begin our worship and we're singing firstly tonight from Psalm 105.
Psalm 105 on page 138, June of Saint Daniel, and we're singing verses 1 to 11.
Give thanks to the Lord God and call on his name. His wonderful deeds to the nations proclaim.
Sing praises to him and his exploits at record. Let all those who seek him rejoice in the Lord.
You chosen ones look to the Lord and his might. Seek ever his face and his wondrous recite.
His miracles too and his judgments divine. You children of Abraham, Jacob's own line.
Reminding us how important it is to sing praise to God, to praise him for all his acts,
and especially for those that we experience ourselves from day to day. Give thanks to the Lord God.
Amen.
Let our God and call on his name. His wonderful deeds to the nations proclaim.
Sing praises to him and his ex-wife's regard. Let all those who seek him rejoice in the Lord.
Amen.
Mormon God and call on his side.
This pardon me.
Make us do, and each judgment's divine,
You children of Israel and Jacob's own life.
The Lord is our God, and He rules all the earth.
Remember in His covenant, the word He set forth.
He worked for the ages to come to make good,
His promise to Abraham, to rise and renew.
To take up this sovereign decree was made sure,
With His service coming would always endure.
To you I will give past your portion to stand,
The country of kingdom, the beautiful land.
Let's now call upon the Lord in prayer.
We're going to join together in prayer.
Our gracious and eternal God, we thank you that we too have come to receive your covenant blessings,
That covenant which has been enforced throughout all the ages of your church.
And we thank you that tonight we enter into further experience of your covenant promises,
And your covenant blessings.
Where we gather together as a people who worship the God who is mentioned in these words we have sung,
The God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of the living and not of the dead,
The God who continues to bless His people,
And the God whose promises we continue to enjoy and to anticipate those that have yet to be fulfilled.
Oh Lord, we thank you for your commitment and steadfastness to all that you have promised to do for your people.
We know that many of these have already been fulfilled,
And fulfilled abundantly and wonderfully in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For that great promise that He would come and be the Savior of His people,
That He would come into this world and give Himself a ransom for many.
How wonderfully, Lord, that has been accomplished already.
And we give thanks for the opportunity to remember His death that we engaged in last Lord's Day.
And we thank you, O Lord, for all that accompanies your promises in the teaching of your word.
We thank you that they are especially accompanied by your faithfulness and your power,
Your ability to bring these promises to pass,
And your faithfulness to ensure that they will do so.
We thank you, O Lord, tonight that we come as a congregation of promises.
For we are in some way or other the product of those who have come to reveal,
To be recipients of your promises in generations before us.
We thank you that we are the product of their prayers.
As we have come into the possession of the blessings of your covenant.
We pray tonight, Lord, for further blessing.
The blessing of your Holy Spirit taking the things of Christ and showing them to us.
And the blessing of instilling in our hearts an enlargement of that hope that belongs to your people.
That hope that looks towards the fulfillment of the Canaan of the Old Testament in the heaven that you hold before us.
As the final terminus of blessedness for your people.
We pray tonight, O Lord, that your blessing will encompass us and come to involve each one of us.
Lord, each one of us, as we gather before you, come to acknowledge our need.
And come to acknowledge that we stand before you as those who once again come to open our hearts to receive that supply of your own holy blessing that will meet us in our need.
And so bless us, we pray each one.
Bless us together as a congregation.
Bless us, Lord, in all our activities.
Those that we anticipate in this week to come.
We pray that your blessing will be with us in all our times of worship.
And in all our other activities as well.
And we thank you for all that we are able to engage in.
And to participate in as a people.
Your goodness, Lord, is opened up for us each day.
And provides for us each day.
And we give thanks, O Lord, that in your goodness you continue so to bless us.
Lord, we remember tonight those who have different needs to our own in different parts of the world.
And we think especially of those who are not able to be with us in our own community.
Those who are confined to hospitals, to care homes, to their own homes as well.
Through illness, through recovery, through various types of ailments that affect us from day to day, from time to time.
And we ask your blessing, O Lord, especially on those whose faculties have begun to fail.
Whether it be in terms of mental ability or physical.
O Lord, we pray for them.
We pray for those who care for them.
Those who are anxious over them.
Those who look to their needs.
And pray that you would bless them, O Lord, as all of them together share in these difficult issues of life.
We pray for those who mourn the passing of loved ones.
We pray that you would grant them your comfort, your consolation.
And we pray for your guidance for them, for your strengthening of them.
Help them, we pray, to face the issues of living without loved ones.
Especially, Lord, when we find that so often in life we have unexpected developments, even in the passing of loved ones.
And we pray that you would bless all those who are tonight in such situations.
We pray your blessing, too, for all that we, Lord, know of in our own midst, as difficulties in our community.
Those who wrestle with addictions of various kinds.
And those who seek to help them.
Those who have loneliness to contend with day by day.
Remember them, we pray.
And grant to them that they may know your own company and your own fellowship.
For that is above all what we prize in this life, O Lord, by way of companionship.
To have the Lord with us.
And to know that the Lord is indeed in our hearts and in our homes.
In all aspects of our life.
We pray your blessing on all who go out with the gospel to various parts of the world.
We pray that you would remember her own Muriel.
As she continues in Cambodia to serve you.
Be with her there and grant her continued safety and continued blessing on her work.
Remember the work of SGA, especially in these difficult times.
