WEBVTT 00:00:00.960 --> 00:00:07.060 Thank you very much for the welcome. It's good to be with you again to come before the Lord in worship. 00:00:07.240 --> 00:00:15.220 ! We're going to begin our time of worship by singing to the praise of God in the sing-salms and in Psalm 67. 00:00:15.780 --> 00:00:23.539 So Psalm 67, sing-salms. We'll sing the whole psalm there. We're going to sing to the tune-converse. 00:00:23.539 --> 00:00:29.619 So to the tune-converse, Psalm 67. 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:40.579 God, be merciful and bless us. Shine upon us with your face, that the earth may know your actions and all lands, your saving grace. 00:00:40.739 --> 00:00:45.780 O God, may the peoples praise you. May all people sing your praise. 00:00:45.780 --> 00:00:50.179 For you judge the nations justly, ruling over every race. 00:00:50.179 --> 00:00:56.219 May they sing with joy and gladness. May they all rejoice as one. 00:00:56.320 --> 00:01:02.280 And let us come before the Lord in that spirit as we come and worship, coming with joy and gladness. 00:01:02.460 --> 00:01:05.340 And not just our tongues, but our hearts. 00:01:05.460 --> 00:01:09.500 O God, may the people praise you as they all unite in song. 00:01:09.960 --> 00:01:12.060 Then, you have this great climax to the psalm. 00:01:12.120 --> 00:01:14.819 Then the land will yield its harvest. 00:01:14.819 --> 00:01:17.319 God will pour his gifts abroad. 00:01:17.879 --> 00:01:20.819 God, our God, will surely bless us. 00:01:21.319 --> 00:01:25.239 All the earth will fear our God. 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:27.759 And that is what we seek and that is what we pray for. 00:01:28.059 --> 00:01:31.839 And that's what we'll sing as we sing the whole of the psalm there, Psalm 67. 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:45.240 God, be merciful and bless us. 00:01:45.400 --> 00:01:51.180 Shine upon us with your face. 00:01:51.180 --> 00:02:11.740 O God, may the people praise you. 00:02:11.740 --> 00:02:18.500 May all people sing your praise. 00:02:18.500 --> 00:02:48.479 May all people sing your praise. 00:02:48.500 --> 00:02:54.060 God, may the people praise you. 00:02:54.060 --> 00:02:59.879 As they all unite in song. 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:07.639 Faith, the land will yield its harvest. 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:13.680 God will pour his gifts abroad. 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:17.620 Lord our God 00:03:17.620 --> 00:03:21.879 Lord surely bless us 00:03:21.879 --> 00:03:28.819 On the earth will fear our love 00:03:28.819 --> 00:03:33.439 We'll bow our heads now 00:03:33.439 --> 00:03:36.379 and we'll come before the Lord in prayer 00:03:36.379 --> 00:03:37.300 Let's pray 00:03:37.300 --> 00:03:41.280 Almighty God 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:43.640 We come even as we're singing there 00:03:43.640 --> 00:03:46.879 acknowledging you as the God of all mercy 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:48.460 and we do pray that we would know 00:03:48.460 --> 00:03:49.780 something of your mercy 00:03:49.780 --> 00:03:52.099 as we gather here today 00:03:52.099 --> 00:03:54.159 and as well as we sang there 00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:57.000 that you would indeed shine your face down upon us 00:03:57.000 --> 00:03:59.400 We have been blessed with the sun itself 00:03:59.400 --> 00:04:01.099 shining over recent days 00:04:01.099 --> 00:04:04.000 and as we gather together in this time of worship 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:06.699 we pray that it would indeed be your face 00:04:06.699 --> 00:04:09.039 that is shining down, blessing us 00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:13.419 We ask oh Lord that we would be very much aware of your presence with us 00:04:13.419 --> 00:04:17.920 be near to us as we seek to engage in this act of worship 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:22.680 as we seek to worship the one who has created this world 00:04:22.680 --> 00:04:25.579 created it in all its beauty 00:04:25.579 --> 00:04:30.599 and we have and we do see so much of that in these days 00:04:30.599 --> 00:04:32.899 and we ask oh Lord that you would open our eyes to that 00:04:32.899 --> 00:04:34.899 and help us to respond to these things 00:04:34.899 --> 00:04:36.839 with that spirit of adoration 00:04:36.839 --> 00:04:39.039 with that spirit of worship as well 00:04:39.039 --> 00:04:40.839 but we also look around us 00:04:40.839 --> 00:04:44.799 and we're acutely aware of the fact that this is no perfect creation 00:04:44.799 --> 00:04:47.219 that we live in a world that is broken 00:04:47.219 --> 00:04:49.039 a world that yes 00:04:49.039 --> 00:04:53.620 we still see the traces of the signature of the Almighty 00:04:53.620 --> 00:04:54.719 and what we see 00:04:54.719 --> 00:04:59.319 but yet we also see evidence of the handiwork of the enemy 00:04:59.319 --> 00:05:01.920 in the way in which we live in a fallen world 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:05.959 a world which sees sin all around us 00:05:05.959 --> 00:05:07.259 and indeed within us 00:05:07.259 --> 00:05:08.300 and as we come 00:05:08.300 --> 00:05:10.740 we come aware of that fact as well 00:05:10.740 --> 00:05:13.560 aware of the fact that we sin in thought 00:05:13.560 --> 00:05:15.759 in word and in deed 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:18.779 and even during the very act of worship itself 00:05:18.779 --> 00:05:22.659 we allow ourselves to fall into transgression and sin 00:05:22.659 --> 00:05:24.539 but we give thanks that we come 00:05:24.539 --> 00:05:25.259 as we said 00:05:25.259 --> 00:05:26.740 to one who is full of mercy 00:05:26.740 --> 00:05:31.759 and we come pleading the blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:35.240 asking O Lord that that blood would wash and cleanse 00:05:35.240 --> 00:05:37.920 that that blood would atone for our sins 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:41.840 and that even now that as we gather together just now 00:05:41.840 --> 00:05:45.180 as a congregation of fallen sinful people 00:05:45.180 --> 00:05:49.420 that our worship might be accepted to you 00:05:49.420 --> 00:05:53.660 through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ himself 00:05:53.660 --> 00:05:55.500 we ask that you would go before us 00:05:55.500 --> 00:05:58.600 as we continue in this time of worship 00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:01.380 help us to lift our hearts 00:06:01.380 --> 00:06:04.720 our voices in praise and in prayer 00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:06.300 and speak to us 00:06:06.300 --> 00:06:09.620 speak to us in the way in which only you can 00:06:09.620 --> 00:06:11.379 the God who knows all things 00:06:11.379 --> 00:06:13.600 the God who sees all things 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:16.640 the God who is also all powerful 00:06:16.640 --> 00:06:18.700 and able to save 00:06:18.699 --> 00:06:20.500 so continue with us now 00:06:20.500 --> 00:06:21.759 cleanse us we ask 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:24.120 and we ask it all for Jesus' sake 00:06:24.120 --> 00:06:25.240 Amen 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:27.199 Amen 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:29.959 Well just to speak to the young ones for a few moments 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:31.740 before you make your way out 00:06:31.740 --> 00:06:33.019 Now today 00:06:33.019 --> 00:06:36.319 I'm feeling a little bit sore 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:38.439 and especially my legs 00:06:38.439 --> 00:06:41.279 my legs are feeling a little bit sore today 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:42.620 and the reason for that 00:06:42.620 --> 00:06:44.659 is because probably like you 00:06:44.659 --> 00:06:46.980 I don't know if maybe some of you had your sports days already 00:06:46.980 --> 00:06:47.640 but in Harris 00:06:47.640 --> 00:06:49.720 it was the Harris Sports Day 00:06:49.720 --> 00:06:51.060 a couple of days ago 00:06:51.060 --> 00:06:52.140 and as you know as well 00:06:52.140 --> 00:06:53.439 remember during Sports Day 00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:55.500 you also have a parents race 00:06:55.500 --> 00:06:57.580 where the mothers will race 00:06:57.580 --> 00:06:59.240 and well down in Harris anyway 00:06:59.240 --> 00:07:00.040 the mothers had a race 00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:01.420 and the fathers had a race as well 00:07:01.420 --> 00:07:03.060 and I took part in the fathers race 00:07:03.060 --> 00:07:05.140 and it was chaos 00:07:05.140 --> 00:07:06.640 there was people falling 00:07:06.640 --> 00:07:07.740 and people tripping 00:07:07.740 --> 00:07:08.759 and people slipping 00:07:08.759 --> 00:07:10.180 but some of us 00:07:10.180 --> 00:07:13.460 thankfully we managed to get to the end 00:07:13.460 --> 00:07:15.120 we managed to finish that race 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:16.699 but after that race 00:07:16.699 --> 00:07:18.180 when I was thinking back about that race 00:07:18.180 --> 00:07:19.459 and feeling the pain in my legs 00:07:19.459 --> 00:07:20.720 the day after 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:21.600 and today as well 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:22.939 I was reminded of 00:07:22.939 --> 00:07:24.879 something the Bible tells us 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:26.480 about the Christian life 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:28.379 the way in which being a Christian 00:07:28.379 --> 00:07:31.180 is a wee bit like running in a race 00:07:31.180 --> 00:07:32.780 and the parents day race 00:07:32.780 --> 00:07:34.500 reminded me of this in different ways 00:07:34.500 --> 00:07:35.360 so for example 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:36.519 at the beginning of the race 00:07:36.519 --> 00:07:37.100 when I started 00:07:37.100 --> 00:07:39.420 when the race started 00:07:39.420 --> 00:07:40.480 and the person said go 00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:41.699 started running 00:07:41.699 --> 00:07:43.300 and you're feeling quite strong 00:07:43.300 --> 00:07:44.400 and you're feeling quite fast 00:07:44.400 --> 00:07:44.860 and you're thinking 00:07:44.860 --> 00:07:45.740 I can do this 00:07:45.740 --> 00:07:47.579 this seems pretty easy 00:07:47.579 --> 00:07:48.660 I've got lots of energy 00:07:48.660 --> 00:07:51.120 I think I'll definitely get to the finish line 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:53.300 and like a Christian 00:07:53.300 --> 00:07:54.579 sometimes when we begin 00:07:54.579 --> 00:07:55.600 in the Christian life 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:56.740 when we put our faith in Jesus 00:07:56.740 --> 00:07:57.759 at the beginning 00:07:57.759 --> 00:07:59.519 things can seem very easy 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:01.040 we can be full of energy 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:02.860 everything seems to be going well 00:08:02.860 --> 00:08:04.019 we can feel so strong 00:08:04.019 --> 00:08:04.960 and you're coming to church 00:08:04.960 --> 00:08:05.480 and praying 00:08:05.480 --> 00:08:05.920 and everything 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:06.600 so easy 00:08:06.600 --> 00:08:07.759 and we're so full of energy 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:08.759 but 00:08:08.759 --> 00:08:10.780 if I go back to the parents day race 00:08:10.779 --> 00:08:12.679 a little bit on into that race 00:08:12.679 --> 00:08:15.019 I wasn't quite feeling so good 00:08:15.019 --> 00:08:16.399 I was getting very tired 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:17.919 