[0:00] Let us worship God, let us begin our service by singing to God's praise and glory in Psalm 100, the 100th Psalm, which you will find on page 362.
[0:15] The 100th Psalm, all people that on earth did well, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice. Him said with mirth, his praise forth tell, come ye before him and rejoice.
[0:28] Singing the whole of the Psalm, Psalm 100, all people that on earth did well. The Peter left on earth did well, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
[0:56] In certain earth, his praise forth tell, come ye before him and rejoice.
[1:15] Oh, that the Lord is so in thee. Without a name, he did us stay.
[1:34] We are his Lord, he loved us dear.
[1:45] And for his cheer, he loved us dear. Oh, enter then his gates with grace.
[2:05] And close with joy, his voice unto. Praise God and praise his name on his.
[2:25] For it is simply so dear. For quite the Lord, the Lord is good.
[2:45] His mercy is forever sure. It's true. It's true that all times firmly stood.
[3:04] And shall promise to age endure.
[3:15] Let us now draw near to God in prayer. Let us all pray. Our gracious and eternal God, we come into your presence this evening with a sense of our own unworthiness and our own sinfulness.
[3:43] We have come here, O God, to prepare for your own holy day when we sit together around the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, remembering the death of our Saviour until he comes again.
[4:04] We are conscious, O Lord, that we are far away from what we would like ourselves to be. Not to mention what you want us to be.
[4:18] But we praise you, O God, that we are in the hands of the great potter who is shaping and fashioning us.
[4:29] And who will continue the good work he has begun in the hearts of his people until the day of Jesus Christ. And so we come, O God, and we humble ourselves in your presence here now as we seek to worship you and to praise and magnify your great and holy name.
[4:52] We long, O God, to be able to give you the praise and worship that you desire and that you deserve.
[5:03] We are singing together all people that on earth to dwell. Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice. And we are sure that that will not happen in this world until you call your church home to glory to be with yourself.
[5:23] How we would long and how we would love to be able to see the peoples of this world gather together and worshiping you.
[5:35] And praising your name and rejoicing in your great salvation. Thank you, O God, that the world in which we live is a world that is torn apart by the evil one.
[5:49] And by many cults and creeds and false religions of many kinds. But we thank you, O God, that the day is going to come when your people will be taken to glory to be with yourself.
[6:04] And we shall there sing to the Lord with cheerful voice. And there will be no one sad or sorrowful. We shall all be singing from the same praise sheet and singing to the glory of your great and holy name.
[6:26] And that is what keeps us going as we journey through this world. That there is a better day coming. And that there is a land that is fairer than day.
[6:39] That awaits for your people in glory. And you are bringing your people home in every age and in every generation. From the east and the west and the north and the south.
[6:53] And you are gathering them into your kingdom. And you are constraining them by your love and by your grace. To stand up in the day and in the generation for Jesus Christ, the Savior.
[7:09] And this opportunity is given to us once again in these days of communion season. To be bold and to stand out for the gospel and to stand out for Christ.
[7:27] If he has made a change in our hearts and in our lives. And if we have gone over from darkness into light. Our lives should show it.
[7:39] And the pastors and the elders should recognize it in our lives. And we should declare it ourselves at the first opportunity we get.
[7:54] And cast in our lot with God's people. And say with Ruth. Long ago thy people shall be my people.
[8:06] And thy God shall be my God. God bless you. And we thank you for the opportunity that the communion season gives us. To gather together in your name.
[8:19] And to hear fresh preachers proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Christ. And we thank you for the fellowship that we enjoy at these times as well.
[8:33] Blessed are indeed the minds that are together in one. And who are in accord with one another. Blessed be the tie that binds us in Christian love.
[8:48] And the fellowship of kindred minds is like that of those that are above in heaven and in glory.
[8:59] We have a foretaste of glory when we gather together in your name. And when your presence is real to us.
[9:10] And we recognize the breathings of your Holy Spirit in our midst. It is a foretaste of glory for us. And so this evening as we gather here around your word we pray.
[9:24] That that would be the case with us in this place. That we would be conscious of your own presence in our midst. And that you would make your presence real to us all.
[9:38] And that we would be rejoicing. In the fact that you have not passed over us. But that you have tarried a while with us.
[9:50] And that you have come into our midst to bless us according to your promise. And our gracious God we pray that you would bless all the churches in this town of Stornoway tonight.
[10:06] That are met as we are here. We pray that you would pour out your spirit upon us. As our people. We are longing for days of revival and refreshing and renewal from your own presence.
