Stone, rejected by humans, but chosen by God and precious to him, you also, like living stones,
are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in scripture it says, see, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious, but to those who do not believe, the stone the
builders rejected has become the cornerstone, and a stone that causes people to stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall. They stumble because they disobey the message, which is also
what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness
into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.
Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you,
as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires which wage war against your soul. Live such
good lives among the pagans, that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds
and glorify God on the day he visits us. Let's pray. Father, thank you for the privilege of approaching
your holy throne in worship and to bring to you our concerns and our cares. We ask that you would
help us to leave our troubles at the door this morning, Lord, and simply enter into your holy of
holies to elevate our worship to you. Be with us, Lord, as we look at your word. And may you be
speaking this morning through your Holy Spirit. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. I was reading during
the week about this church in California that decided to sell its building and open a brewery.
And the church's pastor was interviewed about this. And let me quote him just so I don't,
so I'm not unfair to the guy. I thought to myself, wouldn't it be great if a church could figure out
a way to make a product where they split the profits with local community groups? We love beer.
Why not do a brewery? I'm not making this up. I promise this is a real story. He went on to say,
my sermons get better after a few beers. You might need a few yourself when I'm done telling you about them.
They also do this thing called Faith on Tap, which I quote from the website,
is a discussion group for people of all religious, political, and social affiliations
to engage in respectful dialogue over craft beer and wine,
which is exactly what you want people drinking when they're talking about politics and religion,
beer and wine. By the way,
one of the local community groups that they split the profits with,
local abortion clinics,
one of which is on the floor above where the church meets.
And the church's name
is Greater Purpose Community Church.
Greater Purpose?
Really?
Making and selling beer
to fund abortion?
Is that really what Jesus had in mind
when he said,
I will build my church
and then died for his church?
You see,
guys like this so-called pastor
bow to the pressures of the world around them,
which tells them
the church has to look
like the culture.
The church needs to get with the times,
adapt,
integrate,
or else sit down
and shut up.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday,
it was a magnificent scene.
Throngs of adoring crowds
lining the roads and shouting,
Blessed is the King
who comes in the name of the Lord.
And the Pharisees
said to Jesus,
shut them up.
They're making too much of a racket.
But Jesus said,
I tell you,
if they stay quiet,
then the stones
will cry out.
Because God
will always
get the glory
that is due to him.
And that's the name
of our sermon this morning.
The stones cry out.
Because you see,
friends,
God's purpose for the church
is not to bow
to a world system
that tells it
to sit down
and be quiet.
Peter tells us this morning
that we are living stones.
And because we,
the church,
are alive,
we are living,
we have two great purposes.
Two main ways
in which we,
the living stones,
cry out
to the living God.
If you have one of the sheets
in front of you,
you'll see that the two ways
are vocal
and visible.
The church
needs to be vocal
and it needs to be visible.
So let's dive right in
verses four and five.
Let's have a look.
As you come to him,
the living stone,
that's Jesus,
rejected by humans,
but chosen by God
and precious to him,
you also,
that's the church,
like living stones,
are being built
into a spiritual house
to be a holy priesthood,
offering spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ.
My brother is a stone cutter.
He does monuments,
headstones,
that kind of thing.
And last year,
he designed and built
this World War I monument
in Middleton.
It's absolutely beautiful.
It's basically
an enormous limestone plaque,
thick,
several meters long,
engravings, poetry,
and it's got all the names
of the fallen soldiers
from the Middleton area on it.
And people flock
to see this thing.
It's stunning.
It's an example
of wonderful craftsmanship.
And people admire
the engravings
and the poetry
and reflect on the sacrifice
of the brave men
whose names are on the stone.
But at the end of the day,
impressive and all as it is,
it's just a lump of stone.
Because you see,
it's dead.
It's inanimate.
It doesn't have life.
It'll last for a time,
but then,
ultimately,
it will fade away.
But Jesus is the living stone,
Peter tells us.
You come to him
not to admire something
made by men,
not something
made out of rock.
You come to him,
the living stone,
the rock of ages,
because he is
the beautiful savior.
He is the secure,
immovable,
permanent,
rock of ages.
And back in the gospel accounts,
when Jesus asked Peter,
who do you say I am?
Peter said,
you're the Messiah.
You're the son
of the living God.
And Jesus told Peter
that this revelation,
this knowledge
that Jesus is
the Messiah,
is the son of God,
is the rock,
Jesus said,
on which
I will build
my church.
