[0:00] service here. A warm welcome, especially if you are visiting here. We extend that welcome to you and to those of you who are watching online and who are watching from home also welcome.
[0:11] And on that note, I just want to say a thank you for the welcome that's been extended to me. While I'm here on my placement as part of my training for the ministry, it's really good to be here and I look forward to spending some time with you all and getting to know you all and working alongside you as we seek to do the Lord's work together. The notices are all fairly self-explanatory and they're all on the sheets that you have and online as well, so please do have a look through those and just make yourself aware of anything that's happening and the services for next week. We are going to begin our service by worshiping God, by singing to his praises.
[0:51] in Psalm 18 from the Sing Psalms. Psalm 18 from the Sing Psalms and we're going to sing the first six verses of this.
[1:07] This is a psalm which reminds us of our need to rely on God, of our need to come to him. And it's a psalm that recognizes that he is our salvation and our strength. I love you, Lord, you are my strength. A fortress is the Lord to me, my rock and my deliverer.
[1:23] For refuge to my God I flee. Let's sing these verses to God's praise. I love you, Lord, you are my strength. A fortress is the Lord to me, my rock and my deliverer.
[1:50] For refuge to my God I flee. He is my stronghold and my shield. The Lord who saves me by his mind.
[2:09] I'll call on him and give him praise. I'm saved, he puts my foes to flight.
[2:22] I'm saved, he puts my foes to flight. The cords of death entangled me.
[2:35] Destruction hit me like a wave. Encircled by the snares of death. I face the terror of the grave.
[2:54] In my distress I called on God. I cried out to the Lord for aid.
[3:06] He from his temple heard my voice. He listened to the prayer I made.
[3:19] He listened to the prayer I made. Let's come before the Lord now in prayer.
[3:38] Lord God, Heavenly Father, we thank you that we can indeed cry out to you. And we can rely on you to be the rock which will not be moved and which will hold us steady. We thank you that you hear us when we cry.
[3:51] And not only do you hear us but you respond to us. That you bow your ear down to listen to us and you answer us. And not with the answers that we want either but with the answers that we need.
[4:04] And we pray that as we grow closer to you and as we walk with you each day, you would help us to come more in line with your will. So that our will would be seeking your will.
[4:16] So that more and more what we pray would be what we should be praying for. What you will for us. And we pray that as we do that, that you would shape us and make us your instruments.
[4:31] That you would help us to be witnesses for you in this community and in all the communities that we represent. So that your name might be taken to people who haven't heard it.
[4:43] So that your glory might be expressed to those who are unaware of it. And your light might shine into lives which are still darkened. So that your name would be glorified and lifted up.
[4:55] And we would see many praising you. Many more. For there are always more to be reached, we know. So help us to go out there and to boldly sow that seed.
[5:07] Confident that where it is your will that it grows, you will make it grow. And we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit which goes alongside us and helps us to do that.
[5:20] And we pray that as we gather around your word this evening, that you would open it to us. You would speak to us through it. You would challenge us with it. You would shape us with it. You would confront us with it where we need confronted.
[5:31] That you would build us up where we need built up. And you would reassure us where we need reassured. We pray that we would be aware of the Holy Spirit alongside us. Making it a living, burning word for us.
[5:47] Father, we pray for all the work that takes place on this island. And particularly from this congregation. We pray for all the different outreach which is done. And particularly during the difficult times just now.
[5:57] When there are still social distancing and masks and all of these things. But we know, Lord, that none of them can be barriers to you. That you will not be held back by these things.
[6:11] Because you are powerful and mighty. Lord, we pray for the new ministries that we know of that are beginning around the country. We pray for the Fideon family as they settle in.
[6:22] In Boner and Lairg. Ben and his family as he has taken on the ministry there. And we pray that that ministry would be blessed. We pray that we would see great growth.
[6:33] Not just in numbers but in depth. In understanding of you. And in desire to see your will done. We pray for the Hall family.
[6:44] For Joe and Susie. Who are due to become a part of the congregation in Bonacord. In August when Joe is due to be inducted there. And we pray also for blessing for them.
[6:55] And particularly as they are expecting their first child, Lord. And we just pray that that family would know your closeness and your grace. As they take up the ministry posts there. And that we would see the great work that's been done there built on.
[7:08] And continuing to grow in that city. We pray for the congregations in Govan Hill. And we pray for Kenny Boyd there. And we pray for Rory Stott and Fort Rose as well.
