[0:00] Well, before we begin the worship, there's just one intimation, and that is that the Kirk Session will be closed with the benediction.
[0:14] When I pronounce the benediction tonight, that will bring the Kirk Session to its closure. We're going to worship God, singing to his praise from Psalm number 21, the 21st Psalm.
[0:30] And we sing verses 1 to 5. Psalm 21, verses 1 to 5. And thou hast set upon his head a crown of purest gold.
[1:05] When he desired life of thee, thou life to him didst give, even such a length of days that he forevermore should live. In that salvation wrought by thee his glory is made great.
[1:18] Honor and comely majesty thou hast upon him set. Psalm 21, 1 to 5. The King in thy great strength, O Lord. The King in thy great strength, O Lord, Shall there ye joyful be, In thy salvation, O Lord,
[2:20] For all that is heart vanilla. The King in thy great strength, O Lord, Who has seen the perfect strength, O Lord, Their holy life and his love are shaken.
[2:43] His pike is lifted dear. For thou in blessing happy ment.
[2:59] Now here is my保ant. Have thou hast said upon his head a count of purest gold?
[3:27] When he decided I hold thee, the light to heaven is given.
[3:46] In such a way of days that he forevermore should live.
[4:06] In that salvation brought by thee, his glory is made great.
[4:25] On earth and holy majesty, thou hast upon himself.
[4:46] Let us bow in prayer. Amen.
[5:19] Let us bow in prayer. Remembering on the one hand that you are a consuming fire. But also remembering on the other hand that you are a God of great grace and mercy.
[5:32] And of compassion and love. And so we ask Lord that we might indeed again be focused upon you. We give thanks for the privilege of being able to sit at your table today.
[5:44] We have the gospel table where the great offer is open to all. And we have the great privilege of the Lord's table. Where those who have come to accept the great offer of the gospel.
[6:00] Are invited to come to that table. To take by faith the elements that are set aside. The bread and the wine. And Lord we give thanks that we were able to do that once more on our journey home.
[6:15] That you have given us this to strengthen our faith. Because so often we get tired and weary. And times we get cast down. But it gives us a fresh opportunity to remember you.
[6:27] To remember your love to us. To remember just what it is that you did for us. To remember that you didn't hold back. You held nothing back.
[6:39] You gave your all. And so we tonight praise the great name of our God. For the great work of salvation. For the marvelous way that it was thought out and purposed and planned.
[6:54] And the wonderful way it was executed. And we marvel at the deep things of God. Because there are things that we can go so far in our mind.
[7:06] But that's as far as we can go. We are finite in our being. And we have to confess Lord. That while we understand a great deal.
[7:18] We are as it were just paddling in the depths. Paddling at the water's edge. Compared to the ocean. That is there of all of who you are.
[7:30] Our knowledge is so limited. And yet we give thanks Lord. For all you have revealed of yourself to us. And through the word. We are able to understand more and more.
[7:40] Of who you are. And of the wonderful and gracious offer of this gospel. And so tonight we pray that all of us may rejoice. In the fact that Jesus Christ is saviour.
[7:54] Lord we pray for anybody in here tonight. Who believes that Jesus is saviour. Believes so much of God's word. Maybe believes all of it.
[8:06] And yet they have so far resisted. So far have not come to that place. Where they are able to say my Lord and my God. And there is something holding them back.
[8:18] And we pray that the resistance might be broken. And that you will come in with them. And sup with them. And that they will come to know you. And rejoice in you.
[8:28] And have that persuasion that you are their Lord. Lord we pray for your people tonight. And we pray for any who might be struggling with assurance.
[8:41] We pray for those who might be in darkness. Those who are not too sure just where they are at. Lord encourage them we pray. And we pray for the elderly.
[8:52] We pray for those who are unable to come out anymore. Lord we ask to bless them in their own home. We pray that you will feed them. And wherever they are with the finest of the wheat.
[9:04] That they will be able still to rejoice in the Lord. We give thanks for the prayers of your praying people. Who are confined to their own homes.
[9:15] And some are bedridden. And we owe so much to these prayers. Lord our God we give thanks for all those. Who have gone on before us.
[9:25] And we know that something goes when they go. But we know that the return of prayers is often after many days. And we pray that there will still be the return of these prayers.
[9:38] For even this very congregation here. And for souls that so far have not yet come to the inn. May one day come into faith.