I was getting out of breath 00:08:17.919 --> 00:08:19.000 I was getting sore 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:19.719 and then that's when 00:08:19.719 --> 00:08:20.839 other people started 00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:22.099 falling around me as well 00:08:22.099 --> 00:08:23.099 and I was wondering 00:08:23.099 --> 00:08:25.319 am I even going to get to the end? 00:08:25.599 --> 00:08:26.959 Am I going to reach the end 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:28.279 of this race? 00:08:28.579 --> 00:08:29.159 And again 00:08:29.159 --> 00:08:30.519 if we think about the Christian life 00:08:30.519 --> 00:08:32.199 sometimes it can be like that as well 00:08:32.199 --> 00:08:33.740 so it might be easy at times 00:08:33.740 --> 00:08:35.000 or feel easy at times 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:36.100 but there's other times 00:08:36.100 --> 00:08:37.039 in the Christian life 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:37.779 when you know 00:08:37.779 --> 00:08:38.860 being a Christian is hard 00:08:38.860 --> 00:08:40.139 it's not always easy 00:08:40.139 --> 00:08:41.679 sometimes it can be quite hard 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:42.939 sometimes it can be hard 00:08:42.939 --> 00:08:45.220 to just keep going forward 00:08:45.220 --> 00:08:45.899 and to pray 00:08:45.899 --> 00:08:47.019 and to come to church 00:08:47.019 --> 00:08:47.980 and to live 00:08:47.980 --> 00:08:48.960 like a Christian 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:50.919 it's not always easy 00:08:50.919 --> 00:08:52.139 but thankfully 00:08:52.139 --> 00:08:53.399 when that's the case 00:08:53.399 --> 00:08:54.879 God is there helping us 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:56.179 because we run that race 00:08:56.179 --> 00:08:57.759 and we're looking to Jesus 00:08:57.759 --> 00:08:59.240 that's what the Bible tells us 00:08:59.240 --> 00:09:00.600 and we're being helped along 00:09:00.600 --> 00:09:01.259 by God 00:09:01.259 --> 00:09:01.879 by Jesus 00:09:01.879 --> 00:09:03.019 so even those times 00:09:03.019 --> 00:09:03.879 when being a Christian 00:09:03.879 --> 00:09:04.639 is quite hard 00:09:04.639 --> 00:09:06.039 maybe you get a hard time 00:09:06.039 --> 00:09:06.659 from friends 00:09:06.659 --> 00:09:07.559 or other people 00:09:07.559 --> 00:09:08.860 God is there to help us 00:09:08.860 --> 00:09:09.480 to keep going 00:09:09.480 --> 00:09:10.759 he's encouraging us 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:11.560 to keep running 00:09:11.560 --> 00:09:13.200 this race of faith 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:14.399 and to go back 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:15.279 to the parents day race 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:16.139 when I got through 00:09:16.139 --> 00:09:17.360 that difficult period 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:18.480 in the middle of the race 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:19.340 then I got to the end 00:09:19.340 --> 00:09:19.840 of the race 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:21.100 I managed to reach 00:09:21.100 --> 00:09:21.879 the finish line 00:09:21.879 --> 00:09:23.379 and I was very happy 00:09:23.379 --> 00:09:24.460 that I reached the finish line 00:09:24.460 --> 00:09:25.480 very relieved 00:09:25.480 --> 00:09:27.180 full of joy as well 00:09:27.180 --> 00:09:28.399 and when we think about 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:29.600 the Christian life 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:30.460 being a Christian 00:09:30.460 --> 00:09:32.039 what's the finish line 00:09:32.039 --> 00:09:33.519 for the Christians 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:34.700 the finish line 00:09:34.700 --> 00:09:35.360 for the Christians 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:36.480 is heaven itself 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:37.680 that's ultimately 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:39.319 where we're running to 00:09:39.319 --> 00:09:39.759 and that's 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:40.539 that's going to be 00:09:40.539 --> 00:09:41.699 a wonderful experience 00:09:41.699 --> 00:09:42.039 for us 00:09:42.039 --> 00:09:43.539 as we enter into heaven 00:09:43.539 --> 00:09:45.299 and cross that finish line 00:09:45.299 --> 00:09:46.179 as God's people 00:09:46.179 --> 00:09:47.199 and the thing is 00:09:47.199 --> 00:09:48.459 the Bible tells us 00:09:48.459 --> 00:09:49.579 that everyone 00:09:49.579 --> 00:09:50.439 who has their faith 00:09:50.439 --> 00:09:50.919 in Jesus 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:52.139 will make it 00:09:52.139 --> 00:09:52.899 to that finish line 00:09:52.899 --> 00:09:53.759 because some of the 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:54.599 parents on parents day 00:09:54.599 --> 00:09:55.159 didn't make it 00:09:55.159 --> 00:09:55.859 to the finish line 00:09:55.859 --> 00:09:57.179 but this race 00:09:57.179 --> 00:09:58.279 the spiritual race 00:09:58.279 --> 00:09:59.379 that we are on 00:09:59.379 --> 00:10:00.319 if our faith 00:10:00.319 --> 00:10:00.819 is in Jesus 00:10:00.819 --> 00:10:01.759 all of us 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:02.579 will absolutely 00:10:02.579 --> 00:10:03.719 make our way 00:10:03.719 --> 00:10:04.719 to the finish line 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:06.100 and the amazing thing 00:10:06.100 --> 00:10:06.820 as well is 00:10:06.820 --> 00:10:07.680 you know the races 00:10:07.680 --> 00:10:08.180 that you have 00:10:08.180 --> 00:10:08.860 in your sports day 00:10:08.860 --> 00:10:09.519 there's only one winner 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:10.480 there's only one 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:11.259 one winner 00:10:11.259 --> 00:10:12.139 only one person 00:10:12.139 --> 00:10:13.360 can get the prize 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:15.340 but in this spiritual race 00:10:15.340 --> 00:10:16.200 of the Christian life 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:17.279 everyone who puts 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:18.139 their faith in Christ 00:10:18.139 --> 00:10:19.600 everyone is brought 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:20.480 to that finish line 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:21.600 and everyone 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:23.019 receives that prize 00:10:23.019 --> 00:10:24.519 that crown of life 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:26.740 eternal life itself 00:10:26.740 --> 00:10:27.920 so you remember 00:10:27.920 --> 00:10:28.440 next time 00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:29.300 maybe you've not had 00:10:29.300 --> 00:10:30.320 your sports day yet 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:30.840 if you haven't 00:10:30.840 --> 00:10:31.279 when you're doing 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:31.680 your races 00:10:31.680 --> 00:10:32.139 you think 00:10:32.139 --> 00:10:33.000 the way in which 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:33.899 even racing 00:10:33.899 --> 00:10:35.159 can actually remind us 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:36.139 of what it's like 00:10:36.139 --> 00:10:36.759 to be a Christian 00:10:36.759 --> 00:10:38.279 sometimes it can feel easy 00:10:38.279 --> 00:10:39.299 it can be full of energy 00:10:39.299 --> 00:10:40.019 other times 00:10:40.019 --> 00:10:41.120 it can be hard 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:41.879 it can be a struggle 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:42.980 but at all times 00:10:42.980 --> 00:10:44.279 the Lord is helping us 00:10:44.279 --> 00:10:45.200 and for all 00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:46.440 who have faith in Christ 00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:47.700 we'll reach that end 00:10:47.700 --> 00:10:49.120 and we'll all receive 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:50.200 that prize 00:10:50.200 --> 00:10:51.580 of eternal life 00:10:51.580 --> 00:10:52.740 and the Lord Jesus Christ 00:10:52.740 --> 00:10:53.639 so you remember that 00:10:53.639 --> 00:10:54.899 next time 00:10:54.899 --> 00:10:56.539 when you're doing 00:10:56.539 --> 00:10:57.220 your races 00:10:57.220 --> 00:10:57.980 okay 00:10:57.980 --> 00:10:58.639 so I think 00:10:58.639 --> 00:10:59.200 at this point 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:00.220 we'll say 00:11:00.220 --> 00:11:01.120 that the Lord's 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:02.559 prayer together 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:02.859 okay 00:11:02.859 --> 00:11:03.359 so we'll say 00:11:03.359 --> 00:11:04.039 the Lord's prayer 00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:06.259 our Father 00:11:06.259 --> 00:11:08.099 which art in heaven 00:11:08.099 --> 00:11:10.699 hallowed be thy name 00:11:10.699 --> 00:11:12.959 thy kingdom come 00:11:12.959 --> 00:11:14.919 thy will be done 00:11:14.919 --> 00:11:15.639 on earth 00:11:15.639 --> 00:11:17.119 as it is in heaven 00:11:17.119 --> 00:11:19.059 give us this day 00:11:19.059 --> 00:11:20.459 our daily bread 00:11:20.459 --> 00:11:22.039 and forgive us 00:11:22.039 --> 00:11:22.939 our debts 00:11:22.939 --> 00:11:24.479 as we forgive 00:11:24.479 --> 00:11:25.599 our debtors 00:11:25.599 --> 00:11:26.779 and lead us 00:11:26.779 --> 00:11:28.259 not into temptation 00:11:28.259 --> 00:11:30.219 but deliver us 00:11:30.219 --> 00:11:31.099 from evil 00:11:31.100 --> 00:11:32.360 for thine 00:11:32.360 --> 00:11:33.300 is the kingdom 00:11:33.300 --> 00:11:34.440 the power 00:11:34.440 --> 00:11:35.680 and the glory 00:11:35.680 --> 00:11:36.500 forever 00:11:36.500 --> 00:11:37.759 amen 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:39.060 amen 00:11:39.060 --> 00:11:40.720 well we're going to 00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:42.139 sing again now 00:11:42.139 --> 00:11:42.980 to the praise 00:11:42.980 --> 00:11:43.759 of God 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:44.220 and this time 00:11:44.220 --> 00:11:44.700 we're going to sing 00:11:44.700 --> 00:11:46.420 in the Scottish Psalter 00:11:46.420 --> 00:11:47.980 so the Scottish Psalter 00:11:47.980 --> 00:11:49.440 version of 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:49.720 a 00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:50.320 Psalm 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:51.720 19 00:11:51.720 --> 00:11:53.600 Psalm 19 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:57.180 page 223 00:11:57.180 --> 00:11:58.659 and this is going 00:11:58.659 --> 00:11:59.139 to be to the tune 00:11:59.139 --> 00:11:59.600 Moravia 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:01.500 so Psalm 19 00:12:01.500 --> 00:12:03.580 and we're going 00:12:03.580 --> 00:12:03.980 to pick up 00:12:03.980 --> 00:12:04.659 from verse 7 00:12:04.659 --> 00:12:05.580 this is a Psalm 00:12:05.580 --> 00:12:07.000 yes I was referring 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:08.540 to in prayer 00:12:08.540 --> 00:12:09.200 this is a Psalm 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:09.980 where the 00:12:09.980 --> 00:12:10.620 the Psalmist 00:12:10.620 --> 00:12:11.620 initially is looking 00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:12.220 to creation 00:12:12.220 --> 00:12:12.899 looking around 00:12:12.899 --> 00:12:13.620 them at the wonder 00:12:13.620 --> 00:12:14.180 of creation 00:12:14.180 --> 00:12:14.800 and seeing 00:12:14.800 --> 00:12:16.220 in creation 00:12:16.220 --> 