[7:21] And the different needs and the different strengths and weaknesses that they have. And the different people that they're reaching out to. And we just ask that you would continue to bless these ministries too. So that we would be hearing great things about them.
[7:33] And we thank you. We thank you for the fact that as a denomination we have this. That we can pray for one another. That we are not stand alone. That we are part of a wider group.
[7:47] Who support one another where it's necessary. And who are encouraged to hear of one another. And beyond that, Lord. We are part of a worldwide church. Which belongs not to us but to you.
[8:00] And may that inspire and encourage us in all that we do. And we pray for those, Lord, who are struggling just now. Who are finding things difficult.
[8:10] Whether it's because of the extra conditions imposed by the pandemic. Or whether it's other things which are pressing on them. And which are weighing them down. Whether it's physical illness.
[8:22] Or whether it's mental and spiritual weights, Lord. We just pray that they would know your closeness. That you would draw alongside them. That you would bring a sense of healing and your peace to them.
[8:38] That if they know you, they would know you more closely every day. And that if they don't, Lord, that they would come to. That they would come to put their trust in you. And oh, Lord, we long to see that for so many of our friends and family.
[8:50] We pray that you would use us as witnesses. Weak and broken tools that we are, Lord. In your hands, we know that even we can be effective. And we pray that that would be the case.
[9:06] And so, Father, just be with us now as we look at your word. Be with us now as we sing it. As we read it. And as we study it. Speak to us. Be with us, we pray.
[9:18] In Jesus' name. Amen. I want to say a few words then to the young folk. And particularly to any who are watching online.
[9:31] Now, I know at least one young person here tonight who would know the answer to this if I made it a question. I don't know how many of you are into sports. There's been a lot of sports on TV recently.
[9:42] I've got a sport that I enjoy. It's quite an unusual sport. There's probably not that many people here who have tried it. I am a fencer.
[9:54] Now, for those of you who have some work needing done in your gardens, that does not mean that I will come and put up fences. It means I fight with swords. It's quite an unusual sport, but I like it.
[10:07] And I've got something with me. This is not my sword. I will just say that now. This is not, obviously, a real sword.
[10:19] The police station is just a little bit too close for me to want to walk down with a sword in my hand. This was loaned to me, and I'm thankful for it. So this is a sword. And as a fencer, I know that I'm no use without a sword.
[10:33] I can't stand there and just say, come at me when the other guy's armed. I'm not going to get very far as a fencer without a sword. Now, the Bible has quite a lot of swords in it.
[10:46] Swords are mentioned throughout the Bible. But there's one in particular that I want to think about and talk about tonight. It's in a letter written by Paul to the church in Ephesus, where he talks about the armor of God.
[11:01] And he goes through a number of different things that the Christian needs in the spiritual battle that we're in. And he compares them to the pieces of armor of a Roman soldier. And the only one which we can actually use to push forward rather than just defend ourselves is the sword.
[11:20] And do you know what he says the sword is for a Christian? He says the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.
[11:34] The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. That's what we need with us if we're going to go out into battle. We need to have our swords with us. Now, there's something very important about swords.
[11:48] Swords are great if you need them. But you need to know how to use them. You can't just pick one up and start waving it about.
[12:00] Because if you do that, someone's going to get hurt and it might be you. I mean, this sword is wooden. It's not sharp. You still wouldn't want to get a crack in the head from it. The swords I use are metal, but they're also not sharp.
[12:12] But you still don't want to be messing about with them. The swords Paul was talking about were sharp. And the sword of the Spirit is very sharp. If you want to use a sword, you have to train with it.
[12:27] You have to get to know it. You have to understand how it works. You have to practice with it. You have to drill with it. And the same is true of God's word.
[12:39] If we want to be able to use it effectively, we have to know it. We have to read it. We have to study it. We have to ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand it. We have to pray to God to help us understand it.
[12:51] Because if we don't, it's dangerous. If we don't know what we're doing, if we wait until we need it and then pull it out and start waving it about, that's like never training with a sword and thinking you can just pick one up and use it.
[13:05] So we have to get to know it. Now, a sad story. I recently went to have a look at my fencing kit. I haven't fenced in over a year because of the pandemic.
[13:18] And I dug out one of my swords. It was rusty. Now, for a fencer, that's a terrible, sad sight, a rusty sword.
