WEBVTT

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 Let's begin our worship now. We're singing firstly today from Psalm 105.

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 Psalm 105, and that's on page 374, a tune is Glasgow. We're singing verses 1 to 7.

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 Give thanks to God, call on his name, to men his deeds make known. Sing ye to him,

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 sing psalms, proclaim his wondrous works each one. See that ye in his holy name to glory,

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 do accord. Let the heart of everyone rejoice that seeks the Lord. Let's come before the Lord with

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 these words and trusting that we will indeed be among those who rejoice today in seeking the Lord.

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 Give thanks to God, call on his name, we'll stand to sing.

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 Give thanks to God, call on his name, to men his deeds make known. Sing ye to him, sing psalms, proclaim his

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 wondrous works each one. See that ye in his holy name to glory do accord. And let the heart of everyone

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 rejoice that seeks the Lord. The Lord Almighty, the Lord Almighty, and his strength, with steadfast hearts, sing ye.

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 His blessed hand, his gracious face, sing ye continually.

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 His blessed hand, his gracious face, sing ye continually.

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 Think on the words that he has done, which admiration breeds. His wonders and the judgment's all, which from his path,

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 his wonders and the judgment's all, which from his path, his wonders and the judgment's all, which from his path, his glory and the glory of the Lord.

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 Think on the words that he has done, which admiration breeds.

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 Think on the words that he has done, which admiration breeds. His wonders and the judgment's all, which from his path proceeds.

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 write牧場, 여기는orde and the God of man thatнизetti organisations.

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 THEMSEL approach came to God, that insights were filled滟ING

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HS cultured in the Lord and that he has done, which from his self and whether he has done,

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 And ye that gave of children that whom ye chose for his own.

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 Because ye and ye only is the mighty Lord our God.

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 And his most righteous judgment's heart in all the earth abroad.

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 Let's unite together now in prayer briefly. Let's call upon the Lord.

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 Amen.

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 Bless, we pray today, our young people and our children.

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 Be with them, Lord, as they too engage in learning more about you and examining your word.

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 We pray today that your blessing will be with them in the various classes and meetings that take place this morning.

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 And we ask that your blessing will follow through into every aspect of their lives.

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 Bless those who are leaders and teachers as well.

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 Lord, we thank you again for them and for their willingness and for their dedication.

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 We pray that they may know your blessing.

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 And ask that they come to once again give of themselves and of their time to the teaching of our young people.

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 And so go before us now throughout this day.

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 And be with us in all that we do, whether in church or at home or elsewhere.

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 We pray that we may do all things to your glory.

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 And we ask it all in Jesus' name and for his sake. Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Okay, children, you probably won't be able to see this from there, but you maybe get an idea of what it is.

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 It's a receipt.

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 It's a receipt from Home Improvement Center.

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 Some stuff that I bought there last week.

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 And it has the three items that I bought listed there.

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 And you'll find the price for each of them, beside each of the ones that are listed there.

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 And then at the bottom there, you've got the total of the three items that I bought.

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 And then down below that, you've got further details about what happened on that occasion.

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 You've got details about the card I used.

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 Not the whole number, but enough to identify that it was my card.

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 You've got the date.

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 And then you've got something called Authorization Code.

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 With a number of numbers after it.

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 Some seven or eight numbers after it.

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 And then it says, please retain receipt.

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 And please keep your receipt as proof of purchase.

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 Now, what uses that to us today when we're thinking about God?

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 We're thinking about his salvation and about a relationship to him.

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 Well, just like I bought these three items, this paper is proof that I actually bought them.

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 And proof that I paid for them.

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 I didn't go into the shop and try and escape without paying.

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 And this paper is the proof that I paid for these items.

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 So actually, these items, because I paid for them, they've now become mine.

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 They belong to me.

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 I paid the right price for them.

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 So I can say these are now mine.

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 They were belonging to the shop, but now they belong to me.

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 I paid that price for them.

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 And in the Bible, we're told about the price that God paid.

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 The cost of bringing us salvation.

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 Of redeeming us.

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 Of bringing us to himself.

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 And it describes that cost for us very plainly.

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 What did it cost to have our sins forgiven?

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 What did it cost for us to come to know and be friends with God?

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 It cost Jesus his life.

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 The Bible tells us we're redeemed not by corruptible things like silver and gold,

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 but by the precious blood of Christ.

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 And that's proof that God has loved his people and continues to love them,

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 that Jesus died on the cross for them.

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 So if somebody were to come to me today and say,

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 I don't think you paid for these items.

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 You have to prove that you paid them.

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 I can produce this receipt and say, here's the proof that I paid for them.

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 And if somebody comes to you and says, you don't deserve to be a Christian.

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 You're not a very good person yourself.

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 Why do you call yourself a Christian?

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 I can produce in my heart evidence that Jesus loved me.

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 And I can say, because Jesus loved me and because he died for me,

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 that's all the proof I need between myself and God.

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 Now, as I said down, about halfway down there,

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 you find an authorization or verification authorization code,

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 which then has these numbers after it.

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 In other words, that code, as far as I'm aware,

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 actually belongs to what I did there in the shop,

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 and it doesn't apply to anyone else.

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 Nobody else can go into the shop and say,

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 here's my verification code that I bought these items,

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 because the shop could say, if they look up the records,

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 no, you didn't actually buy them.

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 James McKeever brought them.

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 That's his verification code.

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 And just the same as it is with our salvation as well,

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 because Christ has died for us,

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 God himself has a verification code for each one of us.

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 Every time we come to the Lord to place our trust in him,

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 God has, if you like, a spiritual verification code that says,

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 that person has come to believe in Jesus,

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 and he's acceptable to me.

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 She's acceptable to me.

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 And if somebody suggests to you,

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 you have no right to actually be a Christian,

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 you can say, well, but God says,

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 because of what Jesus has done,

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 he can prove that I belong to him,

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 because he paid the price of my redemption.

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 And I have a code between myself and God

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 that nobody else can share,

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 that cannot be given to anybody else,

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 but is between me and God a proof

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 that I am his,

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 that he has bought me,

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 that I belong to him.

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 And then as you go down,

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 you'll find some other items there.

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 It says, please keep receipt as proof of purchase.

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 Sometimes, as Christians,

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 we find it difficult, maybe at times,

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 just to be sure about how things are

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 between ourselves and God.

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 And then we look into our hearts,

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 and we find it difficult then,

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 because we start looking about our own faith,

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 and about the strength of our faith,

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 and how often we pray,

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 and things like that.

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 And God stops us and says,

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 look, that's not the proof that you need.

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 The proof you need is what Jesus has done for you.

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 And the devil might say to you today,

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 as young people or older people,

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 what's the proof that God loves you?

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 What's the proof that you've got?

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 Forgiveness of sins.

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 And you don't look at yourself and say,

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 well, I do this, and I do that,

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 and I do this other thing.

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 The proof is,

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 I believe what Jesus did for me.

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 And I believe that because Jesus died for me,

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 that's the proof,

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 above everything else,

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 that God loves me.

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 And at the top,

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 it's got the place that I bought this from,

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 Home Improvement Center.

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 It's a shop that I like in town.

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 I'm probably in it far too often,

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 but anyway, it's there,

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 and we buy some stuff from time to time.

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 Home Improvement Center.

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 But you know,

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 when you come to Jesus,

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 you actually come to the Life Improvement Center.

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 And whatever you actually take from that place,

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 it's always going to be for your good.

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 It's going to last forever.

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 And the proof of purchase

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 that God gives you for your salvation,

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 it's never out of date.

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 Nobody can turn to you and say,

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 well, that's two or three years old.

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 We need some more proof.

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 No, that's actually,

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 supposing 20 years from now,

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 somebody came to me and said,

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 did you really buy these things?

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 Are they still yours?

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 Yes, that's the proof.

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 And whatever the devil tries to persuade you of,

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 if Jesus has saved you,

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 you will always be saved.

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 If Jesus is your Savior today,

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 you'll be your Savior forever.

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 That's the Life Improvement Center

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 that Jesus is.

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 So may God bless these few thoughts to us.

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 We're going to now say the Lord's Prayer together.

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 You'll find it on your sheet

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 if you want to read it through.

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 Our Father, which art in heaven,

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 hallowed be thy name.

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 Thy kingdom come.

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 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

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 Give us this day our daily bread

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 and forgive us our debts

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 as we forgive our debtors.

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 And lead us not into temptation,

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 but deliver us from evil.

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 For thine is the kingdom

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 and the power and the glory forever.

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 Amen.

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 Let's sing again now to God's praise.

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 We're singing this time in Psalm 119,

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 page 165.

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 And that's from verse 129 to 136.

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 The tune is Finart.

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 Your statutes, Lord, are wonderful.

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 So I obey them from the heart,

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 from my heart.

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 Your words as they unfold give light

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 and truth to simple minds impart.

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 Psalm 119, verses 129 to 136.

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 Your statutes, Lord, are wonderful.

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 So I obey them from my heart.

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 Your words as they unfold give light

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 and truth to simple minds impart.

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 With open mouth I hand and ear

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 To know the laws that you proclaim.

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 Show me the mercy you extend

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 To those who love and praise your name.

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 Direct my footsteps in your words

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 Let stand or hold me in its sway

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 From man's oppression set me free

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 That your commands I may obey

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 Upon your servant shine your face

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 It's me the statutes you have made

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 My eyes shed streams of bitter tears

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 Because your law is not obeyed

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 Let's turn now to read God's Word

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 as we find that in 1 Thessalonians

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 The first letter to the Thessalonians

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 And reading the first chapter

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 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy

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 To the Church of the Thessalonians

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 In God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

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 Grace to you and peace

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 We give thanks to God always for you all

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 Constantly mentioning you in our prayers

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 Remembering before our God and Father

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 Your work of faith and labor of love

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 And steadfastness of hope

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 In our Lord Jesus Christ

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 For we know, brothers loved by God

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 That he has chosen you

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 Because our gospel came to you

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 Not in word only

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 But also in power and in the Holy Spirit

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 And with full conviction

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 You know what kind of men

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 We prove to be among you for your sake

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 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord

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 For you received the word in much affliction

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 With the joy of the Holy Spirit

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 So that you became an example

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 To all the believers in Macedonia

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 And in Nehemiah

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 For not only has the word of the Lord

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 Sounded forth from you

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 In Macedonia and Nehemiah

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 But your faith in God

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 Has gone forth everywhere

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 So that we need not say anything

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 For they themselves report concerning us

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 The kind of reception we had among you

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 And how you turned to God from idols

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 To serve the living and true God

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 And to wait for his Son from heaven

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 Whom he raised from the dead

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 Jesus who delivers us

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 From the wrath to come

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 Amen

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 May God follow with his blessing

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 That reading of his word

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 We're now going to sing from Psalm 115

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 Psalm 115

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 That's on page 152

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 I'm singing this time to June Tiverton

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 Verses 1 to 9

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 Lord not to us

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 Lord not to us

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 To your name be the praise

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 Because your love and faithfulness endure

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 O Lord always

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 Why do the nations question us?

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 Where is their God they say?

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 Our God inhabits heaven high

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 And over all holds sway

00:19:01.660 --> 00:19:02.940
 And so on

00:19:02.940 --> 00:19:05.260
 Down through to verse 9

00:19:05.259 --> 00:19:06.259
 Psalm 115

00:19:06.259 --> 00:19:06.579
 Psalm 115

00:19:06.579 --> 00:19:08.779
 O Lord not to us

00:19:08.779 --> 00:19:10.140
 O not to us

00:19:10.140 --> 00:19:20.079
 Lord not to us

00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:23.259
 O not to us

00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:28.259
 To your name be the praise

00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:38.259
 Because your love and faithfulness endure

00:19:38.259 --> 00:19:42.259
 O Lord always

00:19:42.259 --> 00:19:49.259
 Why do the nations question us?

00:19:49.259 --> 00:19:50.500
 Why do the nations question us?

00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:56.579
 Where is their God they say?

