[0:00] Well, good morning, brothers, sisters and friends. A special welcome if this is perhaps your first time with us, or perhaps this is your time with us after a wee while not being with us. You are more than welcome.
[0:13] There's a few announcements before we begin, of course, our service today. First of all, just to note the very sad passing, of course, of Kirsty Jessie, for those who haven't heard the details on that coming up, but just to keep the family in prayer for that.
[0:30] The weeks and days ahead, of course, planning is hard enough. This time of year, it's even more complicated to plan these things out, so please keep that family in prayer.
[0:41] I also remember Paul U and Alt Bay Free Church. They've seen great growth this past few weeks, this past year, so we keep them in prayer.
[0:52] We also pray, of course, widely for the wider church. We remember the brothers and sisters in Cuba, who this last month or two have faced some real trouble from the government.
[1:04] The Lord knows the details, but it's been complicated for our brothers and sisters in Cuba, in the whole nation, really. We also remember our brothers and sisters once more in China, especially early reign, Covenant Church.
[1:16] Many of our members are still in prison for meeting, as we're meeting today. Mums and dads, grandkids and granddads, all in prison for worshipping the Lord openly, as we're doing.
[1:29] So we remember them and we keep them in constant prayer. We're here to worship God. We can sing, first of all, from our church psalm books, from Psalm 23 on page 28.
[1:41] So sing psalms, Psalm 23 on page 28. This is one I know the boys and girls have been doing, I think, in Sunday school. So boys and girls, feel free to sing as loud as you can.
[1:54] Psalm 23 on page 28. I'll read the first few verses of the psalm out, and then we all stand together to sing. Psalm 23, the Lord is my shepherd, no one shall I know.
[2:06] He makes me lie down where the green pastures grow. He leads me to rest where the calm waters flow. We'll sing the whole psalm together. Psalm 23, standing to sing if you're able.
[2:20] The Lord is my shepherd, no one shall I know. He makes me lie down where the green pastures grow.
[2:37] He leads me to rest where the calm waters flow. My wandering steps he brings back to his way.
[2:54] He's steadfast, a march of justice, taking his day. How his grace is 소� vernacular.
[3:24] The Lord let me know in the life of fear, the Lord, your suffering, the comfort and cheer.
[3:40] In the sight of my enemies, the devil is there. The eye of rejoicing you hold on my hand, my cup, O earth, O sun, thy gracious hand.
[4:08] So cheerily you come in a mercy and grace, will follow me, close me in all of my ways.
[4:25] I will dwell in the house of the Lord all my years. Now join together in a word of prayer.
[4:39] Let's pray. Lord God, we thank you for this opportunity to gather together. We thank you for this time together, this time to worship you, this time to sing our praises to you.
[4:52] We understand as we come together just now, we do so as brothers and sisters, also as friends, friends who are joining us perhaps for the first time, our friends here, many of us here, have joined with this congregation for many years, indeed many decades.
[5:08] We thank you once more. On this day, we have this wonderful chance to hear from the Bible, to hear from your word. We understand that we come to this place and there are so many things on our minds today, so many things distracting us.
[5:24] We bring just now before you all the stresses and worries, all the pains and anxieties, all the burdens which lie so heavy on so many of us.
[5:35] We bring just now before you family worries, family concerns, perhaps especially at this time of year, the wounds of hurt families are so clear and are brought again to the surface.
[5:48] We bring before you just now those here who are going through health worries, physical health and mental health concerns, who are facing a hard time of it the last few weeks and last few months.
[6:00] We bring them before you. We also bring before you just now those suffering, perhaps job worries or financial worries. Lord, you alone know the details. We come just now as a mixed people, different experiences, different backgrounds, different stories to tell and with that, different worries, different burdens, different concerns.
[6:20] We take all these things, these things which are too big for us to handle, and we take them to you, the ever-reigning, ever-glorious, all-powerful God. And we take these burdens to the throne of grace, that place where you tell us to come and to cast our worries and to cast our anxieties down before you, understanding that we very often can do little to nothing, but you and your power, you and your glory can do all things.