[13:29] It was rusty because I had neglected it. I hadn't looked at it in over a year. It had sat in a bag in the garage. And it had gone rusty. Now, God's word can't rust.
[13:44] But we can. If you neglect God's word, you'll rust. And rust will damage a blade and it will never completely recover.
[13:56] And we don't want to get rusty, do we? So don't leave your Bible sitting neatly on the shelf. Don't have it looking as beautifully new as the day it was bought with the spine never cracked and the pages never turned.
[14:10] A good sword has dents and knocks and chips out of it. A good Bible should be read.
[14:21] It should be used. So if you remember nothing else from today's talk, remember this. Don't let your sword go rusty.
[14:32] Thank you. We're going to say the Lord's Prayer now together. Amen. So we'll pray it together now. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
[14:47] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
[15:00] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever.
[15:11] Amen. We are now going to turn to Scripture for our reading. In the New Testament. In the first letter to the Corinthians.
[15:25] 1 Corinthians. In chapter 12. That's 1 Corinthians chapter 12.
[15:41] I think if you have one of the church Bibles, you'll find it on 1154. And we pick up the reading in verse 12. And we're going to read through to verse 8 of chapter 13.
[15:53] So 1 Corinthians chapter 12. This is God's word. And we ask that he would open it to us as we read it. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
[16:11] For in one spirit we were all baptized into one body. Jews or Greeks, slaves or free. And all were made to drink of one spirit.
[16:23] For the body does not consist of one member, but of many. If the foot should say, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them as he chose.
[17:02] If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you.
[17:14] Nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. And on those parts of the body that we think less honorable, we bestow the greater honor.
[17:28] And our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable ones do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it.
[17:42] That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together. If one member is honored, all rejoice together.
[17:54] Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating and various kinds of tongues.
[18:12] Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret, but earnestly desire the higher gifts?
[18:28] And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
[18:41] And if I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
[18:55] If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind.
[19:08] Love does not envy or boast. It is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
[19:22] Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away.
[19:34] As for tongues, they will cease. As for knowledge, it will pass away. And we ask that God would bless this to us as we study it now and speak to us through his word.
[19:52] Verse 31 there we read, A few years ago I was chatting with a registrar who was telling me about some of the things that people regularly wanted to have as part of a civil wedding.
[20:16] And the love is section of 1 Corinthians 13 was something which would come up frequently. Lots of people were completely unaware of where it came from.
[20:28] They just knew it sounded nice. And she would have to tell them that they couldn't have it. Because at that time, you weren't allowed anything religious as part of a civil ceremony.
[20:40] And many of them were amazed to discover that it came from the Bible. It is a very well-known text, if you like.
[20:52] Even to people with little or no Bible knowledge. And over the weeks that I'm with you, when I'm preaching here on a Sunday, I plan, God willing, to take a look at the teaching that we find in 1 Corinthians 13.
[21:06] As I said, a lot of people might not even realize that this passage is from the Bible. But it is. And that means it is much more than just another fine sentiment.
[21:22] Or a poetic description of romantic affection. Or a Christian relationship guide. It's God's word to us.
[21:33] And that's why I think it's really important that we study this section. And we consider it. And we ask ourselves, what is God teaching us through his word at this point?
[21:46] And over the four sermons that I'm doing, I want us to look at different aspects of this passage. Different things it teaches us. And this week, I'd like to start with a sort of an introductory overview.
[21:59] To set up a foundation that we can build the rest of our study on. Now, in good free church condition, I've split things up tonight.
[22:11] And I've got three different headings that I want to think about. I've got two questions. And a statement to ponder. So first, I want to ask, where is the love?
[22:25] And second, I want to ask, what's love got to do with it? And then finally, I want us to consider the fact that love changes everything.
[22:38] So, where is the love? What's love got to do with it? And love changes everything. Where is the love?
[22:48] What do I mean by that? Well, I want to consider the context of the letter. And this particular passage within it. And I want to see if that can help us understand why Paul wrote it.
[23:01] And what he, inspired by the Holy Spirit. What he is saying to us through it. Because all too often, when we do see this passage at weddings or on cards and things, it's been ripped from its context.
[23:15] And it's being presented as if it was a stand-alone piece of writing. But when people do that, we lose the context. We lose part of what the author is saying to us.
[23:29] And this passage, obviously, is part of Paul's letter to the church in Corinth. Corinth was a major Greek city. And at this time, it was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia.
