WEBVTT

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 Well, we're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise. We're going to sing in Psalm 96a,

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 on page 126 of the psalm books. We're going to sing from verse 1 down to verse 9, the tune is Argyle.

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 Psalm 96a on page 126.

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 We'll sing a new song to the Lord. Sing praises to his name and his salvation. Day by day, let all the earth

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 proclaim. We'll sing from verse 1 to 9, and we stand to sing to God's praise.

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 Amen.

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 SONG CONTINUES

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 SONG CONTINUES

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 SONG CONTINUES

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 SONG CONTINUES

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 SONG CONTINUES

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 SONG CONTINUES

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 SONG CONTINUES

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 And now, thank you so much.

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 And now, thank you for the difficulty.

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 All the others Jerks

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 SONG CONTINUES

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 SONG CONTINUES

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 The Lord made their elders high.

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 O power and majesty are his.

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 He dwells in glorious light.

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 All nations to the Lord has cried.

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 The glory that is true.

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 Glory and strength has cried to all.

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 And grace is in the new.

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 Enter his course with joy and reign.

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 And no other being with you.

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 Worship the Lord in holy care.

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 All earth before him now.

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 Let's come to God in prayer.

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 Let us pray.

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 Lord our gracious God as we bow in your presence at this time we are reminded in these words that

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 we have sung of the reason why we come with that need to bow in your presence to bow before you

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 and to know Lord how we are to humble ourselves before you that you might lift us up for we

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 cannot be proud in and of ourselves we cannot bring our own sacrifice as it were to you we

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 cannot bring our own works to you we cannot bring our own righteousness to you for they are just like

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 filthy rags as your word says and because we come to a holy God become we come to the one who has made

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 the heavens and the earth we come to the one who to whom all glory is due as the psalmist says

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 and help us so we might come in that right spirit that we might come with that in our minds Lord that

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 we come not just out of duty or habit but that we would come delighting to be in your presence to be

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 near to you to hear your word to unite our hearts together as a people here and lift up our voices

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 and praise to you and to join even in online and know that you are with us to know that together we

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 come to praise our Lord and our God and we come to a living God one who has shown us the way to life

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 the one who has given us life through sending your own son Jesus Christ into this world and we thank

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 you that we know that you sent him with a purpose that he came to seek and to save the lost and we

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 thank you Lord that that was done for us and for your people down through all the generations for your

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 people even yet unborn until the day of the Lord's return we thank you that there is that gospel hope

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 that all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved and we thank you that in a world in which

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 there is so much idolatry even as it was in the day of the psalmist as we read here of the other gods

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 that were worshipped the gods of wood and stone the gods that could not answer or had no power

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 we thank you that we come to the God of all power the God of all truth the God of all grace and mercy

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 and so Lord help us to come humbly before you anew this night knowing our sins as you know them

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 knowing that we cannot hide them from you knowing yet too that there is forgiveness for all who will come

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 confessing their sin and help us even tonight Lord to come with that sense of confession but also

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 repentance to turn from our sin and to turn to walk closely with you that you would be the one who

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 helps us and guides us and who keeps us along the way and we do thank you that throughout our town and

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 our island our nation and this world today that you have your people near and far that you have

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 your church your gathered people who come to praise your name and in so many different circumstances and

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 places even in so many different languages and tongues we thank you oh Lord that your name is

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 praised that you are glorified among many and we pray for your witness Lord throughout this world

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 in a world where there is so much sorrow and sadness we are reminded of it constantly

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 help us to be reminded too

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 you know in the beauty of this day

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 you know in the glorious sunshine that we see

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 to remember the glorious light of the gospel

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 the good news of Jesus Christ

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 and the joy that there is to be found in him

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 that joy of salvation that joy of assurance that joy of hope for life and for eternity

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 and we thank you that your gospel is like that sunshine that we see it gives light oh Lord it gives warmth

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 it gives hope to us even as we see new growth around us Lord in the ground and on the trees and in the fields

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 around us at this time Lord we see new life in so many different ways and we thank you that life is from you

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 and that you are the one who has given your son that we might have life and have it to the full

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 and we pray Lord that as your gospel goes out this day near and far that it will bring life to many

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 that it will bring growth into people's hearts

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 that it will give a sense of assurance and comfort

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 help

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 security and all that it can bring to us Lord that you will

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 bless your word

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 as it is ministered

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 through the preaching of your word

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 that your spirit will be with us Lord and with all your people

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 to apply it to our hearts

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 we do thank you for the work of the gospel

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 we thank you for it here in our own congregation and for all

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 the different ways in which we reach out with your

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 your gospel your glorious truth

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 we pray for your help in it

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 in everything that we do

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 we thank you Lord that we see encouragements around us

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 we see people

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 coming along to different

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 events that we have on

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 we thank you for the Friday of the Free

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 and for all who have helped there and attended over these past number of months now

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 Lord we thank you for the blessing it's been and the encouragement that we've had

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 we thank you for the connections that have been made and for conversations being had

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 among the many who come through our doors

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 and we thank you to be able to invite them not just to

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 to come and enjoy food with us Lord but to come

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 and hear the gospel and we pray that through all our

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 endeavors to reach out

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 to our people that the gospel will be at the heart of all that we do

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 and so we pray Lord that

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 you would help us to

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 have courage at times and

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 to speak clearly to them

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 of the need of the gospel

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 we thank you for all the young people who come to Sunday school and creche and explorers during the week

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 thank you for all who help in these activities from week to week

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 we do pray your blessing on each one and

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 we thank you as we've heard today as well for

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 the fact that there is a need for new help

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 we see this as a blessing Lord that

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 there have been encouragements and growth in so many ways and

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 we know that that brings with it many great burdens to us and we just pray that

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 it'll be a burden that'll be shared among us as a people

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 that you will lay burdens on our hearts to serve

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 you in whatever way we can

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 and we pray Lord to see

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 people coming to help with Sunday school even though it's

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 it can seem a task beyond many of us at times

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 we thank you for the way

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 that you have always used

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 ordinary people

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 we think even of our own

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 Sunday school teachers over the years

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 we thank you for each one of them and for the way that

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 you brought them from many different backgrounds and walks of life and used them for your glory

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 and help us not to be afraid Lord that

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 we are inadequate but that we would know

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 that as we serve

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 that you will help

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 and that you will give us

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 the words we need when we need them

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 and the courage

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 and the strength that we need

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 in all that we do in your name

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 so we do commit that to you in prayer

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 we remember the wider work of

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 the

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 denomination in terms of youth work as well

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 with the

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 the camps taking place over the summer

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 we ask your blessing on that

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 thankful for the day

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 training day in Inverness yesterday

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 and

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 pray for leaders that are still required for some of the camps too

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 that there will be those who will come forward

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 to help

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 we do commit Lord our

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 Thursday evening endeavors as well as we

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 look forward to that

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 beginning in a new way this coming week with

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 the

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 the big questions sessions

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 we thank you for those who helped there

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 especially

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 Roddy and Calla who have helped

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 with it for many years now and

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 we do pray Lord that there will be a sense of

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 your spirit working

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 in us and through us

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 and that we will be

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 confident to invite others along to these

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 these evenings

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 to explore your word and

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 the great questions of life

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 and all that it means

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 and the challenges that we face

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 Lord we pray that you will

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 give us that prayerful spirit going into this week ahead

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 and that we would see

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 your hand upon us for good

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 we do commit ourselves and into your hands at this time

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 Lord remember us

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 as a people remember us in our homes and our families

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 those who are unwell

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 in hospital and homes

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 those who are confined to their own homes

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 Lord those who

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 we need you in particular ways at this time

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 Lord we thank you

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 for your constancy

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 your presence promised

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 and we pray

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 for each one of us Lord

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 that we will remember

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 and encourage one another

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 as we are commanded

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 to do

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 so hear our prayers Lord

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 go before us now

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 and

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 we ask all things

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 for the forgiveness of our sins

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 in Jesus name

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 Amen

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 I will again sing to God's praise

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 this time in Psalm 5

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 in the Scottish Psalter

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 page 203

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 Psalm 5

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 page 203

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 we'll sing from verse 7

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 down to the end of the Psalm

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 Psalm 5 at verse 7

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 we'll sing from verse 7

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 down to the end of the Psalm