And look at verse 5.
Not only this,
but verse 5,
we,
the church,
are living stones
that are being built
on top of this rock
to form a house.
Now,
I don't know
if you've ever built
your own house.
My brother has,
with the help
of the other brother,
the stone cutter,
and it's a great exercise
in patience
and working together
and,
not my brother,
as you understand,
they're not patient
or anything like that,
but it's a great exercise
in patience.
That's what they tell me.
But this is not
a literal house
that is being built.
This is not a community center
in Carragalline.
This is a spiritual home,
one that is based
on the reality
that Jesus
is Lord.
That's what a church is.
Not a building.
Not an organization.
It's a group of sinners
saved by grace
being built
onto the rock
of ages.
Sinners
saved out of darkness,
Peter tells us,
to be a holy priesthood.
Now,
you remember
what holy means,
right?
Holy means
set apart
from sin.
Separated from sin.
Separated from the lusts
and desires
of this world.
And in the Old Testament,
God set aside
priests
for himself
who would make
sacrifices for the people.
Lambs,
goats,
turtle doves,
that kind of thing.
They would make
these sacrifices
and then atone
for the sins
of the people.
Most famously,
once a year,
on what the Jews
still call
Yom Kippur,
the Day of Atonement,
the high priest
would go into
the Holy of Holies
in the deepest part
of the temple
and make atonement
for the whole people.
Now,
these priests,
they were sinners
themselves.
Just like you and me.
All people are.
We know this.
So,
they didn't just need
to atone
for the sins
of the people.
They needed to atone
for their own sins
as well.
And in that sense,
those priests,
the Old Testament priests,
represented people
in front of God.
Before God.
But we live
on this side
of the cross.
We live on the side
of the cross
where Jesus became
the complete sacrifice
to appear for us
in God's presence
and atone completely
for our sins.
We don't need priests
to enter into
a building
made by men.
Because Jesus,
unlike those priests,
he didn't have any sins
of his own.
He didn't have to atone.
For his sins.
And because of this,
Peter tells us,
we are a priesthood
whose sins
have already
been forgiven.
So,
we don't make sacrifices
for other people.
We don't represent
other people
before God.
The reason
we're a priesthood,
friends,
is we represent
God
in front of
other people.
Not the other way around.
And so,
the sacrifices we make
are not animals.
You'll see this quote
if you have the notes
in front of you.
The writer to Hebrews
says this,
Jesus suffered
to make the people
holy
through his own blood.
Through Jesus,
therefore,
let us continually
offer to God
a sacrifice
of praise.
A sacrifice
of praise.
The fruit
of lips
that openly
profess his name.
See,
the purpose,
friends,
of the church
is to be
vocal
in its praise.
We,
the living stones,
we cry out
because the great
rock of ages
made us alive.
The purpose
of the church
is to be vocal
in its praise.
And this sacrifice
that Jesus
made
shows that
lambs don't belong
in altars.
They belong
in slow cookers.
Take a bit of garlic
and rosemary.
Try it sometime.
It's lovely.
Keep it away
from the altar.
We,
the living stones,
we cry out
in the praise
and worship,
the sacrifice
of praise
and worship,
the spiritual sacrifice.
And we continually
offer this sacrifice,
Peter says.
Now,
I don't know about you,
but I find that challenging.
Oftentimes,
frankly,
we just don't feel like it.
Whatever's going on
in your life.
Are there times
you don't feel like it?
There are times
I don't.
How about things like this?
You're late
getting out the door
on Sunday morning
because the kids
knocked over a vase.
Or the baby
needed a nappy change.
Or the dog
made a mess
on the carpet.
I don't have a dog.
I have a cat.
She looks after herself.
How about this?
You just had a fight
with somebody
in the car
on the way to church.
Your wife,
your kids,
whoever.
Or how about this?
When you don't like
the songs
the musicians pick,
or you don't like
the fact that we're
sitting over here now
and not over there.
None of you would ever
think that,
of course.
But friends,
this is not
about us.
This is not
about us.
This is about Jesus.
Look at verse 6.
Jesus is the cornerstone
set in Zion,
God's holy city.
Literally,
the hill
Jerusalem is built on.
Figuratively,
and to us,
the church.
Jesus is the cornerstone
of the church.
He is the foundation
of everything we do here.
Regardless of how we feel.
