WEBVTT

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 We'll begin our worship now singing in Psalm 138. Psalm 138, that's in the Sing Sam's version on page

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 179. I'm going to sing the whole psalm, the verses through to verse 8. The tune is Wareham.

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 I'll praise you, Lord, with all my heart. Before the gods I'll sing your praise.

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 I'll bow towards your holy place and bless your holy name always. Psalm 138, we stand to

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 sing these verses. We'll sing the whole psalm.

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 Amen.

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 I'll praise you for your faithfulness.

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 And for your calm and love, O Lord.

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 For over all days you have praised your holy name and faithful word.

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 The very day I called to you, you gave an answer to my plea.

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 You made me whole within myself. With you resolved, you strengthened me.

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 O Lord, let all the kings give praise. When from your mouth they hear your word.

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 Let them make strong the ways of God. For praise the glory of the Lord.

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 Peopleλλ licence and glory of the Lord.

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 O the Lord of Threats on High, the lowly person he protects.

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 Where does the brown and daughty one, he knows afar of country jests.

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 On who I mourn, the troubled heart, your tender care preserves my life.

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 You raised your hand against my foes, your right hand saves me from their strife.

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 The Lord will certainly fulfill, for me the purpose he commands.

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 Your lovely church forevermore, we share the words of your own hands.

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 Let us now pray. We'll call upon the Lord's name in prayer.

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 Amen.

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 Almighty and gracious God, we give thanks for these great facts about you and about your attributes and your works.

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 And we give thanks, O Lord, that they are available to us through your Word,

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 and also that they are true for us each day.

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 And we thank you tonight, Lord, that we come to worship you once again, the God of whom we have been singing.

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 The God who is our Creator and our Savior, the God who made all things for his own glory,

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 and who has purposed all things that come to pass, and that will come to pass between now and the end of the age.

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 We thank you, Lord, tonight for all that makes you glorious.

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 And even though we cannot but comprehend such a small part of what makes you glorious,

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 yet, Lord, we say Amen to the doxologies of your Word,

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 where down through the ages your church has attributed praise to you,

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 and where we come to great exclamations of praise in your Word itself.

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 Lord, our God, we pray that you would help us to take them up for ourselves and apply them in our own experience.

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 We thank you tonight that we are privileged once again to be in your presence,

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 privileged to lift up our voices in praise to you,

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 privileged to be able to speak directly with you,

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 our Father in heaven, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 And we know our privilege also, Lord, of having your Word and hearing your Word expounded and read,

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 and coming to depend upon your Holy Spirit to direct us into these avenues of your Word,

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 where your own truth is brought to us.

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 Lord, we thank you tonight that our privilege, while it is greater than we can possibly put into words,

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 nevertheless, we value it and prize it.

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 Lord, we pray that you would always enable us to present that privilege to the world around us

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 by the way that we live,

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 by the ways in which we commend the Lord Jesus Christ to that world around us.

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 We thank you, Lord, for the ability that your Spirit brings to us,

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 for the way that you bring to us, O Lord, that spiritual energy,

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 the spiritual energy that we know brought us from death to life,

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 the Spirit, Lord, that we ourselves seek tonight,

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 that the God who is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we are able to ask or think,

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 through the power that works in your people,

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 will indeed be at work in us this evening.

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 And we give thanks that that is the same power in which you inhabit and in which you empower your

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 people, the same power that raised our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead.

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 We thank you, Lord, for the reality of that especially,

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 for it is through his death and resurrection from the dead,

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 his ascension to glory for all that is in himself

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 as the Savior of his people,

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 that we are able to approach you tonight.

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 And we take delight, O Lord,

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 in all his sufficiency.

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 We take delight in presenting him to you in our praises

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 as the one by whom we come into your presence

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 and the one who has

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 brought to us such

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 a wonderful salvation.

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 Oh, bless us, we pray here,

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 even though it is

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 something we are so used to,

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 most of us, at least here, Lord,

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 find it a regular practice on our part

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 to come together to worship you,

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 to come before you,

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 to sing your praises and call upon your name.

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 Oh, help us never to take it for granted.

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 Help us always to prize it as a privilege.

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 And grant that even tonight, Lord,

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 we may once again know the need we have

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 of that refreshing power of your Holy Spirit

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 to reach us once again

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 and to work within our hearts.

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 We pray that as we lift up our minds to you, O Lord,

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 that you'd once again enlighten us

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 through your truth

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 of these great facts concerning yourself.

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 And we thank you that they are brought before us

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 in your Word

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 as facts that are constantly true,

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 facts that will unchangeably,

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 are unchangeably true

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 and will remain facts throughout eternity.

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 For you are God and there is none like you.

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 And we come, O Lord, to exclaim in our praises

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 that that is the case.

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 And we give thanks for the way

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 in which you have brought yourself near to us

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 in the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 For he, as we know, became human

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 and entered into our experiences

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 and was tempted in all points

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 like as we are, yet without sin.

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 And therefore, he is able to bring us

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 that support and comfort

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 and guidance through his own experience

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 and through the very fact of his being God

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 that we find uniquely in himself.

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 Lord, we ask all,

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 as we worship you tonight in his name,

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 and we give thanks that we do so

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 waiting upon you,

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 waiting that you would speak to us

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 once again from your Word.

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 Lord, bless us here

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 in all our activities as a congregation.

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 Lord, we thank you for every encouragement

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 that we can look back on,

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 for every way in which you have blessed your cause here

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 down through the years

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 and for the way you continue to uphold it,

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 for the way that you enable us, O Lord,

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 to engage in the work of the Gospel.

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 Bless every activity that takes place

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 in support of the Gospel.

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 We ask, O Lord,

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 that amongst our young people

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 and our children and our infants,

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 that you'd be pleased, O Lord,

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 to show your great power,

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 your blessing upon these young lives.

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 We pray for them

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 as they spend their lives in this world

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 and face the difficulties and challenges

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 of that age we belong to.

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 O gracious God,

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 look after them, we pray,

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 as we commit them again

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 to your care and keeping.

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 And we give thanks

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 that we can anticipate by faith

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 that they will be raised up

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 not only in the church of God,

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 but in the faith of their fathers

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 and mothers and grandparents.

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 We ask that this would be indeed

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 their own desire,

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 that they would come to follow

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 in the ways of Christ.

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 Remember us, Lord,

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 at this time,

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 we pray as a nation,

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 at this very significant,

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 historic time

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 in our experience.

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 And as we do give thanks,

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 O Lord,

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 for our Queen,

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 who is now taken from

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 the scene of time

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 and served so well

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 down through these many years

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 of our life.

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 We do thank you, Lord,

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 as we recollect

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 all that she was

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 to the nation

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 and indeed all that she was

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 to the world

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 and to the leaders of the world

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 for the example

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 that she set

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 of dedication

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 and of commitment.

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 And for the example

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 she also set

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 of trust in God

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 and of the way

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 in which she so readily

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 spoke of you,

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 even in her public addresses.

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 And Lord,

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 we pray that

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 our nation will indeed

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 by your blessing

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 now come to recollect

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 and take note once again

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 of these precious things.

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 And we thank you tonight

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 for all that she has been

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 and was

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 down through the years

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 of her life and reign.

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 We pray now

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 for King Charles

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 as he takes on

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 the rulership

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 of the nation.

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 Bless him, we pray.

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 Bless his companion

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 in life.

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 Bless his family.

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 Bless him

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 in all his responsibilities.

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 Help us always

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 to pray for him.

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 Lord,

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 whatever we

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 may think of him,

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 whatever we may have

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 said in the past

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 of him,

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 grant, Lord,

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 that we may never cease

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 to bring him

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 before your throne

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 of grace.

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 And we pray

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 that he himself

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 will rule

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 in the same manner

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 in which his mother

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 ruled.

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 And that he will come

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 to himself

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 take up

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 and practice

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 those many qualities

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 of her life.

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 And especially

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 that he will not

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 be ashamed

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 to own you

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 as his God

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 or to commend you

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 to those

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 over whom

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 he bears rule.

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 and we ask

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 that your blessing

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 will be with them

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 each day.

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 Bless our parliament.

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 Bless them, Lord,

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 as they are elected

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 to high office.

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 Help them also

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 to realize

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 that it is by your will

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 that they rule,

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 that it is to you

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 that they are answerable,

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 and that you have given

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 them so many advantages

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 to us as a nation

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 in your word of truth

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 and in the history

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 that we encapsulate

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 as a people.

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 Lord,

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 help them,

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 we pray,

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 to build upon

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 that precious heritage

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 and to do so

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 in a way

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 that would seek

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 to protect

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 and enhance

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 the faith

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 of the nation

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 as it is

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 predominantly

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 a Christian nation

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 and a Protestant nation.

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 Yet, Lord,

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 we give thanks

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 for the diversity

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 of gifts

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 and for the freedom

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 we have

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 for even those

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 who are of a different

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 persuasion

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 to be able

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 to practice

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 their own beliefs

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 and their own

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 way of life.

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 And yet,

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 we pray

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 that as a nation

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 we be led

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 by your truth

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 and by your spirit.

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 We ask your blessing

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 now for those

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 of our number tonight

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 who are ill

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 and those who can't

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 be with us

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 through other ailments.

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 We ask that you

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 bless them.

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 Bless those who

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 continue to mourn

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 the passing of loved ones.

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 Remember them,

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 Lord,

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 with your compassion

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 and comfort

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 and draw near to them.

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 Grant that all

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 who have various anxieties

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 and various things

00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:56.860
 that cause them

00:14:56.860 --> 00:14:58.580
 anxiety in life.

00:14:58.700 --> 00:14:59.179
 Bless them.

00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:00.960
 Give them in their minds

00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:01.720
 to know the peace

00:15:01.720 --> 00:15:02.360
 and the calming

00:15:02.360 --> 00:15:04.139
 influence of your spirit.

00:15:04.940 --> 00:15:05.500
 Hear us now,

00:15:05.580 --> 00:15:05.899
 we pray,

00:15:05.980 --> 00:15:06.879
 and pardon our sin.

00:15:07.379 --> 00:15:08.679
 In Jesus' name we pray.

00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:09.580
 Amen.

