[0:00] again extend a very warm welcome to everyone this evening and we pray that the Lord will indeed bless our worship and also a warm welcome to any who may be visiting with us it's always nice to have visitors and again we also welcome those who join with us online you have the intimation bulletin it's quite short this for this week so just take your time reading through it it's because Mr McEver has lost his voice and I'm here tonight the as you can see obviously the English service details that are on the bulletin are different so we're going to begin singing in Psalm 122 Psalm 122 and I'm going to sing it's on page 416 the whole Psalm Psalm 122 I joyed went to the house of God go up they said to me Jerusalem within thy gates our feet shall standing be Jerusalem as a city is compactly built together and to that place the tribes go up the tribes of God go thither to Israel's testimony there to God's name thanks to pay for thrones of judgment even the thrones of David's house to their stay pray that Jerusalem may have peace and felicity let them that love thee and thy peace have still prosperity therefore I wish that peace may still within thy walls remain and ever may thy palaces prosperity retain now for my friends and brethren sakes peace be in thee I'll say and for the house of God our Lord I'll seek thy good always psalm one two two the whole psalm I joyed went to the house of God
[1:53] I joyed went to the house of God I joyed went to the house of God O have they said to me Jerusalem within 1울 Jerusalem within 1울 1 persistent 1 bola 1 لكنう that we build together.
[2:44] And to the place the tribes go up, the tribes of God go together.
[3:00] To Israel's testimony, do God take plans to pay.
[3:19] Our thrones of judgment in the thrones of three Acts with us persone, do God take me.
[3:41] CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS
[4:43] CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS Let us bow in prayer.
[5:23] O Lord, as we seek to call upon your name, we have begun our worship singing praise to you. And we pray that the joy of our heart may indeed be such that it propels us forward day by day.
[5:39] The psalmist was able to say, I joyed when to the house of God go up, they said to me. We pray that there might be something of that joy in our own heart as we come to your house.
[5:51] That we don't simply come out of a way of duty, although there is an element of duty in it. And that we don't simply come in order that we may tick a box.
[6:03] But that we might come with a desire to meet with you. Because we know that your presence is promised for your people gathered together. Even if the numbers are as few as two or three.
[6:15] You're there. And so we pray tonight with the promise of your presence. That you will show yourself to us as we come under your word. And that we will hear your voice in the stillness and the quietness of our own heart.
[6:31] O Lord, our God, we give thanks that we are able to worship you. And we pray that we might have a spirit of worship. And that we might be able to rejoice in you. It's a wonderful privilege that we have.
[6:44] And that you have shown us the way to go. Because there are so many who do not have your word. So many do not know what you are requiring.
[6:56] So many do not know of you in order to praise you. We do not worship the unknown God. As Paul found a statue to in the Acts of the Apostles.
[7:09] But we worship the God that has been revealed to us in your word. And we pray that we might come to an ever greater knowledge of you through the truth. We pray that you will open our hearts so that we will see you.
[7:23] Open our minds to understand. We pray for a perception to delve into the scripture. So that it may become sweeter to us.
[7:34] More precious to us. And that you will build us up in the faith. That you will strengthen us in the depth of our being. Lord, we live at a time where there is so much opposition to the Christian faith.
[7:49] And we pray, O Lord, that you will indeed strengthen your people. And that you will encourage them as they go forward. Because we know that often the personal inward battles can be difficult.
[8:05] But we pray that your grace will prove to be sufficient every day. And your strength made perfect in our weakness. O Lord, our God, we pray to equip us for the battle.
[8:17] We give thanks that you've given to us the sword and the shield. You've given to us the helmet. You've given to us all the different aspects of the armor. And we pray that we may put this on and keep this on.
[8:31] And help us as we go forward day by day. We pray for any in here maybe who don't yet know you. They know about you. But they haven't come into that personal knowledge.
