There's a further notice about the vacancy. Our congregation has recently been made vacant, so I'll just read through that notice on the sheet.
The Kirk session met on Monday the 15th of July and agreed to follow the practice previously adopted during a vacancy by taking on the role of the vacancy committee.
The purpose of the vacancy committee is to arrange for the pulpit to be supplied with ministers who are considered suitable to fill the vacancy, but the final choice belongs to our communicant membership.
The vacancy committee would like to stress that they are seeking to secure the full scope of congregational interest so that the process of contacting ministers and arranging dates for them to preach can begin.
The initial meeting of the vacancy committee is scheduled for Monday the 26th of August, and over the next five weeks, as we pray to the Lord for guidance,
the elders would like to encourage everyone in the congregation to speak to their own elder or to any of the elders and inform them of who you would like to be invited to preach in Stornoway.
Please bear in mind that certain procedural steps are required, namely the completion of a financial schedule as well as a congregational development plan.
It is hoped that both of these items will be presented to the congregation in September before being sent to the Presbytery and the Mission Board for approval.
That's something for us all to pray over.
Let us begin our time of worship by singing together in Psalm 40 of the Blue Praise Book in the Scottish Psalter version.
We have a Blue Praise Book available at the door if you don't have one.
Psalm 40 in the Scottish Psalter version.
You'll find that on page 259.
And we'll sing from verse 1 down to verse 5 and note that verse 5 follows over the turn of the page.
The words there are,
We'll stand to sing these words to God's praise down to the end of verse Mark 5.
I waited for the Lord my God and patiently did bear.
And then to me,
He did apply my voice and kind to hear.
Just fruitfully did.
Forgive me from the fear for this,
And from the mighty pain.
And on our own He set my feet.
Establishing my way
He put a new song in my life
For God to magnify
Then he shall see it
And shall feel
And God the Lord rely
O blessed is the man
Whose trust upon the Lord relies
Respect him not the proud
For such a stern aside to life
O Lord my God to many are
The wonders of the strong
Thy gracious thoughts
To us work from above
O hosts are gone
The northern unkind
Reck on them
To the effective way
And speak of them
I will
The more I can
Be number
The more I can
Be number
God
We'll now join our hearts together for a word of prayer.
Our heavenly Father we give thanks to you for this day.
We give thanks to you for this opportunity to come before you.
That we can return our thanks to you for all that you have done for us.
That we can come and read your word.
That we can sing your praises.
That we can come to you in prayer.
And you are a God that will hear us when we pray.
Even if we feel like we are in the depths and in the fearful pit like the psalmist.
You are a God that can draw near to us.
And put a new song in our heart.
And turn our lives around.
That we may come and joyfully sing praise to you.
For you have saved us from death.
You have redeemed us because Jesus Christ has died on the cross for each and every one of us.
And Lord we just pray this time for the young in our congregation.
We pray for those that are on holiday.
We pray that you would give them a time of enjoyment.
We pray for those that have gone to camp.
And we ask that you would be mindful of them in their worries that they might have.
But that they would be supported and encouraged by those that are there.
And that they would understand something new about Jesus and God.
And that they may have seeds sown in their hearts at a young age.
That you may bring them to grow.
And bring forth much fruit.
We pray for our planned holiday club.
We pray that you would go before us in all our plans.
And again as we seek to join together to have fun and to learn more about God.
We pray that you would bless us in our time together.
We remember our Sunday school in a time of break.
We remember our school teachers also.
That you would be with them.
Be with those who teach our children in our schools.
That they may point them in the direction that God has set out for us.
That God has revealed to us in the Bible.
That we should follow Jesus.
And that he will provide for us.
So be with us Lord as we turn towards your word.
Give us minds of understanding.
And ears to hear what you shall say to us.
And all these we ask in Jesus name.
Amen.
Now I want to say a word to the younger ones that are here with us this morning.
And I want you all to imagine an orchestra.
Orchestras consisted usually of lots of different people in lots of different things.
But they are all trying to play music together.
And they all have a bit of paper in front of them.
That tells them the music that they are playing.
The tunes that they are meant to play.
And while they have the music in front of them.
They are also looking towards the conductor.
They are following that man.
They are keeping an eye on that man that is in front of them as well.
And it consists of lots of different people playing lots of different instruments.
You may have the violinists.
They are a group of violinists.
And they might be playing very fast.
They might be getting very tired having to play hard.
