WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.679 I'll begin our worship by singing to God's praise in Psalm 145, the first verse in Psalm 145, 00:00:15.679 --> 00:00:18.719 ! The tune is Ephingham. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:28.679 I thee extol my God, O King, I'll bless thy name always. Thee will I bless each day, and will thy name forever praise. 00:00:29.339 --> 00:00:38.700 Great is the Lord, much to be praised, his greatness' search exceeds. Race unto race shall praise thy works, and show thy mighty deeds. 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:42.019 We'll sing from verse 1 to 7 to God's praise. 00:00:48.719 --> 00:01:16.719 I thee extol my God, O King, I'll bless thy name always. Thee will I bless each day, and will thy name forever praise. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:33.719 Great is the Lord, much to be praised, his greatness' search exceeds. 00:01:33.719 --> 00:01:50.719 Praise, Lord, much to be praised, and show thy mighty deeds. 00:01:50.719 --> 00:02:06.719 I love thy glorious majesty, the honor, the early Lord. 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:22.719 And sing of thy mighty words, which wondrous sorrow roll. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:39.719 May of thy life, the might shall show, thy love, the dreadful heart. 00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:56.719 And I will be praised, and will thy glory, and will thy glory, and will thy glory be. 00:02:56.719 --> 00:03:26.719 The heavenly voyque, thy heavenly voyque, thy heavenly voyque, thy heavenly voyque, thy heavenly voyque, thy heavenly voyque, thy heavenly voyque, thy heavenly voyque, thy heavenly voyque, thy heavenly voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque, thy voyque 00:03:26.719 --> 00:03:38.680 Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer. Let us pray. 00:03:41.560 --> 00:03:48.319 Lord, our gracious God, as we come with worship on our lips, we pray that these words that we 00:03:48.319 --> 00:03:54.539 have sung would even come from our hearts, that we would come with that echo of praise of the 00:03:54.539 --> 00:04:02.340 psalmist, coming to recognize just who you are and to come to bless your name always, for you are worthy 00:04:02.340 --> 00:04:11.500 of all praise and all glorious due to you. We thank you that the psalm outlines that for us in so many 00:04:11.500 --> 00:04:19.699 ways, that great is the Lord and much to be praised. His greatness search exceeds. We know that in this 00:04:19.699 --> 00:04:26.319 world in which we live as a people, we so often look for greatness in so many ways and so many places. 00:04:27.219 --> 00:04:33.159 And yet, O Lord, when we seek to come and see the greatness of God, it is unsearchable and unending 00:04:33.159 --> 00:04:39.459 for your power, your wisdom, your glory, your honor, all of your attributes, they are beyond 00:04:39.459 --> 00:04:47.560 even our greatest of understanding. Your ways are above our ways and your thoughts are above our 00:04:47.560 --> 00:04:52.920 thoughts. And yet we thank you that you have revealed yourself to us, that you have not hidden 00:04:52.920 --> 00:05:00.800 yourself in any way, but that you have shown us your greatness through your word, by your spirit, by your 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:07.199 acts of creation and providence, and through all the truth that you speak to us, Lord, day after day. 00:05:07.860 --> 00:05:13.759 We thank you for all the revelation that you have given to us, not just to us as a people here, 00:05:13.759 --> 00:05:18.659 but to all who live in this world and to all generations of this world, 00:05:19.300 --> 00:05:27.019 you have revealed yourself. And yet, O Lord, we are still as a people, so often blind, blind to our 00:05:27.019 --> 00:05:33.379 own ways, blind to our own thoughts, thinking that we do not need you, thinking that we can manage without 00:05:33.379 --> 00:05:40.360 you in every way. And yet again and again, you remind us, O Lord, that without you and apart from you, 00:05:40.360 --> 00:05:46.480 that we can do nothing. You are the author of life. You are the one who gives and takes away. 00:05:47.180 --> 00:05:53.720 You are the one who has formed us and made us, even in the intricacies of the womb, Lord, as we sing 00:05:53.720 --> 00:06:00.699 in Psalm 139 so often. There you have made us and formed us. There you have known us even before 00:06:00.699 --> 00:06:06.720 our days came to be, they were numbered by you. And there are so many things that the more that we 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:13.460 look at, the more that we hear, the more we realise just how little we understand. And yet, O Lord, 00:06:13.540 --> 00:06:19.020 we thank you for the knowledge that you have given to us, the way that by your grace you open our eyes 00:06:19.020 --> 00:06:26.800 to see and to hear and to understand your word, to understand our need of a Saviour, and the way that 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:34.079 you have provided for us through your own Son, Jesus Christ, the way that we see in all our great needs, 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:44.360 that in our sin we were lost, we were condemned. In our sin we were poor and needy, without hope in this 00:06:44.360 --> 00:06:52.259 world. And yet in Christ we have one who came that we might have hope in him. He came and lived among 00:06:52.259 --> 00:07:01.019 this people of this world. He came to live life yet without sin, spotless as we think of so often, 00:07:01.060 --> 00:07:07.180 and as we remembered even last weekend, the Lamb that was slain for us, the one who gave his life, 00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:15.000 the one we remembered through the bread and the wine. And we thank you for that great remembrance that 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:21.540 we have, and that we are to do that until he comes. And even that reminds us that today as we live, 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:27.899 and even as we look at tomorrow, we are living in light of that return of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:07:28.019 --> 00:07:35.620 the one who died on the cross and rose on the third day, who ascended to heaven and even now at the right 00:07:35.620 --> 00:07:42.240 hand of you as our Lord and as our God. And we offer our prayers through his name. And we thank you 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:48.340 that we do so, recognizing that the things that we cannot do, the things that we cannot achieve 00:07:48.340 --> 00:07:54.620 ourselves, that are impossible for us, that it is possible with you. And that you have granted us 00:07:54.620 --> 00:08:01.300 as your people that access into the very holy of holies, that through the name of Jesus we come to 00:08:01.300 --> 00:08:06.720 the very throne of grace. And we offer up our prayers there before you and you this evening, 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:14.340 whether they are thanksgiving, whether they are confession, whether they are desires that we have 00:08:14.340 --> 00:08:22.300 for lives around us or situations or circumstances that are going on. We thank you that there is nothing 00:08:22.300 --> 00:08:28.720 hidden from you. And so we come in prayer this evening thankful for that great relationship that 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:35.080 we come into through faith, that we can come and call upon you as our Father who is in heaven. 