I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts.
I will look to see what he will say to me and what answer I am to give to this complaint.
Then the Lord replied,
Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.
For the revelation awaits an appointed time.
It speaks of the end and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it.
It will certainly come and will not delay.
See, he is puffed up, his desires are not upright, but the righteous will live by his faith.
Indeed, wine betrays him.
He is arrogant and never at rest.
But because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples.
Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying,
Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion?
How long must this go on?
Will not your debtors suddenly arise?
Will they not wake up and make you tremble?
Then you will become their victim, because you have plundered many nations.
The peoples who are left will plunder you.
For you have shed man's blood.
You have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
Woe to him who builds this realm by unjust gain.
To set his nest on high.
To escape the clutches of ruin.
You have plotted the ruin of many peoples.
Shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
The stones of the wall will cry out and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.
Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by crime.
Has not the Lord Almighty determined that the people's labour is only fuel for the fire?
That nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Well, I'm going to invite Martin, if he'd like to come up now.
He's going to speak to us.
There will be opportunity to talk to Martin and to Elizabeth afterwards.
So please do that.
Take time.
I'm sure you'll say a little bit about your books.
But before you do, I'm going to pray for you and then let you speak away.
Is that okay?
Thank you.
It's more than okay.
Great.
Well, let's pray.
Father God, we thank you so much for Martin and for Elizabeth.
We thank you for their many years of service.
We thank you for their gifts that you have given them.
Their gifts of teaching, as we have heard over this past weekend.
And we pray that they now would be that continued blessing to us and encouragement to us as a church family.
And that we would be a people who would understand what it is to see the glory of the Lord fill the earth.
And we pray now for Martin.
Fill him with your spirit and us.
Speak through him words of life.
Amen.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Thanks very much, Martin, for coming.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for coming too and to be with us today.
Thank you.
Well, it's great to be among you and to share with you this morning.
Thank you for allowing us to be part of your fellowship for this morning.
That's great.
I thought I would just encourage you for a moment, before we turn to the Word,
on Thursday, Elizabeth and I will be flying out to India to visit the churches that her great-grandparents planted
around 160 years ago.
During her great-grandparents' time, there was terrific opposition to the Gospel.
Terrific, terrific opposition.
And they saw very few people turning to the Lord.
A few, but nothing very much.
Today, 160 years later, the fruit of their labors is enormous.
There's a central church with a congregation of 700.
And then the actual church that they planted originally has around 200.
And they have planted around 240 other churches in the area.
And then they have around 400, what they call for preaching stations.
That's congregations of under 35, 40, that sort of size.
So, altogether, well over 600 congregations out from that central one.
And of course, tens of thousands of believers are coming out of this tiny little beginning
with all the opposition and so on.
And I'm sure that great-grandfather and great-grandmother,
when they look down from heaven, they must smile, I think,
and say, wow, we never pictured anything like that, you know.
It all seems so small and difficult and fruitless and tremendous opposition.
And yet, out of that has come this major movement of God.
And that's still growing, of course.
Well, not of course, but it is.
So, be encouraged.
You know, as you look out on this area and you think, well, praise the Lord for the little group here
and the little group there and the little group you're starting in Kinsale and so on.
And you think, oh, well, you know, we're in a situation of tremendous secularism
and tremendous disinterest in the gospel.
Can't expect anything much here, you know.
And yet, the Lord did it in India and he can do it here.
And he did it with great-grandparents and he can do it for you.
So, be encouraged.
Well, that was all just a little extra there.
I hadn't planned to say that, but I thought I would.
We're turning back to Habakkuk.
And it's...
Habakkuk is such a brilliant book.
Let me recommend it to you to just enjoy it and revel in what the Lord has said in Habakkuk.
Just before we turn to Habakkuk 2, let me say that we brought a whole mass of books with us from home.
But yesterday, nearly all of them sold.
But you can look up our names on the net.
And you can order Elizabeth's life story or my life story.
You'll see them on the net if you look at Amazon and our name.
