Well, thank you so much, everyone who's participated in our service thus far.
Thank you so much, Alice, for reading to us that great psalm of David.
And you'll have heard that the prayer of David in that psalm is that God would lift his eyes to the,
and the phrase is, the rock that is higher than I.
And that's what we want our prayer to be as we come to God's words this afternoon.
So I'd invite you to turn to the book of Colossians.
This is where we're going to be this morning.
We're picking up where we left off.
I think it was the end of November we left our series in Colossians,
and we're picking it up at chapter 3 this morning.
So please turn there and let's pray as we come to God's word together.
Heavenly Father, it is our prayer, Lord, because we know our own hearts
and we know the things that distract us, that you would still us now
and we would want to make the words of David in that psalm our prayer
as we come to your words, that you would lift our eyes to the rock
who is your son Jesus Christ who we've been singing about,
who is higher than us.
And Father, it's in his glory saying that we pray these things.
Amen.
Well, whoever you are here today,
I'd encourage you to listen in to the thing,
the big message that these four verses in Colossians chapter 3
are going to tell us.
Because in these verses, we're going to get right to the heart
of what it means to be a Christian.
So whoever you are here this morning,
the God we've been singing about and praising this morning,
whether he's distant to you,
I'd encourage you to listen in.
Whether you are flying in your Christian life,
I'd encourage you to listen in.
And whether you're struggling in your Christian life,
I'd encourage you to listen in.
Because this is going to take us right to the heart
of what it means to be a Christian.
And to get us into this passage this morning,
let me just put a figure up on the screen.
So the figure is, you can see it there,
it's 2 billion.
Now that figure represents the number of people.
It's a lot of people, right?
2 billion people.
Don't know if you know this,
but that is the number of people who,
back in 2011, around the world,
watched Kate Middleton marry Prince William.
2 billion people.
Put your hands up if you were one of those 2 billion people.
So, I heard on the grapevine
there was a lot of heartbroken young women that day,
thinking that should have been me.
But I remember where I was on that day.
I was one of those 2 million people.
And I remember it well,
because I was living in Bristol at the time.
And my boss had given me the day off work to watch it.
And there I was in the baking heat,
which England does have,
which we don't have up here, by the way.
Baking heat.
And there I was,
I was watching it in my flip-flops and shorts.
So I remember where I was
when I was watching this royal wedding.
And all eyes were on Kate,
if you remember that day.
All eyes were on Kate.
Kind of,
Sorry?
Kind of what happens, isn't it,
when a wedding happens?
All eyes are on the bride.
What will she be wearing?
What will her hair be like?
What pattern will her dress be?
What time will she arrive?
All eyes are normally on the bride.
And even more so was the case on this day.
Because we were all watching this,
knowing that for Kate,
this was the moment in her life
where everything was about to change.
Maybe somebody wants to get the door to the back.
Everything for Kate was about to change.
Because this was the day
when this little girl from Reading,
who studied history of art
at St Andrews University,
was not only officially declared to be married,
but she was declared to be,
in front of all of us in the watching world,
she was declared to be a royal.
With new responsibilities
and new privileges in her life.
New priorities in her life
and a new calling for her life
because she was given a new identity.
So she walked down that aisle,
Kate Middleton,
and she walked back up at
the Duchess of Cambridge.
Total new identity for Kate.
And the reason I tell you that
is because as we come to these verses this morning,
there's a Kate Middleton moment,
if I can put it like that,
I'll coin that phrase.
There's a Kate Middleton moment
that's right at the heart of these verses.
That for the Christian,
it's wonderfully true
that because Jesus Christ
has taken hold of your life,
everything about you has changed.
So if you've got your Bibles there,
come with me to Colossus chapter 3
and let's just read these four short verses together.
Now they're on the screen
if you don't have your Bibles there,
but I'd encourage you to grab your Bible
because we'll be really in the text this morning.
Colossus chapter 3.
Remember Paul writing to this little church in Colossae,
he writes and says this,
Since then,
you have been raised with Christ.
Set your hearts
on the things above
where Christ is,
seated
at the right hand of God.
Set your minds
on things above,
not on earthly things,
for you
died
and your life
is now hidden
with Christ in God.
When Christ,
who is your life,
appears,
then you will also
appear with him
in glory.
So this is what Paul is writing.
Remember,
he's writing to this gathering
of Christians
who are living out their faith
in the first century
in this city
of Colossae.
