WEBVTT

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 time. We're going to begin our worship this evening by singing to God's praise in Psalm 89,

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 the Scottish Psalter verse in Psalm 89, page 344 of the Psalm books. We're going to sing from verse

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 1 to verse 6. God's mercies I will ever sing, and with my mouth I shall thy faithfulness make to be

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 known to generations all. We'll sing verse 1 to 6 to God's praise.

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 God's mercies I will ever sing, and with my mouth I shall thy faithfulness make to be known

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 to generations all. For mercy shall be filled, said I, forever to endure.

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 Thy faithfulness deep in the hand, thou wilt be salvation. I with my chosen one have made,

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 a covenant gracious me. And to my servant, to my love, to give this for now I,

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 that I thy seed established shall forever to remain, and will to generations all,

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 thy throne will maintain. The praises of thy wonders, Lord, the heavens shall express,

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 and in the congregation of saints, thy faithfulness. For who in heaven with the Lord may once

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 may one's sins self compare, who is like God among the sons of those that mighty are.

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 Let us come to God.

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 Let us come to God in prayer. Let us pray.

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 Our Father in heaven, as we have sung these words, we are reminded of the wonder of who you are.

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 Who in heaven with the Lord may once himself compare, the psalmist asks. And as we think of these words,

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 we recognize that there is none, no one who compares to you. You are the God of mercy. You are the God of miracles.

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 You are the God of creation. You are the God of salvation. You are the God of covenant and all your promises that are,

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 yea and amen, in Christ Jesus our Lord. And we thank you that in these words that we have sung,

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 we are reminded of so many of these promises, that you have established a covenant graciously,

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 that you have loved your people, that you have sworn that you will keep them, that you will establish through your seed,

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 one who will remain forever and to generations all your throne will be.

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 And so we thank you that today we come to worship you and to offer up our praise to you as our Lord and as our God.

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 God's mercies I will ever sing and we pray that that will be our portion day by day,

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 that we'll be able to praise your great name, but also too that we will show it forth to generations all,

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 to all people around us and to those who will come after us, God willing,

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 we pray that we will leave, O Lord, the testimony of the power of your word and of your kingdom.

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 We pray and thank you that you have promised that your kingdom will remain,

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 that your kingdom will come and that it will come with power.

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 And we pray to see that in our own day and age even now,

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 as we think of the kingdoms of this world and how fragile they are at this time.

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 We think of all the great uncertainties around us, Lord,

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 in our own personal experiences and the experiences of our land and the experiences of our world.

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 We are reminded on a daily basis, Lord, just how much change takes place,

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 how much evil there is around us.

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 We are reminded of the wickedness of our own hearts and the hearts of the many around us.

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 But we thank you, too, that we are reminded, too, of the power of your gospel

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 and that it is a power to change, a power to convict and convert those that lie in sin.

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 And so we thank you, O Lord, that you have promised that you will build your kingdom,

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 that you will build your church, and that not even the gates of hell will prevail against it.

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 We thank you that the foundation of it is secure.

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 It is built upon the rock that is Jesus Christ, our Lord,

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 the one who came into this world and who gave himself for it.

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 And so we thank you, Lord, for your great mercy and the wonder of it,

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 that you would give your only Son so that sinners such as we are

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 might know the great joy of salvation.

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 So may you keep us, Lord, never losing sight of that,

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 never losing the wonder of salvation and the joy of it.

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 And we know at times, Lord, that even like David in the Psalms,

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 how he expresses that great desire to have that joy of salvation restored.

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 We acknowledge, too, Lord, how in our own sins that we fall short of your glory

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 and how there are times in our own experiences when we long

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 for that salvation joy restored to us.

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 We pray, Lord, that together we will know great joy in your word

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 and in your truth to us, even this evening and in the days ahead, O Lord,

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 that you will make our hearts burn within us.

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 So we will go from here this evening, not just rejoicing in ourselves,

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 but longing for others to know the wonder of salvation in Jesus Christ.

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 We do pray, Lord, for the work of your kingdom here in our midst

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 and throughout our communities.

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 We pray, Lord, for the blessing of your Spirit to be poured out upon us.

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 We know that we can make many plans.

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 We can make many attempts, as it were, to reach out with your word.

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 But we know that apart from you, we can do nothing.

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 And so we pray for your wisdom, for your leading, for your guidance,

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 for your peace and blessing over us as a people.

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 Help us to know what to do.

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 Help us to do all for your glory.

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 Help us to do it in a way that we would see, Lord, your power and presence with us.

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 We know there are many needs.

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 We know that they're always there before us.

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 We can so often, maybe, as it were, bury our heads in the sand,

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 hoping that many of them will go away.

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 I think even of the conference that's been going on over this weekend,

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 challenges to us all as people, as individuals, as congregations,

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 as parents, as children.

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 And we live in a world where there is so much moral depravity and so much wickedness around us.

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 But we thank you, Lord, for issues being highlighted that are very sensitive.

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 And sometimes we don't want to speak about them.

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 But we know that there are issues that affect us all in different ways.

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 And we pray, Lord, for that nearness to you,

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 to be able to know your leading and your guiding and your protection in it.

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 We pray for a nearness to one another,

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 to be able to share and fellowship with one another

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 when we struggle with a whole host of sins in our own experiences.

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 May we find that there are brothers and sisters in Christ who are there for us.

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 And may we find in you, Lord, a God of great grace and mercy,

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 one who is able to heal and to help.

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 And so we pray, Lord, that you will guard us,

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 guard all our people, guard our young ones,

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 and may you bless them even this evening together.

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 And as they hear from both Joe and Ali this evening,

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 we pray that your blessing will be on that time,

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 that it will be something that they will acknowledge and give thanks for.

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 So, Lord, may you bless and be with each one in that as well.

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 We thank you, too, for communion season just now.

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 We thank you for the services taking place even at this time and point.

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 We thank you for our own minister, the Reverend James McKeever, being there.

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 And we pray, Lord, that they will have had a blessed weekend.

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 And even now, as they worship together,

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 may they know your presence, may they know your power,

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 and may they know your great favor upon them as a people there.

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 And throughout our islands at this time,

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 as communion seasons draw to our close,

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 we think of Graver next weekend

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 and pray your blessing on the ministry of your word there.

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 Thank you for the Reverend Ian McCritchie

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 and for his work among the people and the congregation there.

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 We pray that you will honor him and the people,

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 elders, deacons, and congregation alike,

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 that you will pour out your blessing on them.

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 We pray that for all our congregations,

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 far and wide, too,

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 upon our whole world this day, Lord,

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 that you would come in your power,

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 convicting power,

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 that you will come in your comforting power as well

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 to all who need you,

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 to all who mourn and grieve at this time.

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 We pray, Lord, your comfort towards each one,

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 both here in our own midst and far and wide,

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 as we hear of great tragedies around the world,

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 even at this time.

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 We pray, Lord, your mercy and your peace upon us.

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 And we thank you, Lord,

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 as we come this evening to your word,

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 that is a word that is so precious,

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 a word that speaks powerfully to us,

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 a word that has power even beyond what we can imagine,

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 for it is your word and your truth.

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 And we pray, Lord,

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 that you will bless it to all our hearts this evening,

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 that you will bless it far and wide,

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 that the promises of it will all be fulfilled,

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 that it will go return to you,

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 having accomplished all for which you send it forth.

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 And may that power be ours this evening

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 to know that you are with us.

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 So continue with us now

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 and help us to do all to your glory

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 as we sing your praise,

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 as we offer up our prayers together,

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 and as we open up your word.

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 Guide us and lead us, we pray,

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 pardoning all our sin,

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 as we ask it all in Jesus' precious name.

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 Amen.

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 We are going to sing again to God's praise this time

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 in Psalm 20,

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 in the Singed Psalms,

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 page 24 of the Psalm books.

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 Psalm 20, verse 1-9,

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 May the Lord answer you when you cry in distress.

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 May Jacob's God keep you,

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 whose name you confess.

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 May God send assistance from his holy place

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 and grant you from Zion support by his grace.

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 We'll sing the whole of this psalm to God's praise.

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 May the Lord answer you when you cry in distress.

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 May Jacob's God keep you,

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 whose name you confess.

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 May God send assistance from his holy place

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 and grant you from Zion support by his grace.

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 May God keep in mind every sacrifice made,

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 accept on the altar your offerings laid,

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 and may he fulfill the desire of your heart,

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 success to each one of your plans to impart.

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 With joy we will shout when your victory's won.

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 We'll lift up our banners in God's name alone.

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 And so may the Lord hear your earnest request

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 and answer your prayers as seems to him best.

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 Now truly I know that the Lord from above

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 protects his anointed in covenant love.

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 From heaven in his holiness God hears his cry,

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 and saves by the power of his right and all high.

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 In horses or chalions some trust for defense,

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 but the name of the Lord is our strong confidence.

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 their blood to their knees while in strength we arise.

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 O Lord save the King, hear and answer our cries.

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 We can turn together to read God's word in the book of Acts and chapter 10.

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 Acts chapter 10, we take up our reading at the beginning of this chapter.

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 Our focus is mainly going to be towards the end of the chapter where we see Peter and Cornelius meeting together.

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 But in order to get the full context, I would read from the beginning of the chapter and see

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 the wonder of the way God spoke to Cornelius, first of all,

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 and then to Peter through different visions and brought them to the point of coming together,

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 something that wouldn't otherwise have happened as we will see.

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 So Acts chapter 10 and at verse 1.

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 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius,

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 a centurion of what was known as the Italian cohort,

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 a devout man who feared God with all his household,

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 gave alms generously to the people,

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 and prayed continually to God.

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 About the ninth hour of the day,

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 he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come and say to him,

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 Cornelius.

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 And he stared at him in terror and said,

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 What is it, Lord?

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 And he said to him,

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 Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

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 And now send men to Joppa

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 and bring one, Simon,

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 who is called Peter.

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 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner,

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 whose house is by the seaside.

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 When the angel who spoke to him had departed,

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 he called two of his servants and a devout soldier

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 from among those who attended him.

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 And having related everything to them,

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 he sent them to Joppa.

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 The next day,

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 as they were on their journey and approaching the city,

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 Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

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 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat.

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 But while they were preparing it,

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 he fell into a trance

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 and saw the heavens opened

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 and something like a great sheet descending,

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 being let down by its four corners upon the earth.

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 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles

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 and birds of the air.

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 And there came a voice to him,

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 Rise, Peter, kill and eat.