But there are just a few left, including actually, I think, three copies of a book on Habakkuk.
Any complaints?
Blame God.
Which is what people do, isn't it?
And Habakkuk did it as well.
So, when they do it, they're being quite prophetic.
Not just pathetic, but prophetic.
Any complaints?
Blame God.
Well, what was Habakkuk's problem?
What was he blaming God about?
Well, let me remind you of the whole book of Habakkuk very briefly.
Habakkuk was looking out on his own society in Judah
and complaining about the fact that they were just steeped in sin.
Tremendous evil and awful.
Habakkuk said, Lord, do something for Judah.
And God says to Habakkuk, no, actually, I am doing something you don't think I am.
I am at work.
Perhaps you don't see it.
But I am at work not among your people.
I am actually at work among the nations, among the Gentiles.
Not just among Judah.
And I am doing fantastic work.
And then God shocks Habakkuk and says what he is doing.
He is raising up the Chaldeans.
And Habakkuk said, but Lord, you can't do that.
The Chaldeans are even worse than Judah.
And Judah, in comparison with the Chaldeans, is a, you know, a set of innocents.
The Chaldeans are a ferocious, cruel, evil, idolatrous people.
Any other bad adjectives you want to find, you can apply them to the Chaldeans and they'll fit.
And yet God says, that's the people I'm raising up as my instruments.
And Habakkuk says, well, you can't do that, God, because you're a holy God.
You're so holy you can't even look on sin.
And now you say, you're raising up this appallingly sinful people as your instruments.
How can you do that?
And that leads us into chapter 2.
And Habakkuk, with this complaint and questioning of God,
Habakkuk says, I'll stand at my watch, chapter 2, verse 1,
and I'll station myself on the ramparts.
And you can picture an ancient city with its walls around and being the guard standing on the walls there,
looking out over the fields to see if there are any enemies coming and seeing what's going on.
Well now, actually the words there could be related to a city and its walls,
but it could also, the words actually used in the original,
could also relate to a harvest field.
And all the crops are growing up,
and in the middle of the field,
they would have a little raised platform with a seat on the top,
and usually just a boy would sit on the top there,
and there'd be strings going out into the field from there.
And the boy's job was to watch whether any birds were attacking the harvest.
And if birds came, he'd lift up the strings and frighten the birds away.
But in one way or another,
whether stationed to see that nothing affects the harvest,
or whether stationed on the ramparts of a wall of a city,
to see that no enemy is coming to destroy you,
in one way or another,
look out and see what God is doing,
and see what is happening around you.
See whether there are things that are bad happening,
as well as what is good that is happening.
And so Habakkuk says,
I will stand at my watch,
and I will look to see,
it's very interesting this,
I will look to see what he will say to me.
You think, well, if God's speaking,
surely it's the ears, not the eyes,
that are important.
That you hear a word,
you don't normally see a word.
Yeah?
But Habakkuk, like all the prophets,
very much emphasizes the idea of seeing.
I mentioned this yesterday,
so those who were there yesterday,
please forgive me,
that a prophet is known as a seer.
A seer.
A prophet is one who keeps his eyes open,
or her eyes open, if you want,
to see what the God of history is actually doing.
And when you see what's going on,
then you can have a real understanding
of what's the purpose of God,
what's the will of God,
in the world of our day.
And you have a ministry of a prophet.
So I will look to see what God will say,
and God speaks through what's going on.
And so, you know,
as you pray,
and as you plan for the church,
you keep your newspaper open,
or your television news on.
But in one way or another,
you see the purposes of God.
I will look to see what he will say,
and then the translation here,
it's okay,
but it's not really literally accurate.
It's really what he will say in me.
And we all know that, don't we?
You know,
we have some real question,
real complaint even.
We're wondering, you know,
what on earth is God doing?
You know,
God, you shouldn't be doing that.
This is awful.
You know,
why this?
Why that?
And then,
as we struggle with it,
actually,
we give the answer to our questions
from within ourselves.
