2 Corinthians 3, verse 12. You'll find it around page 1162 if you're using the church Bibles.
!
2 Corinthians 3, verse 12.
We are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.
But their minds were hardened, for to this day when they read the old covenant that that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.
Yes, to this day when ever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts.
But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image,
from one degree of glory to another.
For this comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways.
We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word.
But by the open statement of the truth, we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.
In their case, the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God.
For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
For God, who said, let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
And so on.
May God bless that reading from his word.
Let's again just engage in a word of prayer.
Let us pray.
Our gracious Father in heaven, we do thank you for your word.
And we thank you for the wonder of it, that you are a God who speaks to us through it,
and that we see the amazing power of your word in it.
For it is a word that is able to bring light to us of the knowledge of the wonder of the glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ.
And we pray today, Lord, that we will have, as it were, that veil lifted from us today,
so that we might see more of the beauty of Christ,
and that that might reflect in us,
that it might build us up in our faith and encourage us and strengthen us,
and that we might go on from here, Lord, into this new year ahead,
in whatever it entails that we would go on in that sure knowledge of the hope that there is in Christ.
For we know that it's a hope that is unchanging.
And although we so often say it, Lord, we know we do live in a world that is ever-changing,
a world where we see so much around us that in the beginning of a new year,
it leaves our hearts with that sense of pain and grief,
when we hear of tragedies in so many different places around the world,
and when we hear of grief in the midst of families near and far,
when we see the anxieties that this world can bring to so many,
and the troubles that are so many.
And yet, O Lord, as your word says to us today,
we thank you for this ministry of hope that we have,
of the gospel and the riches of it,
and how Paul, as he wrote to the church in Corinth,
reminded the people there,
and even ourselves today,
that because of this gospel,
we do not lose heart.
And help us day by day, Lord,
that we would not lose heart,
that we would not lose faith in you.
For we thank you that you are God of gods and Lord of lords,
that you are above all,
the maker and sustainer of all things.
The universe around us,
the heavens,
the skies,
the world in which we live in,
they all declare to us the glory of God,
and the power and majesty that is yours.
And so we pray, Lord,
that you will encourage us,
that you would remind us today
that we belong to a God who is great and awesome,
and that as we put our trust in you,
that we have that great hope,
and that great assurance,
that great comfort,
that you are with us.
And we thank you today, Lord,
that your word reminds us
that you are building your church,
and that throughout the world,
you have your people.
Throughout the world, Lord,
your kingdom is coming with power.
And we know that you use so many different means
to bring people to yourself.
We know that you use your word above all.
We know that you use your works of providence.
We know that you use your spirit.
We know that you have power in all of these things.
And we pray, Lord,
that around the world today,
that people would hear and see and know of that power.
Your word being proclaimed
throughout all corners of the earth.
We thank you for the promise
that it will not return empty or void,
but accomplish all that it is sent forth for.
We do pray a blessing on your word
to all ends of the earth,
in our pulpits,
around our islands,
and our communities here,
that your word will be powerful and effective,
that throughout our land
and throughout the world
as the gospel is proclaimed,
that people would have ears to hear
and be stirred up in their hearts
to receive it and to understand it.
And we thank you too, Lord,
that even in your works of providence,
whether they are things that bring us great delight
or that leave us with a sense of much sorrow and sadness,
that still in these things, Lord,
you are speaking,
you are ministering to us,
you are reminding us
that our greatest need in this world
is to know the eternal life on offer in Christ Jesus.
And so we pray, Lord,
that in all providence
that you would minister to people near and far.
And we pray for your spirit.
We thank you for the Holy Spirit
that is so able to apply these things to us.
And we pray to know the power of the spirit in us
and through us and with us today,
that your spirit would minister to us all
in our hearts,
in our lives,
in our homes,
in our families,
and in our communities at large.
Oh, Lord,
that we would know that you are with us.
