WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.440 Jesus, Saviour, risen not to reign. 00:00:06.960 --> 00:00:14.080 Behold our God, seated on His throne. 00:00:15.099 --> 00:00:19.080 Come, let us adore Him. 00:00:19.500 --> 00:00:26.359 Behold our King, nothing can compare. 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:33.920 Come, let us adore Him. 00:00:50.920 --> 00:00:54.840 I should have said a very warm welcome to any who are visiting with us this morning. 00:00:54.840 --> 00:01:00.580 It's always great to have friends joining us from different parts of the city and from different countries of the world. 00:01:00.720 --> 00:01:01.920 So, warm welcome. 00:01:02.620 --> 00:01:06.060 As we have joined our voices in praising God, let's now unite our hearts. 00:01:06.300 --> 00:01:09.980 Let's pray to the God who is worthy of all praise. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:11.180 To the God who knows. 00:01:11.320 --> 00:01:12.379 To the God who sees. 00:01:12.780 --> 00:01:14.020 And to the God who cares. 00:01:14.520 --> 00:01:15.060 Let's pray. 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:19.540 Father in heaven, we thank you that you are seated on a throne. 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:21.760 That you are high and lifted up. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:24.020 That you are powerful yet personal. 00:01:24.380 --> 00:01:27.380 That you are the one who is over and above all things. 00:01:27.500 --> 00:01:35.040 And yet you are actively and personally and powerfully involved in the life of this planet. 00:01:35.380 --> 00:01:37.380 And in the lives of its people. 00:01:38.200 --> 00:01:41.120 Father in heaven, we pray that we would be lifted up. 00:01:41.540 --> 00:01:43.400 That our voices would be lifted up. 00:01:43.500 --> 00:01:45.120 That our eyes would be lifted up. 00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:50.740 That our hearts and our minds and our lives would be raised to behold you. 00:01:50.740 --> 00:01:53.620 To see you as you are. 00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:57.420 And in turn to see ourselves as we are. 00:01:58.020 --> 00:01:59.100 Made in your image. 00:01:59.480 --> 00:02:01.900 Precious and infinitely valuable. 00:02:02.900 --> 00:02:07.659 And yet we recognize that there is a vast gulf between the creator and the creature. 00:02:07.659 --> 00:02:12.299 The vast gulf between the one who is altogether pure, holy and righteous. 00:02:12.859 --> 00:02:14.699 And a people that we are. 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:20.500 And we thank you that you have come to fix what we have broken. 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:23.340 You've come to restore what we have lost. 00:02:23.740 --> 00:02:28.019 You've come to solve the problem that we ourselves have caused. 00:02:28.359 --> 00:02:31.039 And which we are incapable of solving ourselves. 00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:33.879 So we thank you for the message of hope. 00:02:34.259 --> 00:02:35.319 And the message of comfort. 00:02:35.699 --> 00:02:37.019 And the message of restoration. 00:02:37.239 --> 00:02:38.259 And the message of redemption. 00:02:38.840 --> 00:02:43.859 That we find in none other than your son, the Lord Jesus, our Savior. 00:02:44.500 --> 00:02:46.680 And we pray that as this new year commences. 00:02:46.919 --> 00:02:48.060 That he would be the theme. 00:02:48.579 --> 00:02:50.500 He would be the theme of all of our praise. 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:53.060 He would be the center of all of our worship. 00:02:53.399 --> 00:02:57.299 That he would be the reason why we exist corporately as a church. 00:02:57.300 --> 00:03:02.400 And the reason why we live and breathe and have our being here on earth. 00:03:03.040 --> 00:03:07.280 Heavenly Father, we recognize that as we gather together we are in desperate need. 00:03:07.800 --> 00:03:11.240 Desperate need of strength because we are so naturally weak. 00:03:11.760 --> 00:03:14.540 Desperate need of wisdom because we are naturally foolish. 00:03:15.100 --> 00:03:19.400 Desperate need of grace because we have sinned and we have fallen short. 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:25.080 We thank you that we have an ample and abundant supply of all that we require. 00:03:25.080 --> 00:03:27.000 The God who is all powerful. 00:03:27.480 --> 00:03:29.040 The God who is all wise. 00:03:29.440 --> 00:03:31.140 The God who is rich in mercy. 00:03:31.700 --> 00:03:39.260 So shower upon us every blessing as we come to you in that precious, personal, and powerful name of Jesus. 00:03:39.720 --> 00:03:41.600 Your son, our Savior. 00:03:42.300 --> 00:03:42.580 Amen. 00:03:43.480 --> 00:03:44.000 Amen. 00:03:44.660 --> 00:03:48.640 In just a moment when we sing we're going to lift the offering. 00:03:49.020 --> 00:03:54.020 The offering that will support the work of this church and the wider work of the free church. 00:03:54.020 --> 00:04:04.080 For example, when we give to the church, whether you give online or by standing order or in person, you support theological education. 00:04:04.740 --> 00:04:06.400 Keeps people like me off the streets. 00:04:06.520 --> 00:04:09.880 So I'm delightful that you provide a job for me. 00:04:10.340 --> 00:04:12.219 The central administration of the church. 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:13.660 The free church camps. 00:04:14.320 --> 00:04:20.000 So what we give here benefits us but has a wider resonance. 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:24.240 So as we give, let us give cheerfully and joyfully. 00:04:24.620 --> 00:04:30.920 Whether in person, as I said, or many of us who give online through standing orders. 00:04:31.399 --> 00:04:35.459 Our hymn that we're going to be singing is The Battle and the Blessing. 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:36.680 This is the hymn of the month. 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:39.399 We'll be singing this through the month of January. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:41.620 So let's join our voices. 00:04:41.779 --> 00:04:46.939 Let's stand and we are going to sing The Battle and the Blessing. 00:04:46.939 --> 00:05:06.800 We did not bear the wounds that freed us. 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:26.800 Let's do verse one again. 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:35.480 We did not bear the wounds that freed us. 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:35.480 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:40.020 Walk the road to Calvary. 00:05:42.819 --> 00:05:47.160 We did not share your cup of suffering. 00:05:48.540 --> 00:05:52.759 And yet we share your victory. 