Great fear and meeting of the saints is due unto the Lord.
He of all about him should with reverence be adored.
What a wonderful summary that is of the spirit of worship as the Lord's people gather together Sunday by Sunday
or as opportunity presents itself to give glory to the Lord.
And as verse 8 puts it specifically in the chapter we read together earlier in 2 Timothy chapter 2,
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, has preached in my gospel,
for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal, but the word of God is not bound.
Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus
with eternal glory.
You cannot but read this letter and take on board what really drove Paul,
what mattered most of all to him, what he really wanted more than anything else,
what drove him was giving Jesus Christ all the glory and all the praise.
And so here we have in just the second chapter of this wonderful letter that's so personal,
so moving to read this and think of the providence behind it, the circumstances,
here he is bound as a criminal, writing furiously, his right, his written ministry,
still going on even though he himself was suffering, bound with chains,
but he knew the word of God is not bound.
But what drove him, these wonderful words here in verse 8,
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead.
This was his mission.
To understand Paul, we need to bear these words in mind and ourselves.
Remember what drove him, what shaped him, what moulded him,
what motivated him was this exact sense of service and mission and purpose.
Remember Jesus Christ as preached in my gospel.
That, Timothy, is the key to you taking your place in service in his church as one of his people.
If you're going to lead, you yourself must be led.
That's an ethic of grace.
That certainly has its place in whatever role you're fulfilling in the work of the congregation.
To lead others, you yourself and I myself, you need to be led by the Spirit
toward understanding Jesus Christ, his finished work upon the cross.
And to share that with others, we ourselves need to study and delve into the scripture
and understand the gospel and seek the grace of the gospel to make Jesus known.
And that's all gone on in the heart and mind of Paul.
He wanted people to hear the good news and to grow in their newfound knowledge and understanding,
gained through the gospel ministry that he was part of.
Remember Jesus Christ as preached in my gospel.
Gospel.
Still wonder then, with this motivation, this love, this desire,
that we find him calling Timothy to get the perspective right in order to step into leadership,
in order to fulfill his ministry, in order to meet the responsibility and privilege that would be his
as a pastor, as a leader, as a teacher.
He had to first and foremost get the fundamentals right.
The foundation had to be in place.
And here it is, friends, remember Jesus Christ.
So I want to think about that for a few moments with you this evening,
and in the hope that we would benefit, as Timothy would have in reading these words for the first time,
that we would be encouraged, that we would be motivated to express real loyalty
and sharpen our perspective and deepen our hope that the light would burn brightly
as we go into a new week.
And who knows, Christian friend, the opportunities to witness to your Lord and Saviour
that await this week.
None of us know that.
We'll get to that in a moment.
The first thing then to notice tonight,
I'll put it to you this way,
you are to cherish your Lord and Saviour.
Cherish your Lord and Saviour.
If we don't remember our Lord,
then our spiritual growth cannot occur.
This word, we might just glance over it,
but this wonderful call,
the call here to remember Jesus Christ
is an absolutely crucial principle
in spiritual growth and Christian living.
Because forgetfulness
is an enemy of faithfulness.
If we forget,
we're going to stumble,
we're going to mumble,
we're not going to be certain,
we're going to be hitting the grey areas
instead of being black and white,
showing forth the praises of him
who called us from darkness
into his marvellous light.
For that light to shine brightly,
we need to remember.
This is a starting point.
I'm sure many of you know
that John Newton is famously on record
as saying toward the end of his own life,
my memory is nearly gone.
But I remember two things,
that I am a great sinner
and that Christ is a great Saviour.
That Christian friend is a message
that is the pulse of the New Testament.
It is where our hope is sourced from.
Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Saviour and friend,
he's done everything for us.
We have it beautifully described
so movingly by John in chapter 19 of Christ.
He bearing his own cross
as he leaves the city behind,
making his way to Calvary's hill.
There's our Saviour.
And why did he go there?
So that tonight you and I would have hope.
So that you and I, friends,
could speak of forgiveness,
redemption, adoption,
and salvation,
wonderful, glorious words of grace.
These are words that are just chocked full
in the New Testament
to help us understand who he is
and what it all means for you
and for me this evening.
