Well, let me extend a very warm welcome to you all to our service this evening.
It's good to see you, and we trust the Lord will be with us, as we always do.
The session will be pleased to meet with anyone belonging to the congregation who wishes to come to the Lord's Table for the first time.
The session's already been opened on Wednesday, so all you need to do is let that be known to myself, to any of the elders,
and we'll be very happy indeed to meet with you after the service.
God willing, the service is tomorrow. There's an 8 o'clock prayer meeting here in the session room,
and then afterwards the Gaelic service is at 11, followed by the English tomorrow evening,
and that's at 7 o'clock tomorrow evening, not 7.30, 7 o'clock tomorrow evening.
And I'm delighted to welcome Reverend Angus McRae, who's taking the English services throughout the communion.
He's a Stornoway boy, so I'm sure he'll feel at home, and we're delighted that he's able to be with us for these services,
and we look forward very much to his ministry. I think these are all the intimations for the moment.
Thank you very much for your warm welcome. What a joy to come together in the name of the Lord,
to lift up his name and his glory and his praise together. It's a real pleasure to be back where I grew up.
We worship the Lord tonight by singing to his praise in Psalm 122,
singing the whole of the psalm from the Scottish Psalter, Psalm 122 in the Scottish Psalter.
A wonderful call to worship.
Let us sing to God's praise.
Amen.
I joyed when to the house of God, Go up, they said to me,
Jerusalem, within my gates, Our feet shall stand in me.
Jerusalem, as our city is, Come, but we will together,
And to the place the Christ go up, The Christ of God go together,
To Israel's testimony there, To God's infants to pray,
For those of judgment in the thrones Of the rest of their stay.
Pray that Jerusalem may have Peace and Felicity,
Let them love me and thy peace, And still prosperity.
Therefore I wish that peace may still Within thy walls remain,
And never may thy policies, Frostedity retain.
Now for my friends and brethren's sake, Peace be in thee and sing, And for the rest of God, our Lord,
I will seek thy good always.
Amen.
We unite our hearts in prayer together.
Let us pray.
Gracious Lord, the Lord and King, Who is enthroned not only in an earthly Jerusalem,
But in the Jerusalem on which the earthly city is patterned,
You are the King of kings and Lord of lords.
All majesty, all glory, all authority and sovereignty Is in your hand.
You reign with the will of the eternal and unchanging God.
You are Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One God, In agreement, In perfect counsel, And with the purpose that will be established, And that will stand.
Help us to draw near.
And to do so faithfully, In faith and in repentance.
Faithfully because we acknowledge the holiness of God, And the faithfulness of God to his promise and covenant.
Acknowledging that we need mercy, And forgiveness, Cleansing, And peace.
We come to the testimony that you have established.
We come to celebrate around the covenant that you have made.
And both in the word, In the scripture, And in the praises and prayers of the church, And in the gospel signs, The sacraments, We draw near.
Show us God's faithfulness, God's judgments, God's glory and compassion and mercy, In all of those things.
And pour out the spirit of peace upon us, And upon every gathering of God's people.
To the ends of the earth and to the end of the age, We pray that Jerusalem may have peace and felicity.
And let all those that love the Lord, Let them that love thee and thy peace, Have still prosperity.
We meet together this evening with so much to praise and thank God for.
And we are grateful that we are not alone, For as we gather here for worship, And over this weekend of holy things,
There are others in the Gallic portion of the congregation meeting as we are.
Pour out blessing upon them,
Upon Mr. MacDonald and all those who minister the word, Across this town and district this weekend.
And we pray for brothers and sisters meeting in the various branches of the church of Jesus Christ.
May we know that true unity and fellowship that is in the truth and in the Holy Spirit.
May we maintain love, May we maintain peace by the grace of God.
May we thank you for this church and for all who belong to it.
Members and those who belong as adherents.
Especially we lift up the pastor, the assistant pastor, their families, the elders and deacons,
And all who work and labor and who give of their time to serve among young and old.
And we ask that in these days there would be a freshness and a vitality and a spirit of joy in every aspect of the life of the church.
Bring healing and encouragement to those who are in weakness, pain and distress.
Bring joy to those who sorrow and mourn.
Blessed are they that mourn.
And bring health and help to those who confess their need of Jesus Christ.
It may be that there are some whose desire is to testify to the goodness and grace of God towards them.
By sitting at the Lord's table and confessing their love for the Lord.
And if there are any such, we do pray that help will be given.
That they may take their place, seated with the children of God.
Giving thanks for all the many benefits that we enjoy.