[8:43] Where they're able to say, my Lord and my God. We pray, Lord, that those things which might be holding them back, that these things might be removed. We pray, Lord, that you will open people's eyes and people's hearts to see and to believe.
[9:00] Because we know that we need you to do this. We have to confess, Lord, for how often we stood, as it were, at a gate where we couldn't see a way in and we couldn't see a way over.
[9:14] Until all of a sudden things, or maybe it was gradually, things became clear. And we understood. And we were unable to embrace Jesus.
[9:24] And we pray that that might be true for any who tonight still don't know you. We pray, Lord, that you will bless everybody gathered here and all who are worshiping with us online.
[9:35] We pray, Lord, that you will bless every home and every family. And we pray for where there is grief and sorrow and sadness, that you will bring healing into the heart.
[9:46] And we know that we live at a time which every day brings its own trials, its own difficulties. And we know that death is never far away.
[9:58] And so we pray for every broken heart and every heavy heart. And ask, Lord, that you will raise up. Lord, we pray in particular for the McLeod family in Plasterfield.
[10:09] But we pray also for all who hurt at this time. Pray for those who are ill, those who are sick in body and mind. We ask, Lord, that you will help them. We ask, Lord, that you will lift up those who feel cast down.
[10:24] That you will give a balance of mind to those who are filled maybe with anxieties. Those who are struggling in life.
[10:35] And there are so many things which cause us to struggle. Lord, we pray that you will give us a settled peace. That you will give that freedom from anxiety.
[10:48] Help us to cast out burden upon the Lord, knowing that you will sustain us. Pray for those who are ill of body. We pray for healing for those, Lord, who may be going through difficult times.
[10:59] In hospital, in homes, in their own home, in the hospice. In all the different places, Lord, we commit them to your care. We ask, Lord, for all those who work for the NHS.
[11:11] And we realize often the great pressures that they're under. We ask, Lord, that you will help them and equip them in work. There is pressure in every work. And we ask, Lord, that you will be with all and each and every one of us.
[11:28] Lord, we live in difficult times. There are so many financial challenges and financial restraints. We ask, Lord, that you will help those who are struggling most. We pray, Lord, that you will help this world that we're part of.
[11:42] As the pandemic is still creating disruption in our land. And the war in Ukraine, Lord, we're so aware of the horrors that are taking place there.
[11:56] And the global impact that comes from that. And, Lord, we are aware of rising costs at every front. And there's so much uncertainty and so much that we just don't know.
[12:08] But we give thanks, Lord, that you're in control. That you rule over all. And we pray that you will display your power. That you will show your authority. That you will make clear that you are God of heaven and earth.
[12:21] Bless us as a nation. Watch over us, we pray. Bless those who have the rule over us in Westminster and Holyrood. And locally here in the council. Grant wisdom from above.
[12:32] Lord, leave us not to ourselves. Because our own wisdom will bring us into foolishness. We pray that it might be the wisdom of God that will guide.
[12:44] We pray to bless, Lord, the work of the gospel throughout this world. We pray for missionaries tonight who are discouraged in faraway lands. Maybe suffering with homesickness.
[12:55] With language difficulties. Facing a culture that is foreign to them. And that there is just within their own heart. This longing for just a touch of the homeland.
[13:08] Lord, we pray to encourage them. And make them persuade them that nothing that they do for you is in vain. Again, we remember Muriel. And we ask to be with her and bless her.
[13:20] Lord, guide us then as we wait upon you. We pray your blessing upon Mr. McKeever. We ask, Lord, that you will restore him to full health and strength soon. And we pray for Cal Murdois.
[13:31] He's away at this time. And ask that you will bless him. We give thanks, Lord, for bringing him here. And Joanne and the family, we ask that they will settle in quickly. And that they will know that your hand is upon them for good.
[13:44] Remember the congregation of North Eust. We pray for them. And pray that you will indeed guide them in the right direction. And provide a pastor for them. We know, Lord, that you are the Lord who leads your people.