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 But Peter said,

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 By no means, Lord,

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 for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.

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 And the voice came to him again a second time,

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 What God has made clean,

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 do not call common.

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 This happened three times,

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 and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

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 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed

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 as to what the vision that he had seen might mean,

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 Behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius,

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 having made inquiry for Simon's house,

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 stood at the gate

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 and called out to ask

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 whether Simon, who was called Peter,

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 was lodging there.

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 And while Peter was pondering the vision,

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 the Spirit said to him,

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 Behold, three men are looking for you.

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 Rise and go down

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 and accompany them without hesitation,

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 for I have sent them.

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 And Peter went down to the men and said,

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 I am the one you are looking for.

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 What is the reason for your coming?

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 And they said,

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 Cornelius, a centurion,

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 an upright and God-fearing man,

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 who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation,

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 was directed by a holy angel

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 to send for you to come to his house

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 and to hear what you have to say.

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 So he invited them to be his guests.

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 The next day he rose and went away with them.

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 And some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

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 And on the following day they entered Caesarea.

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 Cornelius was expecting them

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 and had called together his relatives and close friends.

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 When Peter entered,

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 Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet

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 and worshipped him.

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 But Peter lifted him up saying,

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 Stand up, I too am a man.

00:21:12.940 --> 00:21:15.100
 And as he talked with him,

00:21:15.340 --> 00:21:17.980
 he went in and found many Persians gathered.

00:21:18.759 --> 00:21:19.779
 And he said to them,

00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:23.420
 You yourselves know how unlawful it is

00:21:23.420 --> 00:21:25.759
 for a Jew to associate with

00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:28.380
 or to visit anyone of another nation.

00:21:29.120 --> 00:21:30.720
 But God has shown me

00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:33.120
 that I should not call any Persians

00:21:33.120 --> 00:21:35.059
 common or unclean.

00:21:35.740 --> 00:21:37.420
 So when I was sent for,

00:21:37.799 --> 00:21:39.400
 I came without objection.

00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:41.300
 I asked then,

00:21:41.800 --> 00:21:43.560
 Why you sent for me?

00:21:44.680 --> 00:21:45.720
 And Cornelius said,

00:21:46.100 --> 00:21:47.180
 Four days ago,

00:21:47.560 --> 00:21:48.560
 about this hour,

00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:50.480
 I was praying in my house

00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.759
 at the ninth hour.

00:21:52.340 --> 00:21:52.940
 And behold,

00:21:53.060 --> 00:21:54.600
 a man stood before me

00:21:54.600 --> 00:21:56.120
 in bright clothing and said,

00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:57.500
 Cornelius,

00:21:57.700 --> 00:21:59.540
 your prayer has been heard

00:21:59.540 --> 00:22:01.740
 and your arms have been remembered

00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:02.740
 before God.

00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:04.940
 Send therefore to Joppa

00:22:04.940 --> 00:22:06.160
 and ask for Simon,

00:22:06.540 --> 00:22:07.840
 who is called Peter.

00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:10.099
 He is lodging in the house

00:22:10.099 --> 00:22:12.619
 of Simon a Tanner by the sea.

00:22:13.480 --> 00:22:15.299
 So I sent for you at once

00:22:15.299 --> 00:22:17.859
 and you have been kind enough to come.

00:22:18.679 --> 00:22:19.439
 Now, therefore,

00:22:19.740 --> 00:22:22.259
 we are all here in the presence of God

00:22:22.259 --> 00:22:24.659
 to hear all that you have been commanded

00:22:24.659 --> 00:22:25.779
 by the Lord.

00:22:26.819 --> 00:22:29.319
 So Peter opened his mouth and said,

00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:30.279
 Truly,

00:22:30.659 --> 00:22:34.579
 I understand that God shows no partiality,

00:22:34.579 --> 00:22:36.319
 but in every nation,

00:22:36.659 --> 00:22:37.960
 anyone who fears him

00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:40.740
 and does what is right

00:22:40.740 --> 00:22:42.679
 is acceptable to him.

00:22:43.559 --> 00:22:45.339
 And for the word that he sent,

00:22:45.419 --> 00:22:47.779
 as for the word that he sent to Israel,

00:22:48.299 --> 00:22:50.179
 preaching good news of peace

00:22:50.179 --> 00:22:51.740
 through Jesus Christ,

00:22:52.299 --> 00:22:53.480
 he is Lord of all.

00:22:54.139 --> 00:22:56.099
 You yourselves know what happened

00:22:56.099 --> 00:22:57.439
 throughout all Judea,

00:22:57.919 --> 00:22:59.039
 beginning from Galilee,

00:22:59.539 --> 00:23:01.779
 after the baptism that John proclaimed,

00:23:01.779 --> 00:23:04.039
 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth

00:23:04.599 --> 00:23:05.859
 with the Holy Spirit

00:23:05.859 --> 00:23:07.379
 and with power.

00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:09.639
 He went about doing good

00:23:09.639 --> 00:23:11.819
 and healing all who were oppressed

00:23:11.819 --> 00:23:12.480
 by the devil,

00:23:13.099 --> 00:23:14.359
 for God was with him.

00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:17.200
 And we are witnesses of all that he did,

00:23:17.339 --> 00:23:19.339
 both in the country of the Jews

00:23:19.339 --> 00:23:20.180
 and in Jerusalem.

00:23:20.899 --> 00:23:22.379
 They put him to death

00:23:22.379 --> 00:23:24.279
 by hanging him on a tree.

00:23:24.660 --> 00:23:26.720
 But God raised him on the third day

00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:28.700
 and caused him to appear,

00:23:28.700 --> 00:23:30.360
 not to all the people,

00:23:30.519 --> 00:23:32.920
 but to us who had been chosen by God

00:23:32.920 --> 00:23:34.160
 as witnesses,

00:23:34.900 --> 00:23:36.420
 who ate and drank with him

00:23:36.420 --> 00:23:38.420
 after he rose from the dead.

00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:40.360
 And he commanded us

00:23:40.360 --> 00:23:42.440
 to preach to the people

00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:43.759
 and to testify

00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:46.000
 that he is the one appointed by God

00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:48.319
 to be judge of the living and the dead.

00:23:49.080 --> 00:23:49.640
 To him,

00:23:50.059 --> 00:23:51.799
 all the prophets bear witness

00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:53.819
 that everyone who believes in him

00:23:53.819 --> 00:23:55.440
 receives forgiveness

00:23:55.440 --> 00:23:57.720
 through his name.

00:23:58.920 --> 00:23:59.580
 And so on.

00:23:59.640 --> 00:24:00.400
 And may God bless

00:24:00.400 --> 00:24:02.740
 that reading from his word.

00:24:04.279 --> 00:24:06.100
 Before we turn back to that passage,

00:24:06.220 --> 00:24:07.900
 we'll sing again to God's praise

00:24:07.900 --> 00:24:09.220
 in Psalm 119

00:24:09.220 --> 00:24:12.340
 in the Scottish Psalter version.

00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:16.039
 It's on page 400 of the psalm books.

00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:17.220
 We're singing at verse 9

00:24:17.220 --> 00:24:19.380
 down to verse 16.

00:24:20.980 --> 00:24:23.420
 Psalm 119 at verse 9.

00:24:23.420 --> 00:24:26.160
 By what means shall a young man learn

00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:28.200
 his way to purify,

00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:30.759
 if he according to thy word

00:24:30.759 --> 00:24:33.019
 thereto attentive be?

00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:35.420
 We'll sing this section of Psalm 119

00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:37.900
 to God's praise.

00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:38.900
 Psalm 119

00:24:38.900 --> 00:24:50.720
 by what means shall a young man learn

00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:58.380
 his way to purify,

00:24:58.380 --> 00:25:07.560
 if he according to thy word

00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:14.559
 there to attend to thee.

00:25:14.559 --> 00:25:16.559
 Psalm 119

00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:18.559
 by what means shall a young man learn

00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:19.059
 and learn

00:25:19.059 --> 00:25:20.099
 and learn

00:25:20.099 --> 00:25:32.500
 with all my soul and heart.

00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:41.500
 O let me not from the right path

00:25:41.500 --> 00:25:49.500
 of thy calmness depart.

00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:59.500
 thy word I in my heart abit,

00:26:00.500 --> 00:26:06.500
 but I offend not thee.

00:26:06.500 --> 00:26:16.500
 O Lord, the ever-blessed heart,

00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:23.500
 thy statutes teach thou me.

00:26:23.500 --> 00:26:34.500
 The judgments of thy mouth each warm,

00:26:34.500 --> 00:26:42.500
 my lips keep lit up.

00:26:42.500 --> 00:26:51.500
 More joy thy testimonies way,

00:26:51.500 --> 00:26:59.500
 than riches all be gave.

00:26:59.500 --> 00:27:08.500
 I will thy holy presence,

00:27:08.500 --> 00:27:14.500
 my meditation.

00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:15.500
 O Lord, the ever-blessed heart,

00:27:15.500 --> 00:27:17.500
 my heart is one.

00:27:17.500 --> 00:27:27.500
 And carefully I'll have respect

00:27:27.500 --> 00:27:32.500
 upon thy statutes, my divine,

00:27:32.500 --> 00:27:36.500
 shall constantly be set,

00:27:36.500 --> 00:27:45.500
 upon thy statutes, my divine,

00:27:45.500 --> 00:27:53.500
 shall constantly be set,

00:27:53.500 --> 00:28:02.500
 and by thy grace I ever will

00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:08.500
 thy holy word forget.

00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:11.500
 O Lord, the ever-blessed heart,

00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:15.500
 my holy word forget.

00:28:15.500 --> 00:28:18.500
 Well, if we can turn back to our reading

00:28:18.500 --> 00:28:20.500
 in Acts chapter 10.

00:28:20.500 --> 00:28:23.500
 We can just read again at verse 33.

00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:26.500
 Acts chapter 10 at verse 33,

00:28:26.500 --> 00:28:28.500
 where Cornelius is speaking to Peter

00:28:28.500 --> 00:28:30.500
 as they have come to meet together

00:28:30.500 --> 00:28:32.500
 in the house of Cornelius.

00:28:32.500 --> 00:28:33.500
 It says,

00:28:33.500 --> 00:28:34.500
 So I sent for you at once,

00:28:34.500 --> 00:28:36.500
 and you have been kind enough to come.

00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:38.500
 Now, therefore, we are all here

00:28:38.500 --> 00:28:40.500
 in the presence of God,

00:28:40.500 --> 00:28:42.500
 to hear all that you have been commanded

00:28:42.500 --> 00:28:43.500
 by the Lord.