And we thank you that today
we can pray for those in different circumstances,
those in need,
those who are mourning and grieving,
those who are anxious over loved ones,
those who are unwell,
even seriously unwell for some.
We thank you, Lord,
that you are able to surround them,
to comfort them,
to uphold them,
to strengthen,
and even to speak to them
in the midst of all of these things.
We do pray comfort for them.
We pray, Lord,
for those who are going into a new year,
making plans
and looking forward to many different things.
We all may have different plans
that we are making,
but, Lord,
we do commit it all to you
for ourselves as a people,
as a congregation,
as a denomination,
oh, Lord,
as we think of our congregations
throughout our islands,
and the number of vacancies at this time,
and the need of ministers
for the gospel here and far and wide.
We do commit,
oh, Lord,
these needs to you,
asking that you will provide
in your way and in your time.
And we pray, Lord,
for our denomination,
for the Free Church of Scotland
as it ministers throughout this land
and to other parts of the world as well.
And members who go near and far,
oh, Lord,
spreading the good news of the gospel,
we pray, Lord,
blessing on us as a people.
And upon the Church of Christ,
we thank you for the foundation of it all,
the cornerstone,
who is Christ Jesus.
And we pray, Lord,
that all we do would be for his glory
and for his sake.
So hear our prayers.
Continue with us now
as we look to you
and ask your blessing on us
with the forgiveness of all our sin.
We ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Before we come and look at this passage together,
we'll sing again
in Psalm 86
in the Scottish Psalter.
Psalm 86.
We're going to sing at the beginning
of the Psalm,
verse 1 to verse 8.
You'll find it on page 340
of the Psalm books.
Psalm 86 at verse 1.
O Lord,
do thou bow down thine ear
and hear me graciously
because I so afflicted am
and am in poverty.
Because I'm holy,
let my soul by thee preserve it be.
O thou my God,
thy servant save
that puts his trust in me.
We'll sing from verse 1
down to the verse marked 8
to God's praise.
The tune is ears now.
Amen.
O Lord,
do thou
bow down
thine ear
and hear me
graciously
singing,
Let thy soul, thy gift, be severed thee.
O love, my God, thy self-answer, thou putest trust in me.
Then unto thee, my daily life, be merciful to me.
Rejoice, my servant soul, for heart I lift my soul to thee.
What thou art gracious, O Lord, and may ye true for him.
And rich in mercy of that hope upon thee to believe.
Dear Lord, my freedom to the voice of my request attain.
Then God will spite and hold on thee, for thou wilt answer sin.
Lord, heaven is done among the gods, and may with thee compare.
And like the works which thou hast done, not any more is there.
Amen.
We can turn back to our reading in 2 Corinthians chapter 4.
We read again verse 1 and verse 6 here.
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.
And then down at verse 6.
Paul here is writing to the church at Corinth with a sense of longing and belonging to them,
having visited them in the past.
Part of his missionary journeys was establishing churches.
As you see, the letters being written to the church at Philippi, to Corinth, to Ephesus, to Galatia.
There was churches being established in so many different parts.
And Paul was reporting this back to Jerusalem, where he had come from,
and reporting back to others there what was happening, what was taking place,
how he had seen many coming to saving faith.
And there was a real sense of encouragement that even in the midst of troubles and trials that they were facing as a people,
that the gospel was taking root.
And therefore, he says in verse 1 there of chapter 4,
we do not lose heart.
God is working.
And the knowledge of the glory of Jesus Christ is being made known throughout so many different places.
And he was writing back to these churches to encourage them to keep on,
and to encourage them of a sense of a wider belonging, that they are not alone.
And a new year, as we begin it, is always a time of reflection.
We look ahead.
We look ahead, maybe some of us, with a sense of excitement as to what might be in store in this year.
But we may also look ahead with a sense of uncertainty,
maybe a sense of anxiety as to what might be ahead of us in this new year.
But when it comes to going on, to going forward into a new year,
something that often helps us as a people is a sense of belonging.