[13:59] And leads in the right way. And so we commit them to your care. Bless us then, we pray. Bless him, Murdois. He leads the praise. Cleansing us from our sin. In Jesus' name. Amen. We're going to sing again from Psalm 85.
[14:14] This time in Sing Psalms, page 113. The tune is Converse, Psalm 85, on page 113.
[14:28] I'm going to sing from verse 4. In fact, we'll sing. Excuse me. I had put 4 to 9. But, you know, if it's okay, we'll sing to the end of the psalm.
[14:41] Psalm 85, from verse 4 to the end. It's page 113. God, our Savior, God, our Savior, now restore us. From us turn away your rage.
[14:53] Will your anger burn against us? Will it last from age to age? Will you not again revive us? That we may rejoice in you.
[15:04] Show us, Lord, your covenant mercy. Your salvation grant in you. I will hear what God the Lord says. To his saints he offers peace.
[15:15] But his people must not wander and return to foolishness. Surely for all those who fear him, his salvation is at hand, so that once again his glory may be seen within our land.
[15:31] Psalm 85, from verse 4 to the end. The Tunis Converse. God, our Savior, now restore us.
[15:47] From us turn away your rage. Will your anger burn against us?
[16:00] Will it last from age to age? Will you not again revive us?
[16:14] That we may rejoice in you. Show us, Lord, your covenant mercy.
[16:26] Your salvation grant in you. I will hear what God the Lord says.
[16:41] To his saints he offers peace. But his people must not wander And return to foolishness.
[16:58] Sure, before all those who fear him, His salvation is at hand, So that once again his glory May be seen within our land Love and truth, amen together Righteousness and peace and grace Righteousness looks out from heaven From the earth's faithfulness What is good the Lord will give us And our land his truth will bear
[18:04] Righteousness will go before him And his royal way prepare Let us turn to read God's word now In the Gospel of John John's Gospel and the 20th chapter John's Gospel, chapter 20 John chapter 20 We read from the beginning Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early While it was still dark And saw that the stone had been taken away From the tomb So she ran and went to Simon Peter And the other disciple
[19:05] The one whom Jesus loved And said to them They have taken the Lord Out of the tomb And we do not know Where they have laid him So Peter went out With the other disciple And they were going towards the tomb Both of them were running together But the other disciple Outran Peter And reached the tomb first And stooping to look in He saw the linen cloths lying there But he did not go in Then Simon Peter came Following him And went into the tomb He saw the linen cloths lying there And the face cloth Which had been on Jesus' head Not lying with the linen cloths But folded up in a place by itself Then the other disciple Who had reached the tomb first Went in and he saw and believed For as yet They did not understand the scripture That he must rise from the dead Then the disciples went back
[20:06] To their homes But Mary stood weeping Outside the tomb And as she wept She stooped to look into the tomb And she saw two angels in white Sitting where the body of Jesus had lain One at the head And one at the feet They said to her Woman Why are you weeping?
[20:28] She said to them They have taken away my Lord And I do not know Where they have laid him Having said this She turned round And saw Jesus standing But she did not know That it was Jesus Jesus said to her Woman Why are you weeping?
