WEBVTT 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:07.419 So let's begin our worship. Today we're singing firstly in Psalm 116 in the Scottish Psalter, 00:00:07.540 --> 00:00:13.460 page 395. The tune is Cunningham, verses 1 to 8. 00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:22.500 I love the Lord because my voice and prayers heeded here. I, while I live, will call on 00:00:22.500 --> 00:00:28.660 him who bowed to me his ear. Of death the cords and sorrows did about me compass round 00:00:28.660 --> 00:00:36.219 the pains of hell took hold on me. I, grief and trouble, found upon the name of God the Lord. 00:00:36.219 --> 00:00:42.539 Then did I call and say, deliver thou my soul, O Lord, I do thee humbly pray. 00:00:43.219 --> 00:00:48.060 So on singing down as fast, verse 8, Psalm 116 to God's praise. 00:00:58.659 --> 00:01:22.439 My voice and prayers heeded here. I, while I live, will call on him who bowed to me his ear. 00:01:22.439 --> 00:01:38.400 All death their hearts and sorrows did about me compass round. 00:01:38.400 --> 00:02:03.120 The pains of hell took hold on me. I, grief and trouble, found upon the name of God the Lord. 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:33.099 God's mercy, do not cry. 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:58.740 You, the birth you, the 00:02:58.740 --> 00:03:14.740 O thou, my soul, do thou return, until thy quiet rest. 00:03:14.740 --> 00:03:29.980 For my sweet love, the Lord to thee, his bounty hath expressed. 00:03:29.979 --> 00:03:47.939 For my distressed soul from death delivered was by thee. 00:03:47.939 --> 00:04:02.939 Thou didst my morning night from tears, my feet from falling free. 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:09.939 Let's now call upon the Lord briefly. Let's pray. 00:04:09.939 --> 00:04:18.600 Our gracious God, as we give thanks once again for being gathered here together around your word, 00:04:19.319 --> 00:04:22.360 and thanks for the prospect of your spirit blessing us, 00:04:23.019 --> 00:04:26.360 we do, Lord, come before you as our God and as our Savior. 00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:31.279 We do confess our need that you would once again bless your word to us, 00:04:31.659 --> 00:04:35.519 and we pray your blessing upon the children and young folks who are present today. 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:40.839 And we ask, O Lord, as they go through to their classes in Sunday school and tweenies, 00:04:41.419 --> 00:04:44.259 that you would bless them there and help them as they learn about you, 00:04:44.779 --> 00:04:47.819 that they will come to know you better day by day, 00:04:48.500 --> 00:04:53.819 and especially that you would grant to them your blessing in all the different aspects of their lives. 00:04:54.579 --> 00:05:00.139 And we pray that your blessing will go before them in all the ways in which we seek their development, 00:05:00.699 --> 00:05:02.459 morally and spiritually and physically. 00:05:02.459 --> 00:05:08.739 And so, Lord, we commend them to you today and pray for those who look after them and care for them, 00:05:09.219 --> 00:05:11.939 not only in their own homes, but also here in the church. 00:05:12.620 --> 00:05:16.219 We thank you for them and pray that your blessing will be with them 00:05:16.219 --> 00:05:20.139 as they take such responsibilities and privileges to themselves. 00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:25.240 We thank you for all those who help with our various activities. 00:05:25.240 --> 00:05:30.540 So receive our thanks, we pray, and forgive our sins and cleanse us. 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:32.000 For Jesus' sake. 00:05:32.500 --> 00:05:32.939 Amen. 00:05:32.939 --> 00:05:33.019 Amen. 00:05:36.899 --> 00:05:42.240 The other day I was down at the shore, and if you go down to the shore when the tide is out, 00:05:42.819 --> 00:05:47.540 especially if it's a rocky shore, there's no use if it's a sandy shore without any rocks, 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:51.759 but if you go down to a shore that has especially large rocks, 00:05:52.579 --> 00:05:53.819 and when the tide's gone out, 00:05:54.459 --> 00:05:58.139 some of these large rocks will have limpets attached to them. 00:05:58.139 --> 00:06:00.659 Does anybody know what a limpet is? 00:06:00.740 --> 00:06:03.919 I don't need to tell, but hands up those who know what a limpet is. 00:06:06.300 --> 00:06:06.659 No? 00:06:08.060 --> 00:06:11.300 Well, next time you're down to the shore and go to a large rock, 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:15.819 have a look at the rock and see if you can find little creatures with a shell 00:06:15.819 --> 00:06:18.360 that's shaped a bit like a pyramid. 00:06:19.139 --> 00:06:21.839 It's round and then it comes to a point, not very big. 00:06:22.359 --> 00:06:23.759 They're called limpets. 00:06:24.199 --> 00:06:29.079 Inside is a very soft creature, and it uses that shell for its protection. 00:06:29.979 --> 00:06:32.839 But if you go to a limpet as it's attached to a rock, 00:06:32.839 --> 00:06:34.699 and you just touch it with your finger, 00:06:35.259 --> 00:06:38.059 you'll find it immediately tightening like that to the rock. 00:06:38.779 --> 00:06:40.719 It's got a strong hold of the rock, 00:06:41.079 --> 00:06:43.599 but it relaxes a little bit once the tide is out. 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:46.579 But if you touch it at all or anything comes near it, 00:06:46.919 --> 00:06:50.359 it immediately goes tight onto the rock. 00:06:50.360 --> 00:06:56.160 And that's a great illustration for how we have to hold tightly onto Jesus. 00:06:57.139 --> 00:07:00.879 You know, when the tide comes in, sometimes the waves are huge, 00:07:01.420 --> 00:07:06.780 and they come bashing against these rocks with these tiny little limpets attached to them, 00:07:06.900 --> 00:07:12.160 and you'd feel, surely, these wee limpets are not going to manage to cling onto that rock 00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:15.400 with these massive big waves crashing over the rock. 00:07:15.540 --> 00:07:16.199 But they do. 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:19.620 If you go to the rock after the tide's gone out again, 00:07:19.979 --> 00:07:22.920 even if there have been huge waves bashing that rock, 00:07:23.420 --> 00:07:24.839 the limpets are still attached 00:07:24.839 --> 00:07:29.420 because they have such a tight hold of that rock. 00:07:30.459 --> 00:07:35.779 And that reminds us how we need to hold onto Jesus really tightly. 00:07:35.779 --> 00:07:41.599 We do that by trusting in Him, by having our faith in Him, by trusting in Him. 00:07:42.299 --> 00:07:45.279 A psalmist, when we sang a psalm a wee minute ago, 00:07:45.899 --> 00:07:48.879 said that the pains of hell took hold on him. 00:07:49.299 --> 00:07:51.079 He found grief and trouble. 00:07:51.599 --> 00:07:56.379 He was surrounded with sorrows, things which were really difficult for him. 00:07:56.739 --> 00:07:57.339 And then he says, 00:07:57.339 --> 00:08:06.079 In other words, just like the limpet clings to the rock, 00:08:06.379 --> 00:08:08.560 and especially so when the tide's coming in, 00:08:08.819 --> 00:08:10.279 or if somebody's trying to shift it, 00:08:10.779 --> 00:08:13.479 when we have anything in our lives that troubles us, 00:08:13.559 --> 00:08:16.339 any problems, anything that really hurts us, 00:08:16.679 --> 00:08:18.000 whatever our need is, 00:08:18.519 --> 00:08:21.919 we need to come to tightly cling to Jesus. 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:24.139 Crying to Jesus like the psalmist, 00:08:24.139 --> 00:08:28.579 Lord, save me, protect me, look after me. 00:08:29.039 --> 00:08:32.460 Don't let this difficulty overwhelm me. 00:08:32.580 --> 00:08:34.960 Don't let me lose my grip on you. 00:08:36.699 --> 00:08:40.460 Just like the limpet clings to the rock. 00:08:41.199 --> 00:08:44.279 So when you think about Jesus and all that Jesus has done, 00:08:44.779 --> 00:08:48.360 and who Jesus is, the Son of God, our Savior, 00:08:49.220 --> 00:08:52.179 think of how important it is that you hold onto. 00:08:52.179 --> 00:08:54.339 And when some people might tell you 00:08:54.339 --> 00:08:57.779 that it's just really not the kind of thing 00:08:57.779 --> 00:08:59.239 that people should be doing nowadays, 00:08:59.239 --> 00:09:02.059 to believe in Jesus, to follow Jesus, 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:06.159 to come to say in public that Jesus is our Savior, 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:09.179 that's like the waves crashing over the limpet 00:09:09.179 --> 00:09:10.659 trying to get it away from the rock. 00:09:11.079 --> 00:09:12.399 When any of that happens, 00:09:12.819 --> 00:09:15.259 you need to cling all the more tightly to Jesus, 00:09:15.739 --> 00:09:17.839 to ask him to look after you, 00:09:18.539 --> 00:09:21.319 to help you, protect you in your faith, 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:23.840 in your following of Jesus, 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:26.240 so that you'll not give way, 00:09:26.980 --> 00:09:29.140 and that you'll cling even more closely 00:09:29.140 --> 00:09:31.980 to Jesus as your Savior. 00:09:32.940 --> 00:09:35.060 Now we're going to say the Lord's Prayer together. 00:09:35.059 --> 00:09:36.059 Amen. 00:09:36.059 --> 00:09:36.459 Amen. 00:09:36.459 --> 00:09:38.859 Our Father, which art in heaven, 00:09:39.379 --> 00:09:40.779 hallowed be thy name. 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:42.399 Thy kingdom come. 00:09:42.819 --> 00:09:45.539 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:09:46.219 --> 00:09:48.259 Give us this day our daily bread, 00:09:48.579 --> 00:09:50.279 and forgive us our debts, 00:09:50.659 --> 00:09:52.439 as we forgive our debtors. 00:09:52.839 --> 00:09:54.779 And lead us not into temptation, 00:09:55.319 --> 00:09:56.939 but deliver us from evil. 00:09:57.379 --> 00:09:58.739 For thine is the kingdom, 00:09:59.319 --> 00:10:01.619 and the power and the glory forever. 00:10:02.259 --> 00:10:02.659 Amen. 00:10:02.659 --> 00:10:02.860 Amen. 00:10:05.059 --> 00:10:06.079 We're going to sing again, 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:07.459 this time from Psalm 61, 00:10:08.179 --> 00:10:09.799 on page 293, 00:10:10.319 --> 00:10:12.019 singing verses 1 to 5. 00:10:16.439 --> 00:10:19.059 And that again is similar to what we're saying 00:10:19.059 --> 00:10:20.219 about the limpets hanging, 00:10:20.659 --> 00:10:21.839 clinging onto the rock. