his return to the Father please go and read it it's just that five chapters are truly amazing now, they still didn't understand fully so now Peter, let's forward that just a few hours later until the arrest of Jesus until the denial of Peter and eventually the crucifixion of Jesus now of course all the disciples at this point were in just complete chaos they were seeing their teacher the prophet of God crucified the one that they fully expected to be on the throne in Jerusalem to push out the Romans and for Israel to be reinstated as a nation again and so they were thrown into chaos and they watched him die
[34:25] John records it it tells you everything you need to know so the disciples saw him crucified saw him dying and saw him being placed in a tomb and they saw the tomb being closed and so three days of complete confusion and disarray the women come knocking on the door and tell the disciples that his body is no longer in the tomb John tells you they ran John and Peter they saw the stone rolled away and there was no Jesus in the tomb and it's interesting what John says that both John and Peter left and went back and locked themselves in a room and it tells you why for fear of the Jews the body was taken they left they locked themselves in a room
[35:33] Mary finally speaks to the resurrected Lord and Jesus Christ as the disciples locked themselves in the room what happens next is truly astonishing I'll explain why this is important when we walk through this they locked themselves in an upper room in a room and Jesus comes in to the room where they were all in fear of the Jews in resurrected power in a resurrected body in a locked room Jesus entered the room now firstly we know that the scriptures are telling you and we'll repeat this the grave couldn't hold him the stone was rolled away for the benefit of the disciples and the followers to show that the grave couldn't hold Jesus and now he enters the room they see him they're terrified he says peace be to you now I don't know about you guys
[36:40] I think I would freak out if someone was able to get into this room physically but now it's a resurrected body and what's even more amazing at the end of John chapter 21 you see the restoration the full restoration of Peter having breakfast on the beach with Jesus the resurrected Jesus eating fish with him why is it important to understand that in light of this because it is the foundation it is the reality of what Peter then fully understood that Jesus indeed was crucified but on the third day he was raised again it's exactly what he said the son of man must suffer must die and on the third day be raised again and it's exactly what he did he was raised again by the power of the spirit and it is on that basis years later in times of great tribulation for the church these five churches mentioned here they're going through various trials for their faith in Jesus and he brings them to this incredible insight that as John reveals it as records Peter's part of it all and the restoration of Peter they walk with and talk with and Peter restored by the resurrected Lord and Saviour
[38:16] Jesus Christ himself and it is in light of the reality of that and his ascension to the right hand of God which he also sees in his departure it's exactly what Jesus said would happen he writes these words okay he writes these words many years later I'll read them here just for context in the NIV just for your sake so we can hear it but praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that cannot perish spoil or fade this this inheritance is kept in heaven for you who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time absolutely incredible so the stumbling bumbling Peter and the rest of the disciples that didn't quite fully understand the full extent of God's plan when he said at the very beginning of the Bible story at the fall of mankind he gave us these words the seed of the woman singular seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent and the serpent would bruise his heel what Peter saw was the seed of the woman the one prophesied to be the suffering sermon of Isaiah 52-53 the son of man who would have an everlasting kingdom of Daniel the one prophesied hundreds of years here he is and all of the disciples who followed him who heard his teaching who saw his miracles who saw everything didn't fully understand the significance of the moment of the life death and resurrection of Jesus until after and now he's writing it down as someone who fully understands and he's writing it for the people first of all in context to the people in Cappadocia and Pontus and Galatia and Asia and Bithynia he's done it for them first for a good reason they're going through a lot of suffering and for you and me many many many years later on the
[40:48] Isle of Lewis we're hearing the same message that brings mercy hope living hope to you and to me he didn't focus first of all on their suffering he does speak to them about their suffering but he wants them to understand that the very foundation of their life is so truly awesome that there is nothing nothing in all creation nothing that the devil can do that can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus so let's dig in a little bit into this it's so challenging for us to hear the words because we as Lewis folk I'm assuming the U.S.
