So, Psalm 98 is our first psalm of praise this morning, Psalm 98, and it's on page 129.
We're singing verses 1 to 6. The tune is Peter's psalm.
O sing a new song to the Lord, for wonders he has done. His right hand and his holy arm the victory have won.
The Lord declared his saving work and made it to be known to all the nations of the world.
His righteousness is shown. Psalm 98, verses 1 to 6. And we'll stand to sing. If you're able to stand, please stand.
His right hand and his holy arm the victory have won.
The Lord declared his saving work and made it to be known.
To all the nations of the world, his righteousness is shown.
His death, but love and faithfulness, he has remembered them.
The covenant, he made with him the house of Israel.
And all the nations of the earth have seen what God has done.
His right hand and his holy arm the victory have won.
The Lord, O all we are, shall love be and rejoice.
Make music and be children, to them lift up your voice.
With heart, his music to the Lord.
With heart, his graces sing.
With trumpet and with glory rejoice.
Before the Lord the King.
Let's join together now in prayer.
We're praying specifically for the children and for the Sunday school.
Lord our God, help us, we pray, to rejoice today in your presence here as we gather to worship you.
And we thank you for the children who are with us.
We thank you for all the young folk and children who belong to the congregation and their homes and families.
We pray for them today.
And we ask, O Lord, that they may progress in the knowledge of the Lord as their Savior.
And we pray that you'll bless the teaching they receive from week to week in their own homes, in the Sunday school here and elsewhere.
We thank you for the way that they form such an important part of the congregation's life.
And we pray that we may continually bear them before you in your presence in prayer.
And so we ask now as we seek to wait upon you here that you'll bless them.
And as they continue, O Lord, to attend upon Sunday school and creche and tweenies,
we ask that your own blessing will continue to be with us.
Hear us, we pray now, and pardon our sin for Jesus' sake. Amen.
My children, the Sunday school is looking today at the story of Simeon and Anna.
You'll find an account of that in Luke chapter 2 and from verse 27 or so.
And at verse 27, we read about Simeon.
He was a holy man, a man who was waiting for something that God had promised in the Old Testament,
and that was the coming of the Savior.
And he was actually told, he had been told by God that he would not die until he had actually seen for himself the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And when the Savior was born, some time after that, Simeon came to the temple,
and the parents of Jesus brought the child, the infant Jesus, just to follow out what was required in the law of God.
And at verse 28, we read,
And also we find Anna, also mentioned in the next part of the chapter.
So, Simeon and Anna were both waiting for this one important event of the birth of the Savior, the coming of the Savior.
And this is what Simeon did after seeing Jesus, the infant Jesus.
He took him up in his arms, and he blessed God.
Now, this is one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible.
It's such a wonderful passage.
The infant Jesus, and there's the old man, Simeon, waiting for the coming of Jesus.
And there he is, and as he's looking at Jesus, as he takes him up in his arms and embraces him in his arms,
he looks down at him and says,
Now, Lord, I can go in peace, because my eyes have seen your salvation.
Isn't that an amazing thing?
That he could say of this infant child, there is God's salvation in my arms.
And now I can go from this world, he said, in peace.
He was full of thanks, full of gratitude to God, that God had fulfilled his promise, not just for him, but indeed for all who would come to be saved through Jesus.
And he put it there even, for all people, this is a revelation.
This is your revelation for them.
Now, from that, there are two or three things that we can say about ourselves or apply to ourselves.
First of all, you need to take Jesus up.
I'm speaking especially to the young ones, but it's true for us all.
You need to take Jesus up in your heart the same way as Simeon took him up in his arms.
Just picture Simeon reaching out and taking the infant Jesus like that into his arms.
Well, this is what we have the opportunity to do ourselves, that we can reach out and by faith and by trust, we can bring Jesus into our hearts.
We can have Jesus coming to live in our hearts as we embrace him, as we receive him, as he offers himself to us in the Bible, in the Gospel.
And then we can be full of joy as well.
We can be full of joy because we then have salvation in our lives, in our hearts, God's salvation.
Just as Simeon could say, now my eyes have seen your salvation, so we can say, having Jesus in your life, you have God's salvation in him.
So today, young ones and old ones, we can embrace Jesus, welcome him into our lives, and so rejoice and be glad and be happy that we have God's salvation in him.
Now, Simeon did this in public.
Now, that's important as well.
He wasn't embarrassed that people were seeing this, that people were hearing him saying this.
And when you have taken up Jesus into your heart, and when you hold Jesus in your heart, and when he becomes precious to you, then you want to tell the whole world about him.
Because what makes him precious to you as a savior is what you want others to have as well.
And it's wonderful to hear of you young folks yourselves, children, telling others about the Sunday school, about how good it is to learn about Jesus.
That's you just like Simeon telling the world how precious Jesus is.
So today, Simeon and Anna tell us the importance of taking Jesus to ourselves, the importance of rejoicing in Jesus, being glad that we have him, and the importance of telling the world that this is the savior who is for them as well, Jesus Christ, the Lord.
So may God bless these words.
Let's say the Lord's prayer now together.