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:23.779 And says there in verse 2, 00:10:23.779 --> 00:10:26.279 What time my heart is overwhelmed, 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:27.740 and in perplexity, 00:10:28.339 --> 00:10:30.860 do thou me lead unto the rock 00:10:30.860 --> 00:10:32.899 that higher is than I. 00:10:33.439 --> 00:10:35.019 Jesus, in the Bible, 00:10:35.620 --> 00:10:37.539 a number of times is called a rock, 00:10:38.039 --> 00:10:39.620 so that we are secure 00:10:39.620 --> 00:10:41.579 as we are attached to him. 00:10:42.259 --> 00:10:42.980 Psalm 61, 00:10:43.480 --> 00:10:45.079 the tune is Salzburg, 00:10:45.179 --> 00:10:46.179 verses 1 to 5. 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:49.360 O God, give ear unto my cry. 00:10:49.360 --> 00:11:02.480 O God, give ear unto my cry, 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:09.700 unto my prayer's end, 00:11:09.700 --> 00:11:18.379 From the utmost corner of the land, 00:11:18.379 --> 00:11:25.879 my cry to thee as send. 00:11:25.879 --> 00:11:35.019 O time my heart is overwhelmed, 00:11:35.019 --> 00:11:40.879 and in perplexity, 00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:51.200 To love me lead unto the rock, 00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:58.659 that higher is than I. 00:11:58.659 --> 00:12:08.059 For thou hast for my refuge be, 00:12:08.059 --> 00:12:15.059 a shelter by thy power. 00:12:15.059 --> 00:12:24.699 And for defense against my foes, 00:12:24.699 --> 00:12:32.059 Thou hast me not strong turn. 00:12:32.059 --> 00:12:41.439 Within thy tower will lie, 00:12:41.439 --> 00:12:48.979 For ever will abide, 00:12:48.979 --> 00:12:57.879 And under cover tall thy wings, 00:12:57.879 --> 00:13:04.879 With confidence behind. 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:15.159 For thy levels that I did make, 00:13:15.159 --> 00:13:22.639 O Lord, my God is here, 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:27.299 Thou hast given me 00:13:27.299 --> 00:13:30.639 The heritage 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:39.480 Of those thy name not fear. 00:13:41.639 --> 00:13:43.519 Let's read now from God's word 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:44.679 in the Gospel of Matthew. 00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:47.279 Matthew chapter 5. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:49.759 We're reading verses 1 to 16. 00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:57.639 Matthew 5. 00:13:57.639 --> 00:13:58.639 Matthew 5. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:13:59.639 Reading from the beginning. 00:13:59.639 --> 00:14:03.639 Seeing the crowds, 00:14:03.639 --> 00:14:05.639 Jesus went up on the mountain, 00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:06.639 And when he sat down, 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:08.639 His disciples came to him. 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:10.639 And he opened his mouth, 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:11.639 And taught them, saying, 00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:13.639 Blessed are the poor in spirit, 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:15.639 For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:14:15.639 --> 00:14:17.639 Blessed are those who mourn, 00:14:17.639 --> 00:14:18.639 For they shall be comforted. 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:20.639 Blessed are the meek, 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:22.639 For they shall inherit the earth. 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:24.639 Blessed are those who hunger, 00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:25.639 And thirst for righteousness, 00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:27.639 For they shall be satisfied. 00:14:27.639 --> 00:14:29.639 Blessed are the merciful, 00:14:29.639 --> 00:14:31.639 For they shall receive mercy. 00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:33.639 Blessed are the pure in heart, 00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:35.639 For they shall see God. 00:14:35.639 --> 00:14:36.639 Blessed are the peacemakers, 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:39.639 For they shall be called sons of God. 00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:41.639 Blessed are those who are persecuted, 00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:43.639 For righteousness' sake, 00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:45.639 For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:46.639 Blessed are you, 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:47.639 Blessed are you, 00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:48.639 Blessed are you, 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:49.639 When others revile you, 00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:50.639 And persecute you, 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:52.639 And utter all kinds of evil against you, 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:54.639 Falsely on my account. 00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:56.639 Rejoice and be glad, 00:14:56.639 --> 00:14:58.639 For your reward is great in heaven. 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:01.639 For so they persecuted the prophets, 00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:02.639 Who were before you. 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:05.639 You are the salt of the earth, 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:07.639 But if salt has lost its taste, 00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:10.639 How shall its saltiness be restored? 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:12.639 It is no longer good for anything, 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:14.639 Except to be thrown out, 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:16.639 And trampled under people's feet. 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:18.639 You are the light of the world. 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:21.639 A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, 00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:23.639 Nor do people light a lamp, 00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:25.639 And put it under a basket, 00:15:25.639 --> 00:15:26.639 But on a stand, 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:29.639 And it gives light to all in the house. 00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:31.639 In the same way, 00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:33.639 Let your light shine before others, 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:36.639 So that they may see your good works, 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:38.639 And give glory to your Father, 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:41.639 And the Father who is in heaven. 00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:44.639 And may the Lord once again bless to us, 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:46.639 Reading that portion of his word. 00:15:47.639 --> 00:15:49.639 We're going to engage in prayer, 00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:51.639 And one of those we're going to be praying for, 00:15:51.639 --> 00:15:53.639 I've been asked to pray for her particularly, 00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:56.639 Is little Lucy Beth Davis. 00:15:56.639 --> 00:15:58.639 She's just a few days old, 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:03.639 And she has had to go to have major surgery today. 00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:05.639 So please bear her in mind, 00:16:05.639 --> 00:16:06.639 Along with her parents, 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:07.639 Nicholas Davis, 00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:09.639 And Laura Jane Davis. 00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:11.639 So we're going to be praying for her, 00:16:11.639 --> 00:16:14.639 Particularly in the course of her prayer time this morning. 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:16.639 So let's join together in prayer. 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:19.639 O Lord our God, 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:21.639 We know it's our great privilege, 00:16:21.639 --> 00:16:22.639 To be able to pray to you, 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:25.639 To be able to come before you, 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:28.639 And not only give praise and thanks to you, 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:30.639 But also to seek your help. 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:33.639 For we are always in need of your help, O Lord. 00:16:33.639 --> 00:16:36.639 You are the only one to whom we can turn, 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:38.639 For the help that we require. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:41.639 Even though we may give much help to one another, 00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:44.639 As we seek to do throughout the course of life. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:47.639 Lord, we give thanks that we have been singing this morning, 00:16:47.639 --> 00:16:50.639 Of how you are the great help of your people. 00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:53.639 How you are the one to whom we can turn at any time. 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:55.639 And we thank you Lord, 00:16:55.639 --> 00:16:57.639 Even as Peter long ago, 00:16:57.639 --> 00:16:59.639 Exclaimed and confessed. 00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:01.639 When the challenge was given to himself, 00:17:01.639 --> 00:17:03.639 And to the disciples by you. 00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:05.639 If they also were going to turn away from you. 00:17:05.639 --> 00:17:08.639 Lord, to whom else can we go? 00:17:08.639 --> 00:17:12.639 You alone have the words of eternal life. 00:17:12.639 --> 00:17:15.639 Lord, we pray for ourselves today here. 00:17:15.639 --> 00:17:18.639 We represent a great variety of need, 00:17:18.639 --> 00:17:20.639 Of ages, of backgrounds, 00:17:20.639 --> 00:17:22.639 Of circumstances in life. 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:25.640 But we thank you that they are all known to yourself. 00:17:25.640 --> 00:17:27.640 That you know us most perfectly, 00:17:27.640 --> 00:17:29.640 Even out in most thoughts. 