00:08:35.080 --> 00:08:40.980 And we pray, Lord, that you will hear us as we pray together this evening, that you would hear us all, 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:48.480 O Lord, as we offer up the very groanings of our heart, that you would hear and know and that your will 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:57.280 be done in all things. We thank you, Lord, that we so often would have our own desires and will to be done, 00:08:57.820 --> 00:09:03.540 and yet we know that you know best. And even in the situations where we have little understanding 00:09:03.539 --> 00:09:09.959 of what they mean at the time, may we be able to look back on them and give praise and thanks to you, 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:17.039 that your will was what was needed, your will what was at work and what brought good out of it. 00:09:17.719 --> 00:09:26.419 And we do think of, Lord, situations near and far, situations that are beyond our comprehending at times, 00:09:26.419 --> 00:09:34.479 beyond our understanding. And yet, O Lord, we commit them to you. We think of the conflicts going on 00:09:34.479 --> 00:09:40.099 around our world, and especially this evening we join in prayer with the people in the Ukraine, 00:09:40.779 --> 00:09:47.299 as we have heard of prayer requests coming from your people there, as tomorrow will mark, 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:53.699 three years since that conflict began. We do thank you, Lord, that there is still that prayer, 00:09:53.700 --> 00:10:00.379 that unity of prayer among your people there. Even in the midst of great trials and difficulties, 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:07.440 we thank you that they are able to call upon the name of the Lord. And we do seek your goodness 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:13.259 towards your people, people on both sides of the conflict who are yours and who pray, 00:10:13.820 --> 00:10:19.300 who are calling out upon you, Lord, that you would have mercy and bring peace. We do continue to 00:10:19.299 --> 00:10:23.839 remember them, Lord, that you would strengthen and uphold them, that you would bless them in their 00:10:23.839 --> 00:10:29.899 own nation, bless those who have been scattered far and wide throughout many nations of the world, 00:10:29.959 --> 00:10:35.699 even to our own nation and even our own island here, those for whom conflict has meant leaving 00:10:35.699 --> 00:10:42.659 all behind. We pray, Lord, that they would be able one day to return to their homes in safety and 00:10:42.659 --> 00:10:49.579 without the fear of war looming over them. We remember the Middle East as well and thankful for 00:10:49.579 --> 00:10:56.659 the peace that was brought and yet still seeing, oh Lord, so much tension there, still seeing so much 00:10:56.659 --> 00:11:04.319 as if it were on an eye-fetch of uncertainty and fear and worry. And we pray, Lord, that true peace might 00:11:04.319 --> 00:11:11.360 come. And we know that that is only through you. And so we pray, Lord, for your glory to be seen 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:17.399 in these lands once again, that the glory of God will be revealed to all people, that they would come 00:11:17.399 --> 00:11:25.680 to see you and to know you, to know Jesus Christ as Lord and God. We pray, Lord, for our own nation 00:11:25.680 --> 00:11:32.600 too, as we so often do when we think of it, the dismay that we are brought to in the way that we have 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:42.240 gone. And we just look back over a generation, Lord, we have seen your glory in our land and days of revival 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:49.379 and blessing. We see and hear of it so often of how so many were brought to faith and brought to 00:11:49.379 --> 00:11:57.259 love you with all their hearts throughout all walks of life, whether it was politicians and people in 00:11:57.259 --> 00:12:02.779 power and authority or people right down through every walk of life. We thank you that there was 00:12:02.779 --> 00:12:09.819 such great times of blessing where young and old, men and women, boys and girls were brought to faith. 00:12:10.340 --> 00:12:17.939 And we thank you for that legacy that is ours, that we have the gospel as the foundation of the church 00:12:17.939 --> 00:12:24.159 here, that we have Jesus Christ as our Lord and as our God. And we pray, Lord, that as a nation, 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:29.980 we would acknowledge that once again, that we would come to honour you and praise you. And even 00:12:29.980 --> 00:12:36.459 as we have prayed for the Ukraine on a day of prayer tomorrow, that our own nation would see that great 00:12:36.459 --> 00:12:43.199 need as well, that need of calling upon the Lord and making it a national thing. We thank you for the 00:12:43.199 --> 00:12:49.759 church, O Lord, as it bear witness to you throughout our nation. We pray for your church to be growing. 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:56.580 We thank you for all your people up and down our land, throughout all ends of it, Lord. We thank you 00:12:56.580 --> 00:13:01.759 that there are churches that are faithful to you, that worship and honour your name. And although our 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:08.200 media would never report it, Lord, we thank you that you are a God who is working, bringing people to 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:14.259 faith, convicting and converting. For that is a promise through your word, that your church will be 00:13:14.259 --> 00:13:21.080 built and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. And so, Lord, may your kingdom come in 00:13:21.080 --> 00:13:28.759 power. May it come to all ends of the earth. May we continue to pray for that as we think of the needs 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:36.200 throughout the world, that we would see glory, your glory, throughout all nations. May you bless us in our 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:42.379 worship this evening. Remember us in our homes, in our families and in our communities. Remember those who are 00:13:42.379 --> 00:13:50.559 mourning and grieving in such sorrow at this time over the passing of both young and old alike, Lord, we 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:58.259 do pray for your mercy and your grace to be over us as a people. In the midst of days of sorrow, 00:13:58.740 --> 00:14:04.919 Lord, may we see the light of the gospel as our great hope. May you comfort the hearts that are broken 00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:12.259 and may you wipe away the tears from their eyes and help them to know, Lord, your strength and your grace 00:14:12.259 --> 00:14:18.439 in the midst of it. We pray for those who are unwell in hospital and homes and in their own homes, 00:14:18.740 --> 00:14:23.979 that your hand be upon them for good as well, that there will be healing, Lord, where that is your will, 00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:30.959 where there will be help and grace where times are testing. Remember us, Lord, we pray. Remember us as we 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:36.900 look to your word as we continue to worship and praise you, as we would come to stand before you 00:14:36.900 --> 00:14:44.139 as our Lord and as our God. May you give us wisdom to see that it's only through the name of Jesus that 00:14:44.139 --> 00:14:50.800 we are able to stand. So hear our prayers and go before us now. Guide us in the week ahead in all we 00:14:50.800 --> 00:14:56.879 do in our homes, in our families, in our schools and workplaces. May your hand be upon us for good. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:15:02.399 So all we ask, we ask of the forgiveness of our sins. In Jesus' name. Amen. 00:15:05.899 --> 00:15:12.820 We will again sing to God's praise, this time in Psalm 90, in the Singed Psalms, page 120 00:15:12.820 --> 00:15:21.240 of the psalm book, Psalm 90. We sing from verse 1 to verse 10. 00:15:21.240 --> 00:15:28.659 Lord, you have been our dwelling place before you made the world of time and space, before you made 00:15:28.659 --> 00:15:35.919 the mountains and the earth. You are eternal, God. You gave them birth. We'll sing from verse 1 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:40.960 down to verse 10 to God's praise. The Tunis Highland Cathedral. 00:15:40.960 --> 00:16:10.940 Lord, you have been our dwelling place before you made the world of time and space, before you made the mountains and the earth. 00:16:10.940 --> 00:16:17.940 Lord, you have been our dwelling place before you made the world of time and space, before you made the world of time and space. 00:16:17.940 --> 00:16:18.940 Let us pray. 00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:18.940 00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:18.940 00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:18.940 00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:18.940 00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:19.940 Let us pray. 00:16:19.940 --> 00:16:19.940 00:16:19.940 --> 00:16:20.940 Let us pray. 00:16:20.940 --> 00:16:21.940 Let us pray. 00:16:21.940 --> 00:16:21.940 00:16:21.940 --> 00:16:38.980 Let us pray. 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:38.980 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:40.980 Let us pray. 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:40.980 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:40.980 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:40.980 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:40.980 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:40.980 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:40.980 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:40.980 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:40.980 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:40.980 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:40.980 00:16:47.940 --> 00:16:52.480 the watch by night. 00:16:53.240 --> 00:17:00.960 Into the deep you see them all away, 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:09.200 for they are like the grass aflame all day. 00:17:09.600 --> 00:17:17.200 All the strings of new and morning white 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:26.140 and flies and vanishes before the night. 00:17:27.140 --> 00:17:33.960 Your wrath consumes us, we are terrified. 00:17:35.960 --> 00:17:42.960 Before your days are sins we have not high. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:51.900 Under the anger, all our days must die. 00:17:51.900 --> 00:17:59.900 Our years are to their finished way aside. 00:17:59.900 --> 00:18:08.840 Our years are to save and deal in vain. 00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:17.779 For even if we have less pain, 00:18:17.779 --> 00:18:18.480 and if we are raising grief and voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy 00:18:47.779 --> 00:18:53.079 Isaiah chapter 43, reading at the beginning of this chapter. 00:18:54.839 --> 00:18:59.920 In that psalm that we were just singing, Psalm 90, we were hearing there in these words the 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:05.819 reality of our lives, the number of our days and years, and how quickly they pass by. 00:19:06.579 --> 00:19:12.079 And it's always in light of the fact that we must appear before God that we think of that. 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:20.039 And in Isaiah chapter 43, and in this section, really from Isaiah 40, we're seeing God speaking 00:19:20.039 --> 00:19:21.899 to his people in different ways. 00:19:22.519 --> 00:19:30.220 In Isaiah chapter 40, it speaks of the great need of comfort that the people of God have, 00:19:30.699 --> 00:19:33.019 and that God is the one who is able to comfort. 00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:39.519 So then you're going from that emotion to chapter 41, where you see the futility of idols, the 00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:42.740 people turning away from God to their own idols. 00:19:43.539 --> 00:19:50.960 Then in chapter 42, God speaking to them once or more, reminding them of their failure to 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:52.879 hear and to acknowledge God. 00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:59.059 In chapter 43, we see this emotion just going on, where in the beginning of it, there's a 00:19:59.059 --> 00:20:01.400 real blessing of God towards his people. 00:20:01.500 --> 00:20:06.639 But in verse 8, he gives a real sense of challenge as well. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:10.300 So we're going to read in Isaiah 43 at verse 1. 00:20:11.040 --> 00:20:17.920 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel, fear 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:19.400 not, for I have redeemed you. 00:20:19.660 --> 00:20:21.780 I have called you by name, you are mine. 00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:26.940 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall 00:20:26.940 --> 00:20:28.080 not overwhelm you. 00:20:28.560 --> 00:20:33.540 When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume 00:20:33.539 --> 00:20:34.539 you. 00:20:34.539 --> 00:20:39.359 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. 00:20:39.940 --> 00:20:45.299 I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. 00:20:45.700 --> 00:20:52.859 Because you are precious in my eyes and honoured, and I love you, I give men in return for you, 00:20:53.319 --> 00:20:55.599 peoples in exchange for your life. 00:20:56.420 --> 00:20:58.319 Fear not, for I am with you. 00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:03.039 I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. 00:21:03.460 --> 00:21:07.759 I will say to the north, give up, and to the south, do not withhold. 00:21:08.379 --> 00:21:14.659 Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called 00:21:14.659 --> 00:21:20.519 by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. 00:21:20.519 --> 00:21:27.639 Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears. 00:21:28.119 --> 00:21:31.579 All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. 00:21:32.519 --> 00:21:36.779 Who among them can declare this and show us the former things? 00:21:37.460 --> 00:21:43.119 Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, it is true. 00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:50.699 You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know 00:21:50.699 --> 00:21:54.000 and believe me and understand that I am he. 00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:59.159 Before me no God was formed, nor shall there be any after me. 00:21:59.639 --> 00:22:04.639 I, I am the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:12.240 I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange God among you, and you are my 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:16.020 witnesses, declares the Lord, and I am God. 00:22:16.660 --> 00:22:18.720 Also henceforth I am he. 