And if you remember back
to where we left off
at the end of November,
where we've been so far
in this letter
is that Paul
is painting
a big picture of Jesus.
A big picture
of Jesus.
A Jesus who is so much
bigger
than we think he is.
A Jesus who is so much
better
than we think
he is.
And a Jesus
through his death
on the cross
has paid for their sin
and has reconciled them
to the God
who made them.
A Jesus
who lives in them
by his Holy Spirit.
And he wants them
to understand
that anybody
who would seek
to distract their gaze
from this Jesus,
whether it be mysticism
or Jewish religion
or superstition,
anyone who seeks
to distract
from Jesus
is not worth
listening to.
And so here we are then
at the Kate Middleton
moment of this letter
where Paul declares
for the Christian
everything has changed.
Everything's changed.
It's interesting
because it's probably
not the first time
in this letter
that he's said this.
If you want to turn back
to chapter 1
verse 22,
the verses that
our Paul took us through,
Jesus has presented you,
you see it there,
this is the description
of the Christian,
holy, faultless
and blameless
before him,
before God the Father.
Holy, faultless
and blameless.
This is our identity
in Christ.
It's not the first time
he said this in the letter
and I was thinking
of it this week.
How true is that
that we need to be
reminded of that?
Because I don't know
about you but I drift.
We'll see this in a minute.
I drift in my understanding
of who I am in Christ.
Paul has said this
time and time and time
again in the letter.
There is your identity.
Now, chapter 3,
first four verses.
Notice that Paul uses
the word you or you're
six times there.
Do you see it?
You, you're,
you, you're,
you, you.
You can almost feel
his hand reaching out
from the page,
one of those big novelty,
big foam fingers
you see in American
football games
and saying this is for you.
Right?
This is for you.
You, he says.
You,
in your very ordinary,
messy,
working it out,
slogging it out,
unspectacular,
unglamorous,
works in progress
Christian lives.
These glorious truths
are for you.
And you think,
me,
and my life,
my unspectacular life,
my struggling with sin,
fighting,
my flesh
kind of life,
yes,
these truths are for you.
And I also see that Paul
uses the word Christ
four times there.
See it?
With Christ,
where Christ,
with Christ,
when Christ,
you in Christ,
that's the connection
he's making.
And so these pivot voices,
the pivot verses,
if you like,
in this letter
where Paul moves
from the theological,
theological,
that is who Jesus is
and what he's done for you,
and he moves to the practical
as if to say,
here's what it means
for your life,
here's what this identity
will look like for your life.
He wants them to understand,
get it in their minds
that this is who they are.
And who they are
is that they are Christ's.
They are in Christ.
That is their identity.
They are Christ's.
So the buzzwords of our day
isn't it?
Identity.
People are always out to find
who they really are.
Who are they in life?
People going on gap year
after gap year,
moving from job to job,
desperately trying to find out
the real them.
Or people aren't out to find out
who they really are,
maybe they're out to create
who they are.
So they spend hours and hours
on social media,
updating the Twitter profile,
updating the Facebook profile,
trying to create
this online perception
of themselves.
These are the pictures of me
that I want people to see.
These are the places
that I want everybody to know
that I've been to.
These are the friends
that I want everybody to know
that I keep.
And these are the things
that I want everybody to know
that I do in my free time.
Kind of summed up
in the words of Woody Allen,
if you remember Woody Allen
of your certain generation.
He said this,
tongue in cheek.
He said,
my one regret in life
is that I am not someone else.
Woody Allen.
My one regret in life
is I am not someone else.
We're searching for identity.
And the thing is,
by our very nature,
we're tempted to derive
our identity from other things.
Someone else want to get
that door?
Now you've heard of
identity theft.
Well,
this is what I like to call
identity drift.
I want to,
if you resonate with anything
I'm about to say,
we understand ourselves,
don't we,
primarily sometimes
in relation to other things.
By what job we have.
By how well our kids
have turned out.
Or are turning out.
Or are not turning out.
Or what place we're from.
Or what results we've achieved.
Or what funds we've got
in the bank account.
And if you think to yourself,
I wonder,
I don't know if that's true for me.
Well then ask yourself,
that I asked myself this week,
how do you react
when those things fail you?
I know how I react so often.
Or even if we kind of get
that we're not defined
by those things,
how often are we tempted
to define ourselves
in our Christian lives
by how we're doing.
When I'm performing well
as a Christian.
When I've woken up
at 6.30
and I've had my quiet time.
When I've woken up early
and I've prayed.