[20:47] Whom are you seeking? Supposing him to be the gardener She said to him Sir If you have carried him away Tell me where you have laid him And I will take him away Jesus said to her Mary She turned and said to him In Aramaic Rabboni Which means teacher Jesus said to her Do not cling to me For I have not yet ascended To the Father But go to my brothers And say to them I am ascending to my Father And your Father And to my God And your God Mary Magdalene went And announced to the disciples I have seen the Lord And that he had said These things to her On the evening of that day The first day of the week The doors being locked For the disciples Where for fear of the Jews Jesus came and stood among them And said to them Peace be with you When he had said this He showed them his hands
[21:48] And his side Then the disciples were glad When they saw the Lord Jesus said to them again Peace be with you As the Father has sent me Even so am I sending you And when he had said this He breathed on them And said to them Receive the Holy Spirit If you forgive the sins of anyone They are forgiven If you withhold forgiveness from anyone It is withheld Now Thomas One of the twelve Called the twin Was not with them When Jesus came So the other disciples Told him We have seen the Lord But he said to them Unless I see in his hands The mark of the nails And place my finger Into the mark of the nails And place my hand Into his side I will never believe Eight days later The disciples were inside again And Thomas was with them
[22:49] Although the doors were locked Jesus came and stood among them And said Peace be with you Then he said to Thomas Put your finger here And see my hands And put out your hand And place it in my side Do not disbelieve But believe Thomas answered him My Lord And my God Jesus said to him Have you believed Because you have seen me Blessed are those Who having not seen And yet have believed Now Jesus did many other signs In the presence of the disciples Which are not written in this book But these are written So that you may believe That Jesus is the Christ The Son of God And that by believing You may have life In his name Amen And may God bless to us This reading of his holy word We're going to sing again From Sing Psalms On page 44 It's Psalm number 36
[23:50] Psalm number 36 On page 44 The tune is Denfield We sing verses 5 to 10 Psalm 36 5 to 10 Your steadfast love is great O Lord It reaches heaven high Your faithfulness is wonderful Extending to the sky Your righteousness is very great Like mountains high and steep Your justice is like ocean depths Both man and beast you keep How precious is your steadfast love What confidence it brings Both high and low find shelter In the shadow of your wings They feast within your house And drink from streams of your delight For with you is the source of life In your light we see light To those who know you as their God Your steadfast love impart
[24:50] Maintain your righteousness To those of pure and upright heart Verses 5 to 10 Psalm 36 And the tune is Denfield Your steadfast love is great O Lord It reaches heaven high Your faithfulness is wonderful Original Christ The true other I am still your justice is like ocean debt old man and beast to be how precious is your steadfast love what confidence it raised both high and low
[26:20] I sheltered in a shadow of pure wings the feast within your hearts and drain from streams of your delight for when you is the source of light in your light we see light to those who know you as their God your steadfast love impart heart maintain you righteous next to those of pure and upright heart hearts let's turn again to the portion of scripture we read in
[27:38] John's gospel John chapter 20 and we'll read again at verse 19 on the evening on the evening of that day the door for fear of the Jews Jesus came and stood among them and said to them peace be with you when he had said this he showed them his hands and his side then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord you and I know that life is forever changing our circumstances are constantly changing even in the course of a day or in the course of a year and sometimes we can go from great joy happiness contentment and we can be plunged into sorrow and into despair life is forever changing it changes so quickly and one of the things that we see in this chapter is the constant rapid change that is taking place but central to the whole thing of course is the
[28:47] Lord Jesus and Jesus here is showing himself revealing himself to his disciples now there's something lovely in the way that Jesus first of all reveals himself to Mary you would have expected if we were the ones who were giving an account if supposing this was simply a story which obviously it's not I'm quite sure that we would say or the way we would expect that Jesus would reveal himself to John before anybody else because John of course was the disciple whom Jesus loved amongst Jesus had the twelve disciples of the twelve there was an inner three and of the inner three there was this one John himself termed himself the disciple whom Jesus loved but it wasn't to John or maybe you would have said it probably would be to Peter because Peter was the one who had made the great confession you are the Christ the son of the living
