Notice as we begin our worship by singing to God's praise, we're going to sing in Psalm 96
in the Scottish Psalter, Psalm 96. We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 6, the tune is Glasgow.
We'll sing a new song to the Lord, sing all the earth to God, to God sing, bless his name,
show still his saving health abroad. We'll sing from verse 1 to 6 to God's praise.
O sing a new song to the Lord, sing all the earth to God, to God sing, bless his name,
show still his saving health abroad.
Among the hidden nations, his glory to the fair.
And now to all the people show, his words that long the star.
For grace adored and greatly he is to be magnified.
He is to be magnified.
Even though the universe caelessly on the grandes楽ies of his flag is black.
For the God of 모두 нес名 stayed below to the ground,
He is to be magnified.
O Son, with light and patience here.
Our Father, God is the Lord by whom the heavens created there.
Great honor is before His face and majesty divine.
Strength is within His holy place.
And there the beauty shine.
Amen.
Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer.
Let us pray.
Lord, our gracious God, we thank You for Your Word.
We thank You to be able to sing praise to You.
We thank You that the words that we have sung can resonate so much with our hearts.
We recognize, Lord, that You are worthy of all our praise.
For great is the Lord, and greatly He is to be magnified.
And we pray, Lord, that that is how we would see You this evening.
As the one who we want to lift up.
The one who we want to magnify and bless.
The one who we want to come and praise with all our hearts.
For we can acknowledge, even as the psalmist speaks of, that there are times when we have other idols that we worship.
There are other things in this life that are magnified before us so often.
Things that we look to and sometimes we find joy in and help in and strength in.
And yet ultimately are of no great value to us.
And certainly of no great eternal benefit to us.
And so we pray that we would be able to say with the psalmist,
But our God is the Lord by whom the heavens created were.
That that is a God we would come to know as a mighty God.
And also come to know, as even Jesus taught us to pray,
That we can come and say of this mighty God,
Our Father, who art in heaven.
And we pray, Lord, to know You in all of these ways.
For we see Your power around us in so many ways.
And yet we see Your care towards us too.
We see the consequences of sin.
And we are reminded of the judgment that that brings.
But we are reminded too of Your compassion and Your grace.
And we pray, Lord, that You would come in Your power.
That You would come into our midst here this evening by Your Spirit.
That You would help us to be still in Your presence.
And to know You as God.
And we thank You that we come in and through the name.
Above every name.
We come not in our own names.
We come not in our own status or our own weakness.
We come through our Lord Jesus Christ.
And we thank You that we can approach You through Him.
And that we are assured that whenever we come to Him,
He will never turn us away.
He will never tell us to go.
For indeed the gospel is a gospel that says,
Come, come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give You rest.
And we pray, Lord, that we will be able to come
and approach You in that manner this evening,
seeking to find rest with the Lord Jesus,
seeking to find rest for our souls.
We thank You, Lord, that we come in prayer to You,
knowing that every need that we have already known unto You,
that You delight to hear us sharing with You,
that You delight as Your children come to You in prayer.
For in prayer we acknowledge our dependence upon You,
for apart from You, without You, we can do nothing.
And so as we come, we thank You to be able to bring all our prayers to You
for the cause of Your kingdom near and far,
for our own individual needs and for the needs of others around us,
and for the growth of Your church, Lord, near and far.
And we thank You that we can come remembering who You are,
that You are the God who has done mighty works in the past,
the God who is doing even powerful works today,
and the God who will be the same into the future,
that You will be with Your people,
that You will watch over Your people,
that You will bring Your people to Yourself
on that great day appointed as the day of judgment.
And we thank You for Your constancy towards us,
that You are a God who never fails us,
a God whose steadfast love,
whose great love towards us is so faithful each day.
And we thank You that today, as a new day,
we can come to You.
And thank You for the blessings of this day.
We can thank You for being able to gather round Your Word,
to be able to gather together,
to be able to share in this way.
And we thank You and bless You for these opportunities that we have.
And help us, Lord, not to take them for granted,
help us to be wise with our time,
and to use it to seek Your will for us.
And we do pray, Lord, for every individual and home represented here,
and all who tune in online as well.
We thank You for the means that we have to meet with one another
in so many different ways,
that we are not confined here,
but that Your Word goes out far and wide.
And remember us in all our homes and our families.
Remember us with all our different needs.
Remember their young people.
Lord, we thank You for them.
We thank You for each one who we see coming through these doors week by week,
both to church services and to explorers groups,
to the YF.
Even this evening, we pray Your blessing on those who will gather in the hall next door
as they gather for the YF there.
May Your blessing be with them.
Encourage them, Lord, and watch over them in their young years.
We thank You too for those who are involved in the trip to Scalladale this weekend.
We thank You for the blessings of that,
being gathered together in fellowship
and enjoying learning from Your Word
and building relationships there.
We thank You for their safety and for encouragement in their time.
We pray, Lord, Your blessing on all who are involved in arranging that
and in leading it over this weekend as well.
We thank You too, Lord, for the blessings of the wider church too.
We thank You for our own denomination
and for all the congregations up and down our land
who faithfully proclaim Your gospel week by week.
We thank You for encouraging news in different parts.
We hear so often of discouragement around us, Lord,
but we thank You for even the gathering in Portree yesterday
where the new church building was officially opened.
