Let's now begin our worship this evening. We're going to sing, first of all, in Psalm 107.
Psalm 107 on page 143, and we're singing to a tune Peter some, verses 1 to 9.
O thank the Lord, for He is good, His love endures always. Let those whom God redeemed
say this, those rescued by His grace. He saved them from their enemies and brought them from the
lands, from east and west, from north and south, safe from oppressing hands. And so on, singing down
as far as verse 9 to tune Peter some, that's Psalm 107. We stand to sing these verses.
O thank the Lord, for He is good, His love endures always. Let those whom God redeemed say this,
those rescued by His grace. He saved them from their enemies and brought them from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south, safe from oppressing hands.
Some wondered in the desert ways, not finding any way, to reach a city where they might obtain
a place to stay. Their life unspent, dwelling past, in thirst and emptiness. Then in despair they saw the Lord,
who saved them from distress.
Straight was the path He led them on, a city to attain.
So for the Lord's unfailing love, let them give thanks again. And for the awesome deeds of power,
which He for them achieved, for hungry souls He filled with good, the thirsty He released.
Let's now engage in prayer. Let's call upon the Lord in prayer.
Almighty and gracious God, help us as we bow in your presence to truly take note of these words that we have been singing in your praise.
O Lord our God, we give thanks to you tonight, that your mercy and your grace are so abundant toward us.
And we give thanks for the way that you constantly lead your people, for the way that you have this glorious end in view for them,
that you will bring them into that city that has foundations, of which you are the builder and maker.
We acknowledge, O Lord, that much happens from the time of our birth to our leaving this world.
But we thank you that by your grace you guide your people,
and all the things that take place in their experience are experiences by which they return their thanks and draw near to your independence.
Forgive us, Lord, we pray, for our shortcomings, even in regard to this.
There are so many ways in which you bless us from day to day.
You bless us in the ordinary course of life, which we cannot itself separate from those spiritual blessings that are in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
We give thanks, O Lord, that tonight we gather to worship you, to fall down in adoration before you,
the God who created heaven and earth and all that is in them,
the God who counts the number of the stars and names them every one.
We cannot, Lord, even reach in our own vision to the stars around us in the universe in the way in which we seek, Lord, in admiration to look upon the work of your hand.
We thank you, Lord, that you know them each one.
And we give thanks that your greatness is thereby described for us as your word sets out for us those aspects of your being and of your works that your people admire.
Lord, help us, we pray, to come believing that you are God and believing that you are the rewarder of those who faithfully seek you.
We thank you tonight, Lord, that we come in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.
We thank you for the assurance that you give us that all who come in his name and pleading, O Lord, his merits before you are accepted by you and received into fellowship with himself and with you as our Father.
We bless you, Lord, for the work of your Holy Spirit and for the way that we can look back upon even this congregation itself and know with gratitude and give thanks that your Spirit has been at work here over many generations.
As many congregations, as many congregations also can say.
Lord, we thank you that this gives us encouragement.
What you have promised to your people is that as you have blessed them in the past, so your blessing will continue through the generations to come of your people.
We take encouragement, O Lord, tonight from the assurance of your own work, the assurance of your promises toward us, the assurance that you will bring your people to know yourself.
And that you know those that are yours and that you know those that are yours and that your foundation stands sure, having this seal that the Lord knows those who are his.
And let all who name the name of God depart from wickedness.
Bless us, Lord, we pray under your word.
Sanctify us under your word.
Set us apart once again in such a way that would be aware of your claim upon us.
To be your people, to be your witnesses in this world.
Continue to bless us, we pray, as a congregation.
Bless us, O Lord, under your word especially.
May we find that the fruit of righteousness is produced steadily in our own lives and our experience.
May we prove to be, O Lord, faithful and willing, a testimony to the world around us of your grace and of your love.
And we ask, Lord, that we may prize those things by which you reveal yourself to us.
Help us especially in these days when so much change is taking place around us.
When we hear of so many changes taking place amongst your own believing people.
Lord, we pray that you would enable us to hold firm to the rock that is Jesus himself.
And help us to carry forward those great truths that you have delivered unto us.
That were delivered once for all to the saints of God.
Help us, O Lord, to be proud of them.
To hold on to them in such a way that would truly commend them steadfastly to the generation we belong to.
And we ask, O Lord, that the gospel may come to flourish once again in our midst.
We pray that the power of your Holy Spirit will apply the teaching of your word, the preaching of your word to this generation we belong to.
Remember our young people.
And while we pray, O Lord, for those who are of an older age group as well.
We do remember, O Lord, that those young ones who are coming up now to be taught under the gospel.
Are those who would carry the banner of Christ in the future.