We pray for this island, for the branch of the church we belong to, and for the bride of Christ across the nation and across the world.
So often, a persecuted and troubled church.
Be merciful to those who cry out to God for justice and for relief today.
The scriptures warn us of the way of folly.
Lest like chaff we be blown away.
But the same scriptures encourage us that we might walk in the way of wisdom.
That we might be found in the company of those who speak of the Lord.
And who read and handle holy things, the word and the sacraments by faith.
May we be found with those who are in Christ.
And may we find the liberty of those whose captivity has been turned around by the Lord.
Jesus came so that sight would be given to the blind.
So that release would be given to the captives.
So that the jubilee year of the Lord would sound.
So that good news would be preached to the poor.
Lord, grant all these things and more to us tonight and in the days to come.
That we may no longer be in darkness.
But know the light of the Lord.
We pray in the Saviour's name.
Seeking blessing on the word and on our time together.
And seeking forgiveness for every sin.
Hear us for we pray in the majestic name of Jesus.
Amen.
Sing again to God's praise.
And sing psalms this time.
Sing psalms in Psalm 61.
The 61st Psalm.
And the opening verses of the Psalm.
Psalm 61.
Reminds us that God is a rock.
And we are not to run away from the rock.
But to hide in the rock that is higher than us.
O hear my urgent cry, my God.
And listen to my plea.
Psalm 61.
And sing psalms.
The verses marked 1 to 5.
To God's praise.
O hear my urgent cry, my God.
And listen to my plea.
From earth's remotest psalms I call.
When my heart's in me.
O God.
Conduct me to the rock.
That's higher far than I.
For you my refuge from the foe.
My time.
O God.
Conduct me to the rock.
O God.
Conduct me to the rock.
O God.
Conduct me to the rock.
That's higher far than I.
For you my refuge from the foe.
My time.
O God.
Conduct me to the high.
Of you my refuge from the foe.
My time.
O God.
Let me dwell within your tent, forever there to live.
O for the shelter of your wings, the refuge which they give.
For you have heard my voice, O God, and you have given me the heritage of those who fear.
Hear me continually.
The scriptures we're going to turn to this evening to read are in the Gospel of John chapter 19.
The Gospel of John and chapter 19.
God has blessed us with four accounts of the life and the work of his Son who came into this world.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and John.
Wonderful records that dovetail together.
And the fourth Gospel, John's Gospel, is somewhat different from the other three.
It often shows us the spiritual meaning and significance of some of the details of the story.
There's much that's told in the other three Gospels that is not in John.
But John, in a sense, shows us the meaning and the mystery and the depth of so much in the glory that is revealed in Jesus.
But what all four Gospels have in common is that they are moving towards the last days of Jesus.
The last week that he lived.
They focus on that week.
And they focus on his last night before his arrest.
On his last day as he was placed on the cross.
And on his death and burial and glorious resurrection.
The suffering, the passion of Jesus is where all the Gospels focus.
Everything leads to that.
And of course it is natural at a communion weekend that we should turn there.
And I hope over tonight and tomorrow and on the Lord's Day that we can be in this one chapter of God's Word.
John 19.
And consider again Jesus Christ.
Behold the man.
And look upon him.
Look upon him on the cross.
And learn from him.
And worship him.
And give thanks.
John 19.
After a night of trials and injustice.
We read.
Then Pilate took Jesus.
And flogged him.
And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns.
And put it on his head.
And arrayed him in a purple robe.
They came up to him saying.
Hail.
King of the Jews.
And struck him with their hands.
Pilate went out again and said to them.
See.
I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.
So Jesus came out.
Wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe.
Pilate said to them.
Behold.
The man.
Pilate said to them.
And when the chief priests and the officers saw him.
They cried out.
Crucify him.
Pilate said to them.
Take him yourselves and crucify him.
For I find no guilt in him.
The Jews answered him.
We have a law.
And according to that law he ought to die.
Because he has made himself the son of God.
When Pilate heard this statement.
He was even more afraid.
He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus.
Where are you from?
But Jesus gave him no answer.
So Pilate said to him.
Do you not speak to me?
Do you not know that I have authority to release you?
And authority to crucify you?
Jesus answered him.
You would have no authority over me at all.
Unless it had been given you from above.
Therefore he who delivered me over to you.
Has the greater sin.
From then on.
Pilate sought to release him.
But the Jews cried out.
If you release this man.
You are not Caesar's friend.
Everyone who makes himself a king.
Opposes Caesar.