And the conductor is telling them to play and play and play.
And then there might be someone at the side with trumpets just coming in and out.
When they are told.
And then someone with that trombone making a totally different noise.
Just every now and again.
And you might have someone at the very back.
Just standing there and waiting.
Till the very end.
To make a big crash with the cymbals.
And that's not the way that the violinist looks around to everyone else.
And says I am working very hard here.
And this man with the trumpets just putting me off.
And this man with the trombone is making a totally different noise to the noise that I am making.
And that guy at the back.
He is not doing anything.
But when the conductor instructs everyone to do everything at the right time.
To play the different tunes at the right time.
It all comes together.
To make a wonderful sound.
People come and listen to orchestras.
Play amazing music.
But the most important thing is that they follow the music.
And they follow the conductor.
And it's a lot like that in our own lives.
We are all different.
And we have all got different jobs.
The Lord will give us different jobs to do in our life.
We have different purposes.
But it's not that we look at everyone else.
And say.
Well he is not doing what I am doing.
And he is playing a different tune to me.
Something totally different.
And look at that guy.
He is not doing anything.
We are not to look at others.
We are not to judge others.
The most important thing for us in our lives.
Is that we follow the instructions that are set out for us in the Bible.
Almost like the Bible is like the piece of music that is set in front of you.
We follow what is in the Bible.
And as we read the Bible.
As we get to know the Bible.
And learn about the Bible.
We will see Jesus.
And we will see the man that is directing us every step in our lives.
And when we follow the Bible.
When we listen to Jesus.
Something wonderful will happen.
We will give praise to him and glory.
And it is something that is so special to God.
And yes we are all different.
And yes we have all different jobs to do.
But that is not to say that we do our own thing.
It is not to say that we come with our own piece of music.
And go into the orchestra.
It would ruin it.
If we just decided to do what we wanted to do.
In our lives.
The best thing for us.
Is to follow the Bible.
And to follow Jesus.
So I pray that as we grow up.
Even as we grow old.
We continue.
To follow Jesus.
And to look at him.
I pray that will be blessed.
To each of you.
We will now say the Lord's Prayer together.
You will find it at the top of the bulletin sheet.
Let us join together in saying these words.
Our Father which art in heaven.
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth.
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts.
As we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation.
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom.
The power and the glory.
Forever.
Amen.
We will now continue in our praise.
And we will now sing our Gaelic item of praise.
Which you will find over leaf.
On the rear page of the bulletin sheet.
The words of Psalm 23 in English.
The Lord's my shepherd.
I'll not want.
He makes me down to lie.
In pastures green.
He leadeth me.
The quiet waters by.
In Gaelic it is here.
Is the Gia feen.
Is the Bucheel go.
Chabimi aon in ni.
We will remain seated for this singing.
The Gaelic presenter will read the line out as we go through the psalm.
And the congregation repeat the line as we go.
Years ago.
They wouldn't have had the words.
Wouldn't be able to.
The Bibles and psalm books weren't there for everyone to have.
So this is the way that they sung their praises.
The presenter would read the line.
And the people would then repeat the words back.
So.
We'll sing this together.
often singing jatsung..
Propag format...
Blue。
Oh, my God.
The Gospel of John, chapter 14.
Gospel of John, New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
Read at verse 4, chapter 14 at verse 15.
We have two readings this morning.
We'll turn to chapter 20 after reading section in chapter 14.
Gospel of John, chapter 14, reading at verse 15.
And this is Jesus' words before he was led away to be crucified.
He's speaking to his disciples and instructing them.
He says there,
Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more.
But you will see me because I live.
In that day, you will know that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you.
Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, it's he it is who loves me.
And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.
Judas, not Iscariot, said to him, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world?
Jesus answered him, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word.
And my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.
And the word that you hear is not mine, but the Father who sent me.
These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Peace I leave with you.
My peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your hearts be troubled.
Neither let them be afraid.
You heard me say to you, I am going away, and I will come to you.
If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father.
For the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you before it takes place,
so that when it does take place, you may believe.
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming.
He has no claim on me.
But I do as the Father has commanded me,
so that the world may know that I love the Father.
Rise, let us go from here.
If you turn a few pages to chapter 20,
chapter 20, and we'll read from verse 19.
This is the account where Jesus appears after his death,
resurrected to the disciples.
Verse 19.
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week,
the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood among them and said to them,
Peace be with you.
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven.