[29:50] God Jesus said flesh and blood hasn't said that but my father which is in heaven so it was a great confession but it wasn't to any of the immediate followers the immediate twelve but it was to this woman Mary Mary Magdalene and of course Mary along with other women had come early to the grave in order to anoint the body of Jesus and they had put their necks on the line because you've got to remember that his disciples the likes of Peter James and John were nowhere to be found at this time when we do come across them they are in a room behind locked doors but here are the ladies and it's obviously taken great courage but they were propelled by this amazing love and zeal that they had for the Lord Jesus so that they didn't count their own lives precious they just wanted to do this honour in anointing the body of Jesus but of course his body wasn't needing anointing his body didn't see decay
[31:04] Psalm 16 tells us that that the body of Jesus that's the one difference between although Jesus died physically as we die there was there was a difference with regard to his burial because his body actually didn't see decay the moment that we die our body begins to decay but not the body of the Lord Jesus his body we're told saw no corruption so there was this one difference it's almost as if the moment that Jesus was buried it was as if his very being was bursting in order to rise again so they came in order to anoint there was only one person actually and we know that one person who actually anointed Jesus and that was before he died and that was Mary of Bethany because she came remember how she anointed
[32:05] Jesus to there were people who were very critical of her and yet Jesus said against the day of my burial has she done this so Mary had a keen eye of faith Mary in fact saw what Peter James and John didn't see she had a spiritual perception about her she understood things that even they didn't and as we've said often enough before Mary understood these things because every time we find Mary she's at the feet of Jesus the place of learning the place of humility she was waiting upon Jesus and so she grasped and understood things that his immediate disciples the ones he had chosen hadn't so Jesus reveals himself to Mary first of all to Mary Magdalene and of course Mary Magdalene was one of whom he had cast out devils and she was she from that moment on she couldn't do enough for the
[33:08] Lord Jesus he was at the very center of her life just with his passionate love and devotion to him and for him and it's interesting when we read the account of when Mary comes at the tomb I think it's quite beautiful because we find that an angel or angels there's an angel at the head and an angel at the foot of where Jesus was lying and that's beautiful because just a wee while before Jesus is when he's put to death he's also between two but he's between two criminals so Jesus is put to death between two criminals but he's buried when we find the scene when the tomb is opened up it's between two angels and of course he had risen by that time from the dead so there is
[34:08] Mary we find her weeping and she believes that the body of Jesus has been taken and this to her was just the most it was adding the final as it were nail in the coffin she had seen her beloved saviour die on the cross the ladies had no doubt had obviously watched where Jesus was buried and now they had come to honour the body of Jesus only to find that the body has gone and so you can't even begin to imagine the pain the heartache that's in Mary's heart and then of course Jesus comes to her and Jesus speaks just one word calls her by her own name Mary you know that's what the Lord tells us he says in John in John's gospel when talking about the good shepherd he say he tells us that he calls his own sheep by name and my sheep hear my voice
[35:10] Jesus you've heard that all of you tonight you're Christians you've heard the voice of Jesus through the word he has spoken to you and he has spoken to you directly personally you have heard his voice in the word here we have the written word it is the voice it is the living voice of the living Jesus but Mary heard this voice he just said Mary and that one word it changed everything there was an instant recognition and Mary doesn't just say when was asked who are you looking for she didn't say the body of Jesus she said that she was looking for her Lord he was still her Lord and so Jesus shows her very clearly that he is risen from the dead and he then tells her that she is to go and give the message to the disciples and I'm quite sure that just as Peter and John ran to the grave
[36:15] I could well imagine Mary running to tell the disciples of what had happened and of who she met but it's wonderful just that one moment changes everything and that's what Jesus does we mentioned that this morning of how our whole lives change the moment Jesus comes in to our life everything changes and the darkness we may have been in the despair we may have been in the bleakness that we may have been in the lack of understanding it all changes and everything begins to make sense and as long as we can see there's sufficient light that is guiding us and showing us the way we have this sense of peace and belonging and realizing this is right Jesus changes everything and so we find that Mary goes to tell the disciples but we find now of course when we meet the disciples in verse 19 the same day that Mary had met with Jesus we find the disciples are behind locked doors and they're gathered in one room and they're there for fear of the