00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:46.500
 So Peter opened his mouth and said,

00:28:46.500 --> 00:28:49.500
 Truly, I understand that God

00:28:49.500 --> 00:28:51.500
 shows no partiality,

00:28:51.500 --> 00:28:54.500
 but in every nation anyone who fears

00:28:54.500 --> 00:28:56.500
 him and does what is right

00:28:56.500 --> 00:28:59.500
 is acceptable to him.

00:28:59.500 --> 00:29:02.500
 And so on.

00:29:02.500 --> 00:29:04.500
 It's quite a remarkable passage,

00:29:04.500 --> 00:29:07.500
 this chapter 10 in the book of Acts,

00:29:07.500 --> 00:29:09.500
 how it describes to us

00:29:09.500 --> 00:29:10.500
 this remarkable way

00:29:10.500 --> 00:29:12.500
 where Peter and Cornelius,

00:29:12.500 --> 00:29:14.500
 both in separate places,

00:29:14.500 --> 00:29:16.500
 were given a message by God

00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:18.500
 through different visions,

00:29:18.500 --> 00:29:20.500
 how they were to come together.

00:29:20.500 --> 00:29:23.500
 And as it says there in verse 33,

00:29:23.500 --> 00:29:25.500
 the reason for their coming together

00:29:25.500 --> 00:29:28.500
 was to be in the presence of God,

00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:31.500
 to hear what the Lord has commanded.

00:29:31.500 --> 00:29:34.500
 It's a remarkable coming together

00:29:34.500 --> 00:29:35.500
 in so many different ways,

00:29:35.500 --> 00:29:39.500
 as we'll see as we go through this passage.

00:29:39.500 --> 00:29:41.500
 But it makes us wonder tonight

00:29:41.500 --> 00:29:46.500
 of our own hearing the word of God

00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:47.500
 and thinking,

00:29:47.500 --> 00:29:51.500
 Are we worthy to hear this word ourselves?

00:29:51.500 --> 00:29:54.500
 Do we deserve this word of God ourselves?

00:29:54.500 --> 00:29:57.500
 When we think of maybe how long

00:29:57.500 --> 00:29:59.500
 we've been under God's word,

00:29:59.500 --> 00:30:02.500
 how long we've had God's word

00:30:02.500 --> 00:30:03.500
 at our fingertips,

00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:05.500
 are we worthy of it?

00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:08.500
 What are we doing with it?

00:30:08.500 --> 00:30:10.500
 Do we recognize that even here

00:30:10.500 --> 00:30:13.500
 this evening we are all gathered

00:30:13.500 --> 00:30:14.500
 in the presence of God?

00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:16.500
 What does that mean?

00:30:16.500 --> 00:30:19.500
 To be gathered in the presence of God,

00:30:19.500 --> 00:30:22.500
 to be here to hear what he has to say to us,

00:30:22.500 --> 00:30:25.500
 to realize who it is that is speaking to us.

00:30:25.500 --> 00:30:28.500
 We become so accustomed just to coming

00:30:28.500 --> 00:30:29.500
 and hearing what is said,

00:30:29.500 --> 00:30:33.500
 but do we realize it is God who is speaking to us?

00:30:34.500 --> 00:30:35.500
 Sometimes we need to be reminded

00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:37.500
 that it is a wonder at all

00:30:37.500 --> 00:30:39.500
 that God would speak to any of us,

00:30:39.500 --> 00:30:41.500
 to you or to me,

00:30:41.500 --> 00:30:45.500
 because we are truly undeserving of it.

00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:47.500
 But there are times too when God,

00:30:47.500 --> 00:30:50.500
 by his grace, just takes hold of us.

00:30:50.500 --> 00:30:53.500
 And when he speaks to us in a powerful way

00:30:53.500 --> 00:30:56.500
 and we are left just in awe of him.

00:30:56.500 --> 00:31:00.500
 And this encounter between Peter and Cornelius,

00:31:00.500 --> 00:31:03.500
 it leaves them and those who are with them in great awe

00:31:03.500 --> 00:31:06.500
 and wonder at the grace of God.

00:31:06.500 --> 00:31:10.500
 Have you ever gone to a place where you went in,

00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:14.500
 not really sure what it was going to be like

00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:16.500
 or whether in going there

00:31:16.500 --> 00:31:20.500
 it was really worth going at all in the first place.

00:31:20.500 --> 00:31:22.500
 But then you have gone in

00:31:22.500 --> 00:31:25.500
 and at the end of it you have really enjoyed yourself.

00:31:25.500 --> 00:31:28.500
 You have loved the whole experience of being there

00:31:28.500 --> 00:31:30.500
 and you didn't want to leave.

00:31:30.500 --> 00:31:34.500
 Sometimes it can happen in the strangest of places.

00:31:34.500 --> 00:31:37.500
 I remember once being in London

00:31:37.500 --> 00:31:40.500
 and we were going to the theatre

00:31:40.500 --> 00:31:42.500
 and I'd never been to the theatre before.

00:31:42.500 --> 00:31:45.500
 And if I'm honest, it wasn't the first choice

00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:48.500
 of where I would want to go on a night in London.

00:31:48.500 --> 00:31:51.500
 But I went along, not really knowing

00:31:51.500 --> 00:31:53.500
 maybe what to expect,

00:31:53.500 --> 00:31:55.500
 not thinking I would really enjoy it.

00:31:55.500 --> 00:31:57.500
 But by the end of the evening

00:31:57.500 --> 00:31:59.500
 I was just blown away by the whole experience

00:31:59.500 --> 00:32:02.500
 of watching this show in the theatre.

00:32:02.500 --> 00:32:04.500
 It was a powerful experience

00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:07.500
 and a wonderful experience in many ways.

00:32:09.500 --> 00:32:11.500
 But then you think of the wonder

00:32:11.500 --> 00:32:13.500
 of hearing the Gospel

00:32:13.500 --> 00:32:17.500
 and the wonder of being under the Word of God

00:32:17.500 --> 00:32:19.500
 and you recognise that even though

00:32:19.500 --> 00:32:21.500
 there are many good things in this world,

00:32:21.500 --> 00:32:23.500
 many experiences that we will enjoy

00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:25.500
 and places that we go

00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:27.500
 that we will delight in,

00:32:27.500 --> 00:32:29.500
 there is nothing that compares

00:32:29.500 --> 00:32:31.500
 to being gathered together

00:32:31.500 --> 00:32:32.500
 under the Word of God

00:32:32.500 --> 00:32:37.500
 and hearing what God has to say to us.

00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:41.500
 And that's at the heart of what is before us here

00:32:41.500 --> 00:32:42.500
 in this passage.

00:32:42.500 --> 00:32:45.500
 Where Cornelius has gathered friends

00:32:45.500 --> 00:32:46.500
 and family together,

00:32:46.500 --> 00:32:48.500
 probably many of them not sure

00:32:48.500 --> 00:32:50.500
 why they're there in the first place.

00:32:50.500 --> 00:32:52.500
 Maybe many of them not wanting to be there,

00:32:52.500 --> 00:32:55.500
 wondering should they be there at all.

00:32:55.500 --> 00:32:59.500
 And when they see the guests that Cornelius has invited,

00:32:59.500 --> 00:33:01.500
 Peter, to come into their midst,

00:33:01.500 --> 00:33:02.500
 they're probably wondering,

00:33:02.500 --> 00:33:04.500
 what's this all about?

00:33:04.500 --> 00:33:07.500
 Maybe they'll just want to get up and leave.

00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:10.500
 Peter himself is probably wondering the same.

00:33:10.500 --> 00:33:13.500
 Why, Lord, are you taking me to these people?

00:33:13.500 --> 00:33:16.500
 They would have so many questions.

00:33:16.500 --> 00:33:22.500
 And yet we see here that God is working powerfully,

00:33:22.500 --> 00:33:24.500
 powerfully in bringing them together

00:33:24.500 --> 00:33:28.500
 to recognize there is unity in Christ,

00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:34.500
 that Christ is one who breaks down so many different barriers.

00:33:34.500 --> 00:33:39.500
 Their purpose in being together was to hear the Word of God.

00:33:39.500 --> 00:33:41.500
 And here we are this evening,

00:33:41.500 --> 00:33:44.500
 gathered together in Stornoway Free Church,

00:33:44.500 --> 00:33:48.500
 Sunday, the 30th of October, 2022.

00:33:48.500 --> 00:33:51.500
 Is it a significant date for ourselves?

00:33:51.500 --> 00:33:52.500
 Many ways it's not.

00:33:52.500 --> 00:33:53.500
 We'll be here.

00:33:53.500 --> 00:33:54.500
 We'll move on.

00:33:54.500 --> 00:33:56.500
 We'll maybe forget about it.

00:33:56.500 --> 00:33:58.500
 But we're here by God's grace.

00:33:58.500 --> 00:34:01.500
 We're here under God's Word.

00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:06.500
 We're here because God has appointed this time for us to be here.

00:34:06.500 --> 00:34:10.500
 It's an appointed time by God.

00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:12.500
 And hear this.

00:34:12.500 --> 00:34:17.500
 God has appointed this time for you and I to be gathered here

00:34:17.500 --> 00:34:22.500
 in His presence to hear His Word.

00:34:22.500 --> 00:34:25.500
 And as we see in this encounter between Peter and Cornelius,

00:34:25.500 --> 00:34:28.500
 it really is a remarkable one.

00:34:28.500 --> 00:34:34.500
 One that without God's power and intervention would not have happened in and of itself.

00:34:34.500 --> 00:34:39.500
 That's made clear for us as you read through the whole of this chapter.

00:34:39.500 --> 00:34:46.500
 Peter makes it clear as he arrives in the midst of this house of Cornelius

00:34:46.500 --> 00:34:49.500
 that this is not a place that he should be.

00:34:49.500 --> 00:34:52.500
 He says in verse 28,

00:34:52.500 --> 00:35:11.500
 How Peter was viewing people before God intervened.

00:35:11.500 --> 00:35:16.500
 How Cornelius was maybe viewing Peter before God had intervened.

00:35:16.500 --> 00:35:20.500
 You can imagine them both having their own views of one another.

00:35:20.500 --> 00:35:26.500
 But it's a reminder to us of the power of the Gospel.

00:35:26.500 --> 00:35:31.500
 And what can this Word do for you and I this evening?

00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:34.500
 Well, it can do exactly the same thing.

