WEBVTT

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 Begin our worship now. We're going to sing firstly today from Psalm 122, and that's on page 416,

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 singing the whole psalm to the Tune Free Church.

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 I joyed when to the house of God go up, they said to me, Jerusalem within thy gates,

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 our feet shall standing be. Jerusalem as a city is compactly built together,

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 and to that place the tribes go up, the tribes of God go thither. Back to the days of Israel

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 in the Old Testament, when they used to go up to the temple to meet together there, various festivals

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 and times of worship. And the emphasis in the psalm is one of great joy, which should characterize us

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 as we come before God, to be joyous in His presence, to rejoice in His salvation, to actually have our

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 hearts stirred as we come to realize the privilege that is ours every time we come together as

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 worshipers together. So, Psalm 122, we stand for the singings. If you're able to stand,

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 I joyed when to the house of God.

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 I joyed when to the house of God.

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 Go up, they said to me, Jerusalem within thy gates, our feet shall standing be.

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 Jerusalem as a city is compactly built together, and to that place the tribes go up, the tribes

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 of God.

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 Jerusalem as a city is compactly built together, and to that place the tribes of God.

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 To Israel's testimony, where to God's name come to pray, for thrones of judgment came the thrones of the

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 of David's house first day.

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 Jerusalem as a city is compactly built together, and to that place the earth has been

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 filled with us and filled with us. And the land of Jerusalem has been filled with us, and

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 the land of Jerusalem may have peace and felicity. Let them that love thee and thy

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 And thy peace have still prosperity.

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 Therefore I wish that peace may still

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 within thy walls remain.

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 And ever may thy power see, prosperity retain.

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 Now for my friends and brethren's sakes,

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 peace be in thee I'll say.

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 And for the house of God our Lord,

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 I'll seek thy good always.

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 Now we're going to join together briefly in prayer.

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 And prayer at this point is particularly for the young folks

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 and for the Sunday school.

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 So let's bow our heads to pray.

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 Our gracious and eternal God,

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 we give thanks today that we're able to meet in this way here,

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 in this place of worship.

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 And we give thanks that as we do so,

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 we have our young people with us.

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 We thank you, Lord, for the valuable place they have in the congregation.

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 And we pray for them today as they meet together in Sunday school

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 and other activities.

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 And we thank you for all who come

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 and for all parents who bring children and grandparents

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 to be joined together with us in worship

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 and to meet together in the Sunday school.

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 Bless, we pray, each and every one of these young lives.

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 And we pray as they begin a new session

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 that you would help those who teach them and lead them

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 as we give thanks for them too.

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 We ask, O Lord, that your blessing will follow them,

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 that they may come to be more and more rooted in your truth,

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 that their lives may be developed and be shaped by your word,

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 that they may be able to resist the many different ways

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 in which the world around us

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 seeks to pull us away from those things that are important,

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 those things that are conducive to our growth

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 in righteousness and holiness and the biblical morality.

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 And, Lord, we ask for your Holy Spirit

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 to bless all of these young lives today.

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 Be pleased now, we pray, to go before us

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 in the remainder of the service, hear this, our prayer,

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 and pardon our sin for Jesus' sake.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Right, before you go through,

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 I'm just going to say a few words to you,

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 for the young folks especially.

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 It's for the older ones too, I'm sure,

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 but it's for the young folks especially.

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 Right, hands up, children,

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 all of those of you who like spiders.

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 Whoops.

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 Nobody likes spiders.

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 Oh, there's some of the backs, eh?

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 Yes, they like spiders.

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 Well, we should like spiders.

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 You know why?

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 Because spiders are really good to remove things like flies

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 and other beasties that come into our houses

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 and actually might be carrying some disease or other.

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 You never know where flies have been

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 before they land on your bread or on your food or whatever.

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 So spiders actually kill flies.

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 They actually, as you know, they weave webs.

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 The flies get stuck in the web.

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 The spider then eats them.

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 Not very pleasant, but it's good to know

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 that spiders actually help us in that way.

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 Well, there's a story about a spider

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 or a man who really was protected by a spider's web.

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 Long ago in Scotland, this happened,

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 a man was being chased by his enemies.

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 The enemies were soldiers.

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 And they were chasing this man

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 and he was running away from them.

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 They weren't really in a great hurry.

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 They knew they probably,

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 they realized they probably would catch him eventually.

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 But he went off at great speed.

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 And when he was out of sight,

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 where the soldiers couldn't see him,

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 he came across a very small cave,

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 a very low entrance cave

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 that you needed to crawl into

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 in order to get inside.

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 So he crawled into the cave

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 and laid down there as far in as he could

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 and just waited to see what would happen.

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 And he was pretty sure

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 that the soldiers, as they chased him,

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 would actually find him eventually.

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 So he began thinking about

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 what he was going to do

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 when the soldiers actually discovered the cave

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 and saw that he was inside.

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 But as he was waiting for quite a long time,

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 a spider began to weave a web

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 across the mouth of the cave.

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 And pretty soon,

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 most of that entrance

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 was covered by the spider's web.

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 And a while after that,

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 he heard voices.

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 And these were the soldiers looking for him.

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 And they came to this cave

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 and he heard one of them

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 shouting to another soldier nearby.

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 He said,

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 there's nobody here.

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 Nobody,

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 there can't be anybody in here.

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 But if anybody had gone into that cave,

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 he was thinking,

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 it would have broken the spider's web

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 and given the clue that he was inside.

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 So that spider's web

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 protected that soldier,

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 protected that man from the soldiers.

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 And off they went to look for him somewhere else.

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 And somebody wrote,

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 when they heard about that incident,

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 somebody wrote this.

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 If God is on your side,

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 a spider's web

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 is as good as a stone wall.

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 If God is not on your side,

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 a stone wall

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 is no better than a spider's web.

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 We're talking about protection.

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 How God looks after his people

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 and how believing in Jesus

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 brings us into the protection of God.

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 It doesn't mean protecting from everything

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 that's going to happen to us in life,

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 but protection especially

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 from the result of our sin,

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 where God's own anger,

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 where God's own displeasure

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 is directed against us

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 till we come to believe in Jesus.

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 And when we come to believe in Jesus,

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 then we're protected from that

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 by being safe in Jesus.

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 Paul,

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 when he wrote to the Romans,

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 said,

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 there is now therefore no condemnation.

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 Teachers can explain that

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 to the young ones

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 in the Sunday school.

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 What's condemnation?

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 There is therefore now

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 no condemnation

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 to those who are in Christ Jesus.

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 When we come to believe in Jesus,

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 we come to be taken

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 into the protective care of Jesus.

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 And therefore we are safe.

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 We are saved.

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 We come to belong to God's people.

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 And whatever happens to us in the world,

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 we're safe

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 because we're then on the way

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 to heaven

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 where we're safe forevermore.

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 So next time you see a spider

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 or next time you see a spider's web,

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 remember that story.

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 Remember to ask yourself,

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 am I living a safe life?

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 Do I believe in Jesus

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 for my protection forevermore?

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 Or am I still not one of those

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 who are in Christ Jesus?

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 Now we're going to say

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 the Lord's Prayer again together.

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 So let's just say the Lord's Prayer

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 before you go through to your rooms.

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 Our Father,

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 which art in heaven,

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 hallowed be thy name.

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 Thy kingdom come.

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 Thy will be done on earth

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 as it is in heaven.

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 Give us this day our daily bread.

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 And forgive us our debts

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 as we forgive our debtors.

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 And lead us not into temptation,

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 but deliver us from evil.

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 For thine is the kingdom,

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 the power and the glory forever.

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 Amen.

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 Let's sing once more now.

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 We're singing this time from Psalm 42.

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 Psalm 42.

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 Again, it's in the Scottish Psalter,

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 page 262.

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 And singing to the tune,

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 Glencairn.

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 And in this psalm,

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 we find the psalmist who wrote the psalm.

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 We find him longing for God.

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 He is actually away from the people of God

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 at that time.

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 In verse 4,

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 you can see when he's thinking about

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 what happened in the past,

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 for whatever reason,

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 he's not able to join with God's people,

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 the multitude,

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 when he went with them to God's house.

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 That would be to the temple

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 with voice of joy and praise.

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 So he's thinking back to that

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 and he's longing to be back again

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 with those people of God

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 as they come together to worship him.

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 So it's like us,

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 the heart for water brooks

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 and thirst at pant and bray.

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 So pants my longing soul,

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 O God,

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 that come to thee I may.

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 The heart for the young folks,

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 the heart was a kind of deer.

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 And the deer,

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 when it's out in a desert area,

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 especially at times,

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 longs to get water if it's thirsty.

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 And so the psalmist is comparing himself

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 to these deer

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 and he himself is longing

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 to take a drink of God's word

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 in worship with his people.

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 Let's sing verses 1 to 5

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 to the tune Glencairn

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 to God's praise.

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 Like as the heart for water brooks,

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 in thirst doth pant and bray,

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 so pants my longing soul,

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 O God,

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 that come to thee I may.

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 My soul for God,

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 the living God,

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 that first when shall I near,

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 and to thy countenance approach,

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 and in God's sight appear.

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 My tears have unto me been meed,

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 both in the night and day.

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 While unto me continually,

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 where is thy God they say?

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 My soul is poured out to me,

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 when this I think upon,

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 because that with the multitude

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 I here tofore had gone.

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 With them into God's house I went,

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 with voice of joy and praise,

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 yea, with the multitude that kept

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 the solemn holy days.

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 O why art thou cast out my soul,

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 why in this soul is laid?

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 Thus God,

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 for I shall praise him yet,

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 his countenance is mine.

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 Now if you turn with me please

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 to Matthew chapter 18.

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 I'm going to read God's word there

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 at Matthew chapter 18,

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 the Gospel of Matthew.

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 And we're going to read

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 the first 20 verses of this chapter.

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 Matthew 18, verses 1 to 20.

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 At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying,

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 Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

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 And calling to him a child,

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 he put him in the midst of them

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 and said,

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 Truly I say to you,

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 unless you turn and become like children,

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 you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

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 Whoever humbles himself like this child

00:16:17.379 --> 00:16:19.939
 is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:22.779
 Whoever receives one such child

00:16:22.779 --> 00:16:24.220
 in my name receives me.