We thank you that they belong to your church even from their infancy as your promises reach them in your grace.
And we pray that as they are nurtured under the gospel, that their own lives, Lord, may develop in such a way that they will be themselves increasingly known as the people of God.
Remember each and every family who faithfully bring their children to worship, to the Sunday school, to other activities.
And we pray, O Lord, for each and every family that you would bless them.
Bless them, we pray, with your own protective care in days when we know there is so much around us that seeks to bring our children and our young people away from the things of God.
Away from the things that make for a wholesome and steady life.
And we ask that you would protect them to help them walk in the ways of your truth.
Bless, we pray, all who tonight need you in particular ways as we think of those who tonight mourn the passing of loved ones in our congregation here and in the community.
O Lord, draw near to them, we pray.
Give them the grace and the strength that they require.
Give them a sense of their need of you, a sense of drawing their strength from you so that they will come to seek you with all their heart and seek your comfort and your direction at this time.
We pray, O Lord, not only for those but for others we hear of as well.
Remember the family of the diver who tragically died in these past days here in the harbor.
We ask that you would, Lord, draw near to them, though we don't know them.
We thank you that you know them and you're able to console their hearts and bring to them the comfort which you alone are able to bring.
We ask, Lord, your blessing too for those of our number who experience illness at this time.
We pray for them.
Those recovering from illness, from surgery, those anticipating treatment in the days to come.
Lord, remember them, we pray.
Give them that calmness of heart that would trust and rely upon you.
And we pray, O Lord, that you would grant us your blessing now as we seek here to remain faithful,
as we seek to remain active in our faith and in our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And so we ask that your blessing will go with us now through the week ahead,
that all the activities that are anticipated taking place in the congregation will know your blessing.
And we ask, O God, that all of this will ultimately work towards your glory and your praise,
and that we may have that as our great aim and the purpose for our lives and for all that we do,
to bring glory and honor to the name of God, our Savior.
Receive us, we pray, and pardon our sins.
For Jesus' sake.
Amen.
We're going to sing again to God's praise.
Our singing this time is Psalm 102, the second version.
Psalm 102.
That's on page 368.
Singing to a tune, Herongate.
And it's verses 16 to 22.
God in his glory shall appear when Zion he builds and repairs.
He shall regard and lend his ear unto the needy's humble prayers.
The afflicted's prayer he will not scorn.
All times this shall be on record.
And generations yet unborn shall praise and magnify the Lord.
The focus tonight is going to be on prayer as we turn to God's Word shortly.
So these psalms themselves speak in different ways about prayer,
the place of prayer, the importance of prayer,
the purpose of prayer,
different other aspects of prayer as well,
in the psalms we're singing tonight.
So Psalm 102, page 368, from verse 16.
God in his glory shall appear.
When Zion he builds and prepares,
He shall regard and lend his ear unto the needy's humble prayers.
The afflicted's prayer he will not scorn.
All times this shall be on record.
And generations yet unborn shall praise and magnify the Lord.
He promised,
He blessed,
Looked out,
The earth he knew,
From heaven on high,
To hear the prisoners' warning groan,
and feed them that are doomed to die.
That Zion and Jerusalem too,
his name and rich may well record.
When people and their kingdoms do,
assemble all to praise the Lord.
Now let's turn to read God's Word as we find that in Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians, chapter 3.
Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians, reading chapter 3 of that letter.
Amen.
of Christ. Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away
from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received
from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were
with you. Nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked
night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right,
but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you
this command, if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you
walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busy bodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the
Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. As for you, brothers, do not
grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person
and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him
as a brother. Now may the God of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with
you all. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is a sign of genuineness in every letter
of mine. It is the way I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. And so may God follow
with his blessing once again this reading of his own word. Now before we turn to this passage, let's
sing again. We're singing in Psalm 31. Psalm 31 in Sing Psalms, that's on page 36.
Singing verses 1 to 6. It's shown as Marel.
In you I've taken refuge, Lord. You are my shelter in distress. Oh, let me never be ashamed, but save me
in your righteousness. Lord, turn your ear to hear my cry. Come quickly to deliver me, and be my rock and
firm defense, my stronghold and security. You are my fortress and my rock. For your name's sake, be my
sure guide. Preserve me from the trap that's set. You are the refuge where I hide. Redeem me, Lord,
O God of truth. My spirit I commit to you. I hate all those who trust false gods. I trust the Lord,
for he is true. These verses, Psalm 31. In you I've taken refuge, Lord.