So when Pilate heard these words.
He brought Jesus out.
And sat down on the judgment seat.
At a place called the stone pavement.
And in Aramaic.
Gabbatha.
Now it was the day of the preparation of the Passover.
It was about the sixth hour.
He said to the Jews.
Behold.
Your king.
They cried out.
Away with him.
Crucify him.
Pilate said to them.
Shall I crucify your king?
The chief priests answered.
We have no king.
But Caesar.
So he delivered him over to them.
To be crucified.
Amen.
And this is the word of the Lord.
And the Lord will bless his truth.
To each one of us.
We'll consider these words shortly.
But first of all.
Can we sing together.
From the Scottish Psalter.
From Psalm 37.
And at verse 3.
In Psalm book page 252.
Psalm 37.
At verse 3.
Set thou thy trust.
Upon the Lord.
And be thou doing good.
And so thou in the land shall dwell.
And verily.
Have food.
God's people are called to place their trust in God.
Whatever their circumstances.
And as we do that.
We are in the footsteps.
Of the perfect man.
The Lord.
Our Master.
Set thou thy trust.
We stand and sing.
Amen.
Set thou thy trust.
And be thou doing good.
And so thou with the land shall dwell.
And where you have food.
Dialect thysel.
In God he'll give.
Thine heart's desire to thee
Thy way to God commit him trust
If being to pass shall he
And like unto the light he shall
Thy righteousness display
And he thy judgment shall bring forth
Like noontide of the day
Rest in the Lord and patiently
Wait for him, do not rest
For him who prostrate in his way
Success in sin doth get
Do thou from anger cease and wrath
See thou forsake also
Threat not thyself in any wise
That evil thou shouldst do
For those that evildoers are
Shall be cut off and fall
And those that wait upon the Lord
The earth inherit shall
Well dear friends, I wonder if we could have that passage in the Gospel of John chapter 19
Open tonight as we consider Jesus
Who has been under arrest for a matter of hours
Who has already been abused and treated badly by Annas
The former high priest
And then by Caiaphas
The current high priest
Before being examined by the Gentile authorities
By Pontius Pilate
And what we have as we take up the story in chapter 19
Is an invitation to look at Jesus
In the words of Pilate himself
To the crowd
To the people of Jerusalem
Look
Behold
The man
And Pilate is correct
This man
Is in a sense being presented to us
As a new leader
Of a new creation
He's a new Adam
Maybe we'll see that as we go through
The symbolism and the imagery
And the doctrine, the teaching
Of John chapter 19
This weekend
Look
Look at the man
Look at the new Adam
And Pilate is also correct
When he refers to him as the king
For he was a king
King from above
And even though he may have been mocking
Or tormenting the Jews
By calling Jesus king
He was right
He spoke the truth
Behold the man
Behold
The king
One of the things that strikes you
As you look at a chapter like this
Is the level of cruelty
Of cynical cruelty
That human beings will stoop to
There is so much that is wrong
So much that is unjust
In this record
As we go through that record
This weekend
We are going to see a suffering
Lord Jesus
But more than that
We're going to see
A humiliated Lord Jesus
Every effort is made
To dehumanize him
And to treat him as
Less than any human being
Should be
Why all that cruelty?
Why all that
Injustice?
It's really surprising
That people would stoop
So low
I want us to see two things tonight
And the first thing to notice
Is that earth's kingdoms
Conspire
To condemn
Earth's kingdoms
Conspire
To condemn
There are some really surprising
Alliances
In John 18
And John 19
Among the Jews
The Pharisees
And the Sadducees
Who normally
Do not respect each other
Or cooperate
They're in agreement
Jesus must be silenced
And that before the Passover
He must be gone
You find that the people
Who run
The temple
Many of whom
Were Sadducees
They are conspiring
They're conspiring
With their fellow Jews
But they're conspiring
With the Roman authorities
Who were really their enemies
Their oppressors
How do you explain that?
What did Pilate have in common
With the Sanhedrin
Of 71 elders of the Jews?
What brought them together
So that at the end
The one thing they can agree on
Is that Jesus must be crucified?
I want to suggest to you
That this gross miscarriage
Of justice
Is prophesied
Predicted
In the second psalm
Psalm 2
Is much quoted
In the New Testament
There are certain psalms
That do a lot of heavy lifting
In the Bible
They're really crucial
In the psalm book itself
But then
They echo on
Through the rest of Scripture
Either when they're quoted
Directly
Or they're alluded to
The 110th psalm
The 16th psalm
The 2nd psalm
And the 2nd psalm
Talks about
Conspiracy
Why do the nations rage?