00:19:56.579 --> 00:20:03.259
 Our God inhabits heaven high

00:20:03.819 --> 00:20:09.259
 And over all holds sway

00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:17.259
 Their gold and silver images

00:20:17.259 --> 00:20:22.759
 Are raftered cheerfully

00:20:22.759 --> 00:20:30.259
 But they have mouths which cannot speak

00:20:30.879 --> 00:20:36.259
 And minds which cannot see

00:20:36.259 --> 00:20:44.440
 Their noses have no sense of smell

00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:50.259
 Their ears can hear no sound

00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:54.539
 They have no feeling

00:20:54.539 --> 00:20:57.559
 In their hands

00:20:57.559 --> 00:21:03.259
 Nor can they walk around

00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:08.259
 Although these idols

00:21:08.259 --> 00:21:11.259
 Do have throats

00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:12.259
 No words

00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:13.259
 No words

00:21:13.259 --> 00:21:16.259
 Have they proclaim

00:21:16.259 --> 00:21:19.259
 Their makers

00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:23.259
 And their worship words

00:21:23.259 --> 00:21:30.259
 Will all become like them

00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:35.259
 O house of Israel

00:21:35.259 --> 00:21:37.259
 Place your trust

00:21:37.259 --> 00:21:43.259
 Upon the Lord alone

00:21:43.259 --> 00:21:50.259
 He is the mighty help and shield

00:21:50.259 --> 00:21:57.259
 Of all who are his own

00:21:57.259 --> 00:22:02.259
 Well let's turn now to the passage we read there

00:22:02.259 --> 00:22:03.259
 In 1 Thessalonians

00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:04.259
 1

00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:10.259
 And today we're looking at the last couple of verses there

00:22:10.259 --> 00:22:11.259
 From verse 9

00:22:12.259 --> 00:22:13.259
 Paul has been commending

00:22:14.259 --> 00:22:16.259
 The Thessalonians for the clarity of their faith

00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:19.259
 And for the way that they have made it so clear

00:22:20.259 --> 00:22:22.259
 That they have come to trust in the Lord

00:22:22.259 --> 00:22:24.259
 And that they themselves as apostles

00:22:24.259 --> 00:22:28.259
 Are now in a position where they need not say very much about them

00:22:28.259 --> 00:22:29.259
 Because it's become evident

00:22:29.259 --> 00:22:32.259
 That these Thessalonians have embraced the gospel

00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:34.259
 And come to trust in Christ

00:22:35.259 --> 00:22:36.259
 And then from verse 9

00:22:36.259 --> 00:22:38.259
 For they themselves report concerning us

00:22:39.259 --> 00:22:41.259
 The kind of reception we had among you

00:22:41.259 --> 00:22:43.259
 And how you turned to God from idols

00:22:43.259 --> 00:22:46.259
 To serve the living and through God

00:22:46.259 --> 00:22:48.259
 And to wait for his son from heaven

00:22:49.259 --> 00:22:51.259
 Whom he raised from the dead Jesus

00:22:52.259 --> 00:22:55.259
 Who delivers us from the wrath to come

00:22:59.259 --> 00:23:01.259
 You'll be aware I'm sure I hope

00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:03.259
 That there is a current government

00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:06.259
 Scottish government consultation going on

00:23:07.259 --> 00:23:10.259
 And it's with regard to so called conversion therapy

00:23:10.259 --> 00:23:15.259
 And proposals that are going to be set before the government

00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:19.259
 Before parliament to address what's called conversion therapy

00:23:20.259 --> 00:23:23.259
 Though that doesn't seem to my mind to be any adequate definition

00:23:24.259 --> 00:23:26.259
 Of what's meant by conversion therapy

00:23:27.259 --> 00:23:30.259
 In any case it's important we engage with that

00:23:31.259 --> 00:23:33.259
 Because there are serious implications

00:23:34.259 --> 00:23:37.259
 If such proposals were to become law in our nation

00:23:37.259 --> 00:23:40.259
 The deadline for it is 2nd April

00:23:41.259 --> 00:23:43.259
 You can see details on the Free Church website

00:23:44.259 --> 00:23:45.259
 On the Christian Institute website

00:23:46.259 --> 00:23:48.259
 To give you guidance as to how to fill in the questions

00:23:49.259 --> 00:23:50.259
 And it's important that we do that

00:23:51.259 --> 00:23:52.259
 We mustn't just think

00:23:53.259 --> 00:23:54.259
 Well it'll work out okay

00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:56.259
 Or somebody else more qualified will do it

00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:58.259
 We have to actually address these issues

00:23:59.259 --> 00:24:00.259
 That are important to us all

00:24:01.259 --> 00:24:03.259
 In the churches and as Christians in our nation

00:24:04.259 --> 00:24:05.259
 It has serious implications

00:24:05.259 --> 00:24:07.259
 Because if this were to become law

00:24:08.259 --> 00:24:10.259
 It would actually mean that it would be dangerous for you

00:24:11.259 --> 00:24:14.259
 Dangerous in the sense of being liable to prosecution

00:24:15.259 --> 00:24:17.259
 To actually have a conversation with somebody

00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:20.259
 Where you are trying to deal with gender issues

00:24:21.259 --> 00:24:24.259
 Dangerous because even individuals

00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:26.259
 Praying with somebody

00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:29.259
 Would fall into the category of trying to coerce somebody

00:24:30.259 --> 00:24:31.259
 To change their gender

00:24:31.259 --> 00:24:32.259
 And that became a topic

00:24:33.259 --> 00:24:35.259
 In the matter of prayer or conversation

00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:38.259
 It's also important for you as parents

00:24:39.259 --> 00:24:40.259
 And grandparents

00:24:41.259 --> 00:24:42.259
 Because a serious question arises

00:24:43.259 --> 00:24:44.259
 As to who has the right

00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:47.259
 To determine what is and isn't

00:24:48.259 --> 00:24:50.259
 Acceptable or right for our children

00:24:51.259 --> 00:24:52.259
 Who has the right to say

00:24:53.259 --> 00:24:54.259
 About our children

00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:57.259
 This is really what they should believe

00:24:57.259 --> 00:24:58.259
 This is what we are putting before them

00:24:58.259 --> 00:25:00.259
 This is the lifestyle we commend for them

00:25:01.259 --> 00:25:02.259
 According to the scriptures

00:25:03.259 --> 00:25:04.259
 And anyway

00:25:04.259 --> 00:25:06.259
 Whatever our parental views may be

00:25:07.259 --> 00:25:09.259
 Parents ought to be the ones

00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:11.259
 That have the right exclusively

00:25:12.259 --> 00:25:14.259
 To actually teach their children

00:25:15.259 --> 00:25:16.259
 And look after their children's moral

00:25:17.259 --> 00:25:18.259
 And spiritual well-being

00:25:19.259 --> 00:25:21.259
 These proposals would actually

00:25:21.259 --> 00:25:22.259
 To some extent

00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:23.259
 Take that out of parents hands

00:25:23.259 --> 00:25:25.259
 And will place the powers

00:25:26.259 --> 00:25:27.259
 In the hands of others

00:25:28.259 --> 00:25:29.259
 Outside of that family home

00:25:30.259 --> 00:25:31.259
 Or parental home

00:25:32.259 --> 00:25:33.259
 So they become

00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:35.259
 Those who determine what is and isn't right

00:25:36.259 --> 00:25:38.259
 In terms of teaching our children

00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:40.259
 Obviously it also

00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:42.259
 Would have serious implications

00:25:43.259 --> 00:25:44.259
 For preaching the gospel

00:25:45.259 --> 00:25:46.259
 Because when we preach the gospel

00:25:47.259 --> 00:25:49.259
 And the Bible's teaching about gender issues

00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:51.259
 The so-called

00:25:51.259 --> 00:25:52.259
 When we teach us

00:25:52.259 --> 00:25:53.259
 We are going to look today

00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:54.259
 At the matter of conversion

00:25:55.259 --> 00:25:56.259
 It is well

00:25:56.259 --> 00:25:57.259
 Spiritual conversion

00:25:58.259 --> 00:25:59.259
 Then there is obviously

00:26:00.259 --> 00:26:01.259
 If you look at the proposals

00:26:02.259 --> 00:26:03.259
 A danger that the gospel itself

00:26:04.259 --> 00:26:05.259
 Or at least an attempt would be made

00:26:06.259 --> 00:26:07.259
 To curtail the gospel

00:26:08.259 --> 00:26:10.259
 And to curtail the teaching of the Bible

00:26:11.259 --> 00:26:13.259
 With regard to what is human

00:26:14.259 --> 00:26:15.259
 What is human life

00:26:15.259 --> 00:26:16.259
 What is human relationship

00:26:17.259 --> 00:26:18.259
 What human relationships

00:26:18.259 --> 00:26:19.259
 What marriage is about

00:26:19.259 --> 00:26:20.259
 And what gender

00:26:20.259 --> 00:26:22.259
 Is actually about as well

00:26:23.259 --> 00:26:25.259
 All of these areas

00:26:26.259 --> 00:26:28.259
 Are really critically important for us

00:26:29.259 --> 00:26:30.259
 As human beings

00:26:31.259 --> 00:26:32.259
 In this day and age

00:26:33.259 --> 00:26:34.259
 I am just saying that

00:26:35.259 --> 00:26:36.259
 Because it fits in with

00:26:37.259 --> 00:26:38.259
 What I am saying today

00:26:38.259 --> 00:26:39.259
 With regard to our topic

00:26:39.259 --> 00:26:40.259
 Which is conversion

00:26:41.259 --> 00:26:42.259
 I want to look at conversion

00:26:42.259 --> 00:26:44.259
 As it arises from verses 9 and 10

00:26:45.259 --> 00:26:46.259
 From the second part of verse 9

00:26:46.259 --> 00:26:47.259
 Verse 9 into verse 10

00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:49.259
 Where it talks about the conversion

00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:50.259
 Of the Thessalonians

00:26:51.259 --> 00:26:52.259
 From paganism

00:26:53.259 --> 00:26:54.259
 To be servants of Christ

00:26:55.259 --> 00:26:56.259
 And of God

00:26:58.259 --> 00:26:59.259
 And I am going to use the three verbs

00:27:00.259 --> 00:27:01.259
 That are used in these verses

00:27:02.259 --> 00:27:04.259
 Pretty much as our headings today

00:27:05.259 --> 00:27:06.259
 There are three main verbs

00:27:07.259 --> 00:27:08.259
 Throughout these verses

00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:09.259
 The first verb

00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:10.259
 The first verb is

00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:12.259
 To turn from

00:27:13.259 --> 00:27:14.259
 How you turned to God

00:27:14.259 --> 00:27:15.259
 From idols

00:27:16.259 --> 00:27:17.259
 So turning from

00:27:18.259 --> 00:27:19.259
 Idols to God

00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:21.259
 That is the first verb

00:27:22.259 --> 00:27:23.259
 Turning from

00:27:24.259 --> 00:27:25.259
 And then there are two things

00:27:25.259 --> 00:27:26.259
 As a result of that turning

00:27:27.259 --> 00:27:28.259
 The second verb is the one

00:27:29.259 --> 00:27:30.259
 Serving

00:27:31.259 --> 00:27:32.259
 You turn to God from idols

00:27:33.259 --> 00:27:34.259
 To serve the living and true God

00:27:34.259 --> 00:27:35.259
 You will see that conversion

00:27:35.259 --> 00:27:37.259
 Is very firmly attached to

00:27:37.259 --> 00:27:38.259
 Serving God

00:27:39.259 --> 00:27:40.259
 And thirdly

00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:42.259
 There is the aspect of waiting

00:27:43.259 --> 00:27:44.259
 For his son Jesus

00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:46.259
 From heaven

00:27:47.259 --> 00:27:48.259
 So that conversion

00:27:49.259 --> 00:27:50.259
 Is inseparably tied

00:27:51.259 --> 00:27:52.259
 To the mindset that waits

00:27:53.259 --> 00:27:54.259
 For Jesus to return

00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:56.259
 These three headings

00:27:57.259 --> 00:27:58.259
 Conversion as a turning to God

00:27:59.259 --> 00:28:00.259
 From idols

00:28:01.259 --> 00:28:02.259
 And then two things as a result of that

00:28:02.259 --> 00:28:03.259
 Conversion results

00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:05.259
 In serving the living and true God

00:28:06.259 --> 00:28:07.259
 And conversion results

00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:10.259
 In waiting for Jesus to return

00:28:11.259 --> 00:28:13.259
 Let's look at these quickly

00:28:14.259 --> 00:28:15.259
 Just one after another

00:28:16.259 --> 00:28:17.259
 Notice how he says here

00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:19.259
 This is what has been true

00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:21.259
 Of these Thessalonians