A sense of belonging.
That we are not alone.
That whatever we face up to, we are not alone.
That we have others who encourage us along the way, individually and collectively.
And so as we think of ourselves as a people, we shouldn't think of ourselves just as individuals,
but as a collective body of God's people, as a church.
That is what church is.
It is about people together.
The church at Corinth was a people who were gathered together there as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ.
If I was to ask you today, do you have a sense of belonging?
Do you have a sense of belonging here?
Or perhaps, if I was to ask you, what church do you belong to?
Do you feel part of?
Do you feel a sense of belonging to the congregation here, to Stornoway Free Church?
I hope we all have that sense of being among people who are friendly, whether we're here every week,
or whether we're just visiting, or here from time to time,
that there is a sense of belonging, of being together here.
But it's bigger than that, isn't it?
It's not just a sense of belonging here by ourselves,
but we belong to a wider body of people as well.
We belong to the Free Church of Scotland.
Our denomination, which is national and even international in different ways,
is a sense of belonging there.
Do we have it?
Do we know it?
Do we experience it?
Well, it should be there for us,
that we feel part of a wider body of believers,
even other congregations throughout our islands here,
throughout our nation here,
that we have a sense of belonging to one another,
of praying for one another,
of remembering one another.
But above all, we should have a sense of belonging in a much larger sense as well,
a belonging in the sense of to the Church of Christ,
that we are not just individuals,
that we are not just a congregation,
that we're not just a denomination.
We are a body of believers that is worldwide,
a body of believers that goes to all the ends of the earth
and down through all the generations of time
and going forward until the Lord's return,
that the Church of Christ will be built,
that he is building his church,
that his kingdom is coming with power.
So we are part of a bigger church.
And because we are, we're accountable.
We're accountable in many different ways as well,
accountable in the sense of getting encouragement,
not just accountable in the sense of what are you doing,
but accountable in the sense of being encouraged.
So that together we are accountable to one another,
we encourage one another.
And we're also accountable in the sense of a congregation
belonging to a presbytery,
the Western Isles Presbytery,
which is the gathering of all the free churches in the Western Isles.
There's a sense of accountability there
and encouragement towards one another there.
And there's accountability in the sense of belonging to the free church,
where there's encouragements there
that we can pray for the wider work of the denomination.
And when we think of the denomination,
we think of the vision that it has for our country
and even for the world.
It has a vision statement of the free church,
a healthy gospel church for every community of Scotland.
And as we begin a new year,
we think of that being a prayer point for us,
for ourselves to belong to a people far and wide,
a healthy gospel church for every community in Scotland and beyond,
as we think of our accountability and encouragement
in being part of the church of Christ.
Does it seem a realistic target that for 2025,
to have a healthy gospel church in every community of Scotland?
Well, I guess it depends on what we are looking at
and who our focus is on.
As Paul was writing to the church at Corinth,
it was part of a wider body of people,
a wider vision,
that the glory of God would cover the world
as the waters cover it,
as the glory of God would be known
as the waters cover the skies,
that we would see the glory of God in our midst,
that we would see the glory of God
being spread far and wide.
And one of the great ways of doing this
is that sense of accountability
and the sense of encouragement.
Encouragement to one another
and encouragement to others far and wide.
And as Paul is writing here,
it's that sense of encouragement
in not losing heart.
Do not lose heart
because we have this wonderful light
of the gospel in our midst.
We've had missionary speakers coming to us
from different parts of our own nation
who go to different parts of the world
and there's always a sense of encouragement
and hearing from them.
Not just when we hear
that many people are being converted,
many people are being saved,
but also that when we hear
when there are times of great challenges
and great persecutions,
that people are remaining faithful,
that they are not shrinking away,
but that the gospel that they have known
is not being veiled,
but that the glory of God
in the face of Christ Jesus
is being seen in these lands as well.
And so there is a wonder in the gospel
that it reaches out far and wide
and that together we are part of this great body
of getting encouragement from others
and encouraging others as well.
