[0:00] I'm looking again at verse 13. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
[0:21] As we know, the word of God is challenging. Sometimes when we read God's word, we find it a balm to our souls. As we read, we say to ourselves, this is just what I wanted.
[0:36] You know the expression, just what the doctor ordered. Well, often when we read God's word, we're able to say this is what the heavenly doctor has ordered. It is exactly what you need.
[0:48] It's amazing how often each day as you go to God's word and you open it and you begin to read. Maybe if you're reading through something systematically or you have daily readings or whatever.
[0:59] And you come to it and you say, my word, this is just exactly what I was looking for. This is just an answer to my question. This is something there to support me, to help me.
[1:13] But there are other times we come to God's word and we're rebuked by it. We're challenged by it. Sometimes we can be frightened by it. Because God deals with all the different situations that we find ourselves in.
[1:28] And we find that this is the normal experience as we come to read God's word. And we are also brought to see that while the living and true God is a God of great love and of amazing compassion, that he is also a consuming fire.
[1:51] And the Bible shows us that there are both these sides, that the hand of God as a tender shepherd is the safest place in the whole wide world that we could ever find ourselves, to be in the hand of the good shepherd.
[2:07] But we're also made aware that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. So that the Bible shows us that there are these two sides.
[2:20] And sometimes, I'm sure we've all come to places where we've been scared under God's word. We've been rebuked under God's word. We've been challenged under God's word.
[2:31] Sometimes we're comforted under God's word. Sometimes we just find our souls being soothed. And we realize this is just what I've been looking for.
[2:43] Now, in the previous verse, it reminds us something of what God's word is. And, of course, as we know God's word, really God's word is an expression of God's will.
[2:57] We wouldn't know what God's will was had we not his word. Because his word is a revelation of his will and everything that we need to know. Everything we need to know with regard to our salvation, with regard to how we live, everything we need to know is in there.
[3:16] And it's amazing how often we speculate and we try and work out other things that aren't revealed. God has given to us everything that we need to know.
[3:26] And I think we'd have to agree that what he has revealed to us, some of it, is beyond our knowledge. That even the greatest minds, as they try to grapple with the truth, it's not that they don't believe.
[3:40] We all believe the truth. But our understanding of the truth can often be such that we say, well, I believe this. But as the psalmist says, such knowledge is too strange for me.
[3:51] It's too high to understand. It doesn't matter how I try to understand these things. They go way beyond. And we should realize that that is true because we're dealing with the living and true God who is so altogether different and other than we are.
[4:10] But we're also told that this word, the word of God, it's living and it's active. God's word is living because it comes. He is the living God.
[4:22] And it's a word that brings life. Every one of you tonight in here who love the Lord Jesus Christ, every one of you tonight who's a Christian, you're a Christian because of this living word.
[4:36] You didn't come to faith any other way. You may have said to yourself, oh, well, wait till you hear my experience. My experience is different, you might say. It wasn't through the word. Yes, it was.
[4:48] The word is always part. The word is at the very center of your faith in Jesus Christ because this word is, this is the living word that brings life.
[5:02] Now, your experiences may all be different. And the way that God worked in your life up to your conversion and subsequently to your conversion, it may all be very different.
[5:13] But you cannot come to faith apart from the word. The word is at the very center. And this word isn't just living, it is active.
[5:24] It produces life. When God works in your heart, he produces life. You become alive in him.
[5:35] And there is an activity of God's spirit in your life forevermore. And that's wonderful. Every single day, God's at work in your life.
[5:46] And he's doing things in you. He's a great sculptor. And he's busy changing your life to resemble the life of his son more and more.
[6:01] Every day. So this is an active word. And again, it is through the word. Because not only do we come to faith through the word, but we are also being sanctified through the word.
[6:14] And the word, this also tells us this verse, that the word, it's like a two-edged sword, that it pushes to the division of the soul or spirits of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and the intents of the heart.