[37:28] Jews and we can understand that because they are the closest followers of Jesus they have seen the absolute hatred that the Jews the religious leaders the those in authority that they had expressed against Jesus they couldn't do enough harm to him they put him to death in the most barbaric cruel spiteful hateful way possible and they were saying well if they've done that to our lord and our master what might they do to us so you can understand that one level why they were there behind locked doors and they're there hiding and if we try to put ourselves in the place in the shoes of the disciples I would well imagine well if I was there I could well imagine being exactly like them because you think about it on Thursday they had the most wonderful day and evening possible there they are in the upper room there they are in this company and fellowship with Jesus and Jesus is opening up to them the most wonderful truths they didn't understand a lot of it but it was it was intimate it was personal it was they would be saying to themselves this is really something special there were moments where they were upset because he had told them he was going from them but they couldn't figure it out they couldn't understand so they had gone from this time of great togetherness and intimacy and fellowship and their whole world was thrown absolutely upside down because Jesus was taken and he was arrested and of course we know that
[39:17] Jesus he went to the spot when they left the upper room remember what it says that Jesus went he went to the garden and he went to the place that he knew it tells us here Judas knew the spot well so Jesus went deliberately to the very place that he knew that Judas was most likely to figure he had gone and that he would bring the enemies of Christ there which is exactly what happened which shows us that Jesus of course was a willing savior what he did he did willingly he wasn't reluctant but he was passionate in what he was doing he he did this out of love to his father and out of love to us as well and so here are the disciples and their their whole world has collapsed they're beaten frightened dispirited anxious men their leader has been taken and they're all alone they wouldn't know where to go they wouldn't know where to turn what do we do where do we go we've given up that's that's why
[40:24] Peter in the next chapter he says well I'm going fishing that's all Peter knew before Jesus came into his life he'd been a fisherman and he says really that I'm going back fishing because they seem to be the end of things that's they were just saying well there's nothing else for it but to go back to what we used to do but life will never be the same these three years were just they were extraordinary how can we ever go back to how things were and then of course we're going to be living against under the the opposition of those who hated Jesus Christ so you can understand the way they were and so as they're gathered there together all of a sudden Jesus appears right there in the midst it's incredible theologians are divided some think that although the doors were locked I think it's people like even like Calvin thinks that he opened the door and came in though it was a locked door others like
[41:27] Augustine believe he just appeared and whether he came through a locked door or whether he just as it were went through the very walls of the door the thing is that the risen saviour Jesus is still in a physical body because the wounds were obvious but there's a new order now it's not bound by the laws of this world as such and so he's able to appear and disappear and he's able to be to show himself to be visible to certain people and invisible to others that was the amazing thing we believe that it was only those who believed in Jesus that he showed himself to that he was appearing and reappearing and reappearing over these like I said we had 40 days but it was only his followers that saw him many saw we know that 500 saw so he just entered this room all of a sudden and he comes with a great word peace be unto you peace to you and it's wonderful that Jesus greets his disciples in this way because that's how he left them remember when
[42:43] Jesus left he says you know what do you know what I'm going to leave you I'm going to leave you my peace my peace I give unto you my peace I leave you not as the world gives give I unto you see Jesus peace is different the peace of Jesus is not dependent on circumstances or things that are happening or not happening the peace of Jesus is himself he is the prince of peace he alone can bestow this peace and tonight if you don't have this peace he's here tonight as a prince of peace and he's saying to you my peace can be your peace will you ask him will you ask Jesus to come into your heart into your life and if you know this if you do he'll hear you and when he comes he will bring his peace with you that's what he does my peace I give you and so he says the very first words he says is peace be to you and this word peace where we have the shalom and all that is more than simply just what we think of peace it means well-being it brings everything that