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 to God's praise

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 but I into thy hearts

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 will come

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 in thy love

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 the days

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 that I will worship me

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 I fear

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 to pour

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 thy holy place

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 because

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 of those

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 my enemies

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 Lord

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 in thy

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 righteousness

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 to love

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 to love

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 thee

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 to love

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 thy way

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 make straight

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 before

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 thy face

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 all in their

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 power

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 there is

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 no truth

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 thy

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 thy

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 heart

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 is

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 still

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 their

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 throat

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 shall

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 open

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 say

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 your breath

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 their tongue

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 not

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 lad

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 still

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 come

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 not

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 not

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 but

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 still

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 O

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 God

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 is

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 mine

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 and

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 let

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 the

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 thee

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 my

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 my

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 own

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 castle

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 dwell

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 and

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 for

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 the

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 many

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 saints

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 cast

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 has

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 many

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 cast

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 cast

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 for

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 forgiveness

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 he

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 remember

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 but

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 let

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 all

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 join

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 but

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 let

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 all

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 join

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 that

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 trust

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 in

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 thee

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 and

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 still

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 we

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 shall

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 be

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 good

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 for

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 a

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 endless

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 state

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 let

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 all

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 that

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 love

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 thine

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 in

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 may

00:16:55.580 --> 00:16:56.580
 he

00:16:56.580 --> 00:16:58.580
 rejoice

00:16:58.580 --> 00:17:00.580
 for

00:17:00.580 --> 00:17:02.580
 Lord

00:17:02.580 --> 00:17:03.580
 unto

00:17:03.580 --> 00:17:05.579
 the

00:17:05.579 --> 00:17:06.579
 righteous

00:17:06.579 --> 00:17:08.579
 man

00:17:08.579 --> 00:17:10.579
 thou

00:17:10.579 --> 00:17:11.579
 wilt

00:17:11.579 --> 00:17:12.579
 thine

00:17:12.579 --> 00:17:14.579
 sing

00:17:14.579 --> 00:17:15.579
 here

00:17:15.579 --> 00:17:17.579
 with

00:17:17.579 --> 00:17:19.579
 favor

00:17:19.579 --> 00:17:20.579
 thou

00:17:20.579 --> 00:17:21.579
 wilt

00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:22.579
 come

00:17:22.579 --> 00:17:23.579
 God

00:17:23.579 --> 00:17:24.579
 blessed

00:17:24.579 --> 00:17:25.579
 him

00:17:25.579 --> 00:17:27.579
 about

00:17:27.579 --> 00:17:28.579
 us

00:17:28.579 --> 00:17:29.579
 with

00:17:29.579 --> 00:17:30.579
 a

00:17:30.579 --> 00:17:32.579
 shield

00:17:32.579 --> 00:17:37.579
 we

00:17:37.579 --> 00:17:38.579
 turn to

00:17:38.579 --> 00:17:39.579
 read

00:17:39.579 --> 00:17:40.579
 God's word

00:17:40.579 --> 00:17:43.579
 together now in the New Testament reading in the Gospel of John

00:17:43.579 --> 00:17:45.579
 in chapter 14

00:17:45.579 --> 00:17:47.579
 John chapter 14

00:17:47.579 --> 00:17:51.579
 we read from the beginning down to verse 24

00:17:52.579 --> 00:17:55.579
 John 14

00:17:55.579 --> 00:17:59.579
 I'm reading from the beginning of this chapter

00:18:01.579 --> 00:18:02.579
 let

00:18:02.579 --> 00:18:03.579
 not your hearts be troubled

00:18:04.579 --> 00:18:05.579
 believe in God

00:18:05.579 --> 00:18:06.579
 believe also in me

00:18:07.579 --> 00:18:09.579
 in my father's house are many rooms

00:18:10.579 --> 00:18:15.579
 if it were not so would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you

00:18:15.579 --> 00:18:28.579
 and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also and you know the way to where I am going

00:18:28.579 --> 00:18:30.579
 Thomas said to him

00:18:30.579 --> 00:18:31.579
 Lord

00:18:31.579 --> 00:18:33.579
 we do not know where you are going

00:18:33.579 --> 00:18:35.579
 how can we know the way

00:18:35.579 --> 00:18:52.579
 Jesus said to him I am the way and the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me if you had known me you would have known my father also from now on you do know him and have seen him

00:18:52.579 --> 00:18:54.579
 Philip said to him

00:18:54.579 --> 00:18:55.579
 Philip said to him Lord

00:18:55.579 --> 00:18:58.579
 show us the father and it is enough for us

00:18:58.579 --> 00:19:04.579
 Jesus said to him have I been with you so long and you still do not know me Philip

00:19:04.579 --> 00:19:06.579
 whoever has seen me has seen the father

00:19:06.579 --> 00:19:09.579
 how can you say show us the father

00:19:10.579 --> 00:19:13.579
 do you not believe that I am in the father and the father is in me

00:19:13.579 --> 00:19:21.579
 the words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority the father who dwells in me does his works

00:19:21.579 --> 00:19:28.579
 believe me that I am in the father and the father is in me or else believe on account of the works themselves

00:19:28.579 --> 00:19:39.579
 truly truly I say to you whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do and greater works than these will he do because I am going to the father

00:19:39.579 --> 00:20:08.579
 whatever you ask in my name this I will do but the father may be glorified in the son if you ask me for anything in my name I will do it if you love me you will keep my commandments and I will ask the father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever even the spirit of truth in the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him you know him for he dwells with you and will be in you

00:20:08.579 --> 00:20:29.579
 I will not leave you as orphans I will come to you yet a little while and the world will see me no more but you will see me because I live in you and because I live you also will live in that day you will know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you

00:20:29.579 --> 00:20:41.839
 whoever has my commandments and keeps them he it is who loves me and he who loves me will be loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him

00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:49.399
 Judas not Iscariot said to him Lord how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world

00:20:49.399 --> 00:20:59.259
 Jesus answered him if anyone loves me he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come to him and make a home with him

00:20:59.259 --> 00:21:08.799
 whoever does not love me does not keep my words and the word that you hear is not mine but the father's who sent me

00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:17.059
 so on and may God bless to us that reading from his word before we turn back and look at this passage

00:21:17.059 --> 00:21:24.680
 together we're going to sing again to God's praise in Psalm 56 sing psalms version page 73

00:21:24.680 --> 00:21:33.480
 of the psalm book we'll sing from verse 7 down to the end of the psalm tune as Stuttgart let them not escape

00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:40.440
 your anger bring the nations down oh lord in your book write write my entreaties in your scroll

00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:52.539
 my tears record and the psalmist goes on and then describes the way we find that refuge in him for you

00:21:52.539 --> 00:21:58.819
 you have kept my feet from stumbling and from death you set me free so that i may walk before you

00:21:58.819 --> 00:22:06.200
 and the light of life may see we'll sing from verse 7 down to the end of the psalm to God's praise

00:22:06.200 --> 00:22:36.180
 let them not escape your anger bring the nations down oh lord in your book write my entreaties in your scroll my tears record and the psalmist goes on and then

00:22:36.180 --> 00:22:44.460
 when i call on you to help me

00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:50.420
 then my foes will turn aside

00:22:50.420 --> 00:22:56.460
 this is how i will be certain

00:22:56.460 --> 00:23:03.420
 that my God is on my side

00:23:03.420 --> 00:23:05.420
 in the Lord

00:23:05.420 --> 00:23:06.420
 in the Lord

00:23:06.420 --> 00:23:07.420
 whose word

00:23:07.420 --> 00:23:11.420
 in my God

00:23:11.420 --> 00:23:13.420
 in my God

00:23:13.420 --> 00:23:15.420
 I praise his word

00:23:15.420 --> 00:23:19.420
 I will just stand

00:23:19.420 --> 00:23:21.420
 not be fearful

00:23:21.420 --> 00:23:23.420
 what can

00:23:23.420 --> 00:23:25.420
 man do

00:23:25.420 --> 00:23:27.420
 to me

00:23:27.420 --> 00:23:29.420
 Lord

00:23:29.420 --> 00:23:31.420
 I have taken

00:23:31.420 --> 00:23:33.420
 I have taken

00:23:33.420 --> 00:23:35.420
 last before you

00:23:35.420 --> 00:23:37.420
 to my God

00:23:37.420 --> 00:23:39.420
 I will be true

00:23:39.420 --> 00:23:41.420
 I have taken

00:23:41.420 --> 00:23:43.420
 last before you

00:23:43.420 --> 00:23:44.420
 to my God I will be true

00:23:44.420 --> 00:23:45.420
 sacrifice and soft

00:23:45.420 --> 00:23:47.420
 I'm giving

00:23:47.420 --> 00:23:51.420
 I will now bring it to you

00:23:51.420 --> 00:23:53.420
 for you

00:23:53.420 --> 00:23:55.420
 for you

00:23:55.420 --> 00:23:59.420
 for you kept my feet from some way

00:23:59.420 --> 00:24:05.420
 and from death you set me free

00:24:05.420 --> 00:24:11.420
 so that I lay hope before you

00:24:11.420 --> 00:24:13.420
 for you

00:24:13.420 --> 00:24:17.420
 and the light of life may see

00:24:17.420 --> 00:24:27.420
 well we can turn back together to a reading in the gospel of john chapter 14

00:24:27.420 --> 00:24:30.420
 we just read again at verse 5 and 6

00:24:30.420 --> 00:24:50.420
 Thomas said to him that's to Jesus Lord we do not know where you are going how can we know the way Jesus said to him I am the way and the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me

00:24:50.420 --> 00:25:20.400
 we all have many questions I'm sure in our hearts and there are times when we think we have all the answers in life as we go on in our years in this world we go through these different stages of life through teenage years when we maybe think we've got all the answers we go on get older we realize we don't have all the answers nobody really does and we start groping around looking for answers to all

00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:50.380
 our different questions and very often our questions and very often our questions can lead us back to perhaps one of the most common answers that we give as children when we're asked questions especially if we think of a Sunday school setting or children's talk either in church or in school if minister asks the question well surely the right answer would be Jesus and it happens to myself regularly I'm sure it happens to many who are working with

00:25:50.380 --> 00:25:51.380
 children if you ask the children if you ask the children if you ask the question and a hand goes up and you ask well what's your answer ak'lthe answers you can't be wrong can you hell is what the question was Jesus is a question of faith MY'REσ

00:25:51.380 --> 00:25:53.380
 sereness….