I know I mentioned before
about the children going back to school
and you'll be getting report cards
at different stages along the way as well
and it's always exciting,
always good to get a good report card
that says you're doing well.
But it's not always the case.
It certainly wasn't for me.
There was always times
when you could do better, shall we say.
But sometimes you need that just sense
of encouragement.
It's not you're not doing well enough,
you're getting kicked out of school.
It's not, no, you work hard.
You've got to improve in certain areas.
There's encouragement and help to do better.
That's the way a good teacher comes alongside
and that's the way Paul,
as a preacher of the gospel,
comes alongside the churches he's writing to,
a sense of encouragement.
Imagine if we were to have a report
from the Presbytery or the Mission Board
as a congregation here,
what kind of report would it be?
They would maybe come and see what we're doing
and would maybe be praised for many things.
But I'm sure they would also identify weaknesses,
areas where we could do better.
But in it all,
there would be a sense of encouragement,
be encouraged in the gospel.
And so as we go into 2025,
we want to do so with that sense
of being encouraged,
that we belong to the great church of Christ,
that we belong to each other in that sense
where there's encouragements
in the midst of everything that's going on.
What you find with Paul is
he's writing with this encouragement
in the midst of different situations.
And there's three things here
that I want us to think of,
things that we face ourselves
and things that Paul was facing
and the church of Corinth was facing too.
And every church,
every believer faces these things.
As we go into a new year,
we face dangers,
just like Paul had dangers
that were going on around him here.
There's always things
that are dangerous for us.
There's also a sense of
there are always discouragements around us.
There are always things
that will leave us a little sense
of discouragement
and anxiety and fears.
They're always going to be there.
But above all,
as Paul is writing,
he has these things in mind,
but also he has in mind the delights.
The delights that there are in the gospel.
The joy that there is.
The hope that there is.
You find that as he's writing
to all the different churches
and as he's reporting back
to his own mission board,
if you like, in Jerusalem,
where he had left to go on his mission journeys.
He's reporting back,
yes, there's dangers.
Yes, there's discouragements.
But there's delights.
There are great things happening.
And so we can go into 2025
being aware of these things as well.
And always just to look at these three things,
the dangers,
the discouragements,
and the delights,
and to see what we can take
from each of these.
Paul,
as we see first of all,
the dangers that were around him,
he was accountable
for his part of his ministry
to report back to Jerusalem,
to the believers there.
There was a council there,
a body of people
who he would report back to.
He wasn't just going out by himself.
He wasn't doing things
just in his own way.
He was accountable to others
in the sense of reporting back
what had happened,
but also in being encouraged
by them as well.
He was sent out
in his missionary journey,
so this encouragement behind him
that there were people
praying for him.
And so as he's going about
and seeing all these different churches,
he's encouraged
and he's challenged.
And he also writes back to them.
And that's where the letters come from.
The letter to the Corinthians.
He's writing back to them
here in 2 Corinthians
to encourage them
and to help them along the way.
Corinth was a major city
to which the gospel came.
It was a large city,
a busy city
with all kinds of trade
passing through it.
And all kinds of people
were coming
from all kinds of places.
It was a diverse place.
And therefore,
it wasn't just a place
of the Christian church.
It was a place of
all kinds of faiths
and religions
and even,
some would say,
no religion at all.
So there was a mixture
of people
and a mixture
of messages.
And therefore,
people believed
in different things.
And so there was dangers
in that.
There always is
when there's a mixture
in society.
Because as G.K. Chesterton
once put it,
he said,
when men choose
not to believe in God,
it's not that they don't
therefore believe
in nothing,
but they can then
become capable
of believing
in anything.
and that's the danger
when God
is pushed out,
when God
is not thought of.
And that's the danger
that Paul found himself
in here
as he went into Corinth
and as he was writing
back to them.
There was a danger
that the people
would be pulled away
in a different direction.