In Central Europe, Ukraine especially.
Grant them your continued blessing and provision for them.
Oh Lord, we thank you for the account recently given to us by them.
That they see further blessing despite the difficulties.
And even increased blessing in places despite the challenges they face.
Continue, Lord, we pray to provide for them.
And all who witness to the Jewish people.
All who witness to Muslim people in different parts of the world.
Oh gracious one, we're so conscious of tensions.
And of violence and conflict.
Even between such people.
And we pray for days of peace.
We pray that you would come and show us your power once again.
In the advancement of your kingdom.
And in the love of Christ being shown amongst so many people throughout the world.
Remember us then now we pray as we continue here before you.
Grant us your blessing as we seek your word, Lord, to be once again placed in our hearts.
By the power of your spirit.
And help us in all of these aspects of our worship.
To give glory and honor and praise to your glorious majestic name.
We pray in Jesus name.
Amen.
We'll sing once again to God's praise.
This time is Psalm 3.
Psalm number 3 in the Sing Psalms version.
That's on page 3.
We're singing verses 1 to 6.
The tune is Finart.
Oh Lord, how many are my foes.
How many up against me rise.
They all are saying now to me, in vain, he on his God relies.
But you are my protector, Lord.
You are a shield around me spread.
My glory comes from you alone.
The one who raises up my head.
When to the Lord I lift my voice in face of those who hate me still.
The Lord will hear my cry to him and answer from his holy hill.
I settle down and sleep in peace.
I wake in God's upholding hand.
I will not fear ten thousand foes whose circling round against me stand.
Difficult to sleep on a battlefield, isn't it?
Yet in the Christian battle, in the various conflicts of the Christian life,
we find the psalmist so often pointing us to the place of peace in the Lord,
where here he calls upon the Lord as his shield, his protector,
the one who gives him the raising up of his head in victory.
And we sing these verses knowing that the Lord has already given us that in Jesus Christ,
that we come to share in that when we come to place our life in his hands.
Oh Lord, how many are my foes. How many up against me rise.
May Allah say in the hour of me rise.
And may Allah say in the hour of me.
And may he on his love.
May Allah say in the hour of me.
And may he on his love.
May Allah say in the hour of me.
But you are my,
How many up against me rise.
May Allah say in the hour of me.
And may he on his love.
May Allah say in the hour of me.
But you are my protector, Lord.
You have a shield around me, say.
My glory comes from you alone,
The one who raises up my head.
When to the Lord I lift my voice,
In face of those who hate me still,
The Lord will hear my guide to him,
And answer from his glory.
I settle down and sleep in peace.
I wake in God's upholding hand.
I will not fear ten thousand holes,
Who serve the man against his hand.
Now let's turn to read God's word.
Our reading tonight is from the book of Genesis.
The book of Genesis and chapter 45.
At verse 16.
And we'll read into the first part of chapter 46.
Down as far as verse 7.
So that's Genesis chapter 45.
From verse 16.
This is when Joseph's brothers had arrived in Egypt.
The report was given in Pharaoh's house that they had arrived.
And so we read from that point as Pharaoh speaks.
And then on into the next chapter.
So from verse 16.
When the report was heard in Pharaoh's house,
Joseph's brothers have come.
It pleased Pharaoh and his servants.
And Pharaoh said to Joseph,
Say to your brothers,
Do this.
Load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan.
And take your father and your households and come to me.
And I will give you the best of the land of Egypt.
And you shall eat the fat of the land.
And you, Joseph, are commanded to say,
Do this.
Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives.
And bring your father and come.
Have no concern for your goods.
For the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.
The sons of Israel did so.
And Joseph gave them wagons according to the command of Pharaoh.
And gave them provisions for the journey.
To each and all of them he gave a change of clothes.
But to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver.
And five changes of clothes.
To his father he sent as follows.
Ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt.
And ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread and provision for his father on the journey.
Then he sent his brothers away.
And as they departed he said to them.
Do not quarrel on the way.
So they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob.
And they told him,
Joseph is still alive.
And he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.
And his heart became numb.
For he did not believe them.
But when they told him all the words of Joseph.
Which he had said to them.
And when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him.
The spirit of their father Jacob revived.
And Israel said,
It is enough.
Joseph my son is still alive.
I will go and see him before I die.
So Israel took his journey.
With all that he had.
And came to Beersheba.
And offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night.
And he said,
Jacob, Jacob.
And he said,
Here am I.
Then he said,
I am God.
The God of your father.
Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt.
For there I will make you into a great nation.
I myself will go down with you to Egypt.
And I will also bring you up again.
And Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.
Then Jacob set out from Beersheba.
The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father.
Their little ones and their wives in the wagons.
That Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
They also took their livestock and their goods.
Which they had gained in the land of Canaan.
And came into Egypt Jacob and all his offspring with him.
His sons and his sons' sons with him.
His daughters and his sons' daughters.
All his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.
Amen.
May God again bless us as we read his precious word.
We'll sing once again in Psalm 37.
This time Psalm 37 on page 254.
And the tune this time is Weatherby.
Psalm 37 from verse 23.
Down as far as verse 28.
A good man's footsteps by the Lord are ordered aright.
And in the way wherein he walks he greatly doth delight.
Although he fall, yet shall he not be cast down utterly.
Because the Lord with his own hand upholds him mightily.
I have been young and now am old.