00:12:17.379 evidence of something 00:12:17.379 --> 00:12:17.940 of the glory 00:12:17.940 --> 00:12:18.420 of God 00:12:18.420 --> 00:12:19.240 and we see that 00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:19.800 picked up in the 00:12:19.800 --> 00:12:20.259 New Testament 00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:20.759 as well 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:21.639 that creation 00:12:21.639 --> 00:12:22.040 itself 00:12:22.039 --> 00:12:23.059 communicates to us 00:12:23.059 --> 00:12:23.419 something 00:12:23.419 --> 00:12:25.079 of the Lord 00:12:25.079 --> 00:12:25.899 this power 00:12:25.899 --> 00:12:27.319 and his Godhead 00:12:27.319 --> 00:12:28.759 and as I was suggesting 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:29.459 maybe especially 00:12:29.459 --> 00:12:30.799 in weather like this 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:32.079 we're aware of that 00:12:32.079 --> 00:12:32.959 something of the power 00:12:32.959 --> 00:12:33.399 of God 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:34.039 but of course 00:12:34.039 --> 00:12:35.019 creation itself 00:12:35.019 --> 00:12:36.059 the revelation 00:12:36.059 --> 00:12:36.980 of God in creation 00:12:36.980 --> 00:12:37.500 is not enough 00:12:37.500 --> 00:12:38.019 to save 00:12:38.019 --> 00:12:39.279 for that 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:40.120 we have to take 00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:40.699 our eyes away 00:12:40.699 --> 00:12:41.379 from looking up 00:12:41.379 --> 00:12:42.079 at creation 00:12:42.079 --> 00:12:43.059 and to look down 00:12:43.059 --> 00:12:44.079 and specifically 00:12:44.079 --> 00:12:44.779 to look down 00:12:44.779 --> 00:12:45.719 at the word 00:12:45.719 --> 00:12:46.419 of God 00:12:46.419 --> 00:12:47.299 and that's what 00:12:47.299 --> 00:12:47.659 we see there 00:12:47.659 --> 00:12:48.319 in verse 7 00:12:48.319 --> 00:12:49.319 God's law 00:12:49.319 --> 00:12:50.079 God's word 00:12:50.079 --> 00:12:51.159 is perfect 00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:52.620 and converts 00:12:52.620 --> 00:12:53.240 the soul 00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:53.679 and sin 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:54.179 that lies 00:12:54.179 --> 00:12:55.199 it's the word 00:12:55.199 --> 00:12:55.719 of God 00:12:55.719 --> 00:12:56.459 it's his revelation 00:12:56.459 --> 00:12:57.159 in scripture 00:12:57.159 --> 00:12:58.179 the very gospel 00:12:58.179 --> 00:12:59.120 message itself 00:12:59.120 --> 00:12:59.860 that actually 00:12:59.860 --> 00:13:00.719 does something 00:13:00.719 --> 00:13:01.100 inside 00:13:01.100 --> 00:13:01.759 converts 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:02.620 the soul 00:13:02.620 --> 00:13:03.059 and sin 00:13:03.059 --> 00:13:03.480 that lies 00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:04.379 God's testimony 00:13:04.379 --> 00:13:05.219 is most sure 00:13:05.219 --> 00:13:06.339 and makes 00:13:06.339 --> 00:13:07.059 the simple 00:13:07.059 --> 00:13:07.559 wise 00:13:07.559 --> 00:13:08.559 the statutes 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:08.980 of the Lord 00:13:08.980 --> 00:13:09.459 are right 00:13:09.459 --> 00:13:10.579 and do rejoice 00:13:10.579 --> 00:13:11.579 the heart 00:13:11.579 --> 00:13:13.000 the Lord's command 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:13.659 is pure 00:13:13.659 --> 00:13:14.299 and of light 00:13:14.299 --> 00:13:15.100 to the eyes 00:13:15.100 --> 00:13:15.819 impart 00:13:15.819 --> 00:13:16.459 unspotted 00:13:16.459 --> 00:13:17.039 is the fear 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:17.679 of God 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:18.839 and of endure 00:13:18.839 --> 00:13:19.379 forever 00:13:19.379 --> 00:13:20.480 the judgments 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:21.240 of the Lord 00:13:21.240 --> 00:13:22.000 are true 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:22.779 and righteous 00:13:22.779 --> 00:13:23.799 all together 00:13:23.799 --> 00:13:24.980 they more 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:25.759 than gold 00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:26.620 yea much 00:13:26.620 --> 00:13:27.539 fine gold 00:13:27.539 --> 00:13:28.519 to be desired 00:13:28.519 --> 00:13:28.899 are 00:13:28.899 --> 00:13:29.960 than honey 00:13:29.960 --> 00:13:31.519 honey from the comb 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:33.100 that droppeth 00:13:33.100 --> 00:13:35.039 sweeter far 00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:36.019 we'll sing 00:13:36.019 --> 00:13:36.919 those verses 00:13:36.919 --> 00:13:37.080 there 00:13:37.080 --> 00:13:37.899 Psalm 19 00:13:37.899 --> 00:13:39.299 verse 7 00:13:39.299 --> 00:13:40.240 to 10 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:41.179 to God's praise 00:13:41.179 --> 00:13:41.799 and the kids 00:13:41.799 --> 00:13:42.480 can make their way 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:43.340 out during the singing 00:13:43.340 --> 00:13:59.480 groan 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:13:59.480 --> 00:13:59.480 00:14:13.340 --> 00:14:20.620 and makes the simple wise. 00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:30.060 Because that is all the Lord our might, 00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:36.620 and there rejoiced the heart, 00:14:36.620 --> 00:14:45.620 the Lord's home and wish pure and love, 00:14:45.620 --> 00:14:53.620 light to the ice in fire. 00:14:53.620 --> 00:15:02.620 Unsawedded is the fear of God, 00:15:02.620 --> 00:15:11.620 and that they do forever. 00:15:11.620 --> 00:15:20.620 The judgments of the Lord are true, 00:15:20.620 --> 00:15:28.620 and righteous all together. 00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:37.620 The Lord and God, yea, much I know, 00:15:37.620 --> 00:15:44.620 to be Israel. 00:15:44.620 --> 00:15:53.620 And honey, honey, come welcome, 00:15:53.620 --> 00:16:02.620 that the best we dare far. 00:16:02.620 --> 00:16:11.620 If you can turn in your Bibles now to Acts and chapter 17. 00:16:11.620 --> 00:16:14.620 Acts and chapter 17. 00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:21.620 And picking up from verse 16. 00:16:21.620 --> 00:16:33.620 So, Acts 17. 00:16:33.620 --> 00:16:36.620 And reading from verse 16. 00:16:36.620 --> 00:16:40.620 There's the account of Paul in Athens, 00:16:40.620 --> 00:16:42.620 and in the Areopagus as well, 00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:43.620 which, God willing, 00:16:43.620 --> 00:16:46.620 we'll spend some time looking at today. 00:16:46.620 --> 00:16:51.620 So, from verse 16, let us hear the word of the Lord. 00:16:51.620 --> 00:16:55.620 Now, while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, 00:16:55.620 --> 00:16:58.620 his spirit was provoked within him, 00:16:58.620 --> 00:17:01.620 as he saw that the city was full of idols. 00:17:01.620 --> 00:17:04.619 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews 00:17:04.619 --> 00:17:06.619 and the devout Persians, 00:17:06.619 --> 00:17:09.619 and in the marketplace every day with those 00:17:09.619 --> 00:17:11.619 who happened to be there. 00:17:11.619 --> 00:17:14.619 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers 00:17:14.619 --> 00:17:16.619 also conversed with him. 00:17:16.619 --> 00:17:17.619 And some said, 00:17:17.619 --> 00:17:20.619 What does this babbler wish to say? 00:17:20.619 --> 00:17:21.619 Others said, 00:17:21.619 --> 00:17:24.619 He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities, 00:17:24.619 --> 00:17:27.619 because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 00:17:27.619 --> 00:17:31.619 And they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, 00:17:31.619 --> 00:17:32.619 saying, 00:17:32.619 --> 00:17:36.619 May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 00:17:36.619 --> 00:17:40.619 For you bring some strange things to our ears. 00:17:40.619 --> 00:17:44.619 We wish to know, therefore, what these things mean. 00:17:44.619 --> 00:17:47.619 Now, all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there 00:17:47.619 --> 00:17:50.619 would spend their time in nothing except telling 00:17:50.619 --> 00:17:52.619 or hearing something new. 00:17:52.619 --> 00:17:56.619 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus said, 00:17:56.619 --> 00:18:02.619 Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 00:18:02.619 --> 00:18:07.619 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, 00:18:07.619 --> 00:18:10.619 I found also an altar with this inscription, 00:18:10.619 --> 00:18:12.619 To the unknown God. 00:18:12.619 --> 00:18:15.619 What therefore you worship as unknown, 00:18:15.619 --> 00:18:17.619 this I proclaim to you, 00:18:17.619 --> 00:18:20.619 the God who made the world and everything in it. 00:18:20.619 --> 00:18:22.619 Being Lord of heaven and earth, 00:18:22.619 --> 00:18:25.619 does not live in temples made by man, 00:18:25.619 --> 00:18:28.619 nor is he served by human hands as though he needed anything, 00:18:28.619 --> 00:18:33.619 since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 00:18:33.619 --> 00:18:37.619 And he made from one man every nation of mankind 00:18:37.619 --> 00:18:40.619 to live on all the face of the earth, 00:18:40.619 --> 00:18:44.619 having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 00:18:44.619 --> 00:18:51.619 that they should seek God in the hope that they might feel their way towards him and find him. 00:18:51.619 --> 00:18:55.619 Yet he is actually not far from each one of us. 00:18:55.619 --> 00:18:59.619 For in him we live and move and have our being. 00:18:59.619 --> 00:19:02.619 And even some of your own poets have said, 00:19:02.619 --> 00:19:05.619 For we are indeed his offspring. 00:19:05.619 --> 00:19:07.619 Being then God's offspring, 00:19:07.619 --> 00:19:12.619 we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, 00:19:12.619 --> 00:19:16.619 an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 00:19:16.619 --> 00:19:18.619 The times of ignorance God overlooked, 00:19:18.619 --> 00:19:22.619 but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 00:19:22.619 --> 00:19:27.619 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness 00:19:27.619 --> 00:19:29.619 by a man whom he has appointed. 00:19:29.619 --> 00:19:35.619 And of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. 00:19:35.619 --> 00:19:39.619 Now, when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, 00:19:39.619 --> 00:19:42.619 some mocked, but others said, 00:19:42.619 --> 00:19:44.619 We will hear you again about this. 00:19:44.619 --> 00:19:47.619 So Paul went out from their midst. 00:19:47.619 --> 00:19:50.619 But some men joined him and believed, 00:19:50.619 --> 00:19:55.619 among whom also were Dionysus the Aropagite, 00:19:55.619 --> 00:19:57.619 and a woman named Damaris, 00:19:57.619 --> 00:19:59.619 and others with them. 00:19:59.619 --> 00:20:00.619 Amen. 00:20:00.619 --> 00:20:06.619 And we pray for God's blessing on that portion of his holy and inspired words. 00:20:06.619 --> 00:20:09.619 Let's bow our heads again in a word of prayer. 00:20:09.619 --> 00:20:10.619 Let's pray. 00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:15.619 Heavenly Father, 00:20:15.619 --> 00:20:18.619 we give thanks that you are the God who, 00:20:18.619 --> 00:20:22.619 as we sang about and thought about a few moments before, 00:20:22.619 --> 00:20:25.619 not only reveals yourself to us in creation, 00:20:25.619 --> 00:20:29.619 but that you reveal yourself to us in your word. 00:20:29.619 --> 00:20:32.619 And we ask, O Lord, that as we have read it there, 00:20:32.619 --> 00:20:34.619 and as we think about this word, 00:20:34.619 --> 00:20:42.619 that you would indeed open our hearts and our eyes to see and to hear things from above. 