[9:51] And a large part although we know that you are the sovereign God. And you set your love upon people. But you incline your people to pray for people.
[10:01] And so we pray that the answer to these prayers will still come. Lord our God we pray that you will bless the congregation. And you will encourage them. And that you might add to their number.
[10:14] We pray that the congregation will grow. Grow spiritually. And that they will grow in togetherness one with another. That they will grow numerically. That they will grow numerically. That they will grow financially. That they will grow in strength.
[10:26] And that you will indeed own the work of this congregation. Within this community. Lord our God we give thanks for where you set us all. In all the different places.
[10:37] In the different gifts that you equip your people with. And so we ask Lord that in all these different gifts that are given. That your name will be you spread abroad.
[10:48] And that people will rejoice in the Lord. We ask Lord that you will bless this community. And ask that souls tonight that are in darkness. Will yet come to the light of the gospel.
[11:01] That homes that do not know you. There is no light in that home. Lord we pray to bring a light to shine into the home. And we ask Lord that you will indeed do a great work in this community.
[11:14] Sometimes we are inhibited in our prayers. Sometimes we feel the devil will get to us in our own heart of unbelief. And sometimes we'll say what's the point.
[11:25] Oh there's every point. And grant us the faith. Grant us the belief. Grant us Lord a largeness of heart in our prayers. So that we will seek great things from you.
[11:38] That we won't be looking just for a little of this and a little of that. But that we'll be looking for you to open the windows of heaven. And pour down such a blessing that there won't even be room enough to receive it.
[11:50] Lord we ask that you will be with the sick. With those who are going through difficult times. We ask that your helping, upholding, healing hand might be upon them.
[12:00] Pray for those who mourn. Whose hearts are heavy and sore. They miss their loved ones. And we ask that you will nourish the broken heart. We give thanks your word says those that are broken in their heart and grieved in their mind.
[12:14] That their tender wounds that you, that their wounds you tenderly abind. And we pray that they will know the comfort and the joy of the Lord. Pray to bless us as a nation.
[12:25] Bless us Lord we pray. As in these difficult days. Days of uncertainty. As we look out into the future. We know that everything can change so quickly.
[12:38] And we, there is a growing sense of anxiety as to the direction the world is going in. We pray Lord in light of real financial restraints with regard to the whole supply of energy.
[12:52] And we look around and often wonder how, how people are going to make ends meet. But Lord we know that you don't change. And that you have the cattle on a thousand hills that belong to you.
[13:06] And that you are able to make provision. But we pray Lord that nationally we will look to you. And that we won't just accept your goodness without ever acknowledging you.
[13:17] And so often when we're going through these times. There is such a void of sense of God. Oh that our leaders would turn to look to you.
[13:29] We pray that that might happen. We ask Lord to bless the cause of Christ. Up and down our land and throughout all the nations of the world. We pray for your people in the workplace.
[13:41] And maybe pray for those who might be finding it hard as Christians. Lord encourage them we pray. Pray for those in schools. We pray for our schools. Pray for our teachers.
[13:52] We pray for those who work with the young at all the different levels. Whether it's in day schools or whether it's in Sunday school. We pray Lord for all the different areas of work.
[14:06] We pray for all our emergency services and our caring services. Lord we pray for all that goes on at all the different levels of society.
[14:17] And ask Lord that you'll protect us and do us good. But above all that the gospel may flourish in our land. Cleanse us then we pray from our every sin. And do us good.
[14:27] In Jesus name we ask all. Amen. We're going to sing again from Psalm number 36. Psalm number 36. And we're going to sing from verse 5 to verse 10.
[14:41] Psalm 36 verses 5 to 10. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. truth doth reach the clouds. Thy justice is like mountains great, thy judgments deepest floods. Lord, thou preservest man and beast, how precious is thy grace.
[15:01] Therefore in shadow of thy wings men's sons their trust shall place. They with the fatness of thy house shall be well satisfied. From rivers of thy pleasure thou will drink to them provide.
[15:15] Because of life the fountain pure remains alone with thee. In that purest light of thine we clearly light shall see. Thy loving kindness unto them continue that they know.
[15:29] And still on men upright in heart thy righteousness bestow. Psalm 36, 5-10, Thy mercy Lord is in the heavens. Thy mercy mercy for His in theft thy truth thal reach the clouds.