00:16:24.779 --> 00:16:27.019
 But whoever causes one of these little ones

00:16:27.019 --> 00:16:28.480
 who believe in me to sin,

00:16:29.139 --> 00:16:30.439
 it would be better for him

00:16:30.439 --> 00:16:31.480
 to have a millstone

00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:33.059
 fastened round his neck

00:16:33.059 --> 00:16:35.679
 and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

00:16:36.899 --> 00:16:39.139
 Woe to the world for temptations to sin.

00:16:39.980 --> 00:16:42.440
 For it is necessary that temptations come.

00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:44.639
 But woe to the one by whom

00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:46.000
 the temptation comes.

00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:48.480
 And if your hand or your foot

00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.539
 causes you to sin,

00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:51.500
 cut it off and throw it away.

00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:53.500
 It is better for you

00:16:53.500 --> 00:16:55.620
 to enter life crippled or lame

00:16:55.620 --> 00:16:57.899
 than with two hands or two feet

00:16:57.899 --> 00:17:00.700
 to be thrown into the eternal fire.

00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:03.500
 And if your eye causes you to sin,

00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:05.140
 tear it out and throw it away.

00:17:05.940 --> 00:17:06.960
 It is better for you

00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:08.559
 to enter life with one eye

00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:10.759
 than with two eyes to be thrown

00:17:10.759 --> 00:17:12.900
 into the hell of fire.

00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:15.519
 See that you do not despise

00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:17.259
 one of these little ones.

00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:19.339
 For I tell you that in heaven

00:17:19.339 --> 00:17:20.879
 their angels always see

00:17:20.879 --> 00:17:22.180
 the face of my Father

00:17:22.180 --> 00:17:23.180
 who is in heaven.

00:17:24.119 --> 00:17:24.980
 What do you think?

00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:27.019
 If a man has a hundred sheep

00:17:27.019 --> 00:17:28.420
 and one of them has gone astray,

00:17:29.019 --> 00:17:30.500
 does he not leave the ninety-nine

00:17:30.500 --> 00:17:31.079
 on the mountain

00:17:31.079 --> 00:17:32.440
 and go in search of the one

00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:33.299
 that went astray?

00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:35.139
 And if he finds it,

00:17:35.220 --> 00:17:36.279
 truly I say to you,

00:17:36.740 --> 00:17:38.240
 he rejoices over it

00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:40.099
 more than over the ninety-nine

00:17:40.099 --> 00:17:41.319
 that never went astray.

00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:44.399
 So it is not the will of my Father

00:17:44.399 --> 00:17:45.460
 who is in heaven

00:17:45.460 --> 00:17:47.639
 that one of these little ones

00:17:47.639 --> 00:17:48.379
 should perish.

00:17:49.659 --> 00:17:51.599
 If your brother sins against you,

00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:53.619
 go and tell him his fault

00:17:53.619 --> 00:17:55.779
 between you and him alone.

00:17:56.519 --> 00:17:57.759
 If he listens to you,

00:17:58.139 --> 00:17:59.299
 you have gained your brother.

00:18:00.259 --> 00:18:01.559
 But if he does not listen,

00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:03.919
 take one or two others along with you

00:18:03.919 --> 00:18:06.259
 that every charge may be established

00:18:06.259 --> 00:18:08.859
 by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

00:18:08.859 --> 00:18:11.659
 If he refuses to listen to them,

00:18:12.219 --> 00:18:13.359
 tell it to the church.

00:18:14.199 --> 00:18:15.679
 And if he refuses to listen

00:18:15.679 --> 00:18:16.659
 even to the church,

00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:19.019
 let him be to you as a Gentile

00:18:19.019 --> 00:18:20.099
 and a tax collector.

00:18:21.139 --> 00:18:22.279
 Truly I say to you,

00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:23.899
 whatever you bind on earth

00:18:23.899 --> 00:18:25.039
 shall be bound in heaven,

00:18:25.659 --> 00:18:27.299
 and whatever you loose on earth

00:18:27.299 --> 00:18:28.519
 shall be loosed in heaven.

00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:30.740
 Again I say to you,

00:18:31.159 --> 00:18:33.059
 if two of you agree on earth

00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:34.379
 about anything they ask,

00:18:34.919 --> 00:18:36.299
 it will be done for them

00:18:36.299 --> 00:18:37.839
 by my Father in heaven.

00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:40.039
 For where two or three

00:18:40.039 --> 00:18:41.980
 are gathered in my name,

00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:44.980
 there am I among them.

00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:47.339
 May God bless to us

00:18:47.339 --> 00:18:49.579
 by reading anew of his word

00:18:49.579 --> 00:18:50.539
 to his own praise.

00:18:51.339 --> 00:18:52.220
 Before we come back

00:18:52.220 --> 00:18:53.980
 to look at the final verse

00:18:53.980 --> 00:18:54.679
 that we read there,

00:18:54.740 --> 00:18:55.319
 verse 20,

00:18:55.619 --> 00:18:56.439
 we're going to sing again

00:18:56.439 --> 00:18:57.779
 this time in Psalm 87.

00:18:58.599 --> 00:19:00.779
 Psalm 87 from the Sing Psalms version

00:19:00.779 --> 00:19:03.019
 this time on page 115.

00:19:04.259 --> 00:19:05.240
 We're singing to the tune,

00:19:05.240 --> 00:19:05.980
 in Sussex.

00:19:07.299 --> 00:19:09.180
 On Jerusalem's holy mountain

00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:11.240
 he has founded his abode.

00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:13.700
 More than all of Jacob's dwellings,

00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:15.779
 Zion's gates are near,

00:19:15.980 --> 00:19:17.039
 are dear to God.

00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:19.720
 Glorious things of you are spoken,

00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:21.299
 Zion, city of the Lord.

00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:23.680
 Many drawn from all the nations,

00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:26.339
 as your people I record.

00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:29.380
 When you find Zion in the Old Testament

00:19:29.380 --> 00:19:30.860
 referred to in this way,

00:19:31.340 --> 00:19:34.080
 it refers to Zion as the church of God

00:19:34.080 --> 00:19:35.720
 gathered in different places,

00:19:35.840 --> 00:19:36.640
 especially here.

00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:38.580
 He's talking here about

00:19:38.580 --> 00:19:40.660
 Zion gathered together,

00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:42.560
 and how the blessing of God

00:19:42.560 --> 00:19:45.100
 accompanies the gatherings of his people,

00:19:45.760 --> 00:19:48.360
 and how God delights

00:19:48.360 --> 00:19:49.740
 in Zion's gates,

00:19:49.840 --> 00:19:50.920
 it says there in verse 2,

00:19:51.300 --> 00:19:53.240
 more than all of Jacob's dwellings.

00:19:53.240 --> 00:19:55.079
 That's generally been interpreted as

00:19:55.079 --> 00:19:59.259
 how the Lord delights

00:19:59.259 --> 00:20:01.000
 in the gatherings of his people,

00:20:01.120 --> 00:20:03.839
 even more than to meet with them individually.

00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:05.680
 So we'll sing these verses,

00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:06.880
 Psalm 87,

00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:08.380
 to Tune Sussex,

00:20:08.579 --> 00:20:09.380
 on Jerusalem,

00:20:10.380 --> 00:20:12.079
 Jerusalem's holy mountain.

00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:13.079
 Amen.

00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:49.339
 Glorious things of you are spoken,

00:20:49.879 --> 00:20:55.439
 Zion, city of the Lord.

00:20:55.839 --> 00:21:01.939
 Many drawn from all the nations,

00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:07.460
 as your people I record.

00:21:07.460 --> 00:21:15.740
 I will name as those who know me,

00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:20.819
 Egypt, Tyre, and Babylon.

00:21:22.299 --> 00:21:28.240
 Eilestine, along with whose sight,

00:21:28.600 --> 00:21:34.340
 I will count as Zion born.

00:21:34.339 --> 00:21:41.339
 Yes, it will be said of time,

00:21:42.599 --> 00:21:48.259
 this and that on here belong,

00:21:48.699 --> 00:21:54.699
 and on earth the highest blessing

00:21:54.699 --> 00:22:01.500
 will descend and make her strong.

00:22:01.500 --> 00:22:05.259
 Born in Zion,

00:22:05.259 --> 00:22:08.259
 what will enter?

00:22:08.759 --> 00:22:13.460
 Then the peoples register,

00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:20.599
 they will sing our family music,

00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:26.839
 all my pountains are in love.

00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:27.839
 Amen.

00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:32.139
 Well, let's turn now for a short time

00:22:32.139 --> 00:22:33.099
 to Matthew 18.

00:22:33.879 --> 00:22:35.199
 Matthew chapter 18.

00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:38.419
 I'd like us to consider verse 20

00:22:38.419 --> 00:22:40.859
 of this chapter.

00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:42.139
 For where two or three

00:22:42.139 --> 00:22:44.359
 are gathered in my name,

00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:47.539
 there am I among them.

00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:49.919
 This is, of course,

00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:52.059
 Jesus speaking to his disciples.

00:22:52.539 --> 00:22:54.759
 Where two or three are gathered in my name,

00:22:54.759 --> 00:22:57.500
 there am I among them.

00:22:58.599 --> 00:22:59.960
 Now, as mentioned in the intimations,

00:23:00.059 --> 00:23:03.099
 I want to begin a short series of studies today,

00:23:03.299 --> 00:23:06.220
 maybe some 10, 11, 12 studies the most,

00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:08.680
 and it's going to be on the theme

00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:10.319
 of the gathered church.

00:23:11.460 --> 00:23:12.519
 By the gathered church,

00:23:12.579 --> 00:23:13.980
 we're going to be looking specifically

00:23:13.980 --> 00:23:16.700
 at the church gathered as we are today

00:23:16.700 --> 00:23:18.680
 in a congregational setting,

00:23:19.079 --> 00:23:21.039
 and some of the important aspects

00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:23.140
 of how we gather together

00:23:23.140 --> 00:23:24.560
 and why we gather together,

00:23:25.040 --> 00:23:26.080
 particularly in worship,

00:23:26.200 --> 00:23:27.680
 though there are other activities

00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:29.660
 for which we gather together as well.

00:23:29.740 --> 00:23:30.060
 And, of course,

00:23:30.120 --> 00:23:31.640
 God is gathering his church

00:23:31.640 --> 00:23:33.000
 from all over the world.