If you withhold the forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.
Amen.
May the reading of God's word be blessed to those who have heard it.
Let us join together once again in a word of prayer.
Let us pray.
Our Heavenly Father, we give thanks for this word that we have read.
And we give thanks that you are the Lord Jesus Christ who brings peace to his people.
And we just give thanks that you are one who has come to set us free from the power of death.
Help us to be mindful of what we do when we come to worship you.
When we come before the presence of God and seek his face.
That we may hear from you.
And although it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Lord God Almighty.
We pray that we may draw before you with our reverence and our fear.
Acknowledging you as creator of all things.
The one who sustains all things and keeps our very life.
And Lord, we pray as we come to this word.
And consider it.
We pray that you would give us understanding of it.
That you may speak to us.
We pray that the gospel may go forth with power by the power of the Spirit.
For we acknowledge that if we do it of our own strength, it will come to nothing.
So we rely on you, Lord God.
And the presence of the Spirit to be with us as we come to you before your word and before you.
That you may guide us and show us and instruct us.
And how we are to live our lives.
Lord, we pray for our nation.
We pray for our world.
We pray that the gospel may go out with power.
That it may persuade and enable people to receive and embrace Jesus Christ that is offered to them.
The Christ that went to the cross for them.
To die for them.
In order that we may not be found guilty before God.
That we may come before God knowing that our sins have been forgiven.
Confident in the blood of Jesus Christ as the sacrifice to pay for our sins.
All is done.
We can do nothing of ourselves.
We trust in Jesus Christ.
To whom else can we go?
Who else offers that peace when death is set before us?
You have promised us life if we believe in you.
And so help us in our unbelief.
Help us in this hour to understand who you are and to trust in you.
We pray for everyone that preaches your word this morning.
Across our world and nation.
That it may go forth with great effect.
We remember those people who have devoted their lives to you and your cause.
Who are missionaries in this world.
We remember Muriel from her congregation in Cambodia.
We pray for the work that she does with the Brow and Grung people.
And the girls that stay with her.
Lord, we pray that you would give her strength.
And enable her to speak about her Saviour.
And the change that has come about in her life.
Lord, we pray for those who are worried this morning.
Those who are fears.
Those who have uncertainties.
Those who are anxious over their health.
Those who mourn.
We pray that you would draw near to them.
And comfort them.
Lord, we just ask that you would be with us in our time together.
That the gospel of Jesus Christ may take root in our hearts.
And grow each and every day.
Be with us.
Guide us.
Keep us.
Keep the evil one from distracting us.
And let us see Jesus Christ.
With beauty and wonder and awe.
All this we ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.
We'll continue in our praise by singing in Psalm 56.
You'll find that on page 73 in the Sing Psalms version.
Psalm 56.
I have it marked as verse mark 5.
But I think we'll begin our singing from verse mark 9.
At the bottom of the page.
When I call on you to help me.
Then my foes will turn aside.
This is how I will be certain.
That God is on my side.
O relief.
In the Lord whose word I honour.
In my God I praise his word.
I will trust and not be fearful.
What can man do to me, Lord?
I have taken vows before you.
To my God I will be true.
Sacrifices of thanksgiving.
I will gladly give to you.
For you kept my feet from stumbling.
And from death you set me free.
So that I may walk before you.
And the light of life may see.
From verse 9.
We'll stand to sing.
When I call on you to help me.
Then my foes will turn aside.
Amen.
When I call on you to help me.
Then my foes will turn aside.
This is how I will be certain.
That my own is on my side.
When the Lord whose word I own.
Then my God I praise his word.
I will trust and not be fearful.
What can man do to me, Lord?
I will trust and not be fearful.
To my God I will be true.
Sacrifices of thanksgiving.
I will gladly give to you.
For you kept my feet from stumbling.
And from death you set me free.
So that I may walk before you.
And the light of life may see.
We turn back to the passage that we read in John chapter 20.
I want us to consider this passage that we have with Jesus.
This resurrected body appears to the disciples.
And there in verse 21.
You'll see what Jesus says to them.
Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me.
Even so I am sending you.
Now the last time I was with you here in Stornoway.
We looked at the first resurrection appearance of Jesus.
That was the appearance that he made to Mary.
And we're walking our way through the resurrection appearances that are recorded in the Gospel of John.
We thought about Mary.
We thought about the love that she had for Jesus.
We thought about the love that she had lost as she came mourning over the loss of Jesus Christ.