00:15:11.580 --> 00:15:12.220
 Once again,

00:15:12.259 --> 00:15:13.240
 we're going to praise God

00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:14.019
 from the Psalms.

00:15:14.580 --> 00:15:15.360
 This time we're singing

00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:16.659
 in Psalm 61.

00:15:17.539 --> 00:15:19.120
 61 in the Scottish Psalter,

00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:20.879
 page 293

00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:22.659
 on the tune of Salzburg.

00:15:22.779 --> 00:15:23.100
 We're singing

00:15:23.100 --> 00:15:24.360
 verses 1 to 5.

00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:27.240
 O God,

00:15:27.340 --> 00:15:28.539
 give ear unto my cry,

00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:29.940
 unto my prayer attend.

00:15:30.580 --> 00:15:31.840
 From the utmost corner

00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:32.440
 of the land

00:15:32.440 --> 00:15:33.560
 my cry to thee

00:15:33.560 --> 00:15:34.220
 I'll send.

00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:35.960
 What time my heart

00:15:35.960 --> 00:15:36.679
 is overwhelmed

00:15:36.679 --> 00:15:38.080
 and in perplexity

00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:39.940
 do thou me lead

00:15:39.940 --> 00:15:40.779
 unto the rock

00:15:40.779 --> 00:15:42.539
 that higher is

00:15:42.539 --> 00:15:43.759
 than I.

00:15:43.860 --> 00:15:44.560
 Psalm 61,

00:15:44.779 --> 00:15:46.480
 verses 1 to 5.

00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:46.580
 Amen.

00:15:46.580 --> 00:15:54.800
 O God,

00:15:54.879 --> 00:16:01.040
 give ear unto my cry,

00:16:01.379 --> 00:16:07.580
 unto my prayer attend.

00:16:07.580 --> 00:16:13.879
 From the utmost corner

00:16:13.879 --> 00:16:17.700
 of the land

00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:22.680
 my cry to thee

00:16:22.680 --> 00:16:24.800
 I send.

00:16:24.800 --> 00:16:29.800
 O time my heart

00:16:29.800 --> 00:16:33.800
 is overwhelmed

00:16:33.799 --> 00:16:40.099
 and in perplexity

00:16:40.099 --> 00:16:42.099
 to the mercy

00:16:42.099 --> 00:16:45.919
 to the mercy

00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:50.919
 and to the rock

00:16:50.919 --> 00:16:55.899
 that higher is

00:16:55.899 --> 00:16:58.099
 now nigh.

00:16:58.100 --> 00:17:03.800
 for thou must form

00:17:03.800 --> 00:17:06.400
 my refuge

00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:07.900
 be,

00:17:07.900 --> 00:17:10.940
 a shelter

00:17:10.940 --> 00:17:15.799
 by thy power,

00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:19.579
 and for defense

00:17:19.579 --> 00:17:25.099
 against my foes

00:17:25.099 --> 00:17:31.399
 the must be

00:17:31.399 --> 00:17:33.399
 a strong time.

00:17:33.399 --> 00:17:37.219
 Within life's

00:17:37.219 --> 00:17:40.579
 other life

00:17:40.579 --> 00:17:42.500
 you'll lie

00:17:42.500 --> 00:17:46.399
 forever will abide

00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:54.700
 and under cover

00:17:54.700 --> 00:17:59.519
 all thy wings

00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:03.200
 with confidence

00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:05.700
 behind.

00:18:05.700 --> 00:18:09.700
 For thou

00:18:09.700 --> 00:18:11.000
 it thy rest

00:18:11.539 --> 00:18:14.100
 that I

00:18:14.100 --> 00:18:15.660
 did

00:18:15.660 --> 00:18:16.860
 worst

00:18:18.819 --> 00:18:19.080
 would

00:18:19.080 --> 00:18:19.860
 that I

00:18:19.860 --> 00:18:20.000
 impart

00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.900
 from hath

00:18:21.980 --> 00:18:22.019
 lost

00:18:22.019 --> 00:18:22.920
 that I

00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:32.779
 did

00:18:32.779 --> 00:18:33.600
 me

00:18:33.600 --> 00:18:33.880
 oh

00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:35.960
 ma jazz

00:18:35.960 --> 00:18:47.240
 Let us turn to read now from God's Word in the letter of Jude.

00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:52.240
 The letter of Jude, just one chapter, of course, of this book.

00:18:52.940 --> 00:18:54.980
 So we'll read through the whole of that chapter.

00:18:56.059 --> 00:19:00.240
 Second last book in the Bible, the letter of Jude from the beginning.

00:19:05.960 --> 00:19:13.940
 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, beloved,

00:19:14.100 --> 00:19:20.500
 and God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ, may mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to

00:19:20.500 --> 00:19:20.779
 you.

00:19:21.700 --> 00:19:26.579
 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about your common salvation, I found

00:19:26.579 --> 00:19:31.779
 it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all

00:19:31.779 --> 00:19:32.940
 delivered to the saints.

00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:39.440
 For certain people have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were designated for this condemnation,

00:19:40.259 --> 00:19:46.980
 ungodly people who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master

00:19:46.980 --> 00:19:48.440
 and Lord Jesus Christ.

00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:55.279
 I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus who saved a people out

00:19:55.279 --> 00:20:01.320
 of the land of Egypt afterwards destroyed those who did not believe, and the angels who did

00:20:01.319 --> 00:20:06.960
 not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept

00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:12.919
 in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.

00:20:13.819 --> 00:20:19.579
 Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual

00:20:19.579 --> 00:20:25.960
 immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment

00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:27.600
 of eternal fire.

00:20:27.600 --> 00:20:35.340
 Yet in like manner, these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority

00:20:35.340 --> 00:20:37.380
 and blaspheme the glorious ones.

00:20:38.059 --> 00:20:43.720
 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses,

00:20:44.600 --> 00:20:48.720
 he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said,

00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:50.059
 the Lord rebuke you.

00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:56.620
 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all

00:20:56.620 --> 00:21:00.620
 that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.

00:21:01.460 --> 00:21:06.960
 Woe to them, for they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of

00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:10.700
 gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion.

00:21:11.740 --> 00:21:17.660
 These are blemishes on your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, looking after

00:21:17.660 --> 00:21:25.860
 themselves, waterless clouds swept along by winds, fruitless trees in late autumn, twice

00:21:25.860 --> 00:21:33.580
 dead, uprooted, wild waves of the sea casting up the foam of their own shame, wandering stars

00:21:33.580 --> 00:21:37.019
 for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

00:21:38.080 --> 00:21:42.140
 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying,

00:21:42.140 --> 00:21:48.860
 Behold, the Lord came with ten thousand of his holy ones to execute judgment on all, and

00:21:48.860 --> 00:21:54.320
 to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness, that they have committed in

00:21:54.320 --> 00:22:00.360
 such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against

00:22:00.360 --> 00:22:00.680
 him.

00:22:01.540 --> 00:22:06.680
 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires.

00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:11.520
 They are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

00:22:12.140 --> 00:22:18.120
 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:24.420
 They said to you, in the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.

00:22:25.320 --> 00:22:29.860
 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people devoid of the Spirit.

00:22:30.860 --> 00:22:34.860
 But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith.

00:22:35.600 --> 00:22:36.740
 Pray in the Holy Spirit.

00:22:36.740 --> 00:22:42.500
 Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that

00:22:42.500 --> 00:22:43.960
 leads to eternal life.

00:22:44.859 --> 00:22:46.400
 And have mercy on those who doubt.

00:22:47.120 --> 00:22:49.420
 Save others by snatching them out of the fire.

00:22:50.180 --> 00:22:54.660
 To others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

00:22:54.660 --> 00:23:01.519
 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you blameless before the presence

00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:03.279
 of his glory with great joy.

00:23:04.060 --> 00:23:11.720
 To the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority

00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:15.940
 before all time, and now, and forever.

00:23:17.080 --> 00:23:17.600
 Amen.

00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:17.719
 Amen.

00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:22.419
 We pray once again that God will bless his word to us.

00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:26.599
 We're going to sing once again in Psalm 124.

00:23:27.299 --> 00:23:29.799
 In the Singed Psalms Version, Psalm 124.

00:23:30.179 --> 00:23:32.059
 That's on page 170.

00:23:33.259 --> 00:23:36.219
 The tune this time is Old 124th.

00:23:36.220 --> 00:23:44.000
 If God the Lord had not been on our side, let Israel say, had not the Lord been near when

00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:46.759
 foes attacked us, filling us with fear?

00:23:47.380 --> 00:23:53.660
 And when the wrath against us reached its height, alive we had been swallowed in their spite.

00:23:54.220 --> 00:23:58.980
 The whole of that short psalm, if God the Lord had not been on our side.

00:23:58.980 --> 00:24:22.920
 If God the Lord had not been on our side, let Israel say, had not the Lord been near.

00:24:22.920 --> 00:24:32.700
 When foes attacked us, filling us with fear.

00:24:32.700 --> 00:24:52.900
 And when the wrath against us reached its height, alive we had been swallowed in their spite.

00:24:52.920 --> 00:25:02.920
 We would have been then well up by the flood.

00:25:02.920 --> 00:25:12.920
 Over our heads the torrent would have gone.

00:25:12.920 --> 00:25:22.920
 But waters would have carried us along.

00:25:22.920 --> 00:25:32.920
 But praise the Lord, for he has set us free.

00:25:32.920 --> 00:25:41.920
 And does not lift us to their cruelty.

00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:53.920
 We are escaped just as a captured bird.

00:25:53.920 --> 00:26:02.920
 Out of the power it has been set free.

00:26:02.920 --> 00:26:04.920
 The scale is cut.

00:26:04.920 --> 00:26:07.920
 The scale is cut.

00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:12.920
 We are at liberty.

00:26:12.920 --> 00:26:16.920
 Our head may save.

00:26:16.920 --> 00:26:22.920
 The name of God the Lord.

00:26:22.920 --> 00:26:34.920
 Who made the earth and heaven is by his word.

00:26:34.920 --> 00:26:38.920
 Well, let's turn for a short time this evening to Jude.

00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:41.920
 The letter of Jude and verse 24.

00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:44.920
 These two verses to the end of the letter.