00:23:33.480 --> 00:23:35.600
 According to the promise of the Bible,

00:23:36.140 --> 00:23:37.900
 God is busy all the time

00:23:37.900 --> 00:23:39.560
 gathering his church together,

00:23:40.040 --> 00:23:41.240
 different denominations,

00:23:41.500 --> 00:23:42.440
 different countries,

00:23:42.700 --> 00:23:44.100
 different backgrounds,

00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:44.740
 all of that,

00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:48.020
 and building them into the one church of God,

00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:49.980
 the one people of God,

00:23:50.119 --> 00:23:52.559
 wherever we're based,

00:23:52.700 --> 00:23:53.819
 and however much we may differ

00:23:53.819 --> 00:23:55.839
 from other different parts of the world.

00:23:55.900 --> 00:23:57.480
 So that's one aspect of gathering,

00:23:57.660 --> 00:24:00.299
 but here it's specifically referring

00:24:00.299 --> 00:24:02.099
 to the gathered church

00:24:02.099 --> 00:24:03.859
 in a congregational sense,

00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:05.799
 which two or three,

00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:07.920
 where they are gathered in my name,

00:24:08.519 --> 00:24:10.420
 there I am among them.

00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:14.000
 And so we're looking at the gathering

00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:14.660
 of the church.

00:24:14.660 --> 00:24:16.880
 We're actually very conscious

00:24:16.880 --> 00:24:18.980
 of the benefits we've received

00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:21.340
 ever since the pandemic

00:24:21.340 --> 00:24:23.519
 of having online services

00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:25.340
 and having live stream services.

00:24:25.700 --> 00:24:27.140
 I don't want to minimize that.

00:24:27.380 --> 00:24:29.440
 That's a real blessing from God.

00:24:30.320 --> 00:24:31.720
 But it can actually be something

00:24:31.720 --> 00:24:33.240
 of a drawback as well,

00:24:33.600 --> 00:24:36.040
 because we can come to rely on the fact

00:24:36.040 --> 00:24:37.380
 that we don't need to actually

00:24:37.380 --> 00:24:38.500
 physically attend

00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:40.960
 in order to join with a service

00:24:40.960 --> 00:24:43.120
 that's live or that's taking place.

00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:44.540
 And what we want to see

00:24:44.539 --> 00:24:45.720
 through these studies

00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:46.779
 is the importance

00:24:46.779 --> 00:24:48.180
 of actually gathering

00:24:48.180 --> 00:24:49.399
 physically together

00:24:49.399 --> 00:24:51.639
 and the benefits that accrue

00:24:51.639 --> 00:24:53.079
 to us from doing that

00:24:53.079 --> 00:24:54.559
 compared with actually

00:24:54.559 --> 00:24:55.879
 watching a service

00:24:55.879 --> 00:24:57.539
 or taking part in a service

00:24:57.539 --> 00:24:59.579
 virtually without actually

00:24:59.579 --> 00:25:01.799
 gathering with the Lord's people.

00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:04.779
 A pastor in Atlanta

00:25:04.779 --> 00:25:07.079
 called John Onwuchekwa,

00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:08.440
 I think that's how you pronounce it,

00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:10.519
 but this is what he said

00:25:10.519 --> 00:25:12.299
 at one time of his own experience

00:25:12.299 --> 00:25:13.480
 as a youngster.

00:25:13.480 --> 00:25:14.120
 He said,

00:25:14.339 --> 00:25:16.880
 I thought I hated baseball.

00:25:17.740 --> 00:25:20.299
 I watched it to cure insomnia.

00:25:21.640 --> 00:25:24.019
 Then one day in elementary school,

00:25:24.099 --> 00:25:25.480
 my friends came to the door

00:25:25.480 --> 00:25:27.500
 with aluminum baseball bats

00:25:27.500 --> 00:25:28.519
 and tennis balls.

00:25:29.120 --> 00:25:31.440
 We used cars and landposts

00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:32.940
 in our cul-de-sac as bases,

00:25:33.220 --> 00:25:34.960
 and we started playing baseball.

00:25:35.900 --> 00:25:36.680
 And you know what?

00:25:37.299 --> 00:25:39.420
 Baseball wasn't all that bad.

00:25:39.420 --> 00:25:42.660
 In fact, baseball was great.

00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:45.300
 It was suddenly engaging

00:25:45.300 --> 00:25:46.779
 and enjoyable.

00:25:47.180 --> 00:25:48.400
 We played for hours,

00:25:48.820 --> 00:25:50.519
 and the time just flew by.

00:25:51.420 --> 00:25:53.700
 It wasn't baseball I hated.

00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:56.160
 It was just watching it.

00:25:57.360 --> 00:25:58.800
 What made the difference?

00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:01.759
 Participation, he says.

00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:04.119
 The worth of the sport

00:26:04.119 --> 00:26:05.779
 shouldn't be judged

00:26:05.779 --> 00:26:07.339
 by spectating,

00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:09.660
 but by participating.

00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:11.859
 And I want to change

00:26:11.859 --> 00:26:13.220
 that last sentence a bit

00:26:13.220 --> 00:26:15.859
 just to swap the word sport

00:26:15.859 --> 00:26:17.460
 for the word church.

00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:20.480
 The worth of the church

00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:22.339
 shouldn't be judged

00:26:22.339 --> 00:26:23.839
 by spectating,

00:26:24.200 --> 00:26:26.700
 but by participating.

00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:29.700
 And that's what we're really about

00:26:29.700 --> 00:26:31.259
 in thinking of the church

00:26:31.259 --> 00:26:32.140
 as gathered

00:26:32.140 --> 00:26:33.279
 or the gathered church

00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.519
 in the different ways

00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:35.680
 in which we can see

00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:36.819
 the importance of that.

00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:38.319
 Because the Bible tells us

00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:40.580
 that it's as gathered together,

00:26:40.680 --> 00:26:42.240
 especially as gathered together,

00:26:42.420 --> 00:26:43.559
 that we grow

00:26:43.559 --> 00:26:44.640
 in our understanding

00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:45.400
 of the Bible,

00:26:45.620 --> 00:26:46.340
 that we grow

00:26:46.340 --> 00:26:47.259
 in our appreciation

00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:48.299
 of each other.

00:26:48.819 --> 00:26:50.519
 It's as we gather together

00:26:50.519 --> 00:26:52.120
 that we actually come

00:26:52.120 --> 00:26:53.980
 to grow spiritually

00:26:53.980 --> 00:26:55.220
 in our development

00:26:55.220 --> 00:26:56.559
 in a spiritual

00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:57.960
 and moral development.

00:26:58.400 --> 00:26:59.680
 It's as we come together

00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:01.039
 and grow together

00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:02.240
 and be together

00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:03.279
 and meet together

00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:04.720
 and discuss together

00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:05.839
 and worship together

00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:07.220
 that we find ourselves

00:27:07.220 --> 00:27:08.339
 using the gifts

00:27:08.339 --> 00:27:10.000
 that God has given us

00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:11.299
 for the growth

00:27:11.299 --> 00:27:12.140
 of his kingdom.

00:27:13.079 --> 00:27:14.779
 All of that is packed

00:27:14.779 --> 00:27:16.680
 into the important matter

00:27:16.680 --> 00:27:19.100
 of being gathered together.

00:27:19.220 --> 00:27:19.600
 And you'll notice

00:27:19.600 --> 00:27:20.700
 all the way through the Bible

00:27:20.700 --> 00:27:23.600
 that you have many times

00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:25.299
 plurals used

00:27:25.299 --> 00:27:26.039
 to describe

00:27:26.039 --> 00:27:27.980
 what God's people do.

00:27:28.519 --> 00:27:28.959
 If you go through

00:27:28.959 --> 00:27:30.480
 the letters of the Apostle Paul,

00:27:31.159 --> 00:27:32.059
 even when he's thinking

00:27:32.059 --> 00:27:32.879
 of such things

00:27:32.879 --> 00:27:34.779
 as being sanctified,

00:27:34.959 --> 00:27:35.799
 being made holy,

00:27:35.899 --> 00:27:36.639
 which we tend

00:27:36.639 --> 00:27:38.519
 to individualize

00:27:38.519 --> 00:27:39.459
 perhaps too much.

00:27:39.539 --> 00:27:39.799
 Of course,

00:27:39.980 --> 00:27:41.159
 we all need to develop

00:27:41.159 --> 00:27:41.859
 individually.

00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:43.399
 We all need to grow

00:27:43.399 --> 00:27:44.039
 spiritually

00:27:44.039 --> 00:27:45.480
 as individual Christians.

00:27:46.059 --> 00:27:47.000
 We all need to

00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:49.179
 be sanctified individually.

00:27:49.519 --> 00:27:50.279
 All of these things

00:27:50.279 --> 00:27:50.980
 are important

00:27:50.980 --> 00:27:53.000
 in an individual basis.

00:27:53.299 --> 00:27:54.039
 But if you go through

00:27:54.039 --> 00:27:55.559
 the letters of the Apostle Paul,

00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:57.079
 more often than not,

00:27:57.140 --> 00:27:58.019
 you'll find him saying,

00:27:58.460 --> 00:28:01.079
 these things are done together.

00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:03.339
 You are sanctified

00:28:03.339 --> 00:28:05.259
 as you meet together,

00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:07.480
 as you actually gather together,

00:28:07.680 --> 00:28:09.579
 as you are seen together

00:28:09.579 --> 00:28:11.400
 and appreciate being together.

00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:12.799
 All of that,

00:28:13.099 --> 00:28:13.860
 that's why he uses

00:28:13.860 --> 00:28:14.920
 the pronouns they

00:28:14.920 --> 00:28:16.019
 and we

00:28:16.019 --> 00:28:16.980
 and you

00:28:16.980 --> 00:28:17.920
 in the plural.

00:28:19.259 --> 00:28:19.860
 Pronouns.

00:28:19.859 --> 00:28:21.299
 Well,

00:28:21.459 --> 00:28:21.979
 they're important

00:28:21.979 --> 00:28:23.240
 in today's society

00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:24.579
 and for all the wrong reasons.

00:28:25.319 --> 00:28:26.299
 But the Bible's use

00:28:26.299 --> 00:28:27.039
 of plurals

00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:28.619
 is itself

00:28:28.619 --> 00:28:30.279
 significant for us

00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:31.099
 because it's one way

00:28:31.099 --> 00:28:32.359
 in which it reminds us

00:28:32.359 --> 00:28:34.679
 that we are a plurality,

00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:36.379
 that we meet together

00:28:36.379 --> 00:28:38.379
 not as disjointed individuals,

00:28:38.759 --> 00:28:40.539
 but as a spiritual body

00:28:40.539 --> 00:28:41.299
 of people,

00:28:42.079 --> 00:28:43.500
 as the gathered church

00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:44.699
 of God.