[43:59] Jesus wants Jesus wants the very best for us not a kind of well just get by if we could understand right now all the resources that God has for us if we could see and just kind of grasp in a way just the marvelous provision that God has and he wants the very very best for us he wants us to be filled with himself to come to a greater understanding of himself to be just lost in himself as it were but so often we don't see this and so we've got to remember that peace is at the very center of the Christian message when Jesus was born into this world you remember how the angels sang glory to God and the highest and on earth peace and good will to all peace is at the very center of the Christian message and you know peace should be what characterizes
[45:01] I think the two things that in many ways ought to characterize the Christian life is love and peace yes there are many other aspects to it but they are the two things that possibly are spoken about more but Jesus said that love is a major characteristic of the disciples life by this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have loved one to another love is powerful loving Christians are powerful witnesses but also peace as the prince of peace that Jesus is to be a somebody a man or a woman or a boy or a girl of peace is a wonderful thing in this world we should always pray that we come in peace and that we go in peace blessed are the peacemakers there's great blessing attached to it so it's something we ought to be about as Christians seeking to promote peace it's not a good thing for any
[46:02] Christian to be divisive or somebody that is against peace and so Jesus reveals himself to them here now there are so many different things that we could look at here but I think one of the things that really touches you is when Jesus appears in front of them and he says peace be to you he doesn't there's not one word of rebuke from Jesus to them because you've got to remember that the last time that Jesus was in the company of the disciples what does it tell us they all forsook him and fled at the moment when he needed them most what did they do they legged it okay Peter came back but he followed Jesus at a distance and when he was put to the test in the presence of
[47:04] Christ he denied Jesus with oaths and with curses I don't know him it means nothing to me the only one that really followed on was John because he was below the cross and Jesus entrusted the care of his mother to John but the others had forsaken him and fled and I would love to know just what was going on in the hearts of the disciples at that moment when Jesus appeared and he he was a broken man that was a broken man and here all of a sudden is
[48:06] Jesus standing in front of him I wonder how Peter felt I wonder how some of the other disciples felt and they might feel an element yes there's joy but there might be shame what's he going to say to us well what did he say he said peace be to you not one word of rebuke it's just like as Jesus is pleased to see them and they were pleased to see him because it's probably one of the great understatements of the Bible because it tells us then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord it's funny here sometimes the Bible downplays situations it wasn't just that they were glad they were absolutely thrilled their whole being they were euphoric this was the most wonderful moment so the disciples were glad why were they glad well for obvious reasons the first reason the most obvious is they thought they had lost him and you put yourself in their shoes or try to can you imagine just imagine for a moment that the
[49:14] Lord was to send from heaven a message to you which said you know what from tonight you're on your own I've given up you have given you opportunity after opportunity to walk in the way you should and so often you've disappointed me you know from tonight on that's it I'm walking away from you tonight you're all on your own how would you feel well if you're a true Christian you would be absolutely bereft you couldn't get worse news in the world than that because Christ means everything to you your whole life is tied up in them sometimes as Christians we can lose our way a wee bit but you know when push comes to shove the Lord is at the centre of our lives and if we felt for a moment that we lost him we would be distraught and that's why the disciples are so glad because they thought they had lost him and here he is he's there with them he's in their presence he's our
[50:21] Lord it's like whoa this is our hearts were broken but not anymore so that's the first thing again the second thing that we would say as to why they were filled with joy was because it looked like all the promises that Jesus had given had died with Jesus and you and I know that there are times as we as we go into the word of God we find there so many rich promises and sometimes the Lord gives you faith to lay hold upon a particular verse or a particular portion of scripture maybe in relation to something and that faith is really strong you're aware you're saying to yourself you know I really believe the Lord is speaking to me through this and it's close into your heart and you feel strongly about it but you know as the time goes on it looks less and less likely that that promise that you believe the