00:35:34.500 --> 00:35:38.500
 It can break down barriers that maybe exist in our own hearts.

00:35:38.500 --> 00:35:44.500
 People that we see around us who maybe we feel are undeserving of the Gospel

00:35:44.500 --> 00:35:46.500
 for whatever reason that might be.

00:35:46.500 --> 00:35:50.500
 Sometimes we need our hearts cleansed of that kind of attitude.

00:35:50.500 --> 00:35:54.500
 To see that everyone is made in the image of God.

00:35:54.500 --> 00:35:57.500
 To see that every soul is precious to God.

00:35:57.500 --> 00:36:02.500
 To see that every one of us needs the Lord Jesus.

00:36:02.500 --> 00:36:06.500
 Peter and Cornelius here needed their hearts changed.

00:36:06.500 --> 00:36:11.500
 And perhaps as we think of the work of the Gospel here in our own midst,

00:36:11.500 --> 00:36:13.500
 we need our hearts changed.

00:36:13.500 --> 00:36:15.500
 We need our eyes opened more and more.

00:36:15.500 --> 00:36:17.500
 To see the great need around us.

00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:21.500
 To see the people around us truly for who they are.

00:36:21.500 --> 00:36:26.500
 A people who are not unclean in any way.

00:36:26.500 --> 00:36:31.500
 But who need the cleaning power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:36:31.500 --> 00:36:35.500
 The Russian writer Leo Tolstoy once said,

00:36:35.500 --> 00:36:39.500
 Everybody thinks of changing humanity.

00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:43.500
 And nobody thinks of changing himself.

00:36:43.500 --> 00:36:46.500
 Maybe that's our attitude so often.

00:36:46.500 --> 00:36:50.500
 We look around us and we think everybody else needs to change.

00:36:50.500 --> 00:36:53.500
 Those around us, they're the ones that need to change.

00:36:53.500 --> 00:36:56.500
 But there are times when we have to look in our own hearts.

00:36:56.500 --> 00:36:58.500
 And ask, is it me?

00:36:58.500 --> 00:37:00.500
 Is it my attitude?

00:37:00.500 --> 00:37:01.500
 Is it my life?

00:37:01.500 --> 00:37:04.500
 Is it my ways that need to change?

00:37:04.500 --> 00:37:07.500
 Peter and Cornelius recognize that here.

00:37:07.500 --> 00:37:11.500
 And they're brought to that point where God changes their heart.

00:37:11.500 --> 00:37:15.500
 And what comes from that is a pouring out of the Gospel.

00:37:15.500 --> 00:37:16.500
 The blessing of the Gospel.

00:37:16.500 --> 00:37:18.500
 Going far and wide.

00:37:18.500 --> 00:37:22.500
 And maybe that's a prayer we should have for ourselves this evening.

00:37:22.500 --> 00:37:25.500
 Lord, change our hearts.

00:37:25.500 --> 00:37:28.500
 Change our hearts so we would not look down on anyone.

00:37:28.500 --> 00:37:30.500
 Or not look above.

00:37:30.500 --> 00:37:32.500
 That we are above anybody else.

00:37:32.500 --> 00:37:34.500
 Change us, Lord.

00:37:34.500 --> 00:37:37.500
 And then we can see about changing humanity.

00:37:37.500 --> 00:37:40.500
 Sometimes we need to change our hearts.

00:37:40.500 --> 00:37:43.500
 But that is what the Gospel does.

00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:46.500
 So here we are gathered together this evening.

00:37:46.500 --> 00:37:47.500
 Under the Word of God.

00:37:47.500 --> 00:37:50.500
 To hear what He has to say to us.

00:37:50.500 --> 00:37:52.500
 This is God's appointment.

00:37:52.500 --> 00:37:57.500
 And I want to see three things about this appointment for us this evening.

00:37:57.500 --> 00:38:00.500
 As we learn from this passage before us.

00:38:00.500 --> 00:38:01.500
 And the first thing is this.

00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:04.500
 God's appointed time.

00:38:04.500 --> 00:38:07.500
 In this account in chapter 10.

00:38:07.500 --> 00:38:10.500
 You have these main characters, if you like.

00:38:10.500 --> 00:38:13.500
 Who are poles apart.

00:38:13.500 --> 00:38:16.500
 Cornelius, we are told, is a Roman centurion.

00:38:16.500 --> 00:38:18.500
 A Gentile.

00:38:18.500 --> 00:38:21.500
 And on the other hand, you have Peter.

00:38:21.500 --> 00:38:22.500
 One of the apostles.

00:38:22.500 --> 00:38:24.500
 A devoted Jew.

00:38:24.500 --> 00:38:27.500
 And they weren't going to mix.

00:38:27.500 --> 00:38:30.500
 Not by their own choosing were they going to come together.

00:38:30.500 --> 00:38:33.500
 But behind everything here is God.

00:38:33.500 --> 00:38:34.500
 God.

00:38:34.500 --> 00:38:37.500
 God who appears to Cornelius.

00:38:37.500 --> 00:38:39.500
 And God who appears to Peter.

00:38:39.500 --> 00:38:44.500
 And the result of this is the Gospel spreading far and wide.

00:38:44.500 --> 00:38:47.500
 And continuing to spread to this very day.

00:38:47.500 --> 00:38:52.500
 So that we too are privileged to be under this Gospel ourselves.

00:38:52.500 --> 00:38:54.500
 And the wonder of it.

00:38:54.500 --> 00:38:59.500
 God is here orchestrating these events to bring these two men together.

00:38:59.500 --> 00:39:03.500
 In a way that in many ways shocked them both.

00:39:03.500 --> 00:39:08.500
 But it broke down many barriers that existed between them.

00:39:08.500 --> 00:39:13.500
 You think, what kind of things would Cornelius have said about Peter?

00:39:13.500 --> 00:39:18.500
 You wonder what kind of conversations they would have had before Peter comes.

00:39:18.500 --> 00:39:20.500
 And what kind of man is he?

00:39:20.500 --> 00:39:22.500
 Or what kind of people are the Jews?

00:39:22.500 --> 00:39:27.500
 The Jews were seen or saw themselves very often as a class above.

00:39:27.500 --> 00:39:30.500
 And the Gentiles, they were a different kind of people.

00:39:30.500 --> 00:39:33.500
 There were two kinds of people in these days.

00:39:33.500 --> 00:39:37.500
 The Jews, if you weren't a Jew, you were a Gentile.

00:39:37.500 --> 00:39:41.500
 And there was no mixing between them.

00:39:41.500 --> 00:39:45.500
 But many of the Gentiles, like Cornelius, who probably looked at the Jews and said,

00:39:45.500 --> 00:39:47.500
 Oh, they are so legalistic.

00:39:47.500 --> 00:39:50.500
 It's all about do's and don'ts.

00:39:50.500 --> 00:39:55.500
 Why can't we just worship God the way we want to ourselves?

00:39:55.500 --> 00:40:02.500
 Maybe Peter, as we see here, being saying things that we were not even meant to mix with you people.

00:40:02.500 --> 00:40:06.500
 He would have been saying about Cornelius, he doesn't deserve to hear the gospel.

00:40:06.500 --> 00:40:10.500
 He hates the way of the Jews and what they stand for.

00:40:10.500 --> 00:40:15.500
 But look what happens when the grace of God intervenes.

00:40:15.500 --> 00:40:20.500
 When God's appointed times comes and he brings them together.

00:40:20.500 --> 00:40:27.500
 The result is this encounter between the two where they become united, if you like.

00:40:27.500 --> 00:40:29.500
 They come under God's word.

00:40:29.500 --> 00:40:40.500
 And the result of this encounter today is that all people throughout the world can hear the wonder of the gospel of God's grace.

00:40:40.500 --> 00:40:46.500
 As he says there in verse 34, Peter says,

00:40:47.500 --> 00:40:51.500
 Truly I understand that God shows no partiality.

00:40:51.500 --> 00:40:54.500
 He shows no favoritism.

00:40:54.500 --> 00:40:57.500
 He doesn't look on one person as better than another.

00:40:57.500 --> 00:40:59.500
 There's no partiality.

00:40:59.500 --> 00:41:09.500
 But in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is acceptable, what is right is acceptable to him.

00:41:09.500 --> 00:41:12.500
 Is that our heart attitude too?

00:41:12.500 --> 00:41:18.500
 We have to confess that there are times when we lack that kind of attitude.

00:41:18.500 --> 00:41:21.500
 We can look around and think we're better than others.

00:41:21.500 --> 00:41:26.500
 We've got everything sussed in the way that we worship or the way that we do church.

00:41:26.500 --> 00:41:27.500
 That we know it all.

00:41:27.500 --> 00:41:29.500
 That we know better.

00:41:29.500 --> 00:41:32.500
 There are times we have to confess we don't.

00:41:32.500 --> 00:41:40.500
 And we have to confess before God that in our hearts, our hearts are partial.

00:41:40.500 --> 00:41:43.500
 We look on ourselves more than we look on others.

00:41:43.500 --> 00:41:48.500
 We have to ask the Lord to break down that barrier.

00:41:48.500 --> 00:41:53.500
 The wonder of it here is that God appoints this time when they come together.

00:41:53.500 --> 00:41:59.500
 And in the same way, our lives aren't filled with chance happenings either.

00:41:59.500 --> 00:42:04.500
 This was God's appointed time for Peter and Cornelius to come together.

00:42:04.500 --> 00:42:06.500
 And this is our appointed day.

00:42:06.500 --> 00:42:08.500
 This is our appointed time.

00:42:08.500 --> 00:42:11.500
 This is our appointed place.

00:42:11.500 --> 00:42:13.500
 And what are we going to do with it?

00:42:13.500 --> 00:42:16.500
 How are we going to live our lives?

00:42:16.500 --> 00:42:19.500
 How are we going to interact with those around us?

00:42:19.500 --> 00:42:23.500
 We don't see any meeting with people as just chance meetings.

00:42:23.500 --> 00:42:27.500
 Recently we looked at the Jesus meeting with the woman at the well.

00:42:27.500 --> 00:42:32.500
 Again, a Jew and a Samaritan, they weren't meant to mix together either.

00:42:32.500 --> 00:42:37.500
 But God appointed that time and what a blessing came from that.

00:42:37.500 --> 00:42:41.500
 Hearts that were open to receive and to speak.

00:42:41.500 --> 00:42:43.500
 And the blessing that flowed from it.

