Well, let's begin our worship this morning by singing to God's praise in Psalm 1a.
We're singing the Sing Psalms version, Psalm 1a, page 1 of the Psalm books.
Blessed is the one who turns away from where the wicked walk, who does not stand in sinners' paths, or sit with those who mock.
We'll sing the whole of this Psalm to God's praise, and we stand to sing.
Blessed is the one who turns away from where the wicked walk,
who does not stand in sinners' paths, or sit with those who mock.
Instead he finds God's holy law, his joy and great delight.
He makes the peace of the Lord, his study day and night.
He prospers ever high, a tree that's planted by a stream.
And then to season yields its fruit, its leaves are always green.
Not so their wicked they are like their chaff that's blown away.
They will not stand when judgment comes, or when the righteous stay.
It is the Lord who sees and knows the way the righteous fall.
But those who live an evil life, the Lord will overthrow.
I will come to God in prayer. Let us pray.
Our Father in heaven, as we give you thanks anew today for the blessing that is ours,
and coming to gather us your people and worship your name.
We thank you that there is a reminder in these words that we have sung,
that we are blessed as we come around your word.
We are blessed as we do as your word says, and do not turn away from it.
And we pray today that your word will indeed be our instruction and our guide day by day.
We thank you that we come to study and learn from it together here in the service,
and also with the young ones, as they will go out to Tweenies and Cresce and Sunday School.
We pray, oh Lord, your blessing on each of us together today.
We thank you that your word instructs us, whatever age we are,
that we are to learn it in our youth, that we are to encounter it in our middle years,
that we are to remember it in our old age.
For that is the command of your word.
And we thank you that there is blessing to be found in it,
and blessing through your people in all ages as well.
We thank you that we can encourage one another together and bless one another together.
And so we pray that you will unite our hearts in praise and worship of you today.
We do pray, Lord, that your people today will be encouraged.
We know that there are so many discouragements around us,
so many people who feel weak and afraid and unsure of so many things just now.
But we thank you that with you there is a great security and a great surety that you are God,
and there is no other.
So help us to worship you as we should.
We do thank you for all our young ones and pray your blessing on them.
We thank you for our day schools and pray that children, teachers and staff,
they will be blessed by you, that you will watch over them during the week,
keep them safe and encourage them as they learn together.
And as we see children growing up in years, Lord,
that your protection and blessing be over them.
We continue to remember those who have gone away from home just now and pray that you will bless them as they settle into new studies or new work experience.
We ask, oh Lord, that you will surround them and take care of them.
We thank you for all the work that goes on in our Sunday school too,
and pray your blessing on the children and teachers there as well, Lord,
that you will look after them and care for them.
And as we think of other work going on just now with the explorers to start in the presbytery camp,
we ask, oh Lord, in all of these ways that you will use it to your glory and for the building of your church.
So Lord, look down upon us now, continue with us throughout this day and encourage us day by day
to fix our eyes on you, to trust in Jesus with all our hearts and to worship him with all that we are.
We ask it all in his precious name and for his glory.
Amen.
Before you go out, just a wee word to the young ones.
I'm sure you all like watching telly.
Everyone maybe has their favorite TV program.
You either watch when it's on or you record it,
and then you come back and watch it.
Maybe there's some programs you watch over and over again because you love them so much.
It might be cartoons.
It might be films.
It might be documentaries.
There's all kinds of things that we watch on telly,
and they take us in and they speak to us about different things going on around us.
What do you think my favorite TV program is, I wonder?
I wonder if anybody would know what my favorite TV program is.
There's a hand going up.
BBC One.
BBC One?
Well, it's actually on BBC.
It's the Antiques Roadshow.
And it's very interesting to watch the Antiques Roadshow.
You wonder to yourself, why on earth would you watch the Antiques Roadshow?
Well, it's fascinating watching people bringing things in.
And they're bringing them in to see what they're worth.
And some people bring in rubbish.
And they'll be told that's actually broken.
It's just a copy.
It's a fake.
Or it's just not worth any money at all.
But sometimes people bring in things and they're wondering, I wonder if it could be worth something.
And it turns out it's worth much more than they even imagined it to be worth.
There was one clip I saw this week and it was a man who brought in a watch.
And it was a watch his brother had given him many years before.
And for all these years, more than 20 years, this watch had been sitting in a drawer.
The man wasn't interested in it.
He didn't really like it.
He tried it on once, but he thought, it's too heavy.
I don't like it.
I'll put it away in a drawer.
Then he thought to himself, I wonder if this watch is maybe of any value.
So he took it along to the Antiques Roadshow.
And one of the experts there was looking at it and saying, this watch is actually very interesting.
There wasn't many of them made.