We thank You for the vision that You gave to the people there
to begin that work and to see it through.
And as they are encouraged now in its opening,
that they will be further encouraged in the years ahead
to see it used for Your glory
and for the goodness of the community there.
So we ask Your blessing on the minister there,
the Reverend Donny G. MacDonald.
We thank You that even though he has been through
a period of ill health himself,
that he is in better health now
and able to be involved in the ministry there once again
and continue to uphold him and to strengthen him
and all of the congregation there.
We pray that for ourselves as well as our congregation, Lord.
We look forward to a time of communion in these coming weeks
and we pray that it will be a time of encouragement to us
as we gather for word and sacrament.
And we pray for the Reverend Angus MacRae
and Reverend Carl MacDonald as they prepare to come to us.
May You use them, Lord, and encourage them
through the ministry of Your word to us.
We pray for those who may long to sit at Your table,
for those who would profess in their hearts
that they are saved by You,
that they would come to have the strength
to profess it publicly,
to be encouraged and to be an encouragement to others.
We pray, Lord, for Your help
and every preparation to be made in all our hearts
as we look to You and turn to You
for Your blessing over us in these things.
And we pray, too, for our own minister here,
Reverend James McKeever and his wife Donna.
As we heard this morning of an announcement
of his upcoming retirement, Lord,
we want to thank You for his ministry
and support to us as a people here
and to the church at large as well.
We pray, Lord, that You will continue to use him
in these remaining months here, Lord.
Use him and bless him mightily
as he continues to preach the word.
And we pray for prayers to be answered,
even offered up over these last number of years
and maybe even decades, Lord,
to see Your glory in this place,
to see Your Spirit working.
We pray for them as a couple, too,
remembering Donna,
thankful for her most recent surgery
and pray for her going forward as well,
that together they will know Your goodness
and mercy upon them.
So we ask all these things looking to You.
We ask all these things as undeserving
of the least of Your mercies,
but thankful for Your love
and Your steadfast love towards us.
Hear our prayers, Lord.
Watch over us.
Guide us in our worship and in our praise.
May we lift our hearts to You
with much thankfulness
as we have much reason to rejoice.
So go with us now
and pardon all us
and as we ask all these things
in Jesus' name.
Amen.
We're going to sing again to God's praise,
this time in Psalm 30,
in the Singed Psalms.
Find this on page 34 of the Psalm books.
Psalm 30.
We're going to sing from verse 1 down to verse 8.
O Lord, I will exalt Your name,
for You have rescued me.
You did not let my foes rejoice
and gloat triumphantly.
We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 8,
and the tune is Kilmarnock.
We sing to God's praise.
Amen.
O Lord, I will exalt Your name,
for You have rescued me.
Give in the day,
my foes rejoice
and no triumphantly.
Lord, I will exalt Your name,
I will exalt Your name,
and You have rescued me.
And You have rescued me.
And You have restored my health.
O Lord, You brought me from the grave,
and saved my soul from death.
You holy ones sing to the Lord,
sing and with joyful hearts.
When you read all His glory,
then please Him and rejoice.
His anger,
but have obeyed us,
life on His chamber's cage.
Though tears play us
throughout the night,
joy comes with morning's lips.
I never shall be would I say,
in my prosperity.
You made my country,
you made my country firm and strong,
when you Lord favored me.
But when you hid your face on me,
my heart was terrified.
For you, O Lord, I call thou life.
For bless me, O Lord, I cry.
Amen.
We'll turn to read God's Word in the Old Testament,
in the book of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah chapter 8.
You'll find this around page 482,
depending what version of the Bible you have.
Nehemiah chapter 8.
We can read the whole of this chapter.
Nehemiah chapter 8.
And all the people gathered as one man
into the square before the water gate.
And they told Ezra the scribe
to bring the book of the law of Moses
that the Lord had commanded Israel.
So Ezra the priest brought the law
before the assembly,
both men and women,
and all who could understand what they heard
on the first day of the seventh month.
And he read from it,
facing the square before the water gate,
from early morning until midday,
in the presence of the men and the women
and those who could understand.
And the ears of all the people
were attentive to the book of the law.
And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform
that they had made for the purpose.
And beside him stood Mattathiah, Shema,
Ananiah, Uriah, Hilkiah,
and Messiah on the right hand.
And Padaiah, Mishel, Malchijah, Hashim,
Hashbadanah, Zachariah, and Meshulam
on the left hand.
And Ezra opened the book
in the sight of all the people,
for he was above all the people.
And as he opened it,
all the people stood.
And Ezra blessed the Lord,
the great God,
and all the people answered,
Amen, Amen.
lifting up their hands.
And they bowed their heads
and worshipped the Lord
with their faces to the ground.
Also Jeshua, Bani,
Sherebiah, Jamin,
Akub, Shabithiah,
Hodiah,
Messiah,
Kelita,
Asariah,
Josabat,
Hanan,
Peliah,
Nehemiah,
the Levites,
they helped the people
to understand the law,
while the people remained
in their places.
They read from the book
of the law of God
clearly,
and they gave the meaning
so that the people
understood the reading.
And Nehemiah,
who was the governor,
and Ezra the priest
and scribe,
and the Levites,
who taught the people,
said to all the people,
This day is holy
to the Lord your God.