00:20:42.619 --> 00:20:45.619 Help us to learn about the kind of God that you are. 00:20:45.619 --> 00:20:49.619 Help us to marvel about the kind of God you are. 00:20:49.619 --> 00:20:52.619 And we pray, O Lord, that even for those of us who are your people here, 00:20:52.619 --> 00:20:54.619 that you would help us to continue to grow. 00:20:54.619 --> 00:20:56.619 As we thought about in that picture with the children, 00:20:56.619 --> 00:21:01.619 we know the Christian journey is like a journey, a race. 00:21:01.619 --> 00:21:05.619 And there are times, as we mentioned, that things can go so well, 00:21:05.619 --> 00:21:08.619 and it can be as though we're on those mountaintops of blessing, 00:21:08.619 --> 00:21:13.619 and things seem to be perhaps so easy for us, 00:21:13.619 --> 00:21:17.619 and it seems as though you're continually feeding us with an abundance. 00:21:17.619 --> 00:21:20.619 But there are those other times when it is like the valleys, 00:21:20.619 --> 00:21:25.619 and where the running is much more like a very slow walk, 00:21:25.619 --> 00:21:29.619 and there are even times when it feels as though we're even at a standstill itself, 00:21:29.619 --> 00:21:34.619 such as the spiritual heaviness of what we might be experiencing and feeling, 00:21:34.619 --> 00:21:36.619 different trials that we might be going through. 00:21:36.619 --> 00:21:38.619 And perhaps that's the case for those in here. 00:21:38.619 --> 00:21:39.619 You know everyone's situation. 00:21:39.619 --> 00:21:44.619 You know everyone's different experiences and thoughts and anxieties and worries. 00:21:44.619 --> 00:21:48.619 And we pray, O Lord, for those perhaps who are in those valleys just now. 00:21:48.619 --> 00:21:53.619 We ask, O Lord, that you would help them to keep putting that one foot in front of the other. 00:21:53.619 --> 00:21:57.619 We know that that is sometimes easier to say than to do, spiritually speaking. 00:21:57.619 --> 00:22:02.619 But we know that with the Lord at work in us, with the Spirit of God dwelling in us, 00:22:02.619 --> 00:22:04.619 we are able to overleap a wall. 00:22:04.619 --> 00:22:10.619 And very often the great barriers and stumbling blocks that we see ahead of us in the distance, 00:22:10.619 --> 00:22:13.619 things that we think that we can never cross or get over. 00:22:13.619 --> 00:22:17.619 By the time we get to them, we find that you have enabled us to pass through these things. 00:22:17.619 --> 00:22:20.619 And you are the God who helps us in so many ways, 00:22:20.619 --> 00:22:24.619 in more ways than we can even begin to articulate and number. 00:22:24.619 --> 00:22:30.619 But help us, each one, to keep moving forward and help us to be a support to one another as well. 00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:32.619 We pray that that would be the case for the congregation here. 00:22:32.619 --> 00:22:35.619 That they would learn to share one another's burdens. 00:22:35.619 --> 00:22:37.619 That they would be there for one another. 00:22:37.619 --> 00:22:40.619 That you would unite them together. 00:22:40.619 --> 00:22:43.619 That they might have those strong bonds in the Lord. 00:22:43.619 --> 00:22:48.619 That's a picture we have of the Lord's people of old, even as they walk through that wilderness journey. 00:22:48.619 --> 00:22:50.619 It is never a walk in isolation. 00:22:50.619 --> 00:22:52.619 It is never a walk alone. 00:22:52.619 --> 00:22:54.619 It is a walk along with the Lord's people. 00:22:54.619 --> 00:22:57.619 Sometimes, some of them will be tired. 00:22:57.619 --> 00:22:59.619 Other times, others of them will be tired. 00:22:59.619 --> 00:23:03.619 But all together supporting and helping each other to make progress in that wilderness journey. 00:23:03.619 --> 00:23:07.619 And may that be the case collectively here, even in this congregation. 00:23:07.619 --> 00:23:11.619 Pray for Calum Mordo as he seeks to minister in the congregation. 00:23:11.619 --> 00:23:17.619 We ask, O Lord, that you would strengthen him with all the added responsibilities and duties that's on him. 00:23:17.619 --> 00:23:19.619 Especially during this time of vacancy as well. 00:23:19.619 --> 00:23:23.619 We ask, O Lord, that you would encourage him. 00:23:23.619 --> 00:23:24.619 That you would equip him. 00:23:24.619 --> 00:23:28.619 And that you would likewise equip those who are in leadership here as well. 00:23:28.619 --> 00:23:32.619 Help them all to work together for the furtherance of the cause here. 00:23:32.619 --> 00:23:35.619 And ultimately, for the glory of your most holy name. 00:23:35.619 --> 00:23:38.619 Be with the children as they've gone next door. 00:23:38.619 --> 00:23:43.619 What an encouragement and delight it is to see so many of them going next door. 00:23:43.619 --> 00:23:45.619 And to learn from your word. 00:23:45.619 --> 00:23:49.619 And we do pray that you would bless the parents as well. 00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:58.619 We know how difficult a time this is in recent history to raise children with all the different attacks and pressures that there are. 00:23:58.619 --> 00:24:06.619 And we ask, O Lord, that you would help us, even as congregations and churches as well, to do all we can to support those who are parents. 00:24:06.619 --> 00:24:09.619 And to prayerfully encourage them as well. 00:24:09.619 --> 00:24:14.619 Especially when we see them bringing their young ones out to church as well. 00:24:14.619 --> 00:24:17.619 What an encouragement that is for everyone. 00:24:17.619 --> 00:24:23.619 And all of us of all ages to see the young coming and being found under the power of the gospel. 00:24:23.619 --> 00:24:25.619 So continue with us now. 00:24:25.619 --> 00:24:28.619 We do pray, O Lord, that you would bless us throughout the rest of this day. 00:24:28.619 --> 00:24:30.619 This day of rest and worship. 00:24:30.619 --> 00:24:36.619 Help us to direct it to you, the God who is worthy and deserving of all our worship. 00:24:36.619 --> 00:24:38.619 Cleanse us now from our sin. 00:24:38.619 --> 00:24:41.619 Grant us that spirit of repentance as we come. 00:24:41.619 --> 00:24:45.619 Continually pleading the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. 00:24:45.619 --> 00:24:46.619 In his name we ask it. 00:24:46.619 --> 00:24:47.619 Amen. 00:24:47.619 --> 00:24:53.619 Well, we're going to sing again now. 00:24:53.619 --> 00:24:58.619 And we're going to sing this time in Psalm 115 in the Sing Psalms. 00:24:58.619 --> 00:25:02.619 So Psalm 115 in the Sing Psalms. 00:25:02.619 --> 00:25:05.619 This is a psalm that's about the issue of idolatry. 00:25:05.619 --> 00:25:09.619 Something that we clearly see there in that passage that we read in Acts. 00:25:09.619 --> 00:25:16.619 And here, the psalmist is really contrasting the idols of the day. 00:25:16.619 --> 00:25:19.619 The dead, deaf, dumb idols of the day with the Lord. 00:25:19.619 --> 00:25:24.619 And showing the way in which these idols, you know, they have mouths but they can't say anything. 00:25:24.619 --> 00:25:26.619 You know, they've got hands but they can't handle. 00:25:26.619 --> 00:25:27.619 They've got ears but they can't hear. 00:25:27.619 --> 00:25:31.619 And yet so many people are worshipping these idols. 00:25:31.619 --> 00:25:34.619 We'll just read from the beginning there. 00:25:34.619 --> 00:25:36.619 So Psalm 115 verse 1 to 9. 00:25:36.619 --> 00:25:38.619 Lord, not to us, O not to us. 00:25:38.619 --> 00:25:40.619 To your name be the praise. 00:25:40.619 --> 00:25:43.619 Because your love and faithfulness endure, O Lord, always. 00:25:43.619 --> 00:25:45.619 Why do the nations question us? 00:25:45.619 --> 00:25:47.619 Where is their God, they say? 00:25:47.619 --> 00:25:48.619 Our God inhabits heaven high. 00:25:48.619 --> 00:25:52.619 And over all holes sway. 00:25:52.619 --> 00:25:56.619 And then you have this list of all the things about these idols. 00:25:56.619 --> 00:25:59.619 How they have noses but they can't smell and so on. 00:25:59.619 --> 00:26:06.619 And then in verse 8, you have solemn words where the psalmist says, their makers and their worshipers will all become like them. 00:26:06.619 --> 00:26:08.619 An important lesson. 00:26:08.619 --> 00:26:11.619 That which we worship, we become like. 00:26:11.619 --> 00:26:13.619 We see that in the world around us. 00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:16.619 The things that people worship, they become like these things. 00:26:16.619 --> 00:26:18.619 But the opposite is also true for us. 00:26:18.619 --> 00:26:30.619 As we come to worship the true living God, what we find, even in the act of worship as we're engaged in it even today, we're actually conformed more into the image of our Lord and our Savior. 00:26:30.619 --> 00:26:32.619 And that's a wonderful truth and a reality as well. 00:26:32.619 --> 00:26:37.619 And remember that as we're worshiping, we are being conformed to the image of our Lord himself. 00:26:37.619 --> 00:26:40.619 So we'll sing down to verse 9 there to God's praise. 00:26:40.619 --> 00:27:02.619 Lord, Lord, Lord, to us, O Lord, to us, to your repeat the praise. 00:27:02.619 --> 00:27:18.619 Because you're a powerful faithfulness, and to your Lord always. 00:27:18.619 --> 00:27:48.619 When we groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, who groan, 00:27:48.619 --> 00:28:18.599 Let's pray. 00:28:18.619 --> 00:28:48.599 Let's pray. 00:28:48.619 --> 00:29:18.599 Let's pray. 00:29:18.619 --> 00:29:48.599 Let's pray. 00:29:48.619 --> 00:30:18.599 Let's pray. 00:30:18.599 --> 00:30:48.579 Let's pray. 00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:59.279 Now, when it comes to sharing the gospel, if I ask you the question, does your audience, 00:30:59.399 --> 00:31:04.019 does those who are in front of you, whether it's a one-to-one thing or whether it's preaching 00:31:04.019 --> 00:31:09.940 in this kind of setting, does your audience or should your audience affect how it is that 00:31:09.940 --> 00:31:12.220 you actually communicate the gospel? 00:31:12.220 --> 00:31:18.140 And the answer to that is absolutely yes, it does. 00:31:18.140 --> 00:31:18.900 It has a massive bearing. 00:31:18.900 --> 00:31:25.400 And I think Paul shows us that here very much in this passage. 00:31:25.400 --> 00:31:33.259 Up until this point, really, a lot of the conversions that you see in the book of Acts up to this 00:31:33.259 --> 00:31:37.519 point, the majority of them anyway, are people who come from a Jewish background. 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:44.119 You know, Pentecost, obviously, the big one, but then there's individuals like Lydia and others as well. 00:31:44.599 --> 00:31:50.599 A few different examples you can think of of people coming to faith, people who have some kind of a Jewish background. 00:31:50.599 --> 00:31:59.339 And that means that when they encounter the gospel, those who actually came to them with the gospel made use of that. 00:31:59.379 --> 00:32:00.579 You make use of that background. 00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:05.299 And when you're reading those passages, you'll see a lot of Old Testament quotes, Old Testament verses, 00:32:05.399 --> 00:32:11.059 because they obviously know that Old Testament, even the language that's used, Messiah and things like that, 00:32:11.299 --> 00:32:14.199 words that these people are very familiar with. 00:32:14.200 --> 00:32:20.480 So it's an evangelism that's going out to people who, you know, to use our kind of language, have a church background. 