Amen.
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, and the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.
We're going to sing again now.
We're singing this time in Psalm 25.
Psalm 25 in the Sing Psalms version, page 29.
Another tune is Finart, and we're singing verses 1 to 7.
To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
I trust in you continually.
Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my foes gloat over me.
No one who sets his hope in you will ever suffer such disgrace.
But those who act with treachery, humiliating shame, will face.
So to the tune Finart, verses 1 to 7, to God's praise.
Let us sing.
To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
I trust in you continually.
Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my foes go over me.
No one who sets his hope in you will ever suffer such disgrace,
but those who act with treachery, humiliating shame will face.
O Lord, reveal to me your ways, and all your paths help me to know.
Direct and guide me in your turn, instruct me in the way to go.
You are my Saviour and my God, all day I hope in you alone.
Remember, Lord, your love and grace, which from past ages you have shown.
Do not recall my sins of youth, or my rebellious evil ways.
Remember me in your great love, for you, O Lord, are good always.
Okay.
We're going to read from God's Word in the Gospel of Luke.
And it's chapter 24.
We're reading verses 36 through to the end of the chapter.
This is Luke's account of those who met with Jesus after his resurrection,
as they were traveling on the road to a village called Emmaus.
You'll find that from verse 13, and the incident as it's described there.
And then from verse 36, Jesus having spoken to them and taught them as to who he was,
and the scriptures being fulfilled.
He said then in verse 36,
And when he said to them,
He showed them his hands and his feet.
And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them,
Have you anything here to eat?
And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.
Then he said to them,
These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
That everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.
Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,
and said to them,
Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer,
and on the third day rise from the dead,
and that repentance and forgiveness of sins
should be proclaimed in his name to all nations,
beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you,
but stay in the city till you are clothed with power from on high.
Then he led them out as far as Bethany,
and lifting up his hands he blessed them.
While he blessed them, he parted from them,
and was carried up into heaven.
And they worshipped him,
and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
and were continually in the temple,
blessing God.
Amen. May God bless to us again this reading of his word.
Let's now call upon him again in prayer.
Our gracious God,
we thank you for the testimony of your word,
that the fulfillment of your promises,
given so long ago,
came to be fully realized
in the person of our Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ.
We thank you today, Lord,
for what we have read,
even in this short passage,
and the words that we have been singing
as they describe your salvation.
And we thank you for all that has come to us in him,
and for everything, Lord,
that you have brought to us
by way of your redemption,
your salvation,
the forgiveness of our sins.
Lord, help us, we pray today,
to not only embrace these great truths for ourselves,
but to embrace you as that person
in whom we have salvation.
for we know that there is no other name
given under heaven amongst men
whereby we must be saved.
And so help us, Lord,
we pray today,
to have our trust deposited in you,
to have our lives given over to you,
to be ruled by you,
and to give ourselves to you,
to your service,
while we have the opportunity
of doing so in this life.
We thank you today, Lord,
that we gather as worshippers
of your great name,
that you have been exalted to heaven
to sit at the right hand
of the Father on high,
and that you receive the worship
of your people
as we worship you today
as God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We give thanks, O Lord,
for the revelation you have given
of yourself
and of the way in which we find
in the very mystery,
but beauty of the Godhead,
our redemption to be placed.
We give thanks, O Lord,
to you as our Father,
who sent the Son into the world,
as to give him to the death
of the cross.
And we give thanks, O Lord,
to you for coming into the world
and for giving of yourself
obediently and fully
to the death which we deserve,
but could never fulfill ourselves.
And we give thanks for all
that that death accomplished,
for the way in which
the will of God
not only expressed in him,
but also the wrath of God
coming to rest upon him
instead of his people,
and the justice of God
satisfied fully.
We bless you, Lord,
today for the work
of your Holy Spirit,
and we thank you
that the Holy Spirit
takes the things of Christ
and shows them to us.
And we pray today
that that may be
our experience here,
that however we appear
before you,
whatever our circumstances
in life may be,
and whatever our relationship
with you presently is,
Lord, we pray that today
all of us will leave
this gathering
as people who know
the Lord for ourselves,
and to come to be
as we saw with Simeon,
embrace the Lord Jesus Christ,
and to take you up
into our hearts,
and to dwell believingly
upon you
for every day
that goes by.
So bless us,
we pray,
once again
as a congregation
of your people.
Lord, we thank you
for every encouragement
that you give us,
for every way
in which your blessing
is revealed to us,
and for every way
that we can still
wait upon you
for all our worship services
and all our related activities
throughout each week.
We thank you
for all that you enable us
to do,
for all that you enable us
to carry out.
Lord, we pray again
that you would bless
all of these activities
and enterprises
that we are privileged
to be part of
and to join in with.
Lord, we pray
that you would especially
bless the gospel,
for we know
that whatever activities
we engage in
or organize
or set up,
that they are to be
subsumed under our concern
for the glory of your name,
through the blessing
of your word,
through your salvation
coming to be known
by those who come
under the teaching
of your word.
We ask today
that you'd bless us
in all the various ways
in which we need
your blessing,
O Lord.