[15:58] Thy rose is light out in gray, thy große trip He has brought Lord of every service The man of these And precious is my grace Therefore in shadow On thy way Ness as their cross Shall blaze There will the darkness Of thy heart
[17:00] Shall be well satisfied From rivers All my glad To flow Will bring good And provide Because of life The fountain pure Revealed Then the kidneys Or with thee And in the grace The light I will do I shall see
[18:01] Thy loving kindness unto them continue at the old.
[18:19] And still amen, our pride to know thy righteousness be so.
[18:44] Let's turn to read God's word now in the Gospel of John, John chapter 3. Gospel of John, chapter 3. John chapter 3.
[19:04] There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God.
[19:19] For no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
[19:36] Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
[19:54] That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, You must be born again.
[20:06] The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit.
[20:18] Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
[20:31] Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen, and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?
[20:50] And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
[21:14] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
[21:25] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
[21:46] And this is the condemnation, that light is coming to the world. And men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
[21:58] For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
[22:16] After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea, and there he tarried with them and baptized. And John also was baptized near to Salem, because there was much water there.
[22:31] And they came and were baptized, for John was not yet cast into prison. Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.
[22:42] And they came unto John and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold, the same baptiseth, and all men come to him.
[22:56] John answered and said, A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
[23:11] He that hath a bride is a bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice.
[23:23] This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above is above all. He that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth.
[23:37] He that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth, and no man receiveth his testimony.
[23:49] He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God.
[24:02] For God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.
[24:15] And he that believeth not the Son shall not see life. But the wrath of God abideth on him. Amen. And may God bless to us this reading of his holy word.
[24:28] We're going to sing again from Psalm 116, 116. We sing verses 1 to 8. Psalm 116, verses 1 to 8.
[24:38] Amen. I love the Lord, because my voice and prayer she did hear. I, while I live, will call on him who bowed to me his ear.
[24:52] Of death accords, and sorrows did about me compass round. The pains of hell took hold on me, I grief and trouble found. Upon the name of God the Lord, then did I call and say, Deliver thou my soul, O Lord, I do thee humbly pray.
[25:11] God merciful and righteous is, yea, gracious is our Lord. God saves the meek, I was brought low, he did me help afford. O thou my soul, do thou return unto thy quiet rest.
[25:26] For largely, lo, the Lord to thee his bounty hath expressed. For my distressed soul from death delivered was by thee. Thou didst my mourning eyes from tears, my feet from falling free.
[25:41] These verses are Psalm 116, 1 to 8. I love the Lord. Amen. I love the Lord.
[25:54] He crossed my voice and prayer she did hear.
[26:05] I fight, I fight, I live, will call on him. Live love to me, his ear.
[26:22] Amen. Amen. I love the Lord.
[26:40] The peace of hell, the cold morning, I think I'm proud of the night.
[26:57] Upon the river, the Lord, then there's my heart, I'll say.
[27:14] Keep it up, I love my soul, O Lord, I will be humbly prayer.
[27:31] God bless you, who am thy justice, in grace of sin, our Lord.
[27:49] God bless you, who am I, I will be humbly prayer.
[28:07] O thou my soul, good and return, and do thy quiet rest.
[28:25] For I belong, the Lord, to thee, if thou be now bestest.
[28:42] For my distresses, so from death, he never was by thee.
[28:59] The peace of hell, the Lord, I shall not be.
[29:21] Let's turn for a little to the chapter we read in John 3. I want us to focus on probably the best known verse in the Bible, verse 16.
[29:35] If any of you were in Stornowee last weekend, this is the verse that Colin MacLeod preached on. And I'd have prepared this for tonight. And then I thought, oh, I better change to something else.
[29:48] And then I said, well, no, because obviously we preach very differently. Maybe we take different things. Because I've become aware, I didn't realize last night, that John 21 is the third time that you've heard recently.
[30:03] So you'll be saying to yourself, this minister doesn't have much of a selection of texts. They seem to be homing in on what others have done. But we all look at things in a different way.
[30:15] So John 3, 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
[30:29] There was some time back, there was a song which went, what a wonderful world. And that is true. Because just even James and I were just admiring the view from the vestry window.
[30:44] As you look out down the fields, down the slope into the sea. It's a beautiful evening. And when we look out, and I'm sure all of us, there have been times who stood in awe, looking at a beautiful sunrise.