Why do the nations conspire?
Why do the kings of the earth
Assemble together
In conspiracy?
Well they're going to take
Their little fist
And they're going to shake it
In the face of God
And they're going to say
We will build our earthly domain
We will build our earthly kingdom
We will build our earthly power
And God will be pushed out of our thoughts
And God's judgment
And God's righteousness
Will be put to one side
If the concerns of our power
Our success
What we want to build
If we have to sacrifice justice
To get what we want
Then we will make our alliances
With anyone we can
That has been the story
Of our planet
From the fall
That is still the story
Of our world
That is the story
Of Europe
Increasingly it's the story
Of North America
It has been
The story of Africa
And of Asia
But that's beginning
To change
It was the story
Of Latin America
But that's beginning
To change
The conspiracy
Of this world
To close our ears
And our hearts
To God
Is being challenged
By the mighty power
Of the Holy Spirit
Taking
Men and women
Out of Satan's dominion
Out of the nations
That are in rebellion
And conspiracy
And bringing
Millions
Of men and women
Into the kingdom
Of our Lord
Of Christ
What a scandal
Of injustice
When the plot
Of unbelieving
Jews and Gentiles
Come together
You would imagine
That court systems
Would be designed
To deliver justice
The high court
In our own land
Trying the most
Solomon grave
Of crimes
Is called
The high court
Of justiciary
We want justice
If someone
Is accused
Of murder
If someone
Is accused
Of some violent
Wickedness
Like rape
We want them
To get a fair trial
We want
Every piece
Of evidence
To be corroborated
So that
If it's admitted
In court
It can stand
As truth
Against
The accused
We do not want
Convictions
That are unsound
We do not want
Innocent men and women
Punished and condemned
The high court
Is for justice
But Jesus
Got injustice
And he got it
From a judge
Pilate
Who said
I know
I find no fault
In this man
He's not
An insurrectionist
He's not
A murderer
He's not
A rebel
What law
Has he broken
That would carry
The death penalty
If you look
At the plan
That Pilate
Had in this
Chapter
It's quite clear
When he says
For example
In verse 6
Take him yourselves
And crucify him
If you want
If you Jews
Want to get rid of him
Well you Jews
Get rid of him
But I
Find no guilt
In him
Pilate's plan
Is to
Dishonour
Jesus
To
Humiliate
Jesus
To give him
A good beating
A good scourging
And then
Release him
Saying
Look at him
Wearing the robes
Of a king
Some king
You Jews
Have
A king
I can beat up
What a beaten
Pathetic
People
You are
Behold
A man
Behold
Your king
Pilate
Is quite
Open
I want
To release
Him
But he
Is out
Manoeuvred
By his
Co-conspirators
From the
Jews
They
Want
The blood
Of Jesus
On someone
Else's
Hands
And so
They want
The Romans
To be the
Ones
Who carry
Out the
Death
Penalty
That they
Would love
To see
I guess
When
Later on
In the
Book of
Acts
They
Carried
Out the
Death
Penalty
Against
James
The Lord's
Brother
Or against
Stephen
The first
Christian
Martyr
They did
It
With means
Like stoning
And maybe
They did
Or didn't
Have legal
Authority
And legal
Standing
To do
It
But they
Were not
Above
Getting rid
Of their
Enemies
Themselves
But on
This
Occasion
Because
Of the
Politics
Because
Of the
Popularity
Of Jesus
Because
Of the
Many
Who did
Believe
He was
The Messiah
They
Wanted
The Romans
To do
It
And so
This
Elaborate
Conspiracy
Is cooked
Up
Where
Suddenly
In order
To be
Caesar's
Friend
In order
To be
A good
Roman
Pilate
Will do
What the
Leaders
Of the
Jews
Want him
To do
And bring
In a
Guilty
Verdict
Against
An
Innocent
Man
And issue
A death
Order
For an
Innocent
Man
To die
The Jews
Did not
Crucify
People
They
Couldn't
Only
The Romans
Could do
That
They
Couldn't
Even
Crucify
Their
Own
Roman
Citizens
It
Was
Such
A
Gruesome
Awful
Way
For
Someone
To die
Pilate's
Plan
Has
To be
Modified
The
Sanhedrin's
Plan
Seems
To be
Working
The
Ideas
Of the
High
Priests
Of the
Pharisees
Of the
Sadducees
The
Ideas
Of those
Who are
In
Control
Of the
Temple
They
All
Seem
To be
Coming
Together
It's
Psalm
2
Let's
Get
Rid
Of the
Lord's
Anointed
King
Why?