[10:22] We are waiting patiently and praying in our homes and in our weekly prayer meetings. For times of revival to come to us once again.
[10:36] As in days of old. When you moved in our midst. And when you moved throughout our land. And we can read about it in the books that have been written.
[10:49] Regarding the revivals that have swept this nation in years gone by. And we look to you to do it again. Because you are the same God.
[11:00] You have not changed. And our prayer is that you would visit us in these coming days. So Lord we ask your blessing upon your word that we are about to read together.
[11:16] Open our hearts and our minds to it. So that we will understand a little bit better. What you have done for us and what lies ahead of us.
[11:29] In the glory that awaits us when we leave this world behind. We pray as another of old prayed and asked.
[11:40] When Philip drew near to the chariot. He asked the Ethiopian treasurer. Did he understand what he was reading? And he replied and he said.
[11:52] How can I understand? Unless someone directs me and guides me. And so we need the direction and the guidance of your Holy Spirit with us.
[12:04] Here tonight. To open our eyes and open our understanding. And open our hearts and open our ears. To what you have to say to us.
[12:16] And may this time of worship be a real time of blessing to us all. Bless the congregation. The ministers who are faithful. In proclaiming your word.
[12:28] And pastoring your people in this part of your vineyard. Encourage them oh God. Bless the office bearers. And bless the members and the adherents.
[12:41] Bless the young people. And the Sunday school children. And remember oh God. Tonight those that are unable to be with us. Due to old age and unwellness.
[12:53] We pray for your blessing to be with them where they are. And bless us as a nation and as a people. And come as we have prayed already. With times of refreshing from your own presence.
[13:08] We need it Lord in these days. When there are so many things that disappoint us. And cast us down. Even within your church here on earth.
[13:21] Keep our eyes upon Jesus. The one who will never leave us. Or disappoint us. Or forsake us. And help us to run with patience. The race that is set before us.
[13:35] Be with us now as we share together in worship. Breathe upon us the breath of life. The breath of your Holy Spirit.
[13:46] For without it. We are but as a sounding brass. And as a tinkling cymbal. These are prayers we ask. In Jesus name. And for his sake and glory.
[13:58] Amen. Let us again sing to God's praise in Psalm 93.
[14:10] Psalm 93 page 354. We'll sing the whole of the Psalm again. Psalm 93.
[14:21] The Lord doth reign and clothed is he. With majesty most bright. His works to show him clothed to be. And get about with might.
[14:31] Psalm 93. The Lord doth reign and clothed is he. Amen. Amen. The Lord doth reign and clothed is he.
[14:50] With majesty most bright. His works to show him clothed to be.
[15:08] And girded upon with might. The world is so established.
[15:26] That it cannot divide. Thy promise be so whole and high.
[15:46] From everlasting night. The blood so Lord have lifted up.
[16:06] He lifted up their hearts. The blood so Lord have lifted up their wings.
[16:24] And made a mighty noise. Forget the Lord.
[16:35] Forget the Lord. The Lord is so high. It's poor of might by God.
[16:53] That night's offending waters. Our grace he willow's eye.
[17:13] By testimonies everyone. In faithfulness excel.
[17:25] In faithfulness excel. And faithfulness forevermore.
[17:41] By hear the Lord. Thy hearts be calmed well. world. Let us now hear the word of God from the scriptures of the New Testament and from the book of Revelation and reading chapter 5.
[18:10] Revelation chapter 5 at verse 1. And I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.
[18:35] Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals? And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look at it.
[18:52] So I wept much because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.
[19:16] And I looked and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
[19:38] Then he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. Now when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the lamb, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
[20:03] And they sang a new song saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you are slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth.
[20:27] Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing.
[20:57] And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and such as are in the sea and all that are in them, I heard saying, Blessing and honour and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb forever and ever.
[21:19] Then the four living creatures said, Amen, and the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped him, who lives forever and ever.
[21:30] Amen, and may God bless to us that reading of his own holy word. To his name be all the glory and praise. Let us again sing to God's praise in Psalm 89.
[21:45] Psalm 89, and you'll find the verses that we are going to sing on page 345. We're going to sing from verse 13 down to verse 18.
[22:01] That's six stances all together. Psalm 89 at verse 13. Down to verse 18.
[22:34] For God is our defence, and he to us doth safety bring. The Holy One of Israel is our almighty King. These six stances from verse 13 of Psalm 89.
[22:49] Thou hast an arm that's full of power, thy hand is great in might. And I, by my heart, whom the eternal world is so одна.