Bless us in our families
and homes.
Bless us in our relationships,
one with another,
in marriages,
in being parents
and grandparents,
and bless again
our children
and our grandchildren.
We ask, Lord,
today that you would
be pleased
to receive them
to yourself
in blessing
and to carry out
further
their standing
in the gospel
so that they may come,
Lord,
to be truly rooted
and grounded
in the Lord himself.
We ask your blessing
for every activity
that we engage in
from day to day
and pray that you would
continue, Lord,
to encourage us
by the work of your Spirit
being made known
amongst us.
We ask your blessing
today to be
with all of our number
who have difficulties
and trials
to contend with
in the course
of their lives.
We ask, O Lord,
that any of ourselves
here present
or watching online
who have trials
today to contend with
will know
of your upholding
and supporting of them
and of your encouragement.
Draw us,
we pray,
to yourself
amongst all
the changes
and the turns
of life
in your providence.
Help us,
we pray,
to constantly
reflect upon
your wisdom
and your right
to rule our lives.
And we pray
that you would give us
a willing heart,
O Lord,
day by day
to place our trust
in you.
We remember, too,
Lord,
all today
in our community
who have suffered
loss in these days
or recent times.
We pray that you
bless those
who have lost loved ones
and who mourn over them
and continue to miss them
from their lives.
We pray for them
and we pray
for their comfort.
You alone
are the great
comforter
who can comfort
in a way
that none other can.
And we pray
that you would grant
that comfort
to them today
and to all of us,
Lord,
in our circumstances.
Whenever we have
circumstances
of trial
and pain,
of disappointment,
of unexpected events,
we pray,
Lord,
that you would
grant
that we may be
drawn to yourself.
and remember,
we pray all
who help others
in their time of need.
We thank you
for all in our community
who attend to us
by way of nursing care
and medical practices,
both in hospital
and also in the hospice
in Bethesda,
in our care homes.
We thank you again
for the provision
that is made for us there.
We pray that you
would bless those
who attend to us
in our times
of bereavement
and sorrow.
Remember,
the undertaker,
his staff,
we thank you for them
and for the way
that they are so helpful
to us
in these times of need.
We pray that you
will continue
to provide for them
as each day goes by.
And we ask you
a blessing
for all others
in our community
who carry out
such valuable service
for all the emergency services.
We pray for the street pastors
who go out
in the late evenings
and early mornings.
And Lord,
we ask that you
would keep them safe.
We pray that you
would bless their ministry
in their community.
We pray that they
may be of much benefit
to those that they meet with.
And we ask that you
would help them
as they seek
to encourage others,
that you would grant
encouragement
to themselves.
ourselves.
We pray too
that you'd bless us
in our further
waiting upon you here.
And we ask that
your blessing
will be with us
throughout our nation
at this time
and these difficult times.
We ask that you'd bless
those who are
suffering different ways
from lack of work
or lack of income.
And we pray that you would,
Lord,
help them
and help them
to come
to trust in you,
to know
the riches
of eternal life.
Even though we know
that our financial
and economic situation
is in itself important.
Grant to us,
Lord,
that we have
our affection
on those things
which are above,
those things
which are unseen,
these riches
that are within
your salvation
and provision
for us
in Christ Jesus.
Remember our rulers.
Lord,
be with them,
we pray,
in different governments
and administrations.
We pray for wisdom
for them.
We pray especially
for the light
of your gospel truth
to come
to dwell in their hearts
and to come
to guide their minds
and their thoughts.
We pray throughout
the world,
Lord,
today,
that where there is
conflict,
war,
strife,
terrorism,
lack of resources,
devastation,
earthquake,
and floods,
O Lord,
we pray that
throughout the world
your own kingdom
may advance,
that we may,
as we have been thinking
and reading through
and saying the Lord's Prayer,
help us truly
to know, Lord,
and to come
to experience
your will being done
on earth
as it is in heaven.
And we pray
that your kingdom
will advance.
Remember the places
in the world
where there is
such devastation
of war.
We think of
the Middle East
at this time
and ask that
you would bless
those who are
seeking to bring
peace of a proper
kind to these places,
Gaza and Israel.
We pray for Ukraine
and their situation,
asking, Lord,
that you'd continue
to bless them
and to bless
your people there.
And we ask
that you'd continue
to bless those
of them who are
with us here
in this congregation
as a family.
Lord, continue.
We pray to provide
for them.
Help us to continue
to pray for them
and for all
who belong
to that nation
at this time.
We ask that you
would continue
to bless them
with that
persevering spirit
that would seek
to resist aggression
and to seek
to live their lives
again in freedom.
And so bless us now,
we pray,
and hear our prayer.
Pardon our many sins,
we pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
We're going to sing again
to God's praise
this time in Psalm 21.
Psalm 21,
and that's in the
Scottish Psalter this time,
verses 1 to 6.
The King,
in Thy great strength,
O Lord,
shall very joyful be.
In Thy salvation,
rejoice,
how vehemently
shall he.