[30:58] Or looking at a beautiful sunset. Or gazing up at the stars at night. It's like there's an explosion of stars filling the heavens. And we look around at a hundred and thousand other views as well.
[31:14] And we do agree that it is a wonderful world. However, it is a world that is flawed. And a world that is broken. It's not just broken with regard to the sin of the people who live in it.
[31:30] But it is actually broken with regard to sin that has affected the whole creation. Because this world that we live in is not exactly as it was when God made it in the very beginning.
[31:46] Because over everything, you remember, if you read in Genesis 1 and 2, God declared over everything, it is very good. But when sin entered the world, sin didn't just affect the human race.
[32:01] It affected the whole creation. And we're actually told that in Romans. Because Paul, in Romans 8, he's talking, he kind of personifies creation.
[32:12] And he tells us that the whole creation is groaning. That is the impact of sin. That it affected everything. Remember how God said to Adam that before the fall, the soil, the earth would work for him.
[32:31] But now he was going to have to, by the sweat of his brow, that there would be weeds and all these things. Thorns, there would be things growing up that would hinder the growth. And as we look around the world, our news bulletins are so often full.
[32:46] Where we see the whole creation groaning with earthquakes and tsunamis, volcanoes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, droughts.
[32:58] All these things speak to us of a world that is groaning, of a creation that is groaning. And just as we long for the day when, as believers, we will be set free from our own personal groanings.
[33:15] Although we don't look forward to death as such, we look forward to the time when we will depart to be with Christ. And when we will be rid forever of all the weariness and the sorrows and all the temptations and all that has hurt us and all the sin.
[33:33] And we will be in the presence of the King forever. But the Bible shows us that it's almost as if the very creation is longing for such a time as that.
[33:43] And that there's this desire within it for this release. Now we know that the world is going to be burnt up. It's very interesting when we hear about the whole way of global warming.
[33:56] We don't know how it's going to be or how it's going to pan out, but God does. But we're told in Scripture that the elements will melt with a fervent heat. And that's what's going to happen, that's worthless as we know it.
[34:12] Now we know that fire destroys, but fire also purifies. And the Bible tells us and speaks to us about new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells.
[34:26] So we know that there is an amazing future ahead, but just now we are here in this world. And God has great concerns for this world.
[34:37] And that's what this verse is really all about. That God so loved the world. And the scope of it is not so much at the whole breadth of this verse of the declaration of God's love, what's amazing.
[34:58] It's not just the scope of when we look at this, we use the expression the whole wide world. It's a great big world. And that God's love can reach all around this world.
[35:09] What is amazing is not so much the scope in that way, as that is love is reaching out to the enmity and the wickedness of this world.
[35:21] And that's really what is at the heart of this great message. Now, supposing a person was never to hear anything else from the Bible.
[35:32] There's enough in this verse alone to find salvation. It's almost like bringing together, it's almost like a minute summary in one verse of what God has done through his Son in the way of salvation.
[35:48] And so we find there's this amazing giving. That God, this verse shows us the absolute magnificence of God's love. It's a giving love.
[35:58] And that's what love does. Love loves to give. Now, normally when we talk about loving something, we do so in relation probably to our senses.
[36:10] And it's with regard to us finding something, for instance, attractive. And we say, well, I love that. For instance, if it's, you might love the sound of the waves on a nice day and you go out for a walk.
[36:29] You might love the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks. You might love the smell of freshly cut grass. You might love the taste of strawberries and cream.
[36:42] There's all these kind of things. We tend to use the expression, I love this or I love that, in relation to our senses. And obviously when we come to human love, our love is generally in regard to those that we find that we're drawn to.
[37:02] There's attractiveness. But you might find it strange if someone was to say, see, I love that tramp over there. That is a filthy person.
[37:13] And you know this, he's always throwing stones at me. And he curses me every time I pass. He spits at me. And he's filled with hatred. And he's filled with anger.
[37:25] Ah, but you know this, I love him. And you'd say to yourself, oh, that's amazing. But you know, in a sense, that's what God's love to us is like.
[37:36] Because we have been to God like that filthy tramp. Because we are filled with enmity, naturally. We're filled with enmity and rebellion against God.
[37:49] We will not have this man rule over us. It's a natural cry of the heart. And that's what makes God's love all the more amazing.
[38:00] When we see what God has done. Because God would have been completely within his right at the fall. To have said, that's it. We've just started.