[6:51] We pray for every single person here today. We pray especially today for our young friends, the boys and the girls who have gathered here today. We thank you for their diligence, those who have come to Sunday school this year.
[7:04] We thank you for them listening so well each week and talking each week and answering all the many questions each week. We pray just now also, especially for their teachers, their Sunday school teachers.
[7:15] We thank you for them. We ask you, bless them in their time of rest. We thank you for all their hard work this year, as they work behind the scenes during the week to put lessons together that will teach our young friends about Jesus in a way that is understandable and a way that is enjoyable.
[7:33] We pray also for the mums and dads here today and the grannies and granddads and the great grannies and great granddads and everyone here today and at home who love and who look after the boys and the girls.
[7:45] We thank you for them. Thank you especially for those who are here today. We thank you Lord you have brought them out. For every one of us we confess we're not here because of our weekly routine.
[7:57] We're not here because we feel like we should be here. We are here as your word tells us because in your perfect knowledge, in your perfect plan, you have brought us out this day together to hear your word.
[8:11] We pray later on as we read from the Bible and as we hear a small bit from the Bible, you would open our ears, help us to listen carefully to the great truth of the Bible as we hear it.
[8:22] The wonderful news that we have a saviour who has come to save all who come to him. Regardless of history, regardless even of our current situation, regardless of church background and family background, we have a saviour who knows his people, who loves his people and has come to save his people.
[8:44] I pray just now especially as we gather in such comfort and such peace. We remember, as we said, our brothers and sisters both in Cuba and also in China. We pray, Lord, for the complicated political situation in Cuba where your people are being persecuted week after week for refusing to pay bribe money for their worship services.
[9:07] We pray also for our brothers and sisters in China just now many of whom are in prison simply for daring to own a Bible and simply daring to preach and to read from it.
[9:19] Lord, we ask we remember them as we meet here in such freedom. As we pray for ourselves, we pray for our friends, our brothers and sisters next door as they meet. We also pray for the wider community.
[9:30] We pray just now for the many here who do not and who have not ever prayed for themselves or we pray for them. We ask you would come to bring them to a saving knowledge of yourself.
[9:42] We would come to see the wonder and the beauty of Jesus. We pray just now, Lord, for those who have no care for their souls, who have no care as to the reality of who you are and what you have done for them.
[9:57] We ask, Lord, you would bring them to yourself even this day, even this week, even at the start of this new year. We would come to understand the great wonder of knowing Jesus for themselves.
[10:08] we come here this day, Lord, and we confess that we come often so distracted to help us to listen carefully to the life-giving word. As we pray for ourselves, we pray for the wider work of this congregation in this village.
[10:23] We give you praise for the recent carol evening, that community carol evening. We give you praise, Lord, for the numbers who came to it. We thank you for the talent involved in it.
[10:34] We thank you for the volunteers who gave of their time to make the evening such a success, all for your glory. We pray, Lord, the readings were done so well by the boys and the girls.
[10:45] We give you praise that your word was preached even shortly, even a simple way, that your word went out. We give you praise that we cannot save anyone but you, working through your word, that you bring your people to full salvation.
[10:59] Help us, then, to trust in the fact that you have your people here, that you are growing your church here. Help us, then, to be encouraged as we see you do your work in this place.
[11:10] As we pray for our congregation, we do pray for the wider work of our denomination, we pray for the wider work of the free church. We remember, especially today, Paul U and Alt Bay, Lord, be with them as they seek to serve you well, as they see growing numbers week on week.
[11:27] I ask you to encourage them and help them to serve you well in that place where there's such hope. Remember, virginal, Lord, those in government over us locally, in the council, nationally, in both Westminster and Holyrood.
[11:40] We pray for our Prime Minister, our First Minister and our King. We pray for all those you have placed over us. Powerful wisdom for them and you'd lead them to guide and to lead our country well.
[11:51] We pray once more, especially, that you bring them to a saving knowledge of yourself. We come to know and come to love Jesus as their Lord and King and Saviour. We come before you this day, bringing our own sins before you.