In you I've taken refuge, Lord. You are my shelter in distress. Oh, let me never be ashamed, but
save me in your righteousness. Lord, turn you here to hear my cry. Come quickly to deliver me,
and be my rock and firm defense. You are my fortress and my rock. For your
save me, be my sure guide. Preserve me from the top of the sand. You are the refuge where I hide.
redeem me, Lord, O God of truth. My spirit I commit to you. I hate all those who trust false gods. I trust the Lord.
So, you are my hope and I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.
Now if you turn with me please to the passage we read in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and reading
again from the beginning. Finally brothers pray for us that the word of God may speed ahead and
be honored as happened among you that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men for not all
have faith but the Lord is faithful he will establish you and guard you against the evil one
and we have confidence in the Lord about you that you are doing and will do the things that we
command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
Well the Bible gives us many topics for prayer. It gives us much information indeed as to what we
should pray for both in our own individuals in the individual sense and also in a congregational
setting. Those things that we find emphasized as Paul and others wrote to these churches to draw
their minds to the importance of prayer and the reasons that they needed to give such attention
to prayer. But the Bible also gives us God also gives us not only things to pray for, subjects for
prayer, topics for prayer, he also gives us motives for prayer, the purpose of prayer, what prayer is for,
what promises are attached to prayer, how we should pray, how we should not pray, and even sometimes
what not to pray for. But this is the information we have for our benefit in these verses as well. And in
verses 1 and 2 we find a request there for two things that Paul is actually commanding as he puts it in
the passage these Christians in the Thessalonican church to pray for. He's saying first of all pray for us and
there's a purpose behind that request. Pray for us so that the Word of God may speed ahead and be
honored as happened among you. So he's praying first of all he asks them to pray for them, for the gospel
messengers, himself and those who carry the message of the gospel and proclaim the message of the gospel.
And then he goes on to secondly ask that they pray that they may be delivered from wicked and evil men
for not all men have faith. In other words there's a prayer for the gospel message to be blessed and a
prayer for the gospel messenger to be protected. And they both fit very nicely together. You can't
separate the one from the other. And it's interesting some of the detail that you find in regard to this
as we go to these verses now as they appear there before us. First of all he's saying pray for us.
Now as he wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians Paul makes it clear that he was very much aware
himself where his enabling came from, where the power that was required for the gospel to be effective
came from. In the first chapter of the first epistle he said we give thanks to God that he has chosen you
brothers loved by God because our gospel came to you not in word only but also in power and in the Holy
Spirit and with full conviction. He knew that the gospel as it was effective in Thessalonica and in
every other place was effective precisely because God blessed it. There wasn't any methodology on the
part of Paul himself though he didn't actually shy away from thinking about the methods he used to present
the gospel and in fact you find that he presented the gospel in various ways. For example in the city
of Athens he presented the gospel to the Jews as he always did to the Jews going to the Old Testament
and arguing from the Old Testament towards Jesus and his identity and the gospel in Christ. But when he
spoke to the people of Athens themselves these pagan people he took as a starting point the altar that
he came across in the city that he came across in the city that was dedicated in the inscription to the
unknown God. He didn't start with the Old Testament he didn't start with the law of God he didn't start with
the promises that God had established in covenant with his people in the days of the Old Testament he
started with this. That was the starting point he worked from this altar that they had that they had erected and I
suppose they were amongst all the many idols that Athens was crammed full of there was maybe something
in the minds of these Athenians that perhaps they must they must actually dedicate this to the unknown
God in case they missed one out. And that's where Paul started and he he said I'm going to present to you
the God that I know the God who created all things that was a starting point God as creator
and he moved from there to to set out for them God as the Savior God in grace in Jesus Christ.
There's a lot of teaching in that itself for us that we don't just rush into presenting the gospel
in exactly the same way whatever our context is. Anyway coming back to 2 Thessalonians you find here
pray for us where the power of God had established a church in Thessalonica now he's saying
pray for us that the word of God may speed ahead and be honored. Because even in Paul's day the word
was not advancing even as Paul himself would desire and pray for there were times when the word was not
advancing in the way that Paul himself would have liked and it's true even of an apostle that there
were disappointments that there were things which he would bring to God and sometimes even ring out his
heart as he saw resistance to the gospel and opposition to the gospel and twisting of the gospel
and defections from the gospel things which themselves prevented the word from running ahead effectively
in the experience of these people. And so what he's saying is pray for us that the word of God may speed
ahead and be honored. Now he's not just saying to these Christians pray for us full stop. He's giving a
reason and a purpose why they should pray for him and for his companions and for those like-minded who are
preaching the gospel. It's so that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored. His purpose is
the gospel itself. His purpose is the advance of the word of God, the effectiveness of the word of God.