00:25:53.580 --> 00:25:54.440
 Hanya's…

00:25:54.720 --> 00:26:03.580
 WAKE

00:26:03.580 --> 00:26:04.580
 WAKEذا…

00:26:04.580 --> 00:26:05.140
 Well just…

00:26:05.140 --> 00:26:08.260
 Jesus isn't the right answer always but that's dependent on what the question is that you're asking…

00:26:08.260 --> 00:26:09.900
 .

00:26:09.900 --> 00:26:13.260
 Police say…

00:26:13.260 --> 00:26:14.260
 For example…

00:26:14.260 --> 00:26:18.940
 Some will ask a question and do ask the question in life…

00:26:18.940 --> 00:26:24.180
 can I make money? When you think of all the different ministries in the world, not all of

00:26:24.180 --> 00:26:31.700
 them are honoring God in that sense of being for the glory of God. It's for self and for self gain

00:26:31.700 --> 00:26:36.940
 and prosperity ministries have become rife throughout the world because they've asked

00:26:36.940 --> 00:26:44.680
 the question where Jesus is the answer, but it's the wrong question. The question is, how can I make

00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:54.779
 money? Asking questions is always important for us and looking for the right answers is always

00:26:54.779 --> 00:27:02.380
 important for us, but we have to start by asking the right questions. As I said in the

00:27:02.380 --> 00:27:06.799
 in Demetrius at the start, that's the theme for this evening as we think of

00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:14.160
 exploring the life's big questions. Even as you look at this leaflet, you maybe think, well,

00:27:14.680 --> 00:27:24.420
 what's it all about? Is it for me? Is it for me to give to somebody else? Well, it's all of these

00:27:24.420 --> 00:27:31.799
 things. What is this leaflet actually saying to us? Even at a first glance, you see a lighthouse,

00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:38.900
 you see a stormy sea, but in the midst of that, you see all these questions that are scattered

00:27:38.900 --> 00:27:46.160
 around. And it's these kinds of questions that we want to explore together as we come together on

00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:51.500
 these Thursday evenings. But there's so often questions that come up in our preaching as we're

00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:57.280
 going through the Word of God. And it's questions that we maybe always don't have the opportunity to

00:27:57.280 --> 00:28:03.920
 explore or to ask for ourselves. How many of these questions that you see on the leaflet are questions

00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:10.779
 that you want answered just now? Here or tuning in online, are these the questions that are really

00:28:10.779 --> 00:28:15.300
 burning within your heart? Are these the questions that you look at them and you think, I've got the

00:28:15.300 --> 00:28:23.460
 answer. Is God real? No, he's not. Well, let's come and think about your answer to that. You're saying God

00:28:23.460 --> 00:28:31.400
 is not real. Why? Why is that your answer? Where has that answer come from? Has it come from studying?

00:28:31.400 --> 00:28:38.560
 Has it come from looking at God's Word or considering what people have to say around that question? Or is

00:28:38.560 --> 00:28:42.440
 it just your own understanding of this world? God is not real.

00:28:44.920 --> 00:28:52.000
 Other questions that you see there, what happened when I die? Again, what's your answer to that? Is it

00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:57.019
 just that's it, the end, there's no more? Or do you think, well, there's got to be more to it than that?

00:28:57.019 --> 00:29:05.019
 Well, again, what does the Bible say? Questions are so important for us. Jesus is the answer to many

00:29:05.019 --> 00:29:11.980
 of them, but we've got to be asking the right questions. Questions are good for us. They bring

00:29:11.980 --> 00:29:18.859
 discussion. They stimulate our thinking. They make us ponder and look more deeply into the questions of

00:29:18.859 --> 00:29:27.699
 life and eternity. Death and everything that life brings our way. And when you look at the gospel

00:29:27.699 --> 00:29:33.259
 here before, as the gospel of John, as you go through the Word of God, you see just how important

00:29:33.259 --> 00:29:40.939
 questions are. And you think, you know, this passage that we've read, verse 1 to 24 in chapter 14,

00:29:41.299 --> 00:29:47.059
 how many questions have been asked? How many different people have asked questions?

00:29:47.059 --> 00:29:55.720
 You see, Thomas asks a question there in verse 25, but there's others who are asking questions as

00:29:55.720 --> 00:30:02.720
 well. Philip is there as well in verse 8. And so it goes on. As you read through, you find that there are

00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:12.440
 many people asking questions of Jesus. And we shouldn't be afraid to ask our questions. You know, some would

00:30:12.440 --> 00:30:18.279
 have looked at Thomas and said, what a stupid question to ask. Why are you asking that of Jesus?

00:30:18.820 --> 00:30:24.860
 Other disciples who were with him at this time would have probably frowned upon him. And yet, as Jesus

00:30:24.860 --> 00:30:29.440
 gives the explanation, the answer to his question, they wouldn't have been frowning. They'd have been

00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:37.580
 marveling at the answer that he gives and realizing they didn't know the answer. They didn't understand

00:30:37.579 --> 00:30:45.500
 the answer that he gave. They didn't know the way until Jesus explained it to them in this wonderful

00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:52.579
 way. And so it can often be the case for ourselves. We think someone asks a question, what a silly

00:30:52.579 --> 00:30:57.879
 question to ask. But then we hear an answer given and it wasn't the answer we had in mind.

00:30:58.599 --> 00:31:04.460
 And we begin to realize how silly we can be at times to think of questions as unimportant.

00:31:04.460 --> 00:31:11.799
 They help us to understand more and more. And that's what Jesus is doing here with his disciples

00:31:11.799 --> 00:31:18.779
 here in chapter 14. He is gathered with his disciples. Such a well-known passage to many of us,

00:31:18.840 --> 00:31:25.720
 I'm sure. But here is Jesus not long before he is going to go to the cross. He's gathered with his

00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:32.660
 disciples in this place in the upper room, as it's called. They've been having a meal together.

00:31:32.660 --> 00:31:39.580
 He's been explaining what lies ahead of them. He's been telling how one is to betray him and all that

00:31:39.580 --> 00:31:44.960
 lies ahead of the cross. And they're astonished by what they're hearing. And they've got all these

00:31:44.960 --> 00:31:51.500
 questions buzzing around in their heads. And Jesus begins this chapter 14 by saying,

00:31:51.660 --> 00:31:59.440
 let not your hearts be troubled. He calms them. And that's so often what Jesus does for us. He calms us.

00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:07.660
 And especially as we come to consider what he has to say to us and what he had to say to the disciples,

00:32:07.660 --> 00:32:15.480
 he is speaking to ourselves as well. And you see the disciples, you think, they must have understood

00:32:15.480 --> 00:32:21.820
 all about Jesus. They must have understood everything that he was going to do and all that lay ahead for

00:32:21.819 --> 00:32:30.359
 them. We think that of others ourselves, others who are maybe more mature Christians. Oh, they must know all the

00:32:30.359 --> 00:32:40.299
 answers. We don't. They don't. The disciples didn't have all the answers. You see that in the questions that they ask

00:32:40.299 --> 00:32:50.240
 here. But through asking these questions, Jesus gives them these answers, answers that help them

00:32:50.240 --> 00:33:00.099
 to understand life's big questions, to understand more of what life entails. And Thomas's question here

00:33:00.099 --> 00:33:06.579
 in verse 5 is not a silly question. It's such an important question. It's a question we're going to think

00:33:06.579 --> 00:33:15.899
 about how Jesus answers it this evening. In verse 5, Thomas said, Lord, we do not know where you are going.

00:33:16.119 --> 00:33:26.199
 How can we know the way? There's so much in the question and there's so much in the answer that Jesus gives.

00:33:26.200 --> 00:33:36.400
 Jesus is the answer here. And what's important is that the question was asked. And that's what's

00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:43.880
 important for ourselves as well, to ask the questions that lead us to further understand ourselves and the

00:33:43.880 --> 00:33:51.240
 gospel, who God is, that he is real, what he has done for us in giving his son. And even as you read on

00:33:51.240 --> 00:33:56.559
 here, the great promise, as we were looking at last week, not in this passage, but elsewhere, we were

00:33:56.559 --> 00:34:03.839
 thinking about God with us always. How he has promised never to leave us or forsake us. You have the promise

00:34:03.839 --> 00:34:11.920
 of the helper, the Holy Spirit, in these verses that we read too. And it is through that that we want to

00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:20.739
 come together and explore these questions and to think of, well, my heart maybe feels troubled. I'm anxious.

00:34:20.739 --> 00:34:26.619
 I'm worried with all that's happening in this world. It feels like we're in a storm at sea.

00:34:27.439 --> 00:34:34.439
 No direction, no help, fearful of what lies ahead. But what you see on the front of this question of

00:34:34.439 --> 00:34:43.059
 the leaflet, there's a light, there's a beacon, there's a place. And it ties in with what we have

00:34:43.059 --> 00:34:54.500
 here in the gospel of John chapter 14. Jesus' response says, I am. I am the way, the truth,

00:34:54.699 --> 00:35:00.259
 and the life. And this is so often in the gospel of John how Jesus answers the big questions.