00:28:44.700 --> 00:28:47.519
 And in a world

00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:49.640
 where individualism

00:28:49.640 --> 00:28:51.080
 has for so long

00:28:51.080 --> 00:28:51.860
 been a feature

00:28:51.860 --> 00:28:53.019
 of people's thinking

00:28:53.019 --> 00:28:54.140
 and people's behavior,

00:28:55.140 --> 00:28:57.440
 the church

00:28:57.440 --> 00:28:58.880
 in this world,

00:28:59.299 --> 00:29:00.319
 the church on earth,

00:29:00.420 --> 00:29:01.519
 the gathered church,

00:29:02.059 --> 00:29:02.740
 should be

00:29:02.740 --> 00:29:03.880
 the least

00:29:03.880 --> 00:29:05.380
 individualistic

00:29:05.380 --> 00:29:05.920
 body

00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:06.819
 on earth.

00:29:06.819 --> 00:29:09.259
 There should be

00:29:09.259 --> 00:29:09.659
 no room

00:29:09.659 --> 00:29:10.980
 for individualism

00:29:10.980 --> 00:29:12.619
 here in this congregation,

00:29:12.779 --> 00:29:13.879
 any other congregation

00:29:13.879 --> 00:29:14.839
 of God's people,

00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:16.460
 because individualism,

00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:17.399
 as you find it all

00:29:17.399 --> 00:29:17.879
 too often

00:29:17.879 --> 00:29:18.460
 in the world

00:29:18.460 --> 00:29:18.939
 out there,

00:29:19.159 --> 00:29:19.759
 really says,

00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:20.799
 I'm in charge

00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:21.819
 of my own life.

00:29:22.159 --> 00:29:23.339
 Nobody needs to tell me

00:29:23.339 --> 00:29:24.480
 how to run my life.

00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:25.500
 I'll do this

00:29:25.500 --> 00:29:26.679
 because it feels right

00:29:26.679 --> 00:29:27.619
 for me to do it.

00:29:28.099 --> 00:29:29.639
 I'll think of my identity

00:29:29.639 --> 00:29:31.139
 the way I want to feel

00:29:31.139 --> 00:29:32.659
 about my identity.

00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:34.079
 I'll see

00:29:34.079 --> 00:29:35.460
 to my genders,

00:29:35.460 --> 00:29:36.559
 I'll see to all the things

00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:37.180
 that affect me

00:29:37.180 --> 00:29:38.039
 as an individual.

00:29:38.340 --> 00:29:38.840
 It doesn't matter

00:29:38.840 --> 00:29:39.940
 what anybody else says,

00:29:40.140 --> 00:29:40.620
 and especially

00:29:40.620 --> 00:29:41.200
 it doesn't matter

00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:41.660
 what the likes

00:29:41.660 --> 00:29:42.600
 of the Bible says

00:29:42.600 --> 00:29:43.680
 or the church says,

00:29:44.000 --> 00:29:45.240
 I am the boss

00:29:45.240 --> 00:29:46.539
 of my own life.

00:29:48.380 --> 00:29:49.360
 And as you meet

00:29:49.360 --> 00:29:50.460
 together as a church,

00:29:50.579 --> 00:29:51.279
 and as we seem

00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:51.980
 to meet together

00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:52.579
 as a church,

00:29:52.940 --> 00:29:54.279
 the gathered church

00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:56.299
 is one of the main ways

00:29:56.299 --> 00:29:57.600
 in which we counter

00:29:57.600 --> 00:29:59.980
 the worldly culture

00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:00.960
 of the world.

00:30:02.279 --> 00:30:03.360
 That's so important

00:30:03.360 --> 00:30:03.920
 to us

00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:05.420
 as individuals

00:30:05.420 --> 00:30:06.660
 but also collectively.

00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:08.539
 So that's where

00:30:08.539 --> 00:30:09.660
 we're coming to

00:30:09.660 --> 00:30:10.539
 this theme

00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:12.420
 from the gathered church.

00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:13.100
 And if you come now

00:30:13.100 --> 00:30:14.779
 to this verse

00:30:14.779 --> 00:30:15.620
 in verse 20,

00:30:16.259 --> 00:30:16.820
 Jesus saying,

00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:17.620
 for where two or three

00:30:17.620 --> 00:30:18.800
 are gathered in my name,

00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:21.180
 there am I among them.

00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:22.880
 And two things

00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:23.960
 really strike you.

00:30:24.060 --> 00:30:24.539
 We'll use these

00:30:24.539 --> 00:30:25.400
 just as our headings

00:30:25.400 --> 00:30:27.100
 briefly from that verse.

00:30:27.300 --> 00:30:27.860
 First of all,

00:30:27.880 --> 00:30:28.680
 he talks here about

00:30:28.680 --> 00:30:29.800
 being gathered

00:30:29.800 --> 00:30:31.360
 in his name.

00:30:32.539 --> 00:30:33.240
 As many as

00:30:33.240 --> 00:30:34.299
 two or three

00:30:34.299 --> 00:30:35.120
 are gathered

00:30:35.120 --> 00:30:36.400
 in my name.

00:30:36.460 --> 00:30:37.200
 So they're gathered

00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:38.120
 in Christ's name.

00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:39.559
 And the second thing

00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:40.859
 that comes across strongly

00:30:40.859 --> 00:30:41.960
 is the fact that

00:30:41.960 --> 00:30:43.920
 he in these gatherings

00:30:43.920 --> 00:30:45.460
 is there among them.

00:30:46.180 --> 00:30:47.480
 Christ's presence

00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:49.299
 in his church,

00:30:49.740 --> 00:30:50.539
 in the gatherings

00:30:50.539 --> 00:30:51.380
 of his church.

00:30:52.059 --> 00:30:53.039
 And the two things

00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:54.700
 are very closely connected.

00:30:56.039 --> 00:30:57.160
 Look at the context here.

00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:58.599
 It's to do with the church.

00:30:59.279 --> 00:31:00.359
 We're not going to go through

00:31:00.359 --> 00:31:01.059
 the various parts

00:31:01.059 --> 00:31:01.799
 of the passage,

00:31:02.359 --> 00:31:03.000
 but you can see

00:31:03.000 --> 00:31:04.480
 how it goes

00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:06.159
 step by step

00:31:06.159 --> 00:31:07.359
 from what he looks at

00:31:07.359 --> 00:31:08.460
 as a matter of

00:31:08.460 --> 00:31:10.179
 pastoral importance

00:31:10.179 --> 00:31:11.539
 or even discipline.

00:31:11.679 --> 00:31:12.480
 A brother sins

00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:13.339
 against another.

00:31:13.799 --> 00:31:14.559
 How you go and try

00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:15.679
 and gain that brother,

00:31:15.859 --> 00:31:17.119
 reconcile to your brother

00:31:17.119 --> 00:31:17.679
 or sister.

00:31:18.299 --> 00:31:19.259
 And if he refuses

00:31:19.259 --> 00:31:19.940
 to listen,

00:31:20.319 --> 00:31:21.419
 then you take with you

00:31:21.419 --> 00:31:22.119
 some witnesses.

00:31:22.299 --> 00:31:23.059
 You try and do it

00:31:23.059 --> 00:31:24.359
 in that way,

00:31:24.419 --> 00:31:24.960
 first of all.

00:31:25.019 --> 00:31:26.740
 And if that fails,

00:31:26.819 --> 00:31:27.379
 then you tell it

00:31:27.379 --> 00:31:27.960
 to the church.

00:31:28.039 --> 00:31:29.059
 You get the church

00:31:29.059 --> 00:31:29.539
 to come in.

00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:30.179
 In other words,

00:31:30.180 --> 00:31:31.380
 this is a passage

00:31:31.380 --> 00:31:32.820
 that's always been regarded

00:31:32.820 --> 00:31:35.640
 as a passage important

00:31:35.640 --> 00:31:36.960
 regarding the discipline

00:31:36.960 --> 00:31:37.920
 that ought to be

00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:38.620
 taking place

00:31:38.620 --> 00:31:39.100
 in the church.

00:31:39.160 --> 00:31:39.600
 Now, don't think

00:31:39.600 --> 00:31:40.779
 of the word discipline

00:31:40.779 --> 00:31:41.799
 as just punishment.

00:31:43.140 --> 00:31:44.460
 Discipline is a matter

00:31:44.460 --> 00:31:45.460
 of order,

00:31:45.680 --> 00:31:46.420
 keeping order,

00:31:46.600 --> 00:31:47.880
 keeping good order

00:31:47.880 --> 00:31:49.279
 in the church.

00:31:49.320 --> 00:31:50.640
 And it's an important feature

00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:51.600
 of the church

00:31:51.600 --> 00:31:52.640
 described in the Bible.

00:31:52.740 --> 00:31:53.560
 I'm not going to go into that,

00:31:53.620 --> 00:31:54.480
 but it's the context.

00:31:54.519 --> 00:31:55.320
 That's the context

00:31:55.320 --> 00:31:56.480
 in which Jesus

00:31:56.480 --> 00:31:57.799
 is speaking these words.

00:31:57.799 --> 00:31:59.220
 And then he widens it out

00:31:59.220 --> 00:32:01.539
 by talking about

00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:03.700
 those who ask God,

00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:04.740
 the Father in heaven.

00:32:05.119 --> 00:32:05.879
 And verse 19,

00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:06.899
 if two of you agree

00:32:06.899 --> 00:32:08.500
 on earth about anything

00:32:08.500 --> 00:32:09.039
 they ask,

00:32:09.079 --> 00:32:10.059
 it will be done for them

00:32:10.059 --> 00:32:11.740
 by my Father in heaven.

00:32:11.799 --> 00:32:12.379
 And that takes you

00:32:12.379 --> 00:32:12.980
 into the area

00:32:12.980 --> 00:32:14.000
 of prayer

00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:15.799
 and of being together

00:32:15.799 --> 00:32:16.480
 in prayer

00:32:16.480 --> 00:32:17.619
 and of having

00:32:17.619 --> 00:32:19.139
 God's people

00:32:19.139 --> 00:32:20.619
 sharing in prayer

00:32:20.619 --> 00:32:21.639
 to God the Father

00:32:21.639 --> 00:32:23.220
 and seeking His blessing.