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:22.180 There is none who can deliver from my hand. 00:22:22.700 --> 00:22:26.080 I work, and who can turn it back? 00:22:26.800 --> 00:22:30.540 And so on, and may God bless that reading from his word. 00:22:30.539 --> 00:22:35.180 Well, we again sing to God's praise this time in Psalm 77. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:40.119 Sing Psalm's version, page 100 of the psalm books. 00:22:41.079 --> 00:22:43.460 Psalm 77 on page 100. 00:22:43.639 --> 00:22:47.339 We read, sing from verse 7 down to verse 14. 00:22:50.180 --> 00:22:52.359 Psalm 77 at verse 7. 00:22:52.359 --> 00:22:55.720 Forever will the Lord reject and never show his grace. 00:22:56.159 --> 00:22:59.839 Has he withdrawn his steadfast love and turned from me his face? 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:02.279 For all time has his promise failed. 00:23:02.359 --> 00:23:04.419 Is God no longer kind? 00:23:05.019 --> 00:23:09.359 Has he in his great wrath dismissed compassion from his mind? 00:23:09.419 --> 00:23:11.799 You see there the questions of the psalmist. 00:23:11.939 --> 00:23:14.879 And then in verse 10, it says, 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:17.399 Then to my heart there came this thought. 00:23:17.480 --> 00:23:19.199 On this I will rely. 00:23:19.299 --> 00:23:24.439 The years of the right hand of power of him who is most high. 00:23:24.519 --> 00:23:26.639 The Lord who is in control. 00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:29.259 Psalm 77 verse 7 to 14. 00:23:29.860 --> 00:23:32.400 We stand to sing the tune of Amazing Grace. 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:38.140 Forever will the Lord reject and never show his grace. 00:23:38.140 --> 00:23:56.140 Forever will the Lord reject and never show his grace. 00:23:56.140 --> 00:24:01.880 And the Lord reject and never show his grace. 00:24:01.880 --> 00:24:17.880 For all time has his promise failed. 00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:25.700 All time has his promise failed. 00:24:25.700 --> 00:24:33.780 His God no longer kind. 00:24:33.779 --> 00:24:43.599 As he in his spirit of his mind. 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:43.599 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:44.599 His promise failed. 00:24:44.599 --> 00:24:45.599 His promise failed. 00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:46.599 His promise failed. 00:24:46.599 --> 00:24:51.599 His promise failed. 00:24:51.599 --> 00:25:03.419 His promise failed. 00:25:03.420 --> 00:25:24.460 His promise failed. 00:25:24.460 --> 00:25:40.240 I will recall the Lord's praise. 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:49.500 Your words of glory are good. 00:25:49.859 --> 00:25:59.640 I may it be, O Lord, your eyes. 00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:08.180 Your mighty needs are shown. 00:26:08.180 --> 00:26:18.840 O God, most holy I hear this. 00:26:18.840 --> 00:26:27.100 What God compares with you? 00:26:27.400 --> 00:26:36.980 You are the God of this. 00:26:36.980 --> 00:26:44.180 Whose power thy nations view. 00:26:44.180 --> 00:26:56.320 We can turn back to Isaiah chapter 43, and our focus this evening is going to be on verse 00:26:56.320 --> 00:26:58.480 8 down to verse 13. 00:26:58.480 --> 00:27:06.860 the question that the psalmist had in that psalm we just sang psalm 77 verse 13 00:27:06.860 --> 00:27:15.460 what god compares with you that's the kind of question that we have here in isaiah 43 in verse 00:27:15.460 --> 00:27:22.539 8 to 13 where we really see the people standing trial before god and that's what we're thinking 00:27:22.539 --> 00:27:28.120 about this evening this morning we were looking at our standing firm the sure foundation of 00:27:28.119 --> 00:27:35.459 believing in crisis we're looking at that in luke chapter 6 with jesus speaking about the wise and 00:27:35.459 --> 00:27:40.919 the foolish builder and this evening we're looking at standing trial so again let's think of how can 00:27:40.919 --> 00:27:49.659 we come and stand before god in psalm 130 it speaks about that as well who lord if you would mark in 00:27:49.659 --> 00:27:58.059 equity who could stand before you how can we stand before god on trial somebody was telling me earlier 00:27:58.059 --> 00:28:05.259 today that they have been called for duty duty and it's it's quite a thought that just having to go 00:28:05.259 --> 00:28:10.759 into a courtroom whatever part you're playing in the courtroom it's quite a thought just being involved 00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:17.799 in it i've never been in a courtroom and something i would love to just see how it works but thinking 00:28:17.799 --> 00:28:22.799 about it you have all these different kinds of people in the courtroom you have the judge who is 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:28.519 sitting in a seat who will declare a verdict at the end you have witnesses being called you have the person 00:28:28.519 --> 00:28:34.440 standing on trial you have a jury who has a decision to make there's all kinds of different people 00:28:34.440 --> 00:28:42.139 involved in it and it's quite a thought just the whole process and the outcome from it how someone's life 00:28:42.139 --> 00:28:48.399 is on edge as it were whether they're going to be declared innocent or declared guilty 00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:55.040 but it's another thought entirely to think of well we all have to appear in that courtroom when it 00:28:55.040 --> 00:29:02.180 comes to the judgment seat of god we all have to appear before christ and give an account before him 00:29:02.180 --> 00:29:08.600 we are all going to stand before him on trial as it were and he declare a verdict innocent or guilty 00:29:08.600 --> 00:29:16.140 and it's a thought that what are we going to say how are we going to stand before him and that's 00:29:16.140 --> 00:29:23.140 really what is happening here in chapter 43 verse 8 to 13 it's something that you see beginning in 00:29:23.140 --> 00:29:31.700 chapter 41 as well where it speaks about bearing witness and coming before god as well in verse 21 00:29:31.700 --> 00:29:41.100 of chapter 41 it says set forth your case says the lord bring your proofs say the king say that says the 00:29:41.099 --> 00:29:48.759 king of jacob so there's a case to be brought before god set your proof before god and this is really 00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:57.599 being picked up again in verse 8 of chapter 43 where it says bring out the people who are blind bring out 00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:07.519 is again being called into the the courtroom setting before god and as you go through these chapters 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:13.220 and i say as i was saying that there's a whole host of emotions going on here you're going from one 00:30:13.220 --> 00:30:20.779 thing to another even in this chapter that we've read chapter 43 you have these beautiful verses at 00:30:20.779 --> 00:30:26.299 the beginning of the chapter wonderful verses we've looked at them a wee while ago now we looked at verse 00:30:26.299 --> 00:30:32.639 one to seven here and you're thinking of these words that the lord is saying to his people fear not 00:30:32.640 --> 00:30:38.580 for i have redeemed you i have called you by name you are mine you are precious to me when you pass 00:30:38.580 --> 00:30:44.020 through the waters i will be with you and through the rivers they shall not overwhelm you when you walk 00:30:44.020 --> 00:30:50.700 through the fire you shall not be burned and the flame shall not consume you for i am