00:35:01.059 --> 00:35:06.860
 The text on the front of the leaflet is from John as well. John 8 verse 12, Jesus said,

00:35:06.860 --> 00:35:17.039
 I am the light of the world. Jesus the answer, but what's the question? Well, through asking questions,

00:35:17.340 --> 00:35:26.700
 we see Jesus explain just who he is and the importance of looking to him. And his response

00:35:26.700 --> 00:35:34.099
 to Thomas' question gives us three things just to briefly look at this evening. And it reminds us of

00:35:34.099 --> 00:35:42.099
 the power of questions, the power that there is in questions. And really behind Jesus' response,

00:35:42.799 --> 00:35:50.259
 where he says, I am the way, the truth, and the life, is an answer to Thomas that is an answer to us all,

00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:59.360
 where we ask, well, what is life about? How do we get direction? Where do we go in life? And the answer

00:35:59.360 --> 00:36:07.920
 really gets to the heart of three questions that we can all have. And Thomas' question makes us think

00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:16.620
 about this. It stimulates our thinking. Like Thomas, he's saying, how can we know the way? It's that

00:36:16.620 --> 00:36:23.940
 question we so often have ourselves. How can we find our way in this life? Well, Jesus' response

00:36:23.940 --> 00:36:32.340
 shows us. It makes us think, well, what are we asking? What do I have to do in this life? What

00:36:32.340 --> 00:36:39.400
 can I change in myself to give me hope? What needs does this world have when we see the chaos that

00:36:39.400 --> 00:36:49.179
 surround us? The first answer that Jesus gives us, he says, I am the way. And really that's answering a

00:36:49.179 --> 00:36:58.980
 burning question in our hearts so often. How can I be saved? How can I be saved? Can I be saved?

00:36:59.019 --> 00:37:05.219
 Is one of the questions there on the front of the leaflet. Well, behind Thomas' question is,

00:37:05.299 --> 00:37:12.259
 how can we be saved? How can we be saved? And it's a question I'm sure many of us have. If we don't,

00:37:12.260 --> 00:37:21.860
 is a question we should have. Because the gospel is about salvation. Jesus came to seek and to save

00:37:21.860 --> 00:37:39.160
 sinners. So how can I be saved? Well, Jesus says, I am the way. I am the way. The answer is Jesus.

00:37:39.159 --> 00:37:49.179
 How can I be saved? I am the way. Since the days of Adam and Eve, when sin came into this world,

00:37:50.139 --> 00:37:57.480
 people have been struggling to find their way. You find it throughout the Old Testament and the New

00:37:57.480 --> 00:38:03.960
 Testament. You find it in every generation of life. You find it in our own generation so much today,

00:38:03.960 --> 00:38:11.720
 where we're going off in different directions, trying every new thing once again under the sun.

00:38:12.119 --> 00:38:18.280
 Things that the Bible already speaks about. Things that the Bible has told us already that there is

00:38:18.280 --> 00:38:24.400
 nothing new under the sun. We keep going through this cycle of thinking, we've got the answers.

00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:31.260
 We know what we need to do. We know the way we are to live. And that way is without God.

00:38:31.260 --> 00:38:40.740
 That's the answer. But Jesus says, no, it is not the answer. The answer is not pushing God's word out.

00:38:41.100 --> 00:38:48.080
 The answer is found in him. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

00:38:48.079 --> 00:38:59.840
 But everybody in this world has the answer. All of these questions on the front of the leaflet,

00:39:00.239 --> 00:39:08.860
 you'll answer in some way. Is God real? Well, your answer is only one of two things, yes or no.

00:39:08.860 --> 00:39:18.820
 Can I be saved? Maybe you're saying, I can't. I'm just too far gone. But the gospel is for hope.

00:39:19.220 --> 00:39:27.059
 It's saying you can. If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved. Jesus is the answer.

00:39:27.380 --> 00:39:35.880
 He is the way. And so often in our life, it comes down to these two ways of thinking.

00:39:35.880 --> 00:39:41.760
 Two ways that Jesus makes so clear in the gospels for us again and again.

00:39:42.940 --> 00:39:46.380
 In Matthew 7, verse 13, Jesus says,

00:39:46.880 --> 00:39:52.140
 Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction.

00:39:52.740 --> 00:39:54.780
 And those who enter it are many.

00:39:55.619 --> 00:39:58.740
 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life.

00:39:59.300 --> 00:40:02.380
 And those who find it are few.

00:40:02.380 --> 00:40:04.640
 He says there's two ways.

00:40:05.519 --> 00:40:06.760
 Which way are you going to go?

00:40:06.840 --> 00:40:09.240
 How are you going to answer these big questions in life?

00:40:09.280 --> 00:40:10.700
 Are you going to say, is God real?

00:40:10.820 --> 00:40:12.920
 No, he's just a fairy tale. We don't need him.

00:40:13.539 --> 00:40:16.059
 Well, you're on the broad road that leads to destruction.

00:40:18.880 --> 00:40:20.320
 But there's a narrow way.

00:40:21.140 --> 00:40:23.519
 And the way of faith, the way of Jesus,

00:40:24.059 --> 00:40:25.579
 as we put our trust in him,

00:40:25.579 --> 00:40:26.980
 he is the way.

00:40:28.380 --> 00:40:31.340
 He is the only way to the Father.

00:40:33.860 --> 00:40:36.219
 There was a missionary who went to Africa

00:40:36.219 --> 00:40:38.980
 who told a story after coming back.

00:40:39.099 --> 00:40:39.559
 And he said,

00:40:40.340 --> 00:40:43.460
 it was the very early days of missionary going into parts of Africa.

00:40:44.019 --> 00:40:46.199
 He was telling how he had helpers to go with him,

00:40:46.279 --> 00:40:48.420
 going from village to village,

00:40:48.579 --> 00:40:49.539
 bringing the gospel.

00:40:49.679 --> 00:40:53.259
 But that they were going to this certain part of Africa.

00:40:53.260 --> 00:40:55.460
 He was journeying into the wilderness, as it were,

00:40:55.540 --> 00:40:57.780
 into the thick forest area

00:40:57.780 --> 00:41:00.260
 and struggling to find their way.

00:41:00.360 --> 00:41:01.440
 But they came to this village

00:41:01.440 --> 00:41:03.780
 and all of a sudden the helper she had said,

00:41:03.900 --> 00:41:04.980
 we're going no further.

00:41:05.940 --> 00:41:07.220
 We cannot go past this.

00:41:07.300 --> 00:41:08.200
 It's too dangerous.

00:41:08.660 --> 00:41:09.960
 We don't know where we're going.

00:41:10.060 --> 00:41:11.280
 We don't know what lies ahead.

00:41:11.340 --> 00:41:13.060
 We've just heard things to say

00:41:13.060 --> 00:41:15.860
 that there's trouble along that way.

00:41:16.700 --> 00:41:19.340
 But the missionary was determined to go on,

00:41:19.420 --> 00:41:21.900
 to reach to as many as he could with the gospel.

00:41:21.900 --> 00:41:24.519
 And he asked in the village that they'd stopped

00:41:24.519 --> 00:41:26.920
 and if there was anyone who could help him,

00:41:27.420 --> 00:41:31.160
 if there was anyone who could take him further into the jungle.

00:41:32.099 --> 00:41:35.599
 And the chief of that village summoned a man to come.

00:41:36.460 --> 00:41:38.539
 And the man came and he was tall.

00:41:39.099 --> 00:41:40.420
 He was full of scars.

00:41:41.119 --> 00:41:43.260
 He was carrying a large axe.

00:41:44.240 --> 00:41:45.639
 And they came to an agreement

00:41:45.639 --> 00:41:48.280
 that this man would go with the missionary,

00:41:48.420 --> 00:41:49.579
 that he would lead him on.

00:41:49.579 --> 00:41:52.460
 And the next morning they set off

00:41:52.460 --> 00:41:54.679
 and they carried on into the jungle.

00:41:55.460 --> 00:41:58.460
 And the way was becoming rougher and rougher

00:41:58.460 --> 00:41:59.639
 as they were going on.

00:42:00.119 --> 00:42:03.739
 There was almost no path at all that there seemed to be.

00:42:04.519 --> 00:42:06.099
 And eventually it came to the point

00:42:06.099 --> 00:42:06.900
 where the missionary said,

00:42:07.039 --> 00:42:07.579
 stop.

00:42:08.799 --> 00:42:10.519
 We can't go on.

00:42:11.079 --> 00:42:13.900
 Do you really know where we are going?

00:42:14.019 --> 00:42:16.000
 Do you know the way to where we are going?

00:42:16.000 --> 00:42:19.599
 And the man looked at the missionary and he said to him,

00:42:19.679 --> 00:42:22.699
 look, you see this axe in my hand.

00:42:22.780 --> 00:42:25.579
 You see the scars on my body.

00:42:26.639 --> 00:42:30.440
 With this axe, I made a trail from the village

00:42:30.440 --> 00:42:31.900
 to which we are going to.

00:42:32.440 --> 00:42:34.219
 I came from there

00:42:34.219 --> 00:42:37.300
 and these scars are from coming from there.

00:42:37.960 --> 00:42:39.900
 You ask if I know the way.

00:42:39.900 --> 00:42:43.519
 Before I came, there was no way, he said.

00:42:44.059 --> 00:42:45.039
 I am the way.

00:42:47.200 --> 00:42:51.519
 It reminds us of what Jesus has done for us.

00:42:52.519 --> 00:42:54.599
 How he came into this world

00:42:54.599 --> 00:42:56.700
 where there was no way for us

00:42:56.700 --> 00:42:58.519
 to get back to God.