What's the story behind?
And he told him this story that his brother had given to him.
Didn't like it, so he just stuck it in a drawer all these years.
And he said to him, well, how much do you think it's worth?
And the man said, well, it was bought maybe for a few hundred pounds.
Maybe it's worth maybe 500, maybe even 1,000 pounds.
But he was sort of hoping more than anything that it might be worth that.
But the man said, well, actually, this watch is worth 80,000 pounds.
The man got a real shock.
All this time, the watch had been sitting in a drawer.
He thought it was rubbish.
He didn't like it.
And it was worth 80,000 pounds.
And it reminded me of a story in the Bible, in the Old Testament, about how sometimes we find things, we don't realize just how much they're worth until we look at them more closely.
And then we realize, actually, this has great value.
And in the book of Chronicles in the Old Testament, 2 Chronicles chapter 34, there's a story there of a king called Josiah.
And this king, he was a good king.
And he loved God.
But all the time that he was living in his early reign as a king, he was very focused on making sure that the temple, the place they worshipped God, was in good order.
And they were spending loads of money bringing the best wood, the best jewels and everything into the temple or the church, as we would call it today, the place they worshipped God.
And there was workers coming from all over the place.
And while they were working on the temple, some of the workers found this book.
It was a scroll.
And everybody was wondering, what is it?
It was tucked away.
It was hidden away.
And they brought it out.
And everybody started looking at it, wondering, well, what is it?
They were asking each other.
And eventually, they brought it to the king, to King Josiah.
And Josiah realized, this is God's word.
It had been tucked away.
It had been hidden away.
Just put away somewhere in the building.
Nobody knew it was there.
And all of a sudden, here it was before them.
And they realized, we've been ignoring the most important thing.
Instead of making sure that the building was nice and everything was good about it, we should have been focusing on this.
Because this is the most precious thing that we have.
But it was hidden away.
And what they did was, they brought it out.
And they began to realize the value of it.
And so they called everybody to hear about it.
Young and old alike.
They gathered everybody together to hear this word from God.
And it was a reminder to ourselves today that this is a Bible that we have before us.
We have the word of God before us.
It's such a precious thing.
Imagine coming into this church.
Workers came into this church.
And Roddy, the church officer, was showing them around.
And he said, what's that over there?
Oh, I don't know.
Roddy wouldn't say that about the Bible, would he?
No.
Because he knows the Bible.
And that's the most important thing we have here.
It's good to have all the lights working.
It's good to have the heating working.
It's good to have comfy seats.
But the most important thing for us today as we come, young and old alike,
is that we have God's word before us.
We take it out not having forgotten how precious it is or not realizing its value.
We take it out recognizing it is so precious to us.
And so today we worship God who speaks to us through his word.
And let us always realize just how precious this word is.
And never tuck it away in the church here thinking that's not important.
But always keep God's word as the most important thing, the most precious thing that we have.
So may God bless these thoughts to us.
We're going to share together now in the Lord's Prayer and say the Lord's Prayer together.
Amen.
Our Father, we chart in heaven.
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.
We're going to sing together now in God's word in Psalm 73.
Psalm 73 in the Scottish Psalter.
We're singing at verse 11.
Psalm 73 at verse 11, page 315.
And thus they say, how can it be that God these things doth know?
Or can there in the highest be knowledge of things below?
The psalmist here has many questions he's asking of God.
He's confused by what he's seeing happen.
And he's wondering, can God see these things and really care?
But as we see throughout this psalm, the Lord has an answer.
So Psalm 73, verse 11 to verse 17.
The tunes kill Marnock.
And we stand to sing.
And thus they say, how can it be that God these things doth know?
Or can there in the highest be knowledge of things below?
Behold, these are the wicked ones, yet prosper at their will.
In worldly things they do.
In peace, in wealth, on riches still.
I bet there in these things.
I bet there in heaven.
My heart to purify
To know him
Infected innocence, washeth my hands abigh.
For daily and all day throughout, great plagues I suffered have.
Yea, yea, be mourning I of new did justice men receive.
If in this manner foolishly to speak I would intend.
Thy children's generation, behold I should offend.
When I this thought to know it was too hard to pay for me.
Till to God's sanctuary I went, then I let enter sea.
We're going to read God's word.
Two readings.
First we're on the letter of James.
The letter of James chapter 1.
We'll read from verse 1 to verse 12.
Then we'll turn to 1 Peter chapter 1.
First reading in the letter of James chapter 1.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
To the twelve tribes in the dispersion.
Greetings.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.
For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
And let steadfastness have its full effect.
That you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God.
Who gives generously to all without reproach.
And it will be given him.
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting.
For the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.