When I've tithed my 10%.
When I've gone to that service.
I'm tempted to think
that I'm somebody.
I don't know how this works out
for you,
but I know in those moments
my thoughts so easily turn to,
doesn't it totally make sense
that God picked me for his team.
I often find it
it's in those times
when I'll walk into a lamppost,
did that this week,
or I'll realise
that I'm walking around
with the tag still on my jumper.
God's way of reminding me,
I think,
humbling me
as if to say,
yeah, Graham,
we both know that's not true.
But the flip side
can also be true,
can't it?
Speaking from my own experience
and that of walking
alongside some of you
in life,
if there's a temptation
to find my identity
in how I'm performing,
is it not just equally
an identity
to fall off the horse
on the other side
and find my identity
in how I'm not performing?
Curse those dated
Bible reading devotions.
It's the 20th of January
and I'm still on the 4th, right?
I miss the prayer meeting again.
Why am I still struggling
in my Christian life
with that sin
that I cannot seem to shrug?
Why am I not feeling it
all the time
in the Christian life?
And you slip,
as John Bunyan used to write
in his Pilgrim's Progress,
you slip into
the swamp of despair.
And your conclusion in life
is that surely
this can't be true for me
because if it was true for me
then I'd simply
I'd be performing
in doing better.
And the thing is
whatever side of the horse
you fall off,
friends,
they are terrible
foundations for us
to build our lives upon.
Do you know why?
Because they're based on us.
They're based on us.
And I don't know about you
but I change.
I'm here one minute
and I'm there the next minute.
What we need
is an identity
that is not based on us.
And our performance
and our feelings
which are so unreliable.
And the good news
of these verses
is that into our
identity confused world
God speaks
good news
of the true
identity
of the Christian.
And the amazing thing is
that this is an identity
that you and I
can rest in.
It's a lovely gospel word
that isn't it?
It's a very good
rest.
Love it when Jesus says that
in the gospels
come all ye to me
who are heavy burdened
and I will give you
rest.
It's like to say
find in me
your all in all.
And this frees us
doesn't it?
Allows us to take
the mask off
and to stop worrying
about how we're
coming across.
Because that's true
isn't it?
That the amazing
truth of the gospel
is that Jesus
outed me
and you
as failures
on the cross
as sinners
on the cross
because if we
weren't sinners
he wouldn't have
needed to die
for us.
He identifies
with us
and he says
I've taken your sin
and I'm bestowing
on you my life
and that frees me
friends
to admit
that I am not
sorted
and to stop
pretending
that I'm sorted
and to live out
my life
by the grace
of God
saying I am not
what I want to be
but by the grace
of God
I am what I am.
Here's an identity
that Jesus has
won for us.
There's a famous
story told of
Martin Lloyd-Jones
who was a
famous Welsh
minister from
about 100 years
ago and he was
speaking one evening
to a member
of his congregation
and the member
of his congregation
is telling
Martin Lloyd-Jones
how he was feeling
weighed down
with his sin
how he just
couldn't understand
why he was a
Christian
and it went on
and on
and Martin Lloyd-Jones
good pastor
that he was
he listened
for a good
chunk of time
and he just
turned to the man
and he said
have you not
realised
that so much
of your
unhappiness
in life
comes from
the fact
that you are
listening to
yourself
rather than
talking to
yourself
in other words
let God
speak truth
about who
you are
to your
heart
and that's
what I invite
you to do
this morning
this afternoon
as we journey
through these
verses
is to allow
God to speak
to your
heart
about the
truth of
who you are
in him
don't find
your identity
in anything
else
anything
other than
him
let God
speak deep
into your
life
and I've
got two
very quick
takeaway
points
from us
from this
passage
about what
it means
to be
Jesus
you ready
for these
if you've
zoned out
zoned back
in
this is what
it means
to be
Jesus
it's
two things
firstly
Jesus
changes
who we
are
he changes
who we
are
look with
it
look with
me at
chapter 3
those opening
verses
you see
Jesus
has changed
this identity
that runs
in three
directions
you think
like me
this is
your 3D
okay
three directions
he's changed
the past
look with me
verse 3
those two
words
you died
writes Paul
that's the
truth
if you're a
Christian
you have
died
you've
died
in that
before you
were a
Christian
there was
a you
who was
trying to
force
your way
and live
your life
without
God
remember
there was
a song
that my
dad used
to play
in the car
when we
were young
and it
was written
by a band
called Fleetwood Mac
remember Fleetwood Mac
and the song
just went
you can go
your own way