[23:44] Its population was very mixed. There were Greeks. There were Syrians. There were Jews. And there were a lot of pensioned-off Romans living there as well. So it was ethnically and culturally diverse.
[23:57] It was prosperous. It was a big merchant center. But it was one where great wealth and terrible poverty coexisted side by side.
[24:08] By the standards of its time, it was very religious. There was a cultic religion there which was intertwined with civic life. It had a reputation for being sophisticated, cosmopolitan, and licentious.
[24:26] And the church in Corinth was, as churches often are, very much shaped by its society. It was a diverse church whose ethnic and social range reflected that of the surrounding culture.
[24:43] And we'll see as we go through this that that's a good thing. Unfortunately, it was also a divided church, which is very definitely not a good thing.
[24:56] It was a church where the divisions between rich and poor were shamefully obvious. Many of its members were also caught up in pagan cultic practices, which were part of their everyday life.
[25:11] Or they were heavily influenced by them. So this, then, is the context into which this letter was written. A diverse but divided church.
[25:24] What about the chapter that we're going to be looking at over the next few weeks? What about chapter 13? What's the context of that passage within the letter? Where do we find chapter 13?
[25:35] Well, you might say it's obvious we find it between chapters 12 and 14, right? But that might seem obvious, but it does tell us something. Because this letter is not a random collection of disconnected sayings.
[25:53] And chapter 13 is not a standalone chapter or running off at a tangent. Both chapters 12 and chapter 14 contain teaching about spiritual gifts and their use.
[26:08] And they come as part of a larger section on the life of the church as the body of Christ. And this placement is no accident.
[26:19] Chapter 13 is a bridge between them. If we look at what Paul says to his readers in verse 31 of chapter 12, he says, I will show you a more excellent way, which leads straight into what he says about love in chapter 13.
[26:35] And if you look at chapter 14, it opens with Paul telling the Corinthians to pursue love. Showing the continuity between these chapters.
[26:45] And as James was reminding us on Wednesday night, the original texts of the Bible didn't have chapter divisions or verses.
[26:56] So that continuity would have been even more obvious to the original readers of this letter. So if that's where we find the love, move on to our next question, which is, what's love got to do with it?
[27:11] Why do we have this passage about love slap bang in the middle of a piece of teaching on spiritual gifts? Well, in the later half of chapter 12, which we read, Paul draws on the metaphor of the church as a body.
[27:32] With each of us as the members or the parts of the body. The parts of the body need to work together for mutual good.
[27:43] And it is love for the church, for God and for each other that enables us to do this. The church in Corinth, so well off in other ways, appears to have been sadly lacking in this regard.
[27:59] Because it seems that each person was focused on themselves. And each sought to place themselves higher than their brothers and sisters.
[28:10] Often by striving for what they consider to be the more impressive spiritual gifts. In chapter 11 from verse 17, Paul writes about how they have even let their divisions destroy the communality of the Lord's Supper.
[28:26] So that they come together, not for the better, but for worse. For them, the Lord's Supper is worse than not meeting.
[28:41] But Paul tells them that the purpose of these spiritual gifts, which they are so impressed by, is not to puff themselves up, but to build each other up.
[28:53] And by doing so, to strengthen the body. In chapter 12, in verse 7, we read, To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
[29:06] Whilst it is good to desire these gifts, Paul says in verse 31 that we're focusing on there, that he needs to show them a more excellent way. And that way is love.
[29:19] And what is true for the church in Corinth is true for us. The church must be diverse.
[29:30] A body of many parts. Each with their own role to play. Respect and reflecting the diversity of the community around us. A monoculture church.
[29:42] A church where everybody is identical. Is as unhealthy, as unnatural, and as unappealing as the images Paul uses of a body made entirely of eyes.
[29:54] In verse 17 of chapter 12. Let's be honest though. People like us, like people like us.
[30:07] To an extent that's natural. But the church needs to be more than that. The church is Jesus' body on earth.
[30:18] And to function as a body, it must be diverse, but united. In verses 29 and 30 of chapter 12.
[30:30] Paul asks rhetorically. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues?
[30:41] Do all interpret? No. God gives different gifts to different people according to their calling.
[30:52] And we must respond to that calling appropriately. The biblical image of the church is a disparate but gathered group.
[31:02] A group of people working in common. Although they have almost nothing in common. Only Jesus. And how can such a thing be possible?