Regardless of what kind
of mourning we've had.
And on this foundation,
look at what Peter says,
we are being built
to sacrifice ourselves
in humble adoration
of what he has done for us.
Being built.
This is not once and done.
This is a lifelong pursuit.
This is not something
we're going to get right
straight away.
And that's why
we don't sing
about how perfect we are.
We sing about
how perfect Jesus is.
And not only that,
look at verse 9.
The church is a chosen people.
There's that word again.
Chosen.
Deliberate.
Not an accident.
Just like Jesus was chosen,
the church is chosen.
Just like Calvary
was God's plan,
the church is God's plan.
Not dependent on you and me
getting all of this right
all of the time.
Because,
man,
are there days
where we get this
dramatically wrong.
because we're all people.
I said to someone
at home group
the other night,
at some point
over the next six weeks,
if I haven't done so already,
I'm going to say something
that you're not going to like.
Or you're going to say something
I'm not going to like.
Because we're people.
And that's what we do.
We get upset with one another.
And it's why we don't sing
about ourselves.
It's why we sing songs
about Jesus
who came into this world.
So that regardless
of what way we are,
regardless of
how we're feeling
towards one another,
we know
that the church
is the chosen
people
of God.
And not just chosen.
Not just a priesthood.
But look at what Peter says.
We are
a royal
priesthood.
You know what that means?
Because Jesus
is the king
and we are
the holy priesthood
in service
of the king.
we share
in the inheritance
of the king.
We get to
experience
when we go to be with him
the same glory
that he has
with his father.
And despite all of the things
happening to us
in this day and age
where it can be
really difficult
to be a Christian
and sometimes
just really difficult
to be a human,
we can look forward
what we talked about
in week one
to this living hope
of the assurance
of sharing
in God's glory.
Peter says
we belong to God
as his special
possession.
And here's the reason
to declare
the praises
literally
the excellencies
the greatness
of the God
who called us
out of darkness
and into the light
of eternal life.
The purpose of the church
is to be vocal
yes
in our praise
but also vocal
in our witness
to other people.
The stones cry out
in worship
and they cry out
in declaring
the gospel
to talk it up
to actually
open our mouths
and tell people
about what Jesus
has done for us.
Now those of you
who are new enough
to this Christianity thing
maybe
in the last year
or something like that
why are you here?
Why are any of us here?
My guess is
that at some point
somebody
maybe you're sitting
next to
or somebody
else in this room
or somebody else
in a different church
that person
my guess is
told you
about
the gospel
told you
about why
they go to church
on Sundays
told you
about the nature
of sin
told you
about their own
struggles with sin
and then told you
that God
sent his son
into the world
so that those sins
are paid for
that if you simply
believe
on the Lord Jesus
that your sins
are forgiven
God called you
out of darkness
Peter says
by putting someone
in your life
who has declared
to you
his excellencies
and now as part
of the church
we
are to do
the same thing
that's our purpose
also
we're born again
because we heard
the good news
and our purpose
in being born again
is to spread
the good news
not just to show up
and be part of a club
or an organization
but to actually
declare
the excellencies
of the one
who called us
out of darkness
and into the light
do we do that
are we actively
engaged
in telling others
about their need
for Jesus
am I
are you
things like this
maybe you ask
how
well
when you take
a coffee break
at work
in fact when you
take your coffee break
tomorrow
I work at home
at the moment
so my coffee break
is by myself
but you might be
with other people
tomorrow
when you take
your coffee break
your go to
conversation
is it the results
of the world cup
final
or is it
last night's
prayer meeting
when you're
gathered around
the table
maybe you're a
student
in a student
center
UCC
CIT
wherever you are
and your friends
are all talking
about how
the planet
is going to be
dead soon
because of
single use
plastics
do you join
into that
or do you
tell them
you know
I was dead
once
and I came
back to life
because Jesus
made me alive
is your social
media platform
Facebook
Twitter
whatever the case
might be
is that something
you use just
to spread more
outrage
and more
gossip
or to debate
whether
Kanye West
is really a
Christian
or not
or do you
simply use
that platform
to point people