00:42:58.780 --> 00:43:00.880
 Where we couldn't do it of ourselves.

00:43:01.700 --> 00:43:04.059
 But where we see that Jesus is the way.

00:43:04.059 --> 00:43:06.460
 We see it through the cross,

00:43:06.599 --> 00:43:09.619
 through his scars, as Isaiah describes it,

00:43:09.719 --> 00:43:11.820
 through his stripes, his wounds,

00:43:11.940 --> 00:43:12.659
 we are healed.

00:43:14.279 --> 00:43:16.440
 Through him, he is the way,

00:43:16.539 --> 00:43:17.320
 as he says here.

00:43:17.440 --> 00:43:19.259
 No one comes to the Father

00:43:19.259 --> 00:43:21.880
 except through me, except by me.

00:43:22.860 --> 00:43:25.279
 Jesus is the way.

00:43:27.320 --> 00:43:29.519
 Can we be saved?

00:43:29.519 --> 00:43:30.119
 Yes.

00:43:30.119 --> 00:43:30.719
 Yes.

00:43:31.780 --> 00:43:34.860
 If we believe in the one who is the way.

00:43:36.099 --> 00:43:37.940
 Let not your hearts be troubled.

00:43:38.179 --> 00:43:39.219
 Believe in God.

00:43:39.780 --> 00:43:42.780
 Believe also in me, he says.

00:43:44.300 --> 00:43:46.079
 But if we think of the way,

00:43:46.199 --> 00:43:47.800
 there's that second thing then.

00:43:48.639 --> 00:43:49.820
 When we think of Thomas

00:43:49.820 --> 00:43:52.280
 as being one of Jesus' disciples,

00:43:52.460 --> 00:43:54.639
 you'd think he'd be sure of things.

00:43:54.719 --> 00:43:56.420
 And yet what we see with Thomas

00:43:56.420 --> 00:43:58.239
 and with so many others in the scriptures

00:43:58.239 --> 00:43:59.579
 is this uncertainty,

00:43:59.779 --> 00:44:00.879
 this doubt,

00:44:01.059 --> 00:44:03.399
 this anxiety that so often comes in.

00:44:04.339 --> 00:44:06.239
 And how much they need comfort.

00:44:06.859 --> 00:44:10.039
 And how Jesus gives them comfort.

00:44:11.739 --> 00:44:14.759
 And when Thomas asks this question,

00:44:14.879 --> 00:44:17.959
 Lord, how can we know the way?

00:44:18.719 --> 00:44:20.059
 Behind that, as well as saying

00:44:20.059 --> 00:44:21.119
 how can we be saved,

00:44:21.199 --> 00:44:22.259
 is the second question.

00:44:22.839 --> 00:44:24.359
 How can we be sure?

00:44:25.619 --> 00:44:26.879
 How can we be certain?

00:44:28.239 --> 00:44:31.159
 And Jesus' answer tells us.

00:44:31.959 --> 00:44:33.639
 He is the truth.

00:44:35.199 --> 00:44:36.619
 I am the way.

00:44:37.399 --> 00:44:39.539
 I am the truth.

00:44:42.239 --> 00:44:44.579
 Truth, as we were hearing this morning,

00:44:44.679 --> 00:44:46.079
 is something that so often

00:44:46.079 --> 00:44:49.279
 is neglected and just cast away.

00:44:49.280 --> 00:44:53.720
 But we have the truth in the word of God.

00:44:55.000 --> 00:44:56.080
 And Jesus says,

00:44:56.300 --> 00:44:58.400
 I am the truth.

00:44:58.900 --> 00:45:00.160
 J.C. Ryle, interestingly,

00:45:00.320 --> 00:45:02.300
 put in one of his commentaries,

00:45:02.380 --> 00:45:02.700
 he said,

00:45:02.820 --> 00:45:04.900
 Believers are apt to say they know nothing

00:45:04.900 --> 00:45:07.640
 because they do not know everything.

00:45:08.920 --> 00:45:11.820
 Does that describe you this evening?

00:45:11.820 --> 00:45:15.059
 where you are afraid to say anything

00:45:15.059 --> 00:45:19.380
 about God's word or God's truth

00:45:19.380 --> 00:45:21.880
 because you don't know everything.

00:45:23.620 --> 00:45:25.660
 Believers are apt to say they know nothing

00:45:25.660 --> 00:45:28.360
 because they do not know everything.

00:45:28.360 --> 00:45:30.960
 We don't know everything.

00:45:31.840 --> 00:45:34.740
 But through exploring the questions

00:45:34.740 --> 00:45:36.059
 that we see before us,

00:45:36.559 --> 00:45:38.340
 we begin to learn more and more.

00:45:38.420 --> 00:45:40.559
 We realize we don't need to know everything.

00:45:40.640 --> 00:45:42.079
 We will never know everything.

00:45:42.760 --> 00:45:43.820
 But that in Jesus,

00:45:44.200 --> 00:45:45.440
 we have enough.

00:45:46.760 --> 00:45:47.340
 He says,

00:45:47.579 --> 00:45:49.720
 I am the truth.

00:45:51.039 --> 00:45:53.400
 And truth is a word often used

00:45:53.400 --> 00:45:56.160
 in the gospel of John.

00:45:57.079 --> 00:45:59.400
 Thomas came to know Jesus

00:45:59.400 --> 00:46:02.460
 because he came to see him as truth

00:46:02.460 --> 00:46:04.800
 and to know him as truth

00:46:04.800 --> 00:46:07.840
 in a world that was full of lies.

00:46:09.139 --> 00:46:11.740
 But not everyone received him as truth.

00:46:12.780 --> 00:46:14.180
 In John chapter 1,

00:46:14.240 --> 00:46:15.920
 it says he came to his own

00:46:15.920 --> 00:46:18.480
 and his own people did not receive him.

00:46:18.760 --> 00:46:19.720
 They didn't want him.

00:46:20.420 --> 00:46:21.300
 He was truth.

00:46:21.300 --> 00:46:24.180
 And yet they cast him out.

00:46:24.280 --> 00:46:27.400
 They were more settled in their darkness,

00:46:27.720 --> 00:46:29.060
 even though light had come,

00:46:29.160 --> 00:46:30.180
 the light of the world.

00:46:31.420 --> 00:46:34.100
 But in John chapter 1,

00:46:34.160 --> 00:46:36.220
 it goes on to say in verse 14,

00:46:36.320 --> 00:46:38.660
 the word became flesh and dwelt among us

00:46:38.660 --> 00:46:41.240
 and we have seen his glory,

00:46:41.400 --> 00:46:44.300
 glory as of the only Son from the Father,

00:46:44.500 --> 00:46:46.960
 full of grace and truth.

00:46:48.380 --> 00:46:49.660
 We have seen Jesus

00:46:49.659 --> 00:46:53.759
 and he is full of grace and truth

00:46:53.759 --> 00:46:56.639
 because he is truth.

00:46:58.920 --> 00:47:01.460
 But they wouldn't believe.

00:47:03.859 --> 00:47:06.159
 They weren't looking for him.

00:47:06.460 --> 00:47:07.420
 They were doubting him.

00:47:07.480 --> 00:47:09.039
 They were believing the Old Testament

00:47:09.039 --> 00:47:10.299
 so much that they were saying,

00:47:10.679 --> 00:47:11.759
 a Savior is coming,

00:47:11.839 --> 00:47:14.359
 but they couldn't believe that he was here.

00:47:15.960 --> 00:47:18.219
 And so many in life are looking for hope.

00:47:18.219 --> 00:47:19.359
 They're looking for the answers

00:47:19.359 --> 00:47:21.199
 to all the big questions,

00:47:21.319 --> 00:47:22.539
 but finding their answers

00:47:22.539 --> 00:47:24.519
 in all the wrong places.

00:47:27.480 --> 00:47:29.239
 All the wrong places.

00:47:30.279 --> 00:47:31.239
 And you see,

00:47:31.359 --> 00:47:33.500
 your world is full of lies.

00:47:34.699 --> 00:47:36.279
 And why is that?

00:47:36.280 --> 00:47:38.280
 Well,

00:47:38.360 --> 00:47:40.680
 because the father of lies,

00:47:40.740 --> 00:47:43.340
 as he's described in John's Gospel,

00:47:43.480 --> 00:47:44.040
 chapter 8,

00:47:44.120 --> 00:47:45.480
 the devil is prowling.

00:47:46.580 --> 00:47:48.080
 How it speaks of him

00:47:48.080 --> 00:47:53.480
 in John 8 is this way.

00:47:53.540 --> 00:47:54.260
 It speaks of the devil.

00:47:54.380 --> 00:47:56.260
 He was a murderer from the beginning

00:47:56.260 --> 00:47:58.620
 and has nothing to do with the truth

00:47:58.620 --> 00:48:00.420
 because there is no truth in him.

00:48:01.120 --> 00:48:02.019
 When he lies,

00:48:02.100 --> 00:48:03.700
 he speaks out of his own character

00:48:03.699 --> 00:48:04.779
 for he is a liar

00:48:04.779 --> 00:48:07.559
 and the father of lies.

00:48:09.079 --> 00:48:11.179
 The devil is at work

00:48:11.179 --> 00:48:14.039
 to take away all truth,

00:48:14.659 --> 00:48:16.980
 to convince us of what is a lie.