Because
People
Want
Power
Earthly
Power
Peter
And
John
Were
Arrested
In the
Early
Days
Of the
Church
And
In the
Book of
Acts
Chapter
4
When
They
Were
Released
They
Were
Told
They
Weren't
To
Preach
In
The
Name
Of
Jesus
And
Great
Persecution
Was
Breaking
Out
And
They
Went
Back
To
The
Church
In
Acts
4
And
The
Church
Held
A
Prayer
Meeting
And
As
They
Prayed
They
Recounted
To
The
Lord
What
Was
Happening
And
They
Quoted
To
The
Lord
In
Their
Prayer
The
Second
Psalm
About
All
That
Had
Happened
And
They
Said
Acts
4
Verse
27
Lord
Truly
In
This
City
Truly
Here
In
Jerusalem
There
Were
Gathered
Together
Against
Your
Holy
Servant
Jesus
Whom
You
Anointed
Your
Chosen
One
Your
Christ
Both
Herod
And
Pontius
Pilate
Along
With
The
Gentiles
And
The
Peoples
Of
Israel
To
Do
Whatever
Your
Hand
God's
Hand
Had
Planned
And
Predestined
To
Take
Place
Their
Conspiracy
Was
Not
Outside
God's
Control
God
Was
Working
Out
His
Purposes
The
Man
Who
Was
Identified
As
The
Son
Of
God
A
Title
That
The
Seasons
Wanted
To
Claim
For
Himself
Was
Put
To
Death
The
Way
The
Romans
Got
Rid
Of
Their
Worst
Enemies
On
A
Cross
And
It
Had
Been
Prophesied
And
Predicted
In
The
Scriptures
Of
The
Old
Testament
We
Have
Earth's
Kingdoms
Conspiring
To
Condemn
But
Over
Them
Is
The
Hand
Of
God
The
Will
Of
God
The
Plan
Of
God
And
God
Will
Get
Glory
Out
Of
This
And
God's
Believing
People
Will
Get
Hope
And
Salvation
Out
Of
This
Psalm
2
Is
A
Warning
To
The
Nations
Worship
Jesus
Trust
In
Jesus
Kiss
The
Son
Or
Face
Eternal
Judgment
That's
The
First
Thing
Then
Earth's
Kingdoms
Conspiring
To
Condemn
But
The
Second
Thing
We
Have
In
This
Passage
Is
Jesus
Himself
Heaven's
King
Rejected
But
In
Control
Heaven's
King
Earth's
Kingdoms
Doing
Their
Worst
And
Heaven's
King
Dignified
Before
His
Accusers
When
The
Servants
Of
Annas
In
Chapter
18
Struck
Him
For
Answering
The
Question
Of
The
Ex
High
Priest
They
Were
Breaking
Their
Own
Law
When
They
Held
Their
Trial
At
Night
And
When
They
Used
Questioning
And
Accusation
Without
Witnesses
Having
Been
Heard
They
Were
Breaking
Their
Own
Law
When
They
Rushed
To
Get
The
Sanhedrin
Together
At
Dawn
To
Condemn
A
Man
Who
Hadn't
Had
A
Trial
Not
A
Proper
Trial
No
Witnesses
Could
Be
Found
To
Agree
They
Were
Breaking
Their
Own
Law
When
Pilate
Changed
His
Mind
And
Condemned
An
Innocent
Man
He
Was
Breaking
The
Roman
Law
Why
Did
All
Of
This
Happen
Why
This
Rejection
Of
Jesus
Because
He
Is
The
King
Behold
The
Man
Behold
Your
King
He
Really
Is
And
He
Is
Being
Rejected
For
A
Short
Time
But
In
Truth
He
Is
In
Control
Tom
Wright
Who
Used
To
Teach
At
St.