00:05:52.759 --> 00:06:03.879 We did not wear that heavy burden. 00:06:04.839 --> 00:06:09.000 Nor face the shame and agony. 00:06:11.879 --> 00:06:16.399 A crown of thorns was placed upon you. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:22.679 Now we are crowned with love and peace. 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:29.399 Praise the Lord my God. 00:06:30.239 --> 00:06:34.359 Now I am free at the cross. 00:06:34.599 --> 00:06:38.859 Your grace took hold of me. 00:06:38.859 --> 00:06:42.019 There you paid my debt. 00:06:42.439 --> 00:06:45.060 There you fought my fight. 00:06:45.060 --> 00:06:48.420 Yes, the battle was yours. 00:06:48.420 --> 00:06:52.360 And the victory is mine. 00:07:02.740 --> 00:07:08.139 You chose to be a man of sorrows. 00:07:08.139 --> 00:07:13.139 That I can be a child of God. 00:07:13.139 --> 00:07:19.419 You stood and faced this world's rejection. 00:07:19.419 --> 00:07:26.519 I stand accepted by your love. 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:33.339 Praise the Lord my God. 00:07:33.339 --> 00:07:37.659 Now I am free at the cross. 00:07:37.659 --> 00:07:42.139 Your grace took hold of me. 00:07:42.139 --> 00:07:45.319 There you paid my debt. 00:07:45.699 --> 00:07:48.379 There you fought my fight. 00:07:48.699 --> 00:07:51.699 Yes, the battle was yours. 00:07:52.019 --> 00:07:55.339 And the blessing is mine. 00:07:55.339 --> 00:08:07.339 My sin was buried with the Savior. 00:08:07.339 --> 00:08:13.620 Now there is hope beyond the tomb. 00:08:13.620 --> 00:08:18.620 For you were raised again in glory. 00:08:18.620 --> 00:08:25.620 And I am raised to life in you. 00:08:29.620 --> 00:08:33.620 Praise the Lord my God. 00:08:33.620 --> 00:08:35.899 Now I am free. 00:08:35.899 --> 00:08:41.980 At the cross your grace took hold of me. 00:08:41.980 --> 00:08:45.139 There you paid my debt. 00:08:45.139 --> 00:08:48.200 There you fought my fight. 00:08:48.200 --> 00:08:51.480 Yes, the battle was yours. 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:54.320 And the blessing is mine. 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:57.620 Yes, the battle was yours. 00:08:57.620 --> 00:09:00.519 And the blessing is mine. 00:09:00.519 --> 00:09:03.960 Yes, the battle was yours. 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:07.180 And the blessing is mine. 00:09:07.179 --> 00:09:07.659 Amen. 00:09:29.739 --> 00:09:31.059 Let us join our hearts together in prayer. 00:09:31.219 --> 00:09:31.879 Let us pray. 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:41.059 father we come to the one who creates and sustains all things we come to the one who sees all knows 00:09:41.059 --> 00:09:47.240 all understands everything we come to the one who is altogether holy and righteous and pure 00:09:47.240 --> 00:09:54.399 and we come to the one that we can call our father in heaven we are your children your offspring we 00:09:54.399 --> 00:10:01.120 are members of your family we are citizens of your kingdom we are those who have been made for you 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:08.179 who have been made by you and who have been made to know you and to love you and we pray that as we pray 00:10:08.179 --> 00:10:17.120 now that we would know that we are speaking to one who is loving caring gracious and kind one who is 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:25.879 here with us who has come down to our level one who is personally for us god is for us who can be 00:10:25.879 --> 00:10:32.460 against us and we thank you that the ministry of the holy spirit is such that you now dwell within us 00:10:32.460 --> 00:10:39.779 so father we thank you that you are the god who hears the god who answers the god who is able to 00:10:39.779 --> 00:10:46.419 do above and beyond our asking and even our imagining so we thank you for all that you are and we thank 00:10:46.419 --> 00:10:53.000 you for all that you have done and are doing we thank you lord that we can cry out to you we don't 00:10:53.000 --> 00:11:00.419 even need to make sense in our prayers because you can untangle the cries and the groans of your people 00:11:00.419 --> 00:11:08.500 you hear the longings of our heart you hear the the desires of our in our minds and you are able to 00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:16.320 unravel and able to hear and answer our deepest needs father we need to know where we have come from 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:22.159 we need to know where we are going we need to understand why we are here and you provide us with 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:28.839 abundant answers to these profound questions we thank you for this wonderful city called edinburgh 00:11:28.839 --> 00:11:34.480 this nation of scotland we thank you that a growing number of people are calling this city home and 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:39.919 calling this nation home and we pray that as they come here whether they come from the east or from the 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:44.819 west or from the north or from the south whether they come from a short or a long distance that they 00:11:44.819 --> 00:11:49.939 would find a welcome in this city and that they would particularly find a welcome among your people 00:11:49.940 --> 00:11:57.400 and for any who join with us here may they know that this is where you live where you dwell and where 00:11:57.400 --> 00:12:05.820 your people are gathered in worship and in praise heavenly father we pray for each one of us here you know us 00:12:05.820 --> 00:12:12.540 you know our families you know our joys you know those causes for celebration that we have and those reasons 00:12:12.539 --> 00:12:19.240 for thanksgiving and we thank you for the giving of every good and perfect gift but you know too the 00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:27.039 sorrows you know the trials you know the anxieties you know the uncertainties and we thank you that as it 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:35.219 were our lives are books open before you and you see each and every page you know the past you know today 00:12:35.220 --> 00:12:41.000 and you know what not one of us does know is what lies ahead tomorrow so we ask lord that you would give 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:48.820 us strength even strength for unseen challenges that you would give us wisdom for unexpected difficulties 00:12:48.820 --> 00:12:57.720 and that you would be ever present with us because we need you we need your help we need your comfort we 00:12:57.720 --> 00:13:04.680 need your hope and we thank you lord that you have given to us your word that we can sing your word that we 00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:11.579 