But Jesus appeared to her there at the tomb of the bombshell moment of his first appearance.
And the love that she had lost had now been restored.
Because Jesus had conquered death.
Jesus had not died.
Jesus would live forever.
Her love would ever be present.
All her sorrows had been turned to joy in that account.
And Jesus' appearances after death form the foundations of the Christian faith.
And gives everyone who believes in him a hope in life after death.
The Bible says that though ye die, yet ye shall live.
And now we come to this second appearance in the Gospel of John.
We're on the same day still.
Mary has been at the tomb in the morning in the early hours just at sunrise.
And now we are told there in verse 19 that it's now the evening.
And he appears to the gathered disciples within this locked room.
But what John doesn't record is another account which Luke does.
Jesus walked with the two on the road to Emmaus between sunrise and the evening hours.
Now John doesn't record this.
And it's an interesting account.
We've got to ask, well, why doesn't John record it?
Why doesn't John record that fascinating account?
But John himself says, at the end of chapter 20 there, no, at the end of chapter 21 he says,
I can't record everything.
Supposing everything was to be written,
The whole world could not contain the books about Jesus.
So John here, when he puts his Gospel together, he's selective to record these accounts for a certain reason.
And I hope that as we come and consider why and the importance of it,
we'll understand the purpose of why John wrote this book.
The purpose is there at the end of chapter 20.
He writes all of this for the reader.
The reader this morning.
For you and for me.
That we may believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because as we'll see in the evening,
these men also doubted that Jesus could ever live.
They're amazed at what happens.
And so there's nothing else like it in this world.
They record all this in detail.
So that everyone who hears it may believe.
So let us consider this passage together.
And I want you to think in your life that you know fine that you can't do everything.
You can't do everything yourself.
And often you need to, if you have a job to do,
you need to delegate the task to someone else.
So if you think about a business, the boss can't do everything.
And usually he'll give the simpler tasks to other people.
And he'll hold on to the more vital aspects of the business himself.
But supposing you were that manager, you were that boss,
and the time came where maybe you had to retire.
Maybe you had to hand over the reins to someone else.
Someone else had to come and fill your boots.
You'd look for the most competent person you could find.
The most knowledgeable person on the subject.
The most person who had the most experience.
The person who was most trustworthy.
The most reliable person you had in the company or out with the company.
Someone that would fill your boots and ensure that the business would run smoothly.
Best person you could find.
And in this account here, we've got a handover going on.
Jesus has died.
He cannot stay in this world.
He started a work.
But he must return to be on the side of his Father in heaven.
He's handing the work over to the disciples.
And they must be people that go out boldly into this world,
facing all opposition and criticism,
to declare that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Saviour of sinners.
He is the man that can give you hope in the face of death.
They need to be bold, men and women.
But who does he have?
When you look at the passage here, who does he have?
He's got people who are scared, confused,
people who are inexperienced for the job that is required of them.
These disciples, when you read through the Gospels,
they've already proven themselves to be unreliable,
lacking in knowledge,
not at all competent to do the task that has been asked of them here.
But this is who Jesus has.
And if this was your business that you were handing over to people like this,
you would be thinking,
this isn't going to work.
What chance do I have?
It's going to be a mess.
And you would expect the work of Jesus to stop.
Because the people here aren't really top notch.
But strangely, the work continued.
And it's continued even up till this morning.
With similar men and women.
So, the work is not entirely reliant upon the men and women and their own strength.
Surely there's something more going on here
for the work to have continued throughout the ages till this morning.
And when you continue reading through the Gospels,
when you continue reading through Acts,
and the works that these disciples went on to do,
the leaders of the day complained against these men.
Because they said,
they're turning the world upside down
with the message that they're bringing.
These people who were in this locked room,
their lives being turned upside down
by meeting Jesus.
They go out boldly.
And this appearance,
I believe, is a preparation
for the work that he has for them to do.
And the disciples receive three things
from Jesus here in this passage.
And the first thing
that they receive from Jesus is peace.
The disciples are gathered in this locked room
and Jesus comes into their presence
and he says,
peace be with you at the end of verse 19.
And I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall
in that locked room
to weigh up and to evaluate
and to watch these disciples
considering what's going on.
They're scared of what's going to happen.
But Mary's come from the morning
and she's reported that
I have seen the Lord Jesus.
Maybe the two from the road to Emmaus
have now returned and said to them,
we've seen Jesus too.