Andrews
University
Is
Now
At
Oxford
In
His
Semi
Retirement
New
Testament
Scholar
He
Says
About
The
Kingdom
Of
Jesus
That
God's
Kingdom
The
Kingdom
Of
Christ
It
Does
Not
Come
From
This
World
It's
Not
Earthly
It's
Not
A
Kingdom
Of
Earthly
Army
Sort
Of
Earthly
Powers
God's
Kingdom
Does
Not
Come
From
This
World
But
It
Does
Come
For
This
World
God's
Kingdom
Is
A
Kingdom
Designed
For
The
Blessing
Of
This
World
For
Life
In
This
World
For
Justice
In
This
World
For
Hope
And
Salvation
In
This
World
Now
I
Think
Today
There
Are
People
In
Authority
In
Governments
The
Government
Of
Israel
The
Knesset
Prime
Minister
Of
Israel
He
Has
Power
He's
Waging
War
There's
Power
In
The
Ancient
Roman
Empire
There's
Power
In
China
Or
In
Russia
Or
In
North
Korea
Or
In
The
United
States
Or
In
NATO
Or
In
The
European
Union
There's
Power
In
London
There's
Power
In
Washington
There's
Earthly
Power
That's
How
The
World
Was
Long
Ago
That's
How
The
World
Still
Is
But
What
The
Kingdom
Of
God
Breaking
In
Constantly
Through
History
What
The
Kingdom
Of
God
Breaking
In
The
Miracles
And
Signs
And
Wonders
That
Fill
The
Gospel
Of
John
What
The
Kingdom
Of
God
Is
Doing
Is
What
Earthly
Powers
Are
Not
Able
To
Do
It
Is
Changing
This
World
For
The
Good
Of
Men
And
Women
And
For
The
Glory
Of
God
Earthly
Power
Crumbles
If
You
Love
History
All
Empires
Fail
All
Civilizations
Crumble
If
You
Love
Politics
All
Political
Careers
And
Parties
End
With
Tears
Sometimes
Maybe
They
Get
A
Second
Wind
Or
A
Third
Wind
Or
They
Go
Again
Or
They
Reinvent
Themselves
But
Really
Earthly
Power
Runs
Out
Of
Ideas
Earthly
Power
Runs
Out
Of
Wisdom
Pilate
Thinks
He
Has
Power
Pilate
Has
Made
Up
His
Mind
To
Reject
Heaven's
King
But
Jesus
Says
To
Him
Verse
11
You
The
Man
With
Soldiers
And
The
Man
Who
Can
Bind
Me
And
The
Man
Who
Can
Crucify
Me
You
Would
Have
No
Authority
Over
Me
At
All
Unless
It
Had
Been
Given
You
From
Above
And
Amazingly
Jesus
Isn't
Too
Hard
On
Pilate
Jesus
Holds
The
Leadership
Of
The
Jews
As
Being
More
Guilty
Than
Pilate
The
Roman
Governor
The
Roman
Politician
He's
Behaving
Like
An
Earthly
Man
Of
Earthly
Power
But
Surely
The
High
Priest
Of
Israel
Should
Have
Known
Better
Surely
The
Bible
Loving
Law
Loving
Torah
Loving
Pharisee
Should
Have
Known
Better
Surely
The
People
Of
Israel
The
Ordinary
People
Of
Jerusalem
Should
Have
Known
Better
And
Yet
At
The
End
Of
Verse
11
Therefore
He
Who
Delivered
Me
Over
To
You
Has
The
Greater
Sin
You
And
I
Know
God
Is
King
We
Know
It
We
Know
That
Jesus
Christ
Is
Lord
We
Know
There
Is
An
Authority
And
A
Sovereignty
That
Belongs
To
Jesus
We
Know
The
Second
Psalm
And
How
The
Second
Psalm
Ends
And
If
You
And
I
Still
Choose
To
Push
Back
Against
God's
Kingdom
How
Foolish
We
Are
And
If
We
Place
Ourselves
Outside
The
Authority
Of
God
And
His
Son
How
Foolish
We
Are
And
If
We
Imagine
That
We
Can
Choose
Which
Parts
Of
The
Bible
To
Believe
And
Obey
And
Which
Parts
To
Ignore
How
Foolish
We
Are
The
Nations
Cannot
Do
It
The
Church
Cannot
Do
It
Behold
The
Man
Behold
Your
King
In
Verses
14
And
15
Shall
I
Crucify
Your
King
What
A
Terrible
Answer
They
Give
In
Verse
15
This
Is
The
End
For
Unbelieving
Israel
We
Have
No
King
But
Caesar
Our
Messiah
Has