towards the tender
love of Jesus
every opportunity
you have friends
is an opportunity
to declare
the excellencies
of the one
who called you
out of darkness
because the stones
cry out
because we're
alive
just think of
that image
stones are
dead
inanimate
objects
that are
given life
by the rock
of ages
when Jesus
said that
if they stay
quiet
the stones
will cry
out
I don't
think that
was just
hyperbole
he really
meant
I will
get glory
no matter
what happens
the rest
of the world
friends
you see
it's dead
in its sin
and our
purpose
the church
is to
declare to
that world
the praises
of him
who gave
us life
we were
not God's
people
Peter says
and because
of God's
mercy
not anything
we've done
because of
his mercy
he made us
a chosen
people
for himself
we ought to
be vocal
in our praise
and vocal
in our witness
it's not just
about Sunday
morning
it's about
the rest
of our week
too
so
we are to
be vocal
and secondly
and finally
I only have
two points
today
normally I
have three
I don't
know what
to do
with myself
finally
the church's
purpose
is to be
visible
look at
verses 11
and 12
dear friends
I urge
you
as foreigners
and exiles
abstain
from sinful
desires
which wage
war against
your soul
live such
good lives
among the
pagans
that though
they accuse
you of
doing wrong
they may
see your
good deeds
and glorify
God
on the day
he visits
us
immigration is
in the news
a lot these
days isn't it
you know we
all know the
tragedy of the
lorry container
in Essex
with the people
from Vietnam
we saw
large protests
in Ucderard
and Galway
this summer
people protesting
against a direct
provision center
for asylum seekers
and I'm not
going to go
into it
but much
of what's
said and
reported
is just
ugly
it's just
not nice
there will
always be a
segment of
the population
in every
country
including this
one
that just
wants to
say
go home
you don't
belong here
this is our
home
that's how the
world views
Christians
you don't
fit in here
you need to
adapt
the world
is changing
you need to
integrate
keep your
religion to
yourself
recognize
you don't
belong here
and you know
what
in one sense
they're absolutely
right
we don't
belong here
and that's what
Peter is saying
this is actually
the third time
in the letter
so far
that Peter has
referred to
Christians as
foreigners
strangers
exiles
all means the
same thing
we don't belong
here
this is not
our home
we're just
passing through
on the way to
something greater
Paul put it
another way
we're not
citizens of
Greece
or Rome
or Ireland
or the UK
or the US
we are but not
really
Paul says
our citizenship
is in heaven
and so Peter
says
because we're
just passing
through
because this
is all
temporary
don't
integrate
don't adopt
the world's
customs
and practices
do stand
out
instead he
says
abstain
from sinful
desires
which wage
war
against your
soul
have you ever
done this
maybe you go
to another
country
and you're
going through
immigration
and the
border guard
says
what is the
purpose of
your visit
he normally
doesn't smile
when he says
it
and you say
travel
business
shopping
watching the
spring box
hammer England
whatever the
case might be
what they're
really asking
is this
if I let
you into
this country
are we
going to
have any
trouble
how are you
going to
conduct
yourself
if I let
you across
this border
basically
they want
you to
enjoy your
trip
and then
go home
preferably
after spending
lots of
money and
stimulating
the economy
in essence
they want
you to be
invisible
no trouble
keep
yourself
and that's
what the
world wants
to know
about us
friends
how are we
going to
act
you say
you're a
Christian
Dan
what does
that mean
what does
that look
like
and Peter's
answer
the Lord's
answer
is to live
such good
lives
among the
pagans
among those
who don't
believe
that they
actually
see
our good
deeds
they don't
just hear us
talk about
them
we don't
keep silent
but we
don't stay
invisible
we cry
out by
being vocal
and we
cry out
by being
seen
by being
visible
to other
people
now
we're not
necessarily
talking about
housing the
homeless
feeding the
hungry
clothing the
naked
although those
are all good
things and we
can and should
and must do
those things
but what Peter
means here
is our
conduct
our conduct
the way we
live our
lives
ought to be
done in
such a way
that people
can actually
see when
they look
at us
yes they
actually do
abstain
from the
sinful desires
of wage war
against their
souls
and literally
abstain
apeko in
Greek means
hold back
from
you might
say be
distant
from something
think of it
another way
fast
from something
just don't
eat it
just don't
ingest
the sinful
things the
world does
every day
and you say