[23:34] Unjudgment all I throw Are made the dwelling place Mercy our God The liquid truth Shall go before thy case O pray be blessed The people are The joyful sign that no In brightness all Thy gifts to Lord
[24:36] They ever all shall go In thy name shall all the day Rejoice exceedingly And in thy righteousness Shall they Exalted be on high Because the glory of their strength The holy stand in thee
[25:40] And in thy gift Shall our Lord And thou Exalted be Exalted be For God is our defense And he to us To us As safety bring The holy one Of Israel Is our almighty King Now for a few moments
[26:43] Let us turn together Prayerfully To God's word Where we have read together In Revelation chapter 5 And we shall And we shall Concentrate And focus our attention This evening On verse 5 Of that chapter Chapter 5 Of Revelation And verse 5 But one of the elders Said to me Do not weep Behold the lion Of the tribe of Judah The root of David Has prevailed To open the scroll And to loose Its seven seals As you all probably know So well This book Was written by The apostle John Who was with Jesus The years he was Here on earth He was the beloved Disciple Of the Lord And he outlived
[27:44] The rest of The apostles He lived until he was An old man And he was the only one Of the disciples That died a natural death In his old age He lived at the time When the Christians Were being persecuted Very much by the authorities And by the powers Of that time Many of them were martyred Many of them were cast Into prison And they were left there Without being tried Until They died That was what left John writing This book On the island of Patmos An island in the Aegean Sea About 50 square miles In size He was a prisoner In the salt mines There And the conditions
[28:45] Were very harsh Indeed But John did not Let his Circumstances Come between himself And his God Because in Chapter 1 And verse 10 He tells us That he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day In the midst Of his persecution He remained Close to the Lord And the Spirit of God Revealed to him Things that were Going to happen In the future And things that were Going to happen At the end of the world And things that were Taking place Within Heaven itself The Lord Jesus Christ Speaks to John And he says to him In other words Don't be afraid John I'm still on the Throne Of the universe So don't be afraid You see it's not
[29:47] The Roman government That's going to have The last word In any age Or Any generation It's not the Governments of this World That have the Final say But God Do we need To be reminded Of that fact I'm sure Tonight That we do In the midst Of all that Disappoints us And casts us Down In the community Around us In the land In which we live And in the midst Of the Countries of the world And as we look In the midst of the world In the visible church It's set There are many things That disappoint us And cast us down And we need to be reminded That God is still In full control That he is The sovereign Lord Of heaven and earth And of all creations
[30:47] We tend to lose Sight of that Don't we In the midst Of our troubles And trials We see our trials And our troubles So great And we see God so small We sometimes Wish that our Circumstances Would be Altered And that God Would take us Away out of The place Where we are In God could have Easily taken John the apostle Out of The salt mines Of Patmos But he left him There Because He had Work for him To do Although things Were hard And difficult For John God did not Take him away From there Instead He gave him A clearer vision Of heaven And a clearer Vision of Spiritual And eternal
[31:48] Things And that's What we need When we are Cast down And when we are Disappointed On the road Of life Not to be Taken out Of our Circumstances But to be Given a clearer Vision of God and of His greatness And a clearer Vision of Heaven and Glory that Lies ahead Of us Lies ahead of us The same Thing happened With the apostle Paul you remember He was given A thorn in the Flesh And he cried To God Three times That God Would take away The thorn But God Said to him Paul you're not Going to Get your wish There at All I'm going to Leave the Thorn But I'm going To give you My grace And my grace Will be More than Sufficient For you
[32:49] And in the Same way When things Go against Us in Life And when Things do Not work Out the Way we Wanted Or expected Or wished It's at These times That we need To get a Fresh vision Of God John in Chapter 4 And verse 1 Says After this I looked And behold A door Was opened In heaven And he Saw God Sitting upon A throne There In glory He got a Glimpse of Heaven And of Jesus Christ In the Period Between his Ascension To the Right hand Of God And his Coming again At the End of Time He saw That there Was a Throne There in Heaven And that Sitting on That throne Was God In all His sovereignty And in all His glory