00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:24.460
 And then it widens out

00:32:24.460 --> 00:32:25.119
 even further,

00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:25.500
 I think,

00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:26.579
 in verse 20,

00:32:26.680 --> 00:32:27.660
 where two or three

00:32:27.660 --> 00:32:28.960
 are gathered in my name.

00:32:29.900 --> 00:32:30.359
 In other words,

00:32:30.440 --> 00:32:31.420
 it's moving out

00:32:31.420 --> 00:32:31.920
 of the area

00:32:31.920 --> 00:32:32.700
 of just looking

00:32:32.700 --> 00:32:33.460
 at the discipline

00:32:33.460 --> 00:32:34.200
 of the church

00:32:34.200 --> 00:32:35.900
 into all kinds

00:32:35.900 --> 00:32:36.460
 of gatherings,

00:32:36.599 --> 00:32:37.500
 especially worship

00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:38.579
 gatherings of the church,

00:32:38.740 --> 00:32:40.220
 where two or three people

00:32:40.220 --> 00:32:41.519
 are gathered together

00:32:41.519 --> 00:32:42.960
 in my name.

00:32:44.099 --> 00:32:45.119
 I am there

00:32:45.119 --> 00:32:46.539
 in the midst.

00:32:48.380 --> 00:32:49.539
 And that word gathered

00:32:49.539 --> 00:32:50.700
 is very close,

00:32:50.779 --> 00:32:51.059
 actually,

00:32:51.180 --> 00:32:52.180
 to another passage

00:32:52.180 --> 00:32:52.740
 we'll look at,

00:32:52.779 --> 00:32:53.160
 God willing,

00:32:53.440 --> 00:32:53.880
 in the course

00:32:53.880 --> 00:32:54.440
 of these studies,

00:32:54.540 --> 00:32:56.240
 in Hebrews chapter 10,

00:32:56.680 --> 00:32:57.900
 where the writer

00:32:57.900 --> 00:32:58.540
 to the Hebrews

00:32:58.540 --> 00:32:59.160
 was aware

00:32:59.160 --> 00:33:00.120
 that some people

00:33:00.120 --> 00:33:01.340
 were just drifting away

00:33:01.340 --> 00:33:02.540
 and falling away

00:33:02.540 --> 00:33:04.080
 from being gathered together

00:33:04.080 --> 00:33:05.080
 or didn't want to gather

00:33:05.080 --> 00:33:06.320
 anymore with God's people.

00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:07.840
 And he says to them

00:33:07.840 --> 00:33:10.080
 in terms of their hope

00:33:10.080 --> 00:33:10.880
 and their faith

00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:11.800
 and all the rest of it,

00:33:12.260 --> 00:33:13.260
 don't, he said,

00:33:13.580 --> 00:33:15.480
 neglect the assembling

00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:16.800
 of yourselves together

00:33:16.800 --> 00:33:19.020
 as is the habit of some.

00:33:20.300 --> 00:33:21.100
 But all the more

00:33:21.100 --> 00:33:21.540
 as you see

00:33:21.540 --> 00:33:22.880
 the day approaching,

00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:23.540
 he means by that

00:33:23.540 --> 00:33:24.140
 the last day,

00:33:24.200 --> 00:33:25.360
 the day of Christ's return,

00:33:25.760 --> 00:33:26.420
 all the more

00:33:26.420 --> 00:33:26.940
 as you see

00:33:26.940 --> 00:33:28.060
 that day approaching,

00:33:28.460 --> 00:33:29.220
 meet together,

00:33:29.420 --> 00:33:30.180
 gather together,

00:33:30.540 --> 00:33:31.300
 be together,

00:33:31.740 --> 00:33:32.540
 share together.

00:33:34.400 --> 00:33:35.720
 And it's very close,

00:33:35.800 --> 00:33:37.460
 that word in Hebrews,

00:33:37.580 --> 00:33:38.900
 to this word gathered here.

00:33:39.000 --> 00:33:40.040
 It really means gathered

00:33:40.040 --> 00:33:41.980
 in a sense of worship.

00:33:42.160 --> 00:33:42.560
 And one thing

00:33:42.560 --> 00:33:43.360
 we need to remember

00:33:43.360 --> 00:33:43.880
 is this.

00:33:44.300 --> 00:33:45.820
 When we gather together

00:33:45.820 --> 00:33:46.700
 in worship,

00:33:47.160 --> 00:33:48.300
 we're not just following

00:33:48.300 --> 00:33:48.920
 a decision

00:33:48.920 --> 00:33:50.240
 on our own part,

00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:52.660
 although that's involved in it.

00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:54.440
 We meet together today

00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:56.200
 by Christ's appointment.

00:33:57.460 --> 00:33:58.420
 And that's important.

00:33:58.960 --> 00:33:59.779
 We meet together

00:33:59.779 --> 00:34:01.839
 by Christ's own appointment.

00:34:02.120 --> 00:34:04.319
 Not just that he's foreseen it

00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:06.019
 or appointment in that sense,

00:34:06.400 --> 00:34:07.640
 but appointment in the sense

00:34:07.640 --> 00:34:08.739
 that he wills it.

00:34:09.320 --> 00:34:09.760
 In fact,

00:34:09.760 --> 00:34:11.159
 he orders it.

00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:14.440
 It's a command on his part

00:34:14.440 --> 00:34:15.379
 to meet together.

00:34:17.059 --> 00:34:18.480
 And so by Christ's appointment,

00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:20.619
 that's why he says here,

00:34:20.940 --> 00:34:23.359
 meet together in my name.

00:34:24.159 --> 00:34:24.679
 In other words,

00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:26.199
 we're meeting together

00:34:26.199 --> 00:34:27.659
 under his authority,

00:34:28.259 --> 00:34:29.579
 by his leave

00:34:29.579 --> 00:34:31.339
 and by his express command,

00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:32.199
 by his appointment,

00:34:32.539 --> 00:34:33.799
 under his authority

00:34:33.799 --> 00:34:36.339
 as the Son of God,

00:34:36.539 --> 00:34:37.920
 the Savior of his church.

00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:43.159
 And in relation to that,

00:34:43.220 --> 00:34:43.599
 there's something

00:34:43.599 --> 00:34:44.400
 very important.

00:34:45.619 --> 00:34:47.579
 And that's the visibility

00:34:47.579 --> 00:34:49.920
 of God's church

00:34:49.920 --> 00:34:50.860
 in this world.

00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:52.780
 The visibility

00:34:52.780 --> 00:34:54.220
 of the church

00:34:54.220 --> 00:34:55.059
 in this world.

00:34:55.659 --> 00:34:57.320
 We are a visible body

00:34:57.320 --> 00:34:57.920
 of people,

00:34:58.000 --> 00:34:58.860
 but we're not visible

00:34:58.860 --> 00:35:00.820
 if we individualize everything.

00:35:01.200 --> 00:35:01.440
 Yes,

00:35:01.519 --> 00:35:02.840
 our individual lives

00:35:02.840 --> 00:35:03.940
 should show

00:35:03.940 --> 00:35:04.940
 that we're committed

00:35:04.940 --> 00:35:05.460
 to God,

00:35:05.539 --> 00:35:06.119
 that we're committed

00:35:06.119 --> 00:35:06.820
 to Jesus,

00:35:06.820 --> 00:35:08.620
 but it's as people

00:35:08.620 --> 00:35:09.840
 come to see us

00:35:09.840 --> 00:35:10.860
 gathering together

00:35:10.860 --> 00:35:12.700
 and as we do so regularly,

00:35:13.240 --> 00:35:14.059
 as they see us

00:35:14.059 --> 00:35:14.920
 gathering together,

00:35:15.240 --> 00:35:16.440
 then that makes

00:35:16.440 --> 00:35:17.059
 an impression

00:35:17.059 --> 00:35:18.120
 upon their minds,

00:35:18.220 --> 00:35:18.660
 doesn't it,

00:35:19.039 --> 00:35:20.300
 that why are these people

00:35:20.300 --> 00:35:20.900
 meeting together?

00:35:21.019 --> 00:35:21.900
 What is it that draws

00:35:21.900 --> 00:35:22.460
 these people

00:35:22.460 --> 00:35:23.240
 to be together?

00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:24.780
 What is it that they

00:35:24.780 --> 00:35:26.000
 actually have

00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:27.280
 as they come together

00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:28.800
 to worship this God

00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:29.559
 that they claim

00:35:29.559 --> 00:35:30.400
 is their God?

00:35:30.539 --> 00:35:31.160
 That's the way

00:35:31.160 --> 00:35:31.539
 of the world,

00:35:31.600 --> 00:35:32.200
 but they're seeing,

00:35:32.300 --> 00:35:33.059
 they're noticing it.

00:35:33.059 --> 00:35:33.660
 Jesus,

00:35:34.059 --> 00:35:35.660
 remember in John chapter 13

00:35:35.659 --> 00:35:36.960
 in verse 35,

00:35:37.759 --> 00:35:38.099
 he says,

00:35:38.279 --> 00:35:39.779
 by this shall all

00:35:39.779 --> 00:35:41.019
 people know

00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:42.359
 that you are

00:35:42.359 --> 00:35:43.539
 my disciples

00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:45.819
 if you have love

00:35:45.819 --> 00:35:47.480
 one for another.

00:35:48.920 --> 00:35:49.139
 Now,

00:35:49.179 --> 00:35:49.980
 you can't love

00:35:49.980 --> 00:35:51.059
 on your own

00:35:51.059 --> 00:35:51.859
 unless it's love

00:35:51.859 --> 00:35:52.619
 for yourself.

00:35:54.019 --> 00:35:54.899
 When he says,

00:35:55.019 --> 00:35:56.420
 by this shall all men

00:35:56.420 --> 00:35:57.000
 know that you're

00:35:57.000 --> 00:35:57.719
 my disciples

00:35:57.719 --> 00:35:58.539
 if you have love

00:35:58.539 --> 00:35:59.199
 one for another,

00:35:59.599 --> 00:36:00.539
 that's love

00:36:00.539 --> 00:36:01.440
 made visible.

00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:03.900
 And how is love

00:36:03.900 --> 00:36:04.559
 made visible?