He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation and the rich in his humiliation.
Because, like a flower of the grass, he will pass away.
For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass.
Its flower falls and its beauty perishes.
So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
Blessed be the man who remains steadfast under trial.
For when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life,
which God has promised to those who love him.
Then we'll turn to 1 Peter, next book along.
1 Peter, chapter 1.
Let me read from verse 3 to verse 7.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again
to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary,
you have been grieved by various trials,
so that the tested genuineness of your faith,
more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire,
may be found to result in praise and glory and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
May God bless these readings from his word.
We'll come to God in prayer again.
Let us pray.
As we continue in our worship of you, O Lord,
our God, our Father in heaven,
we thank you that we call upon the name of the one who is high,
the one who is lifted up,
the one who is Lord and God over all.
And we thank you that your word speaks to us
of the reality of this world in which we live.
It reminds us of the many great blessings
that are ours through Christ Jesus, who is our Lord.
We thank you that there is the blessing in faith
of knowing that you are always with us.
We know that there is a blessing of fellowship
around your word and with your people.
We know that there is many blessings
of all the gifts that we receive on a daily basis,
the blessings of our homes, our families,
of food, of warmth, of clothes.
But we are reminded too in your word
that that reality is often different for many
and may be different for many of ourselves here today.
That although we still know your blessing,
the way is sometimes hard,
the way is difficult,
the way seems so uncertain to us.
But we thank you that your word speaks
into that reality as well.
It reminds us that even though we go through
many various trials,
that you are with us,
that they will purify us for your glory,
that there will be for a day when we will see
the revelation, the full revelation,
of Jesus Christ who is Lord,
when we will see his face
and when we will worship him.
We are assured through your word
that you will hold us and uphold us
and take us through all things
as we put our hope and our confidence in you.
And we thank you that that is true
for your church down through all the generations,
that when there have been experiences
of persecution and many different trials,
be it collectively or individually,
that your people can always take heart
and take confidence in you.
And so we pray that you will bless your word
to all your people today,
that it will be a reminder to us, Lord,
to always set our hope and our trust
in our Lord Jesus Christ
and that we would find our refuge in him,
that we would find him
as the rock of our salvation.
And we pray that your word too
will challenge those
who are maybe not putting their hope in you,
who are setting their hope
in the things of this world
and who are finding this world
a very comfortable place to be,
confidence and wealth and security
of the many different things of this world,
but that are only temporary.
We know your word reminds us
that all these things will pass away,
that in the shaking of this world,
a day will come
when the hope that we have
and confidence of what we have put in
will be put to the test.
And it is only those who are found
resting in Christ
that will be secure.
So we pray, Lord,
for your spirit to convict,
your spirit to convert,
your spirit to work powerfully
in our midst
and in the midst of people
far and wide today,
that throughout your world,
there will be a great day of repentance,
that there will be many
who are called by you,
who would call upon your name
and praise your name on you.
So, Lord, we ask your blessing
upon us as a people.
We thank you for one another.
We thank you for our communities,
our homes and our families.
We thank you for our workplaces,
our schools
and all that goes on around us
on a daily and a weekly basis.
And we do commit, O Lord,
all our people into your hands.
We know that we live
in such uncertain times.
There are many pressures,
many worries,
many concerns
upon so many people.
And we thank you that,
again, your word guides us
to cast our cares upon you,
for you care for us.
And may you stir us up
in our care and compassion
for one another.
May you help us to be
a body of your people,
functioning in that way,
that when one is hurting,
we all feel that hurt.
When one is rejoicing,
we all share in that rejoicing.
And we do pray, Lord,
that that bond in Christ
will ever increase day by day.
That as we go through
such days of great uncertainty
and times when we have been
leaning upon our own wisdom
and understanding,
we thank you that these are days
when we do not understand
many things,
when we lack wisdom.
But you say that
if we lack wisdom,
we are to ask God.
And so may these be days
when we are guided back to you,
when your word is opened up to us
and becomes a fresh
and a new word to us,
that the things that we have
taken for granted,
we would no longer do so,
but instead that we would turn
with all our hearts,
with all our souls,
with all our mind
and all our strength
to love you as God
and to love our neighbor
as ourselves.
So guide us, we pray,
and may your blessing
be upon us.
May your blessing be upon our land,
upon our leaders.
May you help them.
May you give them wisdom.
May you, O Lord,
come in a day of your power
to show us
that we cannot rely on anything
in this world,
but that we can rely on you.
May you bring peace and help
in many different parts of the world,
whether our conflicts,
whether our natural disasters.
We've seen the power
of the hurricane
that struck through the Caribbean
and in the United States
and the devastation it leaves.