And this is where it all starts.
Remember Jesus Christ,
risen from the dead,
the offspring of David,
as preached in my gospel.
So if we're going to remember,
that's going to protect us
as we cherish our Saviour.
We're going to refuse to forget.
We're going to remember the blessings.
We're going to remember what we've learned
in our pilgrimage, Christian friend.
We're going to store up these nuggets,
these beautiful moments in time
and fellowship under the word,
together, perhaps at the Lord's table
in this very building.
Time and time again,
the Lord has fed you
and nourished you
and blessed you
and filled you
and built you up.
And you are to remember these things
and draw on these things
as you go into the world
and that world out there
that's waiting for us
is a dark world.
It's a world of indifference
and apathy.
It's a world where the devil reigns
as a prince.
It's where his influence is felt
in the secularism
that seems to be gripping
our own nation
and driving this progressiveness
toward liberalism
and atheism,
secularism at the back of everything.
And who's driving it?
Who's fanning that flame?
The devil.
Because he wants the church of Christ
silenced,
all the more important
that we cherish our Lord and Saviour
and remember Jesus Christ
risen from the dead.
Paul writes from a prison cell.
He is writing where things
have not gone
according to his own plans.
He didn't wish to be chained,
suffering, bound as a criminal.
But nevertheless,
this is where providence finds him.
We need to, friends,
as we remember,
hope for the best
but plan for the worst.
There will be times
where providence
overtakes us
in a manner
that we wouldn't wish on anybody
and things will suddenly change
and we may be disorientated
and buffeted
and uncertain
of where to turn
and so all the more important,
we remember Jesus Christ.
we remember who he is
and look where Paul was writing from.
As far as we can piece things together,
a New Testament scholars
have been so detailed
in the study of these things.
It seems that the two stages
of the Roman judicial system,
Paul has been through the first,
he's been found guilty.
It's now just a matter of the second
where the pronunciation,
the sentence will be carried out.
He doesn't know how long he's got.
Time is ticking
and for him,
he knows that there isn't much left to go.
He knows that he has been poured out
as a drink offering.
He knows that the time
for his departure has come.
Time is short.
There's not much left.
And so we find him in this letter
particularly emphasising
what needs to be emphasised.
Remember Jesus Christ.
Christ,
cherish your Lord and Saviour.
Christian friend,
there's a reminder here for all of us
that if we cherish our Lord,
it will protect us from apathy.
Where does apathy come from?
Apathy comes from disillusionment,
disappointment,
despair.
All these things can combine and collide
and take the hope right out of your heart
and leave you uncertain of things.
But not if you're fixed on Christ.
Not if you remember who he is
and what he has done for you.
Not if you as a Christian
can speak to him tonight
as your Lord
and your Saviour.
And so cherishing the Lord
is something that begins in here.
It's a heart work.
It's personal.
But there's another element to this
and that comes out in these words
in verse 9.
I am suffering
for which I am suffering.
So he makes a link there.
Remember Jesus Christ
risen from the dead,
the offspring of David
as preached in my gospel.
So has everything gone smoothly
because of that?
Absolutely not.
For which I am suffering,
bound with chains,
as a criminal.
But the word of God is not bound.
So here we're seeing Paul
and his awareness,
not just of the need
to have our heart warmed
with a love
that is completely focused on Jesus.
He wants us to be protected
from the apathy and disappointment
that comes from disappointment
and setbacks.
But he also is very conscious
of the watching world.
What did the world make of Paul
at this time?
As far as the Roman security detail
were concerned,
this was just a troublemaking Jew.
He was finished,
hopeless,
beaten,
a religious troublemaker,
a zealot,
a fool.
He was weak,
he was puny,
and above all,
he's in chains,
in a cell,
he's alone.
That was the world's view of Paul.
But it was not God's view.
God's view of Paul,
that's his view of every child
that belongs to him.
Precious,
forgiven,
adopted.
A child,
not forgotten,
not alone,
but loved
and redeemed
and part of his plan
to make the gospel known.
So Paul accepts this.
Remember Jesus Christ.