00:17:29.640 --> 00:17:33.640 And we can say, like the psalmist said on another occasion, 00:17:33.640 --> 00:17:36.640 That even before he uttered the words that he would speak, 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:39.640 They were already known to you. 00:17:39.640 --> 00:17:41.640 You knew the thoughts of his heart, 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:43.640 The very turnings of his mind. 00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:46.640 And so it is, Lord, with ourselves before you today. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:50.640 Every aspect of our being is known to you. 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:53.640 We pray that we may take comfort in this. 00:17:53.640 --> 00:17:56.640 Even, Lord, though at times we may find it uncomfortable, 00:17:56.640 --> 00:18:00.640 To realize that God is reading our very thoughts and our minds. 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:03.640 All the things that take place within our souls. 00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:11.640 And yet, Lord, we give thanks that we are known in such an intimate and perfect way with yourself. 00:18:11.640 --> 00:18:17.640 For we know, Lord, that we can safely deposit our lives in your hands. 00:18:17.640 --> 00:18:22.640 That we can do so knowing that, because your knowledge of us is so perfect, 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:27.640 So you are able to do for us even more than we are able to ask or think. 00:18:27.640 --> 00:18:33.640 And so today, Lord, we pray your blessing to come to us and to take your own word, 00:18:33.640 --> 00:18:36.640 Make it particularly beneficial to us today. 00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:43.640 We thank you that we know your word, yet we realize, oh Lord, that we don't know it anything like well enough. 00:18:43.640 --> 00:18:48.640 And that we still have so much of it to learn in our experience, 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:52.640 Especially in having it applied to our lives day by day. 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:57.640 Lord, we come before you today and come with our confession of sin. 00:18:57.640 --> 00:19:04.640 We come with our need of pardon, of cleansing, of being reestablished in your way when we go astray. 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:12.640 And we give thanks today that we come to the God who has demonstrated this so many times in the history and in the events of his people. 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:15.640 Not only as a people, but also individually. 00:19:15.640 --> 00:19:18.640 You are the God who turns us back into your way. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:24.640 And to whom we can pray that you would maintain us in the ways of righteousness and of peace. 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:29.640 Lord, but when we do stray, we pray that you would recover us quickly. 00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:31.640 But we do not want to stray away from you. 00:19:31.640 --> 00:19:36.640 For in your presence there is fullness of joy and there is life. 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:40.640 And we pray that today you would keep us close to yourself. 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:43.640 Even as we have been thinking, Lord, with our children today. 00:19:43.640 --> 00:19:47.640 Enable us to cling to you, to cleave to you. 00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:49.640 And to know you as our sure foundation. 00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:52.640 As the rock upon which we may stand. 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:55.640 Upon which we may safely build our lives. 00:19:55.640 --> 00:20:00.640 We pray your blessing upon us, Lord, in all our activities as a congregation. 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:02.640 Bless us in our services of worship. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:06.640 Our public worship when we come together as we do now. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:12.640 O Lord, we ask that you would draw near to us even at this time. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:20.640 And as we anticipate in the week to come, further services connected again with the remembrance of the Lord's death in the Lord's Supper. 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:25.640 Lord, again we pray your blessing to be with us during these days. 00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:32.640 We pray for any who know in their heart of hearts that they should be sitting at the Lord's table and have not yet done so. 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:34.640 We pray that you would encourage them. 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:37.640 We pray that we may be encouraging to them. 00:20:37.640 --> 00:20:39.640 We pray that you would give them strength, O Lord. 00:20:39.640 --> 00:20:44.640 We pray that they may see that their worthiness is not in themselves. 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:52.640 And that indeed as we come expressing our unworthiness, help us to turn to the worthiness of the Lord. 00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:55.640 That you are worthy that we should remember you. 00:20:55.640 --> 00:20:58.640 Worthy that we should do this in remembrance of you. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:01.640 Worthy in every way that we should serve you. 00:21:01.640 --> 00:21:04.640 That we should do so in the presence of others as well. 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:06.640 And so help us, Lord, at this time. 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:11.640 And be pleased to bless those we anticipate to preach the gospel to us. 00:21:11.640 --> 00:21:13.640 Mr. MacDonald and Mr. Ferguson. 00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:18.640 And we pray that you would grant your blessing to them and to Mr. McCritchie. 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:21.640 We pray that they may know your blessing in preparation. 00:21:21.640 --> 00:21:26.640 That we may know the blessing of the Lord through them as they minister your word to us. 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:30.640 And we pray too, Lord, today for those who are unwell. 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:33.640 We think of those who are suffering in different ways. 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:36.640 From illness at this time, we ask that you would bless them. 00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:41.640 We pray for those who are anticipating surgery of different ages. 00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:43.640 We commend them to you, Lord, today. 00:21:43.640 --> 00:21:47.640 We ask for those who have been through surgery that you would bless them. 00:21:47.640 --> 00:21:50.640 And those who are receiving treatment at this time. 00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:52.640 Lord, we ask your blessing for them. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:54.640 We pray for little Lucy Beth. 00:21:54.640 --> 00:22:00.640 We pray for our Lord as she undergoes surgery today, as we understand. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:05.640 Bless her, we pray, in these young, fragile, early days of life. 00:22:05.640 --> 00:22:08.640 Be pleased to lay your good hand upon her. 00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:15.640 And help those who carry out the surgery that they may do so under your own hand, under your guidance. 00:22:15.640 --> 00:22:20.640 We pray that it may be for her health restoration. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:24.640 And that all would be successful as we commend her to you. 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:26.640 We pray for her parents. 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:29.640 We ask that you'd bless them, Laura Jane and Nuck. 00:22:29.640 --> 00:22:31.640 Be with them, Lord, at this anxious time. 00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:34.640 And all the rest of the family, we commend them to you. 00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:38.640 We ask that you bless, too, those today who mourn the passing of loved ones. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:48.640 Lord, our God, we are conscious every week that passes that there are some who have mourning and the experience of death in their families. 00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:51.640 And today we commend them to you once again. 00:22:51.640 --> 00:22:54.640 And ask that you would bless us as a congregation. 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:57.640 You are making us so familiar with death. 00:22:57.640 --> 00:23:00.640 And so we want to be all the more familiar with life, O Lord. 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:04.640 Lord, the life that you have come to provide for your people. 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:07.640 Remember our troubled world at this time. 00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:16.640 Lord, our heart goes out and our prayers ascend to you for the people of Turkey and also of Syria. 00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:19.640 And the devastation of this earthquake. 00:23:19.640 --> 00:23:21.640 These earthquakes that have taken place. 00:23:21.640 --> 00:23:26.640 O Lord, we don't know how to pray in regard to such devastation. 00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:28.640 So much loss of life. 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:31.640 So many devastated families. 00:23:31.640 --> 00:23:35.640 So many wondering if they have a future at all. 00:23:35.640 --> 00:23:37.640 And if so, what it is. 00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:39.640 We commend them to you. 00:23:39.640 --> 00:23:40.640 We pray for them. 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:46.640 We pray that whatever else may happen, that they may find the Lord in their troubles. 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:54.640 And that you would grant to all who are giving them assistance at this time with emergency services and recovery services. 