you can go
your own way
great song
but that is
the identity
of all of us
before God
got involved
in our lives
we were not
running towards
sin we were
running away
from him
and that old
life friends
that was a
guilty life
deserving of
God's
we'll see this
more next week
deserving of
God's wrath
his righteous
anger
against our
sin
against our
maker
but when you
became a
Christian
that old
you died
in that it
was nailed
to the cross
with Jesus
and through
his death
on the cross
for us
him shedding
his blood
for us
paying the
penalty for
our sin
we have
received
forgiveness
and that
old us
has gone
and that
new us
has come
that old us
has died
it's over
it's finished
and we can
leave it
behind
because Jesus
has paid
for it
this is our
enemy
loving
pursuing
God
that we're
speaking about
here
praise him
that doesn't
mean that there
are no
earthly
consequences
that might
remain from
our old
life
but what
this does
mean
is that
as far as
God is
concerned
because of
Jesus
because of
our faith
in him
because of
our trust
in him
that old
life
is gone
because that
old life
has been
dealt with
and we can
sing
and I still
remember the
day having
sang this
old hymn
for years
that it
didn't make
sense to me
and all of a
sudden it
made sense
to me
my sin
oh the
bliss
of this
glorious
thought
my sin
not in
part
but the
whole
is nailed
to the
cross
and I
bear it
no more
praise the
Lord
praise the
Lord
oh my
soul
that is the
truth of
the gospel
and if you're
struggling with
this this
morning
thinking is
that true
for me
then this
passage tells
you yes
that's true
for you
the old
has gone
Jesus
dealt
with it
he changes
the past
and he
changes the
present
in other
words
if the
old
you
has
gone
the
new
you
has
come
God
isn't
into
weeding
just
he's
also
into
seeding
weeding
and seeding
the old
you
has
gone
the
new
you
has
come
verse
one
we've
been
raised
with
Christ
we're
united
with him
in his
death
and we're
united
with him
in his
resurrection
and your
life
verse
three
is so
bound up
with
Jesus
so much
so
that
Paul can
describe it
as being
and this is
one of the most
wonderful descriptions
of the Christian
hidden in Christ
in God
hidden in Christ
in God
you feel the security
of that
hidden in Christ
in God
we went up
for a walk
up Blackford Hill
with some friends
on New Year's Day
and we got the girls
out of the car
and it was freezing cold
on New Year's Day
if you remember
we got the girls
out of the car
got them all wrapped up
and the temperature
at the bottom
of Blackford Hill
I'd forgotten
I'd climbed it
in years
I'd forgotten
how steep it is
the temperature
at the bottom
was bearable
but the more
we climbed up
this hill
the colder
it got
until eventually
our two little ones
let us know
that we weren't
going to go on
any further
and so we sat
kind of halfway up
Blackford Hill
overlooking the city
a beautiful view
and Alex and I
just sat there
with one child each
and we just
engulfed them
so we did
we just took them
and we just
engulfed them
and I think
that's a
beautiful description
of what Paul's
describing here
isn't it
this is what
Jesus has done
they're so bound up
are our lives
in him
that Paul can say
that our lives
are hidden in him
which means
that when God
looks at us
he sees Jesus
he doesn't see
our sin
he sees
as we were singing
in that first song
he sees his
righteousness
his perfect life
he doesn't see
the old us
he sees the news
that knew us
that Jesus has taken
and hidden in him
and we are welcomed
into the family
of God
invited to live
our lives
in relationship
with the God
who made us
that is God's
assessment of us
in Christ
isn't that wonderful
it speaks
of complete
and relational
security
that God
has done all this
in Christ
and the spirit
awakens our
hearts
and our minds
to the truth
that we are his
we are his
no matter how
we're feeling
this morning
no matter how
we're performing
this morning
if our trust is in him
we are his
he changes
the past
he changes
the present
and you can guess
where we're going
next can't you
he changes the future
verse 4
when Christ appears
Paul's talking
about his second coming
when Christ
as we were singing
will come
in all his glory
he will come
as king and judge
and what will he do
he will reclaim
creation for himself
and that will be a day
when we don't
cower before him
that will be a day
when we will
appear with him
and we will reign
with him
you know
I wonder whether
these Christians
in this church
in Colossae
with these
if you remember
the background
there's false teachers
in the background
they're teaching
that religion
and mysticism
and superstition
are the key
to spiritual growth
are the key things
that are going to
gain you access
to God
and Paul is saying
all you need
is Christ
there's only one
that can lead us
into the presence
of God