We pray, Lord,
for people in need
in these places
and throughout the world
in many different situations.
Lord, may we remember
to pray
and to call upon your name
for all who need you.
We thank you
that your word goes out
in the midst
of all of these things.
and we pray for all your servants
far and wide.
We pray for those
who are called
into the mission fields,
near and far.
We ask your protection
and your help towards them.
May you bless every endeavor
to reach out
with the good news,
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We thank you, Lord,
that we can commit ourselves
into your hands now,
asking your word
to be blessed to us
and that you'll continue
with us throughout this day.
And as we go into
the week ahead of us,
may we know your spirit
guiding us and with us.
So we ask all things,
acknowledging our sin anew,
confessing our sins before you,
the sins of thought,
word and deed,
the sin of action
and inaction.
We know that there are many.
And so, Lord,
we come anew,
confessing how far short
we fall from your glory,
but asking your forgiveness,
your mercy upon us
and your building up of us
to serve you
for your glory
and for your sake.
We ask all
in the name of Jesus,
our Lord,
our King,
our Saviour,
and for His glory.
Amen.
Let's sing again
to God's praise
in Psalm 73.
Psalm 73.
Continuing in the psalm
we sang before,
verse 23.
It's a psalm
with many different questions
and many different challenges
that the psalmist has.
Then you have this great
turning point
at verse 23
where he says,
Nevertheless,
continually,
O Lord,
I am with Thee.
Thou dost me hold
by my right hand
and still upholdest me.
We'll sing
from verse 23
to the end of the psalm.
And it should never be.
O Lord,
I am with Thee.
Thy dost me hold
by my bright hand
and still upholdest me.
Thy way,
Thy counsel,
while I live,
wilt me conduct
and guide,
and do thy glory
afterward
receive me
to abide.
Whom have I
in the heavens high,
but ye,
O Lord,
alone
and in the earth
whom I desire,
besides thee there is none.
My flesh and heart
doth fail and fail,
but God doth fail me never.
For of my heart
God is the strength
and portion
forever.
For lo,
they that are far
from thee,
forever fair
they shall
than that
a hole ring
from thee go,
thou hast
destroyed all.
but surely it is good
for me
that I throw near
to God.
In God
I trust
that all
thy words
I may
declare
the Lord.
God
If we can turn back
together to our reading
in 1 Peter
chapter 1
and this morning
together we're going to look
at verse 3
to verse 7.
1 Peter chapter 1
just read again
the first part
of verse 3
Blessed be the God
and Father
of our Lord
Jesus Christ
according
to his great mercy
he has caused us
to be born again
to a living hope
through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ
from the dead
and so on.
We began looking
at this letter
from Peter
last week
by seeing just how
precious a letter
it is
the precious word
of God
to a people
in need of encouragement.
Peter wrote
as a pastor
to these people
with very much
a pastor's heart
a real longing
and concern
for them
and having
experienced much
in his own life
he was seeking
to encourage
and build up
God's people
not just then
in his own day
but recognizing
the same challenges
that God's people
would face down
through all the generations.
Here was a people
who were scattered
far and wide
throughout many
different parts
and they were persecuted
for their faith
they were suffering
as believers
in the Lord
Jesus Christ
and they were wondering
to themselves
why was all this
happening?
If you have trusted
in the Lord
surely the Lord
wouldn't allow
his people
to go through
such trials
and yet
we see the reality
for God's people
is that they're not
immune
to any of these things.
Now how would you
encourage
a people
who are going
through such experiences?
how do you seek
to encourage
people maybe
to do today
who are going
through hard times?
We can often feel
that we just
don't have words
to say
we don't have words
to share with them
and you can imagine
almost Peter
writing to these people
wondering
what am I going
to say
to them?
They are suffering
what am I going
to say
to them?