00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:27.259 That's up until this point, that's what a lot of these conversions and these encounters are. 00:32:27.340 --> 00:32:33.259 And that's really the, probably the kind of evangelism that we're most familiar with as well. 00:32:33.799 --> 00:32:38.559 You know, I think we naturally, well, everyone's different, I suppose, so I shouldn't generalize, 00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:44.879 but I think many of us naturally gravitate to sharing the gospel with those who have some kind of a background, 00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:50.679 some kind of a base knowledge, some kind of awareness of scripture. 00:32:50.879 --> 00:32:55.399 And that's perhaps sometimes the people we're most comfortable with when we're actually communicating. 00:32:56.839 --> 00:32:59.639 And humanly speaking, there's a reason for that. 00:33:00.279 --> 00:33:06.000 Because when you're communicating the gospel with people who have some kind of a base of knowledge, 00:33:06.099 --> 00:33:07.220 you're speaking the same language. 00:33:07.220 --> 00:33:10.059 You're already semi on the same wavelength. 00:33:10.380 --> 00:33:15.000 So you can use certain words like salvation and they understand what you mean by that. 00:33:15.440 --> 00:33:21.180 You can use words like sin and, again, they can understand something of what you actually mean by that. 00:33:21.380 --> 00:33:32.319 But the reality is that now we're surrounded very much, really, by a generation that has very little background 00:33:32.319 --> 00:33:40.439 when it comes to understanding of scripture, very little background when it comes to understanding the gospel itself as well. 00:33:40.440 --> 00:33:45.620 And when that's the case, you have to factor that into your evangelism. 00:33:45.740 --> 00:33:46.519 You have to do that. 00:33:46.720 --> 00:33:50.980 You have to take account of who it is that we're actually seeking to reach out to. 00:33:51.299 --> 00:33:55.500 And that's absolutely the case here with Paul. 00:33:55.600 --> 00:33:56.440 Paul knew that. 00:33:56.519 --> 00:34:00.840 He knew that he had to adapt and to change the way in which he was communicating, 00:34:00.940 --> 00:34:02.480 depending on who it was that he was speaking. 00:34:02.660 --> 00:34:03.940 He never changed the gospel. 00:34:04.340 --> 00:34:06.380 The gospel remains the same at all times. 00:34:06.559 --> 00:34:08.340 He never compromises the gospel. 00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:09.680 He never does that. 00:34:09.920 --> 00:34:11.300 But you do see him adapting. 00:34:11.820 --> 00:34:17.460 You do see him adapting to surroundings and circumstances and the cultures that are around him as well, 00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:19.920 as he seeks to scatter that seed of the gospel. 00:34:20.180 --> 00:34:23.360 And it is important, I think, that we take heed of that, 00:34:23.400 --> 00:34:26.120 especially when you see the cultural landscape changing somewhat. 00:34:26.340 --> 00:34:32.340 We have to take heed of some of these things and use some of this learning for ourselves as well. 00:34:32.340 --> 00:34:38.940 And you definitely, when you look at this passage here, this encounter that he has with the Athenian philosophers here, 00:34:39.400 --> 00:34:43.680 this is absolutely something that we can learn from. 00:34:43.740 --> 00:34:48.340 The way in which he's adapting and the way in which he's actually communicating the good news. 00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:50.500 He's becoming all things to all men. 00:34:50.660 --> 00:34:53.680 That concept that he models so well. 00:34:53.740 --> 00:34:58.400 And what I want to do today is very simply, I want to look at two scenes, two points really. 00:34:58.400 --> 00:35:03.280 And the two scenes, first of all, are Paul in Athens, at the beginning of the narrative, 00:35:03.400 --> 00:35:04.559 and then Paul in the Areopagus. 00:35:05.079 --> 00:35:11.000 So Paul in Athens, as he comes in, and we'll see him there, and then specifically Paul in the Areopagus. 00:35:11.079 --> 00:35:14.700 So let's begin with him arriving in this great city of Athens here. 00:35:14.760 --> 00:35:20.940 Now, Athens was one of the great cities of culture back in the day. 00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:25.240 I mean, lots of the great philosophers came from Athens. 00:35:25.460 --> 00:35:30.860 Now, it wasn't quite, you know, at the New Testament stage, it wasn't quite the Athens of days gone by. 00:35:31.539 --> 00:35:37.780 It has, by this point, had its heyday, probably a few hundred years, really, before this point. 00:35:37.840 --> 00:35:42.039 But still in all, it's still a city of remarkable culture and remarkable learning. 00:35:42.159 --> 00:35:43.000 It was a big city. 00:35:43.000 --> 00:35:48.780 And Paul, or Saul, as he was called growing up, he would have been growing up hearing about this city. 00:35:48.860 --> 00:35:50.219 No doubt he would have heard about it. 00:35:50.559 --> 00:35:56.460 And perhaps, speculating now maybe, but perhaps there was some kind of a desire in a very young Saul 00:35:56.460 --> 00:36:00.440 to go and visit a place like this, you know, this great city of Athens. 00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:02.699 A bit like us when you're growing up and you're hearing about London. 00:36:03.099 --> 00:36:05.719 You know, we learn about London and we hear about the sites in London. 00:36:05.719 --> 00:36:11.159 And we see the pictures of the famous buildings and things like that in London. 00:36:11.339 --> 00:36:16.859 And it can develop a desire in you to go and see that place, you know, to go and witness that place, 00:36:16.959 --> 00:36:23.539 to see all these things, all these things that maybe you've heard about and learned about in school when you were younger. 00:36:23.679 --> 00:36:26.339 And here is Paul, and here he is in this city. 00:36:26.439 --> 00:36:28.519 So he's in this great city of Athens. 00:36:28.619 --> 00:36:32.539 And it's not just that he's in the city, but he's got time on his hands. 00:36:33.179 --> 00:36:34.379 He's got time on his hands here. 00:36:34.380 --> 00:36:37.000 We read that there in verse 16. 00:36:37.140 --> 00:36:42.019 We read there that Paul was waiting for Timothy and Silas to arrive. 00:36:42.160 --> 00:36:47.400 So he's in this city and he's got time on his hands in this great city. 00:36:47.579 --> 00:36:48.860 He's got a few days to spare. 00:36:49.039 --> 00:36:51.920 And maybe if that was us, maybe we'd think to ourselves, 00:36:52.079 --> 00:36:54.660 well, take some time off from my missionary journey. 00:36:54.840 --> 00:36:57.340 You know, I'm quite busy in all the mission that I'm engaged in. 00:36:57.380 --> 00:36:58.200 I'm in this great city. 00:36:58.260 --> 00:36:59.440 Let's just do the touristy thing. 00:36:59.900 --> 00:37:02.740 Let's just spend some time in the city. 00:37:02.739 --> 00:37:07.819 Take some time off of ministry and enjoy this great city of Athens. 00:37:07.959 --> 00:37:12.459 But of course, that's not how Paul thinks at all. 00:37:12.699 --> 00:37:15.500 That's not the kind of thinking that he has here at all. 00:37:15.539 --> 00:37:16.779 And you see him there in the passage. 00:37:16.939 --> 00:37:18.039 He's walking around. 00:37:18.299 --> 00:37:20.199 And is he there in awe and marveling? 00:37:20.539 --> 00:37:21.399 Well, in a way, yes. 00:37:21.519 --> 00:37:23.199 But he's doing that in disgust. 00:37:23.919 --> 00:37:24.899 He's horrified. 00:37:25.339 --> 00:37:28.579 He's utterly horrified at what he sees around that city. 00:37:28.639 --> 00:37:30.279 He sees the city covered in idols. 00:37:30.280 --> 00:37:34.940 Again, we see there in that verse, verse 16, the city was full of idols. 00:37:35.660 --> 00:37:38.320 The city is a mass with them. 00:37:38.480 --> 00:37:41.160 Idols of all different kinds. 00:37:41.500 --> 00:37:43.100 Loads of different idols here. 00:37:43.380 --> 00:37:50.460 And again, if that was us and we saw that, sadly, and we do see that in many parts of our nation, 00:37:50.560 --> 00:37:52.720 many of the cities, we see idolatry taking hold. 00:37:53.080 --> 00:37:56.140 Sadly, when we see that, we're hardly touched by it. 00:37:56.139 --> 00:37:57.980 We can see that and just get used to it. 00:37:58.059 --> 00:37:59.159 Just, oh, well, this is the way it is. 00:37:59.199 --> 00:38:01.259 This is the way in which our day is. 00:38:01.599 --> 00:38:04.819 But again, for Paul, he didn't have any apathy towards us. 00:38:04.859 --> 00:38:06.619 When he saw this, he got angry. 00:38:07.400 --> 00:38:10.159 It provoked him to anger, as it ought to provoke us as well. 00:38:10.460 --> 00:38:16.699 When we see idolatry rampant, it ought to provoke that good anger, that godly anger in us. 00:38:16.719 --> 00:38:17.940 And that's exactly what it does here. 00:38:18.199 --> 00:38:19.159 Paul is jealous. 00:38:19.699 --> 00:38:21.579 He's jealous for the glory of God. 00:38:21.579 --> 00:38:26.900 And when he sees the glory that ought to go to the Lord, worship that ought to go to the Lord, 00:38:26.940 --> 00:38:30.579 when he sees that glory going to these idols, he's angered. 00:38:31.179 --> 00:38:36.880 This deep anger within him when he sees all of this taking place. 00:38:37.059 --> 00:38:38.119 And what does he do? 00:38:38.440 --> 00:38:41.440 Well, after seeing that, he goes to the Jewish people in the area. 00:38:41.559 --> 00:38:42.659 That tends to be his practice. 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:46.000 He'll first of all go to the Jews in the place. 00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:52.340 But then after that, after his time with the Jews, then he goes to the marketplace. 00:38:53.179 --> 00:38:56.380 And he starts visiting the marketplace daily. 00:38:56.519 --> 00:38:59.000 And he goes there, of course, to preach the gospel. 00:38:59.139 --> 00:38:59.780 We read that there. 00:39:00.099 --> 00:39:04.659 He goes there to tell people about Christ, to tell people about this resurrected Savior, 00:39:05.159 --> 00:39:09.619 to tell people about the way of salvation, the only way of salvation, 00:39:09.760 --> 00:39:12.659 that way that is through the Lord Jesus Christ himself. 00:39:12.659 --> 00:39:17.460 And imagine you going to a place like that, a market. 00:39:17.559 --> 00:39:20.579 You all know, even in our day, what a marketplace is like. 00:39:20.639 --> 00:39:22.119 It's an incredibly busy thing. 00:39:22.839 --> 00:39:28.159 There's lots of things going on, that busyness about the place, lots of heckling. 00:39:28.719 --> 00:39:33.359 And here, as Paul is preaching and sharing, there was going to be heckling. 00:39:33.440 --> 00:39:34.059 We know there is. 00:39:34.239 --> 00:39:38.639 We literally read that there was, and we'll come on to that in a moment. 00:39:38.639 --> 00:39:39.420 But you see that. 00:39:39.480 --> 00:39:44.259 That's a very difficult place to minister, a marketplace environment with all that's going on. 00:39:44.400 --> 00:39:46.199 And not just the environment itself. 00:39:46.519 --> 00:39:50.279 Also the fact that he's coming into a culture that's so different to what he's used to. 00:39:50.659 --> 00:39:52.400 This is alien to him. 00:39:52.799 --> 00:39:56.460 This is an alien culture that he's seeking to speak into. 00:39:56.539 --> 00:40:02.119 And I think there's a lot of relevance there for us today as well. 00:40:02.119 --> 00:40:12.579 Because, as I mentioned a few moments ago there, if we were to walk around the cultural map of our own nation, we'd say the same. 00:40:12.639 --> 00:40:18.119 How alien it is to the Christian heritage of our forefathers. 00:40:18.880 --> 00:40:22.980 It's a culture that's, generally speaking, and you don't even have to go too far away. 00:40:23.039 --> 00:40:23.539 Let's be honest. 00:40:23.639 --> 00:40:26.799 We can even detect it here, even in our own island as well. 00:40:26.800 --> 00:40:33.180 It's a culture that's losing grasp of that Christian faith, losing grasp of that Christian foundation. 00:40:33.580 --> 00:40:39.100 And because of that, as the Lord's people, you can very much feel like an outsider. 