Remember the gospel
for which I am suffering,
bound with change as a criminal,
but the word of God
is not bound.
And so friends,
tonight,
the call from this
great personal epistle
is to cherish
your Lord
and your Saviour.
You'll notice the language
in verse 10
in these few verses
we've read together
and we're going to get to this
in a moment,
but just to jump ahead
into verse 10,
there's another link.
Therefore,
because of all this,
I endure everything
for the sake of the elect.
Why, Paul?
That they also may obtain
the salvation
that is in Christ Jesus
with eternal glory.
He cherished his Lord
and Saviour.
He loved making him known.
It was his motivation.
And he loved those
who, like him,
had responded
in repentance
and faith.
And this is the supreme
question of the Bible
now before us
here in verse 10.
He speaks in this phrase
of the elect,
those chosen by God,
that they
may also
obtain
the salvation
that is in Christ Jesus.
What is that?
It is to be saved
from the wrath
to come.
It is to be saved
from being under the law,
banished
and helpless,
facing a lost eternity
and to be transferred
into the kingdom
of his dear son.
That is salvation.
And so the question
in all of this,
friends,
tonight is,
do you know
and do you cherish
Jesus Christ
as Lord and Saviour?
That is
the supreme question
of the Bible.
Are you saved?
Do you know
the Lord
as your Saviour?
Do you know
what it is
to speak of
salvation
in Christ Jesus?
I pray so.
And the question
is this,
of course,
as we speak
about cherishing
the Lord,
if tonight
you're unconvinced
and unconverted,
I wonder
if you would ask
yourself in the
quiet and privacy
of your own heart
now or this evening,
why?
Why are you
unconvinced?
why are you
unconverted?
What is it
about the cross
and the saving
work of Christ
that leaves you
still far off?
Are you waiting
for something else?
Are you waiting
for something more?
Are you waiting
for someone
to say something
to you
that hasn't
been said before?
Bearing
his own cross,
he went out
and he gave himself
a ransom for many.
I would urge you
tonight,
friends,
to be very,
very careful
from saying
to the living God,
I want a sign.
I want something else.
I want something more
because if you're
saying that to God
tonight,
what you're saying
is the cross
is not enough.
The death
of your precious
beloved son
is not enough.
His atoning sacrifice,
that's not enough.
I need something more.
I want something else.
I need to be gripped.
I need to be impressed.
I need to be entertained.
I need something
that I haven't had yet
and I want you
to give it to me.
That is to say
to God,
the cross
is not enough.
Be very,
very careful,
friends,
that you
do not stay long
on that dangerous
ground,
but come to Christ.
Trust in him
with all your heart.
Cherish
your Lord
and your Saviour.
There's something else here
to turn to secondly
and we find it
in these words.
We've read through
verse 10 already.
Paul,
in this wonderful perspective,
he himself was chained
to all intents
and purposes.
He was restricted.
He was of no use
to anybody,
but look at this.
2,000 years later,
we have all his epistles
that form
the canon of Scripture
that feed our souls,
that give us insight
and understand
the glorious gospel
of grace.
The world had no idea
who they were dealing with.
They were dealing
with Jesus,
the King of Kings
and here his apostle,
his servant,
was writing furiously,
maybe by lamplight,
who knows,
scratching furiously away
on these parchments
led by the Spirit
as the word
was breathed out.
He was born along
and he wrote
these beautiful,
precious words
and sends them off
to Timothy
and he draws
this incredible letter
to a close
in verse 4.
I charge you
in the presence
of God
and of Christ Jesus
who was to judge
the living and the dead.
Preach the word,
Timothy.
Keep the focus,
Timothy.
Take heart,
Timothy.
But whatever you do,
preach the word.
Because Paul knew,
secondly,
that that was
to the benefit
of the church of Christ
and this is
the second thing here.
We are to cherish
our Lord
and our Saviour
and we are secondly
to cherish
his church.
Cherish
his church.
I endure
everything
for the sake
of the elect.
This was a man
who wasn't just
driven to some
kind of apostolic
high office.
He wasn't
lording it over
anybody.
He was the least
of all the apostles.
He was a man
who had been
truly humbled.