But he's not
stuck
for words
because God
has a word
for them
he remembers
them
and he seeks
to encourage
them
and to build
them up
and to let
them know
that they are
a people
who are precious
to him
and so here
are people
meeting together
as we saw
they were scattered
throughout
Pontus
Galatia
Cappadocia
and so many
other different
parts
here are people
who would be
meeting in
small groups
maybe house
churches
in some places
maybe larger
gatherings
in towns
and cities
but a people
who are gathering
together
and God
has a word
for them
we belong
to the free
church of Scotland
as a denomination
we have churches
scattered far
and wide
we have large
congregations
we have small
congregations
from the north
of Scotland
and Thurso
and Wic
and places
around there
down through
to the borders
to Dumfries
and Galashiels
and surrounding
places there
and towns
villages
and cities
in between
we go further
than that too
with people
from the free
church and
congregations
in London
Canada
Australia
South America
South Africa
and many other
different parts
of the world
people sent out
as missionaries
through all corners
of the world
you can very much
say
we are a scattered
people
we are a people
who are part
of a dispersion
a scattering
of God's people
to all ends
of the earth
and the vision
of the free church
is a healthy
gospel church
in every place
it's more than
just a denomination
it's wherever
God's people
are gathered
together
and whatever
God's people
are experiencing
in these situations
it's not a new
vision though
it's a vision
that we see
throughout the
scriptures
from the Old
Testament
into the New
Testament
that God
has his people
scattered far
and wide
but that they
have a real
sense of purpose
and together
as a people
we have a purpose
and a focus
and Peter
makes that
abundantly clear
to us
here in verse
3
our great
purpose
as a people
wherever we
are and
wherever we
gather
is to say
blessed
be the God
and Father
of our Lord
Jesus Christ
to be able
to say these
words together
to unite our
hearts
in worship
of God
giving thanks
to God
who remembers
us
in every
situation
we are to
worship the
Lord
with one
heart
and with
one
accord
and we
do indeed
join in
with the
worship of
God today
with many
people scattered
far and wide
we come
together to
say blessed
be the God
and Father
of our Lord
Jesus Christ
for all
that he has
done for us
and sometimes
as we seek
to come together
and encourage
one another
we may feel
stuck for words
and so often
our focus
can be then
just to
look at the
positives
encourage each
other with the
positives
and Peter
does that
for us
here
he encourages
with positives
he encourages
them with what
we have in
Christ
this hope
that God's
people have
he encourages
them with what
they have to
look forward
to
there is an
inheritance for
all of God's
people
but he also
gives a word
of the reality
for God's
people too
he says
there will be
trials
there will be
difficulties
along the way
but yet he says
there is hope
there is a real
and a living
hope
there's a poem
called
Out of the
Darkness
I'll just share
some words from
that with you
it reminds us
that so often
it's out of the
darkness
that good
comes
it says
this
out of the
dark
forbidding
soil
the pure
white
lilies
grow
out of the
black
and marky
clouds
descends
the stainless
snow
out of the
crawling
earthbound
warm
a butterfly
is born
out of the
somber
shrouded
night
behold
a golden
morn
out of the
pain
and stress
of life
the peace
of God
pours down
out of the
nails
the spear
the cross
redemption
and a
crown
you see the
darkest
time
of all
was when
Christ Jesus
was crucified
but yet
God
speaks to us
through his
word here
and says
blessed be the
God and
Father
of our
Lord Jesus
Christ
because he
has given
us hope
a living
hope
through
the
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ
and so we
want to look
at these
three things
this morning
the Christian's
hope
the Christian's
inheritance
and the
Christian's
trial
first of all
the Christian's
hope
the first
encouragement
that Peter
gives to us
scattered and
disillusioned
people here
and to be
able to say
blessed be the
God and
Father of our
Lord Jesus
Christ
is this
that
according to
his great
mercy
he has
caused us
to be born
again
to a living
hope
through the
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ
from the
dead
the Christian's
great
hope
now what is
your hope
today
and what
kind of
hope
is it
so many
of our
hopes
today
they can
be built
on things
that will
let us
down
things that
will ultimately
fail us
or things
that can
seem
just wishful
thinking
things that
aren't
realistic
things that
we cannot
attain
and there's
no surety
there's no
security
in them
and as
Peter is
writing
to these
people who
are scattered
as he's
writing to
these people
and who
are seeing
so many
people as
it were
prospering
in their
lives
getting on
so well
it's almost
like he's
reminding them
of the
words of
Psalm 1
blessed is
the man
who walketh
not astray
not like
the ungodly
who just
turn away
from God
and pin
their hope
and things
of this
world
there is
no ultimate
blessing
in that
those who
are blessed
by having
hope
in the
Lord Jesus
Christ
and this
is where
Christian hope
comes in
it is
a living
hope
G.K.