00:40:40.260 --> 00:40:48.780 And very much, it can feel as though you're trying to communicate this good news, this gospel message to a society and a culture. 00:40:48.780 --> 00:40:51.460 That's just on a completely different wavelength. 00:40:51.460 --> 00:40:56.679 That they're operating absolutely with a completely different worldview. 00:40:56.780 --> 00:40:57.539 And that's hard. 00:40:57.800 --> 00:41:02.840 It's hard, actually, to come in and to speak into that kind of environment. 00:41:03.139 --> 00:41:08.280 And we find ourselves, as I said there as well, just surrounded by idols. 00:41:09.320 --> 00:41:10.179 Surrounded by them. 00:41:10.360 --> 00:41:13.840 Different to this day, not statues of gold and silver and stone. 00:41:14.240 --> 00:41:15.740 But idolatries. 00:41:16.240 --> 00:41:17.539 Absolutely rife. 00:41:17.539 --> 00:41:26.380 Whatever kind of idol it is, whether it be wealth or appearance or pleasure or all sorts of ideologies as well. 00:41:26.679 --> 00:41:30.179 All these things that become idols to people. 00:41:30.300 --> 00:41:33.039 Idols that cannot provide purpose to people. 00:41:33.519 --> 00:41:35.380 Cannot provide real lasting purpose. 00:41:35.539 --> 00:41:37.840 Cannot provide real lasting peace at all. 00:41:38.139 --> 00:41:45.179 And the idols of this world, what they do is they ask so much from people, but they give nothing. 00:41:45.619 --> 00:41:47.119 That's the way in which idolatry works. 00:41:47.239 --> 00:41:53.940 Idolatry, it asks so much from you, but it gives absolutely nothing in return. 00:41:54.139 --> 00:41:58.440 And that is, sadly, the situation that a lot of people are caught up in today. 00:41:58.440 --> 00:42:04.419 They're sucked into the idols of this world, and they're giving their lives to these things, serving these things. 00:42:04.599 --> 00:42:06.819 And they're ultimately getting nothing in return. 00:42:07.000 --> 00:42:08.079 And that's sad to see. 00:42:08.079 --> 00:42:09.739 It should hurt us to see that. 00:42:10.139 --> 00:42:13.519 Many of us were in the grips of that at one time ourselves. 00:42:13.619 --> 00:42:14.539 It should make us angry. 00:42:14.779 --> 00:42:17.400 Not angry with the people, but angry with the situation. 00:42:17.599 --> 00:42:20.619 Angry with the presence of the idolatry. 00:42:20.779 --> 00:42:21.539 That's rife. 00:42:21.539 --> 00:42:31.800 And, again, similar to our day as well, maybe like these philosophers who come later on in verse 18, the Epicureans and the Stoic philosophers there. 00:42:33.079 --> 00:42:39.699 Like them, many, many people today as well, when they hear about salvation and they hear about Jesus, they think it's nonsense. 00:42:40.420 --> 00:42:41.500 They think it's nonsense. 00:42:41.500 --> 00:42:46.079 And you see there these philosophers saying, what does this babbler wish to say? 00:42:46.239 --> 00:42:53.280 When Paul is there preaching Christ, the response is, what does this babbler wish to say? 00:42:53.639 --> 00:42:57.119 And that is something we know about. 00:42:57.179 --> 00:43:02.920 That response, those outside of Christ today, they may well turn around to us. 00:43:03.139 --> 00:43:07.420 And when we're coming with the gospel, they'll turn around to us and say, why do I need your Jesus? 00:43:07.579 --> 00:43:10.000 I mean, look at all that the world offers me. 00:43:10.000 --> 00:43:12.860 All the idols that are dangled before me here. 00:43:13.199 --> 00:43:14.579 Why do I need your Jesus? 00:43:15.300 --> 00:43:19.539 Really, why do I need your Jesus when all of this idolatry is available to me? 00:43:19.780 --> 00:43:20.780 Why do I need Jesus? 00:43:21.159 --> 00:43:24.980 And certainly, why do I need him as a sole object of my worship? 00:43:25.239 --> 00:43:25.559 Really? 00:43:26.059 --> 00:43:27.679 Is that really what I need? 00:43:28.239 --> 00:43:35.440 And ultimately, that is the question that Paul, in the Areopagus, in a few moments' time, he's going to address this question. 00:43:35.440 --> 00:43:40.619 This is the very question that he's going to gather his thoughts around. 00:43:40.860 --> 00:43:47.019 And actually, even the Epicurean philosophers themselves, you know, trying to connect this again to our own day, 00:43:48.059 --> 00:43:53.220 even their belief system was actually very similar to what you see today as well. 00:43:53.219 --> 00:43:59.839 Because the Epicureans, they were a people who thought that the world just came about by chance. 00:44:00.439 --> 00:44:01.799 Everything came about by chance. 00:44:01.839 --> 00:44:07.439 Just a random movement of atoms that brought about what we have here. 00:44:08.199 --> 00:44:11.559 You know, that's a viewpoint that's very much prevalent today. 00:44:11.719 --> 00:44:14.799 They don't see any kind of concept of a judgment to come. 00:44:14.800 --> 00:44:19.920 They don't think of the afterlife and that kind of a thing. 00:44:20.240 --> 00:44:23.980 And their mindset is very much, well, if that's the case, let's just live for today. 00:44:24.539 --> 00:44:29.420 Let's just pursue pleasure, pursue pleasure, pursue what feels good. 00:44:29.720 --> 00:44:30.820 Let's do that. 00:44:31.060 --> 00:44:32.700 Because what's the point in doing anything else? 00:44:32.940 --> 00:44:36.539 Let's just live for today, enjoying our life today. 00:44:36.539 --> 00:44:41.940 And again, I know we might look around and think, well, there's no Epicureans around today. 00:44:41.940 --> 00:44:44.700 But when you look at their belief system, there is, isn't there? 00:44:44.780 --> 00:44:47.960 That is how a lot of people think today. 00:44:48.039 --> 00:44:53.079 They wouldn't realize that these are the kind of philosophers that they're borrowing some of these things from. 00:44:53.200 --> 00:44:55.639 But these are the kind of things that are there. 00:44:55.820 --> 00:44:58.340 And here they are, these Epicureans, these Stoics as well. 00:44:58.460 --> 00:44:59.559 And they're mocking Paul. 00:44:59.619 --> 00:45:00.679 They're calling him a babbler. 00:45:01.360 --> 00:45:05.159 But interestingly, as well as doing that, as well as mocking him, 00:45:05.300 --> 00:45:09.280 they're also a little bit interested in what Paul has to say. 00:45:09.280 --> 00:45:13.260 And you see that because they invite him to the Areopagus. 00:45:14.060 --> 00:45:14.920 And that's interesting. 00:45:16.780 --> 00:45:21.519 They're mocking him, but at the same time, a wee bit interested in what it is that he has to say. 00:45:22.019 --> 00:45:27.960 And again, this is something that maybe you'll come across in your own lives as well as you seek to make Christ known. 00:45:28.280 --> 00:45:30.780 There'll be some people who resist the gospel. 00:45:30.940 --> 00:45:34.300 They resist Christ, sometimes even with an aggression. 00:45:34.740 --> 00:45:37.860 They aggressively resist the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:45:37.860 --> 00:45:44.420 But even in their aggression, there's something, a wee bit in them, that's actually quite interested. 00:45:45.300 --> 00:45:49.940 A wee bit in them that wants to hear more about the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:53.840 And this is actually something that's becoming more prevalent in recent years. 00:45:53.840 --> 00:46:02.660 Some of you will be aware of that YouGov poll that came out a few weeks ago about church attendance in England. 00:46:02.820 --> 00:46:08.600 I don't know if you saw that, you know, the church attendance being up so much, 50% rise or something like that in the last six years. 00:46:08.599 --> 00:46:24.759 And in those statistics, there was interesting evidence there, not just on the church attendance side, but there was also interesting evidence on those who had no background in the church, no background in the gospel, particularly young people, who were wanting to hear. 00:46:24.819 --> 00:46:30.579 They were wanting others to speak to them about Jesus, wanting others to actually invite them to church. 00:46:30.579 --> 00:46:34.019 And that's eye-opening to read that. 00:46:34.699 --> 00:46:39.279 People are more open to these discussions than they have been in quite some time. 00:46:40.019 --> 00:46:48.139 And it's important that we, as the Lord's people, we recognize that, that our eyes are open to that, that we're aware of what's going on in the wider culture. 00:46:48.139 --> 00:47:02.539 And when we see that opportunity, which clearly is beginning to manifest itself in a way in which it wasn't even five, ten years ago, when we see that, it's absolutely imperative that we act on that, that we react accordingly. 00:47:02.799 --> 00:47:07.699 And here you have this idea, the philosophers, they're at a distance, but a little bit, they're wanting to hear. 00:47:08.099 --> 00:47:11.480 They're wanting to hear what it is that Paul is teaching. 00:47:11.480 --> 00:47:20.639 So they bring Paul to the Areopagus, which was the place really where the big ideas of the day were discussed. 00:47:20.880 --> 00:47:26.079 And that leads us, that brings Paul to the Areopagus itself. 00:47:26.539 --> 00:47:29.420 And this brings us to the main event, really, of this narrative. 00:47:29.559 --> 00:47:33.219 And our second point, so we've seen Paul in Athens, we've seen what's happening there. 00:47:33.280 --> 00:47:34.500 Now we come to the Areopagus. 00:47:35.099 --> 00:47:37.400 And there he is in the Areopagus. 00:47:37.679 --> 00:47:40.039 And here he preaches this sermon. 00:47:40.039 --> 00:47:45.300 And it's unlike any other sermon he preaches. 00:47:45.440 --> 00:47:51.779 It's quite different, you know, when you look at it and you contrast it to some of the other messages that he gives. 00:47:51.940 --> 00:47:56.360 And he begins the sermon here, really, by drawing attention to their idols. 00:47:56.779 --> 00:47:58.219 That's how he grabs their attention. 00:47:58.639 --> 00:48:02.219 And he's good at that, just going straight in there, grabbing the attention. 00:48:02.360 --> 00:48:05.219 He points to their idols and he's telling them, 00:48:05.500 --> 00:48:09.579 you know, I was walking through your streets and I saw how religious you are. 00:48:10.039 --> 00:48:16.039 So religious that not only do you have all these multitude of statues to all these multitudes of gods, 00:48:16.440 --> 00:48:19.960 but you've even got a statue to the unknown god. 00:48:20.639 --> 00:48:23.719 And the idea there was that they wanted to cover themselves, 00:48:23.940 --> 00:48:27.860 make sure that they got a statue for all the gods and just to make sure they didn't miss any. 00:48:27.860 --> 00:48:34.240 They've got this statue here which says, to the unknown god, to the one we might have left out. 00:48:34.800 --> 00:48:37.920 And, you know, when we're reading that, it sounds ridiculous. 00:48:38.019 --> 00:48:38.820 And it is ridiculous. 00:48:39.079 --> 00:48:41.579 It's laughable, really, that that's the case. 00:48:41.599 --> 00:48:42.360 But they were serious. 00:48:42.800 --> 00:48:47.460 It says you had this statue to the unknown god, just to sort of cover themselves. 00:48:47.460 --> 00:48:49.880 And Paul is saying to them here, oh, you're religious. 00:48:50.039 --> 00:48:50.780 I can see that. 00:48:51.199 --> 00:48:52.099 You're religious, all right. 00:48:52.159 --> 00:48:56.900 Religious to the point of being utterly ridiculous. 00:48:57.840 --> 00:49:03.019 And Paul tells them that, yes, you might worship a god who is unknown. 00:49:03.199 --> 00:49:05.099 You might worship the unknown god. 00:49:05.300 --> 00:49:10.280 But I have come, and I have come to preach to you the god who can be known. 00:49:10.659 --> 00:49:14.240 The one true living god. 00:49:14.239 --> 00:49:15.939 That's why he's come. 00:49:16.019 --> 00:49:17.059 So he's setting his stall out. 00:49:17.119 --> 00:49:18.139 That's what I'm doing here. 00:49:18.399 --> 00:49:19.899 Not just one god out of many. 00:49:20.119 --> 00:49:21.399 The one true living god. 00:49:21.659 --> 00:49:26.559 And at that point, you would think, oh, he's going to go to the Messiah, the cross, the resurrection, those sort of things. 