Come
He
Was
Born
Of
A
Virgin
In
Bethlehem
Like
The
Prophet
Said
He
Opened
The
Eyes
Of
The
Blind
Like
The
Prophet
Said
He
Opened
The
Ears
Of
The
Death
Like
The
Prophet
Said
He
Brought
Righteousness
And
Justice
A
New
Exodus
A
New
Freedom
Like
The
Prophet
Said
He
Spoke
And
Taught
And
No
Man
Had
Ever
Spoken
Taught
Like
Him
And
With
An
Authority
That
Was
Quite
Unlike
Others
His
Miracles
His
Words
His
Signs
All
Say
I
Am
That
He
Is
God
And
Israel
Takes
Him
And
Hands
Him
Over
To
Rome
And
Says
You
Release
Barabbas
The
Murderer
And
Kill
The
Man
Who
Says
He's
Our
King
We
Have
No
King
But
Caesar
Imagine
If
You
Or
I
Were
To
Say
We
Have
No
King
But
Satan
We
Have
No
King
But
Self
But
When
We
Willfully
Disobey
The
Word
Of
God
And
The
Gospel
Call
The
Invitation
And
The
Command
To
Repent
To
Believe
To
Be
Saved
We
Are
Saying
Caesar
Is
My
King
This
World
Is
The
Kingdom
I
Want
Success
Here
And
Now
Is
What
I
Want
We
Are
Making
The
Same
Awful
Dreadful
Self
Destructive
Choice
That
Ancient
Israel
Made
The
Idol
Of
The
21st
Century
Is
It's
Not
Caesar
Is
Lord
The
Idol
Of
The
21st
Century
Is
I
Am
Lord
My
Freedom
My
Autonomy
My
Choice
That's
Why
We
Harden
Our
Hearts
Over
Euthanasia
That's
Why
We
Harden
Our
Hearts
Over
Destroying
The
Unborn
That's
Why
We
Harden
Our
Hearts
Against
God's
Good
Plans
For
Us
We
Rewrite
Sense
Personal
Autonomy
I'll
Choose
My
Way
Because
I
Am
God
Well
It
Didn't
Work
Out
For
Pilate
His
Career
Did
Not
End
Well
He
Thought
He
Had
Made
The
Best
Political
Bargain
That
He
Could
But
He
Was
Soon
Deposed
And
Although
The
Historian
Eusebius
Wrote
Some
Centuries
After
That
Time
He
Seems
To
Have
Access
To
Good
Sources
Eusebius
Is
A
Reliable
Historian
Of
The
Early
Church
And
He
Says
In
The
Fourth
Century
That
The
Romans
Forced
Pilate
To
Commit
Suicide
Because
He'd
Fallen
Out
Of
Favor
With
The
Emperor
He
Saw
The
Man
Saw
The
King
And
Tried
To
Condemn
Him
The
Jews
Wanted
Peace
In
Jerusalem
A
Deal
With
The
Romans
That
Would
Keep
Them
In
Power
Keep
Their
Temple
Going
Within
That
Generation
Their
City
Was
Destroyed
By
The
Romans
Their
Temple
Was
Destroyed
So
That
Not
One
Stone
Stood
On
Top
Of
Another
Their
Sacrifices
Were
Stopped
Forever
Their
Temple
Will
Never
Be
Rebuilt
Their
Nation
Was
Gone
From
History
And
The
Nation
That
Exists
Today
Is
Not
A
Spiritual
Entity
Like
Ancient
Israel
Was
They
Have
Removed
Themselves
From
The
Olive
Tree
That
God
Planted
May God
Have
Mercy
On
Them
So
That
They
Are
Regrafted
And
Fruitful
Again
But
In
Large
Measure
Israel
Has
Chosen
Death
Not
Life
Pray
For
Them
Don't
Do
What
These
Politicians
Did
Two
Thousand
Years
Ago
Don't
Condemn
God's
King
Heaven's
King
Because
He's
Working
Out
His
Purposes
He
Is
Always
In
Control
He
Is
The
King
From
Above
Don't
Follow
A
Caesar
Don't
Follow
Yourself
Follow
Jesus
Right at
The
Beginning
Of
John's
Gospel
John
Chapter
1
Verse
11
John
Gives
Us
The
Whole
Story
Of
This
Gospel
And
In
A
Sense
The
Whole
Story
Of
The
World
When
The
Word
Was
Made
Flesh
He
Came
To
His
Own
He
Came
To
His
Own
People
He
Came
Home
And
His
Own
People
Did
Not
Receive
Him
What
A
Tragedy
But
The
Application
For
My
Heart
And
The
Application
For
Your
Heart
Must
Be
That
We
Don't
Make
The
Same