00:28:22.259 --> 00:28:23.259
 They themselves report

00:28:24.259 --> 00:28:26.259
 Those who are reporting about the way

00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:28.259
 The Thessalonians received the gospel

00:28:29.259 --> 00:28:30.259
 How you turned to God

00:28:30.259 --> 00:28:31.259
 From idols

00:28:31.259 --> 00:28:34.259
 To serve the living and true God

00:28:35.259 --> 00:28:36.259
 Now he mentions idols there

00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:38.259
 And of course we associate that

00:28:38.259 --> 00:28:39.259
 With paganism

00:28:40.259 --> 00:28:41.259
 With the kind of paganism

00:28:42.259 --> 00:28:43.259
 In Thessalonica

00:28:43.259 --> 00:28:44.259
 Prior to the gospel arriving

00:28:45.259 --> 00:28:46.259
 Paganism that reaches back in history

00:28:47.259 --> 00:28:49.259
 In those times to Greek and Roman

00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:51.259
 Paganism and even beyond that as well

00:28:52.259 --> 00:28:53.259
 It's very similar in fact

00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:55.259
 The emphasis in this passage

00:28:56.259 --> 00:28:57.259
 To what you find in Acts chapter 17

00:28:57.259 --> 00:28:58.259
 In Acts chapter 17

00:28:58.259 --> 00:29:00.259
 I remember Acts chapter 17

00:29:00.259 --> 00:29:03.259
 Where Paul was for a while in Athens

00:29:04.259 --> 00:29:09.259
 And he was just aghast at the sheer scale

00:29:10.259 --> 00:29:12.259
 Of the idolatry in Athens

00:29:13.259 --> 00:29:14.259
 And the number of idols

00:29:15.259 --> 00:29:18.259
 That were actually part of the lifestyle

00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:20.259
 Of the Athenians

00:29:21.259 --> 00:29:22.259
 And it was a very lucrative thing

00:29:22.259 --> 00:29:23.259
 To actually provide for

00:29:23.259 --> 00:29:25.259
 Paganism

00:29:25.259 --> 00:29:27.259
 Because there were certain religious objects

00:29:28.259 --> 00:29:30.259
 That you could say were used in devotion

00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:31.259
 To the gods so called

00:29:32.259 --> 00:29:34.259
 And people made a lucrative living out of that

00:29:35.259 --> 00:29:36.259
 So every time the gospel challenged that

00:29:37.259 --> 00:29:39.259
 And people turned from that way of life

00:29:40.259 --> 00:29:41.259
 To God

00:29:42.259 --> 00:29:44.259
 Obviously these things were then left behind

00:29:45.259 --> 00:29:46.259
 Anyway, idolatry

00:29:46.259 --> 00:29:47.259
 Idolatry

00:29:47.259 --> 00:29:48.259
 Had a very strong hold

00:29:49.259 --> 00:29:50.259
 Of people in Thessalonica

00:29:50.259 --> 00:29:51.259
 And in Athens

00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:52.259
 And these cities

00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:53.259
 At the time of the apostles

00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:55.259
 Because

00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:56.259
 They could see from Athens

00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:58.259
 They could see from Thessalonica

00:29:59.259 --> 00:30:00.259
 They could see Mount Olympus

00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:02.259
 And Mount Olympus

00:30:03.259 --> 00:30:04.259
 Was thought in Paganism

00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:07.259
 To be the home of the gods

00:30:08.259 --> 00:30:09.259
 That's where the gods lived

00:30:10.259 --> 00:30:11.259
 And the gods were looking out

00:30:12.259 --> 00:30:13.259
 And looking down upon you

00:30:13.259 --> 00:30:15.259
 And if you left their ways

00:30:15.259 --> 00:30:16.259
 And if you tried to

00:30:17.259 --> 00:30:18.259
 To abandon that

00:30:18.259 --> 00:30:19.259
 And especially follow the way of Christ

00:30:20.259 --> 00:30:21.259
 There was a great fear of

00:30:21.259 --> 00:30:22.259
 Revenge from these gods

00:30:23.259 --> 00:30:24.259
 And you can imagine the hold

00:30:25.259 --> 00:30:26.259
 That that actually had on people's lives

00:30:27.259 --> 00:30:28.259
 And in some ways you can find that

00:30:29.259 --> 00:30:30.259
 In different parts of the world today

00:30:31.259 --> 00:30:32.259
 Even within certain world religions

00:30:33.259 --> 00:30:34.259
 There's a great fear of

00:30:35.259 --> 00:30:36.259
 What will happen if I change

00:30:37.259 --> 00:30:38.259
 And become a Christian

00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:40.259
 There are many Christians throughout the world today

00:30:41.259 --> 00:30:42.259
 In various places in the world

00:30:42.259 --> 00:30:43.259
 That are persecuted

00:30:43.259 --> 00:30:44.259
 Because simply they've left

00:30:45.259 --> 00:30:46.259
 Their idolatry

00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:47.259
 If they've left their religion

00:30:47.259 --> 00:30:48.259
 And come to know Christ

00:30:49.259 --> 00:30:52.259
 And that's what it was like in Thessalonica

00:30:53.259 --> 00:30:55.259
 Now of course you'd have to expand on this

00:30:56.259 --> 00:30:57.259
 In terms of how we define gods

00:30:58.259 --> 00:30:59.259
 In our society

00:31:00.259 --> 00:31:01.259
 We mustn't just think that today

00:31:02.259 --> 00:31:03.259
 We're thinking here of the gods

00:31:03.259 --> 00:31:04.259
 The idols of the Thessalonians

00:31:05.259 --> 00:31:06.259
 And that's really all that has to do with idolatry

00:31:07.259 --> 00:31:08.259
 The Bible tells us

00:31:09.259 --> 00:31:10.259
 That idolatry really involves

00:31:10.259 --> 00:31:11.259
 Anything and everything

00:31:11.259 --> 00:31:13.259
 That you place instead of God

00:31:13.259 --> 00:31:15.259
 As a substitute for God

00:31:16.259 --> 00:31:17.259
 To which you give your devotion

00:31:17.259 --> 00:31:19.259
 Instead of giving it to God

00:31:20.259 --> 00:31:22.259
 Our society is crammed with idols

00:31:23.259 --> 00:31:24.259
 There are at least as many

00:31:25.259 --> 00:31:27.259
 If not more idols in our society today

00:31:28.259 --> 00:31:29.259
 Than there ever were in Thessalonica

00:31:30.259 --> 00:31:32.259
 All you've got to look at and see is

00:31:33.259 --> 00:31:35.259
 What do people devote their lives to?

00:31:35.259 --> 00:31:42.259
 Fame, celebrity, money, sport, sex, self

00:31:43.259 --> 00:31:45.259
 You could add to that list

00:31:46.259 --> 00:31:47.259
 And each one of these and all of them together

00:31:48.259 --> 00:31:49.259
 Involve idolatry

00:31:50.259 --> 00:31:51.259
 The Bible talks about covetousness

00:31:52.259 --> 00:31:53.259
 Which is idolatry

00:31:54.259 --> 00:31:55.259
 The love of self

00:31:56.259 --> 00:31:57.259
 The envy of others

00:31:58.259 --> 00:31:59.259
 So there's so many things

00:31:59.259 --> 00:32:01.259
 You could expand on this text

00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:04.259
 And expand on the whole definition of idolatry

00:32:05.259 --> 00:32:06.259
 To embrace the idolatry

00:32:07.259 --> 00:32:10.259
 That's currently so evident in our day as well

00:32:11.259 --> 00:32:13.259
 And in fact, as John Calvin put it

00:32:14.259 --> 00:32:15.259
 In one of his writings

00:32:16.259 --> 00:32:17.259
 And it's true of you and it's true of me

00:32:18.259 --> 00:32:20.259
 That we are naturally or natively

00:32:21.259 --> 00:32:23.259
 As we are born as sinners

00:32:24.259 --> 00:32:25.259
 As we follow the ways of sin

00:32:25.259 --> 00:32:26.259
 Calvin said

00:32:26.259 --> 00:32:28.259
 The heart of human beings

00:32:29.259 --> 00:32:32.259
 Is a factory of idols

00:32:33.259 --> 00:32:35.259
 A factory of idols

00:32:36.259 --> 00:32:39.259
 We manufacture, we create idols for ourselves

00:32:40.259 --> 00:32:41.259
 And it is the power of Christ

00:32:42.259 --> 00:32:43.259
 The power of grace

00:32:44.259 --> 00:32:45.259
 The power of God

00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:47.259
 That destroys and breaks

00:32:48.259 --> 00:32:49.259
 That relationship with idolatry

00:32:50.259 --> 00:32:51.259
 And here are the Thessalonians

00:32:51.259 --> 00:32:52.259
 The Thessalonians being commended

00:32:52.259 --> 00:32:54.259
 For the fact that they turned to God

00:32:55.259 --> 00:32:56.259
 From idols

00:32:57.259 --> 00:32:58.259
 And that word turned

00:32:59.259 --> 00:33:00.259
 Is also an interesting word

00:33:01.259 --> 00:33:03.259
 It actually means to actually have a complete turnaround