00:49:26.739 --> 00:49:27.559 But he doesn't. 00:49:27.959 --> 00:49:31.959 He might have done that if he was maybe in a different setting, speaking to Jewish people. 00:49:32.099 --> 00:49:33.679 But that's not what he does. 00:49:33.839 --> 00:49:38.339 What he does is he begins to build up this comprehensive theology of god. 00:49:39.079 --> 00:49:42.319 And to do that, he logically goes to the beginning. 00:49:42.320 --> 00:49:45.340 That's where he begins in this sermon. 00:49:45.480 --> 00:49:50.880 In verse 24, I proclaim to you the god who made the world and everything in it. 00:49:50.960 --> 00:49:57.140 So point one, if he was going to have points in the sermon, point one is God is the creator of the world. 00:49:58.760 --> 00:50:01.820 I'm sure he would have had a better heading to the point on that. 00:50:01.900 --> 00:50:02.840 But that is basically it. 00:50:02.880 --> 00:50:03.820 God is the creator. 00:50:04.039 --> 00:50:07.680 That is a very important fact to get across. 00:50:07.880 --> 00:50:10.120 You need to get across the bigger picture. 00:50:10.240 --> 00:50:11.559 People have to understand that. 00:50:11.559 --> 00:50:13.299 People have to understand the bigger picture. 00:50:14.279 --> 00:50:24.579 Because if you come and you tell people about Christ, generally speaking, those who have no background at all will respond to that and think, well, okay, that's good for you. 00:50:24.619 --> 00:50:25.940 But he doesn't really have anything to do with me. 00:50:26.079 --> 00:50:29.719 Jesus really has nothing to do with me at all. 00:50:30.099 --> 00:50:33.420 See, they don't trace it all back to creation. 00:50:33.679 --> 00:50:36.119 They don't follow the dots back to creation. 00:50:36.119 --> 00:50:37.900 And that means that we have to do that. 00:50:38.119 --> 00:50:42.480 In our evangelism, as we seek to make Christ known, we have to do that. 00:50:42.619 --> 00:50:43.980 We have to go back to the beginning. 00:50:44.500 --> 00:50:46.619 We have to go back to creation itself. 00:50:46.699 --> 00:50:47.319 That's point one. 00:50:47.519 --> 00:50:48.259 God is the creator. 00:50:48.579 --> 00:50:51.519 And then point two that he makes is God is the sustainer. 00:50:51.960 --> 00:50:52.960 He's not only the creator. 00:50:53.440 --> 00:50:54.299 He's not just there at the beginning. 00:50:54.619 --> 00:50:55.119 He is the sustainer. 00:50:55.900 --> 00:50:56.559 Verse 25. 00:50:56.559 --> 00:51:11.259 So he's telling them, this God who created the world, it's not that he just created the world and then disappeared. 00:51:11.799 --> 00:51:17.079 It's not that he created the world and then handed over the management to a group of many idols and many gods. 00:51:17.719 --> 00:51:19.179 That's not the case at all. 00:51:19.440 --> 00:51:20.920 Everything you have is from him. 00:51:21.400 --> 00:51:21.820 Everything. 00:51:21.820 --> 00:51:31.320 The breath that's in your body, the very beating of your heart, every single aspect of your life is from him, dependent on him. 00:51:31.620 --> 00:51:40.840 And when this theological picture of who God is is built up, you quickly realize that God isn't just someone you can just ignore. 00:51:41.640 --> 00:51:46.700 That this is absolutely something that's connected to absolutely every single one of us. 00:51:46.780 --> 00:51:48.420 So God is the creator. 00:51:48.580 --> 00:51:49.580 God is the sustainer. 00:51:49.640 --> 00:51:51.400 He sustains life today. 00:51:51.400 --> 00:51:53.340 He sustains your life today. 00:51:53.340 --> 00:51:58.139 And then the third point that he has there is all mankind comes from one man. 00:51:58.920 --> 00:52:05.139 So in verse 26, he says there, and he made from one man every nation of mankind. 00:52:05.940 --> 00:52:10.619 Or more specifically, we have been made from one man. 00:52:10.800 --> 00:52:14.860 So everyone you see, same, everybody, all different people. 00:52:15.039 --> 00:52:16.639 We have the same ultimate source. 00:52:17.160 --> 00:52:19.059 We come from the same bloodline. 00:52:19.059 --> 00:52:21.840 We're not separate groups of people. 00:52:21.840 --> 00:52:30.699 We're not created by different gods in different parts of the world with different religions and different backgrounds and languages and things like that. 00:52:30.920 --> 00:52:31.639 We are one. 00:52:32.119 --> 00:52:33.219 We are one family. 00:52:33.619 --> 00:52:34.480 One family. 00:52:34.639 --> 00:52:36.059 All people on earth. 00:52:36.440 --> 00:52:39.500 One family under our one God. 00:52:39.500 --> 00:52:48.219 So he's building this picture up, trying to connect all these things together for these philosophers as they're thinking these things through. 00:52:48.440 --> 00:52:49.860 And then he comes to the fourth point. 00:52:50.559 --> 00:52:54.800 And he says, effectively, in that fourth point, God has a purpose for your life. 00:52:55.199 --> 00:53:00.559 Because of all these things that I just said, God has a purpose for you. 00:53:00.659 --> 00:53:01.940 A purpose for your life. 00:53:01.940 --> 00:53:04.400 And you see the purpose there in verse 27. 00:53:05.220 --> 00:53:06.099 What is a purpose? 00:53:06.800 --> 00:53:12.179 Well, the Lord has done all that he's done so that we will seek him. 00:53:12.639 --> 00:53:15.059 So that we will seek him. 00:53:15.480 --> 00:53:18.940 Everyone, every person in this world today has a purpose. 00:53:19.780 --> 00:53:22.619 You all have a purpose in life. 00:53:22.619 --> 00:53:24.319 And that purpose is this. 00:53:24.940 --> 00:53:26.699 To seek the Lord. 00:53:26.839 --> 00:53:30.179 The one who is, of course, your creator. 00:53:30.519 --> 00:53:31.259 To glorify. 00:53:31.719 --> 00:53:33.299 To enjoy the Lord forever. 00:53:33.599 --> 00:53:35.480 A purpose that all of us have. 00:53:35.859 --> 00:53:37.519 Every single one of us. 00:53:37.539 --> 00:53:39.119 So you see Paul's logic here. 00:53:39.179 --> 00:53:40.599 You see what he's doing. 00:53:40.679 --> 00:53:42.239 How he's building his case here. 00:53:42.279 --> 00:53:45.239 He's telling the people, God has created all things. 00:53:45.639 --> 00:53:47.199 God sustains all things. 00:53:47.559 --> 00:53:51.139 He's telling everyone, you're all connected to the same origin. 00:53:51.139 --> 00:53:54.079 You're all connected to the same God. 00:53:54.279 --> 00:53:55.920 And he's got a purpose for you. 00:53:56.519 --> 00:53:59.059 You are to seek him out. 00:54:00.400 --> 00:54:03.000 But then there's a massive problem. 00:54:03.619 --> 00:54:06.000 Because we can't actually do that. 00:54:06.920 --> 00:54:07.779 It's our purpose. 00:54:08.400 --> 00:54:09.379 But we can't do it. 00:54:09.619 --> 00:54:11.679 Left in our fallenness. 00:54:12.079 --> 00:54:16.039 Sin has resulted in us not being able to seek out the Lord. 00:54:16.139 --> 00:54:18.400 Not being able to glorify the Lord. 00:54:18.400 --> 00:54:22.579 Not being able to live out the purpose for which we were made. 00:54:22.680 --> 00:54:25.360 And now we find ourselves at enmity with the Lord. 00:54:25.539 --> 00:54:26.180 Opposed. 00:54:26.660 --> 00:54:28.760 Opposed to the Lord himself. 00:54:29.039 --> 00:54:32.119 And the thing is, because we've been made in order to worship. 00:54:32.420 --> 00:54:36.559 What happens is, because we're blinded from the reality of who God is. 00:54:36.700 --> 00:54:38.059 And the reality of who we are. 00:54:38.480 --> 00:54:40.480 We've still got that design of worship. 00:54:40.700 --> 00:54:43.740 So what we do is, we use that design of worship. 00:54:43.739 --> 00:54:44.759 And we direct it elsewhere. 00:54:45.439 --> 00:54:48.500 We direct it towards this thing or that thing. 00:54:48.599 --> 00:54:50.679 Constantly chasing something to serve. 00:54:51.179 --> 00:54:52.879 Constantly chasing something to worship. 00:54:52.959 --> 00:54:53.739 Because it's in us. 00:54:54.239 --> 00:54:55.179 We're made that way. 00:54:55.379 --> 00:54:56.379 We're made to worship. 00:54:57.019 --> 00:54:58.119 We're made to serve. 00:54:58.179 --> 00:55:00.079 So when we're failing to worship the Lord, 00:55:00.279 --> 00:55:01.739 we direct that energy elsewhere. 00:55:02.399 --> 00:55:06.359 We're trying to fill this God-shaped void that we often speak about. 00:55:06.479 --> 00:55:09.239 This is God-shaped hole. 00:55:09.239 --> 00:55:13.119 And when we do that, what we're basically doing is groping about in the dark. 00:55:13.159 --> 00:55:15.379 That's what he says there in verse 27. 00:55:15.500 --> 00:55:16.879 It's like we're going around in the dark. 00:55:16.939 --> 00:55:17.439 We're blind. 00:55:17.879 --> 00:55:18.939 We still want to worship. 00:55:19.299 --> 00:55:20.759 We still want to serve something. 00:55:20.939 --> 00:55:28.000 Because we don't worship God, we end up groping, chasing after all these false gods. 00:55:28.359 --> 00:55:32.479 And Paul here in this sermon, it's like he's pointing to all these idols. 00:55:32.719 --> 00:55:35.339 Like he's pointing to all these false gods. 00:55:35.439 --> 00:55:37.899 And he's telling them, look, look at what you're doing. 00:55:37.900 --> 00:55:40.700 You know, you've got this purpose in life. 00:55:40.960 --> 00:55:43.539 You've got this purpose to seek after the Lord. 00:55:43.619 --> 00:55:45.539 But you're just stumbling about in the dark. 00:55:45.940 --> 00:55:47.059 It's like you're blindfolded. 00:55:47.119 --> 00:55:48.599 And you're just trying to grab something to serve. 00:55:48.660 --> 00:55:50.700 And you're grabbing whatever it is you can find in life. 00:55:51.059 --> 00:55:52.820 And you're taking these things to yourself. 00:55:52.880 --> 00:55:54.139 And you're serving these things. 00:55:54.720 --> 00:55:56.559 But you're serving the wrong things. 00:55:57.139 --> 00:56:01.539 You're seeking to worship these idols instead of the true living God. 00:56:01.720 --> 00:56:03.780 And then he says to them there, do you not see? 00:56:03.880 --> 00:56:05.579 God is not far from you. 00:56:05.579 --> 00:56:12.880 You see, even in your desire to worship, that God, God is not far from you. 00:56:12.920 --> 00:56:16.400 And to prove that point, he does something interesting here. 00:56:16.519 --> 00:56:17.579 He quotes something. 00:56:18.159 --> 00:56:20.199 Now, we're used to him quoting the Old Testament. 00:56:20.619 --> 00:56:21.880 Lots of Old Testament quotes. 00:56:22.179 --> 00:56:24.639 But this time he quotes not the Bible. 00:56:25.500 --> 00:56:27.420 He quotes one of their own. 00:56:27.420 --> 00:56:32.780 He quotes one of a philosopher that these people here would have known. 00:56:32.940 --> 00:56:38.360 And he says there in verse 28, he says, this is the quote from one of their philosophers. 00:56:38.659 --> 00:56:42.940 For in whom we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said. 00:56:43.180 --> 00:56:44.860 For we are indeed his offspring. 00:56:45.340 --> 00:56:52.720 So he's using their own poets, not scripture, to highlight what it is that he's actually teaching, 00:56:52.800 --> 00:56:54.519 the points that he's actually making. 00:56:54.519 --> 00:57:00.199 And you see Paul there, yes, this culture's alien to him, but he's engaging with it. 00:57:01.039 --> 00:57:05.619 He understands it enough to be able to use it to communicate with these people. 00:57:05.940 --> 00:57:07.300 And that's a very fine balance. 00:57:07.659 --> 00:57:13.480 Not being swallowed up by the culture around us, but at the same time understanding something of it in order to speak into it. 00:57:13.880 --> 00:57:16.179 Our danger is always getting swallowed up by it. 00:57:16.420 --> 00:57:17.820 That's the error that we fall into. 00:57:17.820 --> 00:57:24.660 But we have to ensure that we don't do that and at the same time understand it enough to be able to speak into it. 00:57:24.760 --> 00:57:27.800 Just like Paul is able to do here. 00:57:27.860 --> 00:57:33.320 And then he comes to the climax point, his fifth point in his sermon, where we find that God is merciful. 