[33:49] There are Three things I want to Pick out Of this Verse Three things That we can Think about Together for A few Moments First of All John Saw that There was A closed Book Here In the Vision That he Saw He also Saw that There was A conquering Saviour And finally He saw That in Heaven There was A concerted Worship A 100% Worship Of God Every voice Singing To the Praise Of God So the First thing Then we Look at Is the Closed Book Book And of Course it Wasn't A book The way That we Have books In this Day and Generation It was a Scroll Rolled
[34:50] Upon two Pieces of Wood And as you Were reading It you Were Screwing One side And screwing The other Side And that Was how It was Written On the Front side And on The back Side Of the Scroll It was Full of Writing He looks More Carefully And he Sees And he Notices That the One who Was There on The throne Of heaven Had this Scroll In his Hand Verse One And I Saw In the Right hand Of him That sat On the Throne A book Written Within And on The back Side Sealed With Seven Seals Now in This Scroll Was written Down All The Councils Of God The Book Contained All the Things That God Has Set Down And
[35:51] Planned And Willed And Wished For His People In Every Age Until The End Of The World The Book Was Written In Righteousness The Book Was Written In Love By The Mighty Hand Of God And In That Book There Was Written Down The Salvation Of His People In Every Age And In Every Generation From The Days Of Adam Till The Days When The World Will Come To An End When Christ Will Return Again There Was In That Scroll Or In That Book The Justification Of His People Their Adoption Into His Family Their Sanctification Their Cleansing From The Pollution Of Sin And There Was In
[36:51] It Also The Glorification Of Every Child Of God In Every Age Written In That Book Was What God Wanted To Give To His People In Every Age And Generation And In It Was That God Had Willed And Planned And Purposed To Give His People An Eternal Inheritance That Was Incorruptible And Undefiled And That Would Not Fade Away Yet In Spite Of All This John Noticed That The Scroll With All These Things Written In It Was Sealed With Seven Seals It Was Perfectly Sealed As The Number Seven Signifies In Scripture Again And Again It Was Perfectly
[37:51] Sealed It Was Sealed And Perfectly Closed By The Justice And The Righteousness Of God And As Long As The Scroll Remains Sealed None Of The Things That Were Written In The Scroll Could Ever Be Brought To Fulfillment Or Brought To Fruition The Eternal Councils Of God And The Plans That God Had Laid Down Regarding His Beloved People Would Not Be Brought About They Would Not Be Fulfilled They Would Remain Closed In That Book Forever And Ever And Therefore John Heard An Angel Cry With A Strong Voice Was There Anybody Found
[38:52] That Was Worthy To Open The Seals And To Unroll The Book And To Read It So That God's Will And God's Plans Would Be Fulfilled And That His People Would Receive The Blessings And The Inheritance That He Had Put Aside For Them In Every Age And Throughout All Of Eternity As Well Verse Two And I Saw A Strong Angel Proclaiming With A Loud Voice Who Is Worthy To Open The Book And To Loose The Seals Thereof The Angel Cried With A Loud Voice So That Earth And Heaven And Hell Would Hear And He Was Waiting For An Answer Is There Anybody In Heaven Or On Earth Or Under The Earth Able To
[39:53] Open This Book And To Unseal The Seals Of It But Sadly There Was No Reply Even The Highest Angels In Heaven Shook Their Heads They Couldn't Open This Scroll Or Loosen The Seals Of It So Therefore The Human Race Was Not Able To Receive The Blessings That God Had Planned And Purposed For Them Because In That Book Was The Plan Of God To Restore A Remnant Of The World's Peoples A Remnant And Give Them Back All That They Lost In Adam And More That Was God's Plan He Had Purposed That He Would Save A People For Himself Out Of This World And
[40:54] Restore To Them All That Was Lost When Adam Sinned And Even More Than That And There Was Nobody To Open The Seals Of That Book This Meant That There Was Not Going To Be Any Shelter For Poor Unworthy Sinners Like You And Like Me The Powers Of Darkness Were Not To Be Judged As Long As The Scroll Remained Unopened The Powers Of Darkness Would Not Be Brought To Judgment It Meant That God Would Not Have A People After All There Was Not Going To Be Any Hope Of Sinners Ever Reaching Heaven To Be With God Forever And Ever If