okay fast
from what
well
have you ever
heard people
talk like this
and I apologize
if anyone
this is what
your name is
I'm not talking
about you
I just pluck
these out of
nowhere
did you hear
about Jane
she's married
to Pat
but I heard
she's carrying
Joe's baby
I don't
have any
holidays
left
so I'll
just get
a doctor's
note
and go
out sick
they won't
know
and I need
the time
off anyway
I'm not
going to
finish this
assignment
by the
deadline
so I'll
just make
up a sob
story for
the lecturer
and get
an extension
for a week
abstain
from such
things
don't
participate
in such
things
the things
the world
does
without even
thinking
about them
gossip
deceit
cheating
the world
has enough
to throw
at us
as it is
and boy
does it
throw stuff
at us
all you
Christians
you're just
ignorant
you're just
narrow minded
homophobic
they say
we're in
a cult
that we
only want
your money
they say
that we
talk
a big
game
that we
say we're
Christians
but they
look just
like us
there's
nothing
different
about them
so let's
look like
it
let's be
different
visibly
different
radically
different
from the
world
around us
let's cry
out
not just
in our
praise
not just
in our
evangelism
but by the
way we
live our
very lives
in our
homes
at university
at work
at the
shops
wherever we
go
live our
lives
in a way
that points
to God
honest
humble
respectful
because Peter
says
and take
a look
by seeing
our conduct
our good
deeds
the unbeliever
might glorify
God
on the day
he visits
us
that they
might say
you know
what
there actually
is something
visibly different
about these
people
that they
might see
these stones
that were
once dead
but are
now alive
and are
overflowing
in a
visible
crying out
of godly
living
and if we
do this
friends
it's not
just for
our own
sake
because here's
the point
if we do
this
if we
visibly
look different
from the
world around
us
we're pointing
to Christ
we echo
Christ
who came
into the
world
but didn't
look like
the world
we didn't
bow
to Satan's
temptations
bow to
me
I'll give
you all
the kingdoms
of the
world
throw
yourself
off this
ledge
if you're
really
God
he'll
save
you
if not
I'll
save
you
Jesus
didn't
do that
he followed
the will
of God
his very
life
and his
manner
of conduct
the way
he lived
that life
his brief
life on
earth
pointed
to God
pointed
to the
father
and we
ought to
mimic
and honor
that example
in how
we live
our lives
so that
even for
those who
hear our
message
and reject
it
and there
always will
be plenty
of those
even for
those people
who reject
our message
that on the
day of
judgment
they might
stand in
front of
the father
and be
without
excuse
that they
actually
really did
see us
pointing to
Christ
living out
this Christian
walk
with love
and honor
and sacrifice
that the
very way
we lived
our lives
pointed them
to the
rock
of ages
who made
us alive
so we're
the living
stones
who ought
to cry
out in
our praise
in our
witness
in the
way we
live our
very lives
in the
minutia
the details
of every
day
and we're
going to
finish
but let
me just
say this
first
in case
you didn't
already
know
most people
really don't
like this
message
just look
back at
verses 7
and 8
there's a
reason I
skipped
them
verses 7
and 8
Jesus
while he's
a precious
stone to
us
you might
say he's
like a
gemstone
he's like
a ruby
a sapphire
he's the
keystone
he's the
cornerstone
he's the
first stone
that's put
down
and then
everything else
is built
on top
of it
while we
see him
as that
Jesus
the stone
image
is rejected
by the
builders
rejected
by the
builders
now
who are
they
Jesus
meant the
Pharisees
in fact
Peter understood
this because
Peter was
standing next
to Jesus
when Jesus
called the
Pharisees
the builders
that rejected
the cornerstone
but it's
not just
them
it's not
just the
small group
of Jewish
leaders
in ancient
Palestine
who were
the Pharisees
they were
the ones
who said
we have
built the
way to
God
by our
own deeds
by our
own
righteousness
we have
a way
to get
to God
don't worry
about this
Jesus chap
you don't
need him
he's just
a troublemaker
who does
he think
he is
I am
the way
the truth
and the
life
no one
comes to
the father
except
through me
we are
the builders
we'll tell
you how
to get
to God
those are
the builders
anybody
who thinks
well I'm
okay
I'll be
able to
get to
God
I'm a
good enough
person
in my
own right
this stone
this Jesus
that causes
them to
stumble
Peter says
it's a rock
that they
fall over
that they
trip over
other
translations
say it's a
rock of
offense
the Greek
word is
skandalon
you can guess
the English
word that
comes from
that
it's
scandalous
this gospel
is scandalous
telling someone
that they're
a sinner
is scandalous