00:26:44.920 --> 00:26:45.920
 Amen.

00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:53.920
 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.

00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:55.920
 To the only God, our Savior.

00:26:55.920 --> 00:27:05.920
 Through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever.

00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:07.920
 Amen.

00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:27.920
 Well, just as the case is with this doxology which we use to describe these passages that ascribe praise and glory to God, many of the doxologies of Scripture are really packed with wonderful theology, wonderful truth.

00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:32.920
 Let me just point out one or two of those just as an example.

00:27:32.920 --> 00:27:37.920
 Ephesians 3 verses 20 to 21.

00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:53.920
 Now unto him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work in us, to him be glory in the church and in Jesus Christ throughout all generations forever and ever.

00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:54.920
 Amen.

00:27:54.920 --> 00:27:55.920
 Amen.

00:27:55.920 --> 00:27:56.920
 Or take another example from Hebrews.

00:27:56.920 --> 00:28:02.920
 This is to the Hebrews in chapter 13 near the end of the letter there.

00:28:02.920 --> 00:28:04.920
 Hebrews 13 at verse 20.

00:28:04.920 --> 00:28:25.920
 Now may the God of peace be brought again from the dead, our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.

00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:26.920
 Amen.

00:28:26.920 --> 00:28:27.920
 Amen.

00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:35.920
 And this one we have in Jude is very similar in the way that it is packed full of great truths, particularly about God himself.

00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:43.920
 And as we find in this doxology, two things especially that we need to focus on briefly tonight.

00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:47.920
 First of all, there's praise to God for who he is.

00:28:47.920 --> 00:28:49.920
 You might say what he does as well.

00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:55.920
 But what he does flows from who he is and what he is like.

00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:58.920
 Him who is able to keep you from stumbling.

00:28:58.920 --> 00:29:06.920
 This great God, the only God, our Savior, to him be glory, majesty, and so on.

00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:16.920
 And what he does, what's emphasized there as God's activity, actually flows from God's attributes of what God is like, who he is.

00:29:16.920 --> 00:29:21.920
 It's who he is that lies behind everything he does.

00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:30.920
 Every aspect of our experience of God and salvation flows from what God has revealed as true of himself.

00:29:30.920 --> 00:29:36.920
 And it suits very much the context of this very short letter, doesn't it?

00:29:36.920 --> 00:29:40.920
 Because he talks here about him who is able to keep you from stumbling.

00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:44.920
 He's ascribing praise to God as he describes him that way.

00:29:44.920 --> 00:30:01.920
 And that fits the context of the letter so well, as indeed you would expect, because it's a letter that talks very solemnly of defections, of defections from the truth, of people who are antagonistic to God,

00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:08.920
 people who have gone away into the way of error, all of these things that we read as we read through this book.

00:30:08.920 --> 00:30:15.920
 So, to be kept amongst defection is really the primary emphasis throughout this letter.

00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:20.920
 It describes all of these different people in different ages of the world.

00:30:20.920 --> 00:30:31.920
 But it also comes back to this, him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.

00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:34.920
 So, that's the context of the letter.

00:30:34.920 --> 00:30:52.920
 And that amongst all the defection that he speaks of, he is ascribing praise to God as the one who is able to keep them, these believers, from joining any defection and from falling away or from stumbling so that they end up actually being lost.

00:30:52.920 --> 00:31:01.920
 Well, praise to God, to God for who he is, and there are a number of things there.

00:31:01.920 --> 00:31:12.920
 And then praise to God for his activity in preserving his people and keeping them, but also with a view to presenting them blameless before the presence of his glory.

00:31:12.920 --> 00:31:15.920
 These are the two main points this evening.

00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:23.920
 Praise to God for who he is, and praise to this God for his activity.

00:31:23.920 --> 00:31:31.920
 Now, you notice he's saying here, unto him who is able to keep us, to the only God, our Savior.

00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:38.920
 And what he mentions there, the two great truths about God as he describes God, who he is, who is he?

00:31:38.920 --> 00:31:41.920
 Well, he is the only God.

00:31:41.920 --> 00:31:44.920
 He is the only God, is what he's emphasizing.

00:31:44.920 --> 00:31:50.920
 To the only God be this praise and glory and majesty, dominion and authority.

00:31:50.920 --> 00:32:01.920
 And that, of course, was crucial for the likes of the Old Testament prophets and indeed for the New Testament apostles as well as others throughout the ages of the church.

00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:03.920
 Why was it important to them?

00:32:03.920 --> 00:32:11.920
 Well, it's important because, as Paul emphasizes, and as the Old Testament emphasized as well, think of the likes of Exodus 15.

00:32:11.920 --> 00:32:20.920
 That's the praise song of Israel having been delivered, having come through the Red Sea, having seen the destruction of the Egyptians.

00:32:20.920 --> 00:32:21.920
 What do they do?

00:32:21.920 --> 00:32:23.920
 They sing a song of praise.

00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:28.920
 And in the middle of that song of praise, it's all about praise to God, of course, for his deliverance.

00:32:28.920 --> 00:32:42.920
 But they're describing, God is described in that as the one who is himself, who is a God like unto him, glorious in holiness, awesome in praises, doing wonders.

00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:52.920
 And so often, throughout these ascriptions of praise, both in the Old Testament and the New, you'll find this emphasis, who is a God like you?

00:32:52.920 --> 00:33:09.920
 Isaiah chapter 40, there's the same thing again, of course, and Isaiah is very dynamic, as you know, against idolatry, against ascribing deity, ascribing worship or praise to anyone but to God himself.

00:33:09.920 --> 00:33:23.920
 And as he comes in chapter 40, to speak of comfort to his people, and describing the foolishness of idolatry, you remember what he says there in verse 25 onwards, where he says,

00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:27.920
 To whom then will you compare me, says the Holy One?

00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:30.920
 Lift up your eyes and see who created these.

00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:33.920
 He who brings out their hosts by number.

00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:38.920
 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, Israel, my way is hidden from the Lord?

00:33:38.920 --> 00:33:39.920
 Have you not known?

00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:40.920
 Have you not heard?

00:33:40.920 --> 00:33:45.920
 The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth.

00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:50.920
 He does not faint or grow weary, but his understanding is unsearchable.

00:33:50.920 --> 00:34:03.920
 Such a tremendously powerful contrast to these idols that Israel had gone after, the idols of the pagans around them, that they had imported into their practice and gone after.

00:34:03.920 --> 00:34:16.920
 And Isaiah, like the other prophets, really comes to emphasize the uniqueness of God, the one God, the only God.

00:34:16.920 --> 00:34:29.920
 That is Paul's starting point as well in Acts 17, isn't it, when he came to present that great sermon in the Areopagus in Athens, just out with Athens, the city of Athens.

00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:31.920
 He was crammed full of idols.

00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:35.920
 As Paul walked through Athens, we're told that this is what he saw.

00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:40.920
 This is really what hit him at heart, all of these idols, this massive idolatry.

00:34:40.920 --> 00:34:54.920
 And he came across an altar to the unknown God, inscribed to the unknown God, where these Athenians in their idolatry had left this one altar without ascribing the name of any God to it.

00:34:54.920 --> 00:35:04.920
 And they were just saying, well, we think there may be another God, and just in case there is, we'll ascribe this altar to him, the unknown God.

00:35:04.920 --> 00:35:07.920
 That was Paul's starting point.

00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:11.920
 That was where he started to draw their mind to the only God.

00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:22.920
 And not only to the only God, but to the only God who came, as this passage in Jude says, to reveal himself as the Savior of his people.

00:35:22.920 --> 00:35:40.920
 He drew their minds away from the idolatry that they were so involved with, that they were so taken up with, to the God who sent his Son into the world, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:35:40.920 --> 00:35:47.920
 Many of us, I'm sure, have learned the Shorter Catechism in our Sunday school days or in our youth.

00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:49.920
 That's still a very good practice.

00:35:49.920 --> 00:35:53.920
 Shorter Catechism is an admirable summary of Bible doctrine.

00:35:53.920 --> 00:36:01.920
 If you know your Shorter Catechism well, then you're well on the way to being almost an accomplished theologian.

00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:04.920
 At least you'll know the main doctrines of the Bible.

00:36:04.920 --> 00:36:07.920
 Not only that, but you'll know the way that they connect together.

00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:11.920
 I remember question five of the Catechism, I'm sure.

00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:14.920
 Are there more gods than one?

00:36:14.920 --> 00:36:23.920
 The answer is very simply, there is but one only, the living and true God.

00:36:23.920 --> 00:36:27.920
 That's what Jude is here saying.

00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:36.920
 And to him, the only God, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority.

00:36:36.920 --> 00:36:41.920
 You know, our evangelism actually proceeds on that basis.

00:36:41.920 --> 00:36:51.920
 I know we're living, and you know we're living in days when it's not very desirable, for many people at least, of different persuasions,

00:36:51.920 --> 00:36:58.920
 to actually try and convert people from what they believe if it's different to what the Bible itself sets out.

00:36:58.920 --> 00:37:09.920
 Whether that is our duty under God, it's our privilege under God, our evangelism proceeds on the fact there is but one God who calls all of us to repentance.

00:37:09.920 --> 00:37:16.920
 Whether we are Christians, whether we are Muslims, whether we belong to any other faith or religion in the world,

00:37:16.920 --> 00:37:25.920
 the one God is the only God who calls us tonight to himself through the gospel.

00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:36.920
 That's such a critical part of our presentation of the gospel that we never give a hint of there being other than this only, this one God.

00:37:36.920 --> 00:37:45.920
 God, unto him, the only God, the unique God, God himself, to him be praised.

00:37:45.920 --> 00:37:51.920
 But he then says, the only God, our Savior, to him be praised.

00:37:51.920 --> 00:37:59.920
 And you see, the ability that Paul is here ascribing to God, the able to keep you from stumbling, we'll come to that in a minute.

00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:04.920
 We're just looking just now at God, who he is and what he's like and who he is.

00:38:04.920 --> 00:38:10.920
 Well, he's the only God, but he's also the Savior, our Savior, the saving God, the redeeming God.

00:38:10.920 --> 00:38:21.920
 And the keeping of God of his people is inseparably connected to God saving his people.