[41:55] That Scroll Wasn't Open No Wonder Then John Wept If You And I Were There That Day We Would Have Wept As Well Because There Was No One Worthy Of Opening This Roll Or Loosen Its Seals There There There There Four And I Wept Much Because No Man Was Found Worthy To Open And To Read The Book Neither To Look There On You See John Had Received A Promise From God In Verse One Of Chapter Four That What He Would See In The Vision Were The Things That Were Going To Happen In The Future In The Years To Come Come Up Hither God Said To Him Verse One Of Chapter Four And I Will Show You Things Which Must Be Here After And God Was Showing Him A
[42:55] Scroll That Was Closed And No One Was Worthy Or Able To Open It Or To Read It Or Look Upon It The Future Looked Very Bleak And Dark For The Human Race For If The Scroll Was Left And Opened God's Will Would Not Be Carried Out And So John Wept But Then Into The Situation Came One Of The Elders And He Said To John John Wipe Your Tears Away Do Not Weep Because The Lion Of The Tribe Of Judah The Root Of David Has Conquered And He Is Worthy And He Is Able To Open The Seals Of This Scroll And To Read Those Things That Are Written In This Book The
[43:57] Change Was So Dramatic And So Quick From Being Downcast With The Tears Running Down His Face With No Hope For The Future The Scene Completely Changes When The Elder Says To John Do Not Weep For There Is One Who Has Conquered The Lion Of The Tribe Of Judah So We Have First Of All There In The Vision Of John A Closed Book That Praise God There Is Also A Conquering Saviour And Because We Have A Conquering Saviour We Are Rejoicing Tonight At Coming To Another Communion Season In
[44:58] Our Experience Here On Earth For If That Scroll Had Remained Closed There Would Be No Communions There Would Be No Lord's Table There Would Be No Salvation For You And For Me That Jesus Came And He Won The Victory He Prevailed And He Is Worthy To Open The Scroll And To Read Its Context So We Have There In Verse Five And One Of The Elders Sayeth Unto Me Weep Not Behold The Lion Of The Tribe Of Judah The Root Of David Hath Prevailed To Open The Book And To Loose The Seven Seals Thereof And That's What We Are Commemorating And Remembering Afresh At This Communion Time That Jesus Died And Won The Victory Over Sin And Death And
[45:58] Hell And The Grave And All The Powers Of Darkness And That He Rose Again On The Third Day And That He Is Seated At The Right Hand Of God That He's Coming Again For His Church His Bride That He Bought With His Own Blood John Had Shed Those Tears In Vain Just The Same As We Shed Tears So Often In Vain As Well On The Journey Of Life We We We We Are Like Those Women Who Went To The Grave The First Day Of The Week After Christ Was Crucified Their Tears Filled Eyes Were Looking For A Grave That Was Closed And A Stone Rolled On To The Grave Their Tears Were In Vain And Our Tears Are Often In Vain As Well
[46:58] For When They Reached The Grave The Grave Was Open There Was No Need To Ask Who Shall Remove The Stone For Us And With Us Too We Have Often Shed Tears In Vain When If We Had Better Perception If We Had A Better View Of God And A Strong Faith In God We Would Not Need To Shed So Many Tears In This World It Is Our Lack Of Faith And Our Lack Of Knowledge And The Weakness Of Our Faith That Often Leaves Us Shedding Tears That We Need Shed At All And You Remember This My Dear Christian Friend If God Has Given You A Promise About Somebody Or About Something Whatever It God Is Going To Keep That Promise He's Not Going To Go Back On His Word He'll
[47:59] Fulfill That Promise One Day Maybe It's About Your Children And Their Salvation About About About About The State Of The Church Or Anything Like That God Has Given You A Promise Well Don't Despair Because He's Going To Fulfill That Promise And You Go To Him In Prayer And Hold Him To That Promise And Say To Him Lord You Have Given That Promise You Have Given That Word And We're Waiting For You To Fulfill That Word This Is The Answer For The Tears Of Every Age And Generation Just As It Was The Answer For The Tears Of John The Lion Of The Tribe Of Judah The Root Of David Has Conquered He Is Worthy To Open
[48:59] The Seals This Is Where We Find Encouragement When We Stumble And Falter On The Journey Of Life And What A Time Of Encouragement Communion Time Is When It Comes Round In Every Congregation It's Really A Time When God Is Blessing His People In A Very Real Way Encouraging Them As They Wrestle On Towards Heaven Against Many An Enemy The Words Of That Elder Long Ago Reminds Us Of Genesis Chapter 49 And Verse 9 Where We Have Jacob There Blessing The Twelve Tribes Of Israel And He Comes To Judah And He Says Judah Is A Lion's Whelp And Jesus Came From The Tribe Of Judah He