00:42:43.500 --> 00:42:49.500
 So for ourselves, this is not a chance meeting that we're here tonight.

00:42:49.500 --> 00:42:51.500
 Perhaps we've been invited.

00:42:51.500 --> 00:42:53.500
 Perhaps this is our first time here.

00:42:53.500 --> 00:42:55.500
 Perhaps we've come out of curiosity.

00:42:55.500 --> 00:42:59.500
 Perhaps we're here most weeks, week after week.

00:42:59.500 --> 00:43:05.500
 We are all here because God has appointed this time for us.

00:43:05.500 --> 00:43:07.500
 But what are we going to do with it?

00:43:07.500 --> 00:43:10.500
 Are we going to hear what God is saying to us?

00:43:10.500 --> 00:43:16.500
 Are we going to hear that maybe God is using us and preparing us to be used in his service?

00:43:16.500 --> 00:43:20.500
 Even though we might say, what can I do?

00:43:20.500 --> 00:43:22.500
 What do I have to offer?

00:43:22.500 --> 00:43:26.500
 But that God has something for us all to do.

00:43:26.500 --> 00:43:29.500
 Everyone has something to offer and something to give.

00:43:29.500 --> 00:43:36.500
 And perhaps God is laying on your heart a particular burden for a people or a group of people.

00:43:36.500 --> 00:43:38.500
 So we look around ourselves today.

00:43:38.500 --> 00:43:40.500
 There's so many people around us.

00:43:40.500 --> 00:43:44.500
 Maybe you ask, well, are we allowed to go and speak to these kinds of people?

00:43:44.500 --> 00:43:46.500
 There's visitors to our town.

00:43:46.500 --> 00:43:49.500
 There's people who have moved here from other lands and other nations.

00:43:49.500 --> 00:43:52.500
 People who have moved in to maybe next door to your home.

00:43:52.500 --> 00:43:56.500
 And you're wondering, should I or can I even go and speak to these people?

00:43:56.500 --> 00:44:03.500
 Well, it's important that we see that God has appointed such times for us.

00:44:03.500 --> 00:44:06.500
 To be a people who will bear witness to God in our communities.

00:44:06.500 --> 00:44:13.500
 To be a people who will show the wonder of the gospel to those, to all who are around us.

00:44:13.500 --> 00:44:19.500
 Just like Peter, we need to understand that God shows no partiality.

00:44:19.500 --> 00:44:22.500
 So this is our appointed time.

00:44:22.500 --> 00:44:24.500
 This is our appointed place.

00:44:24.500 --> 00:44:30.500
 And that we are to be a people who are ready to respond to God's will for us.

00:44:30.500 --> 00:44:36.500
 To be a people who show forth the gospel to those around us.

00:44:36.500 --> 00:44:41.500
 Peter was told to go and to meet with Cornelius.

00:44:41.500 --> 00:44:46.500
 Are we told to go and meet with those around us?

00:44:46.500 --> 00:44:48.500
 Well, yes, of course we are.

00:44:48.500 --> 00:44:53.500
 In Matthew 28, verse 19, you have the great commission.

00:44:53.500 --> 00:44:59.500
 Commission to the church of Christ to go to all the nations, to all the people.

00:44:59.500 --> 00:45:06.500
 To show no partiality, but to seek the glory of the gospel for all people.

00:45:06.500 --> 00:45:08.500
 So there is God's appointed time.

00:45:08.500 --> 00:45:13.500
 The second thing we see here is this God's appointed word.

00:45:13.500 --> 00:45:18.500
 If God has appointed this time for Cornelius and Peter coming together,

00:45:18.500 --> 00:45:21.500
 he's also appointed the purpose of their coming together.

00:45:21.500 --> 00:45:25.500
 And it is to hear the word of God.

00:45:25.500 --> 00:45:30.500
 You notice the way Cornelius puts it there in verse 33.

00:45:30.500 --> 00:45:34.500
 I sent for you at once and you have been kind enough to come.

00:45:34.500 --> 00:45:42.500
 Now, therefore, we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.

00:45:42.500 --> 00:45:46.500
 There was a purpose in their coming to me together.

00:45:46.500 --> 00:45:53.500
 And did Peter have to pause and think about what he was going to say?

00:45:53.500 --> 00:45:55.500
 Not at all.

00:45:55.500 --> 00:45:57.500
 He had the message ready to go.

00:45:57.500 --> 00:46:01.500
 And it begins, first of all, with a confession.

00:46:01.500 --> 00:46:04.500
 He confesses his own heart before them.

00:46:04.500 --> 00:46:08.500
 In verse 34, there is a confession there.

00:46:08.500 --> 00:46:13.500
 Truly, now I understand that God shows no partiality.

00:46:13.500 --> 00:46:16.500
 He knows his own heart has been wrong in the past.

00:46:16.500 --> 00:46:19.500
 And he is confessing that.

00:46:19.500 --> 00:46:23.500
 But he goes on then, in verse 36.

00:46:23.500 --> 00:46:34.500
 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all.

00:46:34.500 --> 00:46:39.500
 This is the message that he has to bring to the people.

00:46:39.500 --> 00:46:42.500
 It is good news.

00:46:42.500 --> 00:46:45.500
 It is the gospel preached to all.

00:46:45.500 --> 00:46:49.500
 The gospel that is able to break down barriers.

00:46:49.500 --> 00:46:53.500
 The gospel that is able to unite and bring peace.

00:46:53.500 --> 00:46:59.500
 Because Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all.

00:46:59.500 --> 00:47:02.500
 He is Lord of all.

00:47:02.500 --> 00:47:08.500
 And as you look at this word, you recognize this is what our world needs.

00:47:08.500 --> 00:47:11.500
 This is what everyone around us needs to hear.

00:47:11.500 --> 00:47:13.500
 Good news.

00:47:13.500 --> 00:47:18.500
 And he goes on and explains all that has happened in their day.

00:47:18.500 --> 00:47:20.500
 How Jesus had come into the world.

00:47:20.500 --> 00:47:23.500
 And beginning in Galilee after his baptism.

00:47:23.500 --> 00:47:25.500
 And so it goes on.

00:47:25.500 --> 00:47:27.500
 All of these things had taken place.

00:47:27.500 --> 00:47:28.500
 He was crucified.

00:47:28.500 --> 00:47:32.500
 But then on the third day, he rose again.

00:47:32.500 --> 00:47:37.500
 He explains then the wonder that God sent his son into this world.

00:47:37.500 --> 00:47:42.500
 What an amazing message they had.

00:47:42.500 --> 00:47:46.500
 And what an amazing message we have ourselves too.

00:47:46.500 --> 00:47:54.500
 The wonder of this gospel that God sent his son into this world for us.

00:47:54.500 --> 00:47:59.500
 And for those around us who will come through faith to believe.

00:47:59.500 --> 00:48:01.500
 They are all acceptable.

00:48:01.500 --> 00:48:06.500
 Everyone who will believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:48:06.500 --> 00:48:11.500
 That is the word that he proclaimed.

00:48:11.500 --> 00:48:13.500
 And who needed to hear this?

00:48:13.500 --> 00:48:15.500
 They all did.

00:48:15.500 --> 00:48:17.500
 Peter needed to hear this.

00:48:17.500 --> 00:48:20.500
 Because the Lord convicted him in his own heart.

00:48:20.500 --> 00:48:26.500
 And he had to confess the sin of partiality that he had been suffering with.

00:48:26.500 --> 00:48:31.500
 But Cornelius needed to hear the word too.

00:48:31.500 --> 00:48:34.500
 All who were with him needed to hear the word.

00:48:34.500 --> 00:48:37.500
 And his word had to spread far and wide.

00:48:37.500 --> 00:48:41.500
 And you just look at Cornelius just for a moment.

00:48:41.500 --> 00:48:43.500
 What kind of man he was.

00:48:43.500 --> 00:48:46.500
 It says a lot of good things about him.

00:48:46.500 --> 00:48:53.500
 At the beginning of the chapter, Cornelius was a centurion of what was known as the Italian cohort.

00:48:53.500 --> 00:48:58.500
 A devout man who feared God with all his household.

00:48:58.500 --> 00:49:02.500
 Gave alms generously to all the people and prayed continually.

00:49:02.500 --> 00:49:07.500
 Everything would seem right on the outside with this man Cornelius.

00:49:07.500 --> 00:49:09.500
 He was a good man.

00:49:09.500 --> 00:49:11.500
 A devout man.

00:49:11.500 --> 00:49:15.500
 But he needed to hear what Peter had to say.

00:49:15.500 --> 00:49:21.500
 He needed to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified for our sins.

00:49:21.500 --> 00:49:24.500
 But you see, he was a good man.

00:49:24.500 --> 00:49:28.500
 Well, if you just jump over to chapter 11, verse 14.

00:49:28.500 --> 00:49:34.500
 There, Peter is reporting back to the church all that had taken place.

00:49:34.500 --> 00:49:39.500
 And in verse 13, he's telling about this account of his encounter with Cornelius.

00:49:39.500 --> 00:49:43.500
 He told us how he had seen the angels stand in his house and say,

00:49:43.500 --> 00:49:47.500
 Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter.

00:49:47.500 --> 00:49:52.500
 He will declare to you a message by which you will be saved.

00:49:52.500 --> 00:49:55.500
 You and all your household.

00:49:55.500 --> 00:49:59.500
 They had to hear this message.

00:49:59.500 --> 00:50:07.500
 And how many people around ourselves tonight, many of us need to hear or re-hear this message.

00:50:07.500 --> 00:50:13.500
 The wonder of the grace of God that is through faith that we are saved.

00:50:13.500 --> 00:50:18.500
 So we see this wonder of the word of God.

00:50:18.500 --> 00:50:22.500
 The word of God that is powerful to save.

00:50:22.500 --> 00:50:28.500
 And this is the word of God that we have to share with others.

00:50:28.500 --> 00:50:32.500
 To remind them that this is good news.

00:50:32.500 --> 00:50:35.500
 That this is what they need in their life now.

00:50:35.500 --> 00:50:38.500
 And for all eternity that's before us.

00:50:38.500 --> 00:50:41.500
 We need the Lord.

00:50:41.500 --> 00:50:43.500
 C.S. Lewis who once said,

00:50:43.500 --> 00:50:49.500
 God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from himself.

00:50:49.500 --> 00:50:51.500
 Because it is not there.

00:50:51.500 --> 00:50:53.500
 There is no such thing.

00:50:53.500 --> 00:50:57.500
 And perhaps you're trying to balance it, to juggle it in your life.