[38:12] Look at this wonderful world that I have made. And I have declared over it, at every stage. It is good. It is good. It is good.
[38:23] And finally, it is very good. And yet, in a short time. Man and woman, the highest point of this creation. Have destroyed my work.
[38:35] And God would be within his right, absolute right to say. Of the human race, that's it. You're on your own. And of this world, that's it. I'm done with it.
[38:45] And God could have left us all to ourselves. If we sometimes look out at this world and we say it's a mess. Be persuaded that it's nothing like the mess it would be had God left us to ourselves.
[39:03] Do you know the worst judgment that could come upon us as a nation or any? Is that God would abandon us to ourselves. To our own ways, our own wisdom, our own thinking.
[39:14] Nothing could be worse. And we pray that God will never do that to us. But this is what God has done. Despite what has happened, God loves.
[39:28] And he demonstrates that love by showing to us just what he has done. You see, love is more than words. You could have an amazing songster or poet who could write the most beautiful, poems or songs of love.
[39:48] And yet, not be a particularly nice passion. But just as a great gift of expression. People can make great declarations of love. Love is very obvious. And it's very obvious that it isn't that deep, the love really.
[40:03] Love, you see, is more than words. Love is action. Love is action. Love is action. And that's where we measure the depth of love. And that's where we see it in Jesus Christ. That's where we see it in God the Father.
[40:16] Because he couldn't have done more. He couldn't have given more. Because God gave. This is what we read. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.
[40:27] Eternally begotten. And we've got to remember that Father and Son and Holy Spirit, while distinct passions within the Godhead, they are equal in power and in glory.
[40:39] Who God, what one person is, the other is with regard to power and to glory and all these things. So, in one sense, God is giving himself.
[40:54] Although he is distinctly giving his Son. And, you know, sadly there are some people who think it's no big deal that God gave a Son.
[41:04] And they say, well, how do you mean? Well, I can surely, there is, and if anybody, and I don't want in any way to hurt anybody here, but if anybody has had the most tragic experience in their life of losing a child, they will know of the fearful grief that comes with that.
[41:30] And it's something you never get over. And you feel that part of you has gone as well. And it is something that every parent recoils from. It's their worst nightmare, is to lose a child.
[41:43] And yet here we have God the Father. And his love for the world is so great that he's going to give his Son. The Son with whom he has always enjoyed eternal joy, where they have experienced eternal love.
[42:02] And yet the Father says, I'm going to give my Son for the world. Can you get any greater love than that? Because we find that the Father would have said, of course, God the Father, God the Son made this covenant.
[42:17] But you can almost, if we can humanize it to a certain extent, the Father is saying to the Son, you know, I want you to go in. Because they knew from all eternity how it was going to work out.
[42:31] And the Father is saying to the Son, I want you to go into this sin-sick world. This world is going to be ruined. And I want you to go into this world. And you're going to go in by the way of a baby, because you're going to take human nature.
[42:45] You will retain the one person, but you will both be divine and you will be human. But the humanity that you take will be exactly like every other human being in the world, with the one exception, of course, that you will never, you will be free from sin.
[43:07] And we know in the amazing way of how the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and she conceived and Jesus was, grew up and the woman was born. And the Father has, and this was all part of what was revealed to him, and which he knew.
[43:26] But can you imagine the Father is saying to the Son, you know, when you go into this world, you are going to be so hated and maligned. And everywhere you go, you're going to be misrepresented.
[43:37] And there's going to be bad stories spread around about you. We talked today of fake news. Well, it was the ultimate fake news in the time of Jesus.
[43:48] You remember what it said of him. They used to say that he was a glutton, he was a winebibber. In other words, that he was always at the wine. These were the things.
[44:00] And they were saying, of course he casts out devils, but he's only able to do it because he's in league with the devil. That's why he does it. It's by the power of Beelzebub that he's doing it.
[44:14] So you see, this is what the Father would be saying to the Son. This is what's going to be. That you're going to, everywhere you go, there's going to be, you're going to face opposition. And the religious leaders who should be embracing you, the religious leaders who should be your greatest support, they're going to so turn against you.
[44:36] They are going to oppose you at every turn. And they're going to seek in a way to destroy you. And you're going to be confronting sin and all its ugliness all the time.
[44:48] Now, you and I cannot understand what it was like for Jesus in this world. Because he was perfect. He was sinless. And he saw sin in a way and at a level that you and I cannot.