[41:38] folk aren't unlike us in this regard but this word hope has a very kind of we even say about our salvation well I hope so no no no listen to what the scripture says do not let the culture shape the truth it's the truth shaping the culture we get that wrong we talk about our salvation as if God is picking us up and saying well you're worthy no there is not one there isn't one worthy but that's the focus of his mercy his mercy means that every single unworthy person can indeed come to know this salvation that's it and we need to focus on that as believers we need to be people who are communicating the wonder of the salvation that is in front of you it isn't a maybe salvation it is salvation
[42:46] I mean if there is anybody in here that can say if I looked at my past and thought I know there is not much there that God would be very pleased about but that's what makes me truly thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ because I know that whatever my past has his mercy is more and here it is on incredible display for you and for me the fact that we are the object of God's mercy the privilege and the joy that we have that we are the object of God's mercy and that is what Peter wants you to grasp firstly then praise praise be bless thee different translations put it in different different words it doesn't matter the focal point is praise be to the
[43:53] God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ now we sang from Psalm 100 that great Psalm that just calling us to praise and the two Psalms from 93 and 98 96 are all the same that group of Psalms are really calling you just to praise God from your heart knowing the wonder of salvation the joy that we have when we were once dead in our sin now we're alive in Christ and Zechariah on the arrival of Jesus when he hears it's recorded for you in Luke 1 verse 68 praise be to the Lord the God of Israel because he has come and has redeemed his people there is this expression that we have in the scriptures used repeatedly by the writers of the scriptures under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit we're a people who are blessed we're a people who are called to praise from our hearts not just from our tongues but from our hearts through our lives at the mercy of
[45:04] God and so that's the focal point of the praise praise God praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ why because of his great mercy in his great mercy he has given us new birth Ephesians 2 God who is rich in mercy has made us alive in Christ so we were thinking about a lot of different things here but mercy at the moment mercy and judgment let's put them side by side judgment is getting what you deserve mercy is not getting all that you deserve we also use grace in the scriptures we see it in their teaching grace is getting what we don't deserve mercy is getting is not getting what we deserve so mercy and grace God's action for us we're not getting what we deserve justice and judgment we're getting mercy of salvation we're getting grace we're getting this privilege of being saved while not deserving it now one writer said this true love does not live in the absence of judgment but in the presence of it now we live in a world that does focus a great deal on love and not necessarily in the biblical way that we're called to live out love but we think about love and now when we think about love in the church we think you know here you go talking about love and
[46:53] I've had someone turn around to me one day oh love love love what about the law love love doesn't deny the law love doesn't deny truth and that's what that person was saying true love does not live in the absence of judgment but in the presence of it just think of that there is not one person who will experience the love of God that hasn't faced the judgment of God but this is the point of that quote there is nothing in your life that surprises God nothing there is nothing hidden in your life that surprises God God knows the truth about Roddy Barvis and any other single person in here today he knows you intimately and everything he knows my past your past nothing hidden the feelings all there but that's why his love is truly truly precious for
[48:11] God gave so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son knowing every single person every past every issue everything God in love gave his only begotten son so that whoever believes in him will have that mercy and experience mercy that is the clarion call of the church that is the foundational truth that separates the church from any other institution religious or otherwise God in his perfect judgment knew me through and through but at the same time poured out his love upon me through
[49:15] Jesus Christ Christ in his great mercy his mercy his mercy is more than all of my failings all of my sin his grace is more powerful than it all and I praise him and I thank him consequence of his mercy then is this new birth new life for you have been born again Peter says down in verse 23 not by perishable seed the seed of Adam but by the imperishable seed of Christ through the living word living and enduring word of God we have been given the gift of new birth new life new way a new way of thinking and that is when we arrive at these words in this incredible bit of scripture we have a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus
[50:24] Christ now one writer Edmund Clowney wrote these words Peter writes a letter of hope the hope he proclaims is not what we call a fond hope we cherish fond hopes because they are so fragile we hope against hope because we do not really expect what we hope for but Peter writes of a sure hope a hope that holds our future in its hands a current hope that is anchored in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Peter knows that God's salvation in Christ means deliverance from sin and death and God's fulfillment of his promise for salvation that is because God has accomplished his salvation in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the dead and you through him are ready for his return there is not one person who has experienced the saving mercy of
[51:31] God through Jesus Christ that is not ready because we have a living hope Jesus has been raised from the dead he has ascended to the right hand where he intercedes for us he is alive that is the point he is alive he is still interceding for us that is why church should be so alive to this it transforms everything however many days I have left to live weeks months years I don't know it doesn't matter in that sense as I have become reckless and chaotic maybe a little bit chaotic still but that is not the point I have a foundation that cannot be broken because of
[52:35] Christ he is the foundation he is the rock of our salvation and isn't it interesting in the rest of the scriptures and scripture helps us truly put together to really understand the joy of the Christian faith today Paul writing to the church in Corinth thinking about this whole resurrection battle that was taking place there issues that there were false teachers had started teaching some things and he challenges all of that in the writing to the Corinthian church he wrote for if the dead are not raised then Christ has not been raised either and if Christ has not been raised your faith is futile you are still in your sins then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost if only for this life we have hope in Christ we are to be pitied more than all men but
[53:36] Christ has indeed been raised from the dead the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep for since death came through a man the resurrection of the dead comes through a man for as in Adam all die so in Christ all will be made alive that's what happens when you trust in Jesus and we have to stop this I'm not worthy nobody is we focus on the worthy one communion it's all about the worthy one we do it because of him we have a living hope because Jesus is alive and he intercedes for you and the Holy Spirit continues to intercede for you now Paul would write to the Romans I often use these words for my own sake remind myself of the privilege and the joy that
[54:46] I have in this salvation so listen carefully it's a few verses but it's worthy to read in the context who will bring any charge against those God has chosen it is God who justifies who is he who condemns Christ Jesus who died more than that who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your sake we face death all day long we are considered a sheep to be slaughtered no in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us for
[55:51] I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor demons neither the present nor the future nor any powers neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord do you think now that that is a maybe I maybe no salvation hope living hope that is the reality in front of you yes we can feel failures repeatedly yes we stumble and fall but you also alongside this saving mercy have the grace of repentance that is the life of every single believer we think about repentance only far too often in a limited fashion especially for those who have yet to come to faith yes it is a gift to you if you have never trusted
[57:04] Jesus you are given the gift and the grace of repentance to come to him to receive life to trust in his death that pays the price for your sin and the resurrection which guarantees eternal life but for the believer far too often we limit that idea from we we're given this privilege every single day and if we for instance use the Lord's prayer Lord forgive me my sin as I forgive those sin against you grace of repentance is something so awesome for every believer and you're constantly being drawn away by the fiery arts of the devil and your own heart at times when you're not walking close with the Lord yes you have all of these times in your life but he'll keep calling you back he keeps giving you the grace of repentance to return come home come back because his incredible mercy his incredible salvation is for you you are born again into a living hope through
[58:26] Jesus Christ you are made alive in him because of his death life death and resurrection and his ascension and return to the father he continues to intercede for you we are therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father we too may live a new life so this inheritance verse four and I'll move on quickly for the sake of the roast that's in the oven in Brees Glitch we have an inheritance that cannot spoil or fade my wife often turns around to me and she says you know Roddy I think you're the only Lewisman who has never been left a croft I said I'm probably not the only one but there are only a few of us that have never been left a croft an inheritance like that but you see what I love about this there's no wiggle room here the only wiggle room that there is whether we are in
[59:41] Christ or not sometimes our lives might not show that we are in Christ we're living if you want incompatible ways I suppose you could call it with what we're told to do and but if we're in Christ here's what it says if you're in Christ you have an inheritance!