00:33:04.259 --> 00:33:08.259
 A 360 or 180 degree turn

00:33:09.259 --> 00:33:10.259
 If you like, you're going one direction

00:33:11.259 --> 00:33:12.259
 You turn back in the very opposite direction

00:33:13.259 --> 00:33:16.259
 And you're coming from one way of life

00:33:16.259 --> 00:33:17.259
 And following one way of life

00:33:18.259 --> 00:33:19.259
 To which you're devoted to be completely

00:33:19.259 --> 00:33:21.259
 The opposite direction

00:33:22.259 --> 00:33:23.259
 You turned to God

00:33:24.259 --> 00:33:25.259
 From idols

00:33:26.259 --> 00:33:27.259
 Now it's obvious as you read your Bible

00:33:28.259 --> 00:33:29.259
 The following of idols

00:33:29.259 --> 00:33:30.259
 Is the very opposite direction

00:33:31.259 --> 00:33:32.259
 In lifestyle

00:33:32.259 --> 00:33:33.259
 To following God

00:33:33.259 --> 00:33:34.259
 And to worshipping God

00:33:35.259 --> 00:33:37.259
 Whatever idol we might follow today

00:33:38.259 --> 00:33:39.259
 Whatever occupies our heart

00:33:40.259 --> 00:33:41.259
 In terms of giving it our devotion

00:33:42.259 --> 00:33:43.259
 Instead of giving it to God

00:33:44.259 --> 00:33:45.259
 We're travelling in the wrong direction

00:33:45.259 --> 00:33:46.259
 We're travelling in the opposite direction

00:33:46.259 --> 00:33:47.259
 We're travelling in the opposite direction

00:33:48.259 --> 00:33:49.259
 To what we know is pleasing to God

00:33:49.259 --> 00:33:50.259
 And good for ourselves

00:33:51.259 --> 00:33:52.259
 And the Thessalonians

00:33:53.259 --> 00:33:55.259
 They turned to God

00:33:56.259 --> 00:33:57.259
 From idols

00:33:58.259 --> 00:34:00.259
 Now conversion

00:34:01.259 --> 00:34:02.259
 Is always that

00:34:03.259 --> 00:34:04.259
 Whether it's dramatic

00:34:05.259 --> 00:34:06.259
 And sudden

00:34:06.259 --> 00:34:07.259
 Or sometimes gradual

00:34:08.260 --> 00:34:09.260
 Some people here would know

00:34:09.260 --> 00:34:10.260
 The exact moment perhaps

00:34:10.260 --> 00:34:11.260
 When they were converted

00:34:11.260 --> 00:34:12.260
 When Jesus came into their life

00:34:12.260 --> 00:34:13.260
 Powerfully

00:34:13.260 --> 00:34:14.260
 When the Holy Spirit

00:34:14.260 --> 00:34:15.260
 Convinced them of their sin

00:34:15.260 --> 00:34:17.260
 Of their need to turn to God

00:34:18.260 --> 00:34:19.260
 And seek His forgiveness

00:34:20.260 --> 00:34:21.260
 Other people

00:34:21.260 --> 00:34:22.260
 Myself included

00:34:22.260 --> 00:34:23.260
 Could not put a finger on

00:34:23.260 --> 00:34:24.260
 The exact moment

00:34:24.260 --> 00:34:25.260
 Even the exact week

00:34:25.260 --> 00:34:26.260
 Or day

00:34:27.260 --> 00:34:28.260
 Or month even

00:34:28.260 --> 00:34:29.260
 That that happened

00:34:29.260 --> 00:34:30.260
 It was a process over time

00:34:30.260 --> 00:34:31.260
 Where you came to know

00:34:31.260 --> 00:34:32.260
 That something was wrong in your life

00:34:33.260 --> 00:34:34.260
 You came to know the Gospel

00:34:34.260 --> 00:34:35.260
 You came to work through

00:34:35.260 --> 00:34:37.260
 The implications of not being right

00:34:37.260 --> 00:34:38.260
 With God

00:34:38.260 --> 00:34:41.260
 And you came to trust in Christ

00:34:42.260 --> 00:34:44.260
 Whatever sudden or gradual

00:34:45.260 --> 00:34:46.260
 At the end of the day

00:34:47.260 --> 00:34:48.260
 It amounts to the same thing

00:34:49.260 --> 00:34:50.260
 You turn around

00:34:51.260 --> 00:34:53.260
 From the life you live as a sinner

00:34:54.260 --> 00:34:56.260
 And you turn back and face God

00:34:57.260 --> 00:34:58.260
 And come to Him

00:34:59.260 --> 00:35:01.260
 You turned from to

00:35:02.260 --> 00:35:03.260
 From idols

00:35:04.260 --> 00:35:05.260
 From sin

00:35:05.260 --> 00:35:07.260
 From a life of self pleasing

00:35:08.260 --> 00:35:09.260
 To God

00:35:09.260 --> 00:35:10.260
 And that's what conversion really is

00:35:11.260 --> 00:35:12.260
 To be converted

00:35:12.260 --> 00:35:13.260
 Is to be turned around

00:35:14.260 --> 00:35:15.260
 Of course there's things like

00:35:15.260 --> 00:35:16.260
 Repentance

00:35:16.260 --> 00:35:17.260
 And faith

00:35:17.260 --> 00:35:18.260
 And other things associated with this

00:35:19.260 --> 00:35:20.260
 Not going into that just now

00:35:21.260 --> 00:35:22.260
 Today I'm just going to focus on

00:35:22.260 --> 00:35:23.260
 Conversion itself

00:35:24.260 --> 00:35:25.260
 And the meaning and definition of it

00:35:26.260 --> 00:35:27.260
 From these verses

00:35:27.260 --> 00:35:28.260
 So you're turning from one thing

00:35:28.260 --> 00:35:29.260
 To the next

00:35:29.260 --> 00:35:30.260
 It's a movement in your soul

00:35:31.260 --> 00:35:33.260
 It's a movement in your whole life really

00:35:33.260 --> 00:35:35.260
 Your whole life comes to a turnaround

00:35:36.260 --> 00:35:37.260
 And as you turn around

00:35:38.260 --> 00:35:39.260
 As you turn to God

00:35:40.260 --> 00:35:41.260
 You come to a new

00:35:42.260 --> 00:35:43.260
 Allegiance in your life

00:35:44.260 --> 00:35:45.260
 A new devotion

00:35:46.260 --> 00:35:47.260
 An allegiance to a new master

00:35:48.260 --> 00:35:49.260
 You no longer live to please yourself

00:35:50.260 --> 00:35:52.260
 You no longer live to please your friends

00:35:53.260 --> 00:35:54.260
 You no longer live to please

00:35:55.260 --> 00:35:57.260
 The ideals of the society you live in

00:35:58.260 --> 00:35:59.260
 You please God

00:35:59.260 --> 00:36:00.260
 Your concern

00:36:01.260 --> 00:36:02.260
 Your concern is to please Him

00:36:03.260 --> 00:36:04.260
 Thomas Chalmers

00:36:05.260 --> 00:36:06.260
 Was for quite a number of years

00:36:07.260 --> 00:36:08.260
 Preaching the gospel

00:36:09.260 --> 00:36:10.260
 Or preaching from the Bible

00:36:11.260 --> 00:36:12.260
 At least he would say himself

00:36:13.260 --> 00:36:14.260
 When he wasn't converted

00:36:14.260 --> 00:36:15.260
 He was one of the moderates

00:36:16.260 --> 00:36:17.260
 As they were called at that time

00:36:18.260 --> 00:36:19.260
 Ministers in the church

00:36:20.260 --> 00:36:21.260
 But weren't actually themselves

00:36:22.260 --> 00:36:23.260
 Converted or believers

00:36:24.260 --> 00:36:25.260
 And they generally preached as Chalmers did

00:36:25.260 --> 00:36:26.260
 As Chalmers did

00:36:26.260 --> 00:36:27.260
 A moralistic message

00:36:28.260 --> 00:36:30.260
 A message to do with

00:36:30.260 --> 00:36:31.260
 With morality

00:36:31.260 --> 00:36:32.260
 In general

00:36:32.260 --> 00:36:33.260
 Sometimes specific sense

00:36:33.260 --> 00:36:34.260
 But there was little of Christ in it

00:36:35.260 --> 00:36:36.260
 There was no emphasis in it

00:36:37.260 --> 00:36:38.260
 On conversion

00:36:38.260 --> 00:36:39.260
 Or the need to change your life

00:36:40.260 --> 00:36:41.260
 But when Chalmers was converted

00:36:42.260 --> 00:36:44.260
 And the Lord came into his life powerfully

00:36:45.260 --> 00:36:46.260
 He described it as

00:36:47.260 --> 00:36:48.260
 Coming under new ownership

00:36:49.260 --> 00:36:50.260
 But it was he said

00:36:51.260 --> 00:36:52.260
 The expulsive power

00:36:52.260 --> 00:36:53.260
 The expulsive power

00:36:53.260 --> 00:36:54.260
 Of a new affection

00:36:55.260 --> 00:36:56.260
 The expulsive power

00:36:57.260 --> 00:36:58.260
 Of a new affection

00:36:59.260 --> 00:37:00.260
 Why did he put it that way?

00:37:00.260 --> 00:37:01.260
 He didn't just say

00:37:01.260 --> 00:37:02.260
 It was the power of a new affection

00:37:03.260 --> 00:37:04.260
 A new affection for the Lord

00:37:04.260 --> 00:37:05.260
 That he hadn't had before then

00:37:06.260 --> 00:37:07.260
 No, he called it the expulsive power

00:37:08.260 --> 00:37:09.260
 Of a new affection

00:37:10.260 --> 00:37:11.260
 Because as the affection for the Lord

00:37:12.260 --> 00:37:13.260
 Came into his life

00:37:14.260 --> 00:37:15.260
 It expelled affection for idols

00:37:16.260 --> 00:37:17.260
 Affection for sin

00:37:18.260 --> 00:37:19.260
 Affection for self

00:37:19.260 --> 00:37:21.260
 It was an expulsive power

00:37:22.260 --> 00:37:23.260
 And wherever you and I

00:37:23.260 --> 00:37:24.260
 To whatever degree

00:37:25.260 --> 00:37:27.260
 Come to know the Lord Jesus Christ

00:37:28.260 --> 00:37:29.260
 If we know him at all

00:37:30.260 --> 00:37:31.260
 If we know him properly

00:37:32.260 --> 00:37:34.260
 It will be an expulsive experience

00:37:35.260 --> 00:37:37.260
 It will be something that deals with sin

00:37:38.260 --> 00:37:39.260
 As something to be expelled

00:37:40.260 --> 00:37:41.260
 Something no longer to be given

00:37:42.260 --> 00:37:44.260
 A place of welcome in your life

00:37:45.260 --> 00:37:47.260
 Something that you want to be without

00:37:47.260 --> 00:37:50.260
 You turn from sin

00:37:51.260 --> 00:37:52.260
 To God

00:37:53.260 --> 00:37:55.260
 And indeed that's part of the catechism's definition