He was a man
who,
in his own words
in his testimony
in 1 Timothy,
remember he says
it twice
in a very short
space of time,
I received mercy.
He knew he had
been a pompous,
arrogant,
proud sinner
heading for
a lost eternity
until Christ
stopped him
in his tracks
and he received
mercy.
That's the gospel.
And so Paul
is giving himself
to the furtherance
of that cause
and the spreading
of that wonderful
name,
Jesus Christ
and he wants
to serve
the Lord
and by serving
the Lord
he wants to
nourish and
encourage and
look out for
his people.
I endure
everything for
the sake of
the elect
that they
also may
obtain the
salvation that
is in Christ
Jesus with
eternal glory.
He was driven
to encourage,
nurture,
build up the
faith because
he knew they
were living in
a dark and
sinful world.
as we are
tonight,
Christian friend.
I want to
share with you
what Oswald
Chambers said
about this
dynamic.
Oswald
Chambers,
maybe you
know his
very famous
devotional work,
my utmost for
his highest.
Oswald Chambers
at one point
and it's very
effective and
yes,
minister was
so short.
He said,
all heaven
is interested
in the cross.
All hell
is terribly
afraid of the
cross.
While humanity
are the only
beings who
more or less
ignore its
meaning.
We know
how true
that is.
We have
cultural heroes
tonight in the
UK for instance
and I mention
them often because
they seem to be
even more
prominent than
ever,
are comedians.
Comedians are
leading the charge
in the secular
world,
the progressive
mindset that
uses repeatedly
the gospel and
the things of
Christ and the
things of
Christianity
as a
battering ram,
as something
to mock and
something for
cheap laughs.
Be careful
with them.
Don't let them
get under your
skin or in
your mind.
A lot of
them are bad
people and we
need to be
careful of their
influence on
ourselves and
our youngsters
because they're
cultural heroes,
these comedians,
and they will
mock and
abuse and
deride the
cross of
Christ just
as Oswald
Chambers saw
over a hundred
years ago.
Humanity are the
only beings
who more or
less ignore
its meaning.
And we as
Christians,
the church,
can feel that.
We feel the
heat of the
mockery,
the disdain,
the way that
the world can
shun us at
times and
leave us,
don't want us
involved,
don't want the
voice,
don't want the
influence,
don't want the
space,
don't want a
seat at the
table because
we're going to
bring them to
Christ,
we're going to
live for
Christ,
we're drawn
not by an
ethic that
has as its
head cultural
progressiveness.
The Christian
church is
counter-cultural,
we're not going
to be shaped by
the culture
around us,
we're going to
engage with the
culture,
we're going to
enjoy as much
as we can of
it,
of course we
are,
but the
ethic that
drives us
is an
ethic of
grace,
for to me
to live is
Christ,
to die is
gain,
we honour
him above
all,
we put him
first,
his name,
and our
loyalty must be
seen in these
words,
remember Jesus
Christ,
so let us
do so friends
together as we
cherish our
Lord and
Saviour,
secondly let us
cherish his
church,
I endure
everything for
the sake of
the elect,
Paul is
very keen
on using the
word saints
in his
writings of
the church,
people,
brothers and
sisters,
set apart,
Adelphoi,
often used,
often translated
in the ESV as
brethren,
but it could
and should be
translated,
brothers and
sisters,
his sense
of family
was never
far from
the surface,
as he wrote
to Christians
around the
then known
world,
he knew they
were under
the cost,
he knew they
were suffering,
he knew they
were open
to attack
from the
enemy and
agnosticism
and secularism
and atheism
and pluralism,
he knew all
these things
were coming
against the
church,
not only
from out
with,
but then
the problem
from within,
false teachers
saying you
need circumcision,
you need the
Aaronic priesthood,
you need to
maintain the
bond we have
with our
father Abraham
and all the
Abrahamic
practices
and the
tension
from out
with and
the pressure
from within,
the church
was really
under the
cosh,
that's why
it meant
so much
to the
apostle Paul,
that's why
we have
wonderful
passages
such as
2nd
Corinthians
and chapter
11,
where we
read from
verse
23,
these words,
five times
I received
at the
hands of
the
Jews
forty
lashes
less
one,
three times
I was
beaten
with
rods,
once I
was
stoned,
three times
I was
shipwrecked
for a
night and
a day,
I was
adrift at
sea,
on frequent
journeys,
in danger
from rivers,
danger from
robbers,
danger from
my own
people,
danger from
Gentiles,
danger in
the city,
danger in
the wilderness,
danger at
sea,
danger from
false
brothers,
in toil and
hardship,
through many a
sleepless night,
in hunger and
thirst,
often without
food and
cold and
exposure and
apart from
other things,
there is the
daily pressure
on me of
my anxiety
for all the
churches.