Dreadful
Mistake
And
Imagine
That
We
Can
Live
Apart
From
The
Kingship
And
Sovereignty
And
Mercy
Of
Jesus
Perhaps
Pilate
Was
Mocking
When
He
Asked
Shall I
Crucify
Your
King
Behold
The
Man
Behold
Your
King
But
Do
You
Know
In
Chapter
18
Verses
39
And
40
At
The
End
Of
Chapter
18
He
Made
An
Offer
To
The
People
Of
Jerusalem
He
Offered
To
Let
A
Man
A
Condemned
Man
Go
Do
You
Want
Me
To
Release
To
You
The
King
Of
The
Jews
There
He
Is
Jesus
I'm
Offering
Him
To
You
And
They
Cried
Out
Not
This
Man
But
Barabbas
The
Robber
Well
When
You
Come
To
Church
Sunday
By
Sunday
When
Your
Ministers
James
And
Callum
Lift
Up
Jesus
To
You
And
When
They
Invite
You
To
Hear
And
Believe
And
Repent
And
Find
Peace
And
Salvation
In
A
Way
Far
More
Wonderful
Than
The
Offer
That
Pilate
Made
They
Are
Offering
You
Jesus
And
When
We
Gather
For
A
Communion
Weekend
Around
The
Preaching
Of
The
Word
The
Singing
Of
God's
Praise
And
Bread
And
Wine
That
Signpost
His
Body
And
His
Blood
God
Is
Offering
You
Jesus
So
Do you
Want
Me
To
Release
To
You
The
King
Of
The
Jews
So
Do you
Want
Your
King
I
Cannot
Answer
For
You
May God
Help
Me
And
May God
Help
You
To
Answer
Do you
Want
This
Man
And
Do you
Want
Him
To
Be
King
If
We
Say
No
We
Are
Crucifying
Him
Again
And
Psalm
2
Warns
Us
That
Will
Not
End
Well
The
Second
Psalm
Is
Imploring
The
World
Its
Rulers
Its
Kings
And
All
Of
Us
Here
Come
To
The
Son
Honor
The
Son
Love
The
Son
Kiss
The
Son
Serve
The
Son
Witness
For
The
Son
Be
On
The
Side
Of
The
Son
For
He
Is
Glorious
He
Is
Lord
What
Can
You
Do
For
Him
Today
And
In
The
Days
To
Come
Oh
Lord
Help
Us
To
Behold
The
Man
To
Behold
The
King
And
When
He
Is
Offered
To
Us
In
The
Gospel
And
In
The
Sign
Of
The
Supper
May
We
Take
Him
By
Faith
And
Feed
Upon
Him
May
We
Kiss
The
Son
Amen
We're
Going
To
Conclude
Our
Service
Tonight
By
Singing
To
God's
Praise
From
The
Sing
Psalms
Version
Of
Psalm
118
A
Great
Passover
Psalm
Sung
At
Passover
Time
Year
After
Year
In
Jerusalem
Sung
By
Jesus
And
The
Apostles
In
The
Upper
Room
Along
With
The
Other
Psalms
Roundabout
Psalm
118
From
Verse
21
To
29
To
The
End
Of
The
Psalm
You
Answered
Me
I
Will
Give
Thanks
Salvation
Comes
From
You
Alone
We
Stand
And
Sing
Together
You
Answered
Me
I
Will
Give
Thanks
Salvation
Comes
From
You
Alone
The
Stone
The
Builders
Have
Refused
Has
Now
Become
The
Cornerstone
The
Lord
Himself
Has
Done
All
This
It
Is
The
Inner
Side
This
Is
The
Day
The
Lord
Has
Made
In
It
Let
Us
Make
Great
Delight
Save
Us
O
Lord
We
Humbly
Pray
O
Lord
We
Pray
Thou
Dost
Success
He
Is
Blessed
Who
Comes
In
God's
Great
Name
You
From
The
Lord
As
We
Will
Bless
The
Lord
Is
God
And
He
Has
Made
This
Glorious
Light
Upon
Us
Fall
Let
Us
Approach
The
Altars
Orts
And
Celebrate
The
Festival
You
Are
You
Are
My
God
I'll
Give
You
Thanks
You
Are
My
God
I'll
Give
You
Praise
God
Thank
The
Lord
For
He
Is
Good
His
Dead
Past
Love
Endures
Always
Save the
blessing
Of
Christ
The
King
Now
To
Him
Who
Is
Able
To
Keep
You
From
Stumbling
And
To
Present
You
Blameless
Before
The
Presence
Of
His
Glory
With
Great
Joy
To
The
Only
God
Our
Saviour
Through
Jesus
Christ
Our
Lord
Be
Glory
Majesty
Dominion
And
Authority
Before
All
Time
And
Now
And
Forever
Amen
ini
Thank you.