can read your word that is both an enlightenment to our mind and a word which is an encouragement to our 00:13:11.579 --> 00:13:20.120 heart and a word which directs us in our path so lord as we look back as we look back to a scene 00:13:20.120 --> 00:13:29.339 enacted long long ago might you give to us insight for today and clarity for tomorrow and lord we commit 00:13:29.339 --> 00:13:34.659 all to you now we thank you for the physical material resources that you have entrusted us with 00:13:34.659 --> 00:13:41.240 for the time and the talent and the treasure and lord as we give a small portion of what you have 00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:47.179 given to us we ask that you might multiply might multiply these givings that you might do good do good 00:13:47.179 --> 00:13:55.559 among us and do good in the wider nation in the wider church that many would come to know for 00:13:55.559 --> 00:14:03.099 themselves the grace that is ours in jesus christ so lord hear us lord help us and do us good we ask 00:14:03.099 --> 00:14:12.619 and all for jesus sake amen amen so the young people are going to make their way to junior church and will 00:14:12.619 --> 00:14:19.039 you turn with me in the old testament to one of the major prophets to daniel and we're going to read 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:27.139 this is a long chapter but i tell you what it's an exciting chapter this is high drama because what 00:14:27.139 --> 00:14:35.740 if you're not completely familiar with the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms the kingdom of assyria 00:14:35.740 --> 00:14:45.159 rose and the kingdom of assyria fell the kingdom of babylon rose and its golden era was nebuchadnezzar 00:14:45.159 --> 00:14:52.639 and that's daniel one to four but the kingdom of babylon was on the slide in fact it was coming to 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:59.959 an end so babylon was replaced by the persians if you're interested in how the story continues the 00:14:59.959 --> 00:15:04.980 persians were replaced by the greeks remember alexander he was known as the great remember 00:15:04.980 --> 00:15:12.519 julius caesar and augustus the greeks were then replaced by the romans and so it goes on nations rise 00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:21.019 and fall kingdoms rise and fall empires rise and fall but the lord is lord of all he's lord of all ages 00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:28.559 he's lord of all kingdoms we're now at the tail end of the babylonian empire the enemy is at the gates 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:36.679 literally the enemies are right at the border of the city and what does the king do king throws a party 00:15:36.679 --> 00:15:43.859 i remember preaching on this passage when i was uh in prison for those of you that know me you'll 00:15:43.859 --> 00:15:49.719 understand what that means but when i was preaching in prison i asked uh the gathering i said to the 00:15:49.719 --> 00:15:56.019 guys they said have you ever been to a party that started well but ended badly and they said yes they've 00:15:56.019 --> 00:16:01.899 been parties like that this was a party that started well and it was a party that ended badly 00:16:01.899 --> 00:16:08.659 king belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them 00:16:08.659 --> 00:16:16.100 while belshazzar was drinking his wine he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets 00:16:16.100 --> 00:16:24.079 that nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in jerusalem so that the king and his nobles 00:16:24.079 --> 00:16:30.740 his wives and his concubines might drink from them so they brought in the gold goblets 00:16:30.740 --> 00:16:37.019 that had been taken from the temple of god in jerusalem and the king and his nobles and his 00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:45.279 wives and his concubines drank from them as they drank the wine they praised the gods of gold and 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:53.899 silver of bronze iron wood and stone suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the 00:16:53.899 --> 00:17:03.000 plaster of the wall near the lamp stand in the royal palace the king watched the hand as it wrote his 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:09.440 face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:18.220 the king summoned the enchanters astrologers and diviners that he said to these wise men of babylon 00:17:18.220 --> 00:17:24.880 whoever reads the writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:32.200 around his neck and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom then all the kings 00:17:32.200 --> 00:17:39.200 wise men came in but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:47.180 so king belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale his nobles were baffled 00:17:47.180 --> 00:17:54.680 the queen hearing the voices of the king and his nobles came into the banquet hall may the king live 00:17:54.680 --> 00:18:03.680 forever she said don't be alarmed don't look so pale there is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:10.519 of the holy gods in him in the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and 00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:19.940 wisdom like that of the gods your father king nebuchadnezzar appointed him chief of the magicians 00:18:19.940 --> 00:18:26.839 enchanters astrologers and diviners he did this because daniel whom the king named bel to shazer 00:18:26.839 --> 00:18:34.680 was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding and also the ability to interpret 00:18:34.680 --> 00:18:44.840 dreams explain riddles and solve problems call for daniel and he will tell you what the writing means 00:18:44.840 --> 00:18:53.860 so daniel was brought before the king and the king said to him are you daniel one of the exiles my father 00:18:53.860 --> 00:19:00.920 the king brought from judah i've heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight 00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:07.120 intelligence and outstanding wisdom the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this 00:19:07.120 --> 00:19:15.180 writing and tell me what it means but they could not explain it now i have heard that you are able to 00:19:15.180 --> 00:19:23.560 give interpretations and to solve difficult problems if you can read this writing and tell me what it means 00:19:23.560 --> 00:19:30.320 you will be clothed in purple have a gold chain placed around your neck and you will be made the third 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:39.759 highest ruler in the kingdom then daniel answered you may keep your gifts for