00:37:56.260 --> 00:37:57.260
 Of repentance

00:37:58.260 --> 00:37:59.260
 Saving grace

00:38:00.260 --> 00:38:01.260
 By which a sinner turns

00:38:02.260 --> 00:38:03.260
 From sin unto God

00:38:04.260 --> 00:38:06.260
 And there's the first thing they said

00:38:07.260 --> 00:38:08.260
 That he said about

00:38:09.260 --> 00:38:10.260
 The Thessalonians

00:38:11.260 --> 00:38:12.260
 And their conversion

00:38:12.260 --> 00:38:14.260
 How you turned to God

00:38:14.260 --> 00:38:15.260
 From idols

00:38:15.260 --> 00:38:16.260
 To serve the living

00:38:17.260 --> 00:38:18.260
 And through God

00:38:18.260 --> 00:38:19.260
 And obviously that would make an impact

00:38:20.260 --> 00:38:21.260
 In that society

00:38:22.260 --> 00:38:23.260
 Here were people whose life

00:38:23.260 --> 00:38:24.260
 Was devoted to the idolatry

00:38:25.260 --> 00:38:26.260
 Of society at the time

00:38:27.260 --> 00:38:28.260
 Here were people who made it their business

00:38:29.260 --> 00:38:30.260
 To actually gain from that idolatry

00:38:31.260 --> 00:38:32.260
 Some of them

00:38:33.260 --> 00:38:34.260
 Here were people whose lifestyle

00:38:34.260 --> 00:38:35.260
 Corresponded to their belief in these idols

00:38:36.260 --> 00:38:37.260
 These gods that lived on Mount Olympus

00:38:38.260 --> 00:38:39.260
 As they thought

00:38:39.260 --> 00:38:40.260
 All of a sudden

00:38:40.260 --> 00:38:41.260
 That's come to an end

00:38:41.260 --> 00:38:42.260
 All of a sudden

00:38:42.260 --> 00:38:43.260
 People know them as

00:38:43.260 --> 00:38:44.260
 They're now under a new ownership

00:38:44.260 --> 00:38:45.260
 They're saying that they serve

00:38:45.260 --> 00:38:46.260
 The Lord Jesus Christ

00:38:47.260 --> 00:38:48.260
 It's a complete turnaround

00:38:49.260 --> 00:38:50.260
 Completely different

00:38:51.260 --> 00:38:52.260
 And obviously that would be

00:38:53.260 --> 00:38:54.260
 Have a mighty impact

00:38:54.260 --> 00:38:55.260
 That's why Paul says

00:38:56.260 --> 00:38:57.260
 They themselves report

00:38:57.260 --> 00:38:58.260
 Concerning the kind of reception

00:38:59.260 --> 00:39:00.260
 We had among you

00:39:00.260 --> 00:39:02.260
 So today

00:39:03.260 --> 00:39:04.260
 You have to look in your heart

00:39:04.260 --> 00:39:05.260
 And I have to look in my heart

00:39:05.260 --> 00:39:06.260
 And say

00:39:07.260 --> 00:39:08.260
 Who has or what has

00:39:09.260 --> 00:39:10.260
 My primary affection

00:39:11.260 --> 00:39:13.260
 What do I love more than anything else

00:39:14.260 --> 00:39:16.260
 Who do I love more than anyone else

00:39:17.260 --> 00:39:19.260
 Who has the first claim on my attention

00:39:20.260 --> 00:39:23.260
 Who has the first claim on my devotion

00:39:24.260 --> 00:39:26.260
 Who has the first claim on my service

00:39:27.260 --> 00:39:28.260
 On my time

00:39:28.260 --> 00:39:29.260
 On my gifts

00:39:29.260 --> 00:39:31.260
 In my relationships

00:39:32.260 --> 00:39:33.260
 They turned

00:39:34.260 --> 00:39:36.260
 To God from idols

00:39:37.260 --> 00:39:38.260
 So conversion

00:39:39.260 --> 00:39:40.260
 As a turning point to God

00:39:41.260 --> 00:39:42.260
 From idols

00:39:43.260 --> 00:39:44.260
 And there are two things that follow from that

00:39:44.260 --> 00:39:45.260
 As we said

00:39:46.260 --> 00:39:47.260
 That conversion firstly

00:39:48.260 --> 00:39:49.260
 Results in

00:39:49.260 --> 00:39:51.260
 Serving the living and through God

00:39:52.260 --> 00:39:54.260
 They're turned to God from idols

00:39:55.260 --> 00:39:56.260
 To serve the living and through God

00:39:56.260 --> 00:39:57.260
 That's life going

00:39:57.260 --> 00:39:58.260
 In the opposite direction

00:39:59.260 --> 00:40:00.260
 To what it was

00:40:00.260 --> 00:40:01.260
 They were serving idols

00:40:01.260 --> 00:40:03.260
 And here is something entirely different

00:40:03.260 --> 00:40:04.260
 And it's very obvious that

00:40:05.260 --> 00:40:07.260
 That Paul is describing God deliberately

00:40:08.260 --> 00:40:09.260
 As the living and through God

00:40:10.260 --> 00:40:12.260
 In contrast to the idols

00:40:13.260 --> 00:40:14.260
 That they once served

00:40:14.260 --> 00:40:15.260
 As we sang in Psalm 115

00:40:16.260 --> 00:40:18.260
 Very often idols were crafted

00:40:19.260 --> 00:40:20.260
 Or shaped to have a human form

00:40:21.260 --> 00:40:22.260
 Sometimes distorted

00:40:22.260 --> 00:40:24.260
 Sometimes very often ugly

00:40:25.260 --> 00:40:26.260
 But nevertheless

00:40:27.260 --> 00:40:28.260
 A form that

00:40:29.260 --> 00:40:30.260
 Was recognizable

00:40:31.260 --> 00:40:33.260
 And not that every idol was like that

00:40:34.260 --> 00:40:36.260
 But here is Paul saying

00:40:37.260 --> 00:40:38.260
 And the psalmist was saying

00:40:39.260 --> 00:40:40.260
 They have noses

00:40:40.260 --> 00:40:41.260
 They have eyes

00:40:41.260 --> 00:40:42.260
 They have faces

00:40:42.260 --> 00:40:43.260
 They have ears

00:40:43.260 --> 00:40:44.260
 They don't hear

00:40:44.260 --> 00:40:45.260
 They don't smell

00:40:45.260 --> 00:40:46.260
 They don't see

00:40:46.260 --> 00:40:47.260
 They're dead

00:40:47.260 --> 00:40:48.260
 They can do nothing for you

00:40:48.260 --> 00:40:49.260
 They can do nothing for you

00:40:50.260 --> 00:40:51.260
 And you turned

00:40:51.260 --> 00:40:52.260
 He said

00:40:53.260 --> 00:40:54.260
 To God from idols

00:40:54.260 --> 00:40:55.260
 To serve

00:40:55.260 --> 00:40:56.260
 The living

00:40:57.260 --> 00:40:58.260
 And through God

00:40:58.260 --> 00:40:59.260
 We are here today

00:40:59.260 --> 00:41:00.260
 Worshipping

00:41:00.260 --> 00:41:01.260
 The living and through God

00:41:02.260 --> 00:41:03.260
 And that includes

00:41:03.260 --> 00:41:04.260
 Every alternative

00:41:04.260 --> 00:41:05.260
 To Christ

00:41:05.260 --> 00:41:06.260
 Every alternative

00:41:07.260 --> 00:41:08.260
 To salvation in Christ

00:41:08.260 --> 00:41:09.260
 Every alternative

00:41:09.260 --> 00:41:10.260
 To that

00:41:11.260 --> 00:41:12.260
 We can use the word religion

00:41:12.260 --> 00:41:13.260
 If you like

00:41:13.260 --> 00:41:14.260
 The religion that focuses

00:41:14.260 --> 00:41:15.260
 On Christ

00:41:15.260 --> 00:41:16.260
 The Christian faith

00:41:16.260 --> 00:41:17.260
 Every alternative

00:41:17.260 --> 00:41:18.260
 To that

00:41:18.260 --> 00:41:19.260
 To some degree

00:41:19.260 --> 00:41:20.260
 Or other

00:41:20.260 --> 00:41:21.260
 Is following idols

00:41:21.260 --> 00:41:22.260
 And being involved

00:41:22.260 --> 00:41:23.260
 With idolatry

00:41:23.260 --> 00:41:24.260
 It doesn't matter

00:41:24.260 --> 00:41:25.260
 Which one you take

00:41:25.260 --> 00:41:26.260
 Of even the major world religions

00:41:26.260 --> 00:41:27.260
 Islam

00:41:27.260 --> 00:41:28.260
 Hinduism

00:41:28.260 --> 00:41:29.260
 Buddhism

00:41:29.260 --> 00:41:30.260
 All of them together

00:41:30.260 --> 00:41:31.260
 Or secularism

00:41:31.260 --> 00:41:32.260
 Which itself

00:41:32.260 --> 00:41:33.260
 Becomes idolatry

00:41:33.260 --> 00:41:34.260
 Those who are devoted to it

00:41:34.260 --> 00:41:35.260
 It doesn't matter

00:41:35.260 --> 00:41:36.260
 Which of them you take

00:41:36.260 --> 00:41:40.260
 And it's not hatred

00:41:40.260 --> 00:41:43.260
 And it's not phobia

00:41:44.260 --> 00:41:46.260
 To mention disagreement

00:41:46.260 --> 00:41:48.260
 With these ideologies

00:41:51.260 --> 00:41:53.260
 Otherwise we are being untrue

00:41:53.260 --> 00:41:54.260
 To Jesus and to the Bible

00:41:55.260 --> 00:41:57.260
 But we can say lovingly

00:41:57.260 --> 00:41:58.260
 And tactfully

00:41:58.260 --> 00:42:00.260
 That the Bible does not allow us

00:42:01.260 --> 00:42:03.260
 To embrace any aspects

00:42:03.260 --> 00:42:04.260
 Of what is idolatry

00:42:04.260 --> 00:42:07.260
 And think we can just tack that

00:42:07.260 --> 00:42:08.260
 On to Christianity

00:42:08.260 --> 00:42:09.260
 That's what it tried down

00:42:09.260 --> 00:42:10.260
 The years of the Old Testament

00:42:10.260 --> 00:42:11.260
 Wasn't it?

00:42:11.260 --> 00:42:13.260
 When the people of Israel

00:42:13.260 --> 00:42:14.260
 So often imported

00:42:14.260 --> 00:42:15.260
 The paganism

00:42:15.260 --> 00:42:16.260
 And the idolatry

00:42:16.260 --> 00:42:18.260
 From the nations around them

00:42:19.260 --> 00:42:20.260
 God sent

00:42:21.260 --> 00:42:22.260
 The prophets especially

00:42:23.260 --> 00:42:24.260
 The likes of Isaiah

00:42:25.260 --> 00:42:26.260
 Jeremiah

00:42:26.260 --> 00:42:27.260
 All the way through

00:42:27.260 --> 00:42:28.260
 These books of the prophets

00:42:28.260 --> 00:42:29.260
 You'll see

00:42:29.260 --> 00:42:30.260
 How frequently

00:42:30.260 --> 00:42:31.260
 Idolatry is mentioned

00:42:31.260 --> 00:42:33.260
 And how often

00:42:34.260 --> 00:42:35.260
 Idols are described

00:42:35.260 --> 00:42:36.260
 And a wonderful phrase

00:42:36.260 --> 00:42:37.260
 Which the authorised version has

00:42:37.260 --> 00:42:38.260
 I can't remember

00:42:38.260 --> 00:42:39.260
 Exactly if it's like that

00:42:39.260 --> 00:42:40.260
 In the ESV

00:42:41.260 --> 00:42:43.260
 Lying vanities

00:42:44.260 --> 00:42:46.260
 Lying vanities

00:42:47.260 --> 00:42:48.260
 Vanities

00:42:49.260 --> 00:42:50.260
 Which lie

00:42:51.260 --> 00:42:52.260
 Futile objects

00:42:53.260 --> 00:42:54.260
 Which take you away

00:42:54.260 --> 00:42:55.260
 Into falsehood

00:42:56.260 --> 00:42:58.260
 Lying vanities

00:42:58.260 --> 00:43:01.260
 But he says

00:43:01.260 --> 00:43:02.260
 To serve the living

00:43:02.260 --> 00:43:04.260
 And true God

00:43:05.260 --> 00:43:06.260
 Instead of that

00:43:07.260 --> 00:43:08.260
 The living God

00:43:09.260 --> 00:43:10.260
 Well why does he call him

00:43:10.260 --> 00:43:11.260
 The living God?

00:43:12.260 --> 00:43:13.260
 Well for one thing

00:43:13.260 --> 00:43:14.260
 Because

00:43:15.260 --> 00:43:16.260
 He is the only life

00:43:16.260 --> 00:43:17.260
 That's uncreated

00:43:19.260 --> 00:43:21.260
 God does not have a created life

00:43:22.260 --> 00:43:24.260
 The life of God is eternal

00:43:24.260 --> 00:43:26.260
 Life of God is uncreated

00:43:27.260 --> 00:43:28.260
 Nobody gave him life

00:43:29.260 --> 00:43:31.260
 Nobody created life for him

00:43:32.260 --> 00:43:33.260
 Unlike for you and for me

00:43:34.260 --> 00:43:38.260
 And not only is he uncreated in himself

00:43:39.260 --> 00:43:41.260
 But he's the one who creates life

00:43:42.260 --> 00:43:43.260
 He created human beings

00:43:44.260 --> 00:43:45.260
 He created animal life

00:43:46.260 --> 00:43:47.260
 He created plant life

00:43:48.260 --> 00:43:51.260
 He created life whatever it is outwith of himself

00:43:51.260 --> 00:43:53.260
 And he created human life

00:43:54.260 --> 00:43:55.260
 Especially human beings

00:43:56.260 --> 00:43:57.260
 In his own image

00:43:58.260 --> 00:43:59.260
 The life we have

00:44:00.260 --> 00:44:01.260
 That we have from God

00:44:02.260 --> 00:44:03.260
 Is a life that originates with God

00:44:04.260 --> 00:44:06.260
 Yes it's become corrupted by our sinfulness

00:44:07.260 --> 00:44:08.260
 And fallenness

00:44:09.260 --> 00:44:10.260
 And disobedience against God

00:44:11.260 --> 00:44:13.260
 But he's the one who creates life for us

00:44:14.260 --> 00:44:16.260
 And the wonderful thing is that this

00:44:17.260 --> 00:44:18.260
 You could trace this into another avenue

00:44:18.260 --> 00:44:19.260
 Which I'm not going to do just now

00:44:19.260 --> 00:44:22.260
 But as the uncreated life that he is

00:44:23.260 --> 00:44:24.260
 As God

00:44:24.260 --> 00:44:25.260
 As the one who creates life

00:44:26.260 --> 00:44:27.260
 Including our human life in the beginning

00:44:28.260 --> 00:44:31.260
 So he's the one who has created life for us in Christ

00:44:32.260 --> 00:44:36.260
 When you look at the way in which Jesus was buried

00:44:37.260 --> 00:44:38.260
 And then rose from the dead

00:44:39.260 --> 00:44:41.260
 And you can see in that itself

00:44:42.260 --> 00:44:44.260
 That here is the one who creates life for us

00:44:45.260 --> 00:44:47.260
 The fact that Jesus rose from the dead shows us

00:44:47.260 --> 00:44:50.260
 This is God's concern that we might have life

00:44:50.260 --> 00:44:51.260
 How did Jesus put it?