00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:25.920
 He keeps those he saves.

00:38:25.920 --> 00:38:32.920
 He doesn't save in a way that's potentially towards heaven.

00:38:32.920 --> 00:38:48.920
 He doesn't save in such a way that that salvation is actually in any sort of doubt from God's perspective, from God's view of it, from God's application of it, from God's side of the issue.

00:38:48.920 --> 00:38:52.920
 God, our Savior.

00:38:52.920 --> 00:38:54.920
 He doesn't save potentially.

00:38:54.920 --> 00:38:56.920
 He doesn't save partially.

00:38:56.920 --> 00:39:00.920
 He doesn't save conjointly with anyone else.

00:39:00.920 --> 00:39:01.920
 He is the Savior.

00:39:01.920 --> 00:39:18.920
 And that's one of the glories of the gospel, that God, the Savior, is presented to sinners who need that Savior, who don't need to go out with God himself to find a Savior, who calls people to himself for them to be saved.

00:39:18.920 --> 00:39:37.920
 1 Peter, you remember, chapter 1, speaks about the inheritance that God's people have been called to, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, unfading, that is kept in heaven for you.

00:39:37.920 --> 00:39:43.920
 Who are those for whom that inheritance is kept?

00:39:43.920 --> 00:39:50.920
 Well, he goes on immediately to say, kept for you who are being kept through faith.

00:39:50.920 --> 00:39:53.920
 That's what he's saying.

00:39:53.920 --> 00:40:02.920
 God's keeping of his people is with regard to an inheritance that's being kept for them in heaven.

00:40:02.920 --> 00:40:17.920
 Their security as God himself sets it out in himself and through Jesus Christ, that security is theirs in this world as they travel through it, but it's with a view to being finally in that inheritance that's kept.

00:40:17.920 --> 00:40:18.920
 He is the only God.

00:40:18.920 --> 00:40:19.920
 He is the only God.

00:40:19.920 --> 00:40:24.920
 He is the only God, our Savior.

00:40:24.920 --> 00:40:32.920
 Do you not praise him tonight for that very fact?

00:40:32.920 --> 00:40:36.920
 That there is no other God but God?

00:40:36.920 --> 00:40:43.920
 Is your worship not focused tonight on the fact that this only God is the Savior?

00:40:43.920 --> 00:40:45.920
 Indeed, your Savior surely?

00:40:45.920 --> 00:40:46.920
 Is he your Savior?

00:40:46.920 --> 00:40:54.920
 Have you come to acknowledge him and accept him and bow to him and receive him as the Savior that he is in the gospel?

00:40:54.920 --> 00:40:58.920
 Well, that's what God here is like.

00:40:58.920 --> 00:41:01.920
 Who he is, he is the only God.

00:41:01.920 --> 00:41:02.920
 He is our Savior.

00:41:02.920 --> 00:41:11.920
 A lot more we could say about that and widen it out, but I want to go on, secondly, to look at praising God for what he does or for his activity.

00:41:11.920 --> 00:41:18.920
 And that, you can say, is preservation, the keeping of his people, but also presentation.

00:41:18.920 --> 00:41:24.920
 See, again, it's to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.

00:41:24.920 --> 00:41:31.920
 He's keeping them with a view to presenting them ultimately blameless before himself.

00:41:31.920 --> 00:41:38.920
 Their security in God himself is so that they will be with God for all eternity.

00:41:38.920 --> 00:41:46.920
 A wonderful breadth of teaching and wonderful theological breadth there is in such a doxology as this.

00:41:46.920 --> 00:41:49.920
 Here is, first of all, the preservation.

00:41:49.920 --> 00:41:53.920
 Now unto him who is able to keep you from stumbling.

00:41:53.920 --> 00:42:00.920
 And that ability is something that the New Testament, as well as the Old Testament, of course, so much emphasizes for us.

00:42:00.920 --> 00:42:06.920
 Go back again to the first passage I mentioned earlier in Ephesians chapter 3.

00:42:06.920 --> 00:42:16.920
 Now unto him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work in us.

00:42:16.920 --> 00:42:17.920
 He is able.

00:42:17.920 --> 00:42:28.920
 He has that ability to keep you from stumbling, to keep you from falling away, to keep you from joining those who have defected from the faith.

00:42:28.920 --> 00:42:37.920
 And there is a combination here in these verses of three words which really together emphasize this aspect of God's ability.

00:42:37.920 --> 00:42:39.920
 There is the word able itself.

00:42:39.920 --> 00:42:43.920
 There is the word dominion in the next verse, verse 25.

00:42:43.920 --> 00:42:45.920
 And there is the word authority.

00:42:45.920 --> 00:42:47.920
 There is the power.

00:42:47.920 --> 00:42:49.920
 And there is the dominion, the strength.

00:42:49.920 --> 00:42:51.920
 And there is the authority.

00:42:51.920 --> 00:42:53.920
 See, God doesn't just keep his people.

00:42:53.920 --> 00:42:55.920
 God doesn't just rule over them.

00:42:55.920 --> 00:42:57.920
 God doesn't rule over the universe.

00:42:57.920 --> 00:43:02.920
 It's not simply that he rules over the universe and does all that he does.

00:43:02.920 --> 00:43:04.920
 He has the right to do so.

00:43:04.920 --> 00:43:07.920
 He has the authority to do so.

00:43:07.920 --> 00:43:17.920
 And this God, the only God, this God our Savior, is the God who has all the right to do what he does.

00:43:17.920 --> 00:43:29.920
 All that right, whether it's to judge, whether it's to bring salvation, whether it's in fact the right to rule, the right to keep, the right to judge, the right to save, the right to condemn.

00:43:29.920 --> 00:43:32.920
 It's all under his authority.

00:43:32.920 --> 00:43:41.920
 It's an authority that belongs to him as God, the only God, the glorious God, the great God, the saving God.

00:43:41.920 --> 00:43:48.920
 And he says, who is able to keep you from stumbling, from falling or from defecting.

00:43:48.920 --> 00:43:55.920
 Again, in the context, as we said, of the letter, you have to understand that word in that context.

00:43:55.920 --> 00:44:07.920
 False teaching, seductive ways of, the seductive ways of false teaching, the seductive ways of using human sinful appetites in order to draw people away.

00:44:07.920 --> 00:44:16.920
 It's mentioning there, Balaam, it's mentioning things from the Old Testament where you find the people of Israel defecting and being led astray.

00:44:16.920 --> 00:44:32.920
 Well, there's God, he says, to him who is able to keep you from stumbling, from going on that path, from actually being led away by those who are in error.

00:44:32.920 --> 00:44:47.920
 Now, you remember what Jesus said to Peter in Luke chapter 22, because what Jude is saying here really implies our own inability to keep ourselves from falling.

00:44:47.920 --> 00:45:02.920
 And that we need the strength of God, the strength of God, the ability of God, that we need that in order to keep us, to guard us, to make us walk safely from day to day.

00:45:02.920 --> 00:45:12.280
 Well, you remember Jesus said to Peter in Luke chapter 22, Simon, Simon, Satan has desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat.

00:45:12.340 --> 00:45:14.880
 He's talking there about the whole body of the disciples.

00:45:15.539 --> 00:45:24.740
 He's set his sights on you, Jesus is saying to Peter, so that he might sift you, that he might scatter you and cause such damage among you.

00:45:24.739 --> 00:45:33.219
 He's really lifting the curtain, the veil over eternity, Jesus himself knowing what that was, what it was like there.

00:45:33.759 --> 00:45:37.639
 But he's saying, but I prayed for you.

00:45:38.739 --> 00:45:40.159
 I prayed for you.

00:45:40.939 --> 00:45:46.219
 It's not just a present tense, although Jesus, of course, constantly was praying for his disciples,

00:45:46.759 --> 00:45:51.259
 but the way it's put there means the matter is complete by Christ himself.

00:45:51.519 --> 00:45:52.239
 He's done it.

00:45:52.239 --> 00:45:54.819
 But it's there, nothing needs to be added to it.

00:45:55.599 --> 00:45:58.719
 I prayed for you that your faith does not fail.

00:45:59.179 --> 00:46:03.559
 And when you are recovered, when you're strengthened, when you're recovered or turned round again,

00:46:04.000 --> 00:46:08.339
 thinking ahead to his lapse of denying the Lord, strengthen your brethren.

00:46:10.399 --> 00:46:15.179
 There's so much in that itself too, but without being led down a tangent,

00:46:15.959 --> 00:46:20.979
 that's what he said to Peter, Satan's desire, but I prayed for you.

00:46:22.239 --> 00:46:24.779
 See, we need the strength of God.

00:46:24.879 --> 00:46:28.699
 We need the moral suasion of Christ's intercession.

00:46:29.639 --> 00:46:31.559
 He intercedes for his people.

00:46:32.279 --> 00:46:35.679
 And as you trust in him, as you've given your life over to him,

00:46:36.059 --> 00:46:38.159
 as you believe in him and go on believing in him,

00:46:38.399 --> 00:46:43.659
 so you're under the provisions of that intercession of Jesus at the throne of God,

00:46:43.659 --> 00:46:53.139
 remembering you, constantly keeping you in view by his power, by his moral suasion and intercession.

00:46:54.219 --> 00:46:55.500
 And yet remember this too.

00:46:56.440 --> 00:47:04.799
 In 1 Peter, that same passage, in 1 Peter, where you find him saying about the inheritance kept for you

00:47:04.800 --> 00:47:10.480
 who are being kept by the power of God, but then he says through faith.

00:47:11.480 --> 00:47:14.940
 You're kept by the power of God through faith.

00:47:15.760 --> 00:47:19.519
 It's not as if there's nothing at all of an activity on our own part.

00:47:19.780 --> 00:47:24.980
 It's not an activity that actually in some way brings about a deserving of God's keeping.

00:47:24.980 --> 00:47:30.280
 It's not that we're acting conjointly in power in the sense in which God is keeping us.

00:47:30.579 --> 00:47:32.219
 But it's not without faith.

00:47:33.260 --> 00:47:35.860
 It's not without our trusting in the Lord.

00:47:36.400 --> 00:47:39.900
 It's not without our believing in the biblical sense of it.