yourself and give your 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:46.359 rewards to someone else nevertheless i will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means 00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:55.579 your majesty the most high god gave your father nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory 00:19:55.579 --> 00:20:02.759 and splendor because of the high position he gave him all the nations and peoples of every language 00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:10.500 dreaded and feared him those the king wanted to put to death he put to death those he wanted to spare 00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:19.960 he spared those he wanted to promote he promoted and those he wanted to humble he humbled but when his 00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:27.840 heart became arrogant and hardened with pride he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory 00:20:27.840 --> 00:20:34.400 he was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass 00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:42.180 like the ox and his body was drenched with the jew of heaven until he acknowledged that the most high god 00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:51.519 is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes but you belshazzar 00:20:51.519 --> 00:21:03.140 his son have not humbled yourself though you knew all this instead you have set yourself up against the 00:21:03.140 --> 00:21:09.900 lord of heaven you had the goblets from his temple brought to you and you and your nobles your wives and 00:21:09.900 --> 00:21:17.880 your concubines drank wine from them you praised the gods of silver and gold and bronze iron wooden stone 00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:26.940 which cannot see or hear or understand but you did not honor the god who holds in his hand your life 00:21:26.940 --> 00:21:35.940 and all your ways therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription this is the inscription that was 00:21:35.940 --> 00:21:46.340 written many many many takel parson here is what these words mean many god has numbered the days of your 00:21:46.340 --> 00:21:56.019 reign and brought it to an end takel you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting perez your kingdom 00:21:56.019 --> 00:22:04.000 is divided and given to the medes and persians then at belshazzar's command daniel was clothed in purple 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:10.200 a gold chain was placed around his neck and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom 00:22:10.200 --> 00:22:20.680 that very night belshazzar king of the babylonians was slain and darius the mede took over the kingdom 00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:33.460 at the age of 62 amen and may god add his own blessing to this his from this his word amen let's pray 00:22:33.460 --> 00:22:39.180 father in heaven we pray that your word would register not just in our minds but in our hearts 00:22:39.180 --> 00:22:46.819 that we would not just be reading a history lesson from ancient asia in the ancient middle east but 00:22:46.819 --> 00:22:52.700 rather we would be reading a lesson of personal and powerful importance for us this very day 00:22:52.700 --> 00:23:00.299 we are commencing a new year help us to commence a new year with you not against you help us to commence 00:23:00.299 --> 00:23:06.819 a year knowing that you are for us with us and in us and heavenly father we pray that we would learn 00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:13.859 the lesson that belshazzar did not learn that we would learn from your word and from your truth that 00:23:13.859 --> 00:23:23.059 instead of exalting ourselves we would exalt you instead of bringing you down we would humble ourselves 00:23:23.059 --> 00:23:29.440 we thank you for the great promise that the lord jesus gives he tells us that the exalted will be 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:35.759 humbled and that he who humbles himself will be exalted help us to be in that category of men and 00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:44.879 women young and old who are humble in your sight knowing that in due time you will exalt us we thank you 00:23:44.879 --> 00:23:51.740 that you are high and holy we thank you that you are lifted up and majestic and glorious and we pray that 00:23:51.740 --> 00:23:56.839 we would honor you with our praise that we would honor you with our hearts with our minds and with 00:23:56.839 --> 00:24:06.380 our lives because you are worthy hear us and help us we pray in jesus name we ask amen we're going to 00:24:06.380 --> 00:24:12.240 sing now we're going to sing a portion from psalm 99 psalm 99 is version a and it's from the sing 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:20.400 psalms the lord reigns his throne on from his throne on high this is what nebuchadnezzar realized 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:28.040 daniel 4 this is what belshazzar did not realize in daniel 5 let's join our voices together to sing 00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:56.039 the lord reigns from his throne on high let all the nations quake he sits between the cherubim 00:24:56.039 --> 00:25:22.200 so let the whole earth shake great is the lord on zion hill exalted over all 00:25:22.200 --> 00:25:48.200 upon his great and holy name let all the nations call the king loves truth and equity 00:25:48.200 --> 00:26:14.200 the king loves truth and equity established by his might in jacob you have done for us all that is just and right 00:26:14.200 --> 00:26:30.200 exalt the lord our god with us let all the world abroad 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:32.200 the lord 00:26:32.200 --> 00:26:36.200 before his foot 00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:42.200 to worship him 00:26:42.200 --> 00:26:44.200 for holy 00:26:44.200 --> 00:26:50.200 is the lord 00:26:50.200 --> 00:27:06.360 as we turn to this portion of god's word we realize that god paints on a big canvas 00:27:06.360 --> 00:27:13.000 at the beginning of psalm 24 we are reminded the earth is the lord the fullness thereof the world and 00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:21.400 they that dwell therein this world is god's its people belong to him he's made it he's made us he 00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:31.000 sustains it and we belong to him so it's a big canvas the word of god is a big canvas the world is a big canvas 00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:39.000 and god i think wants us to recognize that he is everywhere at all times and in all places 00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:45.000 