[6:33] It's quite extraordinary that God sees right in to the very depth of our being. The word of God goes in deeper than anything else in this world. The word of God penetrates into our lives and affects us in a way that nothing else does.
[6:49] It affects, it touches our affections, our emotions, our will, our inclinations. It affects and touches every single part of us.
[7:02] But this verse that we're looking at, verse 13, then goes on to say that God knows absolutely everything about us because he is seeing us.
[7:15] And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account. You see, God sees us.
[7:31] There is no place in this universe that you and I can go, that we can hide from the eye of the living God. Now when we talk about the eye of the living God, or God's eyes, we know that God is a spirit and doesn't have eyes as such.
[7:44] But the Bible uses language to convey to us what it would be otherwise impossible for us to understand. So God is seeing us all the time.
[7:58] We can't hide anywhere. Remember when your children, those who are children here, you always like to play hide and seek. And it was always great when you got a really good hiding place, especially good when you could see, you could see those who were chasing or looking for you, but they couldn't see you.
[8:19] You could see them, but they couldn't see you. You always feel, oh, this is coming, a great place here. I am so hidden that nobody can see me, but I can see them.
[8:31] And you just, you felt great about it. But you know, there's no such place in this universe that we can hide from the living and through God. Nowhere. Because God sees us.
[8:43] And he sees right, he doesn't just see us as we are here. He doesn't just see us physically. He sees right into us, right into the very depth of our being. And he knows your thoughts.
[8:54] He knows what you're thinking. He knows your motives. See all the things that you do. He knows why you do them. And he knows what you do by faith. And he knows what's not of faith.
[9:06] And you know, we can do many things and impress people. And our motives might be all wrong. We might do things that outwardly appear really good. People might commend us and say, Oh, well, isn't that person good?
[9:21] Look at what they're doing. But the reasons they're doing it is for their own pride. It is for their own glory. It is that they will be thought of well by others.
[9:33] And they're not doing it by faith. But God knows. God knows every single thing. And that's very humbling. Because we often, that's why we have to stop and examine ourselves and say, Why am I doing what I'm doing?
[9:47] What is behind what I am doing? Who am I doing it for? Am I doing everything for me? Do you know we can be, and it's something I have to ask myself very often as well.
[9:58] You can be very, very busy. But why is your busyness to satisfy your own conscience? Is your busyness in order to please other people?
[10:10] Or is your busyness to the Lord? Are you serving the Lord? Is your motive for what you're doing, is it to God and for his glory? And we often have to stop and ask ourselves these things.
[10:23] Because we can find that far too often we can be caught up with ourselves and our own egos and our own interests. But God knows exactly.
[10:36] And that is why at the end of the day that he will reward everyone, all his people, in according to what he knows. And that is why we realize and we believe that there will be a variety of reward and glory.
[10:54] Every person will be full. They will all receive the fullness of that glory. It has often been described by the, when you see the different seashells, there are some tiny shells and there are some huge shells.
[11:07] And if you fill each shell, that shell is as full as it can be. Some people say that that is the way it will be in glory. That for some people whose lives have been lived with real faith and their whole lives dedicated to the glory of God.
[11:25] That they will be like the great big shells. And that they will be, their glory, what they receive will be a great glory. But ever, but there's nobody in glory going to say, well I didn't get as much as him, it's not fair.
[11:38] We will all be satisfied. Eternally satisfied with what we receive. But we believe that there are different measures. According to what we are here, we're told our works do follow us.
[11:53] And the Lord receives his people home with a well done. So the Lord is taking note of every single thing we do. Even a cup of water that is given in his name. That's taken note of. And so there is nothing at all that is hidden from him.
[12:10] And he also sees those who are rejecting him. Those who are pushing him away. And he sees even people in here. People in here who might be hearing the gospel. And they might be tugged in the heart.
[12:22] And they might say yes. But they're still saying no. As it says, we will not have this man rule over us. As the Lord looks on you tonight. He's looking into your heart.