00:44:51.260 --> 00:44:56.260
 I have come in contrast to all who are thieves and robbers who came before me

00:44:57.260 --> 00:44:59.260
 Who didn't care for the sheep

00:45:00.260 --> 00:45:03.260
 I have come that they might have life

00:45:04.260 --> 00:45:05.260
 And have it more abundantly

00:45:06.260 --> 00:45:12.260
 And that care, that concern, that compassion, that love that Jesus has for his people, for his flock

00:45:12.260 --> 00:45:14.260
 Led him to the cross

00:45:15.260 --> 00:45:17.260
 Led him to the death of the cross

00:45:18.260 --> 00:45:21.260
 So that life would be created for us

00:45:22.260 --> 00:45:23.260
 Who deserved it not

00:45:24.260 --> 00:45:26.260
 But who welcome it nevertheless

00:45:27.260 --> 00:45:28.260
 And today

00:45:29.260 --> 00:45:30.260
 Your greatest privilege

00:45:31.260 --> 00:45:32.260
 Or one of your greatest privileges

00:45:33.260 --> 00:45:34.260
 Is to know the gospel

00:45:35.260 --> 00:45:36.260
 That tells you about the life

00:45:37.260 --> 00:45:38.260
 That Jesus has brought about for you

00:45:38.260 --> 00:45:40.260
 And your great privilege

00:45:41.260 --> 00:45:42.260
 In terms of your own human experience

00:45:43.260 --> 00:45:45.260
 Is to come to know this for yourself

00:45:46.260 --> 00:45:49.260
 To have this living Christ

00:45:50.260 --> 00:45:51.260
 This living God

00:45:52.260 --> 00:45:53.260
 In your life

00:45:53.260 --> 00:45:54.260
 At the centre of your life

00:45:54.260 --> 00:45:55.260
 Foundational to your life

00:45:56.260 --> 00:45:57.260
 The living

00:45:58.260 --> 00:45:59.260
 And the true God

00:46:00.260 --> 00:46:01.260
 You see he mentions as well the true God

00:46:01.260 --> 00:46:02.260
 Whether

00:46:02.260 --> 00:46:04.260
 So called God or idol is false

00:46:05.260 --> 00:46:06.260
 Lying vanities

00:46:07.260 --> 00:46:08.260
 We mentioned the phrase earlier

00:46:09.260 --> 00:46:10.260
 And so

00:46:10.260 --> 00:46:12.260
 Now you're relating to the true God

00:46:13.260 --> 00:46:14.260
 And that corresponds with having truth

00:46:15.260 --> 00:46:16.260
 In our hearts

00:46:19.260 --> 00:46:20.260
 Conversion results

00:46:21.260 --> 00:46:23.260
 In serving the living and true God

00:46:24.260 --> 00:46:25.260
 But notice this word serving as well

00:46:25.260 --> 00:46:27.260
 You turn to God from idols

00:46:28.260 --> 00:46:30.260
 To serve the living

00:46:31.260 --> 00:46:32.260
 And through God

00:46:33.260 --> 00:46:34.260
 To serve God

00:46:35.260 --> 00:46:36.260
 You see the test

00:46:36.260 --> 00:46:37.260
 The test of conversion

00:46:37.260 --> 00:46:38.260
 Is not just being able to claim something

00:46:39.260 --> 00:46:40.260
 As having happened in your life

00:46:41.260 --> 00:46:42.260
 Any of us can really make that claim

00:46:43.260 --> 00:46:44.260
 And say well I'm fine

00:46:44.260 --> 00:46:45.260
 I go to church I'm a Christian

00:46:46.260 --> 00:46:48.260
 And Paul is saying

00:46:49.260 --> 00:46:50.260
 Well one of the great tests

00:46:51.260 --> 00:46:52.260
 One of the great

00:46:52.260 --> 00:46:53.260
 Not just a test

00:46:53.260 --> 00:46:55.260
 Evidences of being converted

00:46:56.260 --> 00:46:57.260
 Is that you've come to turn

00:46:57.260 --> 00:46:58.260
 To serve the living God

00:46:59.260 --> 00:47:01.260
 Serving God

00:47:02.260 --> 00:47:03.260
 Honouring God

00:47:04.260 --> 00:47:05.260
 Knowing that it's a privilege

00:47:05.260 --> 00:47:06.260
 To be a servant of God

00:47:07.260 --> 00:47:08.260
 Well that's something

00:47:09.260 --> 00:47:10.260
 That actually marks you out

00:47:11.260 --> 00:47:12.260
 As a Christian

00:47:13.260 --> 00:47:14.260
 You know when you go to

00:47:15.260 --> 00:47:16.260
 The likes of John chapter 13

00:47:16.260 --> 00:47:17.260
 That famous incident

00:47:17.260 --> 00:47:18.260
 Where Jesus

00:47:19.260 --> 00:47:20.260
 Took off his outer garments

00:47:20.260 --> 00:47:21.260
 He girded himself with a towel

00:47:21.260 --> 00:47:24.260
 Taking this form of a servant

00:47:25.260 --> 00:47:26.260
 And began to wash the feet

00:47:27.260 --> 00:47:28.260
 Of the disciples

00:47:29.260 --> 00:47:30.260
 That was Jesus saying

00:47:30.260 --> 00:47:31.260
 That's what makes a person great

00:47:32.260 --> 00:47:34.260
 Not what they claim to be

00:47:35.260 --> 00:47:36.260
 But what they show themselves

00:47:37.260 --> 00:47:38.260
 To be in service

00:47:39.260 --> 00:47:40.260
 The service of others

00:47:40.260 --> 00:47:41.260
 And especially in the service of God

00:47:42.260 --> 00:47:43.260
 And this is what

00:47:44.260 --> 00:47:45.260
 The apostle is saying

00:47:46.260 --> 00:47:47.260
 In Thessalonians

00:47:47.260 --> 00:47:49.260
 To serve the living

00:47:49.260 --> 00:47:50.260
 And through God

00:47:51.260 --> 00:47:52.260
 Your aim

00:47:52.260 --> 00:47:53.260
 As a Christian

00:47:53.260 --> 00:47:54.260
 Is to please God

00:47:55.260 --> 00:47:56.260
 I know you and I can say

00:47:57.260 --> 00:47:58.260
 Every day we live pretty much

00:47:58.260 --> 00:47:59.260
 I'm sure I fail

00:48:00.260 --> 00:48:01.260
 In meeting that standard

00:48:02.260 --> 00:48:03.260
 You come to confess that

00:48:03.260 --> 00:48:04.260
 Before God

00:48:05.260 --> 00:48:06.260
 That you haven't made it today

00:48:07.260 --> 00:48:08.260
 A hundred percent

00:48:08.260 --> 00:48:09.260
 For the whole of the day

00:48:09.260 --> 00:48:10.260
 To set out to please God

00:48:11.260 --> 00:48:12.260
 But nevertheless

00:48:13.260 --> 00:48:15.260
 You know that

00:48:15.260 --> 00:48:16.260
 That's the bias of your heart

00:48:17.260 --> 00:48:18.260
 The intent of your heart

00:48:19.260 --> 00:48:20.260
 The desire of your heart

00:48:21.260 --> 00:48:22.260
 And in Colossians

00:48:23.260 --> 00:48:24.260
 Paul gave us a text

00:48:25.260 --> 00:48:26.260
 Just in the previous letter

00:48:27.260 --> 00:48:28.260
 Of Colossians

00:48:29.260 --> 00:48:30.260
 He gave us a text

00:48:30.260 --> 00:48:31.260
 That really should seek to

00:48:32.260 --> 00:48:33.260
 Place in our minds

00:48:33.260 --> 00:48:34.260
 Every morning we get up

00:48:35.260 --> 00:48:36.260
 Because it's one of those texts

00:48:36.260 --> 00:48:37.260
 That really should follow us

00:48:37.260 --> 00:48:39.260
 Should follow us into every day

00:48:40.260 --> 00:48:41.260
 Where he says

00:48:41.260 --> 00:48:43.260
 In chapter 3 verse 17

00:48:44.260 --> 00:48:45.260
 Whatever you do

00:48:46.260 --> 00:48:48.260
 In word or action

00:48:49.260 --> 00:48:50.260
 Do everything

00:48:51.260 --> 00:48:52.260
 In the name of the Lord Jesus

00:48:53.260 --> 00:48:54.260
 Giving thanks to God the Father

00:48:55.260 --> 00:48:56.260
 Through him

00:48:57.260 --> 00:48:58.260
 See how comprehensive that is

00:48:59.260 --> 00:49:00.260
 Whatever you do

00:49:01.260 --> 00:49:02.260
 In word or deed

00:49:02.260 --> 00:49:03.260
 In word or action

00:49:04.260 --> 00:49:05.260
 Do everything in the name

00:49:05.260 --> 00:49:06.260
 Of the Lord Jesus

00:49:06.260 --> 00:49:07.260
 In other words

00:49:07.260 --> 00:49:08.260
 For the glory of Jesus

00:49:08.260 --> 00:49:09.260
 For the praise of Jesus

00:49:10.260 --> 00:49:11.260
 Set that

00:49:12.260 --> 00:49:13.260
 As the benchmark

00:49:14.260 --> 00:49:15.260
 As the direction of your life

00:49:16.260 --> 00:49:17.260
 That every day

00:49:18.260 --> 00:49:19.260
 You would like to

00:49:20.260 --> 00:49:21.260
 Rise up with that conviction

00:49:22.260 --> 00:49:23.260
 In your mind

00:49:23.260 --> 00:49:24.260
 To follow it through

00:49:24.260 --> 00:49:25.260
 For the rest of the day

00:49:26.260 --> 00:49:27.260
 I must do all

00:49:28.260 --> 00:49:29.260
 To the praise of my God

00:49:30.260 --> 00:49:32.260
 I must endeavor to do everything

00:49:33.260 --> 00:49:34.260
 For the honor of Jesus

00:49:34.260 --> 00:49:35.260
 As the seven

00:49:35.260 --> 00:49:36.260
 Why?

00:49:36.260 --> 00:49:37.260
 Because he has bought me

00:49:37.260 --> 00:49:39.260
 He has made me his own

00:49:40.260 --> 00:49:42.260
 He has paid the price

00:49:42.260 --> 00:49:43.260
 Of my redemption

00:49:44.260 --> 00:49:45.260
 And I owe it to him

00:49:46.260 --> 00:49:47.260
 To live a life that pleases him

00:49:48.260 --> 00:49:49.260
 Not myself

00:49:51.260 --> 00:49:52.260
 So

00:49:52.260 --> 00:49:53.260
 Conversion is a turning to God

00:49:54.260 --> 00:49:55.260
 From idols

00:49:55.260 --> 00:49:56.260
 And that results

00:49:56.260 --> 00:49:57.260
 And that results firstly

00:49:57.260 --> 00:49:58.260
 In serving the living and through God

00:49:58.260 --> 00:49:59.260
 And results secondly

00:49:59.260 --> 00:50:00.260
 In that conversion

00:50:00.260 --> 00:50:02.260
 Results in waiting for Jesus

00:50:03.260 --> 00:50:04.260
 To return

00:50:05.260 --> 00:50:06.260
 And you notice how waiting

00:50:06.260 --> 00:50:07.260
 Is coupled here with serving

00:50:08.260 --> 00:50:09.260
 To serve the living and through God

00:50:10.260 --> 00:50:12.260
 And to wait for his son

00:50:12.260 --> 00:50:13.260
 From heaven

00:50:14.260 --> 00:50:15.260
 Even Jesus

00:50:15.260 --> 00:50:16.260
 And he makes it clear

00:50:16.260 --> 00:50:17.260
 This is his identity

00:50:18.260 --> 00:50:19.260
 He makes it clear who he means

00:50:20.260 --> 00:50:21.260
 To wait for the son of God

00:50:21.260 --> 00:50:22.260
 Well who is the son of God?