00:36:04.700 --> 00:36:04.800
 Well,

00:36:04.820 --> 00:36:06.240
 especially in God's

00:36:06.240 --> 00:36:06.820
 people actually

00:36:06.820 --> 00:36:07.940
 coming to gather

00:36:07.940 --> 00:36:09.019
 together from time

00:36:09.019 --> 00:36:09.500
 to time

00:36:09.500 --> 00:36:10.720
 to share together

00:36:10.720 --> 00:36:11.400
 in the worship

00:36:11.400 --> 00:36:12.139
 of God,

00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:13.420
 in the exploration

00:36:13.420 --> 00:36:14.619
 of God's word,

00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:16.220
 in listening to his voice,

00:36:16.360 --> 00:36:16.960
 speaking to us

00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:17.900
 from the scriptures.

00:36:18.579 --> 00:36:18.780
 Yes,

00:36:18.800 --> 00:36:19.460
 you can do that

00:36:19.460 --> 00:36:20.019
 individually.

00:36:20.440 --> 00:36:20.639
 Yes,

00:36:20.659 --> 00:36:21.300
 you can do that

00:36:21.300 --> 00:36:21.860
 online.

00:36:22.159 --> 00:36:22.920
 And I'm not taking

00:36:22.920 --> 00:36:23.599
 issue with those

00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:24.740
 who simply cannot

00:36:24.740 --> 00:36:25.740
 for various reasons

00:36:25.740 --> 00:36:26.679
 meet together

00:36:26.679 --> 00:36:27.320
 with others.

00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:27.760
 That's where

00:36:27.760 --> 00:36:28.539
 online services

00:36:28.539 --> 00:36:30.420
 are truly appreciated

00:36:30.420 --> 00:36:31.320
 and beneficial

00:36:31.320 --> 00:36:32.099
 and good.

00:36:33.440 --> 00:36:34.800
 But when we can,

00:36:35.220 --> 00:36:35.840
 when we don't have

00:36:35.840 --> 00:36:36.960
 reasons like that

00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:38.420
 not to gather together,

00:36:39.579 --> 00:36:40.880
 then the blessings

00:36:40.880 --> 00:36:41.619
 of gatherings

00:36:41.619 --> 00:36:42.740
 are blessings

00:36:42.740 --> 00:36:43.740
 that are noticed

00:36:43.740 --> 00:36:45.019
 and make their mark

00:36:45.019 --> 00:36:46.800
 to others around us.

00:36:46.900 --> 00:36:47.920
 By this shall all men

00:36:47.920 --> 00:36:48.860
 know that you're

00:36:48.860 --> 00:36:49.659
 my disciples

00:36:49.659 --> 00:36:50.680
 if you love

00:36:50.680 --> 00:36:51.159
 one another.

00:36:51.260 --> 00:36:51.880
 And if you love

00:36:51.880 --> 00:36:52.460
 one another,

00:36:52.920 --> 00:36:53.740
 then you'll love

00:36:53.740 --> 00:36:54.559
 to be together

00:36:54.559 --> 00:36:55.980
 is really pretty much

00:36:55.980 --> 00:36:57.019
 what Jesus is saying.

00:36:57.539 --> 00:36:58.360
 And there's a question

00:36:58.360 --> 00:36:58.960
 for us today,

00:36:59.059 --> 00:36:59.720
 there's a challenge

00:36:59.720 --> 00:37:00.380
 for us today,

00:37:00.420 --> 00:37:00.720
 here.

00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:03.240
 Do we love

00:37:03.240 --> 00:37:04.000
 to be here

00:37:04.000 --> 00:37:06.340
 on an individual

00:37:06.340 --> 00:37:07.159
 basis?

00:37:08.200 --> 00:37:09.740
 Is our presence

00:37:09.740 --> 00:37:10.460
 here today

00:37:10.460 --> 00:37:10.920
 with others

00:37:10.920 --> 00:37:12.659
 just on a personal

00:37:12.659 --> 00:37:13.119
 sense,

00:37:13.200 --> 00:37:14.579
 just for what I might

00:37:14.579 --> 00:37:15.220
 get out of it

00:37:15.220 --> 00:37:15.900
 or what I might

00:37:15.900 --> 00:37:16.780
 contribute to it?

00:37:17.019 --> 00:37:17.860
 Or do we just

00:37:17.860 --> 00:37:19.099
 simply love to be

00:37:19.099 --> 00:37:19.860
 with God's

00:37:19.860 --> 00:37:20.760
 worshiping people?

00:37:21.079 --> 00:37:21.780
 That's how it should

00:37:21.780 --> 00:37:22.320
 be, isn't it?

00:37:22.340 --> 00:37:22.700
 And I'm sure

00:37:22.700 --> 00:37:23.659
 that's the case,

00:37:23.720 --> 00:37:23.960
 I'm sure,

00:37:24.059 --> 00:37:24.300
 I hope,

00:37:24.360 --> 00:37:24.980
 for all of us

00:37:24.980 --> 00:37:25.519
 here today.

00:37:25.820 --> 00:37:27.039
 We love to be here

00:37:27.039 --> 00:37:28.019
 because we love

00:37:28.019 --> 00:37:28.920
 to be with other

00:37:28.920 --> 00:37:29.720
 people who worship

00:37:29.719 --> 00:37:30.299
 God.

00:37:30.579 --> 00:37:31.419
 We love to be

00:37:31.419 --> 00:37:32.459
 with like-minded

00:37:32.459 --> 00:37:33.719
 people for whom

00:37:33.719 --> 00:37:34.859
 it is so important

00:37:34.859 --> 00:37:35.899
 that we gather

00:37:35.899 --> 00:37:37.000
 together to worship

00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:38.039
 God together.

00:37:38.439 --> 00:37:39.000
 For whom it's

00:37:39.000 --> 00:37:39.659
 important that the

00:37:39.659 --> 00:37:40.379
 world out there

00:37:40.379 --> 00:37:41.599
 sees that we do

00:37:41.599 --> 00:37:43.039
 love God and that

00:37:43.039 --> 00:37:43.879
 we love Him to the

00:37:43.879 --> 00:37:44.699
 extent that we love

00:37:44.699 --> 00:37:45.439
 to worship Him

00:37:45.439 --> 00:37:45.899
 together.

00:37:47.019 --> 00:37:47.259
 You see,

00:37:47.319 --> 00:37:47.819
 all of that's

00:37:47.819 --> 00:37:49.699
 behind this emphasis

00:37:49.699 --> 00:37:50.639
 on gathering

00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:51.139
 together.

00:37:51.519 --> 00:37:52.299
 We're gathered

00:37:52.299 --> 00:37:53.179
 together today

00:37:53.179 --> 00:37:54.739
 by Christ's

00:37:54.739 --> 00:37:55.239
 appointment.

00:37:55.239 --> 00:37:56.199
 we're gathered

00:37:56.199 --> 00:37:57.019
 together in

00:37:57.019 --> 00:37:57.779
 His name.

00:37:58.539 --> 00:37:59.339
 He's laid the

00:37:59.339 --> 00:38:01.119
 responsibility of

00:38:01.119 --> 00:38:01.959
 gathering together

00:38:01.959 --> 00:38:02.899
 on us.

00:38:04.099 --> 00:38:04.859
 And it's not just

00:38:04.859 --> 00:38:05.859
 a responsibility.

00:38:07.159 --> 00:38:07.699
 I want us really

00:38:07.699 --> 00:38:09.259
 to think, as we go

00:38:09.259 --> 00:38:09.839
 through all of these

00:38:09.839 --> 00:38:10.599
 studies, indeed all

00:38:10.599 --> 00:38:12.759
 the time, to think

00:38:12.759 --> 00:38:13.579
 that yes, it's our

00:38:13.579 --> 00:38:14.779
 responsibility by

00:38:14.779 --> 00:38:15.739
 Christ's appointment

00:38:15.739 --> 00:38:17.219
 to come together, to

00:38:17.219 --> 00:38:18.859
 share together in the

00:38:18.859 --> 00:38:20.500
 things of worship, but

00:38:20.500 --> 00:38:21.299
 it's also our

00:38:21.299 --> 00:38:21.979
 privilege.

00:38:21.980 --> 00:38:22.099
 privilege.

00:38:23.320 --> 00:38:24.699
 It's our privilege.

00:38:26.579 --> 00:38:27.740
 Because the nearest

00:38:27.740 --> 00:38:28.659
 thing you get to

00:38:28.659 --> 00:38:30.740
 heaven is not when

00:38:30.740 --> 00:38:31.699
 you're worshiping God

00:38:31.699 --> 00:38:33.719
 on your own, great

00:38:33.719 --> 00:38:35.780
 though that is, and

00:38:35.780 --> 00:38:36.559
 you might have very

00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:38.320
 heavenly thoughts and

00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:39.420
 heavenly experiences

00:38:39.420 --> 00:38:40.440
 from the blessing of

00:38:40.440 --> 00:38:41.800
 God while you're on

00:38:41.800 --> 00:38:42.559
 your knees, when you're

00:38:42.559 --> 00:38:43.860
 reading your Bible, just

00:38:43.860 --> 00:38:45.000
 yourself and God.

00:38:45.840 --> 00:38:47.179
 But the nearest thing

00:38:47.179 --> 00:38:48.760
 to heaven is when

00:38:48.760 --> 00:38:49.659
 God's people are

00:38:49.659 --> 00:38:50.699
 gathered together to

00:38:50.699 --> 00:38:51.860
 worship Him, to

00:38:51.860 --> 00:38:53.140
 sing His praises, to

00:38:53.140 --> 00:38:54.579
 listen to His voice, to

00:38:54.579 --> 00:38:56.039
 admire His beauty.

00:38:56.940 --> 00:38:57.700
 That's the nearest

00:38:57.700 --> 00:38:58.400
 thing to heaven you

00:38:58.400 --> 00:38:59.420
 can get in this

00:38:59.420 --> 00:38:59.820
 world.

00:39:00.460 --> 00:39:01.780
 As we sang in the

00:39:01.780 --> 00:39:02.340
 psalm, the Lord

00:39:02.340 --> 00:39:04.000
 delights in Zion's

00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:04.680
 gates and the

00:39:04.680 --> 00:39:05.300
 gatherings of His

00:39:05.300 --> 00:39:06.360
 people more than

00:39:06.360 --> 00:39:07.300
 all the dwellings of

00:39:07.300 --> 00:39:08.480
 the individual Jacob.