And as we read
through the words
of this psalm,
we think of the Lord
Jesus Christ himself
in whom they are
so wonderfully fulfilled
and how he himself
has come to rejoice
in the salvation
that he has provided himself
and come with blessings
to occupy the crown
that's now upon his head
at God's right hand.
So Psalm 21,
we're singing
verses 1 to 6,
and the tune this time
is Paisley,
the King,
in Thy great strength,
O Lord.
The King,
in Thy great strength,
O Lord,
shall very joyful be.
And Thy salvation,
rejoice,
how vehemently
shall he.
Thou hast bestowed upon him
all that his heart would have,
and Thou from him
didst not withhold
what e'er his lips
to crave.
For Thou with blessings
him previst
of goodness manifold,
and Thou hast set upon his head
a crown of purest gold.
When he decided life of thee,
Thou life to him didst give,
in such a land of peace
that he forevermore should live.
in that salvation
wrought by thee,
his glory is made great.
Honor and comely majesty
thou hast upon him said,
because that Thou
forevermore
most blessed
hast him made,
and Thou hast with Thy
countenance
made him exceeding
glad.
Well, for a short time,
let's turn again to the passage
we read in Luke 24,
and looking this morning
at the final few verses
from verse 50.
Then he, Jesus,
led them out as far as Bethany,
and lifting up his hands,
he blessed them.
While he blessed them,
he parted from them
and was carried up into heaven.
And they worshipped him
and returned to Jerusalem
with great joy
and were continually
in the temple
blessing God.
We want to look at this passage
under the general title
of Following Christ's Lead
into 2024.
In other words,
that as the passage
deals with Jesus
leading these disciples,
we learn much
that will benefit us,
we hope,
as we seek to follow
his leading
and guidance of us
through the year
that has just
very recently begun.
Luke ends
his gospel,
his book,
the gospel of Luke,
as he began.
He ends it
with worship,
the worship of God,
as he began,
with a reference
in different ways
to the worship of God.
And of course,
in between,
Luke fills
the gospel
with an account
of Christ's ministry
from his birth
through to his death
and here
his resurrection
and ascension
to glory.
And the focus
really in these verses
from the beginning
of this chapter
is on the fact
that this in fact
is the same person
who died
who is now
meeting with
these disciples
and showing himself
to them
and then taken up
from them
into heaven.
And that's an important point.
It's not a different Jesus
who appeared
after his resurrection
and in these passages here
to the Jesus
they knew
before he died.
It's the same person,
the same Jesus
who died
and rose again
and now comes
to be taken
to heaven.
And in verse 42
you can see
a reference there
to the fact
that it's still
very much
the human Jesus.
He took this piece
of broiled fish
and he took it
and ate before them.
In other words,
he demonstrates
this is not really
a spirit
that is not
some ghost-like
phantom-like figure.
It is in fact
Jesus himself.
His humanity
is still true humanity.
Whatever we say
of the meaning
of that verse
this is obviously
a demonstration
that he isn't
still the same Jesus.
He's still the same person.
He is still fully human
just as he is God.
And verses 50 to 53
then take us
to see how
the emphasis
on the resurrection
of Jesus,
the appearance
of Jesus
after the resurrection
and how that
in a way
logically
in terms of
God's provision
of salvation
and provision
of all that's in Jesus
as it logically
in that sense
flows into
his ascension.
One thing just
carries on into
the other,
the resurrection
and the appearances
carry on into
his being taken
from this world
up into glory.
And there are
three things
that we can look at
from these final
verses of Luke.
Three things
that apply
to our own
Christian experience
that we can look at
as significant features
of a Christian experience
that I hope
we all can follow
today
and if not
then you have to
ask yourself
the question
why can't I
I'm not yet
in that position
to experience
and enjoy
these experiences.
What are they?
Well here we find
first of all
this Christian life
the life
of following Jesus
it's a life
willing to be
led by Christ.
A life willing
to be led by Christ.
It's secondly
a life secure
within Christ's
intercession.
Within Christ's
blessing
we'll see that
that takes us
to think about
his intercession.
And thirdly
it's a life
rejoicing
in worshipping
Christ.
A life
willing to be
led by him
a life secure
within his
intercession
and a life
that rejoices
in worshipping
him.
then he led
them out
as far as
to Bethany.
Now that's a
deliberate reference
it seems by Luke.
It doesn't say
that he walked
with them
as far as
Bethany.
He actually
says specifically
and deliberately
he led them
out.
He actually
led them
and he went
before them.
In other words
they were
following him.
He deliberately
chose
this way
of
progressing
towards
his ascension.
It is
Jesus
who chose
the route.
It is
Jesus
who went
before them.
It is
Jesus
who led
them.
He was
the leader
until he
was taken
up from
them.
They were
under
his
direction.
And that
itself
seems a
simple point
is a very
important
factor
in our
discipleship.
In our
living life
under the
direction
and control
and government
of Jesus.
It is
life
willing to
be led
by Christ.
A life
that wants
indeed to
know more
and more
of his
leading and
of his
guidance,
of his
going before
us and
of his
being with
us.