00:23:54.640 --> 00:24:03.640 O Lord, our God, we pray that all of them will be helped and you would help to uphold them during the trauma of these days for them as well. 00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:07.640 As they deal with such tragedy on such a large scale. 00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:10.640 Remember too, we pray the ongoing wars in the world. 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:17.640 Different places, Lord, where we know there is ongoing engagement and hatred of people against each other. 00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:21.640 Not only in Ukraine and other places in the Middle East. 00:24:21.640 --> 00:24:31.640 We pray, Lord, that you would bring the peace of the gospel especially to bear upon our troubled world, including our own nation. 00:24:31.640 --> 00:24:34.640 And so we commend all of these things to you now. 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:37.640 Asking that you would hear us as we pray. 00:24:37.640 --> 00:24:42.640 And we ask all of these things, seeking pardon and cleansing from all our sin. 00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:43.640 For Jesus' sake. 00:24:43.640 --> 00:24:44.640 Amen. 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:50.640 Now we're going to sing once again to God's praise from Psalm 96. 00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:53.640 Psalm 96a. 00:24:53.640 --> 00:24:57.640 In the St. Psalms, that's page 126. 00:24:57.640 --> 00:25:00.640 In verses 1 to 9. 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:03.640 O sing a new song to the Lord. 00:25:03.640 --> 00:25:05.640 Sing praises to his name. 00:25:05.640 --> 00:25:07.640 And his salvation day by day. 00:25:07.640 --> 00:25:09.640 Let all the earth proclaim. 00:25:09.640 --> 00:25:13.640 His glory and his mighty deeds to every land declare. 00:25:13.640 --> 00:25:16.640 How great and awesome is the Lord. 00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:19.640 With him no gods compare. 00:25:19.640 --> 00:25:23.640 Psalm 96a verses 1 to 9. 00:25:23.640 --> 00:25:25.640 The tune this time is St. Magnus. 00:25:25.640 --> 00:25:28.640 O sing a new song to the Lord. 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:29.640 Sing praises to his name. 00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:30.640 O sing a new song to the Lord. 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:31.640 Sing praises to his name. 00:25:31.640 --> 00:25:35.640 And his salvation day by day. 00:25:35.640 --> 00:25:37.640 Let all the earth proclaim. 00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:38.640 His glory and his mighty deeds to every land. 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:39.640 The Lord sing praises to his name. 00:25:39.640 --> 00:25:40.640 And his salvation day by day. 00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:44.640 Let all the earth proclaim. 00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:45.640 And his salvation day by day. 00:25:45.640 --> 00:25:46.640 Let all the earth proclaim. 00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:51.640 His glory and his mighty deeds to every land declare. 00:25:51.640 --> 00:25:52.640 His glory and his glory and his glory. 00:25:52.640 --> 00:25:58.640 His glory and his mighty deeds to every land declare. 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:04.640 How great and awesome is the Lord. 00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:06.640 With him no gods. 00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:07.640 compare. 00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:08.640 All other gods are good and stone. 00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:09.640 The Lord make them. 00:26:09.640 --> 00:26:10.640 The Lord make them. 00:26:10.640 --> 00:26:12.640 hres равho Bot, don't belong on earth. 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:13.640 Am tot my twent hands. 00:26:13.640 --> 00:26:14.640 Jienty. 00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:15.640 Now, this is the Lord. 00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:29.640 Of h Consortium. 00:26:29.640 --> 00:26:37.640 That 무 field, Miss you three이죠. 00:26:37.640 --> 00:26:51.640 All power and majesty are his, he dwells in glorious light. 00:26:51.640 --> 00:27:05.640 All nations to the Lord ascribe the glory that is true. 00:27:05.640 --> 00:27:20.640 Glory and strength thus ride to God and grace his name anew. 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:34.640 Enter his horse with joy and ring and offering with you. 00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:48.640 Worship the Lord in holy fear. All life before him power. 00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:55.640 Now turn with me please to Matthew chapter 5. 00:27:55.640 --> 00:27:59.640 We're going to be looking at verse 16 especially today. 00:27:59.640 --> 00:28:04.640 Matthew chapter 5 and verse 16. 00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:11.640 In the same way let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works 00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:18.640 and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:24.640 We'll mention the previous two verses as well because they're very much tied up with what's in verse 16. 00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:29.640 The light of the world and the lamp that's put on a stand. 00:28:29.640 --> 00:28:36.640 Well we know all about courses in discipleship these days and they are very welcome, 00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:40.640 very important in the life of any congregation. 00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:43.640 The times that we're able to carry this out. 00:28:43.640 --> 00:28:45.640 For example even the hope explored. 00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:49.640 You can say that that is itself an exercise in discipleship. 00:28:49.640 --> 00:28:54.640 What is it to follow the Lord, to know the Lord and to be among his disciples. 00:28:54.640 --> 00:29:01.640 But imagine going through the discipleship course that you have in the opening verses of this chapter. 00:29:01.640 --> 00:29:08.640 Where Jesus spoke to the disciples as they went up on the mountain. 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:13.640 His own disciples came to him and he opened his mouth and taught them saying. 00:29:13.640 --> 00:29:19.640 And then you have the discipleship teaching of these following verses. 00:29:19.640 --> 00:29:24.640 And they are among the most challenging verses in the whole Bible. 00:29:24.640 --> 00:29:34.640 Jesus didn't shirk from setting before his people, his disciples and therefore before ourselves now in the Bible, in the Gospel as well. 00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:37.640 The challenges of living this kind of life. 00:29:37.640 --> 00:29:45.640 And all the more as you see that, all the more we should come to seek the Lord's grace and the Lord's help. 00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:52.640 To be the kind of people, the kind of disciples that are disciples of Jesus. 00:29:52.640 --> 00:30:01.640 And what you find in these verses includes both what we should be internally and also externally. 00:30:01.640 --> 00:30:04.640 And the two of course should always match up. 00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:11.640 What we are in our way of life outwardly, openly, should match what we are inwardly. 00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:18.640 And there are many times when we ourselves are conscious that the two just don't quite match up the way they should. 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:26.640 And what we are outwardly doesn't necessarily fit with what we are inwardly, at least not a hundred percent. 00:30:26.640 --> 00:30:28.640 And that's because we're sinners. 00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:30.640 Because we're imperfect. 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:36.640 And because we have to come before the Lord every day asking that the Lord would forgive us. 00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:41.640 For the failures we have to match up what's inside with what's outside. 00:30:41.640 --> 00:30:48.640 But in any case, this is what you find throughout these beatitudes in this chapter as they're called. 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:52.640 What they have to be inwardly, they are to show that outwardly. 00:30:52.640 --> 00:30:57.640 And that's what you find here in verses 14 to 16 as well. 00:30:57.640 --> 00:30:59.640 You are the light of the world. 00:30:59.640 --> 00:31:02.640 A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:10.640 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:12.640 Now this is really a follow-up. 00:31:12.640 --> 00:31:16.640 If you cast your mind back, you may remember, you may not, but hopefully you do. 00:31:16.640 --> 00:31:28.640 When we looked at John chapter 3 verses 19 to 21 a few weeks ago, it was following on from Jesus as the light of the world, taught to our young folks. 00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:40.640 And as we saw there in chapter 3 of John, we noticed there that verses 19 to 21, Jesus himself had said, this is the judgment. 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:46.640 The light has come into the world and people love the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:54.640 And then he made the distinction between those who do wicked things, who hate the light, who don't come to the light, so that their deeds should not be exposed. 00:31:54.640 --> 00:32:04.640 But whoever does what is true or truth comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought out, carried out in God. 00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:10.640 So this is in a sense a follow-up to that, where we're now coming to see Jesus saying to the disciples, 00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:25.640 let your light shine before men in the same way as it happens with the lamp and with the city that's set on a hill, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 00:32:25.640 --> 00:32:41.640 And it's especially the burden of verse 16 that we think about discipleship, not in so much what it means to ourselves, yes it does, it's not even how much it means to others as we show them the way to God. 00:32:41.640 --> 00:32:49.640 But our primary responsibility and privilege is to bring glory to our Father who is in heaven. 00:32:49.640 --> 00:32:56.640 To bring him the praise, to bring him the glory, to let his name be exalted. 