[51:25] Lord has given to you is going to be fulfilled but don't be surprised that often happens that the very providence of God appears to be going often in the opposite direction to the promise but there'll come a time when the promise will be fulfilled and you go through the scriptures and you'll find that over and over again and say for instance the likes of Joseph and the likes of Daniel the likes of David and so many of God's people there were the promises and yet it seemed that the very promises were dying in the providence but one day it all turned round and it will in your experience as well so keep that faith shining by focusing upon Jesus and you know just like the disciples Jesus as it were comes back into your experience you might be here tonight and you might feel down and you might be saying to yourself you know this I I've kind of lost my way it's not that I have stopped being a
[52:26] Christian but the you know the thrill I used to get I feel that I'm in a kind of a darkness I can't see Jesus the way I used to see him well you know you won't be left like that and it might be might be in church or it might be at home might be in your bed at night it might be but usually but not always but very often accompanied by the word there is a returning insight given to you and all of a sudden again maybe it's just in reading in your own private devotion and you're reading and all of a sudden it comes alive the word comes alive and you feel that Jesus is there and he's beside you he's speaking to you it's real or you could be in church and you might have come in and you're drifting and then all of a sudden you're saying this is real this is speaking to me this is going right into my heart this is for real see the Lord doesn't leave his people lost and wondering about and so the disciples were glad because here is the return of the promise but they're also glad because it meant the triumph of the Lord's kingdom you see it appeared for a little while that Jesus and his cause was finally once and for all broken and they had held out or they believed that Jesus was going to establish this great kingdom he was going to restore the kingdom in their eyes but they believed that the kingdom was going to come with power and it seemed that the enemies had won but no they hadn't
[54:07] Jesus rose triumphant over death over the grave and you know we must take courage as well because sometimes when we look out we feel the cause of Christ is taking a fearful battering and it's very easy to become despondent and say to ourselves what's happening here you look around and there's the fortress of darkness those that are opposed to Christ they often seem to be on the rise and they seem to be winning and so often we feel that the Christian faith is being marginalized and pushed further and further into Cornish we say to ourselves what's going to happen well it might go lower yet we don't know but you know what there's going to come a day when it's all going to change and Christ will triumph because no enemy is ultimately going to triumph over the Lord and his people and his cause and his kingdom and this shows us that even although it looked as dead as could be that Jesus has risen triumphant over and he always will and that's the great news of the gospel and Jesus is the one who gladdens our hearts and I pray tonight that
[55:28] Jesus will gladden your heart and gladden my heart that we will be able to say just like the disciples or say of us just as it said of the disciples then were they glad when they saw the Lord and we pray that tonight we may see by faith and that if anybody in here tonight has not seen by faith yet let me tell you your heart will be glad the moment you see Jesus ask him ask him to come into your heart even now let's pray oh Lord our God we pray that tonight as we wait upon you that you may reveal yourself in your word to us and that we may see you see you as a great saviour of sinners that we may see you as the one who guides us and shines away for us as we go through life Lord watch over us and take us to our home safely deal graciously with us because we need you every step of the way cleanse us from our every sin we pray in Jesus name
[56:32] Amen we're going to conclude singing from Psalm 107 in the Scottish Psalter and this is on page 384 Psalm 107 from the Scottish Psalter on page 384 and we're going to sing from verse 27 to 31 verse 27 they rail and stagger like one drunk at their woods end they be then they to God and trouble cry who them from straits doth free the storm is changed into a calm at his command and will so that the waves which raged before now quiet are and still then are they glad because at rest and quiet now they be so to the haven he then brings which they desire to see oh that men to the Lord would give praise for his goodness then and for the works of wonder done unto the sons of men these four stances
[57:39] Psalm 107 verses 27 to 31 to the tune loch brno the real técn for the line what on the dead then To cause in troubled pride Who then from states of need The storm is changed into a camp At its command and will So that the ways which raced before
[58:48] Thou quiet are still Then are they blind because of rest And quiet now they be So to the heaven he then brings Which they desire to see Oh, that then to the Lord would give Praise for his goodness then And for his words of wonder done
[59:53] Unto the sons of men Now may the grace, mercy and peace of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit Rest and abide upon each one of you now and forevermore Amen I'll go to the door to my left Thank you