[12:04] We have fallen far short of what it is we've been called to be and called to do. We understand that in of ourselves we can't save ourselves. We are going to be saved through the finished work of Jesus.
[12:17] It's in his name and it's for his sake we ask these many things. As we grasp onto him, we know that he holds eternally onto us. In his name and for his sake.
[12:28] Amen. Well let's now read from the Bible, the Gospel of Matthew chapter 2. The Gospel of Matthew chapter 2.
[12:39] We've got a church Bible that's on page 757. Matthew chapter 2 on page 757. Matthew chapter 2 page 757.
[13:00] We can read verses 1 down to verse 15 of the chapter. Matthew chapter 2 verses 1 down to 15. Let's hear the word of God.
[13:12] Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?
[13:26] For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. And assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
[13:44] They told him in Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet, and you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah.
[13:56] For from you shall come our ruler who shall shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.
[14:09] And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word that I too may come and worship him. After listening to the king, they went on their way.
[14:23] And behold, the star that they had seen when it was rose went before them that it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
[14:35] And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother and they fell down and worshipped him. Then opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
[14:48] And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, Rise, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt and remain there until I tell you for Herod is about to search for the child to destroy him.
[15:10] And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet.
[15:22] Out of Egypt I called my son. Amen. We give praise to God for his holy and his perfect word we find in the Bible.
[15:33] We can sing once more this time from the Scottish Psalter. So it's the second half of the psalm book and Psalm 100. The Scottish Psalter Psalm 100.
[15:47] I think it's another psalm the boys and the girls are used to singing. I've been singing at times in Sunday school. That's on page 362. Psalm 100 on page 362.
[16:01] That's the first version of the psalm. All people that on earth do dwell sing to the Lord with cheerful voice and serve with mirth as praise forth tell.
[16:13] Come ye before him and rejoice. Psalm 100. Standing to sing the whole psalm together. All people that on earth do dwell sing to the Lord with cheerful voice then serve with mirth this priest for help.
[16:48] Come ye before him and rejoice. know that the Lord is brought in thee when the good he gave us day.
[17:13] We are his Lord and the good he gave us day. And from his feet he gave us day.
[17:31] Oh, angel hmm is will praise have rose with life his words and truth and praise Lord and bless his praise all In this thing we so do.
[18:07] Our quiet and our life of His due. His mercy is forever true.
[18:24] His truth at all times may be soon. And shall promise to His end.
[18:44] We turn back to the chapter we had in Matthew chapter 2. Often I say we can turn back for a short time. If you've been to church before you think.
[18:54] Yeah we know Donald doesn't take a short time. But today I promised the carol evening. I promised a short time together with family service. So I will be short today.
[19:05] I won't say how long because that's not good. But I'll be short I promise. Usually of course the boys and the girls come down. And we talk down there. But just so the mums and dads and granddads can see me.
[19:17] I'll stay up here today. But boys and girls I know this is a wee bit awkward sometimes. But I've still got questions I need answered. And if you guys don't answer it. Then our short service becomes very very long.
[19:29] So please answer. Please. You guys did so well. Some of you. I won't say who. In back. We had the back assembly. The other week. And you guys answered so well.
[19:39] So please help me out again today. Okay. So in back school. The question I was asking. The very very first question was. What's the best bit about Christmas?
[19:52] That I said. Jokingly of course. I like the sprouts. The best. And no one agreed did they? No. What answer do you guys give?
[20:03] Do you remember? What's the best bit about Christmas? Go on. No hands up. Just shout out. Go on. I know it's strange. I'm going to go in church. But you can do it. Presents. One wee girl in back. One of wee wee girls.
[20:14] Remember she said giving presents. I thought that's amazing. That's different to my answer. I like getting presents. We'll see that more later on. In fact today for a short time.
[20:25] We'll look at the first Christmas presents. Before we get there. I've actually got this. Now this is not a joke. This is actually real. Can you see how dark that is? And bits of soot stuck to it.
[20:36] And this is being kept in our house for years. It's finally got a use. This is my list of present requests to a certain person for my Christmas when I was five.