But he's saying pray for us. He's not just saying pray for the gospel to advance. He knows that he is
the instrument of God in order to proclaim the gospel to the world of his day. And so he's asking pray that
God will bless us so that the gospel will advance. And that's how it is down to the present day as you very well
know. And when there's perhaps more of a danger that preaching itself will be more and more set aside
as such a central part of the worship, the gathered worship of God, we have to take note of these very
important passages of the apostle where he sets out the importance of preaching, the purpose of preaching,
all the things that are attached to the preaching of the gospel. And we have to retain these and keep these,
and we have to emphasize these and promote these. And we have to actually show the word of our day
that we agree with the word of God that this is the method, the primary method that God uses
in order to bring people to know himself. It's a wonderful thing, isn't it, that the gospel that
God uses, the preaching of God's word, the preaching of the gospel that he uses to bring people to know
himself, to bring them to be converted, to be born again. That very same gospel is the gospel through
which these people are then fed spiritually. He doesn't bring the gospel just so that people can
be converted and then turn to something else. And Paul is not saying to pray for him and for his
companions, for one or the other. He's saying pray for us that the word of God may speed ahead
and be honored. And that's going to include new converts. It's going to include those who are
already converted to be built up in the faith. And that's why he's saying, brethren, pray for us.
Now, he's using what seems to be athletic language or imagery here. Paul, as you know, uses that from
time to time. And these words that he's using here, the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored.
Something you could illustrate perhaps by what you see when there are major athletic games such as the
Olympics or the World Championships. I think it's still the case that when a marathon is run, it's run
around the streets of whatever city or place the games are taking place in. But then for the final
part of the race, those who are running the marathon will actually come and enter the stadium
where the crowd are waiting for them. The other things are going on and they're waiting for them
to appear. They've run all of these miles. What is it, 26 something miles? And they've run all these
miles. And here they are the final stage doing a lap or maybe two of the stadium when they come back.
And as soon as the first one appears at the head of the race, whoever's first into the stadium,
running the marathon as they appear through the gates of the stadium, this mighty shout goes up.
There's a wonderful acclaim. There's a wonderful reception. There's an acknowledgement. Well,
they're back. And here's the first one. And let's acclaim them. Let's actually applaud what they've done.
Let's show out praise for their achievement.
And that's the kind of imagery that you find here that Paul is actually using when he's saying,
pray for us that the word of God may speed ahead and be honored. Because out in that world tonight,
the word of God is not in most of it, at least speeding ahead and honored. There isn't a welcome
given to the word of God. There isn't a welcome given to the gospel such as we would want, such as
we would desire, such as we pray for. But this is what Paul is reminding us of. For that welcome to
actually be produced and come to take place, what do we need to do? We need to pray for the preaching of
the gospel. We need to pray for the gospel, however it's actually disseminated amongst people. Not just
the preaching of it, though that's primarily what Paul has in mind, but everything that accompanies
the preaching of the word in order to actually present the truth of God to the current generation.
He's saying, pray for us that the reception given to the word may be one of great welcome, that be a
great acclaim and applause in the hearts of human beings, bringing into their own experience through
faith the provision God has made in grace and the gospel in Jesus Christ. Stornoway needs the gospel.
Our country areas need the gospel. Glasgow needs the gospel. Areas of the country where the gospel has
receded so much over the years needs the gospel. We have church plants going on different parts of our
land, our own denomination planting churches. What's that about? Well, the purpose for that is that the
word of God may speed ahead and be honored, that people will come in receiving the message of the
word of God, come to turn to God, come to turn to Christ, come to give their lives to the Savior. That's
what it's about. But he's saying, pray for us. Pray for those who actually bring the gospel before
people like yourselves in these days as well. Now, this is not, therefore, about praise and honor for the
messenger for the church. It's not about bringing ourselves into the picture, as it were, so that
we will be elevated. Whatever you do, don't elevate ministers. Don't elevate us beyond what God's own
calling does. We're not here to receive praise from you for ourselves. We're here as ambassadors for
Christ. We're here as those who present the gospel in the name of Christ and for the glory of Christ. And
what he's saying is, oh, pray for us, brothers, so that the word of God may speed. He's not saying,
pray for us so that we'll have great prestige. There are preachers in the world tonight, and really,
most of what they're about is prestige for themselves. Prestige and honor and a place,
celebrity preachers, if you like. This is not what Paul is about. He's not interested in being
a celebrity preacher. He's not interested in personal prestige. He's interested in Christ,
and Christ actually being made known to people. He's interested and concerned for people to be saved,
for people in the churches that he's writing to hold on to the truth tenaciously, to promote that truth,
not to defect from that truth. All of these things Paul is seeking their prayers for,
not for himself, not for himself per se, but for himself for this purpose,
that the word may be received and recognized and honored. And that tonight is what we ourselves
also appeal for. And you see, Paul is not in any way embarrassed by presenting himself in this way
to the people that he's writing to. And while certainly we have to be careful in presenting
ourselves as preachers of the gospel to the likes of yourselves in what we say and what we do,
we should never be embarrassed in saying, pray for us, pray for me, pray for Calamordo,
pray for us, and pray for all who are presenting the gospel, but especially in our own context here
in this congregation. Brothers, sisters, pray for us. Why? So that the word of God may actually
flow forth with power and be received with honor and speed ahead and be honored.