at the commencement of the university of notre dame back in 1981 00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:49.000 sorry that's how we americans call we don't say notre dame we say notre dame 00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:57.000 at notre dame uh university francis schaeffer was the keynote speaker and he said this he said 00:27:57.000 --> 00:28:04.359 christianity is not a series of truths in the plural but rather truth spelled with a capital t 00:28:05.799 --> 00:28:13.720 truth about total reality not just about religious things biblical christianity is truth concerning total 00:28:13.720 --> 00:28:19.559 reality and the intellectual holding of that truth and then the living in the light of that truth 00:28:20.680 --> 00:28:28.920 so as a christian we don't set aside a certain part of a day or a certain day of the week and say that's 00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:37.319 god's day or that's god's hour or this is god's time rather everything everything that we see 00:28:37.319 --> 00:28:43.480 comes from god everything that we know or learn is filtered through the lens of god's word 00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:48.360 and i think what schaeffer is saying i think what the psalmist is saying i think what daniel is 00:28:48.360 --> 00:28:56.120 reminding us is we need to understand the big picture the big canvas to understand something of our god 00:28:56.120 --> 00:29:02.599 to understand something of ourselves and to understand something of the lord jesus christ 00:29:03.480 --> 00:29:09.559 so this morning uh i'm going to preach a a sermon that i've prepared for this evening i'm going to be 00:29:09.559 --> 00:29:15.480 across town in in cornerstone and it's the first in a series of four and just to give you an idea of 00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:22.359 of where i'm going because there's a book it's one of these books that have literally changed my life 00:29:22.919 --> 00:29:29.720 it's um it's got a bright yellow cover it's called the dynamics of spiritual life it's written by a man 00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:39.480 called richard lovelace and he was a historian he was a practical theologian and he gave a history of 00:29:39.480 --> 00:29:46.920 revivals uh revive there's been revivals in scotland revivals in lewis there's been revivals in places like 00:29:46.920 --> 00:29:54.759 campus lang places like uh like shots uh places that you don't really associate with vibrant christianity 00:29:54.759 --> 00:30:00.519 maybe anymore but god did a remarkable thing in different times and in different places 00:30:01.319 --> 00:30:11.960 and lovely says there are two main pre-conditions when god begins a work a big work or a small work 00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:21.480 in the heart and life of life of a person he begins by establishing two key truths truth number one god is 00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:30.279 holy he's high he's lifted up truth number two we aren't we are sinful sinful in mind sinful in heart 00:30:30.279 --> 00:30:37.319 sinful in action sinful in words sinful in thought and you see when you see this gulf and it is a gulf 00:30:38.120 --> 00:30:45.720 it's a big gulf it's a big gap it's it's a gap that we cannot cross and you think well what's the point of 00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:53.400 that you've just told people that there's a god who is high and holy they are low and sinful what's the 00:30:53.400 --> 00:31:02.600 answer well the answer is not from us we cannot bridge that gap we cannot cross that gulf there must be a 00:31:02.600 --> 00:31:11.799 solution that comes from elsewhere as we turn to the bible with you know when you're when you're preaching 00:31:11.799 --> 00:31:17.000 especially you read a passage like daniel 5 it's a long passage in scripture it's a big narrative 00:31:17.639 --> 00:31:24.759 but actually daniel 5 you really need daniel 4 to really grasp what's happening in daniel 5 and 00:31:24.759 --> 00:31:33.319 it's it's referred to in the chapter itself but what we see here is a story and it's a quite a fascinating 00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:40.599 story for the first four chapters daniel though he's charting his own experience in babylon and his 00:31:40.599 --> 00:31:46.359 friends shadrach meshach and abednego what he's basically giving us in four chapters is a spiritual 00:31:46.359 --> 00:31:54.759 biography of king nebuchadnezzar what an unusual theme a spiritual biography of a pagan king who is proud who 00:31:54.759 --> 00:32:02.599 is haughty who took into exile the best and the brightest from jerusalem what an unusual subject for 00:32:02.599 --> 00:32:11.480 a spiritual biography and what's more in daniel chapter 4 we have the first person account we have a 00:32:11.480 --> 00:32:19.000 spiritual autobiography nebuchadnezzar is sharing his story and he's sharing his story with the world 00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:27.079 he wants the world to know what god has done now the emperors the ancient emperors were great they they 00:32:27.079 --> 00:32:35.079 they wanted a world platform i'm reminded of one of the emperors of uh of assyria king asher banipol and he 00:32:35.079 --> 00:32:46.039 had a way of signing all of his decrees asher banipol king of assyria king of the world and he was 00:32:46.039 --> 00:32:51.879 most important most powerful person the king of assyria was the most powerful powerful potentate of the world 00:32:51.880 --> 00:33:01.240 but nebuchadnezzar's spiritual autobiography closes on this note now i nebuchadnezzar praise and exalt and 00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:09.320 glorify the king of heaven because everything he does is right and all his ways are just and those 00:33:09.320 --> 00:33:18.040 who walk in pride he is able to humble then daniel turns daniel chapter 5 and you think okay there's a 00:33:18.039 --> 00:33:23.720 chronology here but actually what you don't see between daniel 4 and daniel 5 is two generations 00:33:23.720 --> 00:33:31.559 of past daniel is a teenager in chapter 1 daniel is a young man in chapters 2 3 and 4 daniel's an old 00:33:31.559 --> 00:33:39.559 man now daniel's in obscurity it's only the queen who kind of reminds the king you remember daniel you 00:33:39.559 --> 00:33:47.960 remember in your grandfather's time there was a man who had insight from god so two generations 00:33:47.960 --> 00:33:59.799 have passed and god is telling us something profound about himself he's telling us that he is holy now as a 00:33:59.799 --> 00:34:07.079 teacher of theology i could define the word holy but theological definitions are fairly