00:50:57.500 --> 00:51:02.500
 To find happiness in the world and to find happiness with God.

00:51:02.500 --> 00:51:05.500
 To try and get the two of them in balance.

00:51:05.500 --> 00:51:07.500
 But it's not working.

00:51:07.500 --> 00:51:10.500
 Because it is God you need.

00:51:10.500 --> 00:51:12.500
 And God alone.

00:51:12.500 --> 00:51:15.500
 And to come and trust in him.

00:51:15.500 --> 00:51:19.500
 And the same is true for all around us.

00:51:19.500 --> 00:51:22.500
 As we think of those who need to hear the gospel.

00:51:22.500 --> 00:51:26.500
 Those who feel there's all happiness in this world.

00:51:26.500 --> 00:51:30.500
 That life is fulfilled in every other way apart from God.

00:51:30.500 --> 00:51:31.500
 No.

00:51:31.500 --> 00:51:35.500
 We have this word that needs to be shared.

00:51:35.500 --> 00:51:39.500
 This word that is powerful to save.

00:51:39.500 --> 00:51:43.500
 And the greatest burden of all that God puts on our heart.

00:51:43.500 --> 00:51:46.500
 Is when he reminds us of our end.

00:51:46.500 --> 00:51:51.500
 That God here as well as appointing a time.

00:51:51.500 --> 00:51:53.500
 Appointing his word.

00:51:53.500 --> 00:51:57.500
 He reminds us here too that he's appointed a judge.

00:51:58.500 --> 00:52:01.500
 He has appointed a judge.

00:52:01.500 --> 00:52:04.500
 In verse 42.

00:52:04.500 --> 00:52:07.500
 And he commanded us to preach to the people.

00:52:07.500 --> 00:52:10.500
 And to testify that he is the one.

00:52:10.500 --> 00:52:12.500
 Appointed by God.

00:52:12.500 --> 00:52:14.500
 To be judge of the living.

00:52:14.500 --> 00:52:16.500
 And the dead.

00:52:16.500 --> 00:52:19.500
 That's the seriousness of this.

00:52:19.500 --> 00:52:22.500
 The wonder of this encounter.

00:52:22.500 --> 00:52:24.500
 The appointed time.

00:52:24.500 --> 00:52:25.500
 The amazement of that.

00:52:25.500 --> 00:52:27.500
 The wonder of the word of God.

00:52:27.500 --> 00:52:28.500
 The amazement of that.

00:52:28.500 --> 00:52:31.500
 But the seriousness too.

00:52:31.500 --> 00:52:33.500
 That he has appointed one.

00:52:33.500 --> 00:52:35.500
 To be judge of all.

00:52:35.500 --> 00:52:41.500
 And that puts a sense of urgency of all of this as well.

00:52:41.500 --> 00:52:45.500
 That if our hearts are showing partiality.

00:52:45.500 --> 00:52:49.500
 If we don't see others as worthy of the gospel.

00:52:49.500 --> 00:52:52.500
 That God would break down our hearts in that.

00:52:52.500 --> 00:52:55.500
 That we would say it's not them that needs to change.

00:52:55.500 --> 00:52:57.500
 But us too.

00:52:57.500 --> 00:53:00.500
 That our hearts need to change.

00:53:00.500 --> 00:53:04.500
 You know there are many places that we can go.

00:53:04.500 --> 00:53:07.500
 Many places that we can go for a while.

00:53:07.500 --> 00:53:09.500
 And we can leave them behind.

00:53:09.500 --> 00:53:13.500
 You think of your own weekly routines.

00:53:13.500 --> 00:53:15.500
 You go into the workplace.

00:53:15.500 --> 00:53:16.500
 And you leave.

00:53:16.500 --> 00:53:19.500
 You go into school or college.

00:53:19.500 --> 00:53:22.500
 And then you leave after a time.

00:53:22.500 --> 00:53:23.500
 Even coming to church.

00:53:23.500 --> 00:53:25.500
 You come in for a time.

00:53:25.500 --> 00:53:27.500
 And then you leave.

00:53:27.500 --> 00:53:30.500
 And you're saying to yourself all of these things.

00:53:30.500 --> 00:53:32.500
 I just want them to pass by.

00:53:32.500 --> 00:53:34.500
 I just want the time to go on.

00:53:34.500 --> 00:53:36.500
 But all the time.

00:53:36.500 --> 00:53:37.500
 Our time is going on.

00:53:37.500 --> 00:53:41.500
 It's taking us closer towards this appointed time.

00:53:41.500 --> 00:53:43.500
 And this appointed judge.

00:53:44.500 --> 00:53:46.500
 A time we will not get out of.

00:53:46.500 --> 00:53:48.500
 A meeting we will not get away with.

00:53:48.500 --> 00:53:51.500
 And since life is short and uncertain.

00:53:51.500 --> 00:53:54.500
 And eternity is before us forever.

00:53:54.500 --> 00:53:57.500
 The important question to ask of us all is.

00:53:57.500 --> 00:53:59.500
 How can I be saved?

00:53:59.500 --> 00:54:03.500
 How can I know I am right with God?

00:54:03.500 --> 00:54:08.500
 And how can I tell others of this great need to be right with God?

00:54:08.500 --> 00:54:09.500
 While he's saying here.

00:54:09.500 --> 00:54:11.500
 There's an appointed judge.

00:54:11.500 --> 00:54:13.500
 And it says in verse 43.

00:54:13.500 --> 00:54:14.500
 To him.

00:54:14.500 --> 00:54:17.500
 All the prophets bear witness.

00:54:17.500 --> 00:54:20.500
 That everyone who believes in him.

00:54:20.500 --> 00:54:23.500
 Receives forgiveness of sins.

00:54:23.500 --> 00:54:24.500
 Through his name.

00:54:25.500 --> 00:54:28.500
 There is a serious day coming.

00:54:28.500 --> 00:54:29.500
 But there is hope.

00:54:29.500 --> 00:54:31.500
 In this gospel.

00:54:31.500 --> 00:54:32.500
 For all.

00:54:32.500 --> 00:54:33.500
 Who believe.

00:54:33.500 --> 00:54:35.500
 Everyone who believes in him.

00:54:35.500 --> 00:54:38.500
 Receives forgiveness of sins.

00:54:38.500 --> 00:54:40.500
 Through his name.

00:54:40.500 --> 00:54:42.500
 How can we be ready.

00:54:42.500 --> 00:54:44.500
 For this day when it comes.

00:54:44.500 --> 00:54:47.500
 It is to be standing in Christ.

00:54:47.500 --> 00:54:49.500
 To be trusting.

00:54:49.500 --> 00:54:51.500
 In him.

00:54:51.500 --> 00:54:54.500
 There was a story told.

00:54:54.500 --> 00:54:55.500
 Of the time when the.

00:54:55.500 --> 00:54:58.500
 Pioneers were making their way.

00:54:58.500 --> 00:55:00.500
 Through the country of the United States.

00:55:00.500 --> 00:55:01.500
 They'd arrived.

00:55:01.500 --> 00:55:03.500
 On the east coast.

00:55:03.500 --> 00:55:04.500
 And they were making their way inland.

00:55:04.500 --> 00:55:06.500
 Setting up towns.

00:55:06.500 --> 00:55:08.500
 And villages along the way.

00:55:08.500 --> 00:55:10.500
 And there was this one time.

00:55:10.500 --> 00:55:11.500
 When a large crowd.

00:55:11.500 --> 00:55:12.500
 Were making their way.

00:55:12.500 --> 00:55:14.500
 Through the prairies.

00:55:14.500 --> 00:55:15.500
 Making their way.

00:55:15.500 --> 00:55:16.500
 To a place.

00:55:16.500 --> 00:55:17.500
 That they were looking forward.

00:55:17.500 --> 00:55:19.500
 To building new homes.

00:55:19.500 --> 00:55:20.500
 And a new life.

00:55:20.500 --> 00:55:22.500
 And they were journeying.

00:55:22.500 --> 00:55:23.500
 Through the prairies.

00:55:23.500 --> 00:55:25.500
 And their wagons.

00:55:25.500 --> 00:55:26.500
 Drawn by oxen.

00:55:26.500 --> 00:55:29.500
 And it was slow progress.

00:55:29.500 --> 00:55:31.500
 It took a long time.

00:55:31.500 --> 00:55:32.500
 Men and women.

00:55:32.500 --> 00:55:33.500
 Boys and girls.

00:55:33.500 --> 00:55:34.500
 All making their way.

00:55:34.500 --> 00:55:36.500
 Some on the wagon.

00:55:36.500 --> 00:55:37.500
 Some having to walk.

00:55:37.500 --> 00:55:39.500
 It was very slow progress.

00:55:39.500 --> 00:55:41.500
 And as they were traveling.

00:55:41.500 --> 00:55:42.500
 Through the prairies.

00:55:42.500 --> 00:55:43.500
 This one day.

00:55:43.500 --> 00:55:44.500
 It was very warm.

00:55:44.500 --> 00:55:45.500
 And it had been for a time.

00:55:45.500 --> 00:55:47.500
 Very dry place.

00:55:47.500 --> 00:55:49.500
 But they began to see smoke.

00:55:49.500 --> 00:55:51.500
 On the western horizon.

00:55:51.500 --> 00:55:53.500
 And the smoke was coming.

00:55:53.500 --> 00:55:54.500
 Towards them.

00:55:54.500 --> 00:55:55.500
 Towards them.

00:55:55.500 --> 00:55:57.500
 And they began to realize.

00:55:57.500 --> 00:55:58.500
 What was happening.

00:55:58.500 --> 00:56:00.500
 The prairie was so dry.

00:56:00.500 --> 00:56:02.500
 And the sun was so hot.

00:56:02.500 --> 00:56:03.500
 That the dry grass.

00:56:03.500 --> 00:56:05.500
 Had started burning.

00:56:05.500 --> 00:56:06.500
 And the little wind.

00:56:06.500 --> 00:56:07.500
 That there was.

00:56:07.500 --> 00:56:08.500
 Was blowing the fire.

00:56:08.500 --> 00:56:09.500
 Towards them.

00:56:09.500 --> 00:56:11.500
 And they recognized soon.

00:56:11.500 --> 00:56:13.500
 That there was no getting away.

00:56:13.500 --> 00:56:14.500
 From this fire.

00:56:14.500 --> 00:56:16.500
 It was heading towards them.

00:56:16.500 --> 00:56:17.500
 And at a faster pace.