Do not mourn or weep.
For all the people wept
as they heard
the words of the law.
Then he said to them,
Go on your way.
Eat the fat
and drink sweet wine
and send portions
to anyone who has nothing,
who has nothing ready.
For this day
is a holy day
to our Lord.
And do not be grieved,
for the joy of the Lord
is your strength.
So the Levites
calmed all the people,
saying,
Be quiet,
for this day is holy.
Do not be grieved.
And all the people
went on their way
to eat and drink
and to send portions
and to make great rejoicing,
because they had understood
the words
that were declared to them.
On the second day,
the heads of the fathers' houses
of all the people
with the priests
and the Levites
came together
to Ezra the scribe
in order to study
the words of the law.
And they found it written
in the law
that the Lord
had commanded by Moses
that the people of Israel
should dwell in booths
during the feast
of the seventh month,
and that they should
proclaim it
and publish it
in all their towns
and in Jerusalem.
Go out to the hills
and bring branches
of olive,
wild olive,
myrtle,
palm,
and other leafy trees
to make booths
as it is written.
So the people went out
and brought them
and made booths
for themselves,
each on his roof
and in their courts
and in the courts
of the house of God
and in the square
at the water gate
and in the square
at the gate of Ephraim.
And all the assembly
of those who had returned
from the captivity
made booths
and lived in the booths.
For from the days
of Jeshua,
the son of Nun,
to that day,
the people of Israel
had not done so.
And there was
very great rejoicing.
And day by day,
from the first day
to the last day,
he read from the book
of the law of God
that kept the feast
seven days.
And on the eighth day,
there was a solemn assembly
according to the rule.
Amen.
And may God bless
that reading
from his word.
Before we turn back
to this passage,
we'll read again,
sing again,
in Psalm 47.
We'll sing Psalm's version,
page 62 of the psalm books.
Psalm 47,
we'll sing the whole
of this psalm,
the tune is Duke Street.
All nations,
clap your hands
and shout.
Let joyful cries
to God ring out.
How awesome
is the Lord Most High,
great King,
who rules the earth
throughout.
We'll sing the whole
of this psalm
to God's praise.
Amen.
All nations,
clap your hands
and shout.
Play joyful cries
to God ring out.
How awesome is the Lord Most High,
great King,
who rules the earth
to rise.
He has subdued
believe the free,
the nations who have
in our foes.
In blessing,
Jacob,
whom he loved,
a heritage
for us,
he chose.
God has gone up
with shams of joy,
the Lord,
how it let
have a sound.
Sing,
grace,
sing,
pledge
to God
Most High,
God
to God
our King,
let grace
happen.
For God is King,
O Holy
Earth,
sing sounds of praise
to Him alone.
God rules the nations
from on high,
He sits upon
His holy throne.
Godifies it.
God bless
your crown
To Him
beyond
the shields
of earth
ängen
Exalted great, the extra Lord.
We'll turn back to our reading in Nehemiah chapter 8.
We can read again at verse 9 through to verse 12 there.
Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe,
and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people,
This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.
For all the people wept as they heard the words of the law.
Then he said to them, Go on your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine,
and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready.
For this day is holy to our Lord.
And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
So the Levites calmed all the people, saying,
Be quiet, for this day is holy. Do not be grieved.
And all the people went on their way to eat and drink,
and to send portions, and to make great rejoicing,
because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
Well, our study in Nehemiah comes to this point now,
where we find ourselves in chapter 8.
And if you think it's hard reading through the beginning of chapter 8 with all these names,
if you turn back to chapter 7, you'll see the reason why we jumped over it.
It's because there's a whole host of names there of people who returned from the exile.
Now, we're not just jumping over to ignore it.
We see its importance because it breaks down to us the number of people who were involved in this
and who returned to Jerusalem after the exile, after the walls had been restored.
And it's these people that we find who have gathered there, as we read in verse 1 of chapter 8,
all the people gathered as one man into the square before the water gate.
There's this whole host of people who have gathered.
And what is our vision?
That's the question that we often find arising as we study Nehemiah.
It's a question that keeps arising as you're going through this great book.
And the reason it keeps arising is because it's there before us all the time.
What is our vision?
It's there as the book starts because Nehemiah himself, we find, is given a reminder.
He's told what is happening back in Jerusalem.
And he's not happy with how things are in Jerusalem when he hears that the walls are broken down,
that the people are in great trouble.
He's concerned.
He's troubled.
He mourns over this.
But we find that God gives him this sense of vision to be a man who will come and begin the work of restoring Jerusalem.
Nehemiah is a visionary.
And through the vision that God has given to him, we see that he returns to Jerusalem.
He returns.
It's a great journey in itself just to return to Jerusalem.
It takes a while to get there.
And when he arrives, he finds the walls are just all broken down.
There's hardly anything left of it.
And it would be easy to be discouraged.
It would be easy for him to lose heart and think this task is impossible.
But he knows that God has given him a vision.
And when we've looked through this book of Nehemiah, I've quoted this maybe once or twice before as we've gone through.
It's a quote from George Barna.
I think it's helpful to always have this quote before us as well because it helps us remind ourselves that we need to be a people of vision as well.
George Barna once said,
Vision is the ability to understand the history, the present condition, and the potential of the church,
and to conceive a plan for action that will maximize the ministry potential.