Chesterton
he once
said
hope means
hoping
when things
are hopeless
or it is
no virtue
at all
as long
as matters
are really
hopeful
hope
is mere
flattery
or platitude
it is
only when
everything
is hopeless
that hope
begins
to be
a strength
and that
is the
hope
that Peter
is reminding
the people
of here
this
living
hope
that they
have
he has
caused
as he's
saying to
them
to be
born
again
to a
living
hope
through
the
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ
from the
dead
it is
a real
hope
it is
a secure
hope
it is
the hope
of the
resurrection
it is
often in
our darkest
times
that God
makes his
presence
known
most
clearly
it is
often
through
the hardest
trials
through
our
sufferings
that he
shows us
that he
is our
only
source
of
strength
our
only
hope
for
life
and
for
eternity
and just
as Peter
is writing
to us
gathered
people
here
he's
writing
to us
today
as well
he's
writing
to remind
us
of the
hope
that is
ours
through
the
resurrection
of
Jesus
Christ
through
faith
in
him
it is
a real
hope
so as
you are
facing
trials
you can
take
heart
as
you
face
the
reality
of
this
world
you
put
yourselves
in
God's
hands
and
you
wait
upon
the
Lord
but
you
wait
with
patience
you
wait
with
hope
if
Jesus
has
not
been
risen
from
the
dead
then
our
faith
is
foolish
but
as
we
come
to
God's
word
we
are
seeing
the
great
reminders
to
us
that
he
is
risen
that
he
is
alive
that
he
is
at
the
right
hand
of
God
this
is
no
hopeless
situation
the
reminders
that we
have
throughout
the
scriptures
are
many
Jesus
himself
predicted
his
resurrection
he
told
his
followers
that
he
would
be
put
to
death
but
on
the
third
day
he
would
rise
again
as
you
look
through
the
Old
Testament
you
find
that
it
prophesies
about
it
speaks
about
the
Lord
who
would
come
but
that
the
tomb
could
not
take
hold
of
him
forever
indeed
as we
read in
the
New
Testament
we
see
they
came
to
the
tomb
and
it
was
empty
the
grave
clothes
were
there
to be
seen
but
Christ
was
not
all
the
people
had
to
do
who
opposed
the
Christian
faith
was
to
produce
a
body
but
they
couldn't
why
not
because
he
was
risen
and
many
people
saw
the
resurrected
Christ
they
met
with
him
they
looked
on
his
face
they
touched
him
they
heard
his
voice
and
they
saw
him
eat
all
of
these
things
are
reminding
us
of
the
living
hope
that
we
have
in
Christ
we
are
born
again
to
a
living
hope
the
lives
of
the
disciples
the
lives
of
the
early
church
were
transformed
because
Christ
was
risen
Peter
himself
as we
saw
last
week
he
met
with
a
saviour
who
restored
him
even
though
he
had
denied
him
and
let
him
down
and
here
he
is
later
on
in
his
life
looking
back
having
been
a
faithful
servant
to
him
the
resurrection
was
the
central
message
of
the
early
church
and
to
this
day
men
and
women
boys
and
girls
testify
to
the
power
of
the
risen
Christ
who
transforms
our
lives
the
Christian's
hope
is
real
it
is
founded
on
Jesus
Christ
who
is
risen
who
has
appeared
to
his
people
and
who
has
now
gone
to
the
father's
side
we
await
his
return
we
await
that
great
day
of
the
final
resurrection
when
God
will
call
his
people
to
himself
and
how
do
we
live
with
that
hope
well
we
don't
look
to
the
things
of
this
world
and
pin
out
hopes
in
these
things
as
someone
said
they
that
deny
themselves
for
Christ
shall
enjoy
themselves
in
Christ
and
that
is
the
Christian
hope
we
turn
away
from
the
things
of
this
world
that
cry
out
you
can
hope
in
us
you
can
hope
in
this
there
is
no
hope
there
but
it
will
perish
but
Christ
is
our
hope
the
Christian's
hope
is
a
living
hope
through
the
resurrection
of
Jesus
Christ
from
the
dead
so
we
have
this
great
hope
that
is
such
a
great
encouragement
to
us
the
second
thing
we
see
here
is
the
Christian's
inheritance
again
we see
here
Peter
giving
his
people
real
encouragement
in
verse
4
that
we
are
born
again
to
a
living
hope
to
an
inheritance
that
is
imperishable
undefiled
and
unfading
kept
in
heaven
for
you
again
we
can
say
blessed
be
the
God
and
Father
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
for
the
inheritance
that
is
ours
his
people's
and
that
we
can
look
forward
to
what
is
an
inheritance
it
is
something
that
is
passed
on
to
a
people
something
we
receive
often
at
no
cost
to
ourselves
but
usually
it's
when
someone
has
passed
away
we
receive
an
inheritance
and
our
Christian
inheritance
is the
same
in many
ways
and
more
because
where
does
our
Christian
inheritance
take
us
to
it
takes
us
to
Christ
and
to
the
cross
and
what
we
see
that
he
has
done
and
is
doing
for
us
everything
we
build
here
in
this
world
is
temporary
but
what
God
builds
is
eternal
and
if we
were
to
go
back
to
just
before
the
crucifixion
to
the
gospel
of
John
chapter
14
there
Jesus
is
with
his
disciples
and
again
they're
anxious
they're
afraid
but
Jesus
says
to
them
in
verse
1
let
not
your
hearts
be
troubled
believe
in
God
believe
also
in
me
in
my
father's
house
are
many
rooms
if
it
were
not
so
would
I
have
told
you
that
I
go
to
prepare
a
place
for
you
what
is
he
saying
to
them
he
is
reminding
them
that
the
things
of
this
world
are
temporary
but
he
says
I
am
going
to
prepare
a
place
for
you
an
eternal
place
a
place
that
will
not
be
temporary
but
forever
a
lasting
place
and
that's
the
encouragement
that
Peter
is
reminding
them
of
here
as
well
an
inheritance
imperishable
undefiled
unfading
kept
guarded
in
heaven
for
you
this
place
he
is
preparing
he
has
gone
to
prepare
it
through
the
way
of
the
cross
through
his
death
through
his
resurrection
through
his
ascension
through
all of
these
things
he
is
reminding
his
people
that
he
will
take
care
of
us
that
his
plan
is
sure
and
secure
that
everything
will
work
out
and
yet
as
a
people
here
on
earth
we
find
our
satisfaction
in
so
many
other
things
we
push
away
the
glory
of
God
we
push
away
that
hope
for
eternity
and
just
look
at
the
temporary
C.S.