abstract 00:34:07.880 --> 00:34:17.480 what daniel 5 does is give us an illustration in daniel 5 what do we read the enemy is at the gates 00:34:17.480 --> 00:34:23.400 it's party time let's eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die literally in the case of belshazzar 00:34:23.400 --> 00:34:29.800 and what does he do let's get the best stuff let's get the goblets you know we've got the 00:34:29.800 --> 00:34:36.440 gold and silver goblets we got them from jerusalem solid gold solid silver from the temple let's drink 00:34:36.440 --> 00:34:44.119 from those goblets so he brings the goblets in and he shares them with his nobles his wives his concubines 00:34:44.119 --> 00:34:56.839 but not only that let's praise the gods of gold of silver of bronze iron wood and stone so instead of an 00:34:56.839 --> 00:35:09.400 abstract definition for holy these goblets are holy cups they are set apart for god by god and meant to be 00:35:09.400 --> 00:35:17.880 used for his service and for his worship they are holy vessels holy means to be set apart you and i are 00:35:17.880 --> 00:35:27.160 holy people we are set apart from the world we are set apart for god these cups are set apart for god's temple for god's 00:35:27.160 --> 00:35:35.320 worship and belshazzar said this is the end of the age this is the party of parties let's get the cups and let's toast the 00:35:35.320 --> 00:35:43.559 go the gods of gold of silver of bronze wood and stone what is he doing he's taking that which is holy 00:35:43.559 --> 00:35:51.720 and he's using it for for profane and for blasphemous purposes not only does he use the cups that he 00:35:51.720 --> 00:35:59.880 shouldn't use but he uses them to praise the gods that don't exist so what does this tell us there is a god who 00:35:59.880 --> 00:36:08.760 is so holy that all things belong to him all people belong to him everything in the world the earth is 00:36:08.760 --> 00:36:19.000 the lord's and the fullness thereof now this isn't what you often see with with children and adults you 00:36:19.000 --> 00:36:26.840 know children who say to their siblings don't touch my stuff don't play with my toys that's mine that's not 00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:32.760 yours you know that's just characteristic i think of human nature we see it more visibly in young 00:36:32.760 --> 00:36:38.840 people we as adults we we disguise it a bit better this is not god saying don't play with my stuff 00:36:39.720 --> 00:36:48.760 this is god saying this is for me this is not for your party this is not for your gods this is for the god 00:36:49.400 --> 00:36:56.760 so our god is a holy god he is high he is lifted up because the holiness of god and the exaltation of 00:36:56.760 --> 00:37:03.640 god are inextricably linked when we have that great heavenly chorus and we're going to sing a hymn 00:37:03.640 --> 00:37:10.520 at the end of our service when god when isaiah goes into the temple in isaiah chapter 6 in the year 00:37:10.520 --> 00:37:17.960 that king uzziah died i saw the lord high and exalted seated on the throne and the train of his robe 00:37:17.960 --> 00:37:24.200 filled the temple above him were seraphim with six wings and with two wings they covered their faces 00:37:24.199 --> 00:37:29.559 with two they covered their feet and with two they were flying and they were calling to one another 00:37:29.559 --> 00:37:38.119 holy holy holy holy is the lord almighty the whole earth is filled with his glory the holiness of god 00:37:38.119 --> 00:37:47.399 and the exaltation of god our god is high and lifted up and our god is separate from and yet inextricably 00:37:47.400 --> 00:37:54.680 linked to this world he's the creator we're the creatures he is the lord to be were to be worshipped 00:37:54.680 --> 00:38:03.800 and we are a people who are tempted to worship other things or to worship ourselves so holiness is real 00:38:03.800 --> 00:38:10.519 god is set apart and god is set above he's not just slightly amplified you see in the ancient world the 00:38:10.519 --> 00:38:18.039 greeks and the romans particularly if you know your ancient mythology what you have are gods small g 00:38:18.679 --> 00:38:24.679 but what you have are really amplified human beings yes they are more powerful they are physically 00:38:24.679 --> 00:38:31.480 stronger they're more jealous they're more petty they you know all of our characteristics are just 00:38:31.480 --> 00:38:39.960 amplified the good ones and the bad ones our god is not like that our god is pure he can't look upon 00:38:39.960 --> 00:38:47.079 sin he is never guilty of sin he never does anything that is in contradiction to his character or to his 00:38:47.079 --> 00:38:57.880 nature and he cannot bear sin in his presence he's high he's lifted up and even the very utensils 00:38:57.880 --> 00:39:03.400 that are meant to be used in his temple are to be used exactly as he says 00:39:03.400 --> 00:39:13.400 belshazzar didn't make a mistake you see he wasn't just being a little bit careless he knew exactly what 00:39:13.400 --> 00:39:20.920 he was doing and that really brings us to our second point if god is holy and lifted up what are we like 00:39:20.920 --> 00:39:31.000 what do we do well we are characterized by bringing god down and bringing ourselves up at least three times in the 00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:39.719 new testament jesus said for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself 00:39:39.719 --> 00:39:46.920 will be exalted that's the principle of the kingdom of jesus and it's a principle that he spoke and it's 00:39:46.920 --> 00:39:54.119 a principle that he demonstrated because he who is high and exalted what did he do he became humble 00:39:54.119 --> 00:40:02.920 he humbled himself even to death death on a cross his his style of leadership he said you know what 00:40:02.920 --> 00:40:09.960 the gentiles are like they lorded over people not so with you for even the son of man did not come to 00:40:09.960 --> 00:40:17.000 be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many the god who is exalted comes down 00:40:17.000 --> 00:40:26.599 is born who lives who dies and is risen again and he articulates this principle and he demonstrates it in 00:40:26.599 --> 00:40:37.159 in practice perfectly the exalted will be brought low but the humble will be exalted belshazzar was a proud 00:40:37.159 --> 00:40:43.639 man he's king if he says bring the goblets in they bring the goblets in if he says to the crowd let's 00:40:43.639 --> 00:40:50.199 praise the gods of gold stone iron bronze and wood that's exactly what they do he's the king 00:40:50.920 --> 00:40:57.719 but what do we see here we see an exalted man who is proud who wants to do his thing in his way 00:40:58.519 --> 00:41:07.000 with god's stuff and