00:47:41.539 --> 00:47:48.000
 And so it's through faith that we are kept by the power of God through faith.

00:47:48.000 --> 00:47:51.139
 The power of God is the enabling.

00:47:52.280 --> 00:48:00.820
 Through faith is the channel, if you like, or the conduit through which the power of God is at work.

00:48:01.699 --> 00:48:04.699
 He is able to keep you from falling.

00:48:04.820 --> 00:48:05.880
 Let me ask this question.

00:48:07.500 --> 00:48:11.980
 Where is your confidence tonight that you will be in heaven at last?

00:48:11.980 --> 00:48:16.240
 Where is your confidence as you look into eternity?

00:48:17.059 --> 00:48:18.500
 On what are you relying?

00:48:19.740 --> 00:48:21.340
 Are you relying on your own strength?

00:48:22.440 --> 00:48:25.179
 Are you like Peter was himself at one time saying,

00:48:25.320 --> 00:48:28.440
 Well, whoever else Lord denies you, that will never be me.

00:48:29.260 --> 00:48:33.559
 But the Lord soon showed him you cannot rely on your own ability, Peter,

00:48:33.740 --> 00:48:37.340
 to stop yourself from stumbling because you're going to give way.

00:48:38.219 --> 00:48:39.760
 You need the power of Jesus.

00:48:39.760 --> 00:48:42.240
 You need to be under the intercession of Jesus.

00:48:42.560 --> 00:48:48.080
 You need to have this Christ for yourself centrally, foundationally, basically in your life.

00:48:49.200 --> 00:48:52.480
 And if you haven't tonight given your life over to Jesus,

00:48:53.440 --> 00:48:59.100
 if you haven't positively responded to the wonderful invitation of the gospel to come to Him,

00:49:00.140 --> 00:49:04.480
 that you might have peace of mind and that you might have that safety and security in Him,

00:49:05.500 --> 00:49:08.060
 well, tonight here is again your opportunity, you see.

00:49:08.059 --> 00:49:10.420
 Isn't that why we're here?

00:49:11.340 --> 00:49:18.639
 So that we will know that God is our God, our Savior too, yours and mine,

00:49:20.039 --> 00:49:24.480
 and to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling.

00:49:24.480 --> 00:49:35.679
 But then you see it's to keep you from stumbling with a view to presenting you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy.

00:49:35.679 --> 00:49:41.159
 God keeps His people during the course of His own purpose.

00:49:41.159 --> 00:49:53.599
 And His own purpose and the end He has in view in their preservation is His presentation of them before His own or in the presence of His own glory with great joy.

00:49:53.599 --> 00:49:56.679
 Why does He keep His people in this?

00:49:56.679 --> 00:49:57.380
 What's His purpose?

00:49:57.380 --> 00:49:58.420
 What's the end in view?

00:49:58.739 --> 00:50:05.699
 It's that He will present them to Himself, that He will present them in the presence of His own glory with great joy.

00:50:05.699 --> 00:50:09.279
 And it's God who is the subject of all these verbs.

00:50:09.619 --> 00:50:11.019
 He is able to keep you.

00:50:11.339 --> 00:50:16.899
 He is keeping you with a view to presenting you blameless before the presence of His glory.

00:50:16.900 --> 00:50:25.380
 And the idea of presenting there is the same as you have in Ephesians chapter 5 of the church, of God's people.

00:50:25.500 --> 00:50:38.019
 The church there pictured as the bride of Christ in order that she finally be presented before God Himself spotless, without any defect.

00:50:39.400 --> 00:50:44.059
 God is sanctifying her throughout the course of their life in this world.

00:50:44.059 --> 00:50:52.019
 In order to present them, to present her as His bride, finally blameless and spotless before Himself.

00:50:53.320 --> 00:51:01.460
 And that's what He's saying here as well, to display these people that He has kept in this world,

00:51:02.279 --> 00:51:10.960
 so that they be presented, that they be established, that they be set out by a right that God has given them as His people, as His children,

00:51:10.960 --> 00:51:16.179
 to actually appear before Him blameless or faultless.

00:51:17.440 --> 00:51:25.519
 And faultless is a word that's again used of the Lord Jesus Christ in 1 Peter 1 and verse 19.

00:51:25.960 --> 00:51:34.260
 The Lamb that is spotless, the blood of the spotless Lamb of God by which we are saved.

00:51:34.260 --> 00:51:41.700
 And that word, of course, means that we come to be examined, just as Jesus was examined,

00:51:42.840 --> 00:51:47.020
 and examined not just by the likes of Herod, who found no fault in Him,

00:51:47.880 --> 00:51:52.760
 examined by the religious authorities at the time, who couldn't find any fault in Him.

00:51:54.000 --> 00:51:56.980
 Remember, He was examined by God too.

00:51:56.980 --> 00:52:01.780
 He needed to fit the requirements of God Himself,

00:52:02.780 --> 00:52:07.639
 to be Himself the spotless Lamb who would bear the sin of His people.

00:52:11.199 --> 00:52:16.240
 And that's something that is built into the very idea that you have here,

00:52:16.340 --> 00:52:18.460
 to present you blameless,

00:52:18.920 --> 00:52:21.599
 to present you after examination, after judgment,

00:52:21.599 --> 00:52:26.179
 blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy.

00:52:28.339 --> 00:52:29.460
 Faultless, blameless.

00:52:31.059 --> 00:52:36.139
 It's, you know, if you go to, I don't know if it's still there or not,

00:52:36.199 --> 00:52:38.599
 I presume it is, the Cateness Glass Factory,

00:52:39.360 --> 00:52:40.719
 just outside of Perth,

00:52:41.339 --> 00:52:43.960
 where they produce all these wonderful glass objects.

00:52:44.759 --> 00:52:46.659
 You can go in there, or used to be able to at least,

00:52:46.739 --> 00:52:48.519
 and go and see them manufacturing them.

00:52:48.519 --> 00:52:53.960
 You can see the person taking the blob of glass on the end of a long rod,

00:52:54.420 --> 00:52:57.079
 sticking it into the oven, heating it up, taking it out,

00:52:57.559 --> 00:53:00.280
 shaping it, and then putting it into a bucket of water,

00:53:00.420 --> 00:53:02.099
 and shaping it again back into the oven.

00:53:02.219 --> 00:53:03.900
 It goes, out it comes.

00:53:04.119 --> 00:53:06.719
 He changes the shape of it, perhaps.

00:53:06.940 --> 00:53:08.420
 He's got an end in view, you see.

00:53:08.460 --> 00:53:10.219
 He knows exactly what he wants to do with it.

00:53:10.539 --> 00:53:12.800
 He knows what it should look like at the end of the process.

00:53:13.400 --> 00:53:16.320
 So he puts it through all of these different processes.

00:53:16.320 --> 00:53:19.200
 And then when he's finished, that part of it goes to somebody else,

00:53:19.580 --> 00:53:22.900
 and that person applies some sort of substance to it

00:53:22.900 --> 00:53:25.400
 to make it shiny and perfectly smooth.

00:53:26.140 --> 00:53:29.760
 But at the end of it all, it goes into the workshop.

00:53:30.480 --> 00:53:34.120
 From the workshop, rather, it goes into the showroom.

00:53:35.860 --> 00:53:38.780
 That's really the process that God takes His people through.

00:53:39.640 --> 00:53:41.240
 This world is the workshop.

00:53:41.239 --> 00:53:47.139
 This is where we have all of the experiences that hone and that develop us

00:53:47.139 --> 00:53:50.619
 into the kind of people that God ultimately intends us to be.

00:53:51.319 --> 00:53:53.559
 This is God's own work of sanctification.

00:53:54.399 --> 00:53:57.559
 This is where He actually brings us through all of the different experiences

00:53:57.559 --> 00:53:59.959
 we need to go through as He sees our need.

00:54:01.000 --> 00:54:03.539
 And whatever they are, sometimes they're the most joyous things.

00:54:04.119 --> 00:54:07.319
 Sometimes they're the most bitter, the most painful, the most challenging.

00:54:07.320 --> 00:54:10.960
 But they all fit together in the workshop.

00:54:11.940 --> 00:54:15.920
 They all fit together in God's way of developing the lives of His people.

00:54:16.720 --> 00:54:18.360
 Because He has an end in view.

00:54:19.820 --> 00:54:23.220
 And that end in view is the showroom.

00:54:24.539 --> 00:54:29.039
 I read sometime of another place similar to the Cateness Glass Factory,

00:54:29.800 --> 00:54:33.000
 where there was a sign as you went in towards the place

00:54:33.000 --> 00:54:35.199
 where these precious objects were made.

00:54:36.340 --> 00:54:37.360
 And the sign said,

00:54:38.340 --> 00:54:43.639
 Workshop downstairs, showroom upstairs.

00:54:44.719 --> 00:54:46.780
 You could go down to see the workshop,

00:54:47.199 --> 00:54:50.480
 but then to see the finished objects shining brilliantly

00:54:50.480 --> 00:54:52.300
 in the lights of the showroom,

00:54:52.360 --> 00:54:54.360
 you had to go upstairs to see that.

00:54:54.440 --> 00:54:55.699
 That's how it is with God.

00:54:56.480 --> 00:54:57.420
 This is the workshop.

00:54:57.559 --> 00:55:00.260
 This is where He's busy sanctifying His people,

00:55:00.260 --> 00:55:04.700
 cutting bits off their lives that He knows they need to have cut off.

00:55:05.100 --> 00:55:07.020
 Things that they experience which are difficult,

00:55:07.380 --> 00:55:09.800
 but it's in order to actually prepare them for this,

00:55:10.200 --> 00:55:13.620
 for the presence of His glory with great joy.

00:55:16.460 --> 00:55:18.200
 It's very difficult sometimes

00:55:18.200 --> 00:55:25.740
 to think of the trials and afflictions of this life as beneficial.

00:55:25.739 --> 00:55:30.479
 It's easy enough to stand in a pulpit relatively

00:55:30.479 --> 00:55:32.479
 and say this is what the Bible teaches.