God actually works in us,
not from outside,
but from within,
by his Spirit,
so that our minds are actually determined
by God and his Spirit,
and we actually give the answers
to our own questions and problems.
So,
I'll look out to see
what he will say,
actually,
in me,
Habakkuk says.
And,
ask the Lord
that he will work in you,
in such a way,
in you,
in such a way,
that actually,
you have the answers
to questions,
problems,
situations
that you face.
I love the,
the words of Paul.
I don't find them easy.
But Paul says,
just in parenthesis,
it's not a main point or anything,
but in the Corinthian letters,
he says,
we have the mind of Christ.
Now,
I find it very easy
to turn that into a prayer
rather than a statement.
Lord,
give me the mind of Christ.
Lord,
help me to,
to think the thoughts of God.
That my mind
might work
in God's way,
with God's thoughts,
so that I see things
from God's perspective.
And I very easily
turn that into a prayer
because,
frankly,
I don't find it easy
just to say,
with confidence,
you know,
I think the thoughts of God.
I have the mind of Christ.
But,
as we steep ourselves
in scripture
and in prayer
and in walking
with the Lord,
the Lord forms our minds.
And,
we have,
Paul says,
we have the mind of Christ.
So,
I look out to see,
Habakkuk says,
what he will say in me
and what answer
I am to give
to this complaint
that I've made
about raising up
the Chaldeans.
And the Lord replied,
verse 2,
write down the revelation
so that a herald
may run with it.
and,
again,
if you look at the commentaries,
it's got two possible senses there.
One is that you write it,
that Habakkuk should write down
the revelation of God
and it should be so clear
that the herald
will immediately obey it
and run with it.
And,
that's something we want,
isn't it?
That the revelation of God,
the word of the Lord
should be so clear to us
and to the people around us
that people will jump
to obey it.
Jump to follow the Lord
in his purposes
and his will.
That the herald
may run with it.
But it's also got
another rather amusing sense
that
Habakkuk should write down
the revelation
and it should be so clear
that a herald
can actually run
with the revelation.
Of course,
it was before books,
it was tablets,
but run with the tablets there
and,
you know,
when you run,
everything bobs up and down,
doesn't it?
But it should be so clear
that you can run
and still read it.
Well,
whichever sense you take,
the meaning is clear.
That the revelation of God
should be so clear
that you obey it,
you follow it,
and you run to obey it.
It's terribly un-European,
this,
and I do apologise,
if I'm allowed to apologise
for the word of the Lord.
But,
you know,
we immediately say,
well,
write it down on tablets
or in a book
and let the revelation of God
be so clear
that we form a committee
and discuss it.
Or,
that we write it down,
it's so clear
that we'll
spend a year
praying about it.
Now,
please don't misunderstand me,
I'm all in favour
of praying about it,
and I'm all in favour
of having committees
sometimes.
Just in case you're
somebody who sits
on some committee
or other.
But,
actually,
that's not the purpose here.
What Habakkuk is saying,
or what God is saying
to Habakkuk,
is,
it should be so clear
that you,
you get up and run
to obey it.
The Lord's revelation.
Because,
verse 3,
the revelation awaits
an appointed time.
It speaks
of God's
final purposes,
of the end.
And it will not
prove false.
There's an assurance
for us.
And then I love
the end of verse 3.
Though it linger,
wait for it.
I like the old
Revised Standard
version on that.
If it seems slow,
wait for it.
If it seems slow,
wait for it.
That's the sort of word
you can write
on a piece of paper
and blue tack it
on next to your bed
or on your desk
or somewhere
where you see it.
If it seems slow,
wait for it.
Though it linger,
wait for it.
You know,
we live in an age
where we expect
everything to happen
immediately,
don't we?
If it doesn't happen
by the end of today,
then forget it.
And God is
just appallingly slow.
My wife and I
had a little
smile this morning
because
she was holding
my tie
ready for me
to put it on.
She was
patiently waiting.
And I was doing
all sorts of other things.
And there she was
with my tie
waiting and waiting.