Cherish
his church.
And so
we find
tonight that
the words of
scripture place
great dignity
on the
Christian church.
We don't
create it
ourselves,
we receive
it.
Behold,
what manner
of love
the Father
has given
to us,
we should
be called
children of
God.
As with
Paul,
so with
the Apostle
John.
They were
caught up
with the
great
dignity
that is
ours
through
Christ,
the dignity
that belongs
to the
church.
And so
he knew
and accepted
that to
further the
gospel,
he was
required at
times to
suffer for
the gospel.
And so
he accepts
this readily
and gladly,
I endure
everything for
the sake of
the elect,
that they may
also obtain
the salvation
that is in
Christ Jesus
with eternal
glory.
If I have
to suffer
for their
well-being
and their
nourishment
and their
encouragement,
well,
so be it.
Perhaps he
had understood
at this point
as his life
and ministry
and service
was fast
drawn to a
close that
the Lord
had put him
in prison
so he
would write
and write
and keep
writing.
and so
we have
the prison
epistles
and the
pastoral
epistles
and the
Corinthian
letters
that furnish
us with
such great
insight and
understanding
of the
gospel of
our Lord
and Saviour
Jesus
Christ.
John
Stott said
this,
glory comes
through
suffering.
This is
an invariable
law of
Christian life
and service.
We are not
entitled,
Christian friends,
to an easy
time.
That's not
a promise
we receive
in the
Bible.
What we
do receive
is great
dignity
as children
of the
living God
and that
is a
wonderful
humbling
reality
tonight.
So there's
no sense
in us
sitting back
leaving it
to God
or leaving
it to
others.
We have
to take
an example
from these
early believers,
this first
century church
that reached
out,
that turned
the world
upside down,
that lived
out what
the Lord
had worked
in and
they made
Jesus
known.
I endure
that they
may obtain.
We too
must cherish
the church
and do
the work
we are
called to
do in
our day
and in
our age.
Many
passages
in the
New Testament
deal with
the nature
of the
church and
how it is
that the
church is
to conduct
herself.
By this
of course
I'm speaking
to you
and to
me as
Christians
this evening.
We've
gathered in
a place
of worship
but we
know that
the Bible
and New
Testament
makes it
clear that
the church
is not
a building
we are
living
stones.
We belong
to Christ.
We are
called to
worship
together
to nourish
ourselves
through the
word and
through sacraments
and prayer.
This is where
we learn
where understanding
deepens and
expands
that it is
those who are
poor in
spirit
that inherit
the kingdom
of heaven.
And that's
why Paul
is so clear
in other
writings
that we
are to
conduct
ourselves
in a
manner
that is
worthy
of the
calling
with which
we have
been
called.
Called
from
darkness
to
light.
Therefore
as Jesus
said
let your
light
shine
before
men
that
they
might
glorify
your
father
who is
in
heaven.
And so
I mentioned
earlier
that we
are
driven
by
an
ethic
of
grace.
An
ethic
not
of
moral
principles
of course
but
principles
that have
at their
heart
the grace
of the
gospel.
So we
put
Jesus
first.
We
die
to
self
to
live
for
him.
And
this
is
very
important
especially
in
your
situation
this
evening
as a
vacant
congregation.
You've
been
now
21
months
going
through
this
process.
It's
been
a
privilege
to be
part
of
it
with
you.
I
wish
it
had
been
shorter.
I
wish
it
had
been
clearer.
At
times
I
know
things
could
have
been
so
much
better.
But
the
best
of
men
are
men
at
best.