[31:22] Love. It is love that will enable us to look beyond our own self-interest. And instead use our God-given talents for the good of the body.
[31:36] It is love that means the individual, rather than being either isolated from or subsumed by the body, works in concert with all the other individual members.
[31:52] It is love for one another and love for God who calls us out from the world to be the church. If we don't have that love.
[32:05] If the parts of the body don't work together. If they turn on one another. And start tearing one another to pieces. Well I think we can all see where that metaphor is going.
[32:19] And Paul is telling his readers that love is the missing ingredient here. Not any of the other things that were so vital to the life of this Roman colony.
[32:33] Not commerce. Not wealth. Not influence. Not power. Not popularity. Not quality. Even the great spiritual gifts from God could only be used properly when they were motivated and led by love.
[32:52] It doesn't matter how hard you work for the church. Or how respected you are within it. Or how talented you are at that work.
[33:04] What matters is that you love your brothers and sisters. As Christ has loved you.
[33:18] Jesus is the prime example of this. He is God. And all the gifts that the spirit can give to believers were his to use by right.
[33:31] But he did not use them for his own glory. But for the glory of the Father and the building up of the church. And in John chapter 13 verse 34 he says.
[33:46] A new commandment I give to you. That you love one another. Just as I have loved you. You are also to love one another.
[33:56] By nature. We are not like that. By nature we are concerned for ourselves.
[34:13] Or for our people. Our kind of people. We look out for our own. But. But. Love.
[34:26] Changes. Everything. Our third point. Love. Changes. Everything. Because the mark of the church.
[34:39] Is that we love one another. That's how Jesus followed up his new commandment. John 13.35. By this all people will know that you are my disciples.
[34:51] If you have love for one another. That is what marks us out as different. That a diverse group of people.
[35:05] Drawn from all areas of life. Love. One another. That is how the world will know us. Will know that we have been changed. But we don't do that.
[35:19] Because of something innately good within ourselves. We don't love in this counter-cultural way. Because we are somehow better adjusted than the world around us.
[35:32] No. We love. Because God loved us first. That's what it says. In 1 John 4.19.
[35:45] God's love for us. Shown in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Is so great. It is so powerful. It is so transformational.
[35:58] That when we get it. When we realize the extent. To which he loves us. So much. That he gave his only son for us.
[36:11] When we realize that. When we understand that. It changes everything. And it changes us. It changes us. We can't simply will it.
[36:24] We can't just decide. To love like that. We can't buy it. And we certainly can't fake it. Till we make it. But if we are.
[36:37] Really. Truly. Living. As Christians. If we are really aware. Of God's great love.
[36:47] For us. Then. That love. Will fill us. To overflowing. So much so. That we will not be able.
[36:58] To help. Ourselves. But to show. Love. To those around us. His love is too much. For us to contain. If we are really.
[37:11] His. Then we are called. To be. Part. Of his. Body. And that's a great.
[37:22] Privilege. But it works. Both ways. If there is anybody. Tonight. Who is listening. Or anyone.
[37:33] Who is listening. Later on. Online. Who has. Fallen. For the devil's trap. Of. Believing that. We can follow Jesus. Without. The church.
[37:44] Well. Let's. Imagine for a minute. That we are a body part. A hand. A good hand.
[37:55] A strong hand. A skilled hand. A skilled hand. But. Cut that hand off. Take it away.
[38:07] And put it aside. From the body. The body. The body. The body. Suffers. Yes. But how are things.
[38:17] Going to work out. For that hand. Well that's what happens. To us. If we think. That we can live. Outside. The body of Christ.
[38:27] If we think. We can live. Without the church. Love. Love. True.
[38:38] Godly love. For one another. Is what will. Transform. A church. From a competitive. And a destructive. Environment.
[38:49] Like the one. We read about. In Corinth. To a functional. Body. Serving. Jesus Christ. Our Lord.
[38:59] Serving him. And not ourselves. Because love. Changes. Everything.
[39:13] And until that happens. And if that isn't happening. Then we are not. Really. A church. At all. Just a random group.
[39:23] Of body parts. A. Literally. Dismembered. Mess. Just. Like. The church. In Corinth.
[39:36] And how. Will we. Ever. Win the lost. For Christ. If that's what they see. When they look at us. So examine your hearts.
[39:52] As I. Must examine mine. And ask God. To fill your heart. With love. Ask him. Ask him. Ask him. To show you. How he would.