[45:03] You see, we're sinners by nature. And even as Christians, we're still sinners. There is a sympathy with sin in our heart. We side with sin.
[45:14] Although we fight against it and we confess our sin and such like, there is still this within us. Jesus didn't have that. Jesus saw sin for what it was.
[45:28] He saw its viciousness and its ugliness and its deceit and its pain. Remember when he raised Lazarus from the dead. And it tells us there of how he groaned in the spirit.
[45:42] How he groaned inwardly. There was this groaning in Christ. It was where he was, it was, it was almost like an anguished anger against the impact of sin and seeing all the unbelief around him and all the effect of sin in people.
[46:01] And that's why Jesus was a man of sorrows and he was acquainted with grief. And you and I know that there are times when God reveals to us what sin is really like.
[46:12] There are times that have been, they've been really disturbing. And times where we've seen something of the real ugliness of sin. And we've cried out to the Lord and it's hurt us.
[46:25] Well Jesus was seeing it all the time for what sin really was. So, he was living in, with us all the time. And then again, on top of that, he's going to be told that your closest, your closest friends in this world, your disciples, the elite crowd are going to go round with you, that you're going to choose to be with you everywhere.
[46:52] They're all going to abandon you. They're going to forsake you. One of them indeed is going to betray you. And then you're going to be taken ultimately. And you're going to be tried unjustly.
[47:05] And you're going to be flogged and beaten. And then you're going to be put to death in the most barbaric and cruel manner that is possible by way of crucifixion.
[47:17] And this is what is set out for Jesus by the Father. And what is Jesus' response? To do thy will, I take delight.
[47:28] Is that not love? When you think of what the Father is doing and what the Son is doing. And you know, we see here the steadfastness of that love.
[47:39] That this love didn't hold back. Again, can you imagine as a parent that you're told that on a particular time, on a particular day away in the future, in another few years, that your child is going to die on a particular date.
[47:56] You know, living under that would be fearful. And as that time approached, it would become harder and it would become absolutely unbearable. And yet, this is how it was in the realms of glory.
[48:09] Because there was a fullness of time coming. There was a period coming as far as this world was concerned when Jesus was going to come into the world. And all the time there was this waiting, waiting until the fullness of time.
[48:25] And then the Father gave the Son. And Jesus came and at no point did he turn aside, although there was so much set in his way to try and turn him aside.
[48:41] Remember how the crowds wanted to make him king? No, no. That's not the way it's to happen. The crown was to be by the way of the cross, not by human endeavors. And Jesus departed from them.
[48:54] Even Peter, when Jesus talked about what was in front of him, Peter said, no, get that away from you. Don't be speaking like that. Don't think in that way.
[49:05] Jesus had to rebuke and say, get thee behind me, Satan. And there were so many forces and Satan was doing his utmost to derail Christ.
[49:17] Remember how he was tempting him in the wilderness. And he continued, I believe, all the way through his life to tempt him. And I believe the ferocious tempting came at the end towards the time of his crucifixion and death because Jesus said, this is your hour and the power of darkness.
[49:36] This is when the power of darkness was unleashed, as it were, without any restraints, although there still was a restraint around it. And so, Jesus is saying, to do thy will, I take delight.
[49:50] There was only one moment, you remember, in Gethsemane. One moment when Jesus, he was the pressure of what was in front of him.
[50:01] As people say, that Gethsemane was the window that opened up to see into Calvary. And when he saw what was ahead, it was like his whole humanity recoiled.
[50:13] And he sweated, as it were, drops of blood and he said, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass, but not my will, but thine be done. And of course, we know an angel came, strengthened him and on he went.
[50:28] When he was going up to Jerusalem, he knew he was going to die and it tells us he set his face like a flint to go up. There was nothing that was going to derail him or take him off the track because this was why he came.
[50:44] And so, we find this the most amazing declaration of love. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.
[50:55] And you know, the wonder of this giving is that it's still tonight. God is still giving his son by way of offering to you.
[51:08] You know, sometimes you go to a shop and you'll see a price drop and it'll say offer extended to or offer ending on such and such a time.
[51:21] And so, you see, you might look at the date and you say, oh, I've got another week, I can get this. Imagine if the gospel was like that and it says that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him up until such and such a time.
[51:42] Imagine if that time was passed. There'd be, we couldn't in any way preach the offer of the gospel anymore. But it hasn't passed. We're told in the great invitation that is given, yet there is room.