00:48:17.519 --> 00:48:19.039
 And the world in which we live

00:48:19.039 --> 00:48:22.279
 is more and more convinced by lies.

00:48:23.279 --> 00:48:24.839
 But we have truth.

00:48:25.719 --> 00:48:28.000
 And truth is found in Jesus.

00:48:28.000 --> 00:48:30.619
 In John 8,

00:48:30.679 --> 00:48:32.500
 again you go there in verse 31,

00:48:32.760 --> 00:48:34.159
 Jesus said to the Jews

00:48:34.159 --> 00:48:35.440
 who had believed in him,

00:48:35.880 --> 00:48:37.559
 if you abide in my word,

00:48:37.639 --> 00:48:39.159
 you are truly my disciples

00:48:39.159 --> 00:48:41.840
 and you will know the truth

00:48:41.840 --> 00:48:45.400
 and the truth will set you free.

00:48:47.440 --> 00:48:48.920
 We're looking for the answers

00:48:48.920 --> 00:48:51.179
 in this life that will set us free.

00:48:52.099 --> 00:48:53.099
 But they don't.

00:48:53.239 --> 00:48:55.380
 They merely hold us in chains.

00:48:55.380 --> 00:48:58.840
 But Jesus says,

00:48:59.160 --> 00:48:59.940
 I have truth.

00:49:00.140 --> 00:49:01.920
 I am the truth.

00:49:02.720 --> 00:49:06.320
 And this truth will set you free.

00:49:07.720 --> 00:49:10.619
 Why would we settle for lies?

00:49:12.380 --> 00:49:15.320
 Why would we be convinced by lies

00:49:15.320 --> 00:49:19.019
 when the truth is before us?

00:49:19.920 --> 00:49:22.320
 An interesting quote I read this week was,

00:49:22.320 --> 00:49:26.160
 if you believe the wrong gospel,

00:49:27.019 --> 00:49:29.019
 it doesn't matter how sincere

00:49:29.019 --> 00:49:30.740
 you are in your belief,

00:49:31.380 --> 00:49:34.620
 you are merely sincerely wrong.

00:49:36.260 --> 00:49:38.039
 And how easy it is

00:49:38.039 --> 00:49:39.180
 to be led astray

00:49:39.180 --> 00:49:40.480
 even by the gospel

00:49:40.480 --> 00:49:43.420
 when it's presented in the wrong way,

00:49:43.980 --> 00:49:46.440
 when it's presented as a lie.

00:49:46.440 --> 00:49:52.000
 You can be sincerely wrong.

00:49:53.059 --> 00:49:54.880
 But Jesus says,

00:49:55.500 --> 00:49:55.800
 come.

00:49:56.900 --> 00:49:58.099
 Come to me.

00:49:59.340 --> 00:50:00.460
 I am the way.

00:50:01.320 --> 00:50:03.400
 I am the truth.

00:50:04.460 --> 00:50:06.800
 There is truth in him.

00:50:08.139 --> 00:50:10.720
 So what do you believe

00:50:10.720 --> 00:50:12.079
 in this world?

00:50:12.079 --> 00:50:16.259
 John's gospel towards the end,

00:50:16.360 --> 00:50:16.719
 it says,

00:50:16.880 --> 00:50:17.619
 these were written

00:50:17.619 --> 00:50:18.840
 so that you might believe

00:50:18.840 --> 00:50:21.579
 that Jesus is the Christ,

00:50:22.099 --> 00:50:24.400
 the Son of God.

00:50:25.199 --> 00:50:26.759
 Is that what you believe?

00:50:27.360 --> 00:50:29.219
 Jesus is the Christ,

00:50:29.340 --> 00:50:29.819
 the Messiah,

00:50:29.960 --> 00:50:30.599
 the Savior,

00:50:31.779 --> 00:50:33.659
 the Son of God.

00:50:33.940 --> 00:50:35.380
 Do you believe it's real?

00:50:35.380 --> 00:50:37.820
 We must.

00:50:38.539 --> 00:50:40.460
 Because that is the truth

00:50:40.460 --> 00:50:41.840
 that he is.

00:50:43.000 --> 00:50:45.640
 He is the Son of God

00:50:45.640 --> 00:50:47.039
 who came to save us

00:50:47.039 --> 00:50:48.820
 from our sins.

00:50:50.059 --> 00:50:52.579
 The final thing we see here too

00:50:52.579 --> 00:50:54.619
 is Jesus' response

00:50:54.619 --> 00:50:57.160
 says that he is the life.

00:50:59.500 --> 00:51:01.280
 And what's behind that?

00:51:02.000 --> 00:51:04.140
 Again, it comes to Thomas' question,

00:51:04.139 --> 00:51:06.379
 how can we know the way?

00:51:07.559 --> 00:51:08.980
 How can I be saved?

00:51:09.039 --> 00:51:09.920
 Was the first one.

00:51:10.400 --> 00:51:11.779
 How can I be sure

00:51:11.779 --> 00:51:13.219
 we have the way

00:51:13.219 --> 00:51:14.639
 and the truth?

00:51:16.179 --> 00:51:18.879
 How can my life be full?

00:51:20.139 --> 00:51:22.239
 How can my life go on?

00:51:23.139 --> 00:51:24.679
 Because Jesus says,

00:51:25.139 --> 00:51:27.980
 I am the life.

00:51:29.259 --> 00:51:29.839
 And again,

00:51:29.940 --> 00:51:30.980
 this is something

00:51:30.980 --> 00:51:32.500
 that we find so often

00:51:32.500 --> 00:51:34.679
 throughout the Gospel of John,

00:51:34.760 --> 00:51:36.440
 the theme of life.

00:51:37.539 --> 00:51:38.480
 Jesus came

00:51:38.480 --> 00:51:40.360
 that we might have life

00:51:40.360 --> 00:51:41.900
 and have it to the full,

00:51:42.300 --> 00:51:43.059
 he says.

00:51:43.559 --> 00:51:44.820
 But what is life

00:51:44.820 --> 00:51:45.820
 to the full?

00:51:46.360 --> 00:51:47.579
 Do you have life

00:51:47.579 --> 00:51:48.179
 to the full

00:51:48.179 --> 00:51:48.740
 or life

00:51:48.740 --> 00:51:49.960
 to the max?

00:51:50.880 --> 00:51:51.579
 So often,

00:51:51.699 --> 00:51:52.740
 people are looking for

00:51:52.740 --> 00:51:53.440
 in this world,

00:51:53.500 --> 00:51:54.199
 I want to live

00:51:54.199 --> 00:51:55.719
 life to the full.

00:51:57.019 --> 00:51:57.920
 Maybe some of you

00:51:57.920 --> 00:51:59.219
 will remember back in the,

00:51:59.219 --> 00:52:01.459
 I think it was the early 90s,

00:52:02.019 --> 00:52:03.980
 as is the case today,

00:52:04.099 --> 00:52:05.679
 there were advertising

00:52:05.679 --> 00:52:07.319
 so many different things

00:52:07.319 --> 00:52:08.599
 and you'd be watching television

00:52:08.599 --> 00:52:10.539
 and the adverts would come on

00:52:10.539 --> 00:52:11.299
 and there was an advert

00:52:11.299 --> 00:52:12.500
 for a new drink

00:52:12.500 --> 00:52:13.179
 that Pepsi

00:52:13.179 --> 00:52:14.739
 were bringing out,

00:52:15.299 --> 00:52:16.059
 Pepsi Max.

00:52:18.139 --> 00:52:19.559
 And the theme

00:52:19.559 --> 00:52:20.679
 of this advert

00:52:20.679 --> 00:52:21.559
 was that there were

00:52:21.559 --> 00:52:22.439
 so many people

00:52:22.439 --> 00:52:23.239
 looking for all

00:52:23.239 --> 00:52:24.839
 the thrills in life,

00:52:24.939 --> 00:52:26.459
 the adrenaline rushes.

00:52:26.460 --> 00:52:28.659
 They were canoeing

00:52:28.659 --> 00:52:29.579
 down rapids,

00:52:29.679 --> 00:52:30.440
 they were jumping

00:52:30.440 --> 00:52:31.639
 off cliff edges,

00:52:31.740 --> 00:52:32.619
 it was all of these

00:52:32.619 --> 00:52:34.119
 activities that they were doing

00:52:34.119 --> 00:52:35.599
 to try and find

00:52:35.599 --> 00:52:37.280
 life to the max.

00:52:38.880 --> 00:52:39.800
 And Pepsi

00:52:39.800 --> 00:52:40.380
 were saying

00:52:40.380 --> 00:52:41.199
 to know life

00:52:41.199 --> 00:52:42.079
 to the max

00:52:42.079 --> 00:52:42.720
 is to drink

00:52:42.720 --> 00:52:43.900
 Pepsi Max.

00:52:45.039 --> 00:52:46.119
 Live life

00:52:46.119 --> 00:52:47.280
 to the full,

00:52:47.659 --> 00:52:48.619
 it was saying.

00:52:48.619 --> 00:52:59.359
 life to the max.

00:52:59.359 --> 00:53:00.239
 And if you were to say

00:53:00.239 --> 00:53:00.980
 to people,

00:53:01.659 --> 00:53:02.880
 life to the full,

00:53:03.359 --> 00:53:04.579
 living life to the max

00:53:04.579 --> 00:53:06.019
 is found in Jesus,

00:53:07.019 --> 00:53:08.779
 what would their response be?