[40:03] Have you serve. So that we can. Be. The active. Functioning. Members. Of the body. At work. In the world.
[40:13] That he has called us to be. There are so many different things. Out in the world. That will encourage you. To be your best self. Live your best life.
[40:24] Be all you can be. But there is only one way. That we can actually do that. And that. Is by being. What God. Has called us. By hearing.
[40:35] What he calls. Each of us. As individuals. To do. Not looking to other people. And saying. Oh I wish I could sing like them. I wish I could talk like them. I wish I had the.
[40:45] The skills. For getting alongside people. One to one. That they have. Oh. I wish I was a. A hand. And not an eye. Instead.
[40:59] Ask God. To show you. What he's called you to be. Love your fellow members. But don't envy them. Work. With them. In the role. That you are called to. And let love unite us.
[41:10] In that work. As we seek to serve him. In this community. Where there are so many people. Who don't know him. And don't know his love.
[41:25] And if you haven't put your trust in him yet. If you haven't. Committed to following him. If you haven't answered his call. Or if you still think.
[41:37] That you can follow. Christ. Without being part of the church. Without being part of the body. Then think. About. These chapters. Read them.
[41:49] Pray. Over them. Consider them. Because in his love for us. God has given us. A body.
[42:00] To be part of. Don't cut yourself off from that. Turn to him.
[42:11] And know. And know. His love. For you. The love. That led Jesus. To the cross.
[42:23] In our place. The love that saw. God the son. Die. For our sins. The love. The love.
[42:33] The love. That calls us. Out of the world. To be together here. The love. That changes. Everything.
[42:48] Seek him. If you're already following him. Rejoice in that love. And let it spill out. Let it show. When you greet your brothers and sisters.
[42:59] Let it show. When you talk to people in the street. Let it show. Everywhere you go. So that people might see it. And it might be a mark. That we are his disciples.
[43:11] Because we love. One another. Father. Let's.
[43:22] Let's bow our heads. In prayer. And ask him to help us. To see this love. Lord God.
[43:33] We thank you for your word. We thank you. For what is contained within it. We thank you for the way. You have shown your love to us. The way. The way you don't expect us.
[43:44] To love without being loved. The way you love us. Without any need for us. To do anything first. The way you love us. To excess.
[43:57] To a degree that seems ridiculous. To those caught in the world. And help us to live. As those who know we are loved. So that we would love each other.
[44:08] We would love those around us. We would love our neighbours. And strangers. And we would want them to know your love as well. That changes everything.
[44:19] And that changes us. And Lord. For our friends. Our neighbours. Our colleagues. Our. Everyone who we know. Who has not yet known that love.
[44:30] We pray that you would open their hearts. That you would open their minds. That you would pour that love into them. So that they would know it. And they would no longer be able to resist that love.
[44:42] But they would call on you for themselves. And they too would come to be part of this body that you have built. To do your work. Here on earth. To do your work.
[44:52] To do your work. And that you would love you. Oh father hear us we pray. In Jesus name. Amen. We are going to sing again.
[45:08] This time from the Scottish Psalter. From Psalm 133. In the Scottish Psalter. Psalm 133 and this is a psalm which sings about unity among God's people reminds us of the importance of that unity which love brings, which binds us together and it tells us that the benefits of that love are not just for us as the church but that they will flow out into the surrounding area and reach others behold how good a thing it is and how becoming well together such as brethren are in unity to dwell like precious ointment on the head that down the beard did flow, even Aaron's beard and to the skirts did of his garments go as Herman's Jew, the Jew that doth on Zion hills descend for there the blessing God commands life that shall never end let's sing this psalm to God's praise
[46:19] Behold how good a thing it is and how becoming well together such as brethren are in unity to dwell in unity to dwell in unity to dwell in unity to dwell like precious ointment ointment on the head that down the bearded flow in it on spirit unto the skirts of his garments go did of his garments go did of his garments go a semen to the Jew that doth on Zion hills descend for there the blessing God commands
[47:55] Life that shall never end Life that shall never end After the blessing, if you could just take your seats and wait.
[48:17] Somebody will show us how to lead out in good order. And please maintain social distancing until we're out of the building. So just somebody will show everybody out the appropriate door.
[48:33] And now Lord God we ask for your blessing. We ask that we would know your grace, your peace and your fellowship. From Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One God, three persons.
[48:44] Now and forevermore. Amen. Amen.