[12:35] And he's seeing your reaction to the gospel. And he's seeing whether you're accepting or rejecting. You know, it's a solemn thing. Because you know, if a person continues to reject one day.
[12:47] We're told here. We must give an account. Isn't it going to be an awful thing? To stand before Jesus. And say, yes Lord.
[12:58] I heard week in, week out. I know that you were offered to me. Week in, week out. But I rejected you. And he'll say, depart from me.
[13:09] I never knew you. It's a fearsome thought. But the amazing thing is. That the Lord. Is upholding. And upholding.
[13:19] And every day. People who reject. Not only rejecting him. But people who hate him. God is giving the health and strength to people. Who spend their life.
[13:30] Not only hating God. But putting all their God given talent and energy. Into trying to eradicate the name of God from society. People with great intellects.
[13:42] Who are using the intellect God has given them. In order to try and. Take people away from God. To try and make people disbelieve.
[13:53] In God. Try to make out that God does not exist. But these people are going to have to stand. Before God. And give an account. Of everything that they did.
[14:05] And I can't think of anything worse. Than to have been upheld. All through life. And to be given so many blessings. By God. And yet at the same time.
[14:16] Trying to. Turn people away. From God. Imagine. Imagine giving your life. To that. And there are many people. And that's what they've given their life to.
[14:27] It is the main aim. The main purpose. And there are people in education. And politics. And all the different areas of this world. And they have their agendas. And trying to. Eradicate the Christian faith.
[14:39] From society. That is their goal. And Jesus. They're going to have to stand before him. And God is upholding them tonight. He's giving them the strength.
[14:51] And he's giving them the health. To live in this world. But they're going to have to give an account. Because he sees everything. He's taking note. Of absolutely everything.
[15:02] And God is watching over us. No hidden places. As we said. We could go to the deepest cave. And try and hide there. We could go into a submarine. To the depths of the ocean.
[15:13] Doesn't matter where we go. God sees us. Even in the wounds. David was saying that. In Psalm 139. Even there. God was watching over him.
[15:24] Every single step. In embryonic form. There is the Lord. Watching. But when we come to scripture. We notice that God is watching. In different ways. Because he.
[15:34] As he is looking down. On everything. And looking on everybody. He looks in different ways. And sometimes. The Lord looks down.
[15:45] And he's looking. In love. He's looking with eyes. That are wanting to deliver. I shouldn't say wanting. With eyes. That are going to deliver. Looking at. With eyes of.
[15:56] Love. To his people. And he will always be looking. With love. Towards his people. We have a great example of that. For instance. In Exodus. In fact.
[16:07] We have two. Two extreme examples there. You remember when. The children of Israel. Were under. The. The. Bondage. Of slavery.
[16:17] In Egypt. And there was this program. Of infant genocide. And they were all slaves. And it was. It was becoming. Year by year. It was becoming worse. And worse. And worse. And worse.
[16:27] And we find that their cry. Their cry. Went upwards. That's what we're told. Their cry. Went up to God. You know. Some people who are in trouble.
[16:38] They cry out. In their trouble. But they don't cry to God. When people cry to God. God will always hear. Lots of people tonight. Who are crying. But they're not crying to God. But whenever we cry to God.
[16:50] God hears us. And God heard. The cry. Of the Israelites. Because it was a cry. That went upwards. Went to him. And while.
[17:00] Trouble is never anything. That we. We welcome or want. It's amazing. How often trouble. Drives us to God. You look back over your own life. And maybe you're a Christian tonight.
[17:12] Because of troubles. That came into your life. Of how your life. Of just how everything. Kind of collapsed around you. Of how things that. How life was going well.
[17:22] And then all of a sudden. It lost all its sparkle. Lost all its flavor. It lost everything. And you felt empty. And useless. And you didn't know what was happening. But you had to cry to God.
[17:34] See God was working. God works through these things. And God was allowing that slavery in Egypt. Because his people had wandered away. In heart and in mind from him.