In other
words,
the turns
and the
climbs
and the
descents,
the experiences
of providence
which is
God's
providence,
Christ's
providence,
all that
we find
in the
turnings
of our
experiences
from day
to day,
the gains
and the
losses,
the highs
and the
lows,
the pains
and the
joys,
the unexpected
things and
the expected
things,
whatever they
are as
they combine
together in
the providence,
in the lot
that we
have,
that is
by Christ's
choosing.
That is
by Christ's
choosing.
And our
peace of
heart
comes
from
acceptance
of that
great
fact.
Because we
will never
have that
peace of
heart if
we keep
rebelling
against the
Lord and
against His
wisdom.
Everything in
your life
today has
been appointed
by Jesus.
Not just
appointed in
any old
way, in a
loose kind
of a way,
but appointed
deliberately and
appointed wisely.
I think one
of the things
that we
always need
to come
back,
myself
especially,
again and
again to,
is the fact
that it is
the wise
Savior,
the wise
God,
who chooses
the route
for us.
It's not
the one we
would have
chosen
ourselves.
If Jesus
had left
the route
to these
disciples and
said to
them,
well on
you go
and I'll
just follow
you and
just wherever
you want
to meet,
wherever you
want to
stop,
I'll meet
with you
there.
He led
them out
as far
as Bethany.
Is that
how it is
with your
own life
today?
Is he
leading your
life onwards
day by day?
Are you
today willing
to be led
by this
Jesus?
Are you
willing that
your life
will be
patterned
by his
wisdom
and his
choice
of the
route
for you?
That's all
built into
this very
brief reference.
He led
them out
as far
as to
Bethany.
And not
only that,
but remember
who this
is and
what his
position is
here.
It's the
risen Jesus
who's leading
them out.
The Jesus
who's conquered
death.
The Jesus
for whom
death is
now behind
him and
having gained
that victory
over death
and over the
grave and
over sin
and over
Satan and
over the
world,
here he is
leading his
disciples on
into further
blessing.
It's the
risen Jesus
that's doing
this.
It's the
risen Jesus,
the one
triumphant
over death
that actually
leads his
people onwards
through life.
And how
important is
that?
Because it
means that
in him and
having him as
your savior,
as your leader,
having your
life willingly
under his
direction,
it means that
all the things
that happen to
you in your
life, he
and in him
you are able
to actually
prevail over
them and
benefit from
them and
gain from
them, however
difficult they
might be.
Because he's
in charge of
them and he's
in charge of
your life and
in charge of
the turns of
your circumstances.
Let me just
take you to
Psalm 68.
You turn
briefly with me
to Psalm 68
in the book
of Psalms.
I want to
pick a few
verses there
because this
is a psalm
really about
what we can
call the
divine conqueror.
Words that
apply very
much to
Jesus himself
as they were
fulfilled in
him.
And it's a
psalm of
praise by
David to
God.
But notice
how it
begins.
God shall
arise, his
enemies shall
be scattered,
and those who
hate him shall
flee before
him.
As smoke is
driven, so you
shall drive
them away.
But then if
you turn to
verse 7,
O God,
when you
went out
before your
people, when
you marched
through the
wilderness, the
earth quaked, the
heavens poured
down rain, before
God, the one of
Sinai, before God,
the God of
Israel.
You see, there
is God going
out.
Yes, it's a
reference especially
to Sinai, to
the wilderness, to
the journey that
they have, which
itself is symbolic
in a sense to a
measure of the
journey that we
have through this
life.
And here is
God going before
his people.
What happens when
God goes before
his people?
Well, they are
victorious in
him.
They march after
him as he
marches ahead
of them.
Go to verse
12.
The kings of
the armies, they
flee, they flee.
The women at
home divide the
spoil.
The conqueror has
come back from
his victory, and
the spoils of
victory are
shared out.
That is Jesus
having conquered
the grave.
The spoils of
his victory
shared out to
his people.
Verses 18 to
19.
You ascended on
high, leaving a
host of captives
in your train, and
receiving gifts
among men, even
among the
rebellious, that
the Lord God
may dwell there.
These verses are
quoted in the New
Testament in
regard to Christ's
resurrection and
then ascension.
You ascended on
high.
Why did he
ascend on
high?
To receive
gifts for
men, the
gifts especially
of the Holy
Spirit and the
gifts that come
in God's
salvation.
And then
verse 28, a
couple more
verses.
Summon your
power, O God,
the power, O
God, by which
you have worked
for us.
You see, there's
David's prayer as
he comes to
seek that power
that God has
displayed as he
marched ahead of
his people and
gave them
victory.
He wants that
power to be
displayed, to be
summoned again for
his benefit and for
his people's benefit.
That's your prayer
today, surely, as a
Christian, that
Christ would summon
the power by which
he rose from the
dead, by which he
ascended to glory,
and that that power
would come into
your life increasingly
day by day for
your benefit.
And then at the
end of the psalm,
in verse 35,
awesome is God
from his sanctuary,
the God of Israel.
He is the one who
gives power and
strength to his
people.
Blessed be God.