And it's a danger
we face ourselves today.
We know it only too well.
Going into a new year,
there's a danger
of all kinds of people
around us.
All kinds of faiths
in this world.
All kinds of access
to different ways
of thinking
and beliefs.
It's a danger
but it's also
an opportunity.
Because it's a great
opportunity
to present
the gospel.
John Knox,
more than 500 years ago now,
one of his prayers
was this.
He said,
give me Scotland
or I die.
And it sounds
maybe in some ways
quite an arrogant
prayer.
But isn't it
a brilliant vision
to have
Scotland
as his prayer
focus
and the people
belonging to it.
That they would come
to know salvation
in Jesus Christ.
It wasn't any
small vision
that he had
but a great vision
for the glory
of God.
He knew
the dangers
that there were
at that time
of people
turning away
from God
but his passion
was stirred up
all the more.
Give me Scotland
or I die.
There was this
sense of
we need
the Lord
and this urgency
in it.
And that's really
what Paul has here.
This great passion
because he knows
the dangers
that are around
and yet he knows
the glory
of God.
The glory
that is veiled
to some.
but the glory
that is being revealed
in the person
of Jesus Christ.
And he knows
that this ministry
is not just his
but that God
is behind it.
In verse 1
he says,
therefore,
having this ministry
by the mercy
of God
we do not lose heart.
By the mercy
of God
God is in it.
And then in verse 5
he says,
for what we proclaim
is not ourselves
but Jesus Christ
as Lord.
So in the midst
of all the dangers
of different faiths
and different religions
around him
what he is saying
is that we have
this wonder
of the gospel
the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
It's not about
us
but about him.
And he also
makes sure
here of the danger
of maybe
watering down
the gospel
in any way.
In verse 2
he shows
there's a danger
here for us
as well.
But we have
renounced
disgraceful
underhand ways.
We refuse
to practice
cunning
or tamper
with God's
word.
We're not
going to
change this
word to
suit.
We're not
going to
change this
word to
make it
more palatable
to anyone.
We're going
to present
the truth
of God
because that
is what
saves.
And so
this temptation
might be there
to do things
differently
or to
use
underhand
tactics
as he
calls it
here.
But no
he says
we will
preach
the gospel.
We'll
present the
gospel in
its fullness
in its
glory and
its truth
because it's
not about
us
it's about
the glory
of God.
And so
he's reminding
ourselves
here too
the word
of God
is central.
The dangers
of not
knowing it
or of
pushing it
away
or of
tampering
with it
it's
always
a
danger
but we
don't
lose
heart
because
we
have
this
ministry
by the
mercy
of
God
we
have
the
word
of
God.
And so
in the
midst of
the dangers
that we
are surrounded
in
one
takeaway
from
this
would
be
learn
the
word
of
God.
Know
the
word
of
God.
As we
said
earlier
to the
children
when
Peter
writes
he says
always
be
prepared
to
have
an
answer
for
the
reason
of
the
hope
that
you
have
within.
So we
learn
the
word
of
God.
That's
the
answer
to the
dangers
that we
see
around
us
of
tampering
with
God's
word
of
watering
it
down
in
any
way.
Learn
and
remain
faithful
to
the
word
of
God.
That
is
key.
The
second
thing
we
see
here
there
are
dangers
!
discouragements.
When you
read the
early part
of the
book of
Acts
it's
always a
great
place
to go
back
to.
It's
exciting
there's
so much
happening.
You
see the
spirit
poured
out.
You
see
sermons
that
convert
thousands.
You
see
the
glory
of
God
working
in
powerful
ways.
But
if you
continue
reading
through
the
book
of
Acts
it
doesn't
take
long
until
you
come
upon
the
different
challenges
that
there
are
as
well
and
discouragements
that
soon
arise.
It
doesn't
take
long
to
appear.
And
that's
there
for
ourselves
to
know
as
well.