00:53:09.900 --> 00:53:11.339
 More often than not,

00:53:11.460 --> 00:53:13.139
 just laugh in your face.

00:53:13.139 --> 00:53:15.319
 And yet if you're

00:53:15.319 --> 00:53:16.619
 a Christian here,

00:53:18.259 --> 00:53:19.980
 do you not seek God

00:53:19.980 --> 00:53:21.339
 in that way?

00:53:22.460 --> 00:53:23.480
 To know life

00:53:23.480 --> 00:53:24.799
 to the max,

00:53:25.500 --> 00:53:27.299
 life to the full,

00:53:27.379 --> 00:53:28.159
 because that is why

00:53:28.159 --> 00:53:29.219
 Jesus came.

00:53:30.460 --> 00:53:31.079
 And when you look

00:53:31.079 --> 00:53:31.819
 in the scriptures,

00:53:32.019 --> 00:53:32.900
 what do you find

00:53:32.900 --> 00:53:34.039
 with God's people?

00:53:35.019 --> 00:53:36.199
 They lived life

00:53:36.199 --> 00:53:37.359
 to the full.

00:53:38.319 --> 00:53:38.759
 Yes,

00:53:39.019 --> 00:53:40.699
 in all their different ways,

00:53:40.799 --> 00:53:41.539
 just like us,

00:53:41.679 --> 00:53:42.719
 so many faults,

00:53:42.719 --> 00:53:43.859
 so many mistakes

00:53:43.859 --> 00:53:44.719
 along the way.

00:53:45.839 --> 00:53:46.980
 But they lived it

00:53:46.980 --> 00:53:48.039
 for God.

00:53:48.119 --> 00:53:49.159
 You think of Moses,

00:53:49.339 --> 00:53:50.299
 how many mistakes

00:53:50.299 --> 00:53:51.679
 he made in his life.

00:53:52.579 --> 00:53:53.599
 And yet he lived life

00:53:53.599 --> 00:53:54.419
 to the full,

00:53:54.919 --> 00:53:56.039
 leading the children

00:53:56.039 --> 00:53:56.639
 of Israel

00:53:56.639 --> 00:53:57.639
 through the wilderness

00:53:57.639 --> 00:53:58.980
 for 40 years.

00:54:00.079 --> 00:54:01.079
 You think of David

00:54:01.079 --> 00:54:02.759
 faced up to Goliath.

00:54:03.219 --> 00:54:04.159
 Think of Jonah

00:54:04.159 --> 00:54:06.879
 who went on the run

00:54:06.879 --> 00:54:07.500
 from God

00:54:07.500 --> 00:54:08.079
 and ended up

00:54:08.079 --> 00:54:09.359
 in the belly of a fish.

00:54:10.159 --> 00:54:10.980
 Think of Paul

00:54:10.980 --> 00:54:12.019
 and his disciples,

00:54:12.019 --> 00:54:13.000
 with him

00:54:13.000 --> 00:54:13.780
 who traveled

00:54:13.780 --> 00:54:14.480
 around so many

00:54:14.480 --> 00:54:15.460
 different places

00:54:15.460 --> 00:54:17.119
 through storms,

00:54:17.300 --> 00:54:18.039
 imprisonments,

00:54:18.099 --> 00:54:19.119
 all of these things.

00:54:19.259 --> 00:54:20.659
 You think of God's people

00:54:20.659 --> 00:54:22.079
 who live today

00:54:22.079 --> 00:54:23.099
 in so many different

00:54:23.099 --> 00:54:24.039
 situations,

00:54:24.659 --> 00:54:25.159
 persecution

00:54:25.159 --> 00:54:26.420
 and fear

00:54:26.420 --> 00:54:27.599
 and all of these things.

00:54:27.699 --> 00:54:28.039
 And yet,

00:54:28.480 --> 00:54:29.340
 if you ask them

00:54:29.340 --> 00:54:30.800
 if life is dull

00:54:30.800 --> 00:54:31.719
 as a Christian,

00:54:32.019 --> 00:54:32.259
 no,

00:54:33.119 --> 00:54:34.239
 it's not.

00:54:35.079 --> 00:54:36.340
 Life as a Christian

00:54:36.340 --> 00:54:37.780
 is life to the full.

00:54:38.840 --> 00:54:39.780
 Life full

00:54:39.780 --> 00:54:40.860
 and life

00:54:40.860 --> 00:54:41.560
 with hope

00:54:41.560 --> 00:54:42.500
 for eternity

00:54:42.500 --> 00:54:43.240
 as well

00:54:43.240 --> 00:54:44.480
 as he's preaching

00:54:44.480 --> 00:54:45.720
 in this passage.

00:54:45.840 --> 00:54:46.980
 Let not your hearts

00:54:46.980 --> 00:54:47.580
 be troubled.

00:54:47.840 --> 00:54:49.040
 Believe in God.

00:54:49.180 --> 00:54:50.400
 Believe also in me.

00:54:50.460 --> 00:54:51.540
 He's going to prepare

00:54:51.540 --> 00:54:52.620
 a place

00:54:52.620 --> 00:54:53.920
 for his people.

00:54:54.180 --> 00:54:55.660
 And he's going to come again

00:54:55.660 --> 00:54:56.560
 to take us

00:54:56.560 --> 00:54:57.280
 to be with him.

00:54:57.340 --> 00:54:57.880
 And that's where

00:54:57.880 --> 00:54:59.100
 Thomas' question

00:54:59.100 --> 00:54:59.920
 comes from.

00:55:00.620 --> 00:55:01.580
 We don't know

00:55:01.580 --> 00:55:02.620
 the way.

00:55:02.619 --> 00:55:04.219
 We don't know

00:55:04.219 --> 00:55:05.319
 the way to life,

00:55:05.500 --> 00:55:06.400
 to the full life,

00:55:06.420 --> 00:55:07.339
 to the max

00:55:07.339 --> 00:55:09.859
 while it's in Jesus.

00:55:11.339 --> 00:55:12.500
 He is the way

00:55:12.500 --> 00:55:13.859
 and the truth

00:55:13.859 --> 00:55:15.259
 and the life.

00:55:16.639 --> 00:55:18.079
 And how do we live

00:55:18.079 --> 00:55:19.500
 this life?

00:55:20.339 --> 00:55:21.699
 We live it by faith.

00:55:21.819 --> 00:55:23.039
 We believe in God

00:55:23.039 --> 00:55:24.259
 that he is real.

00:55:24.859 --> 00:55:25.699
 We believe

00:55:25.699 --> 00:55:27.039
 that he gives life

00:55:27.039 --> 00:55:28.559
 in the midst of death.

00:55:29.279 --> 00:55:30.039
 We believe

00:55:30.039 --> 00:55:31.480
 that we can be saved.

00:55:31.480 --> 00:55:33.320
 We know that God

00:55:33.320 --> 00:55:34.000
 knows us

00:55:34.000 --> 00:55:35.320
 in all our different needs

00:55:35.320 --> 00:55:36.139
 and yet he says,

00:55:36.579 --> 00:55:38.179
 come and follow me.

00:55:39.420 --> 00:55:40.659
 And what does that entail?

00:55:40.740 --> 00:55:41.340
 It entails

00:55:41.340 --> 00:55:42.820
 taking up our cross

00:55:42.820 --> 00:55:44.840
 and following him.

00:55:45.240 --> 00:55:46.179
 In Luke 9,

00:55:46.280 --> 00:55:47.340
 he said to all,

00:55:47.400 --> 00:55:48.179
 if anyone would come

00:55:48.179 --> 00:55:48.920
 after me,

00:55:49.260 --> 00:55:50.420
 let him deny himself

00:55:50.420 --> 00:55:51.780
 and take up his cross

00:55:51.780 --> 00:55:53.119
 daily and follow me

00:55:53.119 --> 00:55:53.840
 for whoever

00:55:53.840 --> 00:55:55.679
 would save his life

00:55:55.679 --> 00:55:56.579
 will lose it.

00:55:57.179 --> 00:55:57.860
 But whoever

00:55:57.860 --> 00:55:59.000
 loses his life

00:55:59.000 --> 00:56:00.039
 for my sake

00:56:00.039 --> 00:56:01.460
 will save it.

00:56:01.480 --> 00:56:03.099
 in him

00:56:03.099 --> 00:56:05.199
 we have life

00:56:05.199 --> 00:56:06.760
 and life

00:56:06.760 --> 00:56:08.420
 to the full.

00:56:09.360 --> 00:56:10.420
 I have come

00:56:10.420 --> 00:56:11.639
 that they might have life

00:56:11.639 --> 00:56:13.480
 and have it

00:56:13.480 --> 00:56:15.079
 abundantly.

00:56:16.519 --> 00:56:16.900
 Jesus

00:56:16.900 --> 00:56:18.940
 is the answer.

00:56:20.400 --> 00:56:22.059
 And what's the questions

00:56:22.059 --> 00:56:23.019
 that we are asking

00:56:23.019 --> 00:56:24.139
 of him?

00:56:24.260 --> 00:56:25.159
 What are the answers

00:56:25.159 --> 00:56:26.780
 that we are giving?