[20:51] I think four or five. Ma'am brought that over last night. I'll read some of the presents I wanted or I hoped to get when I was five. A Mr. Stretch. Do you remember that?
[21:02] Mr. Stretch. A Shrek video. A keyboard. I don't know why I wanted a keyboard. I still can't play anything at all. And a tool set. Brackets.
[21:13] Not plastic. So I knew what I wanted apparently. And a few little things. You can tell I was an only child. But anyway. A few little things. Love, Donald, Heberview, Graver.
[21:26] We all love getting presents, don't we? And in our reading here in Matthew chapter 2, I think we see the very first Christmas presents. Don't we? Now we saw Mary's there and Joseph.
[21:39] And they've just had baby Jesus. And he's there in the animal feeding trough. He's there in the manger. What types of presents do you think would have been good for them to get? A brand new baby.
[21:50] Born just for Christmas. Well, born at Christmas. What presents? What presents would you get a brand new baby? Go on, anyone. Very quiet in the centre of the back there. You weren't so quiet the other day, were you?
[22:02] I see you. What presents would you get a brand new baby? I've got all day. Go on, burn.
[22:13] Answer for us. I see whispering. Nappies, maybe? Clothes. Toys.
[22:23] Thank you. Yes. Toys, maybe. Warm clothes. We're in a big barn, a wee barn. We're freezing cold. Warm clothes. Nappies, perhaps. Toys. Maybe a comfy bed for Jesus.
[22:34] He's in an animal feeding trough. A nice crib. A nice cot. What were the three presents? It's an easy question, this one. What were the three presents we saw the wise men bringing?
[22:47] Jesus. Go on. Gold. Frankincense. Myrrh. These are supposed to be wise men, aren't they? That's a very unwise present.
[23:00] There's a small baby here. Why are you bringing that baby gold? They can't spend it. Frankincense. We'll see in a second what that is. And myrrh. You're bringing a baby some gold, some dust, and some perfume.
[23:12] How's a baby going to use these three things? Very unwise present to bring. But we'll see in a second, actually, the wise men brought amazing presents. And we'll see why now.
[23:25] First of all, the first thing they brought, what is it? Wise men, first present. Gold. Now, this is worth a lot, doesn't it?
[23:36] Does that look authentic? A big lump of gold there. It's really, really heavy. I can't even. This is worth a price of a scrunched up of aluminium foil. But it's lovely. Pretend this is gold.
[23:47] Just pretend it's gold. A big lump of gold. Why do the wise men bring gold to a baby? What use is there to bring gold to a baby?
[23:58] I won't do it. I was saying last night, I wanted to chuck this into the audience. But mum and Emma said, don't do that. But pretend I'm doing that. It's gold. It's real gold. Rock solid. Worth a fortune gold. Why do they bring Jesus, this wee baby, gold?
[24:13] What's amazing, isn't it? We think of gold. What do we think about? We think about kings, don't we? Think of rich people.
[24:23] Big, expensive things. When the wise men brought gold, they were showing that this wee baby in a wee animal feeding trough, that actually this baby was precious.
[24:35] Every baby is precious. Every baby is important. But this wee baby, there's something special about this one. He was going to be, and he was a king. He was going to be a king.
[24:48] Wee Jesus in this wee trough, with Mary, his mum, and his dad looking after him. They were poor, of course, didn't have much money. They had no place to look after the baby. They were stuck in a wee barn somewhere looking after Jesus.
[24:59] But this baby was going to be an amazing, powerful king. This wee baby would one day grow up to be the saviour. Would one day be the king of all kings.
[25:12] In fact, he was born that way. He was born as a king. He was small and had no power. Mary had to look after him and feed him and change him and love him.
[25:24] But he was still a king. So the gold the wise men brought Jesus tell us that Jesus is a king. He is in charge of everything.
[25:36] And he is and has got all the power. Now this one's a bit more dodgy. The elders can close their eyes for this one. The second thing they brought, what is it?
[25:48] Gold then for frankincense. Very hard to say. Even harder to spell. Now, frankincense was like dust.