And they're probably weighing it all up
and asking,
what's happened?
Where's Jesus' body gone?
Has Jesus risen?
We'll have more of the questions
that they asked this evening
when we consider Thomas.
But here the disciples,
they're all locked in.
And they're locked in for fear.
And it's a fear of death.
Because what would happen is
when the Romans condemned someone to die,
when they condemned a movement,
they would seek after,
well, the leader first.
But then all the followers
that were associated
with that man
that had been condemned,
they'd try and obliterate them.
So that movement
would no longer cause
any issues amongst the people.
And the Jews
weren't exactly their best friends either.
The Jews did not like
what Jesus had been teaching.
So if they had seen
any of the disciples
out and about,
they would have been straight
reporting them
as followers of Jesus Christ,
that they would be captured
and silenced.
So you can see straight away
that there is absolutely
no peace in this camp.
They are fearful for their lives.
They're locked in a room.
It highlights their fear
that they're locked in.
It highlights something
of the body of Jesus.
And the body,
the appearance that he comes in,
the physical attributes of Jesus,
that he can just appear.
We don't really have time
to go into that this morning.
But he appears
out of nowhere
to people that are already
scared for their lives.
Which is quite interesting.
And it's interesting to note
that it doesn't record any fear,
any extra fear on their part.
they're joyful
to see the man
that comes in peace.
If you remember that count,
Jesus was taken away
to be crucified.
The soldiers came
to capture Jesus before.
And where did the disciples go?
They ran away.
They were scared
of the soldiers.
They were scared
that they would die too.
Jesus was captured.
And Jesus doesn't mention this,
that you abandoned me.
Where were you
when the soldiers came for me?
He doesn't mention that.
But they didn't want to die.
The disciples didn't want to die.
They had a fear
of dying at that moment.
Jesus comes with peace.
Peace be with you,
he says.
Peace.
A peace that is not like
any other peace in this world
that we read in John chapter 14.
He brings peace
when things are terrifying.
Peace in the midst
of absolute fear
when their world is upside down.
And in many ways
the world is upside down today.
And I believe the world
is looking for peace.
We all want to have peace.
We all want peace.
It's almost like
we're programmed
for peace.
We try to make
our own peace.
But there's always something
that will come across
and spoil it.
Jesus is here
saying that he brings
peace
in the midst
of fear.
His presence
brings peace.
And you can maybe imagine
when you were a little
boy or girl
and something
had happened to you.
You were fearful
of something.
You were scared
of something.
You had a nightmare.
Your parent would come in
and their presence
would bring you peace.
Maybe you've started
working
and you're learning
your trade
and you make
a complete blunder
and you're fearful
of the outcome.
What's going to happen?
And someone more experienced
comes in
and says,
it's okay.
We can fix it.
That person's presence
brings peace to you.
Jesus brings peace
to them
because he knows
what to do.
And it's a peace
not like this world.
Jesus is called
the Prince of Peace
elsewhere in the Bible.
And that is something
that the Christian,
the believer,
receives.
They have a certain
and special peace
in life.
Maybe you've seen it
in action.
Maybe you've seen
a Christian
go through
the most horrendous
experience
and you wonder,
well,
how on earth
can they have
so much peace
in the midst
of something
so terrifying,
fearful?
The Christian
has peace
in life,
but also the Christian
receives peace
in death.
They have peace
knowing
that Jesus
has conquered
death
for them.
they have a special
and certain peace
through their life
because they know
that although they die,
Jesus
has provided
for them
and prepared
for them
a place
for them
to be.
He has made
peace
for this
disciple.
Jesus Christ
has made peace
for you.
Peace
for the one
who is scared.
Peace
for the one
who is full
of fears
in this life.
Peace
for the one
whose life
is upside down.
Peace
for the one
who feels
like locking
themselves
away from
the world.
Peace
for the one
who fears
death.
Jesus
brings
peace.
It's a great
treasure to have
peace in your life.
But Jesus
also brings
something else
to the disciples
here and he brings
a purpose
to them.
The second
point.
He brings
peace
and he brings
purpose to
them too.
Now you
know in
your life
if you don't
have a purpose
you feel
a bit lost
and when
you think
you have
no purpose
in this
life
you yourself
can feel
as someone
having
no purpose
which can
have sad
consequences.
Having
purpose
is personally
a huge
thing.
Have you
ever asked
why am
I here?
What is
my purpose?