As
Paul
is
writing
here
he's
showing
something
of his
own
vulnerability
in this
way
as
well.
There
are
ups
and
downs
in
the
Christian
faith.
Even
in
his
own
ministry
work
he
comes
across
times
of
discouragement
Times
of
challenges.
And
we
are
learning
these
things
so we
know
ourselves
this is
the way
it's
going
to be.
Ministry
is
challenging
not just
for a
minister
but for
all of
us
together
when we
are the
church
of
Christ
there are
challenges
to our
faith
all the
time.
And
it's
good for
us to
hear
that
there
are
challenges
and
especially
when we
think of
Paul
writing to
the
church
at
Corinth
there
were
those
who
would
not
believe
there
were
those
whose
faith
was
veiled
as it
were
they
were
kept
from
seeing
the
glory
of
God.
And
so
for
ourselves
too
there
are
these
challenges.
We
don't
tamper
with
God's
word
but
just
because
there's
differences
around
us
doesn't
mean
that
we
back
off.
What
Paul
is
saying
here
is
we
keep
presenting
the
gospel
even
in
the
midst
of
discouragements
even
in
the
midst
of
people
who
are
not
believing
in
a
society
where
so
diverse
and
open
to
many
teachings
it's
so
important
that
the
gospel
is
at
the
heart
that
the
gospel
is
there
for
all
to
see
and
to
know
because
we
know
that
there
is
one
who
is
active
and
he
speaks
of
this
here
in
verse
three
and
four
even
is
veiled
it
is
veiled
only
to
those
who
are
perishing
in
their
case
the
god
of
this
world
has
blinded
the
minds
of
the
unbelievers
to
keep
them
from
seeing
the
light
of
the
gospel
of
the
glory
of
Christ
that
Satan
is
active
therefore
there is
all
the
greater
need
for
the
gospel
to
be
presented
and
presented
in
all
its
truth
even
in
the
midst
of
discouragements
even
in
the
midst
of
challenges
later
on
in
2nd
Corinthians
in
chapter
11
Paul
speaks
of
Satan
disguising
himself
as
an
angel
of
light
how
he's
able
to
twist
the
truth
and
to
make
what
is
good
seem
evil
and
what
is
evil
seem
good
like
we
see
in
our
own
day
and
age
again
and
again
discouragements
come
and there
are
discouragements
all
around
us
but that's
why we
need
the
gospel
all
the
more
to be
together
for
the
gospel
John
Knox
just
going
back
to him
for a
moment
one
of his
mottos
was
this
one
man
with
God
is
always
in
the
majority
isn't
that a
wonderful
way of
thinking
about it
one
man
with
God
is
always
in
the
majority
we
feel
we're
in
the
minority
we
feel
that
maybe
the
world
the
tide
has
turned
against
the
Christian
faith
but we
are in
the
majority
because
the
Lord
is
on
our
side
there
is
discouragements
but having
this ministry
by the
mercy of
God
we do
not
lose
heart
God
is
with
us
and
God
is
for
us
and
so
Paul
here
is
always
challenging
people
to be
a
people
who
know
the
word
of
God
and
who
are
thinking
about
the
word
of
God
and
who
are
learning
together
around
the
word
of
God
I
read
this
quote
just
last
week
and
said
we
are
drowning
in
information
but
we're
starving
for
wisdom
we
are
drowning
in
information
but
starving
for
wisdom
because
we
have
information
at
our
fingertips
and
plenty
of
it
we
just
have
to
look
up
a
word
online
and
we've
got
information
there
pouring
out
upon
us
you ask
a
question
there's
information
pouring
out
but
we
lack
wisdom
we
lack
wisdom
we're
a
generation
where
so
much
of
what
we
look
at
is
online
where
truth
is
seen
as
what
we
read
online
whether
it's
Facebook
or
Twitter
or
Instagram
or
the
news
that's
presented
online
we
think
there
is
truth
it
must
be
true
if
it's
online
information
is
there
but
the
wisdom
is
lacking
to
discern
what
truth
is
and
so
what
we
need
is
to
be
a
people