So that our young people may come to turn to the Lord and give themselves to the Lord.
So the families in this congregation may come to be believing families, worshiping families,
witnessing families, lights in this dark world, so that we see the blessing of God of his word
in these contexts. And you see, what he's saying is that as it happened among you,
so that this will again happen elsewhere. He's drawing their minds to the fact that what happened
with themselves, that the word of God did indeed speed ahead and was honored as they knew its blessing
from God in their midst. Now he's saying, you've known that, but you're not to keep that to yourselves.
Pray for us so that this may be repeated, that this may spread forth.
And that's how it is for ourselves as well.
We pray for individuals to be converted, to be saved. We pray for the people of God to be
nourished and fed and grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
We pray for families. We pray that the gospel may speed ahead in the context of families,
that they come under its blessing. We pray that the gospel may speed ahead and be blessed in terms of
marriages, relationships.
The word of God may speed abroad and be blessed by God to our children, to our teenagers, to those who
are at that stage in between childhood and adulthood.
There's so much
to hinder the gospel.
But one thing
that we might say hinders it as much as anything else is prayerlessness.
There's lack of prayer for its
speeding ahead and its being blessed through the preaching of the word.
So, that's Paul's appeal to the Thessalonians. That's the appeal of Scripture to ourselves
tonight. It's not me making the appeal, though I would hope to actually say this is my appeal as
well as I fall into line with the thinking of the apostle as it is right and becoming of me to do so
as a minister of the gospel, as your minister of the gospel.
Brethren, pray for us.
Pray for us so that the word of God
may speed ahead
and be honored.
And let me just make an appeal
here for prayer,
not just for individual, private prayer,
personal prayer,
but also for our prayer meetings.
You know, if you go online to
just Google in,
why is the prayer meeting important?
You'll actually find lots of responses
in different parts of the world,
and I only just checked it very briefly.
But sadly,
so much of these responses is
on the part of
individuals,
whether they're ministers
or congregations,
that really just say,
well, the percentage of their people
who actually attend
regularly
the prayer meetings of the church
is very much less
than it ought to be.
And you'll find different percentages there.
And virtually all of these
are complaining about the same thing,
that it's so difficult
to persuade people
to attend the prayer meetings.
Now, we all have duties.
We all have family duties.
We all have various things
that would legitimately
keep us at times
from attending the weekly meeting,
the weekly meeting for prayer,
for study of the Bible
in more depth.
But remember,
the prayer meeting
contributes to your personal growth,
but it also strengthens
the bonds
between the believing people of God
when they gather together
in the setting of prayer
and of studying the Bible together
and its teaching.
It's really part of
what the apostle elsewhere
calls bearing
one another's burdens.
We cannot bear
one another's burdens
meaningfully and fully
just by praying on our own
at home
and never coming
to meet together
for prayer.
We bear one another's burdens
when we are together
sharing these burdens,
praying over these burdens,
presenting these burdens
to God.
The prayer meeting
is where we share
needs
and requests
and praises,
where we engage
together
in prayer
for the gospel
to advance.
Paul is not suggesting here
that this is something
these Christians do
privately
or only privately.
There's no suggestion
at all of that.
And I'm sure, in fact,
that the main emphasis is
when you come together
is what he would mean,
pray for us.
And it's a way, too,
of expressing
our concern
for the gospel
to advance,
to plead with God
for His blessing
of the gospel,
for His direction
in the ways
of evangelism
and outreach
and witnessing.
We pray all these things
before God
together.
It's a way
of expressing
as well
and experiencing
and valuing
our unity
in Christ.
If we value
our unity in Christ,
then we value
being together.
We value what
the writer
to the Hebrews,
as he put it,
do not neglect
the gathering
of yourselves
together
as the manner
of some is.
and what was
his purpose
in doing that?
It was precisely
that they stimulate
one another
to love
and to good works.
It wasn't just
something that
they enjoyed fellowship,
they enjoyed having
a cup of tea
or a cup of coffee
or something,
maybe that comes into it,
there's nothing wrong
with that,
but his main concern
was so that they
stimulate each other
to love
and to good works.