[50:03] Came From The Tribe Of Judah In Order To Destroy The Powers Of Sin And Of Darkness And This Was The Thing That Stood Against Us And Between Us And God This This This Is What Would Have Kept Us Out Of Heaven Sin Your Sin And My Sin Standing Between Ourselves And God Keeping Us From Heaven But Jesus Came And He Dealt With That Sin And He Took It Away He Took The Punishment Of It Upon Himself On The Cross It Was Too Great For Us To Shift Or Do Anything About It It Blocked Our Way To Heaven And We Could Do Nothing About It But Jesus Came And He Dealt With Sin The Sins Of His People He Took
[51:03] Upon Himself And He Carried Them Away To A Place Where They Will Never Rise Up He Met With All The Righteous Demands Of God's Law And God's Justice And By His Death He Gained The Right To Take The Book Out Of God's Hand And To Open The Seven Seals Of It He Has The Authority To Rule The Universe Now In The Way That God Has Planned And Purposed You See The Stronger Than The Strong Man Came And Robbed Him Of All That He Had Is That Not The Way That Jesus Himself Pictured It In One Of His Parables A Stronger Than The Strong Man Coming In
[52:03] And Taking Hold Of The Goods Of The Strong Man Spoiling His Goods And Leaving Him Empty Handed Now All That We Have In Temporal And In Spiritual Things We Have Because Of Jesus Even The Very Breath We Breathe Tonight We Have Because Of Jesus And Because He Prevailed Although Jesus Was Called The Lion He Was Also Given The Name Of The Lamb As Well He's Got The Two Names Verse Six And I Behold And I Beheld And low In the Midst Of The Throne And Of Of The Four Beasts In The Midst Of The Elder Stood A Lamb As It Had Been Slain You See The Sacrifice Of Christ
[53:03] On The Cross We See In It The Two Aspects Of His Being He Is A Lion And Also A Lamb He Is A Lion In The Sense That He Fought With The Powers Of Darkness And Overcame His Salaam As He Gave Himself Willingly And Gladly To Suffer For Us He Has Brought A Salaam To The Slaughter Said Isaiah And As A Sheep Before Her Shearers Is Done So He Openeth Not His Mouth You See Christ's Death On The Cross That We Commemorate In These Days If That's A Word That We Can Use About It We Remember The Lord's Death Until He Comes We Show The Lord's Death Until He Comes And It Wasn't An Accident Not
[54:06] At At All It Was A Sacrifice Willingly Given For The Ransom Of God's People He Was Like The Passover Lamb In Egypt He Stood In The Place Of The First Born In Egypt The Lamb And We Are Called The Church Of The First Born If We Are Christians That Was The Name Given To The Christian Church In The First Century Church Of The First Born Because The Lamb Had Stood In The Place Of The First Born The Blood Of The Lamb Had Protected The First Born In Egypt But He Was Also Like A Lion On That Cross He Fought Against The Powers Of Hell And The Powers Of Darkness The Powers Of Sin He Confront Death And Got Hold Of Death As A Lion Gets A Hold Of Its Prey
[55:06] And He Wouldn't Let It Go You Know How A Lion Shakes Its Prey Until At Last He Knows That The Praise Dead So Christ So Christ And He Took The Sting Out Of Death For His People That That's That's What Paul Was Able To Grasp So Well When He Said Oh Death Where Is Thy Sting Oh Grave Where Is Thy Victory We Give Thanks To God He Said Through Jesus For The Victory Through Jesus Christ Like A Lion He Was Fearless He Went To That Cross Fearlessly He Went Down To Destroy The Powers That Were Arrayed Against His People And Against His Glory Now
[56:07] The Efficacy And The Power Of His Death And Calvary Speaks And Testifies In Heaven Before God And Will Continue To Testify Before God Through Endless Ages Of Eternity The Lamb John Saw In The Vision Was As It Had Been Slain There Was Blood On The Lamb The Marks Of His Love Were There The Marks Of His Sufferings On Our Behalf Were There There He Was In The Midst Of The Throne For Everyone To See But Notice Also That John Saw Something Else That Was Of Tremendous Importance As He Looked He Saw That The Lamb Was Standing He Was Standing Not Lying Down Half Dead And Dying He Was Standing
[57:07] And I Beheld And Lo In The Midst Of The Throne And Of The Four Beasts And In The Midst Of The Elders Stood Alam Testifying That The Saviour Had Won The Victory He Had Come From Bosra With Dyed Garments And He Saw Him There Triumphant Over Hell And The Grave And Death And Sin Satan He Had Seven Horns And Seven Eyes Signifying Complete Power Complete Honour Complete Knowledge Complete And Perfect Glory And He Is The Almighty And The All Seeing One Worthy Of All Honour And Glory Tonight
[58:08] And Every Other Night And Every Other Day Till This World Comes To An End And Then For All Eternity A Conquering Saviour Aren't We Glad Tonight That We Have A Conquering Saviour And That The Book Has Been Opened But We Also Have A Concerted Worship Here The Last Part Of The Chapter Tells Us Of The Hosts Of Heaven Raising Their Voices And Singing The Praise Of Him Who Died Upon That Cross And They Joined Together In Combined Worship And He Came And Took The Book Out Of The Right Hand Of Him Who Sat Upon The Throne And When He Had Taken The Book The Four Beasts And The Four And Twenty Elders Fell Down Before The Lamb And Worried That They Had Harps And Golden Vials Full