00:32:56.640 --> 00:33:02.640 That's really the essence of discipleship, that's the burden of discipleship. 00:33:02.640 --> 00:33:12.440 This is the end you have in view, that God will be glorified, that our Father in heaven will have all the honor and the praise and the glory. 00:33:13.560 --> 00:33:20.980 Well let's see, first of all, the illustrations that are used, verses 13 onwards here, the illustrations that are used. 00:33:20.980 --> 00:33:25.059 You are the salt of the earth and you are the light of the world. 00:33:25.940 --> 00:33:29.720 A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 00:33:30.779 --> 00:33:32.059 Let's just take it from there. 00:33:32.640 --> 00:33:34.839 A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 00:33:34.940 --> 00:33:37.099 You are the light of the world. 00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:44.960 Well you know yourselves when you come to a place where a village or a town or a city is set prominently on a hilltop, 00:33:45.140 --> 00:33:47.839 you can see it from pretty much all directions. 00:33:47.839 --> 00:33:53.579 And there are places in the world that are famous for the fact that they're set so high up on a hill 00:33:53.579 --> 00:33:56.099 that people can see them from a great distance. 00:33:56.399 --> 00:34:01.399 And of course in the old days that would have been part of the way that they tried to make things secure, 00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:07.579 that the city would be set as prominently as possible to make it more difficult for any enemies to come and attack them. 00:34:07.919 --> 00:34:10.819 And of course they'd have a wall round in those days as well. 00:34:11.340 --> 00:34:15.179 The point made is the visibility of that city. 00:34:15.679 --> 00:34:17.099 That's the point that's made there. 00:34:17.099 --> 00:34:20.219 You are the light of the world. 00:34:20.339 --> 00:34:23.659 A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 00:34:24.199 --> 00:34:27.319 It's impossible to miss a city that is set on a hill. 00:34:27.400 --> 00:34:30.559 Its visibility is one of its striking features. 00:34:32.539 --> 00:34:35.579 And then he moves to this lamp on a lampstand. 00:34:35.579 --> 00:34:46.380 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all that are in the house. 00:34:47.139 --> 00:34:50.099 Well, there's the visibility aspect of that as well, of course. 00:34:50.539 --> 00:34:52.480 But you'll notice there's something additional here. 00:34:52.480 --> 00:34:55.300 It's not just saying like the city set on a hill. 00:34:55.400 --> 00:34:58.340 Its visibility is its obvious characteristic. 00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:10.480 There's the visibility too of the lamp, but there's also the responsibility of the person who's lit the lamp to put it on a lampstand rather than put it and hide it under a basket or under a covering. 00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:15.559 So there's both visibility but also responsibility. 00:35:16.599 --> 00:35:23.659 You have to actually, when you're lighting a lamp, your concern obviously is to let that lamp do the work it's designed for. 00:35:24.099 --> 00:35:30.340 To actually let that light shine, as it says here, to give light to all who are actually in the house. 00:35:30.340 --> 00:35:31.800 That's what the lamp was made for. 00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:33.480 That's the purpose of light. 00:35:33.760 --> 00:35:36.079 That's the purpose of light to scatter darkness. 00:35:36.460 --> 00:35:40.019 Darkness doesn't have any properties of its own, remarkably. 00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:46.840 When you think about what darkness is and you want to try and define darkness, well, it's very hard to define it, isn't it? 00:35:46.840 --> 00:35:49.320 Because it doesn't have properties of its own. 00:35:49.940 --> 00:35:57.660 The best way you can define darkness is to say, well, if you take light, then darkness is the opposite of light. 00:35:57.660 --> 00:35:59.640 It's the absence of light. 00:36:00.340 --> 00:36:08.740 Which really just goes to show that the purpose of light, the whole point to light, is that it will actually scatter the darkness. 00:36:09.320 --> 00:36:11.880 That the darkness will disappear once the light goes on. 00:36:12.100 --> 00:36:13.360 That's the purpose of the light. 00:36:13.360 --> 00:36:23.420 And here he's saying, people don't light a lamp in order to put it under a basket, but on a stand so that it may give light to all who are in the house. 00:36:23.860 --> 00:36:27.400 And that's what Jesus is really saying for his disciples. 00:36:27.400 --> 00:36:29.139 That's their responsibility. 00:36:29.460 --> 00:36:30.360 That's their privilege. 00:36:30.780 --> 00:36:32.180 He has made them lights. 00:36:32.280 --> 00:36:33.740 You are the light of the world. 00:36:33.860 --> 00:36:35.260 You notice what he's saying there. 00:36:35.300 --> 00:36:36.820 You are the light of the world. 00:36:37.519 --> 00:36:41.940 Of course, Jesus is the light of the world too, as we saw in John chapter 10. 00:36:41.940 --> 00:36:53.679 But following on from that, because his people are so joined to him, because he has made them to be lights in his image, he can say of them here, you are the light of the world. 00:36:53.880 --> 00:37:00.780 How is the world out there in all its moral and spiritual darkness, how is it going to see the way to God? 00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:04.340 How is it going to see anything except its own darkness? 00:37:04.340 --> 00:37:08.780 How is it going to see anything opposite to itself, different to itself? 00:37:09.059 --> 00:37:14.940 Jesus is saying, it's going to see it in you, because you are the light of the world. 00:37:15.600 --> 00:37:21.200 You are like the lamp that's been lit, especially to scatter the darkness, to deal with the darkness. 00:37:21.199 --> 00:37:31.079 But it's your privilege, he says, and your responsibility to put it on a stand, to put it on display, to make it seen, to make it visible. 00:37:33.460 --> 00:37:35.839 That's how it is with our salvation. 00:37:36.339 --> 00:37:43.059 We don't receive salvation from God just to hide it in our hearts, just to keep it to ourselves. 00:37:43.059 --> 00:37:53.279 There's a visibility about the Christian life that is inseparable from the fact that God has made them into his own lights in the world. 00:37:54.239 --> 00:37:59.259 And that visibility is something that you come to see at different times. 00:37:59.400 --> 00:38:04.059 But we mustn't just think of it at certain times, such as at the Lord's Supper, 00:38:04.059 --> 00:38:11.719 though it is there when God's professing people come to gather at the table, as we anticipate will happen next Lord's Day. 00:38:11.719 --> 00:38:18.819 And they come apart and show themselves to be as professing people as they come to take the communion, 00:38:19.019 --> 00:38:24.019 taking the bread and the wine that represent the Lord's death, the Lord and his death. 00:38:24.500 --> 00:38:28.879 Of course, that is itself one of the obvious ways in which their light is shown, 00:38:28.919 --> 00:38:36.559 in which they are able to say, God has made me what I am, and I'm pleased to do this in remembrance of him. 00:38:36.639 --> 00:38:37.779 I'm doing it for him. 00:38:37.780 --> 00:38:44.500 I'm just in passing, maybe you're one of those here today, and I know there are some, 00:38:45.500 --> 00:38:48.640 who are light, but it's still under the basket. 00:38:50.260 --> 00:38:54.720 You haven't yet made it shown in the way that you would like it to be shown, 00:38:55.400 --> 00:38:58.040 in the way that it's intended to be shown. 00:38:59.100 --> 00:39:00.260 You know Jesus. 00:39:00.580 --> 00:39:01.300 You know the Lord. 00:39:02.160 --> 00:39:03.380 You love the Lord. 00:39:03.380 --> 00:39:05.000 You love his word. 00:39:05.740 --> 00:39:08.099 You love being in his worship with his people. 00:39:09.220 --> 00:39:12.660 So this is your opportunity this time round. 00:39:13.660 --> 00:39:19.960 To come and take the light from under the basket, as it were, and show it. 00:39:20.900 --> 00:39:21.539 Make it known. 00:39:21.539 --> 00:39:28.659 Make it known that you are one of those described as the light of the world. 00:39:29.039 --> 00:39:35.900 You might be one of those people, like myself, who says, well, my light is really pretty pale compared to what I see in others. 00:39:36.599 --> 00:39:41.000 I'm not of the same caliber of Christian as I see in other people's lives. 00:39:41.219 --> 00:39:42.699 That really isn't the point. 00:39:42.699 --> 00:39:50.519 The point is, make the light that you've got, whatever you think of it, make it visible for the Lord's sake. 00:39:50.619 --> 00:39:51.439 Remember what we said. 00:39:51.759 --> 00:39:54.399 It's to give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 00:39:55.059 --> 00:39:57.199 That's our great privilege, to bring him glory. 00:39:57.599 --> 00:40:00.939 That's what we were created for in the first place. 00:40:01.519 --> 00:40:10.219 Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever along with that. 00:40:10.219 --> 00:40:15.939 So here is the lamp that's set on the stand, and it's a great encouragement. 00:40:16.139 --> 00:40:20.439 You remember Luke chapter 8, you find from verse 47. 00:40:21.899 --> 00:40:26.139 Verses that fit in with what we're looking at here just now. 00:40:26.799 --> 00:40:35.359 Chapter 8 and verses 47 in Luke, where you find the following said. 00:40:35.360 --> 00:40:43.240 This is the woman that came and touched the fringe of Jesus' garment. 00:40:44.140 --> 00:40:47.480 And immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 00:40:48.000 --> 00:40:50.680 Jesus said, who was it that touched me? 00:40:51.240 --> 00:40:52.079 And all denied it. 00:40:52.140 --> 00:40:55.480 Peter said, master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you. 00:40:55.740 --> 00:41:00.140 But Jesus said, someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me. 00:41:00.139 --> 00:41:06.679 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling and falling down before him, 00:41:07.279 --> 00:41:14.059 declared or confessed in the presence of all the people why she had touched him and how she had immediately been healed. 00:41:14.619 --> 00:41:18.359 And he said to her, daughter, your faith has made you well. 00:41:18.920 --> 00:41:19.659 Go in peace. 00:41:21.019 --> 00:41:22.960 He's only after she came publicly. 00:41:22.960 --> 00:41:28.079 And Jesus himself brought it about the way he dealt with it there in his own unique way. 00:41:28.820 --> 00:41:32.500 She knew that she couldn't be hidden anymore, that he was going to bring her out anyway. 