00:55:33.759 --> 00:55:35.859
 But many of you will know how difficult it is

00:55:35.859 --> 00:55:37.899
 at that moment of affliction,

00:55:38.500 --> 00:55:39.779
 in the moment of the trial,

00:55:40.119 --> 00:55:41.039
 in the heat of the trial,

00:55:41.099 --> 00:55:43.419
 to say, I know that this is for my good,

00:55:43.479 --> 00:55:44.639
 therefore I'm happy with it.

00:55:45.139 --> 00:55:46.179
 It doesn't work like that.

00:55:46.339 --> 00:55:47.179
 It pains you.

00:55:47.859 --> 00:55:49.279
 It bewilders you sometimes.

00:55:50.239 --> 00:55:51.359
 Sometimes you ask the questions,

00:55:51.459 --> 00:55:52.199
 What's happening, Lord?

00:55:52.279 --> 00:55:53.619
 Why is this the case?

00:55:53.619 --> 00:55:55.619
 Or in the way of the psalmist,

00:55:55.839 --> 00:55:57.319
 How long will you forget me, Lord?

00:55:57.400 --> 00:55:58.219
 Shall it be forever?

00:55:59.619 --> 00:56:01.259
 Honest, searching questions

00:56:01.259 --> 00:56:04.279
 that God does not deny us.

00:56:05.599 --> 00:56:07.739
 But at the end of the day,

00:56:08.259 --> 00:56:10.059
 it's all God's own work.

00:56:11.319 --> 00:56:13.460
 It's God's own sanctifying process

00:56:13.460 --> 00:56:15.279
 that He puts us through.

00:56:15.280 --> 00:56:16.980
 And at the end of the day,

00:56:17.560 --> 00:56:19.720
 it is indeed a great privilege

00:56:19.720 --> 00:56:21.300
 to be in the hands of God,

00:56:21.980 --> 00:56:24.220
 the expert craftsman,

00:56:25.300 --> 00:56:27.680
 the one who takes the ugly blob

00:56:27.680 --> 00:56:30.860
 of sinful glass that we are

00:56:30.860 --> 00:56:33.620
 and through various processes

00:56:33.620 --> 00:56:39.100
 shapes it into that final glorious vessel

00:56:39.100 --> 00:56:40.500
 in heaven

00:56:40.500 --> 00:56:43.739
 that along with all the other glorified ones

00:56:43.739 --> 00:56:46.340
 will shine forevermore

00:56:46.340 --> 00:56:48.139
 to His praise.

00:56:49.460 --> 00:56:50.920
 And there will be, I believe,

00:56:52.179 --> 00:56:54.039
 a note in the praises of heaven

00:56:54.039 --> 00:56:56.739
 on the part of all His people,

00:56:57.860 --> 00:56:59.199
 a note of thanksgiving

00:56:59.199 --> 00:57:01.400
 for what they went through

00:57:01.400 --> 00:57:02.619
 in the workshop below.

00:57:03.760 --> 00:57:05.219
 It's then we'll understand it

00:57:05.219 --> 00:57:07.519
 as we cannot understand it now.

00:57:08.679 --> 00:57:09.879
 But it's so important

00:57:09.879 --> 00:57:12.980
 that it is He who is able to keep us,

00:57:14.139 --> 00:57:15.139
 that He's keeping us

00:57:15.139 --> 00:57:16.919
 with a view to presenting us

00:57:16.919 --> 00:57:19.319
 blameless, faultless, pure

00:57:19.319 --> 00:57:21.500
 before the presence of His glory

00:57:21.500 --> 00:57:22.839
 with great joy.

00:57:22.919 --> 00:57:23.439
 And these words,

00:57:23.919 --> 00:57:25.859
 the presence of His glory,

00:57:26.459 --> 00:57:27.480
 are words that are used

00:57:27.480 --> 00:57:29.000
 only of God in the Bible.

00:57:29.959 --> 00:57:31.559
 And they're used of God in the Bible

00:57:31.559 --> 00:57:33.259
 not very often,

00:57:33.260 --> 00:57:35.120
 but it's a word

00:57:35.120 --> 00:57:36.700
 that is always accompanied

00:57:36.700 --> 00:57:37.740
 such as it is here

00:57:37.740 --> 00:57:39.280
 with a word meaning

00:57:39.280 --> 00:57:41.020
 blamelessness or perfection.

00:57:42.820 --> 00:57:43.420
 Blameless

00:57:43.420 --> 00:57:45.780
 and this presence of God

00:57:45.780 --> 00:57:46.500
 go together.

00:57:47.200 --> 00:57:47.820
 And it means

00:57:47.820 --> 00:57:50.740
 right in the presence of God.

00:57:50.900 --> 00:57:51.440
 It doesn't mean

00:57:51.440 --> 00:57:52.960
 somewhere on the fringes

00:57:52.960 --> 00:57:54.640
 where you can hardly see things,

00:57:54.760 --> 00:57:56.260
 where God really can hardly

00:57:56.260 --> 00:57:57.340
 be noticed by you.

00:57:57.600 --> 00:57:58.400
 He's talking about

00:57:58.400 --> 00:58:00.560
 this final state of God's people

00:58:00.560 --> 00:58:01.320
 of heaven.

00:58:01.460 --> 00:58:01.780
 He's saying,

00:58:01.780 --> 00:58:03.500
 this is what God has in view

00:58:03.500 --> 00:58:04.140
 for His people.

00:58:04.400 --> 00:58:05.660
 This is why He is keeping you.

00:58:05.860 --> 00:58:07.080
 This is why you've got

00:58:07.080 --> 00:58:08.140
 His protective care.

00:58:08.340 --> 00:58:09.019
 This is why you're going

00:58:09.019 --> 00:58:10.360
 through the sanctifying process

00:58:10.360 --> 00:58:11.460
 of this world.

00:58:12.320 --> 00:58:13.660
 Because He has in view

00:58:13.660 --> 00:58:15.700
 presenting you to Himself,

00:58:16.180 --> 00:58:17.700
 presenting you blameless

00:58:17.700 --> 00:58:19.620
 before the presence

00:58:19.620 --> 00:58:20.560
 of His glory.

00:58:21.519 --> 00:58:23.600
 Right there in His presence.

00:58:23.599 --> 00:58:28.539
 as near as you can get to God,

00:58:29.059 --> 00:58:31.299
 as you are in Christ.

00:58:32.759 --> 00:58:34.119
 And that's what He's saying

00:58:34.119 --> 00:58:37.920
 is the destiny of God's people.

00:58:39.199 --> 00:58:40.059
 And He's saying,

00:58:40.739 --> 00:58:42.819
 with great joy.

00:58:45.219 --> 00:58:46.480
 With great joy.

00:58:47.380 --> 00:58:48.380
 It's a word again

00:58:48.380 --> 00:58:49.059
 in the New Testament

00:58:49.059 --> 00:58:49.739
 which means,

00:58:49.920 --> 00:58:51.400
 just as it's described there

00:58:51.400 --> 00:58:52.840
 and translated there,

00:58:53.059 --> 00:58:54.059
 great joy,

00:58:54.380 --> 00:58:55.680
 exultant joy.

00:58:56.619 --> 00:58:58.019
 Not a tiny fragment of joy,

00:58:58.380 --> 00:58:59.380
 but great joy.

00:59:00.119 --> 00:59:00.380
 In fact,

00:59:00.420 --> 00:59:00.920
 it's used

00:59:00.920 --> 00:59:02.240
 even in describing

00:59:02.240 --> 00:59:03.320
 for God's people

00:59:03.320 --> 00:59:04.160
 something of what they

00:59:04.160 --> 00:59:05.720
 experience in this life.

00:59:06.280 --> 00:59:06.579
 Remember,

00:59:06.840 --> 00:59:07.220
 again,

00:59:07.340 --> 00:59:07.940
 1 Peter,

00:59:08.519 --> 00:59:09.400
 where he talks there

00:59:09.400 --> 00:59:11.180
 about being in heaviness

00:59:11.180 --> 00:59:13.340
 through various temptations.

00:59:14.019 --> 00:59:14.480
 Again,

00:59:14.559 --> 00:59:15.320
 where he's describing

00:59:15.320 --> 00:59:17.019
 their current situation.

00:59:17.019 --> 00:59:19.920
 and speaking there

00:59:19.920 --> 00:59:22.420
 of how they presently rejoice,

00:59:22.559 --> 00:59:23.380
 even though that is

00:59:23.380 --> 00:59:24.900
 their present situation.

00:59:25.039 --> 00:59:25.539
 Let me remind you

00:59:25.539 --> 00:59:26.079
 of what he says.

00:59:26.679 --> 00:59:27.719
 Blessed be the God

00:59:27.719 --> 00:59:28.159
 and Father

00:59:28.159 --> 00:59:29.880
 of our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:59:29.980 --> 00:59:30.599
 He has caused us

00:59:30.599 --> 00:59:31.519
 to be born again

00:59:31.519 --> 00:59:32.500
 to an inheritance

00:59:32.500 --> 00:59:33.599
 that is imperishable,

00:59:34.019 --> 00:59:34.579
 undefiled,

00:59:34.759 --> 00:59:35.300
 unfading,

00:59:35.519 --> 00:59:36.679
 kept in heaven for you,

00:59:37.119 --> 00:59:38.139
 who by God's power

00:59:38.139 --> 00:59:39.059
 are being guarded

00:59:39.059 --> 00:59:39.900
 through faith

00:59:39.900 --> 00:59:41.079
 for a salvation

00:59:41.079 --> 00:59:42.000
 ready to be revealed

00:59:42.000 --> 00:59:42.659
 in the last time.

00:59:42.780 --> 00:59:43.360
 In this,

00:59:43.639 --> 00:59:44.599
 you rejoice.

00:59:44.599 --> 00:59:46.119
 He's not saying

00:59:46.119 --> 00:59:47.019
 you will rejoice.

00:59:47.420 --> 00:59:48.319
 He's talking there

00:59:48.319 --> 00:59:48.940
 to a people

00:59:48.940 --> 00:59:50.159
 that He's writing to

00:59:50.159 --> 00:59:51.219
 in this first letter

00:59:51.219 --> 00:59:51.699
 of Peter.

00:59:52.219 --> 00:59:52.880
 They're suffering.

00:59:53.299 --> 00:59:54.159
 They're being persecuted.

00:59:54.559 --> 00:59:55.699
 They're really in pain.