00:57:33.940 --> 00:57:36.519 So he's built all this up, the purpose, all these things. 00:57:36.600 --> 00:57:40.160 And then the last one is God is merciful. 00:57:40.159 --> 00:57:45.659 And you see that in verse 30, because he's saying there, now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 00:57:46.519 --> 00:57:47.639 And he's speaking about judgment. 00:57:47.819 --> 00:57:51.239 He's speaking about the coming of the resurrected Christ. 00:57:51.460 --> 00:57:56.239 And all of that, that call to repentance, that implies mercy. 00:57:56.960 --> 00:58:01.319 That call to repentance, that implies that salvation is available here. 00:58:02.019 --> 00:58:03.019 Mercy is available. 00:58:03.019 --> 00:58:05.719 That there is a way back. 00:58:05.840 --> 00:58:09.199 Because God is a God who is full of mercy. 00:58:10.079 --> 00:58:11.780 And how do they respond to that? 00:58:12.239 --> 00:58:19.500 How do they respond to the logic of this argument, the presentation of the gospel, the way in which he's presented it here, and then the call for a response? 00:58:20.119 --> 00:58:20.759 What is it? 00:58:21.380 --> 00:58:25.179 Well, you see there at the end of the passage, some of them respond by mocking. 00:58:26.280 --> 00:58:27.500 And that will always be the case. 00:58:27.500 --> 00:58:34.719 Because no matter how we communicate the gospel, they'll always be in some that response of mocking the things of the Lord. 00:58:34.820 --> 00:58:37.599 It's the idea of the gospel and salvation. 00:58:37.739 --> 00:58:38.280 It's laughable. 00:58:38.780 --> 00:58:39.920 Laughable to many. 00:58:40.019 --> 00:58:42.380 Maybe it was even laughable to us at one time. 00:58:42.460 --> 00:58:45.800 Maybe many of us in here, we thought of this as laughable at one time. 00:58:45.960 --> 00:58:48.960 And that seems to be the case for a good number of the people here. 00:58:49.019 --> 00:58:49.840 They just laughed it off. 00:58:50.219 --> 00:58:52.760 But others, they responded in a different way. 00:58:52.760 --> 00:58:56.039 Others responded by saying, we'll hear you again on this matter. 00:58:56.039 --> 00:58:57.659 The procrastinators. 00:58:58.599 --> 00:59:02.079 And there's many of them in the pews throughout our land. 00:59:02.659 --> 00:59:07.119 Many of those who say, it makes sense what you're saying. 00:59:07.400 --> 00:59:09.699 I'll maybe hear you again on this matter. 00:59:09.880 --> 00:59:12.920 I'll maybe give it some more thought and maybe come back to it. 00:59:13.300 --> 00:59:17.380 And maybe you've been doing that for a long time, years, decades of saying that. 00:59:17.559 --> 00:59:19.460 Decades of procrastinating and thinking. 00:59:19.460 --> 00:59:20.519 Maybe next week. 00:59:21.119 --> 00:59:22.099 Maybe next month. 00:59:22.199 --> 00:59:23.019 Maybe next communion. 00:59:23.779 --> 00:59:24.679 The procrastinators. 00:59:24.679 --> 00:59:31.259 But, thankfully, in verse 34, you also have those who believed as well. 00:59:31.699 --> 00:59:32.639 Those who believed. 00:59:32.779 --> 00:59:36.079 Those who the Lord worked in their hearts and took away that blindfold. 00:59:36.480 --> 00:59:37.759 Enabled them to see. 00:59:38.059 --> 00:59:40.719 Brought about life from where there was death. 00:59:40.919 --> 00:59:46.919 And he did that through the preaching of Paul there in the Areopagus. 00:59:46.920 --> 00:59:52.019 And when we look at this, we have to respond and say, well, what is our response? 00:59:52.960 --> 00:59:56.720 How do we respond when we think of this message of the gospel? 00:59:57.420 --> 00:59:59.619 This message that tells us that you've got a purpose. 00:59:59.980 --> 01:00:05.099 So you've been told where you're from, your origins are, and you've got a purpose in life. 01:00:05.139 --> 01:00:06.680 There's a reason why you are here. 01:00:06.780 --> 01:00:07.880 To worship God. 01:00:07.940 --> 01:00:08.900 To seek out the Lord. 01:00:08.900 --> 01:00:12.180 And then we're told that because of our sin, we can't do that. 01:00:12.579 --> 01:00:17.320 Because of our sin, we're not actually able to do the very thing that we're designed to do. 01:00:18.000 --> 01:00:21.900 But then we learn here that there's a way of salvation. 01:00:22.680 --> 01:00:23.500 There's a way of forgiveness. 01:00:23.820 --> 01:00:26.420 And the call is for us to come and to repent. 01:00:27.079 --> 01:00:29.920 To repent of our fallenness and our sin. 01:00:29.920 --> 01:00:35.240 To repent of the way in which we're directing that desire to worship towards other things. 01:00:35.519 --> 01:00:36.619 To come before the Lord. 01:00:36.960 --> 01:00:38.280 To repent of our sins. 01:00:38.680 --> 01:00:40.420 And to put our faith and trust in him. 01:00:40.659 --> 01:00:46.380 And the promise is very clear that when we do that, when we come in faith and trust, 01:00:46.480 --> 01:00:51.220 the Lord will find the Lord's hands are wide open, ready to receive. 01:00:51.360 --> 01:00:53.860 And my prayer is that that is how we would respond. 01:00:54.400 --> 01:00:58.619 That we would respond not like the mockers, not like the procrastinators. 01:00:58.619 --> 01:01:00.839 But that we would respond in faith. 01:01:01.119 --> 01:01:04.059 That the Lord would work in our hearts to enable us to do just that. 01:01:04.279 --> 01:01:08.019 And then for those of us who are the Lord's people, to hear this and to think to ourselves, 01:01:08.139 --> 01:01:11.299 I need to communicate this message to others. 01:01:11.359 --> 01:01:14.579 I've received it and it's done amazing things in my life. 01:01:14.639 --> 01:01:16.599 It's given me life eternal. 01:01:17.039 --> 01:01:19.219 It's given me abundance of life in the here and now. 01:01:19.440 --> 01:01:21.880 And now my duty is to go and share that with others. 01:01:22.380 --> 01:01:24.299 And therefore I need to understand how to do that. 01:01:24.299 --> 01:01:28.139 I need to understand how it is that I can share this message with different people. 01:01:29.279 --> 01:01:33.019 Share it with different cultures and different backgrounds of people as well. 01:01:33.239 --> 01:01:35.179 That is a responsibility that we have. 01:01:35.420 --> 01:01:36.639 Yes, it's the Lord who saves. 01:01:36.980 --> 01:01:41.799 But we have to seek to scatter that seed of the gospel in the best possible way we can. 01:01:42.119 --> 01:01:43.259 Knowing that we can't save. 01:01:43.599 --> 01:01:46.339 But at the same time knowing that we're called to do the best that we can. 01:01:46.559 --> 01:01:47.539 So let's seek to do that. 01:01:47.739 --> 01:01:49.519 To understand how best to reach out. 01:01:49.659 --> 01:01:51.099 Not to get swallowed by the culture. 01:01:51.980 --> 01:01:53.739 That's the risk on the extreme end. 01:01:53.739 --> 01:01:54.939 But to understand it. 01:01:55.079 --> 01:01:56.279 To see what's going on. 01:01:56.519 --> 01:01:57.319 To have a feel for it. 01:01:57.339 --> 01:02:00.119 And to be able to communicate the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. 01:02:00.219 --> 01:02:01.819 Because it is ripe for it. 01:02:02.039 --> 01:02:04.679 Like I was saying, those statistics that came out a few weeks ago. 01:02:04.839 --> 01:02:05.599 They show us that. 01:02:05.799 --> 01:02:07.919 Things are ripe for the gospel. 01:02:08.319 --> 01:02:11.339 And it's imperative that we, not just ministers or people who are preaching. 01:02:11.739 --> 01:02:13.299 But all of us as the Lord's people. 01:02:13.439 --> 01:02:16.459 We seek to go into society with that message. 01:02:16.519 --> 01:02:17.779 A message that people need. 01:02:17.780 --> 01:02:21.100 Even though people might not realize that they need it. 01:02:21.400 --> 01:02:23.960 You might think of others who shared that gospel with you at one time. 01:02:24.620 --> 01:02:28.800 Well, it's our responsibility now to share that good news with others too. 01:02:28.880 --> 01:02:31.360 May the Lord enable us to do just that. 01:02:32.040 --> 01:02:32.420 Amen. 01:02:32.700 --> 01:02:33.620 We'll bow our heads. 01:02:33.860 --> 01:02:35.200 We'll come before the Lord in prayer. 01:02:37.980 --> 01:02:41.900 Heavenly Father, we ask, O Lord, that you would strengthen us in the faith. 01:02:42.000 --> 01:02:43.960 We give thanks that you are the God who saves. 01:02:43.960 --> 01:02:47.700 And that you're the God who works in every age, in every culture, in every society. 01:02:48.600 --> 01:02:53.220 And even as we see change going on all around us, we give thanks that you are the God who does not change. 01:02:53.400 --> 01:02:56.240 You're the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. 01:02:56.620 --> 01:02:58.340 And we know that your word does not change. 01:02:58.480 --> 01:03:00.180 We know that the gospel does not change. 01:03:00.720 --> 01:03:04.760 But what does change is the people around us and what they think and how they think. 01:03:05.000 --> 01:03:06.580 And help us to learn from that. 01:03:06.680 --> 01:03:08.519 Help us not to get swallowed up by it. 01:03:09.080 --> 01:03:11.700 Help us to remain distinct and holy. 01:03:11.699 --> 01:03:23.579 At the same time, may our eyes be open to discern opportunities and to discern when it is that we're able and how it is that we can reach out with the good news to those who are in need. 01:03:23.619 --> 01:03:24.519 So give us that burden. 01:03:24.899 --> 01:03:28.079 Give us that sense of joint responsibility in that as well. 01:03:28.199 --> 01:03:29.179 And cleanse us from sin. 01:03:29.279 --> 01:03:30.159 For Jesus' sake. 01:03:30.659 --> 01:03:30.939 Amen. 01:03:30.940 --> 01:03:39.539 Well, we're going to conclude our time of worship now by singing in Psalm 126. 01:03:41.139 --> 01:03:46.240 Psalm 126 in the Scottish Psalter. 01:03:46.820 --> 01:03:49.780 Psalm 126, Scottish Psalter, page 419. 01:03:50.039 --> 01:03:51.240 This will be to the tune Denfield. 01:03:51.760 --> 01:03:53.240 Psalm 126. 01:03:53.239 --> 01:03:58.459 So Psalm 126. 01:03:59.239 --> 01:04:03.439 And we'll sing the whole of the psalm there. 01:04:04.439 --> 01:04:15.339 When Zion's bondage God turned back, as men that dreamed were we, then filled with laughter was our mouth, our tongue with melody. 01:04:15.859 --> 01:04:18.959 Among the heathens said, the Lord great things for them have wrought. 01:04:19.059 --> 01:04:22.959 The Lord have done great things for us, whence joy to us is brought. 01:04:22.960 --> 01:04:26.820 We'll sing the whole psalm there to the praise of God and we'll stand to sing. 01:04:30.960 --> 01:04:51.960 When Zion's bondage God turned back, as men that dreamed were we, then filled with laughter was our mouth. 01:04:51.960 --> 01:04:53.960 Our tongue with melody. 01:04:53.960 --> 01:04:57.960 Our tongue with melody. 01:04:59.960 --> 01:05:13.720 We've hung the heathens said, the Lord great things for them have wrought. 01:05:13.719 --> 01:05:27.719 The Lord have done great things for us, whence joy to us is brought. 01:05:27.719 --> 01:05:57.719 When unto unto unto our sons, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto us, whence joy unto 01:05:57.719 --> 01:06:04.639 One who bearing precious seed, 01:06:05.019 --> 01:06:11.079 then going forth of more, 01:06:11.079 --> 01:06:18.079 he that bears bringing back his sheep, 01:06:19.099 --> 01:06:24.079 rejoicing shall return. 01:06:24.079 --> 01:06:31.779 Now, may the grace of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, 01:06:31.880 --> 01:06:33.319 the love of God the Father, 01:06:33.420 --> 01:06:35.719 and the fellowship and communion of the Holy Spirit 01:06:35.719 --> 01:06:38.980 continue with you all now and forevermore. 01:06:39.420 --> 01:06:39.799 Amen. 01:06:54.079 --> 01:07:10.219 Thank you. 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:10.219 01:07:10.219 --> 01:07:40.199 Thank you.