And
I
hope
you'll
forgive
my
blunderings
and my
uncertainties
as we've
gone through
just to
get to
this
point.
Where
are we
in
this
process?
At
this
point
in
time
we
have
had
the
speeches,
we've
had
the
election,
we've
had
the
votes,
the
votes
are
in,
the
counts
have
been
done.
And
now for
you on
Wednesday
the next
phase is
just around
the corner.
Now I
need to
speak
tonight
specifically
and
particularly
to the
members
of this
congregation.
Let me
say this
to you
gently
and with
all
respect,
you need
to be
here on
Wednesday.
If you're
not here
on Wednesday
there are
mandates
available for
you to
take part
in this
process.
That
allows
you to
put your
name to
the call
we hope
to sign
here on
Wednesday
evening.
It's
not me
now that's
telling you
what to
do.
I'm
pointing you
to the
ethic of
grace.
I mentioned
the election
that's
happened.
All that
we have
to go
on as
a branch
of the
church
of Christ
when it
comes to
vacancies
is numbers.
We've
had the
vote and
the numbers
have been
cast.
The
clear
majority
said we
wish to
call
Calamurdo.
So what
do we
do now?
How do
we run
with this?
How do
we deal
with this?
I'm going
to turn
now to
where perhaps
this ethic
of grace
is most
clearly and
famously
spelt out.
How do
we conduct
ourselves
perhaps at
a time
when you're
challenged
because things
maybe didn't
turn the way
you'd hoped
for?
Well, so
be it.
That happens
often in life,
doesn't it?
We don't
allow our
own sense
of things
to cloud our
judgment at
a time like
this.
Let me read
to you
from
Philippians
in chapter
two,
how it
is we
are to
conduct
ourselves
going forward
with an eye
to Wednesday
in particular
and this
is for the
members.
If there
is any
encouragement
in Christ,
any comfort
from love,
any participation
in the spirit,
any affection
and sympathy,
complete my
joy by being
of the same
mind,
having the
same love,
being in
full accord
and one
mind.
Do nothing
from rivalry
or conceit,
but in
humility
count others
more significant
than yourself.
Let each
of you look
not only to
his own
interests,
but also
to the
interests
of others.
of this
mind among
yourselves,
which is
yours in
Christ Jesus,
who though
he was in
the form
of God,
did not
count equality
with God
a thing
to be
grasped,
but made
himself
nothing,
taking the
form of
a servant,
being born
in the
likeness
of men,
being found
in human
form,
he humbled
himself by
becoming
obedient to
the point
of death,
even death
on a cross.
There is the
ethic of
grace.
Count
others
better
than
yourselves.
Members,
you need to
be here on
Wednesday.
There is a
clear
responsibility
and duty
for you to
be here.
I am not
telling you
to be here,
but what I am
doing is I am
taking you to
the scripture
and I am
presenting you
with a word
that says
there is a
time and a
place where
the church,
where the
believers and
members of
the church,
the living
stones,
have to be
gathered in
together and
conduct
themselves in
a manner
that is
worthy of
the calling
with which we
have
been called.
So there we
have an
ethic of
grace in
Philippians and
when we turn
forward to
Paul's final
letter, we
find him
enduring.
He is bound
with chains
as a criminal.
But he knows
that is not
the end.
He knows
that the
word of
God is
going out,
is going
forth,
is spreading.
Therefore he
endures for
the sake of
the elect that
they also may
obtain the
salvation that
is in Christ
Jesus with
eternal glory.
Cherish your
Lord,
and your
saviour,
and cherishes
church.
Sometimes that
means getting
in line,
getting together,
working together,
pulling together,
and taking your
part in what
could be the
next phase,
the next season
of ministry here
among you as a
congregation.
What an
opportunity.
At a time of
real challenge,
many of us,
if we think
back,
will be hard
pressed to
find a
time in
our
denomination
where we've
had so
many vacancies
to deal
with.
Everybody's
double-hatting.
There are
intermoderators
and lay
preachers
crisscrossing
our island
every Sunday
and sometimes
on a
Wednesday as
well.
And it's
the same
in the
north of
Scotland,
in Skye
and Wester
Ross,
and in
Glasgow.