00:41:33.260 --> 00:41:37.639 That she had something done to her, which she knew in herself had changed her life. 00:41:38.079 --> 00:41:40.760 And which he knew, Jesus, who had done this for her. 00:41:41.280 --> 00:41:43.039 So she came trembling. 00:41:43.159 --> 00:41:44.179 And you might be trembling. 00:41:44.280 --> 00:41:48.800 You might be trembling at the prospect of making it known that you're a Christian in this dark world. 00:41:48.880 --> 00:41:50.900 But this dark world needs your light. 00:41:50.900 --> 00:41:55.740 This dark world needs people to see that God is precious to you. 00:41:57.139 --> 00:41:59.039 And so even if you come trembling, come. 00:42:00.280 --> 00:42:02.420 Even if it's in fear, come nevertheless. 00:42:02.780 --> 00:42:04.019 He's going to look after you. 00:42:04.860 --> 00:42:10.380 He's not left you to yourself to look after your own light, to look after your own future. 00:42:10.500 --> 00:42:10.960 It's him. 00:42:11.280 --> 00:42:12.180 It's all about him. 00:42:12.179 --> 00:42:23.099 So in this moral, spiritual darkness that we have in our own circumstances, in our communities, in our nation today. 00:42:23.960 --> 00:42:30.539 Friends, we all of us together and each of us individually needs to let that light shine. 00:42:31.159 --> 00:42:36.099 Let your light, in the same way, let your light shine before others. 00:42:36.099 --> 00:42:45.179 So the illustrations that are used, where you find the city set on a hill, the lamp that's lit and put on a lampstand, these are the illustrations he used. 00:42:45.519 --> 00:42:48.500 But then he came to the application of it in verse 16. 00:42:48.619 --> 00:42:50.739 This is the illumination that's called for. 00:42:51.599 --> 00:42:54.480 In the same way, let your light shine before others. 00:42:54.480 --> 00:43:02.679 Now, the fact that he says in the same way there means in the same way as he's spoken of the lamp and also of the city set on a hill, 00:43:03.000 --> 00:43:07.280 in terms of its visibility and the responsibility to make it shine, 00:43:07.679 --> 00:43:13.420 in the same way, let your light so shine before others. 00:43:14.579 --> 00:43:15.519 It's our action. 00:43:16.159 --> 00:43:17.240 It's our responsibility. 00:43:18.139 --> 00:43:19.500 That's what's being called for. 00:43:19.679 --> 00:43:21.980 The setting is the setting of darkness. 00:43:21.980 --> 00:43:25.800 It's the property of the light to scatter that darkness. 00:43:26.659 --> 00:43:33.119 You know, we complain very understandably about the darkness of our age, the darkness of our day, 00:43:33.219 --> 00:43:36.539 the darkness morally and spiritually that's all around us. 00:43:36.579 --> 00:43:38.179 And it's right that we do that. 00:43:38.260 --> 00:43:40.420 We have to let that hit our hearts. 00:43:40.780 --> 00:43:44.840 We have to really bring that to our own minds and then bring it before the Lord. 00:43:44.920 --> 00:43:46.380 It's not wrong to say that. 00:43:46.380 --> 00:43:53.780 But we mustn't just stop at complaining that it's so dark that there's hardly any light out there in the world these days. 00:43:54.220 --> 00:43:58.720 We have to deal with that in the way Jesus here talks to his disciples. 00:43:59.460 --> 00:44:02.099 Let your light so shine. 00:44:02.160 --> 00:44:07.119 How do we expect that darkness to be other than darkness if we keep the light to ourselves? 00:44:07.119 --> 00:44:13.679 Let your light so shine before others. 00:44:14.579 --> 00:44:17.960 We must be lights in this dark world. 00:44:18.559 --> 00:44:24.759 And in order to be lights in this dark world, we need to look after the light that God has given us. 00:44:25.719 --> 00:44:31.079 We need to care for that light that God has given us or that God has made us out to be. 00:44:31.519 --> 00:44:32.579 He has made us lights. 00:44:32.579 --> 00:44:37.719 We need to look after our lives that he has made lights, that he has made lamps for himself. 00:44:37.819 --> 00:44:40.299 How do we look after our life spiritually? 00:44:40.440 --> 00:44:41.639 How do we look after that light? 00:44:41.759 --> 00:44:48.299 Well, in the old days, when people used lamps, especially those days of Christ himself, 00:44:48.420 --> 00:44:54.119 but I'm sure we've all seen lamps that were from times gone by in our grandparents' age or whenever, 00:44:54.119 --> 00:45:01.359 and when there were oil-fed lamps, we had the lamp, the bowl, and the glass on top, the wick coming up through. 00:45:01.500 --> 00:45:07.059 You lit the wick, and the oil fed the little flame, and it gave out its light. 00:45:07.539 --> 00:45:09.440 But you needed to look after that lamp. 00:45:10.159 --> 00:45:13.119 For one thing, you needed to trim the wick every so often. 00:45:13.659 --> 00:45:15.900 You needed to take away the black stuff that was sooty. 00:45:16.559 --> 00:45:20.539 And if you left it unattended, all you would get was increasingly black smoke, 00:45:20.599 --> 00:45:22.639 and the light would be lessened by that. 00:45:22.639 --> 00:45:28.699 You needed to keep the glass of the lamp clean, because it also became smoky and black. 00:45:28.779 --> 00:45:33.299 And if you didn't do that, then it didn't give out its light as it was intended to. 00:45:33.699 --> 00:45:35.159 Think of it on a larger scale. 00:45:35.619 --> 00:45:36.679 Think of the lighthouses. 00:45:37.239 --> 00:45:42.039 In the days when lighthouses were different to now, they had to be manually looked after. 00:45:42.799 --> 00:45:48.619 And the person looking after the lighthouse, whatever it was, had to make sure that that light was kept shining. 00:45:49.359 --> 00:45:50.960 People's lives depended on it. 00:45:50.960 --> 00:45:57.079 And if that light was not kept in good condition, then there could be a shipwreck as a result of it, 00:45:57.099 --> 00:45:58.260 and people might lose their lives. 00:45:58.539 --> 00:46:00.940 So they had to keep the light in good condition. 00:46:01.320 --> 00:46:04.000 They had to keep the glass around the light in good condition, 00:46:04.000 --> 00:46:11.240 so that that light had as much efficiency as possible to shine out into the darkness. 00:46:11.239 --> 00:46:15.399 Well, we have to look after the light that we are, the light that God has made us to be. 00:46:15.979 --> 00:46:17.059 How do you look after it? 00:46:17.619 --> 00:46:26.719 Well, you bring your soul before God daily for its washing, for its cleansing, for its refurbishment. 00:46:27.779 --> 00:46:29.879 We come to confess our sins daily. 00:46:29.880 --> 00:46:35.760 That's what we do as we read in the Lord's Supper, as we teach our children and ourselves. 00:46:36.800 --> 00:46:40.200 Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. 00:46:40.519 --> 00:46:46.059 Forgive our trespasses, as it is in another gospel, as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. 00:46:46.320 --> 00:46:49.039 In other words, we're asking the Lord, Lord, clean me. 00:46:49.539 --> 00:46:52.220 David in Psalm 51, he knew his sin. 00:46:52.280 --> 00:46:53.140 He knew what he had done. 00:46:53.460 --> 00:46:54.559 He knew it wasn't right. 00:46:54.640 --> 00:46:55.420 He knew it was bad. 00:46:55.420 --> 00:46:58.460 He knew it was evil against you, you only, Lord. 00:46:58.800 --> 00:46:59.840 I have done this. 00:47:00.180 --> 00:47:01.460 I have done this wickedness. 00:47:01.680 --> 00:47:02.700 I have done this evil. 00:47:02.920 --> 00:47:04.860 And I need my life restored. 00:47:04.980 --> 00:47:06.000 I need cleansed. 00:47:06.500 --> 00:47:07.599 Cleanse me, Lord. 00:47:07.920 --> 00:47:08.579 Clean me. 00:47:09.340 --> 00:47:11.139 Create in me a clean heart. 00:47:11.460 --> 00:47:14.740 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. 00:47:16.680 --> 00:47:17.420 Not so. 00:47:17.519 --> 00:47:24.559 You come every day to ask the Lord to keep you clean, to make your light shine. 00:47:25.420 --> 00:47:30.420 To let your light shine forth through a cleansed heart and a cleansed mind. 00:47:31.400 --> 00:47:38.340 Whenever we find ourselves with a smoke of our own sins, as it were, a smoke of our own tendencies, 00:47:38.900 --> 00:47:43.180 beginning once again to cloud the glass of our lives, bring it to the Lord. 00:47:43.460 --> 00:47:44.139 Ask the Lord. 00:47:44.460 --> 00:47:44.860 Clean me. 00:47:44.980 --> 00:47:46.860 Lord, I want to be shining for you. 00:47:47.159 --> 00:47:48.460 I want it for your sake. 00:47:48.760 --> 00:47:49.639 It's not for my sake. 00:47:49.720 --> 00:47:51.200 It's not to make a name for myself. 00:47:51.500 --> 00:47:55.000 It's not so that I can be proud of my achievements or anything like that. 00:47:55.000 --> 00:47:58.820 It's so that I will give glory to you as my Father in heaven. 00:47:58.820 --> 00:48:09.160 And of course, not only do you keep the lamp clean like that, but you also make sure that the, going back to the days of the oil, 00:48:09.780 --> 00:48:17.480 that the oil that you use doesn't run out, that you actually replenish it, that you make sure it's good quality oil. 00:48:17.480 --> 00:48:20.659 Otherwise, the week will be smoky. 00:48:21.440 --> 00:48:25.099 And it won't give out the kind of light that you desire in your lamp. 00:48:25.519 --> 00:48:27.480 And it's the same in your soul as well. 00:48:28.019 --> 00:48:34.940 Not only do you need to come to God, and I need to come to God every day for washing, for cleaning, for forgiveness. 00:48:34.940 --> 00:48:40.780 We also need to ask the Lord, Lord, feed my soul. 00:48:41.260 --> 00:48:44.420 We're here today so that our souls can be fed. 00:48:44.780 --> 00:48:46.420 That's why we value the gospel. 00:48:46.840 --> 00:48:48.240 That's why we value his word. 00:48:48.599 --> 00:48:57.260 We come to this as the most wonderful, perfect, 100% pure oil that we can get for the light of our souls. 00:48:58.179 --> 00:48:59.820 Here it is in the word of God. 00:49:00.300 --> 00:49:02.220 The word that's out there despised. 00:49:02.219 --> 00:49:05.480 You don't find this word valued out in the darkness. 00:49:05.919 --> 00:49:12.039 You've got to shine so that this word through you can actually touch the lives of people who don't know the Lord. 00:49:12.899 --> 00:49:15.759 And in order to do that, your own soul has to be fed. 00:49:16.299 --> 00:49:18.359 Your own soul has to be properly fed. 00:49:19.619 --> 00:49:23.939 And, you know, one of the dangers when we're serving the Lord, whatever way we're serving him, 00:49:24.019 --> 00:49:31.500 whether it's as ministers or deacons or elders or prominently helping out in various clubs or whatever kind, 00:49:31.500 --> 00:49:38.360 you know, we can be so busy even doing good things that we neglect our own souls. 