Lewis
in his
book
The Weight
of Glory
he speaks
about how
often
believers
underestimate
the full
riches
that there
are in
Christ
he says
this
if we
consider
the
staggering
nature
of
the
rewards
promised
in
the
gospels
it
would
seem
that
our
Lord
finds
our
desires
not
too
strong
but
too
weak
we
are
half
hearted
creatures
like
an
ignorant
child
who
wants
to
go
on
making
mud
pies
in
a
slum
because
he
cannot
imagine
what
is
meant
by
the
offer
of
a
holiday
at
the
sea
we
are
far
too
easily
pleased
he
says
are
you
far
too
easily
pleased
today
by the
things
of this
world
that you
think
this is
wonderful
I've
got it
all
and you're
missing out
on this
glorious
inheritance
if you
look at
the way
the
inheritance
here
is
described
you see
it's
the
complete
opposite
to
the
world
first
of all
he
says
this
inheritance
is
imperishable
anything
that this
world
offers us
will
perish
one
day
it
will
be
no
more
but
not
the
Christian
inheritance
it
will
never
perish
it's
also
described
as
undefiled
we
live
in a
world
where
everything
is
defiled
by
sin
everything
is
ruined
by
sin
and
it's
hard
for us
to
imagine
the
opposite
but
it
will
be
so
that
is
the
Christian
inheritance
a
place
where
there's
no
moral
corruption
a
place
where
there's
no
greed
for
self
gain
a
place
where
there's
no
war
or
famine
or
natural
disaster
a
place
where
no
more
is
sin
polluting
everything
because
everything
will be
made
new
that
is
the
great
reminder
that
he
gives
us
here
that
is
the
great
reminder
that
we
see
our
Christian
inheritance
is
also
one
that
is
unfading
again
when we
look around
the world
we see
so many
things
that are
fading
in this
world
we look
at
ourselves
and we
see
ourselves
as it
were
just
fading
away
creation
is
groaning
so much
is
groaning
around
us
under a
great weight
and a
burden
but he
says
our
inheritance
is
unfading
the hope
that is
ours
through the
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ
is this
inheritance
that will
never
perish
and these
great
words
of
Isaiah
we will
know
the
reality
of
them
Isaiah
40
verse
30
even
youths
shall
faint
and be
weary
and young
men
shall
fall
exhausted
but they
who wait
for the
Lord
shall
renew
their
strength
they
shall
mount
up
with
wings
like
eagles
they
shall
run
and not
be
weary
they
shall
walk
and not
faint
that is
the
Christian
hope
and the
Christian
inheritance
it is a
living hope
and a
glorious
inheritance
but
and there
is a
but
what else
does the
Christian
life
entail
well as
Peter goes
on here
he says
that your
faith
will be
tested
your
faith
will be
tested
Peter
writes
to
encourage
but he
writes
with the
reality
in mind
too
it's not
all going
to be
plain
sailing
it's not
all
going to
be easy
he says
there will
be trials
you have
the living
hope
you have
the inheritance
you have
all this
that is
guarded
by the
power
of God
through
faith
for our
salvation
ready to
be revealed
in verse
5 it
says
then you
have
verse 6
in this
you rejoice
though now
for a little
while if
necessary
you have
been grieved
by various
trials
so the
tested
genuineness
of your
faith
more precious
than gold
that perishes
though it is
tested by
fire
may be
found
to result
in praise
glory and
honor
and glory
at the
revelation
of jesus
christ
and yet
we can
still say
blessed
be the
god and
father
of our
lord jesus
christ
how can
we say
that
well just
like the
psalmist
in psalm
73
we can
say
nevertheless
continually
oh lord
i am
with thee
thou dost
me hold
by my
right hand
and still
uphold
is me
we have
that
surety
that
certainty
that god
is with
us
he keeps
us
he guards
our hope
he guards
our inheritance
he has all
of these
things even
like it
said
in james
chapter 1
verse 2
counted all
joy my
brothers
when you
meet trials
of various
kinds
for you
know
that the
trusting of
your faith
produces
steadfastness
he
will
keep
you
this is
something
god willing
we'll expand
on as we go
through this
letter too
but as we
come to a
close today
i just want
to remind