[26:00] You get it from a tree. You shave a tree off and you get dust. And you push all the dust together. And you get frankincense. And frankincense was used often in the temple.
[26:14] Why? Well, frankincense gave you a lovely smelling incense. See the smoke? That's frankincense smoke. This is a frankincense flavored smelling stick.
[26:27] For our asthmatic congregation members start coughing. But you smell it in a second. This is frankincense. This would be burnt in the temple every day. Where the place that God was worshipped.
[26:40] And they'd burn this in the whole temple. Every day again and again. That place would smell of frankincense. It would smell of that smoke. That smoke smells really sweet.
[26:52] But frankincense could only be used by the priests. By the people God had set aside to serve him. And frankincense reminds us that Jesus is special somehow else.
[27:08] He's special because he's a king. He's also special as you'll smell in a second. If the smoke gets that reaches you. But there's something about him that was the same as the priests.
[27:20] These were the men in the Old Testament. The days before Jesus. Who had special access to God. Who could pray to God. And who would give the people sacrifices and offerings up to God.
[27:31] And when Jesus came. He is given the gift of frankincense. This powder from a tree. This sap from a tree. That was used only in the temple.
[27:44] This is a wee bit complicated. But it's really important. In simple words. That just means. That this wee baby. Who was born in a manger. This wee baby who was king.
[27:56] Was also the wee baby. Who would make access. Between us and God. Perfect access. What does that mean?
[28:07] It means when we pray to Jesus. It means God hears us. It means for those here today. Who love Jesus. It means we know for certain. He loves us back.
[28:19] That there's no more gap. Between God and us. That Jesus closed that gap. Gap down. As you smell.
[28:30] Just trying to. I'll hit the front row in a second. It's pretty strong up here. As you smell that. Just think. That once upon a time. There was such a distance. Between God and man. And when Jesus came.
[28:42] Because of what he did. We'll see that in a second. The gap was closed. To nothing. Because of the sacrifice. Of Jesus. In other words.
[28:53] If. Boys and girls. Mums and dads. Grannies and grandkids. If we believe. And love Jesus. The Bible tells us. And we know for certain.
[29:04] That we can know. That God. Has. Loved us. And that he loves us. And that he hears. Our. Prayers. Gold.
[29:16] Tells us. Jesus is a. Again. It's not panto. Gold. Gold. Gold. Tells us. Jesus is. A. King. When we had.
[29:29] What next? It's still burning quietly here. We had. Frankincense. It tells us. That because Jesus came. We can know for certain. And we can see for certain.
[29:39] That God. Truly loved us. We can come to God. In prayer. And know. If we come to God. And. And tell him. We're sorry. And that. We believe in him.
[29:50] That he promises us. To love us. And keep us. And never let us go. One more thing. Gold. Frankincense. And. Myrrh.
[30:02] And myrrh. Is very hard. To show. And myrrh. Is very expensive. I could buy. A bit of frankincense stick. That cost a few pounds. If I was to buy myrrh today.
[30:13] We'd have to remortgage. The manx. And the church. I think combined. Myrrh is very expensive. So instead. I have taken here. One of Emma's. Perfume bottles. But myrrh. Was.
[30:23] A perfume. A very. Very expensive. Perfume. It was used. In a few places. But it was used. In a really strange. Place. Especially. They would use.
[30:35] Myrrh. It was spray myrrh. Or pour myrrh. This perfume. On people. Who had actually died. On people. Who had died. What a strange present.
[30:47] To bring a small baby. Gold. Okay. I understand that. Frankincense. It smells nice. But you're bringing perfume. You pour. On dead people. That's a horrible.
[30:58] Strange present. To bring. A brand new wee baby. And his parents. The wise men were wise. And like the gold. Show us. He's a king. And the frankincense.
[31:09] It shows. He's a priest. He has. He has taken us. And God together. The mirror. Shows us. Or reminds us. That he had. To pay a price.
[31:20] To do that. Because how does Jesus. Show his love for us. How does Jesus. Bring God. And man together. He had to be.