Yet have I never seen the just man left.
Nor that his seed for bread have beggars been.
And so on down as far as verse 28.
A good man's footsteps by the Lord.
I have been young and now, but I am young and now.
And so on down as far as verse 28.
And the Lord is in the way.
I have been young and now.
And so on down as far as verse 28.
And the words or whilst white are ordered air aright.
And in the way where he walks, he greatly glad he lies.
O glory, O yet shall he not be cast of lottery,
Because the Lord with his own hand upholds him mightily.
I have been young and never old, yet have I never seen
The just one left, nor the ungecee, Forbred a beggar dream.
He's never merciful and blessed, His seed is blessed before.
Depart from evil and new good And dwell forevermore.
For God loves judgment and his saints, Bleeds not in any case.
They are death, ever but the Lord Shall lead the sinners with him.
Well, if you turn with me now, please, to Genesis chapter 46.
In Genesis 46, we're going to look at the first four verses of Genesis 46.
Let's just read these verses again.
So Israel, that's of course Jacob,
He took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba
And offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said,
Jacob, Jacob.
And he said, Here am I.
Then he said, I am God, the God of your father.
Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt,
For there I will make you into a great nation.
I myself will go down with you to Egypt,
And I will also bring you up again.
And Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.
The fear of the future, to some extent at least,
Is very common, I'm sure, to every human being,
To some extent or other.
It's a very natural part of our experience,
To have some element of fear,
As we look into the future.
Especially when we consider certain possibilities.
They may never happen,
But they come to our minds as possibilities.
But there are also things which you know are going to be inevitable,
Which also may instill a sense of fear in our hearts about the future.
For all of us as individuals.
Serious illness.
The issue of death itself.
Unemployment.
For younger ones, the development of our career.
Various other items like that,
And many other items like that.
As they form part of our daily experience in life,
Can be a source of fear for us.
As we look into a future,
Which we ourselves actually cannot control.
Which we ourselves cannot see clearly,
At least most of the time.
So the fear of the future is a natural element in our thinking.
And that also applies to groups of people.
It applies to congregations like yourselves.
There are many things in the experiences of congregations,
As congregations,
That they may have some sense of foreboding,
Or fear, or anxiety over.
For example,
A vacancy such as you yourselves are going to experience,
Very shortly.
And for me,
Fear may actually be part of
What looks,
As I look ahead to retirement,
Which I don't know anything about just now.
Even though I've taken some soundings
From some people who are already retired.
But there are certain aspects of that,
When it's something you're not being used to.
There are aspects of that,
That may instill some anxiety,
Or doubts,
Or even fear in one's mind.
And it really means that
Congregations,
As well as individuals,
Need from God,
From time to time,
From God,
A reassurance,
That everything is well in His hands.
And that's what we're going to look at tonight.
And we're going to try and apply this
To the future,
Whatever it may hold for us,
Not to be afraid.
We're giving it the title,
Don't be afraid of the future.
It's all in God's hands.
And we're looking at it
From the perspective of Jacob,
And his meeting with God here,
And what God said to him,
As Jacob prepared to go,
Down into the land of Egypt.
Believers need reassurance,
From time to time.
We all need reassurance,
And our great reassurance,
Comes from God Himself,
Primarily.
That is the kind of reassurance,
We require.
Now that's not contrary,
To faith.
Just because somebody needs reassurance,
Or comes to God with certain questions,
About an unknown future,
That doesn't mean,
Even if there's fear accompanying it,
And some doubt accompanying it,
Doesn't mean it's not real faith.
Faith needs to be assured.
The believer needs to be assured,
I should say.
And that happens all the way through the Bible.
You find people coming to Jesus Himself,
With questions relating to the future,
The disciples especially were anxious,
About Jesus no longer being physically with them.
He had told them that he had to go away,
That it was expedient for them.
They couldn't,
Of course,
Then understand that at the time.
And so they came to him,
With perplexed minds,
And you'll find in John's gospel,
Especially these great chapters,
Verse 15,
16,
14,
15,
16,
17,
The way in which Jesus addressed that fear,
And especially,
Let not your hearts be troubled.
You believe in God.
You believe also in me.
And here is Jacob,
Leaving Egypt,
Leaving,
To go to Egypt,
Leaving Canaan,
And taking his journey with all that he had,
On his way to Egypt,
To go back to sea,
To go down there to see Joseph,
Who he thought for many years was dead.
And here his heart revived again.
It's hard to imagine just how he must have felt,
When this news came to him,
That Joseph was still alive.
And not only was Joseph still alive,
He was under Pharaoh,
The most important man in Egypt.
He was in charge of Egypt.
He was a ruler in Egypt.
And when it came to him,
That this was indeed the case,
When he saw the evidence for himself,
The goods that Joseph had sent to him,
The spirit of Jacob revived.
And he said,
It's enough.
Joseph, my son, is still alive.
I will go and see him before I die.
And as he came to take his journey,
God came to meet with him.
And God spoke to him in visions of the night,
And said,
Jacob, Jacob.
And he said,
Here am I.
And then he said,
I am God,
The God of your father.
God came to address a very real fear
In Jacob's mind,
In Jacob's heart.
What would be the point of trying to reassure him
If there was no fear there to begin with?
And it may well be that
What had been passed on,
Because we believe that,
Of course,
His father Isaac,
And grandfather Abraham,
Would have passed on much of what they themselves
Had come to learn from God
During the course of these long years.