[59:08] Of Oders Which Are The Prayers Of The Saints You May Be Like Me Sometimes Thinking That Our Prayers Are Worthless Not Very Good When We Hear Other People Praying And They Are Getting To A Place In Their Prayers With God They Are Getting Into Unheirness With God And We Sometimes Envy Them In A Right Sort Of Way And We Sometimes Say Oh Well I Wish I Could Pray Like That But You Know This Your Prayers Are Taken By God He Thinks That Much Of Them That He Gathers Them And He Puts Them In Heaven In The Golden Bowls That The Elders Are Carrying What
[60:09] Does It Say There He Came And Took The Book Out Of The Right Hand Of Him That Sat On The Throne When He Had Taken The Book The Four Beasts And Twenty The Prayer God Takes Them To Weak And Unworthy As They Are And Puts Them Into The Bowls Before The Throne Giving Them A Special Place In Heaven Private
[61:11] Prayers Of God's People Nobody Hears But Himself And You And Hears Taking Them Gathering Them Putting Them Into Those Golden Bowls And They Come Before Him As A Sweet Smelling Savor With Which He Is Pleased But That God Was Worshipped In Heaven As Well By Songs Oh I Love Singing To God's Praise And So Do You As Well Because That Is Going To Be Part Of Worship In Heaven Singing The Praises Of God And Of The Lamb And They Sung A New Song Saying They Wart Worthy To Take The Book And To Open The Seals Thereof There Are Many Things In The Book Of Revelation That Is Called New Chapter 2
[62:12] Verse 17 And I Will Give Him A White Stone And In The Stone A New Name Written 21 Verse 1 New Heaven And A New Earth 21 Verse 2 New Jerusalem 21 Verse 5 Behold I Make All Things New And Now Hear A New Song There Are Two Words In The Greek For New Something That Happened Recently Is New But Then There's The Other Word That Is Used Something That Has Never Happened Before And It's A New Thing That's The Word That John Uses Here Not Something New In Relation To Time But Something That Has Never Happened Before That's
[63:14] The Word That The Word That Was It Not Heard Before Because It's Being Sung By Those Who Are Seeing God's Goodness And God's Blessings And God's Mercy Towards Them From From The Vantage Point Of Heaven Not From Time It's Vantage Point But From The Vantage Point Of Heaven It So It's New In That Sense And Those Blessings And Merchies That Have Reached Down To Sinners Because Of The Seals Being Opened On The Book In God's Right Hand The Scandal Of The Cross With Its Share Of Sufferings Is Now The Subject Of That Song In Glory All That Happened On Calvin They Are Remembering It In Heaven In
[64:14] The Song That They Are Singing We Are Remembering The Lord's Death Here On Earth Twice A Year Or Something Like That In A Special Way At A Special Meeting But It's Remembered Every Day In Heaven Without Stopping Without Ceasing This Is What They Are Singing They Wart Worthy To Take The Book And To Open The Seals Thereof For Thou Was Slain And Has Redeemed Us To God By Thy Blood The Elders Sing This Song Out Of Personal Experience They Have They Have The Mercy Of God In Their Own Hearts And Souls And So They Sing This Song In A Way That Even The Angels Can't Sing This Song Because They Were Not Redeemed They Had No
[65:14] Need For Being Redeemed Because They Had Never Sinned Since Their Creation The Elders Had And The Redeemed Hosts In Heaven Had And So They Sing With A Higher Pitch The Song In Glory And As You Think About These Things It Seems As If Though It Was Spreading Throughout The Hosts Of Heaven The Hosts Of Heaven Are Taking Up The Refrain And They Praise The Lamb For His Power And For His Riches And His Wisdom And His Strength And His Honor And His Glory And His Blessing And The Song Of Praise Riches To Every Creature In Heaven And They All Join In And There Is Not One Discordant Voice Or Note To Be Heard They Are All Singing With The Same Note
[66:14] They Are Like Members Of Rejoicing Tonight That You're A Christian You Feel Your Heart Rejoicing That You Have A Living Saviour Are You Here Tonight And You Wish You Could Say That Jesus Christ Is Your Saviour You You Have You Have Thusted In Him Yet But You Feel That He Is Tugging At Your Heart Things Even Now For
[67:21] Him That Goes Something Like This Our Lord Christ Hath risen The Tempter Is Foyled His Legions Are Scattered His Strongholds Are Spoiled Oh Sing Hallelujah Oh Sing Hallelujah Sing Hallelujah Be Joyful And Sing Our Great Foe Is Baffled Christ Jesus Is King That's What We Rejoice In Tonight Our Great Foe Is Baffled Cried His Best But He Never Succeeded There Was A Song Of Praise Doesn't Begin In Our Hearts Here On Earth There Is Little Chance Of It Being Sung By Us In Heaven One Day Soon We Shall All Stand Before God To Give Account Of How We Have Lived Our Lives In This World And