And where better
do you see that than
the likes of this
passage in Luke where
Jesus leads his
people out, these
disciples out to
Bethany, where under
his direction he
comes to lead them
into blessing, where
his power is operating
on their behalf and
for them and in
them and through
them.
As we begin this
new year, or as
it's just newly
recently begun, is
this not our
concern?
Is this not our
burden?
Is this not how you
would like your life
to be lived?
To be lived
willingly led by
Christ.
Willingly led so
that the power of
Christ comes day by
day into your life,
into your experience,
into your circumstances
so that through him
you are able to
proceed, you are able
to prevail, you are
able to go on, you
are able to conquer
the sin in your own
life, you are able to
conquer temptation,
you are able to
glorify him in the
life you live, you are
able to accept the
difficulties that are
as possible in your
life, the unexpected
events, the
illnesses, the
bereavements, the
losses, the
sorrows.
He led them as
far as Bethany.
And secondly, you
find a life secure
within Christ's
intercession.
Now how do we
come under his
direction?
How do we come to
benefit from his
leading of his
people?
How do we come to
have ourselves
actually in that
situation?
Well, of course, it
is through trusting
in him.
And trusting in him
means entrusting your
whole life to him,
giving your whole life
over to him to be
ruled by him, to be
directed by him, as we
saw in the first point,
willingly.
There's such a thing
nowadays as adaptive
cruise control in some
cars.
And adaptive cruise
control means that the
car, when you set, it
automatically keeps the
right distance between
you and the car in
front.
So if that one slows
down, it automatically
slows your car down as
well.
And if that car in front
of you stops, then the
system applies the
brakes in your car as
well, and your car
comes to a stop.
And it is so, so
difficult, until you
get used to the system,
to keep your foot off
the brake and just let
the adaptive cruise
control take control.
Because your tendency
is, when you see the
car in front slowing
down, your tendency
is, push the brake just
to make sure that your
car is going to stop.
And that cuts out the
adaptive cruise control.
And that's, I think, a
really useful illustration,
I hope, of the
challenge and the
difficulties of handing
your life over to
Jesus.
Because our tendency is
to want to keep
control, and at least
keep a measure of
control, over our own
lives.
We just don't have the
willingness of ourselves
to give our whole
life over to Him.
But that's really what
it has to come to.
He doesn't want your,
this little bit or that
little bit of your
life.
He doesn't want you to
hand over certain
aspects of your life,
and then keep control of
the rest yourself.
That's not going to be of
any use to us.
You have to hand your
life over to Him.
For Him to willingly
come to lead you
through the issues of
life, through death
itself, and on into
eternity.
And as He led them as
far as Bethany, then
lifting up His hands,
He blessed them.
It's a life secure
within Christ's
intercession.
Now, why do I say
intercession?
Because there's nothing
specifically mentioned
there about intercession.
And yet I think that
the language there,
lifting up His hands,
He blessed them,
that language is
indicative of the
language of the Old
Testament with regard
to the priestly
blessing or the high
priest blessing of His
people.
Think of Numbers and
the words in Numbers
chapter 6 from verse
22.
We often sometimes use
them at baptism.
The Lord bless you
and keep you.
The Lord make His face
to shine upon you and
be gracious to you.
The Lord lift up His
countenance upon you and
give you peace, His
peace.
They're words of blessing
in a priestly setting.
They're words by which
God has said the priest
would put Aaron and his
sons, would put His name
upon the people of
Israel, God's name.
In other words, they
come under the security
and the safety of God's
name.
And where is that
fulfilled?
It's fulfilled in Jesus
and in His intercession.
Because Jesus is still
active on behalf of His
people in heaven and He's
active especially in making
intercession for them and
bestowing His blessing
upon them.
You see here, lifting up
His hands, He blessed
them.
They come under the
blessing under the
uplifted hands of Jesus.
The blessing of His people
takes place and continues
to take place.
And the blessing of Jesus
flows into your life and
my life as a Christian from
Jesus in heaven.
Now His hands are still
lifted up, as we'll see in a
minute, in that sense of
still blessing His people
actively as their high
priest.
Everything you find in
number six and from verse
twenty-two is fulfilled.
All of these elements that
were mentioned in these
verses are actually
fulfilled in the blessing
of Christ as the high
priest of His people.
And what is the
intercession of Christ
really?
It's a big subject
worthy of much more
study than I can give it
in a couple of minutes.
What is the intercession of
Jesus?
What does intercession
mean?
What does intercession mean?
Is it just that Jesus is
praying for His people,
just as you would imagine
Him praying for His people
here while He was on earth
or ourselves praying for
God's blessing?
Well, I'm not saying there's
not that element in it,
but the intercession of Jesus
is basically the presenting
of Himself and His finished
work of atonement, His death
that fulfilled all that
was necessary for His people,
for their sins to be forgiven,
the presenting of that
to God the Father.
I remember when people came
to arrest Jesus in the garden,
that Jesus said something
specific at that point.
If it is I you are seeking,
if it's me you are seeking,
let these,
He mentioned the disciples,
let these go their way.
And you know,
you can take that text really
and say that's applicable
to the intercession of Jesus
because He took what we deserved
in the death that He died,
in enduring the wrath of God
which we were liable to
for our sins.