[17:46] And so eventually. They cry to God. And it tells us this. And God heard their groaning. And God remembered his covenant.
[17:56] With Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And God saw the people of Israel. And God knew. So here's the living and true God.
[18:08] It's not that it was only when he heard their cry. That he saw them. He saw them all the time. But it's when he heard his cry. That he looked specifically on them. And he looked at them through his covenant.
[18:19] That he had made. And it was a look of love. These are my people. And so. It's wonderful.
[18:31] That the way that the Lord looked here. Because. As the Lord looked at the plight of his people. He looked at them as we said. Not just with pity. You know. You could.
[18:42] You could come across somebody. Who's in real distress. And they've come into some terrible situation. And your heart goes out to them. And you have a lot of pity in your heart.
[18:53] You really feel for them. But. You wouldn't look at it the same way. As if this person. Was a member of your own family. Somebody you really loved.
[19:05] Because. It wouldn't just be pity that you would have. There would be pity. But there would be. There would be a hurt in your own heart. And there would be such a sense of.
[19:16] Love going out. Because. This is. This is. This is one of your own. And that's how it was with God. As he looked down. On his suffering people. It wasn't just a heart of pity he has.
[19:30] But it's also. A heart of love. As he looks down upon them. And it tells us then. That he remembered. His covenant with them. It's not that God forgot.
[19:42] God never forgets. But when we come across that word. God remembered. It's always a prelude to God going to work. It always tells us that. God remembered. Means that God is just about going to work.
[19:54] And that's what is going to happen here. God was going to work for them. And we've got to remember this. That as God looks on you. My dear friend tonight. If you are a believer.
[20:05] And I don't know what situation. You might be going through. God is looking at you with eyes of love. He loves you. Lovers love to look at one another. And you know something.
[20:17] God is jealous of you. And when I say that. I mean this. He doesn't want. Your heart. Going anywhere else but to him.
[20:27] He loves you so much. That he just wants you. For himself. Have you thought about that? God loves you. And he doesn't want you.
[20:39] To be going elsewhere. It's one of the things. That is often spoken about. In the Old Testament. Is the spiritual adultery. Of his people. Where they wandered off. And they went after other gods.
[20:51] And you know. When we depart. When our affections. Drift away from God. To other things. And when sin. And the world.
[21:03] Pull us away. And we're drawn away from God. And we begin to look elsewhere. And we begin to lose sight of him. That's like an arrow. Into the heart of God.
[21:14] Because it's just like. A husband or a wife. Departing as it were. From their loved one. And beginning to put all their affections. And all their gaze.
[21:25] And all their love. On someone else. And that's why God. Was always. Always at his people. In the Old Testament. Because they kept. Wandering away.
[21:36] After other gods. Spiritual adultery. So remember this. God loves you. With an intense love. He is jealous. He's a jealous God. We're told. He does not want.
[21:47] To have competition. His love. Is complete. For you. And that's what happened. With Israel. They are his people.
[21:58] And he's coming. To deliver them. And so we find. That he looks on his people. And his look. Was a look of love. But there is. Also. Another look.
[22:08] We find. In the same episode. And that is God. Looking. On the Egyptians. Because you remember. How. Eventually. After the plague. After the plague. In Egypt.
[22:19] And Israel. Left Egypt. In the end. Remember. They were finally. Broken. By the. The final plague. The last one. In the death. In each family.
[22:32] And Pharaoh. Said to Moses. Get out of here. But remember. How Israel. Were hardly gone. When Pharaoh. Had a change of mind. And he gathered. His troops.
[22:42] And they went. Post haste. After. The Israelites. And remember. How Israel. We find them. Trapped. At the edges. The Red Sea. The Red Sea.
[22:53] Is in front of them. And here is the Egyptian army. Charging in behind them. It was an awful situation. That they were in. But we find.