It's very difficult
to stimulate yourself
to love
when you're on your own,
when you're not
with the Lord's
believing people.
So here's,
you might say,
our appeal
tonight.
Brethren,
sisters,
pray for us.
Pray for us
together.
Pray for us.
Come together
for prayer.
Come together
to plead with God
for his word,
to speed ahead
and be honored
so that the blessing
of God
will flow
through this congregation
and out
into the world
because through prayer
lots of things
by God's blessing
can be seen
to take place.
But then secondly,
he's saying
pray for the gospel
messenger
to be protected.
Pray for us
that the word of the Lord
may speed ahead
and be honored
as happened among you
and that we may be delivered
from wicked
and evil men
for not all
have faith.
But the Lord
is faithful.
He will establish you.
Now it's not
obvious
what the opposition
is there,
though at other times
Paul mentions
more specifically
what his opponents,
whose opponents are
and what they're like.
It may well be
that this was also
from within the church
and it's really
quite a thought-provoking thing
to actually take note
of how soon
heresies
and departures
from the faith
set in
even while the apostles
were still living
and how much more
since then.
So as he's saying
pray for us
that we may be delivered
from wicked
and evil men.
And what he means
by that
includes the likes
of false teaching.
Look at how often
false teaching
is mentioned
in these letters
of the apostle.
Whether it's to
these churches
or to the likes
of Timothy and Titus.
False teaching
that was spreading
as he put it to Timothy
like a gangrene
which if it's left alone
just makes its way
and spreads
throughout any body
of people
any church.
Well he's saying
pray for us
that the word of God
may speed ahead
and be honored
because the more
the word of God
is blessed to you
the more you pray
together
that your own life
life will be protected
against decay
and defection
so the more
that will contribute
to the wholesomeness
and the well-being
of the church.
Pray for us
that it may
speed ahead
and be honored
among you
for not all
have faith.
That's a very solemn statement.
Not all have faith.
Especially if the apostle
was thinking
and including
as I'm sure he was
some within
the church
as it was seen
in places like
Thessalonica.
Not all
have faith.
Not all are committed
to Christ.
What he's saying here
is far from it.
Some are even opposed
to him.
Some do their best
to stand
against the progress
of the gospel.
And it's no different
in our day
is it?
In fact,
it's very obvious
that that's still the case.
The gospel
is hindered
though God
of course
is ultimately
sovereignly
in control
of all things
of all events
but the gospel
is certainly
effectively hindered
when people
actually defect
from the gospel
when ministers
of the gospel
certainly defect
from the gospel
begin teaching
things which are
at odds
with the teaching
of scripture
whether it's
about human behavior
or certain doctrines
that are foundational
to an understanding
of salvation
all of those things
hinder the gospel
and we need
your prayer
for us
to be protected
against that decline
against that slide
into heresy.
Martin Lloyd-Jones
once said
somewhere in his writings
every institution
has in itself
the capacity
to turn into
the opposite
of itself
and that's
quite true
of a church
and a congregation
as well
because we're
human beings
we're flawed
human beings
even as Christians
we have
a tendency
towards
things which
we ought to shun
and put behind us
and what we
pray for is
that we will be
kept from that
that you'll be
kept from that
that we as
preachers of the gospel
will be kept
from teaching
or coming to
understand anything
other than
apostolic doctrine
apostolic teaching
that was passed
on by the apostles
to those who
came after him
to these churches
that were taught
under their ministry.
Brethren
he says
pray for us
that the word
of God
may speed ahead
and be honored
for not all
have faith
that we may
be delivered
from wicked
and evil men.