and it's Christ
you've access
to your father
through him
he's all you need
but I wonder
if they're sitting
there thinking
to themselves
are we the real deal
everything that
in your Christian life
as you look at
your unspectacular
Christian life
just slogging it out
sanctification
is a long process
God is not in a hurry
with us
think am I missing out
am I being held back
in the Christian life
well what Paul
is saying here
is that you don't
need ten steps
to a better
spirituality
to grow as a Christian
you just need to
embrace your identity
in Christ
and you need to
live in light of it
Jesus has changed
your past
he's changed
your present
and he will
change your future
he has changed
that future
it's guaranteed
what a transformation
that is
do you see it
past present future
what a transformation
that's our identity
if you're trusting
in him this morning
the old you
has gone
and the new you
the one that's in
Christ has come
and that means
that you and I
have been chosen
we've been forgiven
we've been
spirit filled
we've been declared
right with God
we have peace with him
we've been invited
near
into the very family
of God
once a stranger
now declared
and spoken to
as a son and daughter
and we've been held
by Christ
and he guarantees
us a glorious
future
this is who we are
how freeing
how liberating
are those words
how freeing
and liberating
does it make us feel
in life
how liberating
and freeing
does it make us feel
in our evangelism
that there's
the ends of Romans 8
if you want to check that out
when you go home
Paul says
there's nothing
that can separate us
in other words
Christ's grip on our life
is so strong
nothing can separate us
for as different
why are we scared
of telling others
about Jesus
why is the fear
of man so great
in our hearts
answer because
the fear of God
the picture of him
is small
Paul's saying
get it the other way around
this is who you are
you're his
not because of anything
you've done
but all because of Jesus
that way he gets
all the glory
Jesus changes
who you are
and secondly
and this will be
very very quick
because we'll be
expanding on this
in the weeks to come
flowing from our
new identity
in him
Paul says
Jesus changes
how you live
now if I can
verse creep
again I'm going to
coin that phrase
down to verse 10
I just want you to
see this
so I can kind of
frame this rest
of this section
as we journey
through it
look what Paul
writes about
the new you
it's being renewed
that's the word
he uses there
that wonderful
caterpillar to
butterfly kind of
word
renewed
in knowledge
after what
the image
of its creator
now this is what
happens to me
I find this every
Sunday morning
when I come in here
I look down here
and I normally see
Gary or Jamie
tuning their guitars
every Sunday
guarantee it
this is what I see
they're tuning their
guitars
now I'm no guitar
expert
I can kind of have
a crack at
Wonderwall by Oasis
and the guitar
but that's about
all I can do
but even I know
when I watch them
do that
the reason that
they do that
is that because
somehow or other
that guitar
has become untuned
and they sit there
and what they do
is they just
tune it again
get it right again
and there's something
of that truth
isn't there
in those verses
that word
you see the wonderful
truth that the
Bible tells us
about us
is that we were
made in the image
of God
it's why we believe
that every human
being has an inherent
worth to them
because we're made
in the image
of God
made to live
our lives
with him
made to live
our lives
looking to him
but the sobering
truth that the
Bible tells us
about us
is that sin
our sin
has so affected
us right to the
core
that it's distorted
that image
so much so
that we by nature
turn away from God
rather than turn
towards him
so Martin Luther
used to call
used to call sin
the thing
that's turned us
inwards on ourselves
that's the idea
here
but the thing
is when Jesus
Christ took
hold of our
lives
and as his
spirit works
in us
he moulds us
and he tunes
us
day after day
after day
back into the
way that we
were designed
to be
as if God
is declaring
over us
that I made
you in my
image
I made you
for myself
and I have
saved you
through the
sending of my
son
and I have
turned you
through the
work of my
spirit
and I have
brought you
back to me
so that you
can fully
bear that
image to the
world
once again
as you live
your life
in community
with your
fellow brothers
and sisters
and however
imperfectly it
may look
this side of
eternity
that's what
I'm doing
in your
hearts and
lives
and the
perfect picture
of who I'm
transforming you
into is the
Lord Jesus
Christ
you see
as we turn
to the
moral
imperatives
in this
letter
we need
to understand
that that's
what's going
on here
otherwise
this would
be just
be dry
moralism
don't do
this do
that
that's
what's
not
what's
going on
here