00:39:09.740 --> 00:39:10.400
 And that's why

00:39:10.400 --> 00:39:11.740
 today as we come

00:39:11.740 --> 00:39:13.059
 together, here is

00:39:13.059 --> 00:39:13.920
 one of the great

00:39:13.920 --> 00:39:15.160
 privileges we have

00:39:15.160 --> 00:39:16.940
 in life, to be

00:39:16.940 --> 00:39:18.120
 able to gather

00:39:18.120 --> 00:39:19.599
 together willingly and

00:39:19.599 --> 00:39:20.420
 under Christ's

00:39:20.420 --> 00:39:21.800
 disappointment and by

00:39:21.800 --> 00:39:24.139
 Christ's authority to

00:39:24.139 --> 00:39:25.460
 come to be here

00:39:25.460 --> 00:39:27.099
 together as the

00:39:27.099 --> 00:39:28.639
 gathered church in

00:39:28.639 --> 00:39:28.960
 worship.

00:39:31.019 --> 00:39:32.579
 Secondly, we have the

00:39:32.579 --> 00:39:33.240
 reference there to

00:39:33.240 --> 00:39:34.840
 Jesus being in the

00:39:34.840 --> 00:39:35.139
 midst.

00:39:35.400 --> 00:39:36.260
 Where two or three are

00:39:36.260 --> 00:39:37.280
 gathered in my name,

00:39:38.059 --> 00:39:40.000
 there am I among

00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:40.380
 them.

00:39:41.260 --> 00:39:42.059
 Of course, you know

00:39:42.059 --> 00:39:43.960
 that Jesus is God.

00:39:44.280 --> 00:39:45.519
 He's the second person

00:39:45.519 --> 00:39:47.260
 of the Trinity that

00:39:47.260 --> 00:39:48.140
 God is.

00:39:49.160 --> 00:39:49.940
 And in that sense,

00:39:50.240 --> 00:39:51.720
 Jesus is everywhere,

00:39:51.980 --> 00:39:52.480
 just like the

00:39:52.480 --> 00:39:53.460
 Father and the

00:39:53.460 --> 00:39:53.960
 Holy Spirit.

00:39:54.040 --> 00:39:55.840
 The one God is

00:39:55.840 --> 00:39:57.280
 everywhere in the

00:39:57.280 --> 00:39:57.820
 creation.

00:39:59.180 --> 00:39:59.980
 And as they are

00:39:59.980 --> 00:40:00.620
 everywhere in the

00:40:00.620 --> 00:40:01.380
 creation, so it's

00:40:01.380 --> 00:40:03.540
 true of Jesus that

00:40:03.540 --> 00:40:04.820
 He is as the Son of

00:40:04.820 --> 00:40:06.380
 God, as the divine

00:40:06.380 --> 00:40:08.400
 person He is, and in

00:40:08.400 --> 00:40:09.220
 that sense He is

00:40:09.220 --> 00:40:10.900
 present more than

00:40:10.900 --> 00:40:11.540
 just in one

00:40:11.540 --> 00:40:12.160
 locality.

00:40:12.159 --> 00:40:14.440
 But this is a

00:40:14.440 --> 00:40:15.480
 specific presence

00:40:15.480 --> 00:40:18.199
 that's keyed into

00:40:18.199 --> 00:40:19.440
 the gatherings of

00:40:19.440 --> 00:40:20.779
 God's people, where

00:40:20.779 --> 00:40:22.119
 two or three are

00:40:22.119 --> 00:40:23.379
 gathered in my name

00:40:23.379 --> 00:40:24.279
 there.

00:40:24.819 --> 00:40:25.420
 There.

00:40:26.359 --> 00:40:27.299
 Wherever that is,

00:40:27.559 --> 00:40:29.480
 there am I in the

00:40:29.480 --> 00:40:30.139
 midst of them.

00:40:30.480 --> 00:40:31.619
 I am actually there

00:40:31.619 --> 00:40:33.199
 present with them.

00:40:35.179 --> 00:40:37.279
 The church on earth

00:40:37.279 --> 00:40:39.699
 is God's dwelling

00:40:39.699 --> 00:40:40.239
 place.

00:40:40.239 --> 00:40:42.039
 The church on earth

00:40:42.039 --> 00:40:43.719
 is God's people.

00:40:44.259 --> 00:40:46.379
 We sometimes refer to

00:40:46.379 --> 00:40:47.419
 this building as the

00:40:47.419 --> 00:40:48.219
 church on Kenneth

00:40:48.219 --> 00:40:49.599
 Street, the free

00:40:49.599 --> 00:40:50.500
 church, and it is

00:40:50.500 --> 00:40:50.819
 that.

00:40:51.639 --> 00:40:52.319
 But that's not what

00:40:52.319 --> 00:40:53.299
 the Bible means in the

00:40:53.299 --> 00:40:54.459
 highest sense by the

00:40:54.459 --> 00:40:54.839
 church.

00:40:55.239 --> 00:40:56.239
 The church is not a

00:40:56.239 --> 00:40:56.579
 building.

00:40:57.099 --> 00:40:57.859
 The church in the

00:40:57.859 --> 00:40:58.899
 highest sense is the

00:40:58.899 --> 00:41:00.419
 people of God, the

00:41:00.419 --> 00:41:01.500
 worshiping people of

00:41:01.500 --> 00:41:02.959
 God, the people who

00:41:02.959 --> 00:41:04.539
 gather together and are

00:41:04.539 --> 00:41:05.819
 gathered as the people

00:41:05.819 --> 00:41:06.899
 of God from time to

00:41:06.899 --> 00:41:08.019
 time to worship Him.

00:41:08.699 --> 00:41:09.599
 That's the church.

00:41:09.599 --> 00:41:10.679
 That's where Jesus

00:41:10.679 --> 00:41:11.500
 dwells.

00:41:11.719 --> 00:41:12.400
 That's where His

00:41:12.400 --> 00:41:13.360
 presence is made

00:41:13.360 --> 00:41:13.819
 known.

00:41:15.799 --> 00:41:17.679
 There am I in the

00:41:17.679 --> 00:41:18.380
 midst of them.

00:41:20.699 --> 00:41:21.819
 There's a sense in

00:41:21.819 --> 00:41:26.019
 which all who are

00:41:26.019 --> 00:41:27.460
 God's people, all who

00:41:27.460 --> 00:41:28.400
 are saved people of

00:41:28.400 --> 00:41:30.639
 God, come to gather

00:41:30.639 --> 00:41:31.880
 together with others

00:41:31.880 --> 00:41:34.059
 and take Jesus with

00:41:34.059 --> 00:41:34.360
 them.

00:41:34.719 --> 00:41:35.599
 Why do I say that?

00:41:35.659 --> 00:41:36.279
 Because the Bible

00:41:36.279 --> 00:41:38.119
 tells us that when we

00:41:38.119 --> 00:41:39.059
 come to trust our

00:41:39.059 --> 00:41:40.319
 lives to Christ and

00:41:40.319 --> 00:41:41.699
 trust in Christ and

00:41:41.699 --> 00:41:43.359
 believe in Him and

00:41:43.359 --> 00:41:44.279
 look to Him for our

00:41:44.279 --> 00:41:45.199
 salvation, we're told

00:41:45.199 --> 00:41:46.519
 that the Holy Spirit

00:41:46.519 --> 00:41:48.699
 comes to live in our

00:41:48.699 --> 00:41:50.000
 hearts and our souls.

00:41:50.539 --> 00:41:51.659
 Now, we can't see that

00:41:51.659 --> 00:41:52.779
 physically, but the

00:41:52.779 --> 00:41:53.819
 Bible tells us it's a

00:41:53.819 --> 00:41:54.759
 truth, it's a fact.

00:41:55.739 --> 00:41:56.980
 And therefore, every one

00:41:56.980 --> 00:41:58.779
 of you today who is in

00:41:58.779 --> 00:41:59.940
 Christ, every one of you

00:41:59.940 --> 00:42:01.599
 who lives by faith in

00:42:01.599 --> 00:42:02.739
 Christ, everyone here

00:42:02.739 --> 00:42:04.639
 saved has come to this

00:42:04.639 --> 00:42:06.119
 building carrying Jesus

00:42:06.119 --> 00:42:06.659
 with you.

00:42:06.920 --> 00:42:08.039
 Jesus lives in you.

00:42:08.159 --> 00:42:08.779
 And when you come

00:42:08.779 --> 00:42:09.579
 together with other

00:42:09.579 --> 00:42:11.239
 like-minded people, you

00:42:11.239 --> 00:42:12.519
 bring Christ with you as

00:42:12.519 --> 00:42:13.339
 you come together.

00:42:14.380 --> 00:42:15.460
 I'm not saying that that

00:42:15.460 --> 00:42:17.199
 is a complete definition

00:42:17.199 --> 00:42:18.799
 of how Christ is present

00:42:18.799 --> 00:42:19.839
 in the gatherings of His

00:42:19.839 --> 00:42:20.239
 people.

00:42:20.719 --> 00:42:22.119
 What's really important is

00:42:22.119 --> 00:42:23.759
 not to be able to

00:42:23.759 --> 00:42:25.460
 necessarily understand

00:42:25.460 --> 00:42:27.779
 all the various aspects

00:42:27.779 --> 00:42:28.940
 of that or be able to

00:42:28.940 --> 00:42:30.799
 explain all the various

00:42:30.799 --> 00:42:32.799
 aspects of how can God be

00:42:32.799 --> 00:42:34.299
 with His people, how does

00:42:34.300 --> 00:42:35.460
 God live in the hearts

00:42:35.460 --> 00:42:36.039
 of His people?

00:42:36.440 --> 00:42:37.280
 The important thing that

00:42:37.280 --> 00:42:40.000
 Jesus is saying is, I am

00:42:40.000 --> 00:42:40.960
 there.

00:42:42.560 --> 00:42:44.620
 I am there.

00:42:45.820 --> 00:42:46.900
 It's not to be questioned.

00:42:48.580 --> 00:42:49.940
 It's not something that's

00:42:49.940 --> 00:42:51.980
 spoken of as something in

00:42:51.980 --> 00:42:52.440
 the future.

00:42:52.580 --> 00:42:53.500
 He's not saying where two

00:42:53.500 --> 00:42:54.740
 or three are gathered in

00:42:54.740 --> 00:42:57.039
 my name, I will be among

00:42:57.039 --> 00:42:57.360
 them.

00:42:58.140 --> 00:43:00.060
 Or I will come and go from

00:43:00.060 --> 00:43:00.820
 amongst them.

00:43:00.820 --> 00:43:04.220
 I am there.

00:43:05.700 --> 00:43:08.220
 It's a statement of fact.