you
of these
three things
there is
a christian
hope
it is a
living and a
real hope
through the
resurrection of
jesus christ
there is a
christian
inheritance
it is one
that is
kept
guarded
for you
one that
is imperishable
undefiled
and unfading
these are
great
encouragements
but we can
be encouraged
too
as we face
up to our
trials
that he
is with
us
a man
called
james m
gray
he was once
president of
moody bible
institute
he wrote
a hymn
regarding
the fiery
trials that
the christian
goes through
and the
words of it
say this
he sat
by the
fire
of seven
fold
heat
as he
watched
by the
precious
oar
and
closer he
bent
with a
searching
gaze
as he
heated it
more and
more
he
knew he
had
ore that
could
stand
the
test
and he
wanted
the
finest
gold
to
mould
as a
crown
for the
king
to wear
set
with gems
of price
untold
so he
laid
our
gold
in the
burning
fire
though we
fain
would have
said to
him
nay
and he
watched
the
dross
that we
had not
seen
as it
melted
and passed
away
and the
gold
grew
brighter
and yet
more
bright
and our
eyes
were dim
with tears
as we
saw the
fire
not the
master's
hand
and questioned
with anxious
fears
yet
our
gold
shone
out
with a
richer
glow
as it
mirrored
a form
above
that
bent
over
the
fire
the
one
seen
by
us
with
a
look
of
infinite
love
can
we
think
that
it
pleases
his
loving
heart
to
cause
a
moment
of
pain
I
know
but he
saw
through
the
present
cross
the
bliss
of
eternal
gain
so he
waited
there
with a
watchful
eye
with a
love
that
is
strong
and
sure
and
that
his
gold
did
not
suffer
a
bit
more
heat
than
was
needed
to
make
it
pure
it's
hard
for us
to
understand
the
trials
that
we
go
through
and
we
have
to
confess
that
but I'm
reminded
of the
words
of an
old
Christian
man
many
years
ago
he
said
it's
a
fight
to
the
finish
but
at
least
there's
a
finish
to
the
fight
and
as
we
read
these
words
we're
reminded
of
the
reality
of
life
the
Christian
life
there is
a great
living
hope
there is
a wonderful
inheritance
for all
of God's
people
but there
are also
the trials
that we
go
through
but we
can rest
assured
that he
is
with us
and may
we be
able to
say
blessed
be the
God and
Father
of our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
may we
look
to him
and remember
his many
gracious
benefits
remember
his promises
that he
will never
leave us
let us
pray
our
Father
in heaven
we thank
you for
the wonder
of your
word
how it
reminds us
of every
circumstance
we have
that yes
there are
times of
great blessings
and joy
we have
all the
great hopes
not just
this world
but what
is to come
we have a
living hope
through the
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ
we have a
wonderful
inheritance
to look
forward to
we thank
you too
for the
reality
of the
truth
of the
trials
we thank
you for
your promise
that you
will not
put us
through
more than
we can
bear
that you
will
strengthen
that you
will
uphold
us
and may
we know
these
things
as we
go through
our own
trials
may we
recognize
how precious
you are
and lean
upon you
more and
more
Lord be
our strength
be our
shield
guard
as we
pray
and forgive
our sins
in Jesus
name
amen
we'll
conclude by
singing to
God's
praise in
psalm 66
verse 8
psalm 66
at verse 8
to verse 12
on the
tunis selma
o people
praise our
God
his praise
and song
repeat
he has
preserved our
soul alive
from slipping
kept our
feet
we'll sing
from verse 8
to 12
and we
stand to
sing
to God's
praise
oh people's
praise our
God
his
presence
all
we
paid
He
for
that
he
died
and we
pardon
our
heart
As ever as we find,
You laid so burdened on our backs,
In chains we were confined.
You let us be oppressed,
We went through flood and fire,
But yet you brought us to a place
Which made our hearts decide.
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left.
We'll close the benediction.
Now may grace, mercy and peace from God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Rest upon and abide with you all,
Now and forevermore. Amen.
Amen.