00:56:17.500 --> 00:56:19.500
 That they could get away.

00:56:19.500 --> 00:56:20.500
 They had passed a river.

00:56:20.500 --> 00:56:21.500
 The day before.

00:56:21.500 --> 00:56:22.500
 But they knew.

00:56:22.500 --> 00:56:23.500
 There was no time.

00:56:23.500 --> 00:56:24.500
 To get back.

00:56:24.500 --> 00:56:25.500
 To that river.

00:56:25.500 --> 00:56:26.500
 And what were they going to do.

00:56:26.500 --> 00:56:27.500
 They were starting.

00:56:27.500 --> 00:56:28.500
 To get terrified.

00:56:28.500 --> 00:56:29.500
 They were horrified.

00:56:29.500 --> 00:56:31.500
 By what lay ahead of them.

00:56:31.500 --> 00:56:33.500
 But then one man.

00:56:33.500 --> 00:56:35.500
 Knew what had to be done.

00:56:35.500 --> 00:56:37.500
 And to the shock.

00:56:37.500 --> 00:56:38.500
 Of those.

00:56:38.500 --> 00:56:39.500
 Around him.

00:56:39.500 --> 00:56:40.500
 He said.

00:56:40.500 --> 00:56:41.500
 We have to set on fire.

00:56:41.500 --> 00:56:42.500
 The grass.

00:56:42.500 --> 00:56:43.500
 That's behind us.

00:56:43.500 --> 00:56:45.500
 And the people.

00:56:45.500 --> 00:56:46.500
 Are thinking.

00:56:46.500 --> 00:56:47.500
 You're crazy.

00:56:47.500 --> 00:56:48.500
 Why are you going to start a fire.

00:56:48.500 --> 00:56:49.500
 That's just beside us.

00:56:49.500 --> 00:56:50.500
 But he said.

00:56:50.500 --> 00:56:51.500
 No.

00:56:51.500 --> 00:56:52.500
 This is what we have to do.

00:56:52.500 --> 00:56:54.500
 We have to burn the grass.

00:56:54.500 --> 00:56:55.500
 That's behind us.

00:56:55.500 --> 00:56:56.500
 That we've already.

00:56:56.500 --> 00:56:57.500
 Travelled past.

00:56:57.500 --> 00:56:58.500
 And so he did that.

00:56:58.500 --> 00:56:59.500
 He set the fire alight.

00:56:59.500 --> 00:57:00.500
 And the grass.

00:57:00.500 --> 00:57:02.500
 Started to burn away from them.

00:57:02.500 --> 00:57:03.500
 Back the way.

00:57:03.500 --> 00:57:04.500
 That they'd came.

00:57:04.500 --> 00:57:06.500
 And as it gathered pace.

00:57:06.500 --> 00:57:08.500
 And as the fire moved back.

00:57:08.500 --> 00:57:10.500
 Away from them as well.

00:57:10.500 --> 00:57:11.500
 The people began to realize.

00:57:11.500 --> 00:57:12.500
 The wisdom.

00:57:12.500 --> 00:57:13.500
 That this man had.

00:57:13.500 --> 00:57:14.500
 You see.

00:57:14.500 --> 00:57:15.500
 The grass.

00:57:15.500 --> 00:57:16.500
 That had been burned.

00:57:16.500 --> 00:57:18.500
 The area was getting bigger.

00:57:18.500 --> 00:57:19.500
 And bigger.

00:57:19.500 --> 00:57:21.500
 And they started to move on.

00:57:21.500 --> 00:57:22.500
 To the land.

00:57:22.500 --> 00:57:23.500
 That had been scorched.

00:57:23.500 --> 00:57:24.500
 Recognizing.

00:57:24.500 --> 00:57:25.500
 That as the fire.

00:57:25.500 --> 00:57:26.500
 That was coming.

00:57:26.500 --> 00:57:27.500
 The other direction.

00:57:27.500 --> 00:57:28.500
 Came towards them.

00:57:28.500 --> 00:57:30.500
 It was going to go around them.

00:57:30.500 --> 00:57:31.500
 And miss them.

00:57:31.500 --> 00:57:32.500
 It couldn't touch them.

00:57:32.500 --> 00:57:34.500
 Where the fire had already been.

00:57:34.500 --> 00:57:36.500
 And that in itself.

00:57:36.500 --> 00:57:37.500
 Is a reminder.

00:57:37.500 --> 00:57:40.500
 Of the wonder of the gospel of Christ.

00:57:40.500 --> 00:57:42.500
 The man said.

00:57:42.500 --> 00:57:43.500
 To one little child.

00:57:43.500 --> 00:57:44.500
 The flames.

00:57:44.500 --> 00:57:46.500
 Cannot reach us here.

00:57:46.500 --> 00:57:48.500
 For we are standing.

00:57:48.500 --> 00:57:50.500
 Where the fire has been.

00:57:50.500 --> 00:57:52.500
 And when we think.

00:57:52.500 --> 00:57:53.500
 Of what we have in Christ.

00:57:53.500 --> 00:57:55.500
 That is our hope too.

00:57:55.500 --> 00:57:58.500
 As we trust in him.

00:57:58.500 --> 00:57:59.500
 We recognize.

00:57:59.500 --> 00:58:00.500
 The day of judgment.

00:58:00.500 --> 00:58:01.500
 Brings judgment.

00:58:01.500 --> 00:58:03.500
 For our sins.

00:58:03.500 --> 00:58:05.500
 But when we are standing.

00:58:05.500 --> 00:58:06.500
 In Christ.

00:58:06.500 --> 00:58:08.500
 We cannot be touched.

00:58:08.500 --> 00:58:10.500
 We are safe.

00:58:10.500 --> 00:58:11.500
 Through the precious blood.

00:58:11.500 --> 00:58:12.500
 Of Christ.

00:58:12.500 --> 00:58:13.500
 The fire.

00:58:13.500 --> 00:58:15.500
 Cannot touch us.

00:58:15.500 --> 00:58:17.500
 Because Christ.

00:58:17.500 --> 00:58:18.500
 Has borne our sin.

00:58:18.500 --> 00:58:20.500
 He stood.

00:58:20.500 --> 00:58:22.500
 Where we deserve to stand.

00:58:22.500 --> 00:58:23.500
 He bore.

00:58:23.500 --> 00:58:24.500
 The wrath of God.

00:58:24.500 --> 00:58:25.500
 On the cross.

00:58:25.500 --> 00:58:27.500
 And through his.

00:58:27.500 --> 00:58:28.500
 His.

00:58:28.500 --> 00:58:29.500
 Obedience.

00:58:29.500 --> 00:58:31.500
 We too.

00:58:31.500 --> 00:58:33.500
 Can be saved.

00:58:33.500 --> 00:58:35.500
 We are standing.

00:58:35.500 --> 00:58:37.500
 Where Christ has been.

00:58:37.500 --> 00:58:40.500
 But are you tonight.

00:58:40.500 --> 00:58:42.500
 Are you standing.

00:58:42.500 --> 00:58:43.500
 On that ground.

00:58:43.500 --> 00:58:45.500
 Are you standing.

00:58:45.500 --> 00:58:46.500
 On that rock.

00:58:46.500 --> 00:58:48.500
 That is Christ Jesus.

00:58:48.500 --> 00:58:49.500
 The wonder.

00:58:49.500 --> 00:58:50.500
 Of it all.

00:58:50.500 --> 00:58:52.500
 Is God has given us.

00:58:52.500 --> 00:58:53.500
 This time.

00:58:53.500 --> 00:58:54.500
 He has appointed.

00:58:54.500 --> 00:58:55.500
 This time.

00:58:55.500 --> 00:58:56.500
 For us.

00:58:56.500 --> 00:58:57.500
 To hear.

00:58:57.500 --> 00:58:58.500
 What God.

00:58:58.500 --> 00:58:59.500
 Is saying.

00:58:59.500 --> 00:59:00.500
 To us.

00:59:00.500 --> 00:59:01.500
 That we would see.

00:59:01.500 --> 00:59:02.500
 The wonder.

00:59:02.500 --> 00:59:03.500
 Of the gospel.

00:59:03.500 --> 00:59:04.500
 Our need.

00:59:04.500 --> 00:59:05.500
 Of the gospel.

00:59:05.500 --> 00:59:06.500
 Around us.

00:59:06.500 --> 00:59:07.500
 Of the gospel.

00:59:07.500 --> 00:59:09.500
 That he has appointed.

00:59:09.500 --> 00:59:10.500
 The word.

00:59:10.500 --> 00:59:11.500
 That speaks.

00:59:11.500 --> 00:59:12.500
 To us.

00:59:12.500 --> 00:59:13.500
 So clearly.

00:59:13.500 --> 00:59:14.500
 Reminds us.

00:59:14.500 --> 00:59:15.500
 That we are sinners.

00:59:15.500 --> 00:59:16.500
 Who are deserving.

00:59:16.500 --> 00:59:17.500
 Of the wrath.

00:59:17.500 --> 00:59:18.500
 Of God.

00:59:18.500 --> 00:59:19.500
 But it reminds us.

00:59:19.500 --> 00:59:20.500
 To.

00:59:20.500 --> 00:59:21.500
 That God has appointed.

00:59:21.500 --> 00:59:22.500
 One.

00:59:22.500 --> 00:59:23.500
 Who is judge.

00:59:23.500 --> 00:59:24.500
 And all.

00:59:24.500 --> 00:59:25.500
 Who believe.

00:59:25.500 --> 00:59:26.500
 In him.

00:59:26.500 --> 00:59:27.500
 It says here.

00:59:27.500 --> 00:59:28.500
 Everyone who believes.

00:59:28.500 --> 00:59:29.500
 In him.

00:59:29.500 --> 00:59:30.500
 Receives forgiveness.

00:59:30.500 --> 00:59:31.500
 Of sin.

00:59:31.500 --> 00:59:33.500
 Through his name.

00:59:33.500 --> 00:59:36.500
 The reality is.

00:59:36.500 --> 00:59:37.500
 None of us.

00:59:37.500 --> 00:59:38.500
 Deserve it.

00:59:38.500 --> 00:59:40.500
 The wonder of it is.

00:59:40.500 --> 00:59:42.500
 That God gives it freely.

00:59:42.500 --> 00:59:44.500
 And we are not to show.

00:59:44.500 --> 00:59:45.500
 Any partiality.

00:59:45.500 --> 00:59:46.500
 In that.

00:59:46.500 --> 00:59:47.500
 But to share.