And one of the things that
God revealed to Abraham
Was that
His descendants would be
In Egypt,
Would be in Egypt
At a very difficult time.
In chapter 15,
You find God revealing this to Abraham.
Know for certain
That your offspring
Will be sojourners
In a land that is not theirs
And will be servants
By which he meant slaves there
And they will be afflicted
For four hundred years.
But I will bring judgment
On that nation.
It will appear that
I'm sure that
That was passed on to
His son Isaac
And then on to his son
That he would pass on
Orally these great teachings
From God
That had come to them.
And you can really understand
Why there might be
In Jacob's mind
A certain anxiety.
He had reasons to be anxious.
Was this going to be something
That enveloped him
If he went down to Egypt?
Was this going to be
The beginning of troubles?
Were the things that were revealed there
To Abraham
Going to start with him?
Going down to Egypt?
At that stage
He wouldn't know.
But here God comes
To address his mind
And address his anxiety.
And notice how he calls him
Jacob
Personally
He comes
To this individual
Jacob
He's got all of these
Other people with him
But he's coming now
Especially to him
To address his
Sense of anxiety
As he's going down to Egypt
With all of those people
With him
And all his goods.
And he says
Jacob
You see Jacob
Like ourselves
Had a specific need
At that time
And God came to him
Not in a general fashion
But he came to him
To address that specific need
And to speak into that specific need
To assure and to reassure Jacob
That he need not be afraid
And that very personal call
Jacob
Showed Jacob
That God already knew everything about him
And when you come to have
Your own heart
And it's anxiety
Brought before God
When you come before God
And you receive
From the Bible
That reassurance
That you're seeking
At least you're praying
That that assurance
Or reassurance
Would be your
God doesn't go to somebody else with it
God doesn't say
Well I'll tell so and so
I'll tell your minister
And then he'll come and tell you
Or I'll tell your elders
It comes to yourself
That's why you've got a Bible
In your possession
So that you'll hear God
Speaking to you through it
That's why it's such a wonderful privilege
To have that particular word of God here
And of course you find similarly
When Jesus came to Peter
And he said to him
Simon, Simon
Luke 22
Simon, Simon
Satan has desired to have you
That he might sift you as wheat
He meant his desire to have all of you disciples
So that he might sift you like wheat
Just scatter you
Like you scatter wheat into the air
To get rid of the dross
He's desired to have you
That's Jesus coming to Peter
And saying
Simon, Simon
Individually
You, personally
I want to tell you this
Satan has desired to have you
But I have prayed for you
I've prayed for you
And today
And tonight
And always
If we are Christ
Then we are inside
His intercession
We are inside
What he is setting before
God the Father
What he himself
Is committed to
To protect us
And to keep us
And to guide us
Well here he says
Jacob
And Jacob
Responds here
Am I
That brings us really to the crux of our study this evening
Where Jacob
Hears the voice of God
And said
I am God
Now you can pause there
Because these words themselves
Are really special
And very important
And very powerful
Because what God is saying is
This is the fundamental point
That you have to remember
This is what you must have
Underlying all your thoughts
Jacob
Whatever lies in the future for you
Never depart in your mind
From this great fact
I am God
And the word God there in Hebrew
Is the word El
Which you find attached to many Hebrew names
Elijah
Elusha
All of these names beginning with El
El is the name for God
And it particularly in Hebrew
That shortened form
Means
God Almighty
It has an emphasis on God's
Almightyness
On God's power
On God's ability
That limitless
Eternal
Ever unchanging
Ability and power
Of God
And there is this
Jacob hearing God
Saying to him
I am
God
I am God
The mighty God
The omnipotent God
That's who I am
He's saying
Why is he saying this
To Jacob
Why is that his introduction
Because he's going on to say
What that means
And it's working out
In the future of
Of
Of Jacob
As he will go down to Egypt
Spend some time there
And experience things there
I am
God
I am
El
A psalm we sang together
Psalm 3
Brings similar matters
Before us
The psalmist
As we sang there
Really saying
In his
His prayer to God
He is saying
Lord how many
Are my foes
Many are rising up
Against me
Many are saying
Of my soul
There is no salvation
For him
In God
But
You
You oh Lord
Are a shield
About me
My glory
And the oblifter
Of my head
You know it doesn't really
Matter in a sense
To any
Great extent
What somebody says to you
What somebody's
Opposition to you
Might be
What anxieties
May come into your mind
And whatever source
They may be from
What you really want to hear
Addressing
That is God
Saying to you
And God assuring you
I am God
I am ill
I am the almighty one
What he's effectively
Saying
To
To Jacob here is
I am God
You're going to go down
To Egypt
But I'm the master
Of Egypt
Egypt is in my hand
Just as Canaan is
I'm the boss
When it comes to Egypt
Not Pharaoh
So don't be afraid
To go down to Egypt
I am God
Not Pharaoh
Not the Egyptians
I am God
You know in 1 Kings
In chapter 17
Remember that incident
With Elijah
Where Elijah was
At the brook
Kerith
He was being fed
There
Ravens brought him
Food
And then God
Came to him
And he said to him
Get up from here
And go to Zarephath
A city in Sidon
For I have commanded
A widow woman there
To feed you
To look after you
Just think about that
Here is Elijah
By the brook
Kerith
Being cared for
By God
Through aspects
Of the creation itself