And a
group of
godly men
knew the
value of
people knowing
their purpose
when they
wrote the
small book
the shorter
catechism
that taught
people about
God.
The first
question that
they had
there posed
was what
is man's
purpose?
What is
the chief
end of
man?
Is the
way it
was written.
They knew
the value
of it.
They put
it first
and the
purpose of
man is to
glorify God
and enjoy
him forever.
In our
passage here
Jesus comes
to the
disciples and
he gives
them a new
purpose.
They would
go and
glorify
God.
They would
go out
with the
gospel.
Jesus
says to
them peace
be with
you again
in verse
21.
It's
repeated
because he's
got something
really important
to say to
them.
He's saying
as the
father has
sent me
so I
am sending
you.
This is
the hand
over.
They are
going to
carry on
the work
that God
sent Jesus
to do.
And in
many ways
they could
not.
they
wouldn't
do the
work of
Christ in
the sense
of redeeming
people and
forgiving
sins.
But the
first thing
that Jesus
did when
he came
into this
world,
you can
read about
in the
gospel of
Mark,
is that
he came
and proclaimed
the gospel
of God.
Calling
people to
repent and
believe in
the gospel.
And that
is what the
disciples are
now being
instructed to
do.
Go out
with the
gospel of
Jesus
Christ and
call them
to believe
in him.
That they
may have
life.
The man
that died
on the
cross for
you and
for your
sins.
So that
you may be
set free
from eternal
punishment in
hell and be
received into
heaven and to
be with
Christ forever
to the
eternal
enjoyment.
He died
for you.
These men
in this
account went
out completely
changed after
they saw the
risen Lord
Jesus.
Their purpose
in life had
changed.
They went
out even
if it meant
facing a
brutal death
death, which
it did for
most of
them.
They had a
new purpose
in life to
fulfill and
their lives
were turned
upside down
by seeing
this man.
It's kind
of proof in
a sense that
Jesus did
appear to
them.
They were
so scared
to die in
the first
instance and
now they're
going out
boldly as
completely
different
people.
With the
gospel message
with confidence
and even
if they die
they know
they shall
live.
And I'm
sure they
said of
themselves
well I
can't do
it.
I'm not
the man
for the
job.
But this
is the
Christian
church of
the day.
This
small number
is the
Christian
church.
church, the
few that
are gathered
in this
locked room
they feel
so weak,
they're asking
what's going
on, they've
isolated
themselves,
they've lost
all courage.
The church
should never
lock themselves
away from
the world.
We have a
purpose to
go out with
the gospel of
Jesus Christ.
The Lord is a
work for
everyone and
it's a different
work as we
were saying to
the children.
Doesn't mean
that we'll all
stand and
preach, doesn't
mean that we
go out and
put the
Bible down
people's
throats, but
at very least
it means that
we live
Christ-like
lives.
We live
like Christ
lived in
this world and
continue his
work in that
way, if
nothing else.
We forgive
others.
We give,
we help
those who
are poor,
we love
one another,
we love
our neighbours,
we talk to
those who
are despised,
we do not
judge one
another.
We imitate
Christ as
Paul saw
to do.
God has
his purpose
for everyone.
And the
funny thing
is that when
you come to
believe in
this man,
you've got
your own
purpose for
your life
already sorted.
But when
you meet
with Jesus
and you
believe in
Jesus Christ,
he puts a
new purpose
in your
life.
And the
things that
you thought
you'd never
do, you
may well
end up
doing.
Because you
are fulfilling
his purpose
for his
glory.
You
yourself have
a new
purpose in
this life.
It is
his purpose.
And the
peace that
we have is
his peace.
And the
last thing I
want to say
to you today
is that
these disciples
received power
as well
when they
met with
Jesus
Christ.
Power in
the sense
of strength
because they
felt so
weak to do
the job
that was
asked of
them.
People like
to feel
strong enough.
We feel
like we're
sometimes we
do feel like
we're strong
enough.
Sometimes we
do feel like
we have
power.
but there
are definitely
times where
we feel
weak.
There are
definitely
times when
we feel
so weak
that we
have nothing
left to
give.
We feel
like we're
so weak
that we
don't want
to go
into this
world.
Jesus
knows our
weakness.
Jesus knew
that these
disciples needed
help.
They needed
strength and
so he would
send that
Holy Spirit
we read
about as
the helper
for his
people.
He has
promised to
give his
people strength.