[23:03] That. This. Remember. How the Lord said. To Moses. Go forward. Remember. This is that great moment. Of faith. Must have been. One of the great moments. Of faith.
[23:13] In Moses. This experience. And also. In the Israelites. God says to Moses. Standing. In front of the sea. Go forward. Go forward.
[23:25] Humanly speaking. It's impossible. But God said. Stretch out your rod. And remember. How the waters. Divided. And Israel. Crossed. The Reds. On the bed.
[23:36] Of the sea. As it were. On dry land. Over to the other side. And the Egyptians. Having seen that. They said. Right. We're following on. And that's where we find.
[23:47] It tells us. That in the morning. Watch the Lord. Lord. In the pillar of fire. And cloud. Look down. On the Egyptian forces. But this. Was a different look.
[23:58] This was a look. Of judgment. God was going to deal. In judgment. With it. With it. With the Egyptians. They were the people. That were hounding.
[24:09] His people. They were the people. That were troubling. His people. They were the people. Who were harassing. His people. Who were killing. His people. And he was now. Coming in judgment. You know. God will often wait.
[24:20] And he waits. To be gracious. But he also waits. Until the cup. Of iniquity. Is full. We read about that. In the Old Testament. That there's a time.
[24:32] And God allows. That cup. To fill up. And to fill up. A cup of judgment. A cup of iniquity. And then eventually. When it is full. His judgment.
[24:42] Falls. And that was. What was going to happen. On the Egyptians. And so we. Remember how the. The Egyptians. Tried to cross. The bed of the sea.
[24:54] But God. Caused confusion. The wheels. Of their chariots. Began to fall off. And as they stopped. To try and do that. Remember the waters. Came back in. On top of them.
[25:05] And they were obliterated. It's an awful scene. But it is a. It is a picture. Of what's going to happen. For those. Who are the enemies. Of God. You know. There are periods.
[25:16] Where the enemy. Of Christ. Is prevailing. You might look around. Today. And you say. You know this. It's tough. Being a Christian. I look around. You say to yourself.
[25:27] And see lots of people. There. And they care. Nothing for God. They never think. About God. In fact. They don't like God. At all. They don't want God. And they're getting on. Great. And here am I.
[25:38] I'm struggling. I love the Lord. But I'm struggling. Every day. Well. That's not the final picture. The final picture. Is the deliverance.
[25:49] Of God's people. On the other side. And the destruction. Of the opponents. Of God. The haters of God. That's the end. That's how it's going to be.
[26:00] There are only. Two. Possible. Destinations. Two. Possible. Roads. You're either going down. A road. With the Lord. Or against the Lord. You're either with him.
[26:11] Or you're against him. There's no in between. And it's a. It's a solemn. And a searching thing. So. You have the look of God. Upon his people. In love. The look of God.
[26:21] In judgment. Upon his enemies. There are many other. Ways. In which God looks. Can look. Very very briefly. Think of a Jesus. In this world. Take two. Two examples.
[26:32] Of how the Lord looks. And the impact of it. You remember. When Peter denied Jesus. It tells us. The third time. Remember what happened.
[26:43] After the cock crew. That. It tells us that. Jesus turned. And looked. At Peter. And what was the effect. Peter went out.
[26:54] Into the night. And he wept bitterly. That. One. Look. From Jesus. Broke. The heart. Of Peter.
[27:06] And you and I. Have also experienced. The breaking of our heart. By a look. From the Lord. Have you not? Have you not. Known what it's like.
[27:17] Through the word. To come under. Real conviction of sin. As the Lord. Looks at you. And he. He brings his word. To bear into your heart. And you realize.
[27:28] I am undone. Lord. Have mercy upon me. I am a sinner. Why are you crying. That out. It is because. The Lord has looked upon you. But he has looked upon you.
[27:41] In a way. That's going to break your heart. In order to turn. To himself. And thank the Lord. When that happens. Again. We find an example.