And I said,
oh well,
that's what we married for
that you might learn
patience.
Well,
we've been married
for 51 years
and we're still
learning,
both of us.
But
God is just
terribly slow.
Even slower
than I am.
You know,
frankly,
if I'd been God,
which
fortunately I never was,
just in case
you weren't sure,
but if I'd been God,
the Messiah,
the Savior,
would have come
a lot earlier.
I wouldn't have
waited all those
hundreds and hundreds
and hundreds of years
for Jesus to come.
I'd have
moved history forward
much more quickly.
Now,
you know,
you may feel,
well,
if I'd done that,
if I'd had that power,
Jesus would have
come at the wrong time
and the whole thing
would have been a disaster.
But I'd have
moved it on,
you know.
And I sometimes
think of that
blank page
between the Old Testament
and the New Testament,
you know,
and that blank page
represents
400 years
of divine silence.
400 years
between Malachi
and the coming
of John the Baptist.
You know,
no prophets,
no scriptures,
no new scriptures,
no sign
of God
speaking.
400 years
of it.
just think
of 400 years
in our history,
you know,
go back
to the year
1613.
It's an awful
long time ago,
isn't it?
And even I,
in my antiquity,
I can't remember
1613,
you know,
a bit before
my time even.
400 years,
1613
to 2013
with no sign
of God
speaking.
It's appalling,
isn't it?
But that's
what it is.
Actually,
there's a
Japanese
missionary
theologian,
a guy called
Koyama,
but don't worry
with that.
He's written
a book called
The Three Mile
An Hour God.
And in it
he says,
God doesn't
go by jet
plane,
he goes
by water
buffalo cart.
And those
of you who
know a
water buffalo,
they go so
slowly,
one step,
another step,
very slowly,
and even
three miles
an hour
is probably
an exaggeration.
It's probably
only two
or two and a
half or
something.
So slow.
and
you know
that in
Ireland,
don't you?
You know
your church
planting?
How long
does it
take God
to plant
a church
in Kinsale?
Months
after month
and
gradually
you get a
little group
and then
one other
person gets
added
and then
six months
down the
line
or a year
down the
line
maybe another
person begins
to come
and then
those people
you know
they start
so
inadequate
in faith
and then
gradually
the Lord
by his
spirit
and his
word
works in
them.
It seems
to take
forever
before they're
mature and
really alive
in Christ
you know
God is
just
awful
really
so
slow
so
God
says to
Habakkuk
though it
linger
wait for
it
will
certainly
come
and it
will not
delay
God's
purpose
is actually
sure
it may
be slow
it may
require
patience
but it
will
come to
pass
God has
promised it
God has
planned it
God is
doing it
and it
will
be
exactly
as he
has
planned
it's
wonderful
it will
certainly
not
possibly
but
certainly
come
and it
will not
delay
it will
be
exactly
at the
time
that the
Lord
has
planned
and his
timing
unlike mine
is
perfect
wonderful
to be
confident
of it
well
all of
that was
introduction
and let's
get to the
point
what is
God
actually
planning
Habakkuk
says
God is
planning
a final
judgment
you may
think
oh
Habakkuk
you may
think
that I
shouldn't
raise up
the Chaldeans
and that
there's
an unholy
plan there
that this
goes against
the whole
holiness of
God
and righteousness
of God
that God
is raising
up this
appalling
evil people
as his
instruments
but
the time
will come
I planned
it
God says
the time
will come
when actually
the Chaldeans
will collapse
and they
will
be judged
and in
chapter 2
verses 5
to the
end
verse 6
to the
end
I beg
your pardon
verse 6
to the
end
you get
this
judgment
of God
not very
popular
these days
to talk
about
judgment
but actually
it's really
important
because it
vindicates
the righteousness
of God
and in
the world
in which
we live
sin
and sinners
seem to
have all
the glory
they're the
successful
ones
they're the
rich and
the powerful