Of the natural world
And here is God
Saying to him
Get up from here
You need to move
From here
You need to go
To Zarephath
And what are you
Going to find
In Zarephath
Elijah
You're going to find
A woman
Already prepared
By God
To look after you
You know
In other words
Wherever you go
In life
If God is your guide
If God is your God
Wherever you go
In life
If this mighty
Ale is on your side
If this God
Who introduces himself
And says
I am God
You can be sure
Not only is he
Looking after you
Where you are
But he's going
To be ahead of you
Wherever you go
And he's going
To make preparation
For you
As he sees your need
As he sees fit
And so he's saying
Don't be afraid
Because I
Am God
What is making you
Anxious tonight
Where is the anxiety
In your heart
Coming from
Is it something
In your own life
Personally
Is it something
Happening in the world
Or in our community
Or in your family
Or in your neighborhood
That brings you
That anxiety
Is it a loved one
That's a source
Of anxiety
To you
Well here is God
Saying to you
I
Am God
It's all within
Who I am
As God
And what I am
And the fact
That I am God
Means that
In your
Particular
Personal
Circumstances
All that I am
Can be directed
To look after you
To guide you
To comfort you
To assure you
To bless you
You know
God being with
His people
Is a great truth
For us to actually
Have comfort from
But not only
Is it the fact
That God
Is with us
We'll see more
Of that in a minute
But there is also
The fact that
God actually
Is always ahead of us
Always
Ahead of you
You never have to
Have God
Catch up with you
But sometimes
We have to catch up
With God
And come to realize
Well yes
That preparation
Has been made for me
It's just like God said
I
Am God
But then he went on
To say I am God
The God of your father
He didn't just
Introduce himself
As God
The mighty one
He added to that
I am the God
Of your father
I'm your covenant God
I'm the God
Who has entered
Into covenant
With your father
Your grandfather
And others before them
And that covenant
Is a covenant
To which God
Is committed
A covenant
Which would involve
Which involves
So much blessing
So many assurances
And as we said earlier
All that would have been
Passed on to Jacob
From his father Isaac
And grandfather Abraham
That this God
Was a God
Of covenant
And covenant blessings
And covenant mercies
And covenant
Privileges
Abraham
You remember
Himself went down
To Egypt
And he was afraid
He was afraid
That the Egyptians
Would see that
Because his wife
Was very beautiful
Sarai
They would take her
And something would
Happen to him
Perhaps even be killed
And so he
Made a pact
With Sarai
And said
Don't say that
You're my wife
Tell them
You're my sister
That came out
Of fear
An unneeded fear
On the part
Of Abraham
And it didn't work
Well for him
Never does
When we pass
Something off
As untruth
Or even as a
Half truth
As it was then
He didn't tell
The whole truth
And so that fear
That was in Abraham
Some of that
Might have been
Here in
Jacob's heart
As well
As we said
The prospect
Of going down
To Egypt
Especially the prospect
As we said earlier
That maybe that
Would involve him
In what had been
Revealed to Abraham
Would happen
To his descendants
But God
Is committed
To his covenant
People
And his covenant
Promises
And wherever
God has promised
Something
You must never
Doubt that promise
You must never
Think that God
Is different
To what he has
Promised
That God is going
To change
His promises
That God is going
To suddenly not
Look after you
When all of
The way through
To this moment
He said
I am here
To look after you
I will guide you
I will keep you
I will bless you
And because
Something's happened
In your life
Or my life
That was unexpected
That doesn't mean
God has changed
Doesn't mean
His promises
Are no longer valid
Doesn't mean
He's no longer
Trustworthy
That's what the devil
Will try and persuade you of
That's what the world
Will try and persuade you of
That's what the psalmist
Had in Psalm 23
In Psalm 3
As we sang
How many say
There is no help
For him in God
The world's influence
Pouring into his mind
And saying
What's the point
Of actually trusting
In God
And of course
Then he realized
Well God's actually
My protector
He's my shield
He's the one
Who looks after me
And always will
I am the God
Of your father
I am your covenant
God
I am God
I am the God
Of your father
And then he goes
Into reasons
More in more detail
As to why Jacob
Need not
And must not
Be afraid
I am the God
Of your father
Do not be afraid
To go down
To Egypt
He didn't just
Leave it at saying
I am God
So don't be afraid
He added
In his kindness
Other things to that
That would actually be
Experienced by Jacob
Do not be afraid
For there
I will make you
Into a great nation
Now there's something
Here is a man
Who's been told
Through what's been
Passed by his father
And grandfather
That is descend
That his people
The people he belongs to
Are going to be
In great distress
In Egypt
They're going to be
Slaves in Egypt
They're going to be
Mistreated
They're going to be
There for a long
Long time
And here is God
Saying to him
There I will make
You a great nation
Now somebody reading
That or hearing
That might say
But God
Didn't you say
That there were
Going to be
All of these years
When these people
Of Abraham
And Isaac
And Jacob
And their descendants
Would be intensely
Persecuted
And in distress
And afflicted
How can it be
That they're going
To be multiplied
That they're going
To actually increase
That they're going
To be made
Into a great nation
There
Yes they're going
To be made
Into a great nation
But surely
It's when they
Come out
And end up
In Canaan
At last
Whenever that will be
Surely that's where
They're going to
Become a great nation
No that's not
What God is saying
There I will make you