It goes on a little bit after that as well.
And what we've seen is the vision that Nehemiah was one that had history behind it,
the history of Jerusalem as a great city.
It had the present condition involved in it as well,
that Jerusalem was a city that's walled.
The walls were broken down.
The gates were burned.
It was a place in trouble.
But as George Barna says,
It's the potential of the church as well.
And to conceive a plan for action that will maximize the ministry potential.
And really that's the stage we're at now.
We've seen the history.
We've seen the condition it was in.
But now we're seeing the great potential that there is in Jerusalem.
And we ask ourselves too, for our own context here today,
what is our vision?
Has going through Nehemiah stirred up our vision for the church here,
in terms of its history,
in terms of its present condition,
and in terms too of its potential.
To see what God has done,
to see where we are today.
It's not where we would want to be,
to see the troubles that are around us,
but not to fall short there and think,
well, what can we do now?
To be like Nehemiah coming back
and not seeing a place in disarray and disillusionment
and thinking, what is possible here?
There's nothing.
It's just a place of ruin.
But to have a vision
and to see a God-given vision
and a God-given potential
for where we are at today.
When we think of our own vision in a physical sense,
there are a number of things that can hinder
our vision physically.
There's blindness.
Caused by maybe a number of different things.
We can be a people who are blind.
Our vision can also be hampered by darkness.
If there's darkness all around us,
our vision is hampered
because we cannot see where we're going.
But there's a third one as well
that hampers our vision.
And that is sleeping.
When we're sleeping,
we're not seeing.
We're not aware.
We're not aware of what is happening around us.
And when you think of these three things
in a spiritual sense,
you could say the same applies.
There are three things that can hinder
our vision spiritually.
There is darkness.
There is blindness.
These two are often maybe the ones
that we look at most often.
Blindness, the Bible speaks of so often.
We don't see God.
We are blind.
We're dead, as it were,
in our trespasses and sins,
as the Bible says.
We don't see our need of God.
And yet what we read in the Bible is
that God can save us.
God can restore our sight.
We're surrounded by darkness as well.
The Bible again reminds us of that so often.
There's darkness all around us in this world.
But it says to us, too,
as you read through,
that Christ has come
to be the light of the world,
that there is a cure
for both of these.
But what about when it comes
to sleeping?
As a church,
as a people,
if we're spiritually sleeping,
it's not that we're dead,
but we're not alive either.
We're not living for God.
We're just in this slumber.
We're not aware
of what's going on around us.
We're ignorant to it.
It can lead to discouragement.
It can lead to dismay for us.
And what's the cure for that?
Well, again,
it's about Christ
and having a vision of him
and of what he can do for us.
We heard this morning
how the psalmist was saying to God,
are you asleep?
Will you not awaken
and come and help us?
Well, God sometimes says
to his people as well,
it's time for you to wake up.
We're reminded this morning,
God does not sleep,
but we sometimes do.
Ephesians chapter 5, verse 14.
There the context is talking
about darkness and light
and which one we're walking in.
And it says in verse 14,
awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine in you.
A wake-up call.
And that is what Nehemiah came
to his people with.
It was a wake-up call for them,
calling the people to awake and arise
and to get on with the work
of restoration of Jerusalem.
And this evening,
we come to the point
in the book where we almost see
this vision that Nehemiah had
for his people
and for Jerusalem fulfilled.
Almost,
but not fully.
And what we find here is
that the fulfillment
is found
in the Lord.
And these verses
that we read
in verse 9 to 12
in particular,
here we see a culmination
of all this work
where he says,
do not mourn or weep.
For all the people wept
as they heard
the word of the Lord.
Then he said to them,
go on your way,
eat and drink sweet wine
and send portions
to anyone
who has nothing.
Ready for this day
is holy
to our Lord.
And do not be grieved
for the joy of the Lord
is your strength.
For the joy of the Lord
is your strength.
This was a momentous moment
for the people
as they returned
to Jerusalem.
And we're going to see that.
We're going to see
the potential
that Nehemiah
is beginning to see fulfilled
in this place.
Potential that is found
even in the midst
of difficulty,
in the midst of weeping,
in the midst of grief.
We find that the Lord
is speaking.
The joy of the Lord
is your strength.
We were reminded
this morning too
of how it's often
in trials
that we see
and need the Lord
more and more.
William Cowper,
God moves in mysterious ways.
We heard how he wrote that
in difficult personal circumstances
himself.
Well, another one
who wrote
in very difficult
personal circumstances
was Horatio Spafford.
He wrote that
wonderful hymn,
It is well
with my soul.
He said,
When peace like a river
attendeth my way,
when sorrows
like sea billows roll,
whatever my Lord
there has taught me
to say,
it is well,
it is well
with my soul.
I think,
well,
he must have been
in a wonderful place
in his life
to write these words,
to say it is well
with my soul.
Well,
it wasn't
a wonderful time
in his life.
He had lost
a son
aged four,
not long before this.
He wrote these words.
He had lost
financially.
His business
was ruined
through a great fire
in Chicago.
He had lost
four daughters
who he had sent
with his wife
over to England
by boat
and the boat
was tragically sunk.
It was a time
of great dismay
and sorrow
in his life.