and so on
you know
and you
think well
what's going
on
that the
sinner's
flesh
and the
righteous
go down
the drain
and that's
particularly
true of
course
for people
living in
persecution
situations
you know
just picture
yourself in
some of
these Muslim
countries
where there
are not
very many
believers
and
Christians
get terribly
persecuted
some get
killed
many
get thrown
out of
their
families
and
homes
many
lose
their
jobs
because
they're
Christian
tremendous
persecution
what a
situation
where
you begin
to think
well
it's the
opposite
of prosperity
theology
you know
it's a
failure
theology
a
suffering
theology
but then
we follow
a suffering
saviour
don't we
a suffering
servant
amazing
just the
opposite
of prosperity
but there
will be a
vindication
where actually
the powerful
will go down
the drain
and the
people of
God
will be
lifted up
and rewarded
that's
God's
promise
they seem
so powerful
so successful
now
with everything
going for
them
but judgment
is coming
and the
righteous rule
of God
the kingdom
of God
will finally
prevail
and so you
get in
chapter 2
a whole
series of
words of
judgment
woe to
you who
woe to
you who
woe to
you who
and I
don't want
to go
through all
the woes
but you
can do it
for yourselves
in chapter
2 verse
6
woe to
him who
piles up
stolen goods
etc
and in
verse 9
woe to
him who
builds his
realm by
unjust
gain
and sets
his nest
on high
to escape
the clutches
of ruin
and verse
12
woe to
him who
builds a
city with
bloodshed
and verse
15
woe to
him who
gives drink
to his
neighbors
pouring it
from the
wineskin
till they
are drunk
very modern
isn't it
and the
final one
in verse
19
woe to
him who
says to
wood
come to
life
or to
lifeless
stone
wake up
can it
give
guidance
it's
covered
with
gold
and
silver
it
looks
wonderful
but actually
there's no
breath
in it
what a
contrast
with verse
20
but the
Lord
but
the
Lord
lovely
words
but the
Lord
the contrast
is in
his holy
temple
let all
the earth
be silent
before him
because he
is the
sovereign
Lord
in control
of everything
well in the
midst of all
that judgment
we get the
very well
known
amazing
positive
verse
of verse
14
the earth
will be
filled
with the
knowledge of
the glory
of the
Lord
as the
waters
cover the
sea
and that's
what we're
working
towards
that's
why you're
planting a
church in
Kinsale
that's our
aim in our
church here
that's our
aim as
Christians
that the
earth
may be
filled
and it's a
promise
the earth
not only
may be
filled
but will
be filled
with the
knowledge
of the
glory
of the
Lord
and it's
really
complete
as the
waters
cover the
sea
I want
to go
through
that
verse
with you
the
earth
Martin
Luther
in the
Reformation
added to
scripture
in order
to underline
it
and
scripture
talks about
being justified
by faith
and
Luther
added the
word
by faith
alone
now of
course if
you're
really going
to be
biblically
acceptable
you have
to do
it in
Latin
so
not just
fide
by faith
but
sola fide
by faith
alone
yes
well if
Luther can
add to
scripture
so can
I
and so
I'm
wanting to
add
not just
the earth
but to
underline
it
and explain
it
and
emphasize
it
the
whole
earth
well let's
do it in
Latin
so it
really is
theologically
acceptable
and true
not just
terra
the earth
but
tota terra
the whole
earth
the whole
earth
will be
filled
with the
knowledge
of the
glory
of the
Lord
I love
that
Saudi
Arabia
wow
will be
filled
with the
knowledge
of the
glory
of the
Lord
amazing
can you
picture that
Saudi
Arabia
so
strongly
Muslim
so
fanatically
Muslim
Saudi
Arabia
will be
filled
with the
knowledge
of the
glory
of the
Lord
well we
were talking
about
Laos
one or two
of us
just before
the service
Laos
will be
filled
with the
knowledge
of the
glory
of the
Lord
can Laos
be filled
that way
surely
not it's
impossible
to conceive
it
this is the
promise of
the Lord
though it