[31:32] The final. Sacrifice. He had. To die. Jesus was born. Yes. To live a life. And born. Yes.
[31:42] To be king. But really. Jesus was born. To live a perfect life. The boys and girls. Mums and dads. We're not perfect. We say wrong things. We do wrong things. Even the minister.
[31:53] We all do and say. Wrong things. Jesus was perfect. Everything he did. Was perfect. He was always good. To his mum and dad. He was always nice.
[32:03] To his friends. He always listened well. But more than that. He did nothing wrong. Nothing wrong at all. Ever. Because he was the only. Perfect person.
[32:14] And because. He was the only. Perfect person. When he. Died. We could be made perfect. Through. Him. And the mirror.
[32:26] Was a reminder. That this wee baby. Had come. To die. He had come. To live that perfect life. And to die. On. The cross. He came.
[32:38] To. Save us. He came. To be. A saviour. Do you know the Gaelic word. For saviour. I know you know it.
[32:50] But. I'll say it for you. Slaniar. Isn't it? Slaniar. God. Which is. Translated directly. Back into English. The healer. The healing one. A healer.
[33:01] Jesus came. To be. Our saviour. Our slaniar. He came. To heal. Us. To make us. Whole again. To make us.
[33:12] Perfect. With God. Again. For we can't be perfect. We say wrong things. We do wrong things. We're cheeky sometimes. But God says. If you believe in Jesus.
[33:23] We baby Jesus. In that crib. If you believe. That he was God. If you believe. That he came. To live. And to die. And to. To take on. Our bad things. Our sins.
[33:35] If you believe. He rose again. If you believe. All these things. God says. He looks on us. And he loves us. And because of Jesus. He sees us.
[33:45] As perfect. So boys and girls. All the bad things. You guys. You guys might do in the future. Mums and dads. Guys and granddads. All the bad things. You have done in the past. And in the future.
[33:56] If we come to Jesus. All these things. Are gone. The debt is cleared. And what sounds like. Too good a deal. We saw. Do we not. In the carol service. The carol evening. John 3.16.
[34:08] God so loved the world. He gave his only begotten son. That. What. That whosoever. That whosoever. Now boys and girls. It's time now. For mums and dads. For a wee.
[34:18] Greek lesson. We heard this a few weeks ago. I won't go over it. For our members. And our church. Friends here. But just for us all. God so loved the world.
[34:29] He gave his only son. That whosoever. Whosoever. In Greek. That's a small word. Very small word. That word. Whosoever. Just two letters long. Sometimes three.
[34:40] Depending on your grammar. But two or three letters long. That small word means. Everyone. Everywhere. So no matter how much you've been to church.
[34:51] How little you've been to church. No matter how much you know about the Bible. How little you know. No matter how small your faith is. Or how big your faith is. Jesus is for everyone.
[35:02] Who believes. Whatever your family history is. Your current situation is. Your current relationship situation. Your everything else I can add in. Every other complication in life.
[35:13] All these things together. Jesus is for everyone who comes and believes in him. And that's the good news. This wee baby. Who was born these few thousand years ago.
[35:26] Was born to be a king. Was born to bridge the gap. As a priest between God and man. To make sure that we could know for certain.
[35:37] That God knows us. That God loves us. That God hears us. But also he came. In order to do that. To die.
[35:49] To be. Our perfect sacrifice. So we can know. If we love him. If we believe in him. If we know him. Then we are guaranteed. To spend forever.
[36:02] With him. The wise men. They told. In their gifts. Their three gifts. The full story. The full good news. Of why Jesus came.
[36:14] Of how God himself. Came down from heaven to earth. To live. And to die. And to save us. And to show his love. Towards us.
[36:24] He came down to heaven. As a king. To fulfill. His perfect. His perfect. His perfect. Duties. Came down to heaven.
[36:35] From heaven to earth. As a priest. To show us. That he has made things right. Between God. And man. If only we believe in him.
[36:47] And he came down from heaven. To earth. To die. As our perfect sacrifice. So we can know. And know for certain. If we believe in him.