And it was as he was
sailing to England
himself
and as he was
passing the spot
where his daughters
had drowned
that he went back
to his cabin
and wrote
these words
where he could find
that even in the midst
of that he could say
it is well,
it is well
with my soul.
The joy
of the Lord
was a strength
to him.
Do you have
that strength
from
that joy
of the Lord?
There's three
things I want
us to see
from these
verses before us
this evening.
When we think
of these words,
the joy
of the Lord
is our strength.
And the first
thing we want
to see is
how these
words
humble us.
Then we see
how these
words
lift us up.
And then
thirdly,
we'll see
how these
words
they keep
us
going.
And the first
thing we see
here is
these words
humble us.
What did
Nehemiah want
as he came
to Jerusalem?
What was his
great desire?
What was his
great vision?
And when
would his
vision be
fulfilled?
At what
point
was it
the work
done?
You might
have said
in chapter
6
verse 15
there you
could see
well that's
it.
The work
is done.
His vision
is complete.
What does
it say?
So the
wall was
finished
on the
25th day
of the
month of
Elul
in the
52
days.
You might
think there.
That's the
point where
his vision
was complete.
The walls
are finished.
But that's
not it.
That's not
the fulfillment
of his
vision.
You might
then say
well it
must be
chapter 7
then.
When you
read through
chapter 7
and you
see all
these great
numbers
returning
to Jerusalem
was this
the point
where he
could say
my work
is done?
My vision
is fulfilled?
No
it wasn't.
It's what
we find
in chapter
8.
And what
we find
in chapter
8 is a
reminder
to us
that the
great
burden
that
Nehemiah
had
was not
just for
the walls
of Jerusalem.
It was
not just
for a
material
outlook on
Jerusalem.
His great
burden
was for
the people.
It was
the people
who were
in trouble.
And this
is where we
begin to
see his
vision
fulfilled.
as the
people
hear in
the beginning
of verse
8,
they
command
the
hearing
of the
word.
Ezra
brings
the book
before them.
The book
of the
law
of Moses
it says
in verse
1.
And it
was a
book
that was
to be
opened up
and to
be heard
by them.
The people
had had
much
to be
distressed
about.
They
had been
in exile.
They were
returning
from this
period of
exile.
They were
returning
to a
place
that had
been a
shambles,
that had
been broken
down,
their homes
ruined,
the city
ruined.
And they
had returned
hearing and
knowing that
it was
because they
hadn't
listened
to God,
that they
had rejected
God.
And this
is brought
home to
them as
they hear
Ezra
read the
word of
God to
them.
And what
did this
word do?
Well,
as they
hear the
word read,
it humbled
them.
And when
you look
at this,
you find
that they
were here
together on
the first
day of
the seventh
month.
They were
hearing the
word read,
it says in
verse 3,
from early
morning until
midday.
Around
five or
six hours
they were
gathered
together
hearing the
word of
God.
And you
notice three
things that
this was
doing for
them, that
was happening
in their
midst here.
First of
all, they
listened.
And you
see that
in verse
three.
They were
there before
God, they
were hearing
this word.
And at the
end of verse
three it
says,
all the
ears of
the people
were attentive
to the
book of
the law.
They were
listening to
every word
that was
being spoken.
They were
beginning to
understand
every word
that was
being spoken
as well,
because that's
the second
thing we
see here.
They were
helped to
understand.
In verse
seven and
eight you
have the
list of
all these
people.
And it
says there,
they helped
the people
to understand
the law.
So there's
these two
things going
on as a
reminder to
us of what
we are about,
isn't it?
That we are
a people who
are to be
under the
word, but
that we are
also to be
helped to
understand the
word.
If we have
questions we
should ask,
we should be
gathered around
God's word in
this way to
help one
another to
understand.
Yes, to
listen to
the word
preached, but
then to
encourage and
to help one
another to
understand what
the word
means.
And the
third thing
you see
here is that
as these
things were
going on,
they were
convicted by
the word.
In verse
six, we
see that
Ezra blessed
the Lord,
the great
God, and
all the
people answered,
Amen,
lifting up
their hands
to God.
And so
there was
this response
to the
word, they
were convicted
by it,
initially with
a sense of
Amen to
the word of
God.
But then you
see later
on, as you
read down
into verse
nine onwards
there, the
end of verse
nine, it
says, for
all the
people wept
as they
heard the
words of
the law.
the people
wept as
they heard
the words
of the
law.
They were
convicted
by it, they
needed this
word.
We need
this word
ourselves
too, because
it is this
word that
helps us to
see how
far from
God we
have fallen
away, but
it helps us
to come
back to
him as
well.
It is the
word of
God that
brings
healing.
And that
is what
we need.
Every one
of us, that's
what our
people all
around us
need, that's
what our
nations need,
the word
of God to
convict, to
remind us
who God
is.
And we
can say
Amen to
so many
things, but
that to
remind us
who we
are, and
to bring us
to that
point of
mourning and
weeping.
yesterday in
Port 3, it
was a day of
vision being
realized there
with the
official opening
of the
church.
A great
day for
them and
for all
concerned.
But is
that it?
Is the
work done?
Of course
not.
The vision
is ongoing
because the
vision is to
make Jesus
known through
the preaching
of the word
in that
place.
It won't
be, come
and see
this new
building.
Come and
see how
warm this
space is.
Come and
see the
technology we
have.