A great nation
God knew very well
How they would be
Treated
Or mistreated
And yet here
He is assuring
Jacob
That's where
I'm going to
Make you a great nation
That's where
You'll know
My blessing
In your descendants
That's where
You will know
That I am God
That I am the
God of your father
That's where
You will know
That the difficulties
The afflictions
Of Egypt
The persecution
Your people
Will experience
In Egypt
Is no barrier
To my making
My promise
Fulfilled
To make you
A great nation
Now there's
So much of that
That we can
Pass into
Our own
Situation as well
For example
We had a recent
Vision from SGA
Who told us
About the situation
In Ukraine
And how challenging
That situation is
In Ukraine
For them
With all that
Still going on
In Ukraine
From the oppressive
Regime in Russia
That are trying
To still press on
And overtake
People of Ukraine
The church in Ukraine
Is active
In all of these
Difficult circumstances
But we heard
We heard
With tremendous
Encouragement
For ourselves
And a sense
Of gratitude
To God
And a sense
Indeed
Of feeling
Absolutely humbled
By hearing
Of these things
That there are
Churches there
And they are
Queuing to get
Into the churches
Even under
Such situations
And perhaps
Because of
Such situations
God as he is
Blessing that
Situation to them
Is not saying
To them
Don't go to
Churches now
It's too dangerous
God's spirit
At work
In them
Is bringing
People to see
As we heard
From the SGA
Representative
Derek Maxwell
Is bringing
People to see
The things
Of this world
Can disappear
Just like that
And we need
Something
More than this
World can offer
Us
As a foundation
For life
And a foundation
For eternity
Where is it
It's in this
I am God
I am the God
Of your father
There I will
Make you into
A great nation
The God of blessing
The God of power
The God whose power
Ensures that
Even in the depths
Of oppression
In Egypt
Jacob's descendants
Will multiply
They will become
A great nation
Because God
Had said so
And because
God will do so
Now you take
That with you
Into
Your own life
As well
Into the history
And experiences
Of the church
Of God
Of ourselves
As a congregation
Or denomination
Of your own life
As an individual
Think of the challenges
The difficulties
The trials
The pains
You've already
Experienced
As a Christian
The things
That were not
Expected
That caused you
Some bewilderment
And that you
Found difficult
To adjust
To
Loss of loved
Ones
Other providences
That
Were surprising
Unexpected
And caused
Affliction
To some extent
In your life
But here is something
You can go back to
And I can go back to
I know it's not
Always easy
We have to
We have to readjust
Sometimes our
Vision and come back
To God
And to what God
Is saying
Rather than just
Let our own thoughts
Dictate as to how
The way ahead
Should be
Here is God
Saying to you
And to me
In all the
Difficulties of life
I am God
I am the God
Of your Father
I am your covenant
God
And there
There in your
Afflictions
I can do things
That you just
Could not
Possibly measure
Or possibly expect
Isn't that why
Paul wrote to the
Corinthians
In the way he did
Our light
Affliction
Which is but
Temporary
Is working for us
A far more
Exceeding
And eternal
Weight
Of glory
You see what he's doing
He's saying
Afflictions
These Corinthians
Knew affliction
Paul knew affliction
He knew the difficulties
Of and the challenges
Of living as a Christian
And an apostle
In this world
But he calls them
Light afflictions
How can he possibly
Call them light afflictions
When you read later on
Of the list of things
That he went through
In the providence of God
That hurt him deeply
That caused him
To find such suffering
In his life
As he cried out
To God from
How can he call these
Light afflictions
Well because he's putting it
In the balance
If you like
And on the other side
There is
The glory that's in Christ
The glory that's in salvation
That exceeding
Weight
Of glory
And he says
These afflictions
Are working for us
By God's blessing
An eternal weight
Of glory
While we look not
At the things
Which are seen
But at the things
Which are unseen
For the things
Which are seen
Are temporal
Short lived
But the things
Which are unseen
Are eternal
And in a sense
That's what he's saying
To Jacob
Don't be afraid
To go down to Egypt
For there
I will make you
Into a great nation
There is where
Jacob's people
Are going to multiply
What God has purposed
What God brings about
Can't be reversed
You could say
There's more power
In a gram
Of grace
Than in a ton
Of affliction
And that follows
Through
Into
The Christian life
Today
But it's not just that
I will go with you
And I will make of you
There a great nation
I myself
Will go down
With you
To Egypt
It wasn't enough
For Jacob
And it wasn't as far
As God was concerned
It wasn't enough
That he would say
To Jacob
Don't be afraid
To go to Egypt
For there I will make you
Into a great nation
Full stop
No he added to that again
I myself
Will go with you
What a remarkable statement
God
Going down
To Egypt
To be with this man
Jacob
And that's what he's saying
I myself
Will go down
With you
To Egypt
He's not just going
To send an angel
He's not going to send
A representative
From heaven
To accompany Jacob
To go with him
And to be with him
In Egypt
I myself
Will go with you
Are there any words
More precious
In human experience
Than that
And God
Saying to his
Believing people
I will go with you
Into your afflictions
Into your challenges
Into your difficulties
Into your trials
I'll not just take you
To the borders
Of Egypt
If you need to go
Right into Egypt
Jacob
As you need to
I will go down
With you
You'll find me
In Egypt
There are no barriers
To my entrance
To Egypt
And so it is true
Still
You can depend
On God
To have his company
As he has promised