00:59:47.500 --> 00:59:49.500
 With all around us.

00:59:49.500 --> 00:59:51.500
 The wonder of this gospel.

00:59:51.500 --> 00:59:52.500
 And the forgiveness.

00:59:52.500 --> 00:59:53.500
 Of sins.

00:59:53.500 --> 00:59:54.500
 That is ours.

00:59:54.500 --> 00:59:56.500
 Through his name.

00:59:56.500 --> 00:59:58.500
 May we never lose sight.

00:59:58.500 --> 01:00:00.500
 Of the wonder.

01:00:00.500 --> 01:00:01.500
 Of it all.

01:00:01.500 --> 01:00:02.500
 But proclaim.

01:00:02.500 --> 01:00:03.500
 And praise.

01:00:03.500 --> 01:00:05.500
 His glorious name.

01:00:05.500 --> 01:00:07.500
 To all around us.

01:00:07.500 --> 01:00:08.500
 Amen.

01:00:08.500 --> 01:00:09.500
 Let us pray.

01:00:09.500 --> 01:00:13.500
 Our father in heaven.

01:00:13.500 --> 01:00:14.500
 We do rejoice.

01:00:14.500 --> 01:00:15.500
 That in Christ.

01:00:15.500 --> 01:00:16.500
 There is such great hope.

01:00:16.500 --> 01:00:18.500
 The one who came.

01:00:18.500 --> 01:00:20.500
 To bear our sins.

01:00:20.500 --> 01:00:21.500
 The one.

01:00:21.500 --> 01:00:22.500
 Who we can have forgiveness.

01:00:22.500 --> 01:00:23.500
 Of sin.

01:00:23.500 --> 01:00:24.500
 To all.

01:00:24.500 --> 01:00:25.500
 Who believe in him.

01:00:25.500 --> 01:00:27.500
 And we pray Lord.

01:00:27.500 --> 01:00:29.500
 That as your word.

01:00:29.500 --> 01:00:30.500
 Ministers to our hearts.

01:00:30.500 --> 01:00:32.500
 That it will change our hearts.

01:00:32.500 --> 01:00:34.500
 Just as Peter and Cornelius.

01:00:34.500 --> 01:00:35.500
 Were changed.

01:00:35.500 --> 01:00:36.500
 By the wonder.

01:00:36.500 --> 01:00:38.500
 Of the way that you spoke to them.

01:00:38.500 --> 01:00:40.500
 And how they recognized.

01:00:40.500 --> 01:00:41.500
 Their need of.

01:00:41.500 --> 01:00:42.500
 One another.

01:00:42.500 --> 01:00:44.500
 But also their great need of Christ.

01:00:44.500 --> 01:00:46.500
 And to share that hope.

01:00:46.500 --> 01:00:47.500
 With all around them.

01:00:47.500 --> 01:00:49.500
 We pray that you will do that for us.

01:00:49.500 --> 01:00:51.500
 That you will unite us.

01:00:51.500 --> 01:00:53.500
 In the bonds of love in Christ.

01:00:53.500 --> 01:00:55.500
 That we will be able to share that love.

01:00:55.500 --> 01:00:56.500
 With others.

01:00:56.500 --> 01:00:58.500
 And that they would come to know.

01:00:58.500 --> 01:00:59.500
 The wonder.

01:00:59.500 --> 01:01:00.500
 Of the good news.

01:01:00.500 --> 01:01:01.500
 That is Christ Jesus.

01:01:01.500 --> 01:01:02.500
 Our Lord.

01:01:02.500 --> 01:01:03.500
 We pray it all.

01:01:03.500 --> 01:01:04.500
 In his glorious name.

01:01:04.500 --> 01:01:05.500
 Amen.

01:01:05.500 --> 01:01:10.500
 We are going to conclude.

01:01:10.500 --> 01:01:11.500
 By singing.

01:01:11.500 --> 01:01:12.500
 To God's praise.

01:01:12.500 --> 01:01:13.500
 In Psalm 40.

01:01:13.500 --> 01:01:15.500
 In the sing Psalms version.

01:01:15.500 --> 01:01:16.500
 Find this on page 51.

01:01:16.500 --> 01:01:17.500
 Psalm 40.

01:01:17.500 --> 01:01:18.500
 Singing at verse 13.

01:01:18.500 --> 01:01:19.500
 Down to the end of the Psalm.

01:01:19.500 --> 01:01:20.500
 Be pleased.

01:01:20.500 --> 01:01:21.500
 O Lord.

01:01:21.500 --> 01:01:22.500
 To rescue me.

01:01:22.500 --> 01:01:23.500
 O Lord.

01:01:23.500 --> 01:01:24.500
 Come quickly.

01:01:24.500 --> 01:01:25.500
 To my aid.

01:01:25.500 --> 01:01:26.500
 May all who seek.

01:01:26.500 --> 01:01:27.500
 To take my life.

01:01:27.500 --> 01:01:28.500
 With shame.

01:01:28.500 --> 01:01:29.500
 And turmoil.

01:01:29.500 --> 01:01:30.500
 Be repaid.

01:01:30.500 --> 01:01:31.500
 We will sing.

01:01:31.500 --> 01:01:32.500
 From verse 13.

01:01:32.500 --> 01:01:33.500
 Down to the end of the Psalm.

01:01:33.500 --> 01:01:34.500
 To God's praise.

01:01:34.500 --> 01:01:35.500
 Be pleased.

01:01:35.500 --> 01:01:36.500
 O Lord.

01:01:36.500 --> 01:01:37.500
 To rescue me.

01:01:37.500 --> 01:01:38.500
 O Lord.

01:01:38.500 --> 01:01:39.500
 Come quickly.

01:01:39.500 --> 01:01:40.500
 To my aid.

01:01:40.500 --> 01:01:41.500
 May all who seek.

01:01:41.500 --> 01:01:42.500
 To take my life.

01:01:42.500 --> 01:01:43.500
 With shame.

01:01:43.500 --> 01:01:44.500
 And turmoil.

01:01:44.500 --> 01:01:45.500
 Be repaid.

01:01:45.500 --> 01:01:46.500
 We will sing.

01:01:46.500 --> 01:01:47.500
 From verse 13.

01:01:47.500 --> 01:01:48.500
 Down to the end of the Psalm.

01:01:48.500 --> 01:01:50.500
 To God's praise.

01:01:50.500 --> 01:01:52.500
 Be pleased.

01:01:52.500 --> 01:01:53.500
 O Lord.

01:01:53.500 --> 01:01:57.500
 To rescue me.

01:01:57.500 --> 01:01:58.500
 O Lord.

01:01:58.500 --> 01:02:00.500
 Come quickly.

01:02:00.500 --> 01:02:03.500
 To my aid.

01:02:03.500 --> 01:02:04.500
 May all who seek.

01:02:04.500 --> 01:02:05.500
 To take my life.

01:02:05.500 --> 01:02:06.500
 With shame.

01:02:06.500 --> 01:02:07.500
 To take my life.

01:02:07.500 --> 01:02:08.500
 With shame.

01:02:08.500 --> 01:02:10.500
 To take my life.

01:02:10.500 --> 01:02:12.500
 May all who seek.

01:02:12.500 --> 01:02:15.500
 To take my life.

01:02:15.500 --> 01:02:16.500
 With shame.

01:02:16.500 --> 01:02:18.500
 To take my life.

01:02:18.500 --> 01:02:19.500
 With shame.

01:02:19.500 --> 01:02:20.500
 And turmoil.

01:02:20.500 --> 01:02:25.500
 To be repaid.

01:02:25.500 --> 01:02:29.500
 May all who blot.

01:02:29.500 --> 01:02:34.500
 My overthrow.

01:02:34.500 --> 01:02:35.500
 Turn back.

01:02:35.500 --> 01:02:36.500
 To space.

01:02:36.500 --> 01:02:38.500
 The way they came.

01:02:38.500 --> 01:02:39.500
 May all who blot.

01:02:39.500 --> 01:02:40.500
 My overthrow.

01:02:40.500 --> 01:02:41.500
 Turn back.

01:02:41.500 --> 01:02:42.500
 To space.

01:02:42.500 --> 01:02:45.500
 The way they came.

01:02:45.500 --> 01:02:46.500
 May all who blot.

01:02:46.500 --> 01:02:48.500
 May all who blot.

01:02:48.500 --> 01:02:49.500
 May all who do.

01:02:49.500 --> 01:02:51.500
 Why.

01:02:51.500 --> 01:02:53.500
 May all who luke.

01:02:53.500 --> 01:02:54.500
 My face.

01:02:54.500 --> 01:02:56.500
 May all who luke me.

01:02:56.500 --> 01:02:57.500
 Poor.

01:02:57.500 --> 01:02:59.500
 May all who luke me.

01:02:59.500 --> 01:03:00.500
 May all who'M.

01:03:00.500 --> 01:03:03.500
 May all who luke me.

01:03:03.500 --> 01:03:05.500
 May all who TFIM свой borne.

01:03:05.500 --> 01:03:07.500
 May all who mauvais.

01:03:07.500 --> 01:03:09.500
 May all who the rejoice.

01:03:09.500 --> 01:03:11.500
 May all who revenge.

01:03:11.500 --> 01:03:12.500
 Deathly.

01:03:12.500 --> 01:03:13.500
 May all who Goodman fight.

01:03:13.500 --> 01:03:15.500
 For heaven of harm.

01:03:15.500 --> 01:03:23.500
 Be joyful in you all their days.

01:03:24.599 --> 01:03:33.619
 Let those who love salvation say,

01:03:34.239 --> 01:03:42.500
 Exalted be the Lord always.

01:03:42.500 --> 01:03:53.599
 Yet I am good and in great need.

01:03:54.079 --> 01:04:01.659
 Lord, thank you me, I humbly pray.

01:04:01.659 --> 01:04:11.400
 You are my Savior and my help.

01:04:11.400 --> 01:04:19.940
 Come, O my God, do not delay.

01:04:19.940 --> 01:04:20.940
 Amen.

01:04:22.480 --> 01:04:25.860
 After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my right.

01:04:26.119 --> 01:04:27.280
 Close with the benediction.

01:04:28.280 --> 01:04:31.240
 Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God,

01:04:31.579 --> 01:04:33.440
 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

01:04:34.119 --> 01:04:36.480
 rest upon and abide with you all,

01:04:36.920 --> 01:04:38.119
 now and forevermore.

01:04:38.119 --> 01:04:39.019
 Amen.