[60:02] through the living Lord who's at the right hand what he's done for you and been raised from the dead where the grave couldn't hold him we have an imperishable undefiled and unfading inheritance now sometimes our lives feel at times far away that's us but from his his point of view to us from the father's point of view through salvation given to us of Jesus Christ it's imperishable it's undefiled it's unfading it cannot be corrupted cannot be broken cannot be destroyed what Paul said to the Romans the church in Rome in the book of Romans read these often in your life you have this inheritance that is the promised Holy Spirit who has a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are in God's possession to the praise and glory of God we have been strengthened every day strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and joyfully giving thanks to the father who has qualified you to share the inheritance of all the saints in the kingdom of light so you have this incredible imperishable undefiled unfading inheritance because
[61:28] Jesus who paid the price for sin and was raised from the dead is alive! and so the point of reading or thinking about Peter's experience before the crucifixion and after the crucifixion is so important for us to truly understand God is not limited to walls God is not limited to church buildings there is nothing limited about God but he has given you this salvation for you to understand nothing can break it nothing can damage it nothing can defile it because Jesus Christ is alive now verse 5 is also challenging it has a now element and a not yet element of course just about everything that we've been talking about here has a not yet element in other words the return of
[62:28] Jesus Jesus will return as he came prophesied in the Old Testament he came at a time lived died was resurrected and ascended he will come now you need to be ready for that return and the way to be ready for it is being in Christ so I hope you've understood that that was essentially the message I've been trying to speak to you for the last 25 minutes or more and but here's something else I just want you to grab this and here's the closing part for you talks about you are being guarded by the power of God so that's that's an active power that's a now power that's a continual active power now you're protected by the power of God and then it continues through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time so the fullness of our salvation will be revealed on the return of
[63:39] Jesus here in the meantime you're called to live that out you're called to be a person distinguished by the grace and mercy and truth of God the reality of the salvation that has set you free this is the challenge for every single believer for every generation the challenge that we have every day to keep that spiritual faith that we have with vitality in our lives the temptation to go and do the wrong thing or say the wrong thing whatever that will always be the battle that we live in we're living in this fallen world a temporary home read the rest of Peter you'll get it but something strikes me as you go through this chapter it talks about the living hope then talks about this incredible faith that is greater than gold through times of trial in testing and so on and so forth and then this call to live a holy life a life that is distinct distinctive of this grace and mercy that has saved you this living hope that dwells within you draws you ever more to the truth that changes you but there's something here that I want you to think about something that defines
[64:55] Christ defines the church down in verse 22 now that you have purified yourselves that's this response to the truth by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for one another love one another deeply from the heart who would have guessed that this was going to be the thing that would define the church love one another one of the standout realities of the mercy of God is that within any church you have all sorts of different people from all sorts of different backgrounds and this group of people are brought together by the mercy and grace of God and his transforming powers working within all types of people all types of past but the thing that you are called to first and foremost is like
[65:56] Jesus taught in the upper room that we should love one another how should we love one another as I have loved you and then he says this so listen carefully we're coming to a conclusion hang in there be patient it's just going to be another couple of minutes as I have loved you the world will know me the Lord Jesus Christ the world will know me by the way you love one another that's staggering if that isn't a wake up call to the church when we are called to love it isn't just a love love rebukes correctly and rightly so in a genuine way I I had a great elder in Stornow way back in the day he wasn't scared to say the right thing to me and sometimes sternly but I knew he loved me that was the difference it didn't put me off but he saw when I was going wrong and he would call me out for it some of you will remember him