00:50:22.260 --> 00:50:24.260
 It is the same Jesus

00:50:24.260 --> 00:50:25.260
 Who lived in this world

00:50:25.260 --> 00:50:26.260
 As the son of God

00:50:26.260 --> 00:50:27.260
 In our nature

00:50:28.260 --> 00:50:29.260
 To wait for his son

00:50:30.260 --> 00:50:31.260
 From heaven

00:50:31.260 --> 00:50:32.260
 And waiting here

00:50:33.260 --> 00:50:34.260
 It's not something that you just do passively

00:50:35.260 --> 00:50:36.260
 And just wait for it to happen

00:50:37.260 --> 00:50:38.260
 Waiting always

00:50:39.260 --> 00:50:40.260
 In this sense of it

00:50:40.260 --> 00:50:41.260
 In the New Testament

00:50:42.260 --> 00:50:43.260
 Involves

00:50:43.260 --> 00:50:44.260
 Waiting expectantly

00:50:45.260 --> 00:50:46.260
 Waiting eagerly

00:50:47.260 --> 00:50:48.260
 Waiting for something with anticipation

00:50:48.260 --> 00:50:51.260
 That it's really of supreme importance to you

00:50:52.260 --> 00:50:53.260
 And in fact

00:50:54.260 --> 00:50:55.260
 As you actually go through

00:50:56.260 --> 00:50:57.260
 Both of these letters to the Thessalonians

00:50:58.260 --> 00:50:59.260
 It's interesting that

00:51:00.260 --> 00:51:01.260
 In each chapter of both letters

00:51:02.260 --> 00:51:03.260
 You have a reference

00:51:04.260 --> 00:51:05.260
 To the return of Jesus

00:51:05.260 --> 00:51:06.260
 In some way or other

00:51:07.260 --> 00:51:08.260
 You can go through that yourself later

00:51:09.260 --> 00:51:10.260
 Just read through the other very short letters

00:51:11.260 --> 00:51:12.260
 You can read through them pretty quickly

00:51:13.260 --> 00:51:14.260
 And in each of these chapters

00:51:15.260 --> 00:51:16.260
 Somewhere or other

00:51:16.260 --> 00:51:19.260
 A reference to the return of Jesus

00:51:19.260 --> 00:51:20.260
 In other words

00:51:20.260 --> 00:51:21.260
 For the apostle here

00:51:21.260 --> 00:51:22.260
 In writing to the Thessalonians

00:51:23.260 --> 00:51:25.260
 He obviously saw it as really important for them

00:51:26.260 --> 00:51:27.260
 To take on board

00:51:28.260 --> 00:51:29.260
 To take into mind

00:51:29.260 --> 00:51:31.260
 The fact that Jesus was returning

00:51:32.260 --> 00:51:34.260
 And the fact that they ought to wait for that

00:51:35.260 --> 00:51:36.260
 Expectantly

00:51:37.260 --> 00:51:38.260
 Knowing that it was going to be

00:51:38.260 --> 00:51:39.260
 The crowning of the redemption

00:51:39.260 --> 00:51:40.260
 As he came

00:51:40.260 --> 00:51:41.260
 And revealed himself

00:51:41.260 --> 00:51:42.260
 As the glorious

00:51:43.260 --> 00:51:44.260
 Son of God

00:51:44.260 --> 00:51:45.260
 Now in his exalted glory

00:51:46.260 --> 00:51:47.260
 To take them back

00:51:47.260 --> 00:51:48.260
 To be with himself in heaven

00:51:49.260 --> 00:51:50.260
 That was so important

00:51:51.260 --> 00:51:52.260
 Is it important

00:51:52.260 --> 00:51:53.260
 To yourself to think of

00:51:54.260 --> 00:51:55.260
 The return of Jesus

00:51:56.260 --> 00:51:58.260
 How does the return of Jesus

00:51:59.260 --> 00:52:00.260
 Fit into your thinking today

00:52:01.260 --> 00:52:02.260
 Where do you place it

00:52:03.260 --> 00:52:04.260
 Among the things that are important for you

00:52:05.260 --> 00:52:06.260
 Not just to know and to know about

00:52:06.260 --> 00:52:09.260
 But to actually have your heart set upon

00:52:12.260 --> 00:52:13.260
 Because if you follow

00:52:14.260 --> 00:52:15.260
 The thinking of the apostle

00:52:16.260 --> 00:52:17.260
 His heart

00:52:17.260 --> 00:52:18.260
 And he's wanting the Thessalonians heart

00:52:19.260 --> 00:52:20.260
 To be absolutely set upon

00:52:21.260 --> 00:52:22.260
 The return of Jesus

00:52:23.260 --> 00:52:24.260
 Just as much as they ought to

00:52:25.260 --> 00:52:26.260
 Still consider the death of Jesus

00:52:26.260 --> 00:52:27.260
 The resurrection of Jesus

00:52:27.260 --> 00:52:28.260
 The resurrection of Jesus

00:52:28.260 --> 00:52:29.260
 This Jesus whom God raised from the dead

00:52:30.260 --> 00:52:31.260
 As he puts it here

00:52:31.260 --> 00:52:32.260
 There's a reference to the resurrection

00:52:32.260 --> 00:52:33.260
 Whom he raised from the dead

00:52:34.260 --> 00:52:35.260
 Jesus

00:52:36.260 --> 00:52:37.260
 So we have to actually eagerly anticipate

00:52:38.260 --> 00:52:39.260
 His return

00:52:39.260 --> 00:52:40.260
 And if we are his today

00:52:41.260 --> 00:52:44.260
 It's going to be one of the great moments of our life

00:52:45.260 --> 00:52:48.260
 To actually have the Lord's return

00:52:49.260 --> 00:52:50.260
 In our experience

00:52:51.260 --> 00:52:53.260
 To experience that for ourselves

00:52:53.260 --> 00:52:55.260
 To welcome him

00:52:56.260 --> 00:52:57.260
 It's such a huge feature

00:52:58.260 --> 00:53:00.260
 Of these letters to the Thessalonians

00:53:01.260 --> 00:53:02.260
 And it should be

00:53:02.260 --> 00:53:03.260
 In my life and in your life as well

00:53:04.260 --> 00:53:05.260
 Notice he says

00:53:05.260 --> 00:53:06.260
 He raised him from the dead

00:53:07.260 --> 00:53:08.260
 He doesn't just say

00:53:08.260 --> 00:53:09.260
 Jesus the son of God

00:53:10.260 --> 00:53:12.260
 Whom he raised from the dead

00:53:13.260 --> 00:53:14.260
 I wonder why he's actually including

00:53:15.260 --> 00:53:16.260
 These verses

00:53:16.260 --> 00:53:17.260
 Well it's so that

00:53:17.260 --> 00:53:18.260
 They will actually realise

00:53:18.260 --> 00:53:19.260
 This is the same Jesus

00:53:20.260 --> 00:53:21.260
 Who was raised from the dead

00:53:21.260 --> 00:53:22.260
 That is going to return

00:53:22.260 --> 00:53:23.260
 It's not a different person

00:53:24.260 --> 00:53:26.260
 The same Jesus who died on the cross

00:53:26.260 --> 00:53:28.260
 Is the Jesus who rose from the dead

00:53:29.260 --> 00:53:30.260
 Here is the emphasis on God the Father

00:53:31.260 --> 00:53:32.260
 Raising him from the dead

00:53:33.260 --> 00:53:34.260
 And by raising him on the dead

00:53:34.260 --> 00:53:35.260
 Giving assurance

00:53:35.260 --> 00:53:36.260
 That his work on the cross

00:53:36.260 --> 00:53:37.260
 Was fully accepted

00:53:38.260 --> 00:53:39.260
 That's another angle of theology

00:53:40.260 --> 00:53:41.260
 Let's leave it there

00:53:42.260 --> 00:53:44.260
 But to whom he raised from the dead

00:53:45.260 --> 00:53:46.260
 It's the same person

00:53:47.260 --> 00:53:48.260
 Who's going to return

00:53:48.260 --> 00:53:50.260
 Though not in the same form

00:53:50.260 --> 00:53:51.260
 If you like

00:53:51.260 --> 00:53:52.260
 He's going to return in his glory

00:53:53.260 --> 00:53:54.260
 He actually came the first time

00:53:55.260 --> 00:53:56.260
 As a servant

00:53:57.260 --> 00:53:58.260
 In his lowliness

00:54:00.260 --> 00:54:02.260
 But it's an argument in favour of

00:54:03.260 --> 00:54:04.260
 The return of Jesus

00:54:04.260 --> 00:54:05.260
 That he has in fact

00:54:05.260 --> 00:54:06.260
 Been raised from the dead

00:54:07.260 --> 00:54:08.260
 You see some people constantly

00:54:09.260 --> 00:54:10.260
 Will say to us

00:54:10.260 --> 00:54:11.260
 What proof do you have that Jesus lives?

00:54:12.260 --> 00:54:13.260
 What proof do you have that Jesus is going to return?

00:54:14.260 --> 00:54:15.260
 What proof do you have that the end of the world

00:54:15.260 --> 00:54:17.260
 Is going to be at the return of Jesus

00:54:17.260 --> 00:54:19.260
 Or associated with the return of Jesus

00:54:20.260 --> 00:54:21.260
 And of course you've got to come back at that point

00:54:22.260 --> 00:54:24.260
 And say well I can't do anything for you

00:54:24.260 --> 00:54:25.260
 Unless you believe the Bible

00:54:26.260 --> 00:54:28.260
 But if I believe the Bible

00:54:29.260 --> 00:54:30.260
 As the word of God

00:54:31.260 --> 00:54:33.260
 As the word of God that's been given to me

00:54:34.260 --> 00:54:35.260
 From his own mouth

00:54:36.260 --> 00:54:39.260
 Then I have to believe what he tells me in this word

00:54:40.260 --> 00:54:42.260
 As being true and dependable

00:54:42.260 --> 00:54:43.260
 And dependable

00:54:45.260 --> 00:54:46.260
 And again in the book of Acts

00:54:47.260 --> 00:54:48.260
 It's interesting how

00:54:48.260 --> 00:54:50.260
 That same passage in Acts 17

00:54:51.260 --> 00:54:52.260
 Dealing with the idolatry of Athens

00:54:54.260 --> 00:54:57.260
 That Paul as he was addressing these men of Athens

00:54:58.260 --> 00:54:59.260
 In verses 30 and 31

00:55:00.260 --> 00:55:02.260
 He went on in his argument in presenting

00:55:03.260 --> 00:55:05.260
 These things being then God's offspring

00:55:06.260 --> 00:55:07.260
 29

00:55:07.260 --> 00:55:09.260
 Think that divine beings like gold

00:55:09.260 --> 00:55:10.260
 Or silver or stone

00:55:11.260 --> 00:55:14.260
 An image formed by the art and imagination of man

00:55:16.260 --> 00:55:17.260
 The times of ignorance God overlooked

00:55:18.260 --> 00:55:21.260
 But now he commands every people everywhere to repent

00:55:22.260 --> 00:55:23.260
 Why?

00:55:23.260 --> 00:55:24.260
 Because he has fixed a day

00:55:25.260 --> 00:55:27.260
 On which he will judge the world in righteousness

00:55:28.260 --> 00:55:30.260
 By a man or by the man whom he has appointed

00:55:31.260 --> 00:55:32.260
 That's Jesus

00:55:33.260 --> 00:55:34.260
 He has fixed a day

00:55:34.260 --> 00:55:35.260
 God has fixed a day

00:55:35.260 --> 00:55:36.260
 It's in his diary

00:55:36.260 --> 00:55:37.260
 It's not going to go beyond it

00:55:37.260 --> 00:55:42.260
 In which he will judge the world in righteousness

00:55:43.260 --> 00:55:44.260
 In other words

00:55:45.260 --> 00:55:46.260
 Every single one of us

00:55:47.260 --> 00:55:48.260
 Will be judged in righteousness

00:55:49.260 --> 00:55:50.260
 No bribes

00:55:50.260 --> 00:55:51.260
 No excuses

00:55:52.260 --> 00:55:54.260
 Nothing's going to be in our favor on that day

00:55:55.260 --> 00:55:57.260
 Apart from the righteousness of Christ

00:55:58.260 --> 00:56:00.260
 Apart from having Jesus as your savior

00:56:01.260 --> 00:56:02.260
 But then he goes on to say

00:56:02.260 --> 00:56:04.260
 He has appointed the day

00:56:04.260 --> 00:56:06.260
 In which he will judge the world in righteousness

00:56:07.260 --> 00:56:08.260
 By a man whom he has appointed

00:56:09.260 --> 00:56:11.260
 And of this he has given assurance to all

00:56:12.260 --> 00:56:15.260
 By raising him from the dead

00:56:16.260 --> 00:56:17.260
 Isn't that interesting?