00:56:26.780 --> 00:56:29.240
 so many of our own answers,

00:56:30.060 --> 00:56:31.420
 they'll still have a doubt,

00:56:31.519 --> 00:56:33.000
 there'll be a question mark

00:56:33.000 --> 00:56:33.960
 after them.

00:56:34.920 --> 00:56:36.280
 But somebody once said,

00:56:36.380 --> 00:56:37.340
 where God places

00:56:37.340 --> 00:56:38.840
 a full stop,

00:56:39.400 --> 00:56:40.580
 let no man

00:56:40.580 --> 00:56:42.540
 put a question mark.

00:56:43.720 --> 00:56:45.180
 And what we have here

00:56:45.180 --> 00:56:46.840
 is an answer

00:56:46.840 --> 00:56:48.280
 with a full stop.

00:56:48.280 --> 00:56:50.340
 Thomas is saying,

00:56:50.400 --> 00:56:51.080
 I don't know

00:56:51.080 --> 00:56:51.860
 the way.

00:56:51.960 --> 00:56:52.780
 We don't know

00:56:52.780 --> 00:56:53.400
 the way.

00:56:54.200 --> 00:56:55.019
 But Jesus says,

00:56:55.340 --> 00:56:56.820
 I am the way

00:56:56.820 --> 00:56:58.100
 and the truth

00:56:58.100 --> 00:56:59.580
 and the life.

00:57:00.100 --> 00:57:00.960
 Full stop.

00:57:02.240 --> 00:57:03.480
 It is all

00:57:03.480 --> 00:57:04.880
 in Jesus.

00:57:06.500 --> 00:57:07.100
 Comfort,

00:57:07.240 --> 00:57:08.040
 real comfort

00:57:08.040 --> 00:57:08.800
 is found

00:57:08.800 --> 00:57:10.000
 in asking

00:57:10.000 --> 00:57:11.740
 the right questions

00:57:11.740 --> 00:57:12.560
 about Jesus

00:57:12.560 --> 00:57:13.180
 and seeing

00:57:13.180 --> 00:57:14.100
 how Jesus

00:57:14.100 --> 00:57:14.740
 is

00:57:14.740 --> 00:57:15.900
 the answer.

00:57:15.900 --> 00:57:18.059
 Thomas is asking,

00:57:18.220 --> 00:57:19.360
 how can I be saved?

00:57:20.300 --> 00:57:21.019
 Jesus says,

00:57:21.079 --> 00:57:21.860
 I am the way.

00:57:23.000 --> 00:57:23.800
 Thomas is asking,

00:57:23.940 --> 00:57:25.059
 how can I be sure?

00:57:26.139 --> 00:57:26.720
 Jesus is saying,

00:57:26.800 --> 00:57:27.840
 I am the truth.

00:57:29.460 --> 00:57:30.380
 Thomas is asking,

00:57:30.500 --> 00:57:31.460
 how can my life

00:57:31.460 --> 00:57:32.500
 be full now

00:57:32.500 --> 00:57:34.039
 and for eternity?

00:57:34.780 --> 00:57:35.380
 Jesus says,

00:57:35.500 --> 00:57:37.340
 I am the life.

00:57:39.059 --> 00:57:39.900
 Let's come

00:57:39.900 --> 00:57:41.440
 and explore

00:57:41.440 --> 00:57:42.860
 life's big questions.

00:57:42.860 --> 00:57:43.660
 Let's come

00:57:43.660 --> 00:57:44.280
 and look

00:57:44.280 --> 00:57:45.900
 into God's word

00:57:45.900 --> 00:57:46.760
 and by the power

00:57:46.760 --> 00:57:47.680
 of God's spirit

00:57:47.680 --> 00:57:48.740
 know more

00:57:48.740 --> 00:57:49.380
 of Jesus

00:57:49.380 --> 00:57:50.720
 as the answer

00:57:50.720 --> 00:57:52.060
 to these questions

00:57:52.060 --> 00:57:53.700
 that we might

00:57:53.700 --> 00:57:54.540
 find in him

00:57:54.540 --> 00:57:55.120
 the one

00:57:55.120 --> 00:57:56.100
 who is

00:57:56.100 --> 00:57:56.740
 the way,

00:57:57.400 --> 00:57:58.080
 the truth

00:57:58.080 --> 00:57:59.600
 and the life

00:57:59.600 --> 00:58:00.760
 and live life

00:58:00.760 --> 00:58:02.120
 to the full

00:58:02.120 --> 00:58:03.519
 through him.

00:58:04.820 --> 00:58:05.200
 Amen.

00:58:05.320 --> 00:58:06.100
 May God bless

00:58:06.100 --> 00:58:07.460
 these thoughts

00:58:07.460 --> 00:58:08.700
 to us.

00:58:08.820 --> 00:58:09.320
 We're going to

00:58:09.320 --> 00:58:09.840
 conclude

00:58:09.840 --> 00:58:10.480
 by singing

00:58:10.480 --> 00:58:12.440
 to God's praise

00:58:12.440 --> 00:58:14.019
 in Psalm 73.

00:58:15.760 --> 00:58:16.820
 Psalm 73,

00:58:16.960 --> 00:58:18.019
 the Scottish Psalter

00:58:18.019 --> 00:58:18.420
 version,

00:58:18.659 --> 00:58:20.340
 page 316,

00:58:21.659 --> 00:58:25.920
 verse 23 to 25,

00:58:26.059 --> 00:58:27.360
 these three stanzas.

00:58:28.260 --> 00:58:29.400
 Psalm 73

00:58:29.400 --> 00:58:30.980
 at verse 23,

00:58:30.980 --> 00:58:31.500
 Nevertheless,

00:58:32.200 --> 00:58:32.760
 continually,

00:58:32.960 --> 00:58:33.320
 O Lord,

00:58:33.420 --> 00:58:34.340
 I am with thee.

00:58:34.700 --> 00:58:35.960
 Thou dost me hold

00:58:35.960 --> 00:58:37.200
 by my right hand

00:58:37.200 --> 00:58:37.960
 and still

00:58:37.960 --> 00:58:39.619
 upholdest me.

00:58:39.619 --> 00:58:40.420
 whom have I

00:58:40.420 --> 00:58:41.099
 in the heavens

00:58:41.099 --> 00:58:41.519
 high,

00:58:41.599 --> 00:58:42.059
 but thee,

00:58:42.519 --> 00:58:43.039
 O Lord,

00:58:43.139 --> 00:58:43.539
 alone,

00:58:43.960 --> 00:58:44.940
 and in the earth

00:58:44.940 --> 00:58:45.980
 whom I desire

00:58:45.980 --> 00:58:47.159
 besides thee,

00:58:47.619 --> 00:58:48.440
 there is none.

00:58:48.519 --> 00:58:48.819
 We'll sing

00:58:48.819 --> 00:58:50.099
 these three stanzas

00:58:50.099 --> 00:58:51.279
 to God's praise.

00:58:51.500 --> 00:58:52.819
 We'll stand to sing.

00:58:52.820 --> 00:58:53.820
 Lord,

00:58:53.820 --> 00:58:54.820
 O Lord,

00:58:54.820 --> 00:59:12.460
 I am with thee.

00:59:12.460 --> 00:59:17.580
 Thou dost me hold

00:59:17.579 --> 00:59:22.099
 thy right hand

00:59:22.099 --> 00:59:23.579
 and still

00:59:23.579 --> 00:59:29.319
 thou holdest me.

00:59:29.319 --> 00:59:34.579
 Thou wilt thy counsel

00:59:34.579 --> 00:59:39.059
 while I live

00:59:39.059 --> 00:59:42.860
 wilt be long

00:59:42.860 --> 00:59:46.500
 of the night

00:59:46.500 --> 00:59:48.579
 and still

00:59:48.579 --> 00:59:52.340
 thy glory

00:59:52.340 --> 00:59:56.180
 after all

00:59:56.180 --> 00:59:59.860
 receive me

00:59:59.860 --> 01:00:02.900
 to abide.

01:00:02.900 --> 01:00:16.980
 thy para-

01:00:16.980 --> 01:00:18.019
 what

01:00:18.300 --> 01:00:19.440
 what

01:00:19.440 --> 01:00:21.420
 is

01:00:21.420 --> 01:00:23.300
 our

01:00:23.300 --> 01:00:25.260
 Christ

01:00:25.260 --> 01:00:28.660
 and still

01:00:28.659 --> 01:00:30.659
 is our

01:00:30.659 --> 01:00:32.059
 is

01:00:32.059 --> 01:00:32.659
 our

01:00:32.659 --> 01:00:34.659
 is

01:00:34.659 --> 01:00:36.659
 our

01:00:36.659 --> 01:00:38.659
 is

01:00:38.659 --> 01:00:40.659
 our

01:00:40.659 --> 01:00:42.599
 after the benediction I'll go to the main door

01:00:42.599 --> 01:00:43.980
 we'll close with the benediction

01:00:43.980 --> 01:00:46.440
 now may grace, mercy

01:00:46.440 --> 01:00:48.719
 and peace from God, Father

01:00:48.719 --> 01:00:50.819
 Son and Holy Spirit rest

01:00:50.819 --> 01:00:52.679
 upon and abide with

01:00:52.679 --> 01:00:54.460
 you all now and forevermore

01:00:54.460 --> 01:00:55.299
 Amen

01:00:58.659 --> 01:01:00.659
 Amen