in
the
midst
of
discouragements
in
the
midst
of
all
kinds
of
challenges
that
we
see
it's
not
to
believe
everything
that
we
read
online
and
even
at
times
it's
to
back
off
from
engaging
with
some
of
these
debates
as
well
the
best
way
to
engage
on
these
things
is
to
be
face
to
face
and
that
begins
by
ourselves
meeting
together
by
being
together
here
as a
body
encouraging
one
another
learning
from
one
another
meeting
together
around
the
word
of
God
in
our
Bible
studies
in
our
prayer
meetings
individually
together
when we
come
just
two
or
three
of
us
together
that
we
are
meeting
together
in
that
way
of
being
face
to
face
and
the
more
we
learn
like
that
the
more
we
can
go
out
and
meet
others
face
to
face
as
well
and
to
talk
to
them
of
the
wonder
of
the
gospel
to
guard
the
gospel
not
by
going
back
in
our
shells
not
by
just
engaging
in
we
know
it
all
kind
of
attitude
but
in
a
gracious
way
of
being
there
for
people
coming
of
discouragement
and
what
can
we
take
away
from
that
we
do
not
lose
heart
and
so
let
us
meet
together
let
us
meet
together
as
a
people
together
around
the
word
of
God
but
then
as
we
go
from
here
we
go
to
meet
with
others
and
speak
with
others
and
share
with
others
in
a
gracious
way
presenting
the
gospel
to
them
the
third
thing
that
we
see
here
!
in
all
of
these
things
the
dangers
the
discouragements
behind it
all is
the
delights
the
delighting
in
God
the
delighting
in
the
power
of
the
gospel
in
verse
six
it
says
for
God
who
said
let
light
shine
out
of
darkness
has
shone
in
our
hearts
to
give
the
light
of
the
knowledge
of
the
glory
of
God
in
the
face
of
Jesus
Christ
all
here
takes
us
back
to
the
power
and
the
wonder
of
creation
for
God
who
said
let
light
shine
out
of
darkness
to
the
very
coming
into
being
of
the
world
and
the
universe
and
a
people
such
as
we
are
it
was
the
word
of
God
that
spoke
it
into
existence
that
brought
light
into
darkness
well
he
says
let
that
light
shine
let
that
light
shine
that
has
shone
in
our
hearts
to
give
the
light
of
the
knowledge
of
the
glory
of
God
in
the
face
of
Jesus
Christ
we
have
this
gospel
this
treasure
in
jars
of
clay
as it
goes on
to say
in
verse
7
to show
the
surpassing
power
belongs
to
God
and not
to
us
and we
can
delight
in
God
has
spoken
and
God
is
powerful
glory
and
you
see
Paul
himself
here
is
one
who
has
persecuted
the
church
but
who
has
come
to
know
the
power
of
this
word
of
this
glory
of
opening
his
eyes
to
see
Christ
Jesus
and
now
to
present
Christ
Jesus
in
all
his
glory
his
vision
has
been
transformed
and
just as
he
has
been
encouraged
he's
now
encouraging
others
to come and know and see this beauty of Christ.
Do we have this vision as we go on in this year?
This vision of Jesus and this vision for Jesus
to present him in all his glory.
We have a great God.
We are in the majority because God is with us.
And Paul himself was encouraged by the Lord
as he was going on in his missionary journeys.
In Acts chapter 18, the Lord spoke to Paul one night
in a vision, it says, and it said,
Do not be afraid, but go on speaking.
Do not be silent, for I am with you,
and no one will attack you to harm you,
for I have many in this city who are my people.
The Lord was building his church then,
and he's still building his church today.
He has his people.
Do not be afraid.
Do not lose heart.
The Lord is with us.
And let us delight in the Lord.
Let us rejoice in the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ,
who has shone in our hearts.
And when he has shone in our hearts,
we cannot but reflect that glory.