that's what really sin is i want to do what i want when i want how i want but in 00:41:07.000 --> 00:41:15.880 so doing i'm effectively using god's stuff whatever that stuff is for my benefit in my way to satisfy 00:41:15.880 --> 00:41:24.679 my needs to satisfy my desires so you have a holy exalted god and you have a proud king and a proud 00:41:24.679 --> 00:41:29.079 king who says i'm going to use god's stuff i'm going to praise our gods who aren't real 00:41:29.079 --> 00:41:35.000 god's stuff i'm going to use god's stuff i'm going to use god's stuff i'm going to use god's stuff 00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:45.799 high exalted without sin belshazzar the pride the arrogance the blasphemy and then we see 00:41:46.440 --> 00:41:54.519 the writing on the wall party's over folks the toasting stopped the drinking stopped the celebration 00:41:54.519 --> 00:42:01.400 stopped the king was now pale because there's a hand writing on a wall writing a language that no one 00:42:01.400 --> 00:42:12.199 can read but the king realizes i need to know this message i need to heed these words and yet what do we 00:42:12.199 --> 00:42:23.559 find it's too late the message is given and i'm you see when i was mentioning before that when when 00:42:23.559 --> 00:42:30.840 there are revivals major revivals the preachers tend to preach god's holiness and human sinfulness 00:42:31.639 --> 00:42:40.440 and in the in that frame they then present the clear message of jesus christ jesus christ is a savior 00:42:40.440 --> 00:42:47.079 of sinners jesus christ has not come to make good people better he's come to rescue sinners to set the 00:42:47.079 --> 00:42:56.679 captives free to rescue to restore and to renew so a holy god and a proud king encounter one another 00:42:58.440 --> 00:43:07.079 and the difference is is that the king knew better the king knew the truth the king knew the experience 00:43:07.079 --> 00:43:13.079 that his father nebuchadnezzar his grandfather technically in the in the ancient language father 00:43:13.079 --> 00:43:17.880 was used for both the the next generation one generation above but it could also be used for 00:43:17.880 --> 00:43:23.799 ancestor so there are two generations between nebuchadnezzar and belshazzar but belshazzar knew 00:43:23.799 --> 00:43:31.079 the story of his father he knew what god had done in nebuchadnezzar's life and he knew it from the very 00:43:31.079 --> 00:43:39.480 words of nebuchadnezzar himself and when daniel had the chance to speak he says you belshazzar his son 00:43:39.480 --> 00:43:49.719 have not humbled himself yourself though you knew all this when we are gathered together to hear god's 00:43:49.719 --> 00:43:55.880 word we have a great privilege we hear the very voice of god the very word of god but yet we have 00:43:55.880 --> 00:44:03.400 a great responsibility because we not only hear it we are to receive it we are not only to receive it but 00:44:03.400 --> 00:44:07.480 we are to accept it to believe it and we are not only to accept and believe it we're actually to 00:44:07.480 --> 00:44:15.320 incorporate and live it out belshazzar knew that there was a god a real god belshazzar knew that 00:44:15.320 --> 00:44:22.199 that god had worked in the life of his family and yet all that he knew he did not respond to 00:44:24.119 --> 00:44:33.719 it seems like this is a message of dismay this this is a recipe of just simply disaster is there any help 00:44:33.719 --> 00:44:42.199 is there any hope is there any solution i'm reminded of i don't know about i i love quotations and and 00:44:42.199 --> 00:44:48.359 sometimes i i look for motivational quotations and one of my favorites comes from f scott fitzgerald 00:44:48.359 --> 00:44:54.839 you're the author of great gatsby one of the great writers of the jazz age the 1920s 00:44:55.559 --> 00:45:01.639 and he says in a letter he said for what it's worth it's never too late to be whoever you want to be 00:45:01.639 --> 00:45:08.440 i hope you live a life you're proud of and if you find you're not i hope you have the strength to 00:45:08.440 --> 00:45:14.279 start over now on a personal level i find that encouraging that you know here's words of wisdom 00:45:14.279 --> 00:45:20.599 words of comfort actually you can maybe start over if you if you haven't started well but what was 00:45:21.239 --> 00:45:28.519 scott fitzgerald's experience chronic alcoholism a very difficult marriage to a woman who was unwell 00:45:28.519 --> 00:45:39.480 and when he died he died convinced that he himself was a failure great words but of little comfort 00:45:40.119 --> 00:45:48.119 motivational but not transformational is the gospel just words to make you feel better for a while 00:45:48.119 --> 00:45:56.920 or is the gospel able to change you from the inside out and if you have the opportunity read daniel 4 00:45:56.920 --> 00:46:05.880 see what god did in the life of nebuchadnezzar nebuchadnezzar had a dream and in the dream he saw this huge 00:46:05.880 --> 00:46:13.800 tree that covered the whole earth and in the dream he saw the tree cut down its branches stripped its leaves 00:46:13.800 --> 00:46:23.800 taken off and a chain and a chain of iron or being across the stump and an image of one living in the wild 00:46:23.800 --> 00:46:34.519 and the one living in the wild that's you and unless you humble yourself oh king that will be your 00:46:34.519 --> 00:46:44.200 experience and for the next 12 months nothing happened and then one day 12 months later nebuchadnezzar 00:46:44.200 --> 00:46:52.120 is looking out on this magnificent city of babylon look at babylon look at this city that i have created 00:46:52.119 --> 00:47:01.319 look at all that i and as he was speaking at the very moment the words were in his mouth his rat his 00:47:01.319 --> 00:47:09.000 reason left him his kingdom was taken away from him and he went into the fields and ate like an animal 00:47:09.000 --> 00:47:16.199 of the field until he lifted his eyes to heaven and his sanity was restored so what do we have here we 00:47:16.199 --> 00:47:23.559 have a story of two kings one proud king who was humbled and who repented and believed and another proud 00:47:23.559 --> 00:47:32.119 king who was not humbled who did not believe and when judgment came it came with finality the judgment of 00:47:32.119 --> 00:47:40.119 daniel 4 was temporary the judgment of daniel 5 is permanent what's the difference belshazzar knew better 00:47:40.119 --> 00:47:48.199 and didn't respond belshazzar had the testimony of his grandfather and did nothing with it belshazzar knew 00:47:48.199 --> 00:47:55.799 that time was short but rather than turning to god who is real he said let's have a party let's enjoy one 00:47:55.799 --> 00:48:02.440 last night then let's praise the gods and that are not real but let's