That's not
what it
will be
about.
It's
about
something
else,
something
greater.
Come
see a
man who
knows
everything
about you.
Could
this be
the
Christ?
It's
about the
preaching
of the
word.
The
city of
Glasgow
motto as
it was
originally
had that
at its
very
core.
Let
Lord,
let
Glasgow
flourish
through
the
preaching
of the
word
and
the
praising
of
thy
name.
Now
they've
shortened
it to
let
Glasgow
flourish.
But
there's
no thought
of what
is going
to make
it
flourish.
We
have to
get back
to that
Lord,
let
Glasgow,
let
everywhere
flourish
through
the
preaching
of
thy
word
and
the
praising
of
thy
name.
Being
humbled
under
the
word
of
God.
That
is
where
we
start.
Peter
says in
1 Peter
chapter 5,
humble
yourselves
therefore under
the mighty
hand of
God,
so that at
the proper
time he
may exalt
you,
casting
all your
anxieties
on him
because he
cares
for you.
So Nehemiah's
vision begins
here being
fulfilled with
being humbled
under the
word of
God.
They wept
and mourned
under it,
but it
doesn't stay
there.
And that's
important for
us as we
move on
because the
joy of the
Lord lifts
us up.
And that is
what we all
want to know
as well.
The joy of
the Lord,
the strength
that it
gives,
it lifts
us up.
God
doesn't
want to
leave
his people
in a
pit of
despair.
Yes,
he wants
us to
be humbled,
but only
so that
he can
lift us
up.
And
Nehemiah
and Ezra
here,
we see
the vision
too,
is not
just to
bring a
people
under
the
word,
to
despair
in
their
sin,
but that
they
would
come
and
rejoice
in
the
Lord.
The
joy of
the
Lord
is
your
strength.
Nehemiah
is not
just a
man
to
talk,
he's
a man
of
action.
He
returned
to
Jerusalem
to
spur
people
on
in
the
work.
And
now
he
shows
them
the
fulfillment
of
his
work
is
to
come
under
the
word
to
know
the
joy
of
the
Lord
as
their
strength.
The
source
of
every
help
and need
that
they
have
can
be
fulfilled
in
the
Lord.
There's
always
a time
for
reflection
and a
time
for
mourning
as we
mourn
over
sin.
It's
always
a part
of
our
life
to
repent
of
our
sins.
But
we
should
never
constantly
remain
in
that
frame
where
we're
despondent
under
sin
because
that
paralyzes.
There
is no
joy
in
that.
There
is no
strength
from the
Lord
in
that
because
the
Lord
wants
to
lift
us
up
above
that
and
use
us
for
his
glory.
And
that
is
what
is
happening
in
Jerusalem
here.
So
from
Jerusalem
and as
you
go
forward
in
the
Old
Testament
into
the
New
Testament
this
would
be
a
place
that
the
vision
is
continuing
to
be
fulfilled.
That
the
word
of
God
would
be
proclaimed.
That
the
people
would
be
under
it.
That
they
to
forgive.
This
joy
is to
be
infectious.
This
joy
is to
be at
the
heart
of
what
they
are
doing.
There
are
two
characters
in
Winnie
the
Pooh.
I
don't
know
if
any
of
you
watched
or
read
Winnie
the
Pooh
but
there's
two
characters
that
maybe
often
stand
out
as
complete
opposites.
You
have
on
one
hand
Tigger
and
on
the
other
hand
you
have
Eeyore.
And
they
are
just
complete
opposites.
Tigger
is
ever
the
optimist.
He
always
has
a
vision
of
doing
and
doing
excitement
and
keeping
going
in
different
things
with
a
sense
of
anticipation.
Eeyore
on the
other
hand
is
a
pessimist.
The
one
who's
often
glum.
The
one
who's
often
got
a
negative
outlook.