linger
wait for
it
and work
for it
and pray
for it
Laos
will be
filled
with the
knowledge
of the
glory
of the
Lord
Ireland
will be
filled
you know
your
particular
town
will be
filled
with the
knowledge
of the
glory
of the
Lord
Elizabeth
and I
live in
a little
village
called
Stansted
Abbott
Stansted
Abbott
no
that's
too
much
of a
miracle
Stansted
Abbott
will be
filled
with the
knowledge
of the
glory
of the
Lord
your
street
will be
filled
with the
knowledge
of the
glory
of the
Lord
it's
fantastic
isn't it
wait for it
it's coming
though it
linger
wait for
it
the whole
earth
will be
filled
not just
one or two
here
and one or
two there
and a little
bit here
and a little
bit there
and a tiny
fellowship here
and a tiny
fellowship there
no no
it will be
filled
it's a strong
word
it's a word
actually
same
basic word
as you get
in Romans
11
the fullness
of the
Gentiles
the mass
of Gentiles
non-Jews
will be
brought in
wonderful
multitudes
of Europeans
and multitudes
of Africans
and multitudes
of Asians
and multitudes
of this
country
and that
country
and this
town
and that
town
in their
crowds
what the
book of
Revelation
talks of
as the
144,000
amazing
a thousand
is always
in Jewish
thought
a huge
number
limited
yes
it's not
everybody
but it's
a vast
number
but it's a
thousands
coming in
wonderful
we look
forward to
it don't
we
we'll be
filled
and then
just let me
mention
all Israel
will be saved
as well
again it doesn't
mean everybody
but a
multitude
of my
Jewish people
all Israel
will be
saved
this type
of Jew
and that
type of Jew
Moroccan
Jews
and Yemeni
Jews
and British
Jews
and Irish
Jews
and you name it
any other
Jews you like to
think of
Ashkenazic Jews
if you know
what
know a bit
about Judaism
and Jewish
life
and Sephardic
Jews
and Indian
Jews
and Ethiopian
black Jews
and Chinese
Jews
etc
all Israel
will be
saved
I look
forward to
it
wow
well
the earth
will be
filled
and
we need
in our
little
context
in Europe
where the
church is
still
terribly
small
the number
of believers
is still
a small
minority
we need
to lift
up our
eyes
and keep
that vision
before us
of the
multitudes
the whole
earth
being
filled
so that
we're not
content
anymore
with the
little bit
here and
the little
bit there
but we're
looking for
the
multitudes
praying
for the
multitudes
I
encourage you
with that
Indian
scene
you know
the tiny
little
beginning
and that's
the picture
of God's
kingdom
in the
new
testament
isn't it
Jesus
teaching on
the kingdom
of God
that it
starts
small
you know
a tiny
little bit
of leaven
but it
it grows
like leaven
does
and it
leavens
the whole
lump
and the
big tree
of the
kingdom
with all
the birds
of the air
the nations
of the world
finding their
shade under
the branches
the great
kingdom tree
but it
starts as a
tiny little
seed
and that
tiny little
seed grows
and grows
until it
becomes a
great tree
the kingdom
of God
starts small
well of course
that's the
picture of the
Christian life
isn't it
new birth
and most
of us
when we're
born
are relatively
small
I don't know
were you
born
as a
great big
adult
six feet
tall
I don't
think so
poor mother
but
no
we're born
small
and then we
grow
and grow
and we
develop
until we're
full size
some of us
grow beyond
that
and get
obese
but
no
that growth
and we're
looking for
it
now of course
having
lived and
worked in
Asia
and in
the great
churches
there
and seen
the multitudes
turning to
the Lord
it's easier
for us
because we've
seen it
in different
places
but let's
look for it
here in
Ireland
let's look
for it all
over the
world
that the
multitudes
of the
whole earth
may be
filled
with the
knowledge
of the
glory
of the
Lord
to know
the glory
and
knowing
in the
Hebrew
has the
idea
not just
of an
intellectual
knowledge
and
understanding
but it's
a total
relationship
we would
say in
English
of the