[27:51] Of Jesus. And we see that period. Where there was a huge crowd. And he's looking on them. As they're following him. And what does it say? He looked upon them.
[28:02] As sheep. Without a shepherd. And it tells us. That he was moved. With compassion. Jesus looked out. And he saw this multitude. He saw the emptiness.
[28:12] In their life. He saw that they didn't know. Where they were going. Or what they were about. He saw them without God. And without hope in this world. What did he do? Did he condemn them? Did he turn away from them?
[28:24] No. He looked at them. With eyes of compassion. With heart of compassion. And if you're without Christ tonight. You're in that place.
[28:34] You're without God. And without hope in this world. And the same Jesus is looking at you tonight. And he's looking with eyes of compassion. At this moment it's not judgment.
[28:48] It's still compassion. And as he is looking at you. He is saying to you. You look to me. And that's what the Bible says. Look unto me. All the ends of the earth.
[28:59] And be ye saved. For I am God. And there is none other. There is no other way of salvation. None. Will you look tonight.
[29:12] If you're without Jesus. Will you look. Look unto me. And be ye saved. All the ends of the earth. It's a wonderful thing.
[29:24] That the Lord is saying to us. Jesus cares about our situation. Jesus cares for you. And you know.
[29:35] You thank the Lord. That you are here. In his presence tonight. That you are under the gospel. There's loads of people that aren't. But you are. What a privilege. But don't abuse.
[29:47] Or despise the privilege. Because God sees you just now. And he's seeing what you're doing. What you're doing with his word. What you're doing with the invitation. Are you accepting the invitation.
[29:59] And saying. Yes Lord. Thank you. I want to receive you. Or are you like taking the invitation. And ripping it in two. Saying no thanks.
[30:11] Well remember. You have to give an account. Of what you do. Even with tonight. Let us pray. Lord we. We ask that you will bless us. We pray that.
[30:23] We might know the riches of your grace. We pray Lord. That you will help us to remember. That you God see us. You see when our hearts are turned away from you.
[30:35] And that we go after other gods. And forgive us when that is so. But we pray oh Lord. That more and more. Our desire will be to follow you.
[30:45] With all our heart. We pray that you will do us good. And that you will take us all to our home safely. Bless the youth fellowship tonight. Bless Marianne.
[30:56] As she leads it. And we pray for all our young people. Do them good and bless them. In the days of their youth. Take away from us our sin. In Jesus name. Amen. Let us conclude.
[31:14] Let us conclude. Singing in the 11th Psalm. Psalm number 11. And this is from Sing Psalms. Psalm number 11. From Sing Psalms.
[31:27] Verses 4 to the end. The tune is rocking him. The Lord is in his holy place.
[31:39] The Lord is on his heavenly throne. His eyes observe the human race. And in his sight each one is known. The Lord examines all the just. The righteous ones he proves and tests.
[31:52] But all those who love wickedness and violence his soul detests. Upon the wicked he will reign as fiery coals and sulfur hot. A scorching wind will beat on them.
[32:04] Such punishment will be their lot. For God the Lord is righteous still. In righteousness he takes delight. And they alone will see his face. Who are in heart and life upright.
[32:17] Verses 4 to the end of Psalm 11. To the tune rocking him. The Lord is in his holy place.
[32:34] The Lord is on his heavenly throne. His eyes observe the human race.
[32:50] And in his life. And in his sight each one is known. The Lord examines all the just.
[33:07] The righteous ones he proves and tests. But all those who love wickedness.
[33:24] And violence his soul decays. Upon the wicked he will reign.
[33:41] His highly coals and sulfur hot. A scorching wind will beat on them.
[33:58] Such punishment will be their lot. For God the Lord is righteous still.
[34:15] With righteousness he takes delight. And they alone will see his face.
[34:33] Who have had his heart and life upright. Now may the grace, mercy and peace of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
[34:46] Rest and abide upon each one of you now and forever more. Amen. Amen. Amen. Draw a Throne