When
our
children
were
young
we
had
a
wee
toy
Tigger
and
it
was
operated
by
batteries
and
sprung
tail
as you
know
Tigger
has
so if
you
switched
it on
the
Tigger
would
start
bouncing
around
and
making
a
noise
and
the
children
would
see
this
and
sitting
they
weren't
quite
walking
but
they
were
sitting
up
and
they
would
start
bouncing
trying
to
copy
Tigger
because
it
was
infectious
it
had
this
impact
on
them
where
they
were
seeing
this
and
excited
about
it
and
trying
to
copy
it
now
God
doesn't
expect
us
all
to
be
bouncy
Tiggers
but
neither
should
we
resign
ourselves
to
be
glum
ears
because
we
have
this
joy
of
the
Lord
as
her
strength
we
have
this
to
go
on
and
you
notice
here
what
this
joy
is
surrounded
in
it
is
by
knowing
the
assurance
of
God's
blessing
verse
9
speaks
about
this
day
is
holy
to
the
Lord
your
God
do
not
mourn
or
weep
they
were
approaching
an
important
time
in
the
year
at
the
end
of
chapter
7
as
we
come
into
chapter
8
it
speaks
about
the
first
day
of
the
seventh
month
and
this
was
significant
because
it
was
a
time
of
festival
it
was
a
time
of
reminding
the
people
of
what
great
joy
they
had
in
the
Lord
that
the
festival
of
booths
as
we
read
a
little
bit
of
but
they
also
had
the
day
of
atonement
a
reminder
of
the
forgiveness
of
God
towards
his
people
through
sacrifice
and
this
is a
time
not
to
grieve
and
to
mourn
that
day
was
past
now
he's
saying
you've
had
that
you've
mourned
you've
wept
as
you've
heard
the
word
but
they're
saying
now
do
not
grieve
go
your
way
eat
the
fat
drink
the
sweet
wine
send
portions
to
anyone
who
has
nothing
ready
for
this
day
is
holy
to
our
Lord
do
not
be
grieved
for
the joy
of
the
Lord
is
your
strength
God
there
was
this
powerful
reminder
to
them
the
great
hope
that
there
is
in
God
and
for
us
Christ
has
come
to
fulfill
that
joy
for
us
we
can
look
forward
to
a
day
ourselves
in
a
couple
of
weeks
a
time
of
communion
as
a
congregation
where
we
will
rejoice
in
the
offering
of
Christ
for
us
when
you
think
of
Jesus
as
he
was
with
his
disciples
in
John
15
he's
there
in
the
upper
room
with
them
the
evening
before
the
crucifixion
what
does
he
have
to
say
to
them
he
says
in
verse
11
these
things
I
have
spoken
to
you
that
my
joy
may
be
in
you
and
that
your
joy
may
be
full
and
then
you
go
into
chapter
17
you
read
about
the
great
prayer
of
Christ
for
his
people
about
abiding
in
him
when
you
think
of
the
context
of
the
disciples
in
the
upper
room
it
was
a
time
of
great
worry
and
fear
but
Jesus
has
these
words
to
them
I
have
said
these
things
to
you
that
my
joy
may
be
in
you
and
that
your
joy
may
be
full
the
joy
of
the
Lord
is
your
strength
Peter
again
reminds
us
of
the
vision
that
we
are
to
have
in
this
way
in
1
Peter
1
verse
8
though
you
have
not
seen
him
you
love
him
though
you
do
not
now
see
him
you
believe
in
him
and
rejoice
with
joy
that
is
inexpressible
and
filled
with
glory
obtaining
the
outcome
of
your
faith
the
salvation
of
your
souls
that
is
the
joy
the
joy
that
Horatio
Spafford
knew
the
peace
for
his
soul
that
is
the
joy
we
can
have
in
Christ
not
joy
that
is
immune
to
all
the
troubles
and
griefs
of
this
world
not
joy
that
changes
out
on
the
outside
but
joy
that
is
within
joy
that
comes
from
the
Lord
and
the
strength
that
he
gives
day
by
day
the
joy
of
the
Lord
is
to
be
our
strength
the
final
thing
I want
us
to
see
here
is
this
joy
in
the
Lord
the
strength
that
it
gives
us
a
vision
and
a
hope
looking
forward
as
well
the
outcome
of
our
faith
as
Peter
speaks
the
salvation
of
your
souls
what
great
joy
there
is
in
that
to
know
the
salvation
that
there
is
in
Christ
Jesus
you've
heard
perhaps
talk
in
these
last
number
of
weeks
of
what
they
call
the
doomsday
clock
it's
supposed
to reflect
the
situation
of the
world
in
terms
of
the
potential
for
destruction
and
it's
now
set
at
90
seconds
to
midnight
the
closest
it's
been
since
it
started
in
1945
it's
about
the
fear
in
this
world
the
fear
of
all
that's
happening
in
this
world
and
if
you've
heard
about
it
does
it
shake
you
does
it
make
you
afraid
for
the
future
afraid
for
all
that
lies
ahead
of
us
when
you
look
at
the
book
of
Nehemiah
and
the
people
they
had
been
in
their
own
doomsday
they
had
been
taken
into
exile
into
Babylon
Jerusalem
had
been
put
to
ruin
destroyed
but
they
had
all
these
things
transformed
by
God
giving
a
vision
to
Nehemiah
but
the
vision
isn't
full
the
vision
isn't
complete
because
there's
still
more
to
come
and
what
Nehemiah
is
pointing
us
towards
is
a
greater
fulfillment
of
an
exile
that
will
be
completely
restored
in
the
day
of
the
Lord's
return
and
we
live
in
a
day
of
fear
ourselves
today
but
that
fear
should
not
paralyze
us
it
should
drive
us
to
the
Lord
in
repentance
in
humbling
ourselves
but
to
restoration
and
to
knowing
the
joy
of
the
Lord
as
our
strength
because
a
day
is
coming
when
the
Lord's
people
will
put
up
a
final
cheer
praising
God
as
he
restores
and
takes
his
people
home
a
vision
that
we
see
complete
in
revelation
reminding
us
what is
to
come
then
I
heard
what
seemed
to
be
the
voice
of
a
great
multitude
revelation
19
says
like
the
roar
of
many
waters
like
the
sound
of
mighty
peals
of
thunder
crying
out
hallelujah
for
the
Lord
our
God
the
almighty
reigns