[67:06] Dolan Kai he wasn't afraid but I knew that he loved me and so here it's just something so profound the effects of the now the power of God now what does it look like a church that actually forgives we forgive one another we pray it in the Lord's prayer we have this experience now to say that the very same forgiveness as I have experienced the love of God that I am to love one another oh it is so hard do you know that this yeah I guess a lot of people have said that about me too and they're right yep I would agree with them very difficult to love absolutely but here it is the call love one another as brothers love each other with brotherly love from the heart I'm going to close with this and this is me jumping into my current role as
[68:07] Mission International and working in different countries and I'll close with this last year in July we had the privilege of going to Uganda Rwanda and Burundi and as we went there we were in Rwanda at the time of the election and there was a lot of things being said about Rwanda by the way just for the sake of it Rwanda is the safest place I've ever been to and I can tell you I've been to Bangladesh Haiti and all the different places in between and when we went we went first of all to the Genocide Museum we were there 30 years later and so there was a lot of commemoration taking place for 100 days and so when we went to the Genocide Museum it was absolutely heartbreaking and eventually we went to this we were doing a service a commissioning of a building there were over a thousand people there dancing as they do in
[69:12] Africa five hours when you complain about an hour let me tell you it was five hours more than five hours and I was pretty dehydrated by the end of it anyway it was just incredible we went to Rwanda we were doing some teaching on the Monday and the Tuesday and I finished off the sessions on the Tuesday and we went for a bite of lunch and beside me is a guy called Stephen and I can tell you now it's that to me it was the most humbling moment of my Christian life he explained that he lost his whole family in the genocide and I mean close family and extended family and he had been hiding in the bush in the DRC for a month with a few people and they'd heard the genocide was over they didn't believe them so they waited an extra month when he came back to his home everybody was dead the whole everyone everyone and soon after he became a Christian himself and in his prayer he said this is what he told us in my prayer it became very clear to me in this moment the Lord made it clear and he said these words to me
[70:26] Rwanda will never survive unless we forgive and I'm looking at the three guys who were with me across from me and I'm going what would I have done yeah I know exactly what I would have done and I'm sitting there and then he said this see when we're when you were preaching today Roddy two or three of my elders and some of the congregation were the people who killed my family I'm sitting there going whoa this this is truly incredible I just didn't know what to say and all of a sudden it struck me oh man in such a powerful way when we're hearing Christ saying to us as I have loved you as I have forgiven you love and forgive them as I have loved and forgiven them love your brothers brotherly love let brotherly love dwell within my family I had learned something incredible in that moment that I had never seen anywhere else it blew me away and it calls us to this in light of God's mercy in light of the living hope that you have through him live like him love like him forgive like him because you have the power you have the power to do so he's the judge he's the savior imitate him love like him let's pray lord as we conclude today i just give you thanks we give you thanks for your word it is truly amazing for us to to hear your word again and again and we rejoice in it we know it's challenging we know it's difficult sometimes it is hard to hear but you are an awesome god and we love you for it we thank you for the cost that you paid the price was paid in full lord by that power that you saved us with i pray that each and every one of us would live daily now in light of your incredible grace and mercy and salvation and the fact that we have this living hope now always present cannot diminish spoiler faith lord i pray that we would live our lives with purpose and meaning that we would be a church like a light on a hill that cannot be hidden and we commit our time to you we thank you for your grace we thank you for your word we thank you for jesus and in his glorious name we pray amen okay we're going to sing from psalm 130 we'll send the whole of the psalm lord from the depths to thee i cried my voice lord do thou hear unto my supplications voice give an attentive lord from the depths to thee holy
[74:18] I voice, Lord, to thou hear Unto my supplications voice Give an attempt again Lord, who shall stand Yet thou, O Lord, Should my iniquity But yet with thee forgiveness That fear the misty
[75:21] I wait, Lord, My soul doth wait My hope is in your word More than may that For morning watch My soul wait for the Lord I say more than may that do watch The morning light to see That Israel
[76:23] Open the Lord For with mercy's peace Unplacious redemption Is ever come with him And from all his iniquities He is Shall, shall, shall reign Okay, let's conclude our time together in prayer Lord, we thank you once again for your mercy It is truly awesome
[77:24] And as we depart from here We pray that that mercy And grace And truth And love And much more Will abide in each and every one of us Through you The Father The Son And the Holy Spirit One God May your blessings Continue to enrich your lives For the glory of your name And we ask it all in Jesus' name Amen