00:59:57.219 --> 00:59:58.099
 But He's saying

00:59:58.099 --> 00:59:58.860
 you rejoice.

01:00:00.239 --> 01:00:01.500
 You are rejoicing.

01:00:01.619 --> 01:00:03.179
 You have this great exaltation.

01:00:03.699 --> 01:00:05.039
 How can that possibly be?

01:00:06.000 --> 01:00:06.920
 Well, it's rejoicing,

01:00:07.000 --> 01:00:07.239
 He says,

01:00:07.279 --> 01:00:07.860
 with joy

01:00:07.860 --> 01:00:10.900
 that is unspeakable,

01:00:12.039 --> 01:00:12.880
 joy that is

01:00:12.880 --> 01:00:16.800
 so that

01:00:16.800 --> 01:00:18.240
 what He's saying there,

01:00:18.660 --> 01:00:19.820
 being guarded

01:00:19.820 --> 01:00:21.059
 through faith.

01:00:21.619 --> 01:00:21.880
 In this,

01:00:21.960 --> 01:00:22.640
 you rejoice

01:00:22.640 --> 01:00:24.400
 though you have been grieved

01:00:24.400 --> 01:00:26.039
 by various temptations.

01:00:27.000 --> 01:00:28.420
 And the rejoicing you have

01:00:28.420 --> 01:00:29.559
 is you rejoice

01:00:29.559 --> 01:00:31.480
 though you don't see Christ

01:00:31.480 --> 01:00:32.519
 now you believe in Him.

01:00:33.140 --> 01:00:33.760
 And believing,

01:00:33.900 --> 01:00:35.099
 you rejoice with joy

01:00:35.099 --> 01:00:36.220
 that is inexpressible

01:00:36.220 --> 01:00:38.640
 and filled with glory.

01:00:40.079 --> 01:00:40.280
 You see,

01:00:40.280 --> 01:00:42.019
 the joy that God's people

01:00:42.019 --> 01:00:43.180
 have in this world,

01:00:43.780 --> 01:00:45.260
 even in this world,

01:00:45.300 --> 01:00:46.019
 it's not a joy

01:00:46.019 --> 01:00:47.620
 that's just a frothy thing

01:00:47.620 --> 01:00:48.600
 that then disappears,

01:00:48.700 --> 01:00:49.960
 the first puff of temptation

01:00:49.960 --> 01:00:50.820
 that comes along.

01:00:52.100 --> 01:00:53.240
 It's actually a joy

01:00:53.240 --> 01:00:53.860
 that belongs

01:00:53.860 --> 01:00:54.740
 to their eternity.

01:00:55.860 --> 01:00:56.600
 It's a joy

01:00:56.600 --> 01:00:58.000
 that belongs to heaven

01:00:58.000 --> 01:00:58.880
 even though

01:00:58.880 --> 01:01:00.260
 it's not yet perfect

01:01:00.260 --> 01:01:01.040
 by any means

01:01:01.040 --> 01:01:02.180
 as it will be in heaven.

01:01:02.840 --> 01:01:03.660
 Because it's the joy

01:01:03.660 --> 01:01:04.400
 of the saved.

01:01:04.960 --> 01:01:05.540
 It's the joy

01:01:05.540 --> 01:01:06.340
 of the redeemed.

01:01:06.940 --> 01:01:07.460
 It's the joy

01:01:07.460 --> 01:01:08.900
 of God's kept people.

01:01:09.539 --> 01:01:10.000
 It's the joy

01:01:10.000 --> 01:01:10.480
 of people

01:01:10.480 --> 01:01:11.320
 who have hope

01:01:11.320 --> 01:01:12.460
 that this is the outcome

01:01:12.460 --> 01:01:13.699
 of their journey

01:01:13.699 --> 01:01:14.460
 through life.

01:01:16.360 --> 01:01:17.179
 You rejoice

01:01:17.179 --> 01:01:18.579
 with joy inexpressible

01:01:18.579 --> 01:01:20.360
 and full of glory.

01:01:21.380 --> 01:01:21.900
 And of course,

01:01:21.980 --> 01:01:22.300
 you see,

01:01:22.720 --> 01:01:23.740
 in Revelation itself,

01:01:23.860 --> 01:01:24.740
 the last two chapters,

01:01:25.000 --> 01:01:25.840
 and I'm just about finished

01:01:25.840 --> 01:01:26.260
 with this,

01:01:27.659 --> 01:01:28.320
 where he's saying

01:01:28.320 --> 01:01:30.119
 about heaven,

01:01:30.199 --> 01:01:30.679
 what he saw,

01:01:30.760 --> 01:01:31.260
 the new heaven

01:01:31.260 --> 01:01:32.099
 and the new earth.

01:01:32.940 --> 01:01:34.300
 And behold,

01:01:34.380 --> 01:01:35.039
 the dwelling place

01:01:35.039 --> 01:01:36.059
 of God is with man.

01:01:36.059 --> 01:01:37.059
 He will dwell with them.

01:01:37.719 --> 01:01:39.199
 He himself will be with them

01:01:39.199 --> 01:01:39.840
 as their God.

01:01:39.940 --> 01:01:40.059
 You see,

01:01:40.119 --> 01:01:41.320
 the presence of his glory.

01:01:42.119 --> 01:01:43.159
 He will wipe away

01:01:43.159 --> 01:01:44.559
 every tear from their eyes

01:01:44.559 --> 01:01:46.820
 and death shall be no more.

01:01:47.279 --> 01:01:48.440
 Neither shall there be mourning

01:01:48.440 --> 01:01:49.259
 nor crying

01:01:49.259 --> 01:01:50.340
 nor pain anymore

01:01:50.340 --> 01:01:51.719
 for the former things

01:01:51.719 --> 01:01:52.420
 have passed away.

01:01:52.500 --> 01:01:53.480
 The same in the next chapter,

01:01:53.599 --> 01:01:54.779
 the final chapter of the Bible.

01:01:55.420 --> 01:01:56.320
 They will see his face.

01:01:56.440 --> 01:01:57.039
 His name will be

01:01:57.039 --> 01:01:57.799
 in their foreheads.

01:01:58.219 --> 01:01:59.299
 Night will be no more.

01:01:59.380 --> 01:02:00.340
 They will need no light

01:02:00.340 --> 01:02:01.480
 of lamp or sun

01:02:01.480 --> 01:02:04.159
 for the Lord God

01:02:04.159 --> 01:02:05.259
 will be their light

01:02:05.260 --> 01:02:06.080
 and they will reign

01:02:06.080 --> 01:02:08.300
 forever and ever.

01:02:09.900 --> 01:02:10.180
 You see,

01:02:10.220 --> 01:02:11.100
 heaven is described

01:02:11.100 --> 01:02:12.980
 by what is not there

01:02:12.980 --> 01:02:15.000
 so that we can appreciate

01:02:15.000 --> 01:02:16.520
 something of what it must be like.

01:02:17.420 --> 01:02:18.520
 There's no crying,

01:02:19.080 --> 01:02:19.740
 no pain,

01:02:20.260 --> 01:02:21.240
 no source of sorrow,

01:02:21.520 --> 01:02:22.120
 no death,

01:02:22.800 --> 01:02:24.500
 nothing at all

01:02:24.500 --> 01:02:25.600
 as characterizes

01:02:25.600 --> 01:02:27.200
 the pains and trials

01:02:27.200 --> 01:02:28.120
 of this life.

01:02:28.119 --> 01:02:29.119
 joy.

01:02:29.119 --> 01:02:31.319
 And that's the joy

01:02:31.319 --> 01:02:31.980
 that's begun

01:02:31.980 --> 01:02:32.659
 in your heart

01:02:32.659 --> 01:02:34.880
 as you're a Christian

01:02:34.880 --> 01:02:35.960
 tonight in Christ.

01:02:36.679 --> 01:02:38.279
 That joy has begun.

01:02:39.599 --> 01:02:40.819
 And not all the

01:02:40.819 --> 01:02:42.839
 waves and the billows

01:02:42.839 --> 01:02:43.699
 of your afflictions

01:02:43.699 --> 01:02:44.559
 throughout this life

01:02:44.559 --> 01:02:46.219
 can actually destroy

01:02:46.219 --> 01:02:47.000
 that joy.

01:02:47.179 --> 01:02:47.980
 Sometimes it may not

01:02:47.980 --> 01:02:49.079
 be obvious to yourself,

01:02:49.799 --> 01:02:51.159
 but in principle

01:02:51.159 --> 01:02:52.420
 that is what it is.

01:02:52.420 --> 01:02:53.960
 And God

01:02:53.960 --> 01:02:55.400
 is keeping you

01:02:55.400 --> 01:02:57.680
 so that He will

01:02:57.680 --> 01:02:58.860
 present you to Himself,

01:02:59.019 --> 01:02:59.780
 that He present you

01:02:59.780 --> 01:03:00.260
 blameless

01:03:00.260 --> 01:03:01.980
 before the presence

01:03:01.980 --> 01:03:02.599
 of His glory

01:03:02.599 --> 01:03:03.480
 with great joy

01:03:03.480 --> 01:03:06.019
 to the only wise God,

01:03:06.079 --> 01:03:06.760
 to the only God

01:03:06.760 --> 01:03:07.280
 our Savior,

01:03:07.480 --> 01:03:07.680
 be

01:03:07.680 --> 01:03:09.280
 this glory

01:03:09.280 --> 01:03:09.880
 and majesty,

01:03:10.059 --> 01:03:10.380
 dominion

01:03:10.380 --> 01:03:10.920
 and authority

01:03:10.920 --> 01:03:12.500
 before all time,

01:03:12.579 --> 01:03:13.280
 now and forever.

01:03:14.639 --> 01:03:15.260
 But then there are

01:03:15.260 --> 01:03:15.920
 a few more words

01:03:15.920 --> 01:03:17.240
 we've just left out

01:03:17.240 --> 01:03:18.460
 deliberately.

01:03:18.460 --> 01:03:21.099
 the words,

01:03:21.300 --> 01:03:22.320
 through Jesus Christ,

01:03:22.420 --> 01:03:22.920
 O Lord.