And Jesus is really the one
who in Himself, as it were,
fulfills that great statement
that He spoke.
If it is me that you're seeking,
since I'm the one you're seeking,
let these go their way.
I'll take their place.
I'll take the penalty.
I'll take what's due to them
and they can go free.
Now you see,
that's within Christ's intercession.
That's what's happening.
Because God the Father,
as God the Father looks upon God,
the Son beside Him,
the One who entered this world
and died and rose from the dead
and was exalted to glory,
as God the Father looks upon Him
and sees His people in Him,
He regards them as fully acceptable
to Him in Jesus.
And Christ's presenting of the case
for their security,
for their everlasting security,
for their forgiveness of sins to be,
His forgiveness of their sins to continue.
It's all in Jesus.
And His intercession for them
is an intercession
that keeps presenting
the worth of His own death,
the merit of His own death,
the power of His own death,
the achievement of His own death.
And that goes on constantly
in heaven
for His people.
And
you notice this,
while He blessed them,
He was parted from them
and was carried up into heaven.
You see there,
Luke is really recording
the thing exactly as it happened.
While
He was blessing them,
He was parted from them.
In other words,
the last thing they saw of Jesus
physically in this world
was Him with His hands uplifted
being carried up into heaven.
It wasn't that they saw Him
lifting His hands
and blessing them
and pronouncing a blessing
and then His hands went down
and then He was lifted up.
He was still in the act
of blessing them
as He left them.
He was still in the act
of pronouncing
that priestly blessing
from Himself
that He was actually
involved in at the time.
and it was like that
that He was taken into heaven.
He was actually still
in the act of blessing.
In other words,
their conclusion from that
and our conclusion
as we read that
is that the blessing
was going to continue.
As He went into heaven,
He continued to bless them.
As He entered heaven,
He continued to bless them.
As He sat at the right hand of God,
He continued to bless them.
And we still have
Christ's priestly blessing
as our privilege
as Christians today.
And if you are in Him today
and if you've embraced Him
and if your life
is willingly led by Him,
this is actually
what's happening
on your behalf.
This is what's happening
in heaven
through the intercession
of Jesus Himself.
His hands, as it were,
are still raised over you,
pronouncing you blessed,
pronouncing you
in favor with God.
That's where our security lies.
You remember how Hebrews,
that book in the New Testament
that speaks so much
about Christ's high priesthood,
how in chapter 7,
among many other things,
it says this,
from verse 23,
contrasting Jesus
with the former priests
of the Old Testament,
the former priests
were many in number
because they were prevented
by death
from continuing
in office,
but He holds
His priesthood
permanently
because He
continues
forever.
Consequently,
He is able to save
to the uttermost
those who draw near
to God
through Him
since He always lives
to make
intercession
for them.
It is the Hebrews version,
if you like,
of what we're saying here
from Luke's Gospel.
The continuing life
of Jesus
for His people
is a life
of continuing
blessing for them
under His priesthood,
under His direction,
under His own intercession.
A life willing
to be led by Christ,
a life secure
within Christ's intercession,
a life rejoicing
in worshiping Christ.
You notice how
the passage ends.
They worshipped Him
and returned
to Jerusalem
with great joy
and were continually
in the temple
blessing God.
They were not downcast
that He had left,
that He had disappeared
from sight.
They were not afraid
that there were just
such a few people
surrounded by
so many opponents.
They returned
with great joy.
Here's the question
for you
and for me today.
Am I joyful
in the worship
of God?
Am I joyful
in my faith
in my following
of Christ?
Am I joyful
in my being led
by Him?
Do I know
this joy
as something
not only that I want
to find in my life
but I want to see
increased in my life?
They returned
with great joy,
not just joy
but great joy.
They were rejoicing
in worshiping Christ.
Is our worship
a joyful worship?
If it is,
do we want
that joyful worship
to spill over
that others
will experience it as well?
Surely we do.
And let's pray
that as we go
through this year
and seek to follow
the leadership
of Christ Himself
that more and more
we will actually
enjoy worshiping Him.
That we will rejoice
in worshiping Him.
That we'll have
this great joy
that these disciples
had as they
worshiped Him
and as they
returned to Jerusalem
with great joy.
I mean being led
by the risen Jesus
and being safe
and secure
under the intercession
of the risen
exalted Jesus.
Surely that should be
the source of our joy
that our life is lived
under His direction
and safely and securely
under His intercession.
What is there to fear?
Why should we be afraid
of the world?
Why should we be afraid
of the world seeing us
rejoicing in Christ?
Of course we shouldn't.
And isn't it today
our privilege
not only to worship Jesus
but to worship Him joyfully.
To express our joy
through reading
the Word of God.
Through hearing the Word
preached
and through preaching it.
And to especially express
that in prayer
and in the singing
of His praises
that we will do it
in a way that shows
that we are joyful
in worshiping God
in worshiping the Savior.
And you see
continually
they were in the temple
blessing God.
And what's that saying to us?