He uses words
here which
sometimes
maybe today
are words
which folk
find it very
difficult to accept
you wouldn't
find the ordinary
man in the street
tonight in Stornway
accepting of
himself or
of herself
that actually
essentially
in their inner
spiritual being
they're wicked
regard wickedness
as something done
by great criminals
someone who's
gone out to
murder someone
someone who's
actually committed
murder or a
serious crime
like that
that's wickedness
but don't tell me
there's wickedness
in my heart
I've never done
anything like that
that's the reaction
that's the kind
of understanding
you meet with
whereas God
sets out in his word
the word
wicked
doesn't mean
just desperately
wicked
in a public
and open sense
in that way
wickedness
is whatever
is turned
against God
whatever
is turned
effectively
against the gospel
whatever
is deliberately
seeking to
thwart the gospel
seeking to stand
in the way
of its advance
wherever it is
wherever it
comes from
wherever you find it
Paul is not ashamed
to say
that all men
have not faith
please
he says
I appeal to you
he's actually
commanding them
pray for us
so that we be
delivered from
wicked and evil men
you see
because Paul was
concerned that the gospel
would advance
all the time
and when you read
the book of Acts
and you read
his imprisonments
and you read
the way that even
in Philippi
as he wrote
to the Philippians
as we saw
going through
Philippians
not so long ago
he was concerned
of course
to set out
for the Philippians
that even in
Caesar's households
there were Christians
there were people
that come to know
the Lord
the gospel
had reached
and penetrated
there
but Paul is
under no illusion
that wickedness
and wicked people
are set
and determined
against the gospel
and he's saying
pray that we may be
delivered from them
that the gospel
will not be thwarted
that the gospel
will advance
but you see how he
also counters this
this reality
and it's a reality
that we ourselves
know in our day
wicked and evil men
people who
are marked by
by a determined
opposition to God
a determined
opposition to
elevate ungodliness
remember
ungodliness
is no mere
negative thing
it's a positive
sinfulness
and the ungodliness
of our day
is an ungodliness
that seeks
in a very determined
way
if it doesn't
actually
undermine the gospel
and certainly
divert or deflect
it away
from its
essential teaching
then it becomes
no gospel
at all
so pray for us
that we be kept
that we be protected
that we be guarded
that God
will look after us
that God
will see to it
that we don't defect
that we don't actually
in any way
prove to be untrue
to the God
who has called us
pray that for yourself
too
pray that for the congregation
pray that we will
continue
in seeking
to be faithful
to God
to look
to God's own
faithfulness
as he's putting it here
not all have faith
but the Lord
is faithful
he says
not all
have faith
there are some
who don't have faith
at all
but God is faithful
he's full of faithfulness
he's never unfaithful
now there's a great truth
God is never unfaithful
you can depend on God
what God says
is what God will do
what God says
he is like
that is what he's
truly like
and so you can come
at all times
to depend on what God
is saying
that it is the very truth
take that as truth
not as the world today
would define truth
and as some elements
in the church
would define truth
as just something relative
something that moves
and is malleable
and changes from generation
to generation
depending on what's current
in the culture of the day
God is faithful
and he is faithful
in keeping us
in his truth
and by his truth
to actually keep on
presenting the gospel
the word of Christ
to the generation
we belong to
and you see
that's a deliberate
contrast then
between
not all have faith
but the Lord
is faithful
oh how many times
we in our lives
I mean we in terms
of our Christian life
not just preaching
the gospel
how many times
we as Christians
you and I
just have to stop
and say
Lord I'm so thankful
that you are faithful
to your word
that you are faithful
to your promises
that when I see
of my own tendency
when I see the sin
of my own heart
when I see how slow
I am to learn
when I see how often
I go back
to the same things
that I do
that I should not have done
and I keep repeating
the mistakes that I've made
and the sins
that I've actually
committed in your presence
Lord I thank you
that you are faithful
that your faithfulness
will never ever be changed
of course
God's faithfulness means
he's faithful
against those
who oppose him as well
he will do
as he has spoken
and so he's saying
pray for us
for God himself
is faithful
in other words
that's a great
motive to prayer
isn't it
that God is really
saying through that
that your prayers
are heard by him
that your prayers
will be answered by him
maybe not exactly
when or how
you actually anticipate them
but God hears
and God takes note
and God puts in his diary
every single moment
the prayers
that his people
pray to him
the requests
that they make to him
the thanksgivings
that they send up to him
they're not lost
on God
and as God
takes note of them
so we can seek God
to answer
our prayers
he will establish you
and guard you
against the evil one
we have confidence
in the Lord
about you
that you are doing
and will do
the things
that we command
now
we can't command you
as preachers of the gospel
only an apostle
could say that
coming with that force
and authority
that God gave
the apostle
to say such a thing
we command you
what we are doing
is following
the command of scripture
and saying
this is what God commands
this is what he requires
and so tonight
that's what he requires
of us
we have confidence
he says in the Lord
that you are doing
and will do
the things
that we command
and he finishes
by saying
may the Lord
direct your hearts
to the love of God