01:03:24.920 --> 01:03:26.099
 And they're crucial

01:03:26.099 --> 01:03:27.940
 in the whole context

01:03:27.940 --> 01:03:28.559
 of the verses.

01:03:29.960 --> 01:03:30.539
 To Him

01:03:30.539 --> 01:03:31.880
 be praise

01:03:31.880 --> 01:03:32.420
 and glory

01:03:32.420 --> 01:03:33.400
 and majesty

01:03:33.400 --> 01:03:34.460
 and dominion

01:03:34.460 --> 01:03:35.039
 and authority

01:03:35.039 --> 01:03:37.579
 through Jesus Christ,

01:03:37.740 --> 01:03:38.240
 O Lord.

01:03:39.019 --> 01:03:39.579
 Because you see,

01:03:39.639 --> 01:03:41.380
 Jesus is absolutely

01:03:41.380 --> 01:03:42.840
 central to the worship

01:03:42.840 --> 01:03:43.480
 of His people,

01:03:43.559 --> 01:03:44.559
 to the worship of heaven,

01:03:45.260 --> 01:03:46.059
 to the ascriptions

01:03:46.059 --> 01:03:46.920
 of praise

01:03:46.920 --> 01:03:47.880
 given to God.

01:03:48.460 --> 01:03:49.880
 through Jesus Christ,

01:03:50.320 --> 01:03:51.240
 because of Him,

01:03:51.619 --> 01:03:52.320
 through Him,

01:03:53.440 --> 01:03:54.400
 on account of Him.

01:03:56.099 --> 01:03:56.740
 And tonight,

01:03:57.400 --> 01:03:59.139
 I hope that you can say

01:03:59.139 --> 01:03:59.960
 that that is true

01:03:59.960 --> 01:04:02.220
 in your own personal experience

01:04:02.220 --> 01:04:03.119
 and life as well.

01:04:04.699 --> 01:04:05.760
 That it is

01:04:05.760 --> 01:04:07.599
 praise to this God

01:04:07.599 --> 01:04:09.599
 through Jesus Christ

01:04:09.599 --> 01:04:10.139
 for you.

01:04:10.139 --> 01:04:12.719
 that He is

01:04:12.719 --> 01:04:15.119
 your Savior too.

01:04:16.119 --> 01:04:16.960
 And that as He is

01:04:16.960 --> 01:04:17.619
 your Savior,

01:04:18.359 --> 01:04:19.199
 so you have this

01:04:19.199 --> 01:04:20.239
 great hope in Him

01:04:20.239 --> 01:04:22.739
 that not death,

01:04:23.400 --> 01:04:24.159
 not the devil,

01:04:25.000 --> 01:04:26.339
 not anything in this world

01:04:26.339 --> 01:04:29.099
 can deprive you of.

01:04:29.779 --> 01:04:30.319
 Let's pray.

01:04:30.320 --> 01:04:33.980
 Gracious God,

01:04:34.100 --> 01:04:35.180
 we give thanks tonight

01:04:35.180 --> 01:04:35.760
 that you are

01:04:35.760 --> 01:04:36.539
 the only God,

01:04:37.500 --> 01:04:37.900
 that you are

01:04:37.900 --> 01:04:39.140
 the Savior of your people,

01:04:40.100 --> 01:04:41.160
 and that in your salvation

01:04:41.160 --> 01:04:42.300
 you place your people

01:04:42.300 --> 01:04:42.900
 securely

01:04:42.900 --> 01:04:44.140
 with a view

01:04:44.140 --> 01:04:45.000
 to presenting them

01:04:45.000 --> 01:04:46.200
 to yourself at last,

01:04:47.000 --> 01:04:47.960
 where there will be

01:04:47.960 --> 01:04:48.660
 no pain

01:04:48.660 --> 01:04:49.940
 and no need

01:04:49.940 --> 01:04:50.640
 of temptation

01:04:50.640 --> 01:04:51.320
 or trial,

01:04:52.059 --> 01:04:53.400
 and where they will reign

01:04:53.400 --> 01:04:54.500
 with their Lord

01:04:54.500 --> 01:04:55.300
 forever and ever.

01:04:55.300 --> 01:04:57.140
 We thank you,

01:04:57.220 --> 01:04:57.300
 Lord,

01:04:57.360 --> 01:04:58.400
 for that great prospect

01:04:58.400 --> 01:05:00.120
 and for the fact

01:05:00.120 --> 01:05:00.940
 that it is real

01:05:00.940 --> 01:05:01.660
 to your people.

01:05:02.640 --> 01:05:03.440
 It is not something

01:05:03.440 --> 01:05:04.039
 that we have

01:05:04.039 --> 01:05:05.240
 invented ourselves,

01:05:05.380 --> 01:05:05.760
 O Lord.

01:05:06.620 --> 01:05:07.140
 It is something

01:05:07.140 --> 01:05:07.720
 that comes

01:05:07.720 --> 01:05:08.280
 through the grace

01:05:08.280 --> 01:05:08.980
 of your Spirit

01:05:08.980 --> 01:05:10.180
 to be planted

01:05:10.180 --> 01:05:10.940
 in our hearts.

01:05:11.100 --> 01:05:11.560
 Bless us,

01:05:11.640 --> 01:05:12.039
 each one,

01:05:12.120 --> 01:05:12.460
 we pray,

01:05:13.160 --> 01:05:13.960
 with that faith,

01:05:14.060 --> 01:05:14.740
 with that hope

01:05:14.740 --> 01:05:16.160
 that would look forward

01:05:16.160 --> 01:05:17.420
 at last to being presented

01:05:17.420 --> 01:05:18.680
 in the presence

01:05:18.680 --> 01:05:20.140
 of your glory

01:05:20.140 --> 01:05:21.820
 with great joy.

01:05:22.460 --> 01:05:23.360
 For Jesus' sake.

01:05:23.500 --> 01:05:23.760
 Amen.

01:05:25.300 --> 01:05:27.300
 Now we're going

01:05:27.300 --> 01:05:27.700
 to conclude

01:05:27.700 --> 01:05:28.280
 by singing

01:05:28.280 --> 01:05:28.980
 to God's praise

01:05:28.980 --> 01:05:30.180
 in Psalm 121,

01:05:30.519 --> 01:05:32.100
 121.

01:05:34.120 --> 01:05:34.760
 Tune is

01:05:34.760 --> 01:05:35.620
 The Base of Harris,

01:05:35.760 --> 01:05:38.019
 that's in page 416.

01:05:40.320 --> 01:05:41.200
 1-2-1

01:05:41.200 --> 01:05:42.120
 in the Scottish Psalter.

01:05:42.180 --> 01:05:42.780
 I to the hills

01:05:42.780 --> 01:05:43.840
 will lift mine eyes,

01:05:44.420 --> 01:05:45.260
 from whence doth come

01:05:45.260 --> 01:05:45.800
 my aid,

01:05:45.860 --> 01:05:46.800
 my safety cometh

01:05:46.800 --> 01:05:47.500
 from the Lord,

01:05:48.060 --> 01:05:49.260
 who heaven and earth

01:05:49.260 --> 01:05:50.120
 have made.

01:05:50.200 --> 01:05:50.760
 Through to the end

01:05:50.760 --> 01:05:51.160
 of the Psalm,

01:05:51.220 --> 01:05:52.220
 the Lord shall keep

01:05:52.220 --> 01:05:52.800
 thy soul,

01:05:53.519 --> 01:05:54.300
 he shall preserve

01:05:54.300 --> 01:05:55.200
 preserve thee

01:05:55.200 --> 01:05:55.900
 from all ill.

01:05:56.620 --> 01:05:57.160
 Henceforth,

01:05:57.280 --> 01:05:58.000
 thy going out

01:05:58.000 --> 01:05:59.180
 and in God keep

01:05:59.180 --> 01:06:01.060
 forever will.

01:06:01.180 --> 01:06:01.960
 Psalm 121,

01:06:02.019 --> 01:06:02.519
 in conclusion.

01:06:02.519 --> 01:06:12.300
 I to the hills

01:06:12.300 --> 01:06:17.039
 will lift my eyes,

01:06:17.039 --> 01:06:22.000
 from whence doth come

01:06:22.000 --> 01:06:24.739
 my name.

01:06:24.739 --> 01:06:29.739
 my safety cometh

01:06:29.739 --> 01:06:30.059
 come,

01:06:30.059 --> 01:06:34.539
 from the Lord,

01:06:34.539 --> 01:06:39.319
 who heaven and earth

01:06:39.319 --> 01:06:42.119
 have made.

01:06:42.119 --> 01:06:45.819
 Thy fruit

01:06:45.820 --> 01:06:49.300
 till not let's

01:06:49.300 --> 01:06:52.860
 die nor will

01:06:52.860 --> 01:06:56.059
 this number

01:06:56.059 --> 01:07:01.100
 that he keeps.

01:07:01.100 --> 01:07:05.059
 Behold thee,

01:07:05.140 --> 01:07:06.360
 God,

01:07:06.559 --> 01:07:10.039
 this Israel,

01:07:10.039 --> 01:07:17.579
 his whose springs

01:07:17.579 --> 01:07:17.860
 be.

01:07:17.860 --> 01:07:18.980
 The Lord孩

01:07:18.980 --> 01:07:19.139
 is

01:07:19.139 --> 01:07:32.279
 not

01:07:32.279 --> 01:07:32.699
 wanderin',

01:07:32.699 --> 01:07:34.099
 the Lord

01:07:34.099 --> 01:07:34.920
 I show

01:07:34.920 --> 01:08:04.900
 The Lord shall keep thy soul.

01:08:04.920 --> 01:08:32.359
 The Lord shall bless the earth, thee from all ill, and forth thy holy night and in God keep forever will.

01:08:32.359 --> 01:08:33.359
 Amen.

01:08:34.019 --> 01:08:36.139
 I'll go to the main door after the benediction.

01:08:38.239 --> 01:08:45.539
 Now unto him who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us before the presence of his glory with great joy,

01:08:46.219 --> 01:08:53.939
 to the only God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and authority, now and evermore.

01:08:54.619 --> 01:08:54.899
 Amen.

01:08:54.899 --> 01:08:58.019
 Amen.

01:08:58.020 --> 01:09:28.000
 Thank you.