the lord your god 00:30:50.700 --> 00:30:57.700 the holy one of israel your savior and so it goes on there's these beautiful verses that are reminding us 00:30:57.700 --> 00:31:03.840 what it is to have a relationship with god to have faith with him and to know this great relationship 00:31:03.840 --> 00:31:11.799 and yet in the midst of this you just go back to chapter 42 and the end of it and the people are 00:31:11.799 --> 00:31:18.819 rejecting god so god is giving one verdict you are mine you are precious i am with you and yet what are 00:31:18.819 --> 00:31:27.600 they doing well in isaiah 42 verse 20 he's talking there about his people he sees many things but does not 00:31:27.599 --> 00:31:35.779 upset him his ears are open but he does not hear he's talking here but those who are blind and deaf 00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:44.559 they're not listening and they're looking to false gods people are being disobedient and because of this 00:31:44.559 --> 00:31:52.599 there's there's consequences you look at verse 25 of chapter 42 so he poured out on them the heat of his 00:31:52.599 --> 00:32:01.659 anger and the might of battle there was fire brought down all around but still they did not understand 00:32:01.659 --> 00:32:08.539 there's this punishment that comes and that's in light then of chapter 43 when he says when you pass 00:32:08.539 --> 00:32:14.039 through when you walk through the fire you will not be burned there's still this element of grace 00:32:14.039 --> 00:32:22.779 the punishment that might have been expected it's still withheld for a time but that's not to say that it's 00:32:22.779 --> 00:32:33.139 not going to come eventually god will not just leave it at that god demands a response from his people 00:32:33.139 --> 00:32:43.420 if you are not going to go with them he will not go with you and so god makes demands and that's what we 00:32:43.420 --> 00:32:51.580 see then as we come into chapter 43 these great promises that god gives in verse 1 to verse 7 he then 00:32:51.580 --> 00:32:59.300 challenges them as he brings them out brings the people out so they might respond before him are they 00:32:59.300 --> 00:33:07.660 going to go on the side of the idols and listen to them or are they going to listen to god and trust 00:33:07.660 --> 00:33:16.279 in him how are they going to stand before god as they come on trial god is saying do you agree with me 00:33:16.279 --> 00:33:24.259 or do you not so as we see in life so often when there's a disagreement when there's a fallout 00:33:24.259 --> 00:33:30.940 over many different kinds of issues when there's two parties and they want something resolved 00:33:30.940 --> 00:33:39.000 it often ends up coming to court and both sides being called to give evidence for their side of 00:33:39.000 --> 00:33:46.960 this story and see someone declared in a verdict as to who is right and who is wrong and so god is 00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:54.220 saying well if you're going to listen to your idols bring them out let's talk this through let's come 00:33:54.220 --> 00:34:03.380 together and see who is right here who is going to come out on the right side here bring out the people 00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:11.240 the lord sees let's come to the courtroom and settle this and so we're going to look at it in that sense 00:34:11.240 --> 00:34:20.699 of coming into the courtroom standing trial before god and in verse 8 we see the court assembles 00:34:20.699 --> 00:34:23.460 the court assembles 00:34:23.460 --> 00:34:34.179 as we said before now there's different kinds of people involved in the courtroom there's witnesses 00:34:34.179 --> 00:34:40.519 there's those who are standing trial there's those who are giving the verdict and we see all of that as 00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:48.000 we see the court assemble in verse 8 bring out the people who are blind yet have eyes who are deaf 00:34:48.000 --> 00:34:58.699 yet have ears all the nations gather together and the peoples assemble everyone is given an opportunity 00:34:58.699 --> 00:35:07.119 to be involved in this case there are times when you see people longing to bring a case against 00:35:07.119 --> 00:35:15.460 maybe a company a company who they believe has been in the wrong and yet the people the ordinary 00:35:15.460 --> 00:35:21.519 people are so weak to bring any case against them because this company will have money and finance 00:35:21.519 --> 00:35:29.139 and the best of lawyers behind them and so the the reality of trying to go up against these companies 00:35:29.139 --> 00:35:36.460 as ordinary people is that you're going to fail unless you're determined unless you're just so 00:35:36.460 --> 00:35:41.599 determined to bring a case before you that's going to prove that they are wrong there was a film called 00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:48.299 erin brokovich and that was the kind of situation that took place a company who had been doing wrong 00:35:48.299 --> 00:35:54.719 they'd been putting chemicals into the the soils and the contaminated the water and people were getting 00:35:54.719 --> 00:36:00.779 sick and the company thought they could get away with by just paying out a little sum of money to 00:36:00.779 --> 00:36:07.219 quieten the people just just give them enough and just to silence them but there was a lawyer who came 00:36:07.219 --> 00:36:13.179 in who was determined that they would get what they were due and they kept going kept going kept going and 00:36:13.179 --> 00:36:21.939 eventually they won a great settlement against this large company and sometimes we feel powerless but 00:36:21.939 --> 00:36:30.599 imagine what it's like coming into this courtroom when god is saying bring out the people when we are to 00:36:30.599 --> 00:36:38.059 up here before god and you could think about going up against the largest company with all the money in 00:36:38.059 --> 00:36:45.319 the world and the fear that that might bring but what about coming before god the maker of the heaven and 00:36:45.319 --> 00:36:55.799 the earth all-powerful all-knowing god how could we stand before him and yet he gives opportunity he gives 00:36:55.800 --> 00:37:04.800 opportunity here as we see bring out these people bring out these witnesses but look at the witnesses 00:37:04.800 --> 00:37:13.820 look at the people as they come how they describe there in verse 8 bring the people out who are blind 00:37:13.820 --> 00:37:22.260 and who are deaf what kind of witnesses are they how are they possibly going to be able to present 00:37:22.260 --> 00:37:29.860 something that would be make a compelling case to god they're blind and they're deaf if you were in any 00:37:29.860 --> 00:37:35.840 courtroom and someone was giving evidence and they were deaf and you were saying well what did you hear i 00:37:35.840 --> 00:37:43.400 heard nothing or they're blind what do you see i saw nothing well there's no case and yet that's what's put 00:37:43.400 --> 00:37:56.760 before us here but you see here people who are blind yet have eyes who are deaf yet have ears so there's 00:37:56.760 --> 00:38:03.680 something about them they're selective in what they're seeing and what they're hearing they're only looking 00:38:03.680 --> 00:38:11.500 at it from their perspective they're only looking at the way they want to see things and hear things 00:38:11.500 --> 00:38:19.519 you see it when people go to court and it used to be more so that you had to swear on the bible 00:38:19.519 --> 00:38:27.039 and you would see it in any courtroom drama i swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing 00:38:27.039 --> 00:38:35.579 but the truth and yet they would go on and just tell lies twist the truth swearing on the bible and yet 00:38:35.579 --> 00:38:43.219 the bible meant nothing and that's something we see here in our own society to this day that there's 00:38:43.219 --> 00:38:49.779 this idea that we just live the way we want do the things we want and there's no consequences 00:38:49.779 --> 00:38:59.239 and and god is saying here this is the way you are living you're blind but you have eyes you're deaf 00:38:59.239 --> 00:39:04.259 but you have ears a little like what we were looking at this morning as well when we were thinking of 00:39:04.259 --> 00:39:12.159 how we are to live in light of what god does for us how we are to hear the word of god and do it as well 00:39:12.159 --> 00:39:20.779 here they have ears to hear and eyes to see but they don't act they don't do instead they do what they 00:39:20.779 --> 00:39:28.319 want themselves so the court is assembling and and this is the witnesses but the second thing we see with 00:39:28.320 --> 00:39:35.960 with the court assembling is what the disagreement is over as well what is causing this disagreement 00:39:35.960 --> 00:39:44.120 who is able to declare authority over all things who is able to show that well we have done this 00:39:44.120 --> 00:39:52.960 no god has done it so there's this disagreement over which gods have done what and god is saying 00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:58.300 you are going to your idols you are looking to your idols that you have made in your own image 00:39:58.300 --> 00:40:06.900 with your own eyes and your own ears or you can look to me even when you go back to to verse the 00:40:06.900 --> 00:40:13.360 verses the beginning of this chapter the lord is saying to them fear not for i am i have redeemed you 00:40:13.360 --> 00:40:20.280 when you pass through the waters i will be with you in verse 3 fear for i am the lord your god the holy 00:40:20.280 --> 00:40:27.200 one of israel your savior there's all of these promises all of these things that god has shown to them 00:40:27.199 --> 00:40:38.259 and yet they are pushing it away they are not listening god has brought them out i give egypt as your ransom 00:40:38.259 --> 00:40:46.039 cushion seba in exchange for you all of these things that i have done for you looking back over all the 00:40:46.039 --> 00:40:54.919 generations up until this very point i have been with you and yet they are saying no it is our idols it 00:40:54.920 --> 00:41:02.780 it is ourselves it is all of these other things that have brought us to this point so where is the 00:41:02.780 --> 00:41:11.079 truth where is the truth in all of this and where is the truth for all of our lives today what is the 00:41:11.079 --> 00:41:17.760 truth of how we live move and have our being is it in ourselves is it in our wealth is it in our power 00:41:17.760 --> 00:41:25.460 is it in all that we do ourselves or is it in god that is what is on trial that's what's at stake who are we 00:41:25.460 --> 00:41:35.280 looking to are we trusting in there was a book written it's called uh between the between two truths 00:41:35.280 --> 00:41:43.760 it's by kyle snodgrass and in it he speaks of it's obviously just speaking of it in a fictional sense 00:41:43.760 --> 00:41:51.020 but he says once the devil was walking along with one of his cohorts and they saw a man ahead of them 00:41:51.020 --> 00:41:59.540 picking up something shiny what did he find asked the cohort of the devil the devil answered a piece of 00:41:59.540 --> 00:42:07.840 truth and so the cohort said doesn't that bother you that he's found a piece of truth and the devil's 00:42:07.840 --> 00:42:16.600 response was no that will become their religion and so you see a little bit of truth can be very 00:42:16.600 --> 00:42:25.860 dangerous a little bit of truth it can just cause more harm than good without the whole truth because 00:42:25.860 --> 00:42:32.420 when we just look at a little bit of truth we begin to believe just that and nothing else 00:42:32.420 --> 00:42:43.019 and that's when you go back to isaiah 41 verse 21 and 22 where it says set forth your case says the lord 00:42:43.019 --> 00:42:49.300 bring your proofs says the king of jacob let them bring them and tell us what is to happen 00:42:49.300 --> 00:42:57.139 so what is ahead how are your gods your idols showing you what lies ahead tell us the former things 00:42:57.139 --> 00:43:03.059 what they are that we may consider them that we may know their outcome or declare to us the things 00:43:03.059 --> 00:43:10.539 to come whether you look back or whether you look forward he is saying here who is it that has made 00:43:10.539 --> 00:43:18.139 these things come to be and that's the great challenge that we face when we're on trial before god 00:43:18.139 --> 00:43:26.799 even today when we look to the future who holds it what does it hold we think we have our own plans 00:43:26.800 --> 00:43:34.460 our own lives all planned out in front of us and yet how quickly these plans change or whether we 00:43:34.460 --> 00:43:40.920 look back do we say it was ourselves that have done all of these things that are built all of our homes 00:43:40.920 --> 00:43:48.720 our lives and everything that we have or is it god who has been good to us the court assembles to 00:43:48.720 --> 00:43:55.480 discuss these things and to see who is it that has blessed us who is it that is with us who is it 00:43:55.480 --> 00:44:06.400 that we are listening to this is what the trial is all about so often you see that throughout the 00:44:06.400 --> 00:44:13.420 scriptures god challenging his people in deuteronomy you go back there and you see how he was telling 00:44:13.420 --> 00:44:18.860 them when you go into this land when you see all that it will give to you the riches the homes 00:44:18.860 --> 00:44:28.200 the crops everything he says do not forget the lord and here we are the lord being forgotten 00:44:28.200 --> 00:44:36.860 israel's failure to hear and to see they're turning to their false gods and so it is with ourselves today 00:44:36.860 --> 00:44:45.420 we're failing to see and to hear what god has done but he is calling us to give answer to stand trial 00:44:45.420 --> 00:44:55.099 before you before him and so that's when we see then the witnesses called and they are to give answer 00:44:55.099 --> 00:45:04.500 they are to give answer what do the witnesses see well as they come in as they come into this courtroom 00:45:04.500 --> 00:45:12.340 setting it begin we begin to see that they have so little answer before god you see it in the middle 00:45:12.340 --> 00:45:19.400 of verse 9 who among them can declare this and show us the former things let them bring their witnesses 00:45:19.400 --> 00:45:27.519 to prove them right and let them hear and say it is true so the lord is calling them before them 00:45:27.519 --> 00:45:37.640 let's hear your witnesses let's hear what you have to say and the false gods that they are following 00:45:37.639 --> 00:45:45.739 it's almost like they are brought to the stand now let them bring them in and see what they have to show 00:45:45.739 --> 00:45:53.019 us of the former things did they do it can they give answer what's the response 00:45:53.019 --> 00:46:05.000 silence there's nothing no false god can answer before god we cannot answer before god if we were to say 00:46:05.000 --> 00:46:11.280 i have done this i have brought my own salvation i have brought myself through the waters or through 00:46:11.280 --> 00:46:19.719 the fires or all of these things there's no response to give the witnesses are called the