[52:00] Go out into the highways and the byways, compel them to come in that my house might be filled, for yet there is room. That's how it is in glory tonight. There's room, there's room for you.
[52:12] And that's why the offer of the gospel goes out tonight again. Because God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. And the question that we have to ask ourselves is this, what are you doing with Jesus tonight?
[52:29] What are you doing with this great offer that is given? Because here is the greatest gift that could ever be given. What are you doing tonight with the offer of the gospel?
[52:42] You know the saying we have, familiarity breeds contempt. contempt. Well I hope that that's not true.
[52:53] I don't think it would be true for anybody in here. But I believe it's true for many who have heard the gospel. They heard it so often that they became so familiar with it that they now hold the gospel in contempt.
[53:10] That's why there are so many people who have abandoned church. They've turned their back, they've almost got an element of contempt. for it.
[53:21] But maybe there are many others that are not like that. But again the familiarity of the offer of the gospel is such that they think I have every intention.
[53:34] I believe our churches are full of people who have every intention of one day seeing to it and getting right with God. I don't think you'd be here tonight if you didn't think that one day you would get right with God.
[53:47] It is your desire within your heart that one day, I'm going to be a Christian. But right now, not quite yet, but I'm going to. And I think so many people are like that because we think time is on our side.
[54:03] Well, we don't know. We hope it is, but we don't know. And maybe we've heard the offer so often that we become so used to it. And we think, oh, I know the gospel inside out.
[54:16] God, I've said that before, before I became a Christian. If somebody had said to me, how do you become a Christian? I could have told them, I said, I'll believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
[54:28] I could have told them, you need to repent of your sins. But I didn't do either myself. I wasn't believing and I wasn't repenting, but I knew my Bible sufficiently well to tell people.
[54:39] And I knew one day I needed to get that sorted. But right now, that's the way I thought and I said, one day I'll deal with it. Some of my friends who thought the same, as far as I know, they never got an opportunity to deal with it.
[54:54] You know, this is a solemn thing. People are taken. We don't know. And so it's incumbent upon us that we don't despise God's great gift because that's what it is.
[55:07] God is holding out this gift to us tonight. And what are you going to do with the greatest gift of this world? Has ever seen. It's an insult to the God of heaven and earth to say, no, not interested or I don't want.
[55:26] But again, maybe there's somebody here saying, well, I do want, but I don't know what to do about it. Well, it's here that we're told very simply what we're to do. God doesn't ask us to do great things.
[55:40] He doesn't say to us, you know, before you can become a Christian, you have to reform for two years. There's got to be a two-year period of complete reformation. You've got to live almost like a monk or like a nun.
[55:51] You've got to be totally reformed character and then we'll see about it. It doesn't say that. It doesn't say you've got to attend so many courses. It doesn't say to you, you know, you've got to spend a good year getting your Bible knowledge up to speed before you can become a Christian.
[56:08] No. Tonight he says, believe. You see, all the work has been done. That's all he says, believe. Whoever believes, and that is to accept, to lay hold upon what the Bible says of us about Jesus, that he is the saviour of sinners.
[56:30] You see, all the doing has been done. And it is up to us to trust Jesus. You see, we trust our lives to somebody.
[56:42] We either trust them to ourselves or we trust them to other people. Everybody is trusting someone. A lot of people just trust themselves. They trust their own judgment, their own wisdom, their own inclinations.
[56:57] They trust themselves and they believe that in trusting themselves that God will look favourably on them at the end. No, that's not what God says. We know what God says.
[57:10] And God says you have to believe. Because you know the solemn thing is this, that in verse 18 it says, he that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already.
[57:27] The default position is condemnation. That's where, that's our starting point as we come into this world, is we're under condemnation. So how do we get out of that?
[57:39] That's what God says. Believe. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust him. Trust you all. He's a gift. Who's the giver?
[57:50] God is the giver. In order to get this gift, what do you do? You go to the giver and you say, Lord, I need to be saved. And you know what I've discovered, Lord?
[58:01] I can't save myself. Have you discovered that tonight? If you have, good. That is an absolute essential. Because as long as somebody thinks that they can save themselves, you've had it.
[58:13] God. But if you come to this point and say, Lord, I'm beat here. I don't know what to do. The Lord is saying believe. And you're saying, I know it says believe, but how do I believe?