There are so many
Instances in the Bible
Of that
Daniel
The fiery furnace
You remember
Nebuchadnezzar's
Astonish
When he was astonished
That he had thrown
Three of these Hebrew lads
Into the fire
Not only were they not burnt
But there was a fourth figure
And he was just astonished
When he saw this
And he said
Did we not cast
Three men
Into the fire
But I see a fourth
And his appearance
Is like
A son of the gods
I think we should
Translate it that way
Rather than
The son of God
His appearance
Is like
A son of the gods
In other words
Nebuchadnezzar
Was astonished
At what he saw
And what astonished him
As much as anyone else
Not as anything else
Not just that these three men
Were untouched by the fire
There was another person
And that person
Was divine
There was something about him
Different to the other three
The presence
Of the Lord
Was with them
Even there
I will make you
A great nation
All the way through
To
Matthew's
Jesus in Matthew 28
Lo I am with you
To the end of the age
Go into the world
And
Make disciples
And I am with you
But if you remember
Moses
In Exodus
Chapter 33
It's a wonderful passage
That personally
I've many often found
As
Something to enter
Into my own prayers
As well
Moses
In his
Speaking with God
There
As they were going to
Move on
As a people
Here is Moses saying
Chapter 33
Of Exodus
And verse
12
Moses said
See now you say to me
Bring up this people
But you have not
Let me know
Whom you will send
With me
Yet you have said
I know you by name
And you have also
Found favour
In my sight
Now therefore
If I have found
Favour in your sight
Please show me
Now your ways
That I may know you
In order to find
Favour in your sight
Consider too
That this nation
Is your people
And God said
My presence
Will go with you
And I will give you rest
And then what did
Moses say
Well he took
Encouragement from that
And he immediately said
If your presence
Will not go with me
Do not bring us
Up from here
For how shall it be known
That I have found
Favour in your sight
I and your people
Is it not
In your going with us
So that we are distinct
I and your people
From every other people
On the face of the earth
And the Lord said to Moses
This very thing
That you have spoken
I will do
You see
God had said to them
Previously
Shortly before that
Because of the grievous sin
Of this golden calf
That they had made
This image
That he would not
Go with them
That he would send
His angel
And Moses knew
Well we need more
Than an angel
Lord we need yourself
And if you do not
Go with us
Don't take us up
Just leave us here
What will be the point
And so for you
And for me tonight too
Surely
That's what you find
Included in these words
To Jacob
I myself
Will go with you
Aren't you thankful
Tonight
To have all kinds
Of assistance
From God
Aren't you thankful
Tonight
To read in the Bible
That the angels
Of God
Surround his people
That they accompany
His people
That they have
Manifested themselves
At times
To his people
But here's the most
Wonderful truth of all
That God is with you
That God will always
Be with you
That he will go with you
Into every Egypt
He has for you
In his providence
And that you will
Know him there
As the God
Whose presence
Is invaluable
To you
And always
Will be
I am God
I am the God
Of your Father
I myself
Will go with you
Into Egypt
And then
And I will bring you
Up again
I will bring you
Up again
Not only am I God
And am I your
Covenant God
And not only
Is there with that
That I will go with you
Into Egypt
But I won't leave you there
I will bring you
Up again
You see
There is God
Assuring
Jacob
As he's about to
Go on his journey
To Egypt
Egypt's not going
To be your resting place
Jacob of course
Was buried in Canaan
And the people
That descended from him
Having spent all of these years
Oppressed in Egypt
Yet they were brought out
By God
And led onwards
To the land of Canaan
The land of promise
I will not leave you there
It's interesting
And it's significant
That a number of times
In this passage
The word Israel
Is used along with
The word Jacob
As well as the word Jacob
Israel of course
Being the name
That God gave
To Jacob
At a certain juncture
Before this
And here is the word again
Israel
Just putting us in mind
And anticipating really
What you find in the book
Of Exodus onwards
That Israel means
Not just Jacob in person
But his descendants
The people
That came from him
Israel took his journey
Then Jacob sent out
Set out from Beersheba
Here is Jacob
Being assured
That Egypt's not going
To be the final
Dwelling place
For himself
Or for his people
And so it is too
With whatever afflictions
Come your way
God's not going
To leave you there
As Jeremiah found out
And as he tells us
In his Lamentations
In that great chapter 3
Of Lamentations
Though the Lord
Cause grief
Yet will he have
Compassion
According to his
Steadfast love
For he does not
Willingly afflict
Or grieve
The children of men
God doesn't bring us
Into afflictions
To leave us there
They have their own use
And as they've made
As they are made
By God
A means by which
We get to know him
Better
So the assurance
Is that's not
Your final resting place
That's not where
I'm going to leave you
I will take you up again
And that ultimately
Of course
Applies to death itself
Because you have
The language here really
Which in other parts
Of the Bible
Is used as the language
Of resurrection
I will bring you up again
I will raise you again
I will bring you up
Out of Egypt
So if you think of
Egypt as a temporary
Place for Jacob
To dwell in
A place of oppression
A place of difficulty
For his descendants
I'm not going to leave you
There God is saying
I will bring you up again
And so you find
Jesus in John chapter 6
You remember his teaching
There saying
In verse 40 especially