praise the gods that are not real 00:48:02.440 --> 00:48:10.519 and drink from the goblet of the one who is god says time's up god says you've been weighed in the 00:48:10.519 --> 00:48:16.599 balances you've been found wanting your kingdom has been taken away from you so if the goblets tell us 00:48:16.599 --> 00:48:24.119 what a holy god is like at the end when we're told what the words mean take all you have been weighed on 00:48:24.119 --> 00:48:34.119 on the scales and found wanting our god is a righteous god our god weighs us in a balance righteous means 00:48:34.759 --> 00:48:42.519 a standard conformity to a standard when you go and pour petrol or diesel into your car there there is a 00:48:42.519 --> 00:48:51.559 a stamp there is a on each of the pumps there is a stamp that guarantees that this pump will give you 00:48:51.559 --> 00:48:58.199 a liter of diesel or a liter of petrol at the right pressure at the right temperature so that you can 00:48:58.199 --> 00:49:03.880 be assured that when you put 10 liters of diesel in your car you're actually getting 10 liters otherwise 00:49:03.880 --> 00:49:11.799 it's very easy to defraud people the pump might say 10 liters but you only get nine no we we want if 00:49:11.799 --> 00:49:17.159 if we're paying the money we have to pay for petrol or diesel you want to get what you pay for right 00:49:17.159 --> 00:49:24.279 that means you want a righteous pump you want a righteous scale and god says i want a righteous 00:49:24.279 --> 00:49:30.440 people i want a people that measure up i want a people that on the scale of of eternity that there's 00:49:30.440 --> 00:49:37.960 a balance belshazzar you've been weighed and you've been found wanting there's no balance here you're out 00:49:37.960 --> 00:49:44.679 of balance meaning god is righteous and you are unrighteous god is holy you are unholy and again you say 00:49:44.679 --> 00:49:51.000 well what's the good news here because on that scale on one side we have god with all of his glory 00:49:51.000 --> 00:49:56.359 with all of his majesty we have god with his purity god with his word god with his truth and on the 00:49:56.359 --> 00:50:05.079 other side you me i don't balance you don't balance how can we possibly have hope how can we possibly 00:50:05.079 --> 00:50:12.199 have comfort from the story of belshazzar well here's the answer we have a god who is high and lifted up 00:50:12.199 --> 00:50:21.799 he's holy he's righteous he's pure and this god has come down he's come down in the person of his son jesus 00:50:21.799 --> 00:50:29.559 in order not that he can give us what we lack he does more than that he's not just come down to instruct us 00:50:30.119 --> 00:50:35.559 he's not just come down to encourage us he says on the scales of eternity i'll tell you what 00:50:35.559 --> 00:50:42.599 let me take your place let me let me stand on the scales or sit on the scales and i tell you what 00:50:42.599 --> 00:50:50.119 when jesus is on the scales he's been weighed and he's not been found wanting he's been weighed and he 00:50:50.119 --> 00:50:57.880 satisfies the righteous requirements the standard of god is met perfectly and personally in only one human 00:50:57.880 --> 00:51:07.720 being his name is jesus christ and if you're not yet a follower of jesus it's not too late it's never too 00:51:07.720 --> 00:51:16.119 late to start over so actually what scoff at sherald was saying there is a truth there that if you find 00:51:16.119 --> 00:51:20.840 that you're not living the life that you're meant to live you're not living the life that you want to 00:51:20.840 --> 00:51:27.800 live i hope you have the strength to start over well i'd rather put it this way i hope you have the strength 00:51:27.800 --> 00:51:35.480 to let god start your life over again at the end of a in the middle of a letter that the apostle paul 00:51:35.480 --> 00:51:43.640 was writing he put it this way second corinthians chapter 5 at verse 17 therefore if anyone is in 00:51:43.640 --> 00:51:50.440 christ he is a new creation has come the old is gone the new is here that's the gospel whatever you were 00:51:50.440 --> 00:51:56.519 you are no longer whatever you once did you do no longer whatever your status and standing was you are 00:51:56.519 --> 00:52:04.039 that no longer you are a new creation in christ all this is from god who reconciled us to himself 00:52:04.519 --> 00:52:12.039 through christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation as a minister i have one message 00:52:12.759 --> 00:52:19.239 that one message is reconciliation the god of heaven who has been offended by sin has sent his son 00:52:19.239 --> 00:52:26.919 to rescue the lost and he has sent his ministers both those who are in a pulpit but he and he equips 00:52:26.919 --> 00:52:33.239 each one of us with this new message of reconciliation listen to this that god has been reconciling the 00:52:33.239 --> 00:52:41.719 world to himself in christ not counting people's sins against them and he has committed to us the people of god 00:52:41.719 --> 00:52:49.239 the message of reconciliation we are therefore christ's ambassadors as though god were making his appeal 00:52:49.239 --> 00:52:56.839 through us we implore you on christ's behalf be reconciled to god nebuchadnezzar and daniel 5 was 00:52:56.839 --> 00:53:03.319 imploring the world to be reconciled to the god who humbled him sadly his grandson did not heed 00:53:03.320 --> 00:53:13.080 that message sadly belshazzar did not respond to the wisdom of his own grandfather god has making his 00:53:13.080 --> 00:53:18.840 appeal through us we are therefore his ambassadors we implore you on christ's behalf be reconciled to god 00:53:19.400 --> 00:53:27.160 god made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of god 00:53:27.159 --> 00:53:36.440 god the scales now balance the holy righteous exalted god has come down and we humbly accept what he has 00:53:36.440 --> 00:53:44.920 done in our place and in humbly accepting that he exalts us as his children as his people and he 00:53:44.920 --> 00:53:52.679 guarantees us that in jesus christ we are new creations in jesus christ the impure has become pure the unholy has 00:53:52.679 --> 00:54:00.119 become holy the unrighteous has become righteous and the scales that were out of balance now balance the 00:54:00.119 --> 00:54:08.759 holy god the sinful people the gospel of jesus christ that is our only hope he is our only hope 00:54:10.279 --> 00:54:18.839 god speaks give us ears to hear god has shown what he has done in the past give us eyes to see give us 00:54:18.840 --> 00:54:26.200 minds and hearts that are now consecrated to him the high and lifted up one the holy and righteous god 00:54:26.200 --> 00:54:38.280 has come down to us in order that we a humble people could be exalted in his son amen