[58:25] Well, you go to the Lord and say, Lord, give me the faith tonight to believe. Give me the gift of salvation. Help me to receive Jesus because I want him as my savior.
[58:39] And if you really do this, if you really, with all your heart, ask the Lord. He says, those that seek will find. That's what we're told. And so it's imperative that we trust him.
[58:54] You know, is there anybody else in this whole world that you could trust like Jesus? You know, so much of our time in life, we spend trusting things that we take for granted.
[59:07] For instance, if you go planning to go off on the ferry tomorrow, you trust the designer and the planner of that ferry. You trust the engineers of that ferry.
[59:20] You trust the crew of that ferry. You trust the captain and the officers of their navigational skills and their seafaring skills.
[59:32] There's trust going on all the time that maybe we don't think. Or the same you're going in the plane and you say you trust the designer of that plane and you trust the mechanics of the plane, the mechanics who are working on ground staff and you trust the pilot and those who are flying the plane.
[59:55] If you're going to the airport and there's this fellow going along and he's telling you, you know what, never been on that plane before but I'm flying the plane today, I'm going to give it a go, see if it goes. You turn back and say I'm not going on that plane.
[60:08] But we go because we trust, we believe that those who are in charge have the experience and the knowledge to know what they're doing. So it is with salvation.
[60:20] There is nobody else qualified or equipped to deal with it apart from God the Father in giving his Son and the Son in giving himself.
[60:32] So you have to trust and that's what it says that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Isn't that a, what a deal?
[60:46] Jesus says I take all your sin in return I give you everlasting life forever. You will have life abundantly.
[60:57] But the opposite doesn't bear thinking because there's that awful word. Whoever believes in him should not perish. Perish is an awful concept.
[61:08] To perish. We see things perishing. You know sometimes you have food and it perishes and it's bold and horrible and smelly and you don't look at it.
[61:19] But this is we're talking here of an everlasting perishing. A perishing that never stops perishing. And that is where we're under the wrath of God. You see the wrath of God has already been revealed in this world.
[61:33] A little of it. Not a lot of it but a little. And that wrath we're told in verse 36 is already on all those who don't believe. That's what we're told.
[61:44] He that believeth in the Son has everlasting life. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life. But the wrath of God abideth in him. And hell we know is eternal wrath.
[61:55] It's a place of banishment and separation. But you know what? It doesn't need to be like that for any of you tonight. Because tonight is a great offer of eternal life.
[62:07] Of everlasting life in Jesus Christ. Don't turn away from God's great gift. Let's pray. Lord our God we give thanks for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
[62:22] We give thanks that it is the gospel that makes us wise to salvation. And we pray that all of us may heed what your word says to us. That none of us will turn a deaf ear to this great invitation but that we might receive and accept you as Lord.
[62:40] Bless us we pray. Bless this congregation. We ask Lord that you will richly bless them in all that they lay their hand to do.
[62:51] That they will know that you're with them. Watch over us and take away our sin in Jesus name Amen. We're going to conclude our service. I think it's Psalm 130.
[63:16] I've lost the Psalm 130. I've lost the wee bit of paper. Psalm 130. we sing the whole Psalm. Lord from the depths to thee I cried.
[63:32] My voice Lord do thou hear and to my supplications voice give an attentive ear. Lord who shall stand if thou O Lord shouldst mark iniquity. But yet with thee forgiveness is that feared thou mayest be.
[63:47] I wait for God my soul doth wait. My hope is in his word. more than they that for morning watch. My soul waits for the Lord. And down to the last version.
[63:59] Plenteous redemption is ever found with him and from all his iniquities he shall redeem. The whole Psalm. Lord from the depths to thee I cried.
[64:09] Amen. Amen. Christe cannot forgive his love and existem m and multiple lidcja zumindest Jezus God prakins ja In him with you,
[65:11] Thou can't break me For him is there That fear thou mayest me I wait for God My soul will win My hope is in his word More than may thou For morning work My soul is for the Lord
[66:12] I say for thou may thou do All that morning light To see Let Israel O Him of the Lord All with him mercy me And plentious redemption Is ever found within And for all his iniquity
[67:23] Israel shall redeem If you'll allow me to go to the door After the benediction And we remember that the session closes With the benediction Now may the grace, mercy and peace Of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit Rest and abide upon each one of you Now and forevermore Amen