00:56:18.260 --> 00:56:19.260
 The raising of Jesus from the dead

00:56:20.260 --> 00:56:23.260
 Is giving assurance, Paul says, to all

00:56:24.260 --> 00:56:27.260
 To all human beings who come to know and read the gospel

00:56:27.260 --> 00:56:29.260
 Because the gospel is saying to us

00:56:29.260 --> 00:56:32.260
 Here's your assurance that there is a day of judgment coming

00:56:33.260 --> 00:56:35.260
 Because Christ has been raised from the dead

00:56:36.260 --> 00:56:37.260
 And it's this Christ who has been raised from the dead

00:56:38.260 --> 00:56:40.260
 Who will be at that day the judge of the living and the dead

00:56:41.260 --> 00:56:44.260
 You know there's a day of judgment coming

00:56:45.260 --> 00:56:48.260
 Because you read in your Bible that Jesus was raised from the dead

00:56:48.260 --> 00:56:50.260
 And because Jesus was raised from the dead

00:56:50.260 --> 00:56:52.260
 And God is giving us assurance

00:56:53.260 --> 00:56:55.260
 That he has appointed a day

00:56:56.260 --> 00:56:57.260
 In which he will judge the world

00:56:58.260 --> 00:56:59.260
 By this man

00:57:00.260 --> 00:57:01.260
 By this person

00:57:02.260 --> 00:57:04.260
 And he finishes by saying

00:57:05.260 --> 00:57:06.260
 In this text we have today

00:57:07.260 --> 00:57:08.260
 To wait for the son from heaven

00:57:09.260 --> 00:57:10.260
 Who he raised from the dead

00:57:10.260 --> 00:57:14.260
 Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come

00:57:16.260 --> 00:57:19.260
 The wrath to come is of course God's judgment

00:57:20.260 --> 00:57:21.260
 God's judgment on the wicked

00:57:22.260 --> 00:57:23.260
 God's judgment on the ungodly

00:57:24.260 --> 00:57:26.260
 God's judgment on the Christless

00:57:27.260 --> 00:57:29.260
 It's the wrath to come

00:57:30.260 --> 00:57:31.260
 The wrath of God

00:57:32.260 --> 00:57:33.260
 The indescribable

00:57:34.260 --> 00:57:35.260
 Awesome

00:57:36.260 --> 00:57:37.260
 Wrath of God

00:57:37.260 --> 00:57:39.260
 God's righteous

00:57:40.260 --> 00:57:41.260
 Indignation

00:57:42.260 --> 00:57:43.260
 Against sin

00:57:44.260 --> 00:57:46.260
 That fell on Jesus

00:57:47.260 --> 00:57:49.260
 So that it need not fall on you and me

00:57:50.260 --> 00:57:52.260
 But fall on you and me it will

00:57:53.260 --> 00:57:55.260
 If we haven't made Jesus our Saviour

00:57:58.260 --> 00:57:59.260
 He will judge the world

00:58:00.260 --> 00:58:01.260
 This Jesus

00:58:02.260 --> 00:58:03.260
 Who delivers us from the wrath to come

00:58:04.260 --> 00:58:05.260
 And why does he say

00:58:05.260 --> 00:58:06.260
 Deliver us

00:58:06.260 --> 00:58:07.260
 Why is it present tense

00:58:08.260 --> 00:58:09.260
 Well there are different views of that

00:58:10.260 --> 00:58:12.260
 But I think it's saying that

00:58:13.260 --> 00:58:14.260
 He has delivered us

00:58:15.260 --> 00:58:16.260
 There's a sense in which we're already delivered

00:58:17.260 --> 00:58:18.260
 If we're saved

00:58:18.260 --> 00:58:19.260
 If we're converted

00:58:20.260 --> 00:58:21.260
 If Christ has rescued us

00:58:22.260 --> 00:58:23.260
 From sin

00:58:24.260 --> 00:58:25.260
 From guilt

00:58:26.260 --> 00:58:27.260
 That's going to remain the case

00:58:28.260 --> 00:58:29.260
 But there's a process going on

00:58:30.260 --> 00:58:31.260
 It's really associated if you like

00:58:31.260 --> 00:58:32.260
 With our sanctification

00:58:32.260 --> 00:58:33.260
 Or with being kept by God until that day

00:58:33.260 --> 00:58:35.260
 And so in a sense there's that

00:58:36.260 --> 00:58:37.260
 He is still delivering us

00:58:38.260 --> 00:58:39.260
 He is still keeping us

00:58:40.260 --> 00:58:42.260
 From that wrath coming to overwhelm us

00:58:43.260 --> 00:58:44.260
 He delivers us

00:58:45.260 --> 00:58:46.260
 From the wrath to come

00:58:47.260 --> 00:58:48.260
 Experts

00:58:50.260 --> 00:58:51.260
 Predict that

00:58:52.260 --> 00:58:54.260
 A major earthquake will take place

00:58:55.260 --> 00:58:57.260
 These are people who are experts in that field

00:58:57.260 --> 00:58:58.260
 That a major earthquake

00:58:58.260 --> 00:59:00.260
 That a major earthquake will take place

00:59:00.260 --> 00:59:01.260
 In the vicinity of Tokyo in Japan

00:59:02.260 --> 00:59:05.260
 In the vicinity of Tokyo in Japan

00:59:06.260 --> 00:59:08.260
 Sometime within the next 20 to 30 years

00:59:09.260 --> 00:59:11.260
 And they speak about it

00:59:12.260 --> 00:59:13.260
 It's not something that's maybe possible

00:59:14.260 --> 00:59:17.260
 But something that's almost certainly going to be the case

00:59:18.260 --> 00:59:19.260
 It's not if

00:59:20.260 --> 00:59:21.260
 It's a matter of when

00:59:21.260 --> 00:59:22.260
 It's a matter of when

00:59:23.260 --> 00:59:26.260
 There are, I don't know, 30 or 40 million people

00:59:27.260 --> 00:59:29.260
 Living in Tokyo or around these areas

00:59:30.260 --> 00:59:31.260
 And these experts are saying

00:59:32.260 --> 00:59:33.260
 We know that this is coming

00:59:34.260 --> 00:59:35.260
 We have to prepare for it

00:59:36.260 --> 00:59:38.260
 We have to do everything possible to try and mitigate

00:59:39.260 --> 00:59:40.260
 This disaster

00:59:41.260 --> 00:59:43.260
 We're sure it's going to take place

00:59:44.260 --> 00:59:48.260
 Because we judge, we measure the various forces that are at play at the moment

00:59:48.260 --> 00:59:53.260
 So it's not a matter of if it's going to happen

00:59:54.260 --> 00:59:55.260
 We can't tell precisely when

00:59:56.260 --> 00:59:58.260
 But it is going to happen

00:59:59.260 --> 01:00:03.260
 And isn't that how it is with the day of judgment

01:00:04.260 --> 01:00:07.260
 It's not a matter of if

01:00:08.260 --> 01:00:09.260
 But when

01:00:10.260 --> 01:00:12.260
 But you needn't worry about that today

01:00:13.260 --> 01:00:15.260
 If your life is in Christ

01:00:15.260 --> 01:00:17.260
 You are safe

01:00:18.260 --> 01:00:19.260
 The earthquake of wrath

01:00:20.260 --> 01:00:22.260
 Will not overwhelm you

01:00:23.260 --> 01:00:25.260
 Jesus will be your protector then as he is now

01:00:26.260 --> 01:00:29.260
 But you need to make sure

01:00:30.260 --> 01:00:31.260
 That you are found in him

01:00:32.260 --> 01:00:34.260
 Not having a righteousness of your own

01:00:35.260 --> 01:00:36.260
 But the righteousness

01:00:37.260 --> 01:00:38.260
 That is of God

01:00:39.260 --> 01:00:40.260
 By faith

01:00:41.260 --> 01:00:43.260
 May God bless these thoughts to us

01:00:43.260 --> 01:00:44.260
 Let's pray

01:00:45.260 --> 01:00:46.260
 Almighty God

01:00:47.260 --> 01:00:49.260
 We give thanks for the grace of conversion

01:00:50.260 --> 01:00:51.260
 The grace of regeneration

01:00:52.260 --> 01:00:54.260
 The grace that changes us inwardly

01:00:55.260 --> 01:00:56.260
 From what we are by nature

01:00:57.260 --> 01:00:59.260
 Into being servants of the living and through God

01:01:00.260 --> 01:01:01.260
 Help us, we pray Lord

01:01:02.260 --> 01:01:03.260
 To value your grace day by day

01:01:04.260 --> 01:01:06.260
 Help us to measure ourselves

01:01:07.260 --> 01:01:08.260
 Not by our own achievements

01:01:09.260 --> 01:01:10.260
 But by what you have done for us

01:01:10.260 --> 01:01:12.260
 Help us each day to be concerned

01:01:13.260 --> 01:01:14.260
 To live out our faith

01:01:15.260 --> 01:01:18.260
 And especially to be known as people who serve the living and through God

01:01:19.260 --> 01:01:23.260
 Enable us to counter the various ways in which this age in which we live

01:01:24.260 --> 01:01:26.260
 Seek to counter the gospel

01:01:27.260 --> 01:01:29.260
 And remember every effort made Lord to uphold your cause

01:01:30.260 --> 01:01:33.260
 And to uphold that gospel and to uphold your laws

01:01:34.260 --> 01:01:35.260
 In that age in which we live

01:01:35.260 --> 01:01:37.260
 Receive our thanks now

01:01:37.260 --> 01:01:38.260
 And cleanse us from our sin

01:01:39.260 --> 01:01:40.260
 For Christ's sake

01:01:40.260 --> 01:01:41.260
 Amen

01:01:46.260 --> 01:01:48.260
 We're going to conclude our service today singing in Psalm 27

01:01:49.260 --> 01:01:51.260
 Let's sing psalms again

01:01:52.260 --> 01:01:53.260
 Psalm 27

01:01:54.260 --> 01:01:55.260
 On page 32

01:01:56.260 --> 01:01:57.260
 Singing this time to the tune Belmont

01:01:57.260 --> 01:02:01.260
 We're singing from the middle of verse 9

01:02:02.260 --> 01:02:04.260
 Four verses to the end of the psalm

01:02:05.260 --> 01:02:07.260
 O God my Saviour

01:02:08.260 --> 01:02:10.260
 Leave me not, do not reject my plea

01:02:11.260 --> 01:02:12.260
 My parents may forsake me Lord

01:02:13.260 --> 01:02:14.260
 But you will welcome me

01:02:15.260 --> 01:02:16.260
 Teach me O Lord how I should live

01:02:17.260 --> 01:02:18.260
 And lead me in your way

01:02:19.260 --> 01:02:20.260
 Make straight my path

01:02:21.260 --> 01:02:23.260
 Because my foes oppress me

01:02:24.260 --> 01:02:25.260
 Every day

01:02:25.260 --> 01:02:27.260
 And yet I am sure that in this life

01:02:28.260 --> 01:02:29.260
 God's goodness I will see

01:02:30.260 --> 01:02:31.260
 Wait for the Lord

01:02:31.260 --> 01:02:32.260
 Be strong

01:02:32.260 --> 01:02:33.260
 Take heart

01:02:34.260 --> 01:02:35.260
 For Him wait patiently

01:02:36.260 --> 01:02:38.260
 These verses O God my Saviour

01:02:38.260 --> 01:02:39.260
 Leave me not

01:02:40.260 --> 01:02:41.260
 O God my Saviour

01:02:42.260 --> 01:02:43.260
 Leave me not

01:02:44.260 --> 01:02:47.260
 O God my Saviour

01:02:48.260 --> 01:02:52.260
 Leave me not

01:02:52.260 --> 01:02:55.260
 Do not

01:02:55.260 --> 01:02:56.260
 Do not

01:02:56.260 --> 01:02:58.260
 Reject

01:02:58.260 --> 01:03:01.260
 My plea

01:03:02.260 --> 01:03:03.260
 My

01:03:03.260 --> 01:03:04.260
 My

01:03:04.260 --> 01:03:06.260
 My

01:03:06.260 --> 01:03:08.260
 My

01:03:08.260 --> 01:03:09.260
 My

01:03:09.260 --> 01:03:10.260
 My

01:03:10.260 --> 01:03:11.260
 My

01:03:11.260 --> 01:03:12.260
 My

01:03:12.260 --> 01:03:13.260
 My

01:03:13.260 --> 01:03:14.260
 My

01:03:14.260 --> 01:03:15.260
 My

01:03:15.260 --> 01:03:16.260
 My

01:03:16.260 --> 01:03:17.260
 My

01:03:17.260 --> 01:03:18.260
 My

01:03:18.260 --> 01:03:19.260
 My

01:03:19.260 --> 01:03:20.260
 My

01:03:20.260 --> 01:03:35.500
 O Lord, how I should live and lead me in your way.

01:03:35.500 --> 01:03:52.500
 Make straight my path because my foes oppress me every day.

01:03:52.500 --> 01:04:08.500
 Give me not over to the will of human enemies.

01:04:08.500 --> 01:04:26.500
 For liars rise to slander me and breathe out cruelties.

01:04:26.500 --> 01:04:43.500
 Yet I am sure that in this life of goodness I will see.

01:04:43.500 --> 01:04:52.500
 Wait for the Lord, be strong, take heart.

01:04:53.500 --> 01:04:58.500
 For him wait patiently.

01:05:01.500 --> 01:05:03.679
 Forgive me, I won't go to the door today.

01:05:03.760 --> 01:05:07.400
 I don't want to pass this cold on to anybody, so please excuse me for that.

01:05:08.159 --> 01:05:11.900
 Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father,

01:05:11.900 --> 01:05:15.639
 and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you now and evermore.

01:05:16.220 --> 01:05:16.579
 Amen.

01:05:16.579 --> 01:05:16.700
 Amen.