00:49:40.460 --> 00:49:48.920 You wouldn't benefit much from my preaching or from the preaching of Calmerdor or anybody else who comes to preach to you. 00:49:49.420 --> 00:49:55.360 You wouldn't benefit much if all we were doing every day of our lives was just preparing stuff for preaching. 00:49:55.360 --> 00:49:57.059 That's good. 00:49:57.160 --> 00:49:57.760 Yes, that's great. 00:49:57.820 --> 00:49:58.440 That's necessary. 00:49:58.700 --> 00:50:00.500 But I need to feed my own soul. 00:50:00.500 --> 00:50:10.140 I need to go to the word of God for my own edification as much as I need to go to the word of God to know what I'm going to preach on the next occasion I preach. 00:50:10.139 --> 00:50:19.920 And if I don't keep my own soul in good condition, and please don't think I'm keeping it 100% as it should be, none of us can say that. 00:50:21.099 --> 00:50:25.480 But we need to actually feed our souls with the best of oils. 00:50:25.480 --> 00:50:40.360 You know, one of the reasons why the devil is so active in our world, why the darkness in our world is the way it is, 00:50:40.719 --> 00:50:47.360 why there's so much of an effort to remove this Bible from private and public life, certainly from public life, from our schools, 00:50:47.360 --> 00:50:57.900 from other ways in which it's held publicly and still used publicly, is because the devil realizes this oil, this oil of God's word, 00:50:58.180 --> 00:51:01.500 is designed specially to feed the souls of God's people. 00:51:01.900 --> 00:51:05.079 And if they're denied it, then their life suffers as a result. 00:51:05.940 --> 00:51:08.800 Keep your soul in the best condition. 00:51:10.079 --> 00:51:13.180 Go to God daily for your washing and cleansing. 00:51:13.179 --> 00:51:17.859 Feed your soul daily on this wonderful oil of God's word. 00:51:18.899 --> 00:51:22.500 Because that's so necessary to let your light shine. 00:51:23.219 --> 00:51:26.339 But he says, let your light shine before others. 00:51:26.940 --> 00:51:33.119 You see, this has to be taken like the lamp out from under the bushel, under the basket, under its covering. 00:51:33.659 --> 00:51:39.419 And in order to give light to the room, to the house, it has to be taken out deliberately and is put on the lampstand. 00:51:39.819 --> 00:51:42.960 So its light then goes out and scatters the darkness. 00:51:42.960 --> 00:51:48.980 He's saying, in the same way, let your light shine before others. 00:51:49.179 --> 00:51:54.659 Take your light, Jesus is saying, into the darkness and into the dark corners of society. 00:51:55.420 --> 00:51:57.099 And let it do its work there. 00:51:58.159 --> 00:52:02.940 Let Jesus use you as light for his name and for the Father's name. 00:52:03.380 --> 00:52:07.320 Remember how, let me just read from Ephesians, just now chapter 5. 00:52:07.320 --> 00:52:10.320 Ephesians chapter 5. 00:52:11.019 --> 00:52:13.780 And you'll find in verses from 8, verse 8 onwards. 00:52:15.000 --> 00:52:16.300 Let me just read these few verses. 00:52:17.340 --> 00:52:18.640 Ephesians 5 at verse 8. 00:52:20.600 --> 00:52:24.039 He's here talking, of course, about how Christians are to be together. 00:52:24.660 --> 00:52:27.820 And the kind of life they must live together as well as individually. 00:52:27.820 --> 00:52:29.120 But he says, 00:52:29.559 --> 00:52:34.420 You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. 00:52:35.120 --> 00:52:41.519 Walk as children of light, for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true. 00:52:42.080 --> 00:52:44.800 And try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 00:52:45.160 --> 00:52:45.620 And he says, 00:52:45.619 --> 00:52:49.239 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness. 00:52:49.859 --> 00:52:52.259 Instead, expose them. 00:52:52.819 --> 00:52:53.900 How do you expose them? 00:52:54.139 --> 00:52:58.000 By being light for the Lord in society. 00:52:58.480 --> 00:53:02.699 For he says it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 00:53:03.400 --> 00:53:08.519 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible. 00:53:09.099 --> 00:53:13.480 For anything that becomes visible is light. 00:53:13.880 --> 00:53:15.119 See what he's saying there? 00:53:15.119 --> 00:53:17.960 He's saying expose the works of darkness. 00:53:17.960 --> 00:53:25.199 And you do it not just simply by criticizing or critiquing what's going on in the world. 00:53:25.359 --> 00:53:28.699 You do it especially by being light. 00:53:29.299 --> 00:53:30.859 By living a holy life. 00:53:31.079 --> 00:53:33.319 By living a life that's faithful to Jesus. 00:53:33.619 --> 00:53:36.779 By putting your light out there so that it will shine. 00:53:37.719 --> 00:53:41.500 And so that it will bring glory to your Father who is in heaven. 00:53:41.500 --> 00:53:44.960 You know, the more Christian influence in society. 00:53:44.960 --> 00:53:46.320 You hardly need to say this. 00:53:46.679 --> 00:53:49.460 The more Christian influence in society declines. 00:53:50.239 --> 00:53:54.340 The more gross that society becomes. 00:53:54.780 --> 00:53:56.380 I hardly need to say that. 00:53:56.460 --> 00:54:00.880 Because you know that that's what's happening in society at the present time. 00:54:00.880 --> 00:54:07.280 There is just such an awful grossness out there in the darkness. 00:54:07.720 --> 00:54:09.059 It's not just that there is darkness. 00:54:09.579 --> 00:54:14.380 But there is arrogant and gross and coarse darkness and shameless darkness. 00:54:15.039 --> 00:54:21.380 You know, people accuse us when we say, well, in the old days, people were afraid to actually let those things be known. 00:54:21.380 --> 00:54:26.680 And the response from the world today is, well, that's just hypocrisy. 00:54:26.760 --> 00:54:27.400 That's ridiculous. 00:54:28.519 --> 00:54:31.579 It's good nowadays that people are free to do as they please. 00:54:31.880 --> 00:54:34.220 Instead of trying to keep it covered up, that's hypocrisy. 00:54:35.079 --> 00:54:36.059 But you see what's happening. 00:54:37.140 --> 00:54:38.440 There's no shame. 00:54:39.200 --> 00:54:44.780 Or there's little shame compared to what there was or used to be over the works of darkness. 00:54:44.780 --> 00:54:45.060 Yes. 00:54:46.420 --> 00:54:54.000 People are just so open and so bold and so arrogant in living godless lifestyles. 00:54:54.500 --> 00:54:57.480 Lifestyles, the Bible tells us, are depraved. 00:54:58.860 --> 00:55:01.000 What is shame to yourself? 00:55:01.420 --> 00:55:02.800 What is shame to me? 00:55:03.640 --> 00:55:04.820 It's a valuable thing. 00:55:05.019 --> 00:55:06.180 Why is it a valuable thing? 00:55:06.420 --> 00:55:12.700 Because when I feel shame and when I'm ashamed over my sins, I know my conscience is working. 00:55:12.699 --> 00:55:20.559 And when my conscience is working, I know that God is laying something on my heart that's important to him and important to me. 00:55:21.179 --> 00:55:29.759 And if my conscience really begins to slacken or cease to work, if it becomes deadened through my familiarity with sin, I'm in deep trouble. 00:55:30.579 --> 00:55:40.059 If I don't recognize my sin for what it is, if I don't recognize the shamefulness of sinful behavior for what it is, where am I? 00:55:40.059 --> 00:55:45.380 I'm just being carried away on the tide of debauchery. 00:55:47.299 --> 00:55:48.659 That's where we're at today. 00:55:49.159 --> 00:55:51.259 We mentioned that in the last study from John's Gospel. 00:55:52.039 --> 00:55:58.679 This is the condemnation that light has come into the world and people loved, chose darkness rather than light. 00:55:58.779 --> 00:55:58.940 Why? 00:55:59.039 --> 00:56:00.360 Because their deeds were evil. 00:56:01.219 --> 00:56:02.659 And they don't come to the light. 00:56:02.799 --> 00:56:04.199 Why don't they come to the light? 00:56:04.199 --> 00:56:07.519 Because they're afraid that their deeds will be exposed. 00:56:07.639 --> 00:56:13.519 They know that if they come to the light, the light of God's truth, their conscience is going to be stung. 00:56:13.939 --> 00:56:16.579 And they don't like their conscience stung, so they stay away from the light. 00:56:18.179 --> 00:56:21.659 And they do the very things that they want to do in the darkness. 00:56:21.659 --> 00:56:37.579 Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 00:56:38.859 --> 00:56:41.019 Shine into that darkness, friend. 00:56:42.199 --> 00:56:43.960 Shine into it in every way you can. 00:56:43.960 --> 00:56:52.599 Not only by coming forward in the context of the congregation publicly to make it known that you too are a Christian. 00:56:53.019 --> 00:56:54.159 That you too love the Lord. 00:56:54.260 --> 00:56:56.000 That you too want to do this for Him. 00:56:56.800 --> 00:57:02.059 But even outwith that, every opportunity you get, and we actually mention some of them from time to time. 00:57:02.159 --> 00:57:06.300 We're given the opportunity of petitioning our members of Parliament and MSPs. 00:57:06.579 --> 00:57:11.380 We're given the freedom and the liberty to write letters to them, to contact them, to tell them, 00:57:11.740 --> 00:57:13.500 we don't agree with this darkness. 00:57:13.960 --> 00:57:16.240 We don't agree with this debauchery. 00:57:17.880 --> 00:57:23.539 We want to protest against a government-led movement into darkness. 00:57:25.099 --> 00:57:28.720 Write, phone, text, email. 00:57:29.260 --> 00:57:34.460 We have all the opportunities in the world to be as lights in the world. 00:57:34.940 --> 00:57:39.720 Whatever it's made of, whatever people think of it, whatever is the end result of the day, 00:57:40.019 --> 00:57:42.880 even if you think, well, it's not going to make much difference anyway. 00:57:42.880 --> 00:57:47.099 What's the point of me sending an email to my MSP or to my MP? 00:57:47.519 --> 00:57:49.940 It's just going to disappear amongst all the other waste people. 00:57:50.140 --> 00:57:50.680 It doesn't matter. 00:57:50.780 --> 00:57:51.860 You've purged your conscience. 00:57:52.300 --> 00:57:53.380 You've made your stand. 00:57:53.480 --> 00:57:54.119 You've made your point. 00:57:54.360 --> 00:57:56.640 And you never know if you quote the truth to them. 00:57:57.240 --> 00:58:00.360 Remember, this is the Word of God. 00:58:00.360 --> 00:58:04.140 God has given a promise. 00:58:04.140 --> 00:58:07.900 Those that honor Him, He will honor. 00:58:09.360 --> 00:58:17.079 We have to hold on to that, friends, because God has placed us in a privileged position in our democracy 00:58:17.079 --> 00:58:28.099 where we can be His lights in the world so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. 