[36:57] And love him. And trust in him. We are loved. And we are safe. And God has shown his love. To us. Now boys and girls. Not mums and dads. Boys and girls.
[37:09] There are. I think. Ten. Selection boxes. At the back door. Now that's a present. From my mum. Actually. To you all. I wish I had an album. I'm too old now.
[37:19] To get presents of. Chocolate from my mum. I say that. She brought chocolate silver. Yesterday. I'm too old. To get big selection boxes. From my mum. So there's ten. Selection boxes. Now. My maths isn't very fast.
[37:31] I can't see. Some of you are hiding. If we run out. Don't worry. If I don't know. Then Ben said. I will know where you live. Or somewhere where you live. By the end of January. We can get a selection box.
[37:42] To you. If you're a boy or a girl. Mums and dads. Sorry. You have to buy your own. Maybe half price. And test calls anyway. For the next few weeks. After this. Boys and girls. Thank you guys. For listening. So well. We can now pray.
[37:53] Really quickly. Together. Lord. Thank you. For this time together. Thank you. That we've spent this time. Listening to a small bit. About the Bible. And learning together.
[38:04] What it is. That Jesus came. To live that perfect life. That Jesus came down. As a small baby. Like us. In every single way.
[38:14] Apart from sin. That he lived a life. With full emotions. And full feelings. In full pains. That he understands. What it's like. To be one of us.
[38:25] He lived a full life. A complete life. But he lived a life. Of full perfection. Each day. Moving closer and closer. Towards the cross.
[38:36] Towards the end. And doing so. Out of love. For his precious people. Pray just now. That way. As we leave this place. In a short while. We'll do so. Having learned. Perhaps. Even just a small.
[38:47] A small bit more. About the. The wonder. And the beauty. Of who. Jesus is. Lord. We thank you. Once more. For this time. As your word's gone out.
[38:58] We know you will bless your word. Bless singing. Also just now. We'll also pray to you. Lord. This evening. For Ian McClitchie. As he comes to preach. As we do. Our pulpit swap.
[39:09] This time of year. We pray for him. And give him the words. To say. It's called these things. In and through. And for Jesus. In his precious name's sake. Amen. As I said that.
[39:20] In the intimations. I do apologize. Ian McClitchie. Reverend Ian McClitchie. And Reverend Myrtle Campbell. And myself. Are doing a. A freeway pulpit swap. This evening. So I'm off to Barbus. And Ian is coming up here.
[39:30] And Myrtle's off. The joy of Myrtle. To go down to Graver. What a blessing he has. So please do pray for Ian. As he comes tonight. And pray for myself. In Barbus. And Myrtle. In Graver.
[39:42] We can spend. Conclude our time together. Singing. Singing. Sing psalms. From Psalm 40. It's the front half. Of the psalm book. The front half of the psalm book.
[39:53] And Psalm 40. Psalm 40. Sing verses 1. Down to verse 5. That's on page 50.
[40:05] Of the church psalm book. Psalm 40. On page 50. If after the psalm. You remain standing. I'll say the benediction. You can sit down then. And I'll leave. And try and shake hands.
[40:15] And see everyone. At the back door. So we'll stand to sing. Psalm 40. I waited long upon the Lord. He heard my cry. And turned to me. He raised me from a slimy pit. And from the mire.
[40:26] He pulled me free. This is a psalm. About coming to believe in Jesus. And him saving us. Psalm 40. Verses 1 to 5. To God's praise. I waited long upon the Lord.
[40:46] He heard my cry. I am found to thee. He raised me from the slimy pit.
[41:03] He's returned. But also forty Whoa. Now all the Lord. Help me. He strength by his task on earth.
[41:16] All year long Have place to stand for Fair and hard He built a new song In my life That's not for him Of Christ's God May he well live Without a fear Have come the Lord And only I am Blessed are you Blessed are you Blessed are you
[42:17] Great and true Excellent And only I am Blessed are you Blessed are you Lord For my love prevents me That God While my glory I bring thee and your plans for us are far beyond as the fortune of the Lord you hear.
[43:01] May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and forevermore. Amen.