Vacancies,
challenge,
gaps.
We need
men.
And so we
pray to the
Lord of the
harvest to
raise up and
send workers
who will
reap a
great harvest
to his
glory.
We need
men.
We need
grace.
We need
prayer.
And there
in Philippians
we see the
stress that
the apostle
puts on
unity and
being of
one mind
together.
As our
Lord and
Saviour
prayed the
night he
was betrayed
that they
may be
one.
As you
father are
in me and
I in you
that the
world may
know that
you sent
me.
We look
to his
grace and
mercy and
peace to
lead and
guide and
sustain.
A day by
day be it
Wednesday signing
a call or
out there
speaking to
an unbeliever
we might be
as described
in this very
chapter the
good soldier
of Christ
Jesus.
The honest
athlete,
the hard
working farmer.
Great three
amazing pictures
of what it
is to be a
child of God,
a forgiven
sinner.
Telling others
about the
Lord that
you have come
to know and
love and
serve.
cherish your
Lord and
your Saviour
and cherish
his church.
May he bless
you at this
time.
May he go
before you
and be among
you.
May you know
a time of
great blessing
and grace
as we gather
week by week.
Wednesday,
yes,
is just another
meeting in many
ways,
another moment
in the life
and experience
of the
congregation
of which
you are
part.
And above
all may his
name be glorified.
And it's
his name we
finish with.
And this
is the
question.
What does
his name
mean to
you tonight?
What does
his call
to have a
walk that
is worthy
of his
calling?
What does
it mean
to you
tonight?
Have you
sought him
until you
found him
with all
your heart?
Have you
come to
understand
that unless
and until
you bow
the knee
and cry
out,
Lord,
be merciful
to me,
a sinner,
that you
remain
out with
his
kingdom?
You
remain
under
the law
which
brings
with it
the
curse
of
eternal
judgment?
But he
came and
fulfilled that
law and
lived a
perfect life
and having
been raised
from the
dead,
says now
by the
grace of
the gospel,
come to
me.
All you
who labor
and are
heavy laden,
I will
give you
rest.
What an
opportunity,
what an
invitation,
and what a
saviour.
Let's bow
in prayer
together for
a moment.
Lord,
our gracious
God,
we pray
tonight for
your blessing,
for your
guidance,
for your
hand to be
upon us.
We pray,
Lord God,
that we
might understand
what you
would have
us do
day by
day.
We pray
especially,
Lord,
at this
time that
you would
bless and
guide your
people here
as a
congregation.
in the
time they
have been
through,
Lord,
these almost
two years
of coming
to terms
with a
vacancy
and the
challenges
that that
presents
and the
ongoing
gospel work
and ministry
to the
town here
around them.
Lord,
we pray
that you
would be
with them,
that you
would nourish
them,
that you
would sustain
them and
encourage
them.
Feed their
souls,
Lord.
Grant
them your
grace to
be bright,
shining
witnesses
where you
have raised
them up and
placed them
together.
May they
be a
beacon of
hope to
so many
around us.
Lord,
we ask all
these things
with the
forgiveness of
our sin.
For Jesus
sake,
Amen.
Well,
we're going to
close our
service tonight
by singing
finally from
Psalm 131
in Sing
Psalms.
Psalm 131
in Sing
Psalms.
We'll sing
these verses
together and
we'll stand
to praise
God.
Psalm 131
My heart's not
proud, O Lord,
nor haughty is my eye.
I do not occupy myself
with things to great or high.
My spirit I have come,
my heart is pacified,
my soul is like a little child, close to its mother's side.
Just like a little child, my soul is come in me.
My heart is so happy that I have come, My heart is so happy that I have come, My heart is so happy that I have come, My heart is so happy that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have come from the past that I have from the past that I have from the past that I have from the past that I have from the past that
is to mention for a final time
these mandate forms that I've been doing the rounds.
If you're unable to be present
and wish to be part of the call process
on Wednesday night
and you have yet to complete a mandate,
please speak to an elder,
get in touch with him yourself.
We will get your mandate complete
and it will be part of the process on Wednesday night.
Thank you.