evidence is called 00:46:19.719 --> 00:46:27.000 for what help of your false gods bring how they predicted what was to come how they able to show what is 00:46:27.000 --> 00:46:38.519 ahead of you nothing there is nothing that they can give and so it is in this world for us what can we say 00:46:38.519 --> 00:46:46.039 of what lies ahead what power do we have over what lies ahead of us what power have we had in the past 00:46:46.039 --> 00:47:00.679 it is nothing because truly we are in god's hands truly we are in his hands and so the witnesses are called 00:47:00.679 --> 00:47:13.239 to give response on the side of man and what do they have they have nothing but yet other witnesses are called 00:47:13.239 --> 00:47:22.519 then in verse 10 there's a pause between these verses let them hear and say it is through at the end of 00:47:22.519 --> 00:47:33.719 verse 9 and there's nothing there's no answer but then in verse 10 god calls his witness and he says you 00:47:33.719 --> 00:47:44.119 are my witnesses he calls the same witnesses back as it were and he says to the people you are my witnesses 00:47:44.119 --> 00:47:52.039 because through you i am going to show you just what i have done for you what your idols didn't do and could 00:47:52.039 --> 00:47:59.959 never do i have done for you you are my witnesses declares the lord and my servant whom i have chosen 00:47:59.960 --> 00:48:08.199 that you may know and believe me and understand that i am he and he goes on to say this before me no god 00:48:08.199 --> 00:48:17.559 before me no god was formed nor shall there be any after me i i am the lord and besides me there is no 00:48:17.559 --> 00:48:25.320 savior you see what he is saying to them he is showing them the evidence from another side he says i've 00:48:25.320 --> 00:48:30.600 called you have called you have called you as witnesses to bring the truth before me you have no response i 00:48:30.600 --> 00:48:38.360 bring you as my witnesses before me now and here is what you will see i i am the lord 00:48:40.039 --> 00:48:45.800 you would expect two different sets of witnesses but it's the same ones 00:48:48.280 --> 00:48:54.920 we can deny god we can be blind we can be deaf before him but we actually have eyes to see and 00:48:54.920 --> 00:49:01.639 ears to hear and the knowledge of god is before us in all that we see and all that we hear 00:49:03.559 --> 00:49:09.960 and when you look at it and he's calling us as witnesses before him can we not see the same things 00:49:12.039 --> 00:49:22.119 that he is god that there is no other that he alone is the one who is able to save are we not witnesses 00:49:22.119 --> 00:49:30.440 to his mercy and to his grace the very things that we have day by day that we take for granted the 00:49:30.440 --> 00:49:38.039 very things that we think we have provided for ourselves our health our homes our families our 00:49:38.039 --> 00:49:46.519 communities we say it's all of us it's not it is god and it is to god we are to be thankful 00:49:46.519 --> 00:49:53.639 that he has chosen his people that he has watched over his people that he has provided for his people 00:49:53.639 --> 00:50:02.599 that he has shown mercy and grace towards his people when you go back again to to the previous chapters 00:50:02.599 --> 00:50:12.280 here when there was judgment called in chapter 20 42 verse 25 he poured out on him the heat of his 00:50:12.280 --> 00:50:20.600 anger and the might of battle and set it set him on fire all round all of these things is the wrath of god 00:50:20.600 --> 00:50:31.080 that we deserve and yet he calls us as witnesses has he given it he has held it back for now he has been 00:50:31.080 --> 00:50:39.240 gracious he has been merciful towards us he has given us a day to hear his word and to respond to his word 00:50:39.239 --> 00:50:48.919 we deserve his wrath we deserve his judgment and yet in wrath he remembers mercy 00:50:50.599 --> 00:50:58.359 you are my witnesses to this declares the lord and where does it point us towards where does this lead us 00:50:58.359 --> 00:51:07.479 to it always points us towards the cross to jesus who he sent into this world for our sin 00:51:07.480 --> 00:51:18.599 that through him we would see his mercy that he did not spare his own son but gave him as a ransom for his 00:51:18.599 --> 00:51:26.679 people that he might lay down his life for his people that they might have life through him that we might have 00:51:26.679 --> 00:51:37.320 life through him you are my witnesses he says as i say i would go on to show them in isaiah 53 the suffering 00:51:37.320 --> 00:51:48.440 servant the one who would come to be to give his life you are my witnesses to all of these things 00:51:48.440 --> 00:52:00.280 and so he highlights that for us here how there is purpose that you may know he says in verse 10 00:52:00.280 --> 00:52:09.720 that you may know and believe and understand so there's these three words again know believe and understand 00:52:11.720 --> 00:52:19.000 just like we had this morning that we would come and hear and do there's another three for us here know 00:52:19.000 --> 00:52:30.119 and believe and believe and understand we are witnesses to the mercy of god that he has given us 00:52:30.119 --> 00:52:39.719 an advocate someone who would come to our defense and that's what john speaks about in first john chapter 2 00:52:39.719 --> 00:52:47.079 verse 1 to 3 where it says if anyone does sin we have an advocate advocate with the father jesus christ 00:52:47.079 --> 00:52:54.599 the righteous he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole 00:52:54.599 --> 00:53:01.639 world and by this that we have we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments 00:53:01.639 --> 00:53:13.559 so he has shown us he has shown us his mercy he has given us his mercy the witnesses are called one they have no 00:53:13.559 --> 00:53:21.639 response to give when they look to their own idols just like we do but another god calls and says well look 00:53:21.639 --> 00:53:34.279 what i have done for you i have chosen you i am the lord i am the savior there is no other so the witnesses 00:53:34.920 --> 00:53:43.239 give their evidence and the final thing we want to see from this is a verdict must be come to 00:53:43.239 --> 00:53:54.279 a verdict must be come to a verdict must be declared and what will it be who are we going to side with 00:53:56.119 --> 00:54:02.599 i declared and i saved he says in verse 12 and proclaimed when there was no strange god among you 00:54:03.159 --> 00:54:10.759 you are my witnesses declared the lord and i am god also henceforth i am he there is none who can 00:54:10.760 --> 00:54:21.720 deliver from my hand i work and who can turn it back well following the witnesses we have to ask ourselves 00:54:22.440 --> 00:54:30.920 what verdict would we give what could we say before the lord as we stand trial would we still say but but our 00:54:30.920 --> 00:54:40.280 idols but my strength but my power or any of these things is what has saved me or would we come just 00:54:40.280 --> 00:54:51.400 humbly before god and say it is only by your mercy lord who could stand if you would mark iniquity 00:54:51.400 --> 00:55:00.760 against us none no one could stand but yet with you there is forgiveness the psalmist says it is the only way 00:55:00.760 --> 00:55:11.400 that we can stand that we can stand it is to be before him thankful for all that he has done he has declared he has 00:55:11.400 --> 00:55:20.360 saved he has proclaimed he has done it all but do we have eyes to see and ears to hear or are we still blind and are we still deaf 00:55:20.360 --> 00:55:28.760 you know the amazing thing is