Where he spoke of himself
In that chapter
As the bread of life
And where he came
In verse 40
For this is the will
Of my father
That everyone
Who looks on the son
And believes in him
Should have eternal life
And I will raise him up
On the last day
I will bring
His body back up again
On the last day
I will raise him up
I will not leave him
In the grave
They will come to be with me
God says in heaven
And you see he's saying
In a marvelous way
Of finishing this
Just allow me to
To say this point
In verse 4
I myself will bring
I will go down with you
To Egypt
And I will also
Bring you up again
And Joseph's hand
Shall close your eyes
That's so beautiful
Because this man
Jacob had said
Of his son Joseph
He is undoubtedly dead
When you go to chapter 37
And in 37 verse 35
Just read the words there
Of Jacob
In chapter 37
35
Well in 33
He identified the garment
As the son's robe
Joseph's robe
He said
A fierce animal has devoured him
Joseph is without doubt
Torn to pieces
Then Jacob tore his garments
And put sackcloth on his loins
And mourned for his son
For many days
All his sons
And all his daughters
Rose up to comfort him
But he refused
To be comforted
And said
No
I shall go down to Sheol
I shall go down to the grave
To my son
Mourning
And here he is
In chapter 46
What a difference
To what he had envisaged
And feared
I shall go down
To the grave
Mourning
With my son
And here's God
Saying to him
Joseph
Shall close your eyes
In other words
He's saying to Jacob
When you die
Joseph will be there
And the closing of your eyes
In death
Most people die
Or some people anyway
With their eyes open
They pass away
Their eyes need to be closed
Then by somebody there
Just to take their eyelids
And close them down
Joseph
Shall close your eyes
He'll be there
To take care of your need
When you die
Don't be afraid
To go down to Egypt
And don't you be afraid
Of the future
Don't be afraid
Of the future
For yourself
Personally
If you're in Christ
Tonight
You have no need
To be afraid
All of this
Your property as well
Don't be afraid
As a congregation
Of looking into the future
Unknown as though it is
To a great extent
Don't be afraid
I am God
He says
I am the God
Of your fathers
I will go with you
I will take you
Back up again
I will not leave you
I will be there for you
All the way through
And of course
The Bible itself
Closes with the wonderful words
Of
Or more or less
Closes the wonderful words
Of Revelation
Chapter 21
They're not exactly the same
As what you find here
In Genesis 46
But
There's a very close relationship
I'm sure you'll be able
To work that out
For yourself
Where the final order
Of things
In heaven
Is revealed
To John
I heard a loud voice
From the throne
Saying
Behold
The dwelling place
Of God
Is with man
God's presence
Is now with man
This is heaven
He will dwell with them
And they will be
His people
And God himself
Will be with them
As their God
He will wipe away
Every tear
From their eyes
And death
Shall be no more
Neither shall there be
Mourning
Nor crying
Nor pain
Anymore
For the former things
Have passed away
So for you
As a Christian
Whoever closes
Your eyes
In death
Physically
In a higher sense
Jesus will do
That spiritually
And when you arise
From the grave
There'll be no mourning
No crying
No tears
God himself
Will wipe away
Every tear
What a hope
What a prospect
What a God
You see
Your God
Your ale
Your covenant God
Your protector God
The God
The God of your future
As well as the now
And the past
Let's pray
Almighty God
We thank you
For every assurance
You give us
Of the sovereign care
That you have
For your people
Bless us then
Tonight
Lord we pray
Make us to know
That we are indeed
Under the care
Of this great God
The God of covenant
Promise
And blessing
The God of power
And might
The God who is faithful
To his every promise
Lord we pray
That you would speak
To us out of your word
And especially
At times of anxiety
Times when we may
Question things
Times when we may doubt
Times when we may be afraid
O Lord
Calm our hearts
We pray
By giving us
A renewed vision
Of yourself
Of your greatness
Of your grace
Of your love
Of your steadfast love
And of your own
Presence with your people
On into eternity
Bless any tonight
Who have not
As yet come
To give themselves
Into your hand
Who have not come
To trust in you
Who have not yet come
To leave the world
And come into Christ
Lord bless them
We pray as well
Not only here
But elsewhere
And guide us
Continually through
The path of life
And receive us
Finally at last
Into your own
Everlasting mansions
For Jesus' sake
Amen
Our final psalm
This evening
Is
Psalm 118
That's in the
Scottish Psalter
Page 397
The tune is
Colesill
Verses 1-6
O praise the Lord
For he is good
His mercy lasteth ever
Let those of Israel
Now say
His mercy faileth never
Now let the house
Of Aaron say
His mercy lasteth ever
Let those that fear
The Lord now say
His mercy faileth never
And then in verses 5 and 6
Again talking of distress
And how the Lord
Answered his cry
He in a large place
Did me set
From trouble
Made me free
The mighty Lord
Is on my side
I will not be afraid
For anything that man can do
I shall not be dismayed
These words
O praise the Lord
For he is good
His mercy lasteth ever
Let those of Israel
Say
His mercy faileth never
Let the hearts of Aaron
Say
His mercy lasteth ever
Let those of Israel
What the Lord
him say
His mercy faileth never
In distress
Doshint James
hall
The Lord may answer me.
The evil earth's place did me stay.
From trouble made me free.
The mighty Lord is on my side.
I will not be afraid.
For anything that man can do, I shall not be afraid.
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my right this evening.
Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you now and evermore.
Amen.