If you look on the back of your bulletin sheet,
you see the New Year's resolutions
that Mordor Martin was speaking about.
Number four, it says,
That our lamps shine more brightly.
Isn't that a great way to go into the New Year?
That our light, our lamps would shine more brightly.
That the reflection of that would be
the face of Jesus Christ in us,
who has shone into our hearts.
Many years ago,
there were men panning for gold
in America and Montana.
And one of them found an unusual stone.
And he broke it open.
And around him,
there was a sense of joy
as they saw this gold
glistening in this stone.
And they started to work where they were there
and discovered an abundance of gold
in the stones there.
And there was a shout of delight.
There was a shout of rejoicing.
We found the treasure we'd been looking for.
And they decided to keep it to themselves.
But they had to go back
into the town for stores
before they could continue
just digging the gold out.
And so they went,
these men went back to the town
and they bought their stores.
And as they were leaving,
all of a sudden,
there was hundreds of people
coming behind them.
And they realized,
these people know.
And they thought someone
has told them something.
And so one man turned to the crowd
and said,
who said that we'd found gold?
And they said,
no one did.
But your faces shone and showed it.
The excitement they couldn't contain.
The joy in what they found,
they couldn't hide it.
It was there for all to see
without a word being said.
So wouldn't it be wonderful
ourselves to go
into this year
with our lamps
shining more brightly.
With the beauty of Christ
in our hearts
being seen by others
without a word being said.
but just by the way
that we behave,
the way that we act,
the way that we speak,
that people would know
that we have been with Jesus.
The church in Corinth
grew in the midst
of all kinds of dangers
and all kinds of discouragements.
Why?
Because the people
were delighting in the Lord.
There was a sense of delight
and rejoicing in the Lord.
So let us
know the word of God.
Let us meet together
around the word of God.
And let us,
let Christ shine
through us
the glory that is His.
The one who has come
to save us
from our sins.
That we would have
a sense of belonging.
Not just as a congregation
and a people here
where we encourage
one another.
But that we're encouraged
throughout our presbytery,
throughout our denomination,
throughout the world
that the church of Christ
is being built
upon the foundation
of Christ Himself.
And His glory
is being seen
to all ends
of the earth.
And may that glory
be ours
within us
and coming through us
and being shared
with others.
The knowledge
of the glory of God
in the face
of Jesus Christ.
may we be encouraged
to show it
and to share it
with others
and to live
in the light of it
going on
in this year ahead,
whatever it entails.
There's always dangers.
There's always
discouragements.
But don't forget
that with God
on our side
we are in a majority
and that we can
delight
in Him.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven
we do rejoice
in the Gospel
and all the hope
that it gives.
We thank You
for the delight
that there is
in knowing Christ
and in making Him known.
And we do pray,
Lord,
that the lamps
of our hearts
would shine
all the more brightly
that others would see
and know
the wonder
of the Saviour
we love and serve.
So hear our prayers
and continue with us,
Lord,
today
and in all the days ahead
as we ask all
in Jesus' name
and for His sake.
Amen.
We're going to conclude
by singing in Psalm 86 again,
the Scottish Psalter version.
The tune is Evan,
page 341.
We'll sing the last three stanzas.
Verse 15,
But thou art full of pity, Lord,
a God most gracious,
longsuffering and in thy truth
and mercy plenteous.
We'll sing from verse 15
down to the end of the psalm
to God's praise.
Amen.
But thou art full of pity, Lord,
a God most gracious,
and mercy plentious.
Longsuffering and in thy truth
and mercy plentious.
O come to me, my condemnation,
and mercy on thee, God.
I serve the strength,
The Lord has strengthened and the Son of Thy own hand is saved.
Go ye aside for good than me, which to thee it may see.
And ye ashamed because the Lord is held and fought for thee.
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left. We'll close with the benediction.
Now may grace, mercy and peace from God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore. Amen.
Amen.