as you go through scripture you still see the god of this world who has blinded the eyes of people 00:55:29.480 --> 00:55:30.440 to this very day 00:55:31.880 --> 00:55:34.760 in luke chapter 19 verse 14 00:55:35.640 --> 00:55:39.880 there's that parable where it's talking about jesus talking about what are you going to do 00:55:39.880 --> 00:55:44.039 with this man and the citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him saying 00:55:44.039 --> 00:55:46.920 we do not want this man to reign over us 00:55:48.599 --> 00:55:52.440 that parable was talking about how they would treat jesus when he came 00:55:53.480 --> 00:55:56.599 we do not want this man to reign over us 00:55:57.960 --> 00:56:04.599 is that our response when we see all that god has done for us that we would say we do not want this man 00:56:04.599 --> 00:56:06.199 to reign over us 00:56:06.199 --> 00:56:15.079 if we do we will not stand before him when we come on trial when we come to give account for all that he 00:56:15.079 --> 00:56:18.360 has done for us we will not be able to stand 00:56:20.599 --> 00:56:29.319 but by faith in him by looking to him by trusting in him we will be able to stand before him as the one 00:56:29.320 --> 00:56:32.760 who has saved us from our sins 00:56:34.680 --> 00:56:35.400 what will we do 00:56:36.440 --> 00:56:37.000 with our 00:56:37.000 --> 00:56:38.200 faith 00:56:39.000 --> 00:56:41.640 what will we do with all that we hear in this 00:56:43.240 --> 00:56:44.440 will we proclaim it 00:56:45.559 --> 00:56:47.160 or will we shy away from it 00:56:48.519 --> 00:56:49.160 the truth 00:56:49.800 --> 00:56:50.680 is before us 00:56:51.320 --> 00:56:54.840 the truth is there is nothing we can do of ourselves 00:56:55.880 --> 00:56:58.200 the truth is it is only by god's grace 00:56:58.919 --> 00:57:00.679 that we can stand before him 00:57:02.439 --> 00:57:05.480 on the sure foundation that is christ 00:57:07.239 --> 00:57:07.879 we need him 00:57:09.559 --> 00:57:11.559 not to say we will not have this man 00:57:12.119 --> 00:57:13.000 rule over us 00:57:14.519 --> 00:57:18.519 but to be able to say my lord and my god 00:57:19.239 --> 00:57:20.359 have mercy on me 00:57:21.559 --> 00:57:24.039 have mercy on me that i might live 00:57:24.039 --> 00:57:28.920 the thought of coming on trial before god 00:57:30.119 --> 00:57:30.920 what a thought 00:57:32.519 --> 00:57:34.279 that we must appear before him 00:57:34.280 --> 00:57:37.000 and that he would give witnesses 00:57:37.000 --> 00:57:38.599 against us 00:57:38.599 --> 00:57:41.400 when he says i have done this for you 00:57:42.360 --> 00:57:43.559 i have done that for you 00:57:44.360 --> 00:57:46.039 and above all i have given my son 00:57:46.599 --> 00:57:47.079 for you 00:57:48.360 --> 00:57:49.000 would you say 00:57:49.000 --> 00:57:50.840 not for me 00:57:50.840 --> 00:57:53.000 i'll do it myself 00:57:53.000 --> 00:57:54.920 i'll go my way 00:57:54.920 --> 00:57:57.639 or would you come and say 00:57:57.639 --> 00:57:59.559 lord have mercy 00:58:01.400 --> 00:58:02.680 lord forgive me 00:58:02.679 --> 00:58:04.759 when i see 00:58:04.759 --> 00:58:06.199 what you have done 00:58:06.199 --> 00:58:07.960 give me eyes 00:58:07.960 --> 00:58:09.719 and give me ears 00:58:09.719 --> 00:58:10.519 to hear 00:58:10.519 --> 00:58:12.199 and understand 00:58:12.199 --> 00:58:13.319 and see and know 00:58:13.319 --> 00:58:15.639 and that i might follow 00:58:15.639 --> 00:58:16.679 you 00:58:16.679 --> 00:58:19.400 may god help us 00:58:19.400 --> 00:58:21.079 to be able to stand firm 00:58:21.639 --> 00:58:22.440 in christ 00:58:23.159 --> 00:58:24.679 that we might stand trial 00:58:24.679 --> 00:58:26.359 before him 00:58:26.359 --> 00:58:28.839 with christ as our advocate 00:58:28.839 --> 00:58:30.440 on our side 00:58:30.440 --> 00:58:32.039 as our defense 00:58:32.039 --> 00:58:33.799 as our savior 00:58:33.799 --> 00:58:35.079 let us pray 00:58:37.319 --> 00:58:38.919 lord our gracious god 00:58:38.919 --> 00:58:39.879 we do thank you 00:58:39.879 --> 00:58:41.639 for all you do for us 00:58:41.639 --> 00:58:45.159 we thank you that in the fear of standing before you 00:58:45.159 --> 00:58:48.519 there is hope and assurance as we look to christ 00:58:48.519 --> 00:58:50.119 christ our advocate 00:58:50.119 --> 00:58:51.960 christ our defense 00:58:51.960 --> 00:58:53.960 christ our savior 00:58:53.960 --> 00:58:55.480 and we pray lord 00:58:55.480 --> 00:58:57.320 that anything that we see in ourselves 00:58:57.320 --> 00:58:59.400 that makes us feel worthy or 00:58:59.400 --> 00:59:01.559 powerful to stand before you 00:59:01.559 --> 00:59:03.159 you would take it away from us 00:59:03.159 --> 00:59:04.840 and help us to come 00:59:05.400 --> 00:59:07.400 just mercyfully before you 00:59:07.400 --> 00:59:09.159 humbly before you 00:59:09.159 --> 00:59:10.440 by your grace 00:59:10.440 --> 00:59:12.039 and by your will 00:59:12.039 --> 00:59:13.400 hear our prayers 00:59:13.400 --> 00:59:14.519 and continue with us 00:59:14.519 --> 00:59:15.559 that's all we ask 00:59:15.559 --> 00:59:16.920 we ask in jesus name 00:59:16.920 --> 00:59:17.880 amen 00:59:23.960 --> 00:59:28.679 i'm going to conclude by singing to god's praise in psalm 73 00:59:28.679 --> 00:59:31.400 in the scottish psalter 00:59:32.760 --> 00:59:34.280 page 316 00:59:38.840 --> 00:59:40.280 psalm 73 00:59:40.280 --> 00:59:43.560 at verse 23 to 26 00:59:43.560 --> 00:59:50.519 again we see the change in this psalm when the psalmist is before god and 00:59:51.160 --> 00:59:53.560 almost leaning on his own understanding 00:59:53.559 --> 00:59:55.239 in verse 21 00:59:55.239 --> 00:59:57.799 it says as grieved it was my heart and me 00:59:57.799 --> 01:00:00.119 and me my reigns oppressed 01:00:00.119 --> 01:00:00.840 so rude 01:00:00.840 --> 01:00:01.639 was i 01:00:01.639 --> 01:00:02.679 and ignorant 01:00:02.679 --> 01:00:03.880 and in thy sight 01:00:03.880 --> 01:00:04.519 a beast 01:00:04.519 --> 01:00:07.880 but yet you see the change that comes in verse 23 01:00:07.880 --> 01:00:09.400 nevertheless continually 01:00:09.400 --> 01:00:11.320 oh lord i am with thee 01:00:11.320 --> 01:00:12.599 thou dost me hold 01:00:12.599 --> 01:00:14.920 by my right hand and still 01:00:14.920 --> 01:00:16.840 upholdest me 01:00:16.840 --> 01:00:19.000 our hope is found in the lord 01:00:19.000 --> 01:00:20.840 who is able to hold us 01:00:20.840 --> 01:00:22.599 so we sing from verse 23 01:00:22.599 --> 01:00:26.760 to verse 26 to god's praise the tune as weather be 01:00:26.760 --> 01:00:47.800 voy forbade 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:47.800 01:00:47.800 --> 01:00:49.800 voy 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:00:49.800 01:00:49.800 --> 01:01:05.240 God dost behold by thy right hand, and still thou holdest me. 01:01:05.239 --> 01:01:35.219 Come with thy counsel while I am, let me conduct and guide, and to thy glory aftermore receive me to thee. 01:01:35.239 --> 01:02:05.219 Come with thy right hand, and to thy glory aftermore receive me to thee. 01:02:05.239 --> 01:02:12.239 His sight be there is none. 01:02:12.239 --> 01:02:29.619 My flesh and heart doth faint and fear, but God doth fill me there. 01:02:29.619 --> 01:02:45.619 For of my heart, God is the strength and motion for ever. 01:02:45.619 --> 01:02:46.619 Amen. 01:02:47.980 --> 01:02:50.579 After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my right. 01:02:50.659 --> 01:02:51.799 We'll close with a benediction. 01:02:51.800 --> 01:03:01.240 Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore. 01:03:01.859 --> 01:03:02.239 Amen. 01:03:02.239 --> 01:03:02.299 Amen.