head
and the
heart
in every
part of
us
relating
to the
glory
of the
Lord
it's
actually
the word
excuse
me
but it's
the word
that's
used
for
sexual
relationship
a man
knows
his wife
there's not
just something
intellectual there
is it
there's something
a little bit
more than
that
it's a
relationship
of the
totality
of your
being
the whole
of you
the emotional
the physical
the spiritual
everything else
that we are
relates
together
yeah
well now
of course
the knowledge
of the glory
of the Lord
is not some
sexual thing
but it's
the totality
of our being
in every
way
knowing
the glory
of the
Lord
wonderful
the glory
of the
Lord
knowing
the glory
experiencing
the glory
relating
to the
glory
of the
Lord
not some
old fashioned
God
not some
irrelevant
weak
God
but the
glory
of the
Lord
and of course
we immediately
ask well
as followers
of the
Lord
as the
ambassadors
of the
Lord
what sort
of Lord
are we
taking
to the
people of
Ireland
or as we
go overseas
to the
people
elsewhere
what sort
of Lord
are we
taking
because
we do
take the
Lord
wherever we
go
whether we
like it
or not
and whether
other people
like it
or not
the only
question
is what
sort
of Lord
are you
taking
you know
Christopher
Columbus
is not
one of my
favourite
church
heroes
but
Christopher
Columbus
wrote
a journal
most of
it sadly
has been
lost
or maybe
fortunately
I don't
know
but in
the remnants
of his
journal
there's one
passage
where he
glories
in
the fact
that he
is crossing
the oceans
taking
Christ
wherever
he goes
and he
rejoices
in his
name
Christopher
and those
of you
who remember
your Latin
which of
course
used to
be fluent
in the
good old
days
but
Christopher
the one
who bears
Christ
who carries
Christ
you know
all of us
are Christophers
actually all of us
are saints
as well
so all of us
are little
St.
Christopher's
isn't that
nice
so when you
come to
the fellowship
here next
Sunday
you can
say to
each other
good morning
St.
Christopher
so that'll
give you
safety on
your journeys
but leave
that aside
we are
Christophers
now
when you
come to
Christopher
Columbus
you say
well
what sort
of Christ
did he
actually
take to
the
Americas
was it
a good
representation
of Christ
well I
don't want
to discuss
Columbus
that's not
my point
but for
us too
what sort
of picture
of Christ
what sort
of Christ
are we
conveying
to the
world
yeah
because
all of us
are
Christophers
bearers
of Christ
good ones
bad ones
old
passion
ones
relevant
ones
holy
ones
unholy
ones
attractive
ones
unattractive
ones
but
there we
are
the glory
that's what
we're to
bring
the absolute
splendor
and beauty
and holiness
and attractiveness
and everything
wonderful in the
love and grace
and mercy
and kindness
the glory
the absolute
splendor
that's what
we carry
the whole
earth
will be
filled
with the
knowledge
of the
glory
of the
Lord
not of us
not of our
church
not of our
type of
Christianity
not of
anything else
but the
glory
of the
Lord
the Lord
himself
well
citizens
and brothers
that's
the promise
of God
that's
what is
going to
take place
the earth
will
no doubt
about it
will be
filled
with the
knowledge
of the
glory
of the
Lord
as the
waters
cover the
sea
totality
of it
let's
work for
it
let's
pray for
it
let's
expect
it
and
pray
God
that
increasingly
we may
experience
it
and so
may the
Lord
richly
bless
us
as we
work for
and pray
for
his
purposes
his
plans
for the
whole
earth
Amen
thank you
Martin
well do
talk to
both
Martin
and to
Elizabeth
have a
look at
their
books
and ask
them any
questions
that you
like
about
their
service
let's
just
close
as we
pray
Father
God
thank you
so much
for
our
gathering
this
morning
thank you
for the
great
reminder
of your
wonderful
promises
keep us
faithful
keep us
looking
give us
eyes to
see
all that
you are
doing
and saying
to us
today
in Jesus
name we
pray
Amen