this is
God
ordained
Christ
one
spirit
filled
inside
out
transformation
so we've
seen all
the way
through
this
letter
isn't
it
this
is
not
an
outward
in
kind
of
change
that
just
doesn't
work
so Jesus
says
isn't
it
that the
problem's
not
outside
it's
inside
it's
not
going
to
work
what we
need
is a
inside
out
kind of
change
and so
Paul says
in light
of who
you are
Colossians
verse
one
see the
command
seek the
things
that are
above
seek the
things
that are
above
set
your
minds
on the
things
above
now feel
the force
of the
verbs
there
seek
and set
on the
things
above
and in
the
negative
nod
on the
things
of
earth
and the
logic
surely
is that
because
you are
Christ's
then actively
pursue the
things of
his
kingdom
invest
yourselves
not in
things that
are temporary
but invest
yourselves in
things that
are eternal
people
now imagine
when they read
this out
to this
little
gathering
of
believers
in the
church
the
false
teachers
are in
the
background
the
guys
who are
promoting
angel
worship
mysticism
superstition
and they
read that
they hear
that
and they
say
seek the
things
that are
above
amen
brother
Paul
let's
get the
drums
back
on the
go
and let's
get the
angel
worship
banging
again
because that's
what they think
when they read
this but you see
how Paul
he grounds this
in the nitty gritty
details of their
lives
in other words
this is what true
spirituality is going to
look like
this is what true
inward outward
change will look like
what will it look like
we'll see this in the
weeks to come
it will mean saying no
to the ways of the
old self
and it will look like
saying yes
to the things
of the new self
Jesus changes who you
are says Paul
if you're a Christian
that is gloriously
true
and Jesus changes
how you live
you know just as we
close I was thinking
on it this week
I wonder what went
through the Duchess
of Cambridge's mind
in the days and the
weeks following her
wedding day
I wonder whether
there were times
that she wandered
the palace
or she was out
and about and
people are
she's meeting
school children
or she's meeting
NHS employees
whoever she's
meeting the pictures
show us
people are bowing
to her
people are curtsying
to her
and she thinks
to herself
maybe thinking back
on the things
that she did
when she grew up
or the things
that she said
or did when she
was at uni
and she thought
to herself
who am I
that this would
happen to me
but the truth
is if you think
about it
she is who
she is
not because of
anything that
she's done
she is who
she is
simply because
of the identity
of her husband
that's all she's
got
that's all she's
got
all she did
was say yes
and the same
is absolutely
true for the
Christian
there are identities
not in us
not found in us
it's found through
looking at Jesus
our saving spouse
I wonder even if
even during our
short time together
this afternoon
the evil one has
been speaking words
of accusation
and guilt into
your ear
maybe bringing up
stuff that you
did last year
last week
even last night
and saying how
dare you think
that this is true
for you
how dare you
think that this
is true for you
Paul would say
to us
and the risen
Lord Jesus
who's speaking
through these
words would say
to us this
morning
that you are
who you are
not because of
what you've done
but you are
who you are
because I've
claimed you as
my own and
you're mine
and all you've
done is say
yes
for you died
says Paul
the old you
has gone
the new you
has come
in your life
is now
hidden
with Christ
in God
and we're
going to pray
in just a second
but why don't we
just take a
moment of silence
and maybe just
cast your eye
over these verses
again and allow
God by his
spirit just to
sink these deep
truths into your
heart
and then I'll
pray and we'll
close
and so
gracious God
and loving
heavenly
father
thank you so
much for these
words this
morning these
words of truth
and I pray
lord knowing
my own
heart
and all of us
knowing our own
hearts
father so often
how we're
tempted to
forge our own
way in the
world and we
think of
David's words
at the start
that we
prayed that
you would
lead us to
the rock
who is higher
than us
and so we
pray dear
father that
you would
remind us
of these
truths that
you would
embed them
deep into
our hearts
and our
lives and
father that
by your
spirit living
in us you
would help
us to
grasp them
more and
live in
light of
that new
identity
behold him
there the
risen lamb
my
perfect
spotless
righteousness
the great
unchangeable
I am
the king
of glory
and of
grace
one with
himself
I cannot
die
my soul
is purchased
by his
blood
my life
is hid
with
Christ
on high
with
Christ
my
saviour
and my
God
with
Christ
my
saviour
and
my
God
heavenly
father
thank you
for the
incredible
love
which you
have
shown
us
and we
praise
you
and we
pray
knowing
that you
hear us
because we
pray in
Jesus'
name
Amen