They cannot
do anything
on their
own strength.
It's clearly
evident that
they have no
strength of
themselves.
They lock
themselves away
in this room.
They can't
face the
world.
But they
changed so
dramatically
to go out
confidently to
declare the
gospel.
And it's
the same
for the
church today
that we
must rely
on the
power of
the Spirit,
the strength
of the
Spirit.
It's the
same for
every single
believer that
we rely not
on ourselves
but we rely
on his
strength that
he gives us
through the
Spirit.
Because it's
not easy.
And there
are days
where you
will make
a mistake.
There are
days where
you will
blunder.
Not that
you want
to.
But the
Spirit will
also teach
you,
correct you.
That's what
the Spirit
will do in
your life as
well.
Give you
strength but
also teach
you every
step of the
way.
And instruct
you and
guide you so
that you may
keep going.
and the
most elderly
Christian here
will say
that, well,
I have not
remained a
believer because
of my own
strength.
I would have
quickly gone
off track
if there
had not been
for the
strength that
I received
from the
Lord Jesus
Christ.
And you
work through
this passage
here.
They receive
something of
the Spirit
that raises
questions,
a few
difficult
questions that
are raised
in the last
few verses
here.
They receive
the Spirit
but the
Spirit comes
at Pentecost
later on.
And people
ask, well,
what did they
receive here
at this
moment?
Was it a
promise of
the Pentecost
to come?
Was it a
measure of
Spirit at
this moment?
We're running
out of time.
We don't have
time to
consider it.
The second
thing that it
says is that
they would
have the
power to
forgive sins.
And really
that is not
that they
themselves can
forgive sins.
Only the
Lord Jesus
Christ can
forgive sins.
But they
are going
out with
the strength
and the
power of
the gospel.
They are
going out
as changed
men and
it is the
gospel that
has the
power to
forgive sins.
They present
the gospel to
people as it
is presented
to each and
every one of
us here this
morning.
If we receive
it, our sins
will be forgiven.
If not,
forgiveness is
withheld.
The gospel
can change
your life.
And though we
feel so very
weak at times,
the presence of
Jesus can turn
us around,
turn our world
upside.
day.
Jesus is
here as a
man that
died on the
cross for
each and
every one of
us, saying
that he can
give you
peace, he
can give you
a purpose,
and he can
give you
strength for
the day and
strength for
life.
And there
are three
aspects of
our lives
that I
think we
all want
to have.
We all
desire to
have and we
long to have
it.
maybe we
chase after
peace,
purpose,
strength,
power.
The world
promises to
give us all
these things and
at the end of
the day,
we are left
weak.
we exhaust
ourselves finding
things that
satisfy us
when really
it is to be
found in the
gospel of
Jesus Christ.
And it is
nothing of
ourselves.
It is a
gift of God.
It is whose
peace that is
given to us.
it is whose
purpose that we
find ourselves
doing.
And it is
whose strength
that we find
the strength to
go on every
day.
Jesus prepared
the disciples
for life and
for death.
Jesus will
prepare you
for life and
for death
with his
peace,
with his
purpose,
and with his
power.
I pray that
we believe in
the risen Lord
Jesus.
Amen.
We will
conclude by
singing in
Psalm 118 of
the Scottish
Psalter.
Find that on
page 397 of
the blue
praise book.
We will sing
from the
beginning of
that psalm.
We will sing
four stanzas
down to
verse Mark
6 in
conclusion.
The words
there are,
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.
I in
distress
called on
the Lord.
The Lord
did answer
me.
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.
The eternal
abiding
mercy of
God do
we receive
it.
Let us
stand to
sing praise
to him.
O praise
the Lord
for he
is good,
his mercy
lasteth
ever.
O praise
the Lord
for he
is good,
his mercy
lasteth
ever.
Let
those
of
his
that
free
come
again
Let those that fear the Lord Christ take His mercy favor never.
I am this faithful of the Lord, the Lord did answer me.
He in the dark place did me set, from trouble make me free.
The mighty Lord is on my side, I will not be afraid.
For anything that thou can do, I shall not be blessed.
We'll close in prayer, remain standing.
Our Lord and our God, may we know the eternal abiding love and grace known through Jesus Christ.
As we part with one another, we pray that you would remain with us, watch over us and guide us in every step of life.
That we may consider Christ and give us hearts that are willing to receive Him.
Be with us as we part, forgive us our sins, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Amen.
Thank you.