[68:25] On That Day We Shall Either Join The Great Multitude That No Man Can Number Who Would Be Singing The Praises Of God And Of The Lamb Forever And Ever Around The Throne Or We Shall Hang Our Heads In Eternal Shame And Go Off With The Goats To That Place Where There Is No Word Of Praising God T Western Everything all ask ourselves the question then, does these things that we were thinking about in chapter 5 of Revelation, do they make any sense to me? Do they thrill my heart and my soul? Or is all that the minister has been speaking about tonight in that sermon going over the top of my head and I couldn't care less about anything that he spoke about. I know that
[69:36] God's people are rejoicing tonight in their hearts and their souls are thrilled at the thought of Christ defeating sin and death and leaving the grave empty and promising to come for them either at the moment of their death or at the last coming, at the second coming. A closed book, a conquering saviour and a concerted worship. I hope that everyone here tonight in this church will be one day swallowed up in that great crowd around the throne of God and of the Lamb. May God bless his word to us. Let us bow in prayer. Gracious to you, God, to you. And as an eternal God, we would covet in the best possible sense of the word every single person in this church tonight, from the youngest to the oldest. We covet them for Christ. And if there be any who are still not in the number of your believing people, woo them and draw them effectually and savingly to yourself so that they will cast in their lot with God's people and stand up for Christ and be with us in heaven and in glory when this world has dissolved into nothingness. The kingdoms of this world will disappear.
[71:23] There's only one kingdom that will stand forever. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, said the psalmist of this world that is not long ago. And we want to be part of that kingdom.
[71:36] Hear us in our prayers then and move in our midst by your spirit and convince men and women that they need to stand for Christ and sing the song of the praises of the praises of God in this world before they are ever going to sing them in glory and in heaven.
[71:55] In Jesus name we ask it. Amen. Amen. We are going to sing to God's praise in our concluding psalm is psalm 98.
[72:10] And page 360. 360 psalm 98. We'll sing the first five stanzas of the psalm from verse 1 down to verse 6.
[72:23] O sing a new song to the Lord for wonders he hath done. His right hand and his holy arm him victory hath won. With harp and voice of psalms unto Jehovah sing with trumpets, cornets gladly sound before the Lord the King.
[72:45] Verses 1 to 6, five stanzas. Psalm 98. O sing a new song to the Lord for wonders he hath done. For wonders he hath done. For wonders he hath done.
[73:15] His right hand and his holy arm him victory hath won.
[73:28] In victory hath won him victory hath won. And victory hath won him victory hath won.
[73:43] The Lord for his salvation hath taught it to be known.
[73:55] My God's holy Lord for my Pepys chair. My God's holy horn together for a gods he hath done. The Lord has fulfilled the決bij and wirt關chet hislitィ proposal. The Lord of us today we hath hunted and screamed in Hebrewuch手指 actors. It's just the sin that he even sighed.
[74:12] He openly has shown. He openly has shown. He openly has shown.
[74:25] He openly has shown. Be mindful of his grace and truth.
[74:40] To Israel's hearts have been. To Israel's hearts have been.
[74:51] And the salvation of our God. All ends of the earth have seen.
[75:05] All ends of the earth have seen. All ends of the earth have seen. All ends of the earth have seen.
[75:18] Let all the earth unto the Lord. Send forth a joyful night.
[75:31] Stand forth a joyful night. Lift up your voice.
[75:44] Allow unto him. Sing praises and rejoice.
[76:03] With heart and voice of sound.
[76:16] And to Jehovah sing. And to Jehovah sing.
[76:28] With trumpets card in its gladly sound. Before the Lord the King.
[76:54] Amen. Our gracious God, we bless you and we praise you for those words that we have sung together.
[77:06] And they have been sung heartily by your people in this place. And we pray now that you would bless us. As we gather together to partake of the food that has been prepared for us.
[77:21] By kind hands. And we pray that you would accept our thanks for that food. And that you would bless our fellowship together.
[77:32] In the gospel of your redeeming love and grace. And may the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you all.
[77:44] Now and forevermore. Amen. Amen.