let
us
rejoice
and
exult
and
give
him
the
glory
for
the
marriage
of
the
lamb
has
come
and
the
bride
has
made
herself
ready
there
is
this
outlook
of
God's
people
hallelujah
it
says
for
the
Lord
our
God
the
almighty
reigns
how
often
have
you
shouted
the
Lord
our
God
reigns
hallelujah
when
we
think
of
the
dismay
of
our
world
when
we
think
of
the
dismay
of
our
sin
what
is
the
cure
it
is
to
know
the
joy
of
the
Lord
as
our
strength
that
is
what
can
enable
us
to
sing
hallelujah
our
God
reigns
but
do
we
do
we
have
the
joy
of
the
Lord
as
our
strength
do
we
have
the
vision
that
Nehemiah
had
that he
gave
to his
people
a vision
of
encouragement
a vision
for a
people
who were
in
dismay
but
who
could
know
restoration
Nehemiah
gives
encouragement
here
but he
also
gives
them
encouragement
to
share
it
says
in
verse
10
in
the
middle
of it
send
portions
to
anyone
who
has
nothing
ready
those
who
are
poor
those
who
are
hungry
those
who
have
nothing
send
portions
to
them
and
then
in
verse
12
all
the
people
went
on
their
way
to
eat
and
drink
and
to
send
portions
and
to
make
great
rejoicing
why
because
they
had
understood
the
words
that
were
declared
to
them
do
we
understand
the
word
of
God
do
we
understand
what
it
means
when
it
speaks
about
the
need
for
us
to
mourn
and
weep
over
our
sin
do
we
understand
when
it
speaks
about
the
great
price
that
has
been
paid
for
our
sin
that
Christ
came
that
sacrifice
was
made
that
we
might
find
forgiveness
of
our
sin
and
do
we
understand
what
it
means
to
know
the
joy
of
the
Lord
as
our
strength
to
say
hallelujah
our
God
reigns
do
we
understand
what
it
means
when
it
says
to
share
this
with
all
around
us
Nehemiah
came
back
and saw
a city
in ruin
and a
people
in
trouble
where
did it
start
by one
the stones
going back
into the
wall
and the
building work
beginning
a man
was once
walking on
a beach
that was
deserted
apart
from
thousands
upon
thousands
of
starfish
that
had
been
washed
up
by
the
tide
and
were
now
stuck
there
in
the
sand
because
the
tide
had
gone
out
and
as
he
was
walking
along
the
beach
seeing
this
sight
before
him
he
saw
a
little
boy
who
was
one
by
one
picking
up
the
starfish
and
throwing
them
back
into
the
sea
but
as
the
man
came
to
the
boy
he
asked
the
boy
what
he
was
doing
and
he
said
why
bother
what
difference
are you
going
to
make
can
you
not
see
that
there
are
thousands
upon
thousands
of
them
well
the
little
boy
bent
down
picked
up
another
starfish
threw
it
back
into
the
sea
and
said
to
the
man
well
it
made
a
difference
for
that
one
it
started
with
one
he
couldn't
save
all
the
starfish
but
he
was
doing
his
bit
and
it's
the
difference
of
how
we
see
things
isn't
it
a
man
saw
a
task
that
was
impossible
a
boy
saw
a
task
that
he
could
be
involved
in
even
if
it
was
one
by
one
what's
our
vision
what's
our
vision
for
the
people
around
us
Nehemiah's
vision
was the
stones
to go
into
place
so that
the walls
could be
built
so that
the people
would have
a home
for
themselves
and above
all a
place
to
worship
God
the
people
were in
trouble
but through
a vision
they were
brought to
this place
where they
rejoiced
where the
joy of
the Lord
was their
strength
for
ourselves
we can
look
around
and see
a task
that in
many ways
is
impossible
or we
can see
a task
that God
has called
us to
a vision
for a
people all
around us
to see
the lost
saved
to see a
people coming
to repent
under the
word of
God
to be
humbled
but to
be lifted
up
and to
know the
joy of
the Lord
as their
strength
and to
go on
one by
one
sharing the
wonderful
word of
the gospel
of Jesus
Christ
that he
would do
marvelous
things
in our
midst
let us
pray
our
father in
heaven we
thank you
for your
word and
for every
encouragement
and challenge
that it
gives
but may
we see
you in
it all
as the
one who
is able
for the
things that
are impossible
to us
are possible
with you
and so
Lord
humble us
under your
word
that we
might be
lifted up
even if we
come
through tears
and much
mourning
may we be
lifted up
and come
to know
the joy
of the
Lord
as our
strength
as we
ask it
all in
Jesus name
Amen
we're going
to conclude
by singing
to God's
praise
Psalm
24
Psalm
24
we're going
to sing
from verse
7 down
to the
end
of the
psalm
ye gates
lift up
your heads
on high
ye doors
that last
foray
be lifted
up
that so
the king
of glory
enter me
we're going
to sing
the last
four stanzas
the tune
is
St. George's
Edinburgh
and we'll
have an
opportunity
to sing
hallelujah
our God
reigns
Vide
oplan
in quantity
standard
to
begin
forain
But who only is the King?
The mighty Lord exists, in that sin, Lord, that great in might, and strong in that is.
In that sin, Lord, that great in might, and strong in that is.
Ye kings, let the Lord bless you, Lord, that's not true as for a.
He lifted up, that's all the King of glory entering.
But who is He that is the King of glory who exists?
The Lord of hosts and and and and and the King, the King of glory is.
The Lord of hosts and and and the King, the King of glory is.
Alleluia!
Amen.
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left.
We'll close with the benediction.
Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
rest upon and abide with you all
now and forevermore.
Amen.