in an age
where we
just tell
everybody
follow your
heart
do what
makes you
feel good
do it
your way
and telling
them that
because they're
a sinner
they need a
savior
is scandalous
and telling
them that
you won't
find hope
in all of
the other
stuff that's
going on out
there at the
moment
I was at a
health food
shop recently
and there was
a little booth
outside
and they
were selling
angel tears
that's what
they call
them
angel tears
they say
they're the
tears of
angels that
fall to
earth and
become stones
and somehow
I don't
know I
don't understand
what it is
but anyway
they say
these things
point you
towards something
greater
if you have
this in your
life
you'll be
fine
or if you
have Buddha
in your
life
you'll be
fine
if you had
Mohammed
in your
life
you'll be
fine
or even
if you
have nothing
in your
life
you'll be
fine
because all
people are
basically good
and telling
people that
Jesus is
their only
hope for
being in a
right relationship
with God
is absolutely
100%
scandalous
and offensive
the gospel
message
friends
is scandalous
because it
tells people
that their
only hope
of life
after death
is in
Christ
and in
Christ
alone
he really
meant it
I am
the way
the truth
the life
no one
comes to
the father
except through
me
and that's
a rock
that causes
people to
stumble
is Jesus
tripping you
up
are you
trusting in
the work
of your
own hands
are you
sitting here
right now
and maybe
you've been
coming to
church for
years
maybe you
say I am
a Christian
but are you
sitting here
right now
confident that
you can stand
in front of
God
because of
the work
of your
own hands
stand in
front of
this judge
and the
judge will
declare you
righteous
do you
think God
will understand
I'm a good
person
if that is
you friend
I've got
news for
you
no person
is good
enough for
God
on their
own
strengths
you know
that old
saying
why do
good things
or bad
things happen
to good
people
the best
retort to
that I
heard was
a theologian
who said
that happened
once
and he
volunteered
when Jesus
came
the only one
good enough
to be
the rock
on whom
the church
could be
built
he was the
only one
good enough
your strengths
won't save
you
only Jesus
can
so do you
understand
the gospel
do you
understand
that Jesus
came
so that
regardless
of who you
are
what you've
done
how old
you are
it's never
too early
it's never
too late
do you
understand
that you
can have
your sins
forgiven
if you
just
come
to Jesus
and believe
because
Jesus said
anyone
who comes
to me
I will
not cast
out
this
doesn't
have to
be something
like you've
got it
all right
before you
come to
Jesus
you don't
have to
be from
the right
country
you don't
have to
be from
the right
background
you don't
have to
have all
the doctrine
together
and all
of this
kind of
thing
you simply
have to
come to
Jesus
and believe
that Jesus
is Lord
and on the
cross
he cried
out
it is
finished
my work
is done
he cried
out
in response
if you
haven't
already
done so
will you
cry out
to him
amen
I'm going
to call
the musicians
back up
as they're
on their
way
let's just
pray
gracious
father
we
thank you
that
we are
not a
passing
moment
in human
history
but that
we are
a chosen
people
a royal
priesthood
your special
possession
that you
have called
out of
darkness
into light
and help
us Lord
in those
moments
where we
simply
don't feel
like it
because of
the cares
and challenges
of this
world
help us
to cry
out
in worship
and praise
of you
for all the
things you've
done for us
and give us
boldness
to witness
this gospel
to other
people
through our
words
to the
people who
we see
every day
but not
just our
words
by our
deeds
as well
help us
to be
living our
lives in
such a way
that they
actually
are an
echo
of the
life of
your son
Jesus
and point
people to
him
be patient
with us
Lord
when we
fail
because we
can do
and will
fail
but give us
the strength
to keep
going
and Lord
for those
who hear
this message
and they're
not sure
where they
stand
or they
don't know
you
if they're
listening right
now
please
be imminent
to them
because all
of this
is shifting
sand
if we're
not here
to declare
the excellencies
of you
who call us
out of darkness
and to be
the witnesses
of your gospel
so please
save those
who don't
yet believe
for those
who don't
believe
in our
families
in our
workplace
wherever we
go
please use
us as
imperfect
vessels
as we
are
to save
those
and bring
them
into your
perfect
Zion
your holy
city
built on
a hill
be with us
as we
finish
in songs
of praise
help us
to elevate
our worship
and declare
the glories
of who you
are
we ask
this in
Jesus name
amen
would you
please stand
and we'll
sing our
last song
oh lord
our god
how much
you