It's saying to us
that there they were
having seen Jesus
having been spoken to
by Jesus
having been blessed
by Jesus
having seen Him
departing with His hands
and blessings
still lifted over them.
they returned
with great joy
and in that rejoicing
they were continually
in the temple.
In other words
they were committed
to His service
committed to His worship
to continue
with His worship.
Luke
has a volume 2
of the account
of Jesus' life.
And volume 2
of Luke's account
is in the book of Acts.
The book of Acts
is a continuation
really of the story
of Jesus
as told by Luke.
And it's still
the story of Jesus
even though you might
think of the book of Acts
as to do primarily
as it is with
the church
and the increase
of the church
and the way the gospel
through the church
of the time
then spread out
into the Gentile world.
Yes, but it's still
the story of Jesus.
He is the one
who through His blessing
and His blessing
of the gospel
is actually behind
that great increase
in the number
of believers
and in the effectiveness
of the gospel
through them.
And so volume 2
of Luke's account
continues
the story of Jesus.
The story of the risen Christ.
The Christ who died
and rose again
and was taken up
to glory.
And in that gospel
in the Acts
rather
chapter 1
and verse 8
He said to them
just before He left them
and again
He's saying to them
that they were going
to be His witnesses
in that local area
Samaria, Jerusalem
and to the ends
of the earth.
That means you and I
that we are to be
the witnesses
for Jesus
who are led by Him
in our lives
who are secure
within His intercession
who rejoice
in worshiping Him
and that we communicate
that to the world
in which we live.
That's why we exist
in this world
as Christians
as believers
in Christ
not only to rejoice
in Him
and to enjoy Him
for ourselves
but to commend Him
and to speak of Him
and to present Him
to the world
around us
to the ends
of the earth.
That is now
our task.
So as this year
goes by
may we be
more and more
willing to be led
by Jesus.
May we have
more and more
comfort from knowing
of a life secure
under the intercession
of Jesus.
And may we be
more and more
a people
rejoicing
and worshipping
Jesus
and seeking
to make Him known
even to the ends
of the earth.
after all
we have
His own
other
other words
in the other
Gospel of Matthew
we have His
words
with which
the Gospel of Matthew
closes
having given
direction
and command
to make disciples
of all nations
given that He
has been given
all authority
in heaven and earth
go and make
disciples
of all nations.
He makes
the converts
we make
the disciples.
Discipleship
is part of
the way in which
the church's
evangelism
is carried out
making of
disciples.
It's not our
business
or our ability
to convert
people
but it is our
privilege and our
business to make
disciples
to gather
people
under the
headship of
Christ.
And what did He
say?
How did He finish?
what is it
especially that
encourages us
more than anything
else?
Lo,
behold,
I am with
you
to the end
of the age.
The Jesus
who leads
His people,
the Jesus
whose intercession
brings security
to His people,
the Jesus
who is worshipped
joyfully by His
people,
is the Jesus
who assures
them,
I am with
you.
And when He
is with you,
it doesn't
matter who's
against you,
who's seeing
you,
who's disagreeing
with you,
if He is
with you,
it is well
with your
soul.
Let's pray.
eternal God,
we give
thanks today
for the
gospel.
We give
thanks for
that gospel
that brings
to us
such a
message of
hope.
We bless
you that at
the beginning
of this
new year,
we are
able,
through your
own word,
to realize
the importance
of being led
by you.
Lord,
we pray
for willing
hearts.
We pray
for hearts
that will be
willing to
serve you,
to worship
you,
to be
witnesses
to you,
to be led
by you,
to be safe
under your
own intercession.
Help us,
Lord,
to be glad
in you,
and help us
to commend
you to the
world around
us as the
only one in
whom we can
find the
satisfaction for
which you
created us.
So hear us,
we pray now,
and continue
with us
throughout this
day,
pardoning our
sin and
accepting us
for Jesus'
sake.
Amen.
Well,
our final
psalm is
Psalm 68,
psalm we
quoted from,
read part of
earlier.
Psalm 68,
verses 18 to
20,
on page 303,
so it's in the
Scottish Psalter,
singing to
Tune Sheffield,
Thou hast,
O Lord,
most glorious,
ascended up on
high,
and in triumph
victorious led
captive
captivity.
Thou hast
received gifts
for men,
for such as
did rebel,
yea,
even for
them,
that God
the Lord
in midst
of them
might dwell.
Psalm 68,
verses 18 to
20.
Amen.
Thou hast,
O Lord,
most glorious,
ascended upon
high,
and in triumph
victorious led,
captive,
captivity.
Thou hast
received gifts
for men,
for such as
did rebel,
yea,
in for them
that God
the Lord
in midst
of them
might dwell.
Blessed
be the
Lord
who is
to us
of our
salvation
God,
who
daily
with
its
benefits
as
plenteously
doth
Lord.
He
of
salvation
is
our God
who is
our God
most
strong,
and
unto
God
the
Lord
from
death
he
is
used
to
belong.
After the
benediction,
I'll go to
the main
door.
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 ever
more.
Amen.
of
the
el
Lord
the
loving
of
the
son
of
the
more.
Thank you.