and to the steadfastness
of Christ
well how many sermons
are in that
final verse alone
may the Lord
direct your hearts
to the love of God
and to the steadfastness
of Christ
and commentators
are divided
as to whether
Paul means
the love of God himself
or the love of his people
for God
or whether he means
the steadfastness
of Christ himself
or steadfastness
on the part
of his people
as the people
of Christ
it seems best
to take it as
in the first sense
that this is
the love of God himself
that God will direct you
direct your hearts
to the love of God
because that ultimately
really is where
our security is
isn't it
it's not my love
for God
because that sometimes
sadly comes and goes
or wanes at least
sometimes
as far less
than it should be
and is never
as much as it should be
but you can never say
that of God's love
and the provision
that God's love
has made
for his people
when God
as he has
has loved his people
he has loved them
with that love
that has provided
everything they need
for them
a saviour
and all that comes
with him
and you remember
how these
probably little used
and I'm speaking
to myself too
little used epistle
the epistle of Jude
near the end
of the Bible
remember how Jude
sets out there
remember he
he had it in mind
to write about
some things
which belonged to
foundational things
of the gospel
the things about
our common salvation
he says
but I found it necessary
to write appealing
to you
to contend
for the faith
that was once
for all
delivered
to the saints
for certain people
have crept
in unnoticed
he's talking about
the church
crept in unnoticed
who long ago
were designated
for this condemnation
ungodly people
who pervert
the grace
of our God
into sensuality
and deny
our only Master
and Lord
Jesus Christ
but what I'm
concerned is
how he actually
finishes that
short letter
you he says
beloved
building yourselves
up in your most
holy faith
praying in the
Holy Spirit
keep yourselves
in the love
of God
you see how
that goes together
you beloved
despite all
that you see
of defections
despite all
that you know
is happening
in the world
or even in the
church elsewhere
this is
he says
what you must do
building yourselves
up in your
most holy
faith
using God's
truth
to advance
in your
godliness
in your
Christianity
in your
commitment to
Christ
in your service
for the Lord
in your holiness
of life
doing that
he says
praying in the
Holy Spirit
keep yourselves
in the love
of God
how do you
keep yourself
in the love
of God
what does
that mean
well it means
essentially
the love
with which
God has
loved his
people
and the
provision
that he's
made for
in that
love
including
the gospel
keep yourselves
in that
don't be
led away
from something
that is
other than
God's
loving
provision
for you
and keep
yourselves
under this
conviction
that in
God's
love
everything
is provided
that sinners
need for
salvation
there is no
greater subject
than the
love of
God
in Christ
Jesus
our Lord
which is
why Paul
finishes
that great
chapter in
Romans
chapter 8
where he's
persuaded
that neither
death
nor life
nor angels
nor principalities
nor things
present
nor things
to come
nor height
nor depth
shall be
able to
separate us
from the
love of
God
that is in
Christ Jesus
our Lord
and interestingly
he put it that way
it doesn't just say
able to separate us
from God
or able to
separate us
from Jesus
Christ
able to
separate us
from the
love of
God
that's in
Christ Jesus
our Lord
the love
that sent
his son
into this
world
to die
the death
of the cross
the love
that looks
in a
fatherly way
that looks
after his
people
the love
of God
that's where
your security
the base
of your
security
is
and as you
know that
and as you
work from
that
you're building
up yourself
in your most
holy faith
keep yourselves
in the love
of God
pray for us
pray for
yourselves
keep on
praying
don't stop
praying
add to
the praying
you're
presently
doing
come
together
for
prayer
don't
ever lose
an opportunity
to be
together
for prayer
and pray
that we
be kept
for not
all
have
faith
let's
pray
we
give
thanks
Lord
for
all
the
appeals
and
all
the
commands
of
your
word
and we
give
thanks
that as you
give faith
to your
people
so you
give them
that faith
that
itself
knows
of
these
aspects
of your
word
registering
in their
hearts
we
ask that
you
would
enable
us
Lord
in the
exercise
of our
faith
to rejoice
at all the
things you
give us
to rejoice
in
to tremble
at your
threatenings
to take
note of the
warnings that you
give us in
scripture
to hold to your
great and glorious
promises
and to look
forward
expectantly
that you will
indeed
establish us
that you will
continue to
provide for us
receive our
thanks now we
pray and
cleanse us
from the
many sins
for Jesus
sake
amen
we're going
to sing now in
conclusion in
psalm 71
this is on
page 310
verses 1
to 5
O Lord
my hope
and confidence
is placed
in thee
alone
then let
thy
servant
never be
put to
confusion
let me
in thy
righteousness
from thee
deliverance
have
cause me
escape
incline
thy
ear
unto me
and me
save
so on
down to
verse 5
free me
my God
from wicked
hands
hands cruel
and unjust
for thou
O Lord
God
art my
hope
and from
my youth
my trust
obedience
confidence.
O Lord, my hope and confidence is placed in thee alone.
Then let thy servant ever be new to your future.
And let me in thy righteousness from the given the time.
Cause me escape, then find my ear unto me and be saved.
Be thou my dwelling hope to which I ever may resort.
Thou give'st commandment me to save, for thou'rt my rock and fort.
Free me, my God, from wicked hands, and through the land of just.
For thou, O Lord, art my hope, and from my youth my trust.
Amen.
I'll go to the main door after the benediction.
And now may grace and mercy and peace from God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
be with you now and evermore.
Amen.