00:58:29.279 --> 00:58:36.059 Well, just as you find some lights that are really just for decoration, decorative lights, nothing wrong with that, 00:58:36.059 --> 00:58:41.139 but their purpose is not specifically to shine into the darkness, to scatter the darkness. 00:58:41.320 --> 00:58:45.380 It's pretty much rather than that just to put on a nice show, and that's all right. 00:58:45.440 --> 00:58:46.259 There's nothing wrong with that. 00:58:46.260 --> 00:58:51.940 But light in itself and its properties, as we said, is designed to scatter the darkness. 00:58:52.600 --> 00:58:57.420 In other words, what Jesus is saying here, among many other things, is that 00:58:57.420 --> 00:59:02.760 I have made you a light so that you would be useful to the world. 00:59:04.220 --> 00:59:09.740 So that you would be useful in bringing me before that world, in bringing me into the darkness. 00:59:10.960 --> 00:59:12.500 That's really what you're carrying. 00:59:12.500 --> 00:59:17.480 As God has made you a light, as He's made you someone who knows Himself. 00:59:18.460 --> 00:59:24.880 When you're carrying that light into the darkness, when you're putting it there deliberately in the darkness 00:59:24.880 --> 00:59:30.039 so that it'll shine for the Lord, well, the Lord is saying, I'm actually in that light. 00:59:31.039 --> 00:59:32.780 My truth is in that light. 00:59:33.960 --> 00:59:39.400 That's why I have given you to be light, so that not only do you shine, but I shine through you. 00:59:42.500 --> 00:59:51.400 In 1933 or thereabouts, a man called Percy Shaw was driving home at night in the fog. 00:59:52.420 --> 00:59:58.940 Now, he normally followed tram lines, which were also then on some roads, and he could see the tram lines 00:59:58.940 --> 01:00:00.579 in the lights of his car. 01:00:00.579 --> 01:00:08.319 Very often, he would use the tram lines on the road just to mark out his way home, and he could follow that in the lights of his car. 01:00:08.400 --> 01:00:15.119 But this particular night was very foggy, and he couldn't see the tram lines, and the reflection of the car headlights 01:00:15.119 --> 01:00:19.659 wasn't really reflecting on the tram tracks the way it used to be. 01:00:20.599 --> 01:00:23.679 And it was so bad that he was really struggling to make his way home. 01:00:23.679 --> 01:00:30.059 And then, just all of a sudden, around the corner, there was a cat sitting by the roadside. 01:00:31.179 --> 01:00:37.899 And of course, as soon as the car headlights hit the cat's eyes, they lit up, or they appeared to light up. 01:00:38.619 --> 01:00:39.739 And that gave him an idea. 01:00:41.279 --> 01:00:48.359 Could he invent something like the eyes of a cat that would help people in the darkness, 01:00:48.360 --> 01:00:52.240 and the lights of their car could follow them and be safe? 01:00:52.260 --> 01:00:52.920 And that's what he did. 01:00:53.539 --> 01:00:59.079 He set about inventing what we now know as cat's eyes. 01:01:00.579 --> 01:01:05.640 He invented this particular marking for the road. 01:01:06.200 --> 01:01:11.380 Two small circular balls, they were, first of all, facing each direction. 01:01:12.000 --> 01:01:15.640 And they were reflecting in the car's lights when they came to it. 01:01:15.640 --> 01:01:16.780 And you know that yourselves now. 01:01:16.780 --> 01:01:18.760 You find them even in different colors. 01:01:19.440 --> 01:01:25.320 But the problem was there was no guide until this happened if you were in the darkness. 01:01:26.440 --> 01:01:30.440 But with the cat's eyes, as soon as the car lights hit the cat's eyes, 01:01:30.780 --> 01:01:36.100 you could make your way safely by following the cat's eyes all the way through along the road where they were situated. 01:01:37.340 --> 01:01:44.460 Now, that's really, I think, an illustration for us as to why God has given us the light that's in us 01:01:44.460 --> 01:01:52.500 when he's given us when he's given us to know himself, when he's given us, when he's brought us into that saving relationship with himself and made us as disciples. 01:01:53.000 --> 01:01:54.940 You are the cat's eyes for the world. 01:01:54.940 --> 01:02:05.900 You're the cat's eyes by which you can show the world the safe way to proceed in life. 01:02:07.039 --> 01:02:13.820 The safe way morally and spiritually that will not only enhance and be good for themselves, 01:02:14.019 --> 01:02:18.840 but will come to bring others to glorify the name of God. 01:02:18.840 --> 01:02:26.079 We're not in the business of bringing glory or praise to ourselves, friends. 01:02:27.260 --> 01:02:29.500 There's enough of that in the darkness. 01:02:29.500 --> 01:02:42.920 But we have to bring glory to our Father who is in heaven to guide ourselves and to guide people to the light that is Jesus himself 01:02:42.920 --> 01:02:49.820 and to be lights for him like the cat's eyes that mark up a safe way for people to proceed 01:02:49.820 --> 01:02:57.760 so that they can see their way to God and fulfill the chief end for which we were created. 01:02:57.760 --> 01:03:05.620 I still think it's one of the great statements in all literature, that first catechism of the shorter catechism. 01:03:06.300 --> 01:03:08.440 What is man's chief end? 01:03:09.360 --> 01:03:12.660 To put it in other words, why were we created? 01:03:14.060 --> 01:03:21.740 Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. 01:03:22.500 --> 01:03:24.700 Both very much connected together. 01:03:24.699 --> 01:03:27.619 It's not just man's chief end is to glorify God. 01:03:28.299 --> 01:03:34.539 We can think of all that that would mean is that we bring glory to God, but there's nothing at all in it for ourselves. 01:03:35.239 --> 01:03:41.719 Or on the other hand, man's chief end is to enjoy God forever without bringing him the glory. 01:03:41.839 --> 01:03:42.839 You see how it's balanced. 01:03:43.939 --> 01:03:48.559 Man's chief end is to bring glory to God and to enjoy him forever. 01:03:48.559 --> 01:03:57.099 Friends, being the light of Jesus in the world, knowing Jesus, is a matter of great joy, the profoundest joy. 01:03:59.440 --> 01:04:02.239 And there is no joy like the joy of the Christian. 01:04:03.519 --> 01:04:06.480 The joy that's enjoyed even in the darkness. 01:04:07.759 --> 01:04:10.699 The joy that the darkness cannot extinguish. 01:04:10.699 --> 01:04:24.460 In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 01:04:25.259 --> 01:04:26.599 May God bless these thoughts. 01:04:26.699 --> 01:04:27.119 Let's pray. 01:04:27.119 --> 01:04:34.559 Lord, our God, our Father in heaven, make us, we pray, to shine for you more than we are. 01:04:35.699 --> 01:04:38.299 Forgive us when we fail to shine as we should. 01:04:39.480 --> 01:04:42.539 Forgive us for the opportunities to shine that we let slip by. 01:04:43.719 --> 01:04:49.000 Lord, forgive us when we fail to keep our own lives as clean as they should be. 01:04:49.000 --> 01:04:59.679 Forgive us when we fail to take in as much as we should of the oil of your word to maintain our lives in good condition. 01:05:00.619 --> 01:05:04.219 Lord, use us, we pray, to bring glory to your name. 01:05:05.059 --> 01:05:10.960 And give us that burden in our hearts increasingly to bring glory to our Father who is in heaven. 01:05:11.760 --> 01:05:16.900 And in every way that we can, O Lord, and in whatever way we do fall short as we know today, 01:05:16.900 --> 01:05:21.539 we pray that you would grant us grace, that things may be improved, 01:05:22.260 --> 01:05:29.660 and that we may move onwards in our discipleship to bring you further praise and honor and glory for Jesus' sake. 01:05:30.079 --> 01:05:30.360 Amen. 01:05:34.160 --> 01:05:37.519 Let's now conclude our service singing in Psalm 96 again. 01:05:38.160 --> 01:05:40.680 We'll sing the final three verses of Psalm 96. 01:05:41.800 --> 01:05:44.039 It's page 127. 01:05:44.039 --> 01:05:47.039 The tune this time is Stroudwater. 01:05:48.320 --> 01:05:49.219 From verse 10. 01:05:49.360 --> 01:05:51.400 Tell every land the Lord is king. 01:05:52.219 --> 01:05:54.559 Established is the earth and cannot move. 01:05:55.119 --> 01:05:57.719 The Lord will judge the peoples in his truth. 01:05:58.559 --> 01:06:00.039 These verses 10 to 13. 01:06:06.759 --> 01:06:08.980 We've made attempts to find out what's causing that. 01:06:09.139 --> 01:06:09.880 We still don't know. 01:06:09.880 --> 01:06:12.420 So, but just bear with it. 01:06:12.500 --> 01:06:16.079 We hopefully will get to the source of, well, I say we because I can't really. 01:06:16.160 --> 01:06:17.519 I have no expertise in any of that. 01:06:17.960 --> 01:06:20.760 But those that do, hopefully can get to the bottom of it. 01:06:21.599 --> 01:06:26.360 It's just something obviously wrong in the electronics somewhere that's causing that distortion. 01:06:26.720 --> 01:06:29.039 So, anyway, verses 10 to 13. 01:06:29.200 --> 01:06:30.960 Tell every land the Lord is king. 01:06:31.460 --> 01:06:33.400 Established is the earth and cannot move. 01:06:33.480 --> 01:06:36.480 The Lord will judge the peoples in his truth. 01:06:36.480 --> 01:06:37.860 These verses to God's praise. 01:06:37.860 --> 01:06:49.800 Tell every land the Lord is king. 01:06:49.800 --> 01:06:59.800 He establishes the earth and cannot move. 01:06:59.800 --> 01:07:11.800 The Lord will judge the peoples in his truth. 01:07:11.800 --> 01:07:21.800 Let them rejoice that death begot. 01:07:21.800 --> 01:07:28.800 With joy let oceans spring. 01:07:28.800 --> 01:07:38.800 The fields and all in their will shine. 01:07:38.800 --> 01:07:45.800 The forest trees will sing. 01:07:45.800 --> 01:07:55.800 They all will sing before the Lord. 01:07:55.800 --> 01:07:56.800 The Lord will sing. 01:07:56.800 --> 01:07:57.800 The Lord will sing. 01:07:57.800 --> 01:07:58.800 The Lord will sing. 01:07:58.800 --> 01:08:02.800 He'll judge the earth. 01:08:02.800 --> 01:08:06.800 He'll judge the earth. 01:08:06.800 --> 01:08:07.800 He'll judge the world. 01:08:07.800 --> 01:08:10.800 In righteousness. 01:08:10.800 --> 01:08:12.800 The Lord will sing. 01:08:12.800 --> 01:08:16.800 The Lord will sing. 01:08:16.800 --> 01:08:17.800 The Lord will sing. 01:08:17.800 --> 01:08:18.800 The Lord will sing. 01:08:18.800 --> 01:08:19.800 The Lord will sing. 01:08:19.800 --> 01:08:20.800 The Lord will sing. 01:08:20.800 --> 01:08:22.800 I'll go to the main door after the benediction. 01:08:22.800 --> 01:08:28.739 Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion 01:08:28.739 --> 01:08:30.739 of the Holy Spirit be with you now and evermore. 01:08:30.739 --> 01:08:31.739 Amen. 01:08:31.739 --> 01:08:32.739 Amen.