00:43:09.000 --> 00:43:10.880
 The Lord's also, in a sense,

00:43:10.940 --> 00:43:12.080
 a promise as well, of

00:43:12.080 --> 00:43:12.400
 course.

00:43:12.720 --> 00:43:14.400
 He promises that that's

00:43:14.400 --> 00:43:15.519
 what is true when we

00:43:15.519 --> 00:43:16.300
 gather together.

00:43:16.620 --> 00:43:17.519
 He is there.

00:43:18.360 --> 00:43:19.740
 But it's a statement of

00:43:19.740 --> 00:43:21.600
 fact that that is where

00:43:21.600 --> 00:43:22.340
 He is.

00:43:22.860 --> 00:43:24.800
 And it's actually true here

00:43:24.800 --> 00:43:25.340
 and now.

00:43:26.940 --> 00:43:28.240
 Just pause for a moment.

00:43:28.239 --> 00:43:31.699
 Think how amazing that is

00:43:31.699 --> 00:43:38.259
 that God, that Jesus, is in

00:43:38.259 --> 00:43:40.719
 this building, in this

00:43:40.719 --> 00:43:44.619
 gathering, in these hearts,

00:43:46.079 --> 00:43:48.199
 that where we are gathered

00:43:48.199 --> 00:43:49.619
 together today as we are,

00:43:50.479 --> 00:43:51.459
 this is a fact.

00:43:52.539 --> 00:43:56.199
 I am there, He says, in the

00:43:56.199 --> 00:43:56.459
 midst.

00:43:56.460 --> 00:43:57.019
 And you know, that's

00:43:57.019 --> 00:43:58.579
 something that should give

00:43:58.579 --> 00:44:00.639
 us pause for thought, for

00:44:00.639 --> 00:44:02.780
 reflection, for appreciation,

00:44:03.099 --> 00:44:04.039
 for thanksgiving.

00:44:04.440 --> 00:44:05.340
 As we come through these

00:44:05.340 --> 00:44:06.920
 doors and take our place in

00:44:06.920 --> 00:44:08.500
 the pew or in this pulpit, it

00:44:08.500 --> 00:44:10.340
 affects all of us, whether

00:44:10.340 --> 00:44:11.460
 we're preaching or listening

00:44:11.460 --> 00:44:12.179
 to the gospel.

00:44:12.679 --> 00:44:13.900
 It should be something that

00:44:13.900 --> 00:44:15.980
 gives us pause, cause for

00:44:15.980 --> 00:44:17.639
 thought, and just to pause

00:44:17.639 --> 00:44:19.500
 for a moment, reflect upon how

00:44:19.500 --> 00:44:21.039
 this is true always when we

00:44:21.039 --> 00:44:21.619
 come together.

00:44:21.920 --> 00:44:24.220
 How this amazing fact is

00:44:24.220 --> 00:44:25.880
 actually true as God Himself,

00:44:25.880 --> 00:44:27.559
 as Jesus Himself says it

00:44:27.559 --> 00:44:30.160
 truthfully to us, there I am in

00:44:30.160 --> 00:44:30.800
 the midst.

00:44:33.380 --> 00:44:35.320
 There I am in the midst.

00:44:37.140 --> 00:44:39.240
 And if we haven't thought too

00:44:39.240 --> 00:44:40.800
 much of that in coming to

00:44:40.800 --> 00:44:42.660
 church today, think about it

00:44:42.660 --> 00:44:43.000
 now.

00:44:44.200 --> 00:44:46.119
 Think about it as you leave and

00:44:46.119 --> 00:44:47.280
 as you go back home or

00:44:47.280 --> 00:44:48.300
 wherever you're going to go.

00:44:49.160 --> 00:44:52.260
 Think of where you've been and

00:44:52.260 --> 00:44:53.480
 that you've been part of a

00:44:53.480 --> 00:44:55.260
 gathering in Christ's name and

00:44:55.260 --> 00:44:57.940
 by Christ's authority where He

00:44:57.940 --> 00:44:59.079
 was present.

00:45:00.300 --> 00:45:01.679
 Where He, according to His

00:45:01.679 --> 00:45:04.719
 promise and His fact, is there.

00:45:06.000 --> 00:45:07.599
 And you can say to people quite

00:45:07.599 --> 00:45:11.519
 honestly, quite sincerely, I was

00:45:11.519 --> 00:45:14.500
 in a gathering today and God was

00:45:14.500 --> 00:45:15.240
 there with me.

00:45:15.239 --> 00:45:18.299
 Jesus was in our midst.

00:45:18.299 --> 00:45:21.679
 Because that's His own word of

00:45:21.679 --> 00:45:22.739
 assurance to us.

00:45:23.419 --> 00:45:24.639
 Is there anything better than

00:45:24.639 --> 00:45:24.939
 that?

00:45:26.359 --> 00:45:28.099
 Is there anything more privileged

00:45:28.099 --> 00:45:28.639
 than that?

00:45:29.699 --> 00:45:31.399
 Is there anything that you would

00:45:31.399 --> 00:45:32.879
 put above that?

00:45:33.879 --> 00:45:37.039
 Well, John Calvin, that great

00:45:37.039 --> 00:45:40.679
 reformer whose teachings based on

00:45:40.679 --> 00:45:41.459
 the Bible, of course.

00:45:41.460 --> 00:45:43.639
 The Bible was so important to

00:45:43.639 --> 00:45:44.280
 John Calvin.

00:45:45.139 --> 00:45:47.659
 And in his writings you find his

00:45:47.659 --> 00:45:50.000
 emphasis constantly, his

00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:51.400
 emphasis is, is that what the

00:45:51.400 --> 00:45:52.159
 Scripture says?

00:45:52.220 --> 00:45:53.539
 Is that what the Bible says?

00:45:54.019 --> 00:45:54.920
 This is what he wrote.

00:45:55.980 --> 00:45:57.320
 He's talking here about this

00:45:57.320 --> 00:45:59.440
 promise, where two or three

00:45:59.440 --> 00:46:01.380
 calls it a promise, there am I

00:46:01.380 --> 00:46:02.539
 among them.

00:46:02.679 --> 00:46:05.360
 He says, therefore, this promise

00:46:05.360 --> 00:46:08.420
 should stir us up not a little

00:46:08.420 --> 00:46:11.019
 to grow into a godly and holy

00:46:11.019 --> 00:46:11.539
 unity.

00:46:12.639 --> 00:46:14.840
 For whoever either neglects the

00:46:14.840 --> 00:46:17.440
 sacred assemblies or separates

00:46:17.440 --> 00:46:18.760
 himself from his brethren

00:46:18.760 --> 00:46:23.159
 demonstrates by this fact that he

00:46:23.159 --> 00:46:24.720
 cares nothing for Christ's

00:46:24.720 --> 00:46:25.320
 presence.

00:46:26.460 --> 00:46:29.119
 Those who desire Christ's presence

00:46:29.119 --> 00:46:32.840
 will meet together in His name.

00:46:32.840 --> 00:46:36.400
 Those who desire Christ's presence

00:46:36.400 --> 00:46:38.680
 will meet together in His name.

00:46:38.980 --> 00:46:40.660
 In other words, if we today are

00:46:40.660 --> 00:46:42.340
 thinking, or if people are

00:46:42.340 --> 00:46:44.640
 thinking, I really want to have

00:46:44.640 --> 00:46:46.120
 Christ's presence, but I don't

00:46:46.120 --> 00:46:47.260
 want to go to church, you see,

00:46:47.340 --> 00:46:48.720
 that's an inconsistency.

00:46:50.019 --> 00:46:51.960
 Calvin is saying, if we really value

00:46:51.960 --> 00:46:53.420
 God's presence and Christ's

00:46:53.420 --> 00:46:54.900
 presence, if we want to have

00:46:54.900 --> 00:46:56.160
 Christ's presence, if we want to

00:46:56.160 --> 00:46:57.920
 experience what it's like to be

00:46:57.920 --> 00:47:00.840
 aware of Christ's presence, then we

00:47:00.840 --> 00:47:03.300
 we must be, he says, regularly

00:47:03.300 --> 00:47:05.900
 with the gatherings of God's

00:47:05.900 --> 00:47:06.300
 people.

00:47:07.620 --> 00:47:10.140
 We cannot separate, you see,

00:47:10.220 --> 00:47:11.960
 things which God has tied together.

00:47:12.880 --> 00:47:14.340
 And where God has tied together,

00:47:14.800 --> 00:47:17.200
 meeting in the name of Christ,

00:47:17.700 --> 00:47:21.059
 with Christ being there, we can't

00:47:21.059 --> 00:47:22.320
 separate the one from the other.

00:47:22.660 --> 00:47:24.360
 We can't say, well, I can have

00:47:24.360 --> 00:47:25.940
 Christ, but I don't need to be in

00:47:25.940 --> 00:47:26.300
 church.

00:47:26.539 --> 00:47:27.860
 I don't need to belong to the

00:47:27.860 --> 00:47:28.320
 church.

00:47:28.320 --> 00:47:28.400
 church.

00:47:28.820 --> 00:47:30.500
 That's taking apart what Jesus

00:47:30.500 --> 00:47:31.559
 has joined together.

00:47:32.440 --> 00:47:33.980
 And it's so important for you and

00:47:33.980 --> 00:47:36.280
 for me always to remember that.

00:47:37.539 --> 00:47:39.720
 There am I in the midst.

00:47:40.240 --> 00:47:41.280
 I am there with them.

00:47:41.580 --> 00:47:43.780
 I am there in their midst when two

00:47:43.780 --> 00:47:46.059
 or three have gathered in my name.

00:47:47.140 --> 00:47:48.380
 And you notice the emphasis there on

00:47:48.380 --> 00:47:48.980
 two or three.

00:47:50.019 --> 00:47:52.620
 Where two or three are gathered in

00:47:52.620 --> 00:47:53.240
 my name.

00:47:53.940 --> 00:47:55.440
 He doesn't say two or three dozen.

00:47:55.440 --> 00:47:58.000
 He doesn't say two or three hundred.

00:47:58.740 --> 00:48:00.579
 He doesn't say two or three thousand.

00:48:02.260 --> 00:48:03.940
 He just says two or three.

00:48:05.760 --> 00:48:07.980
 Supposing there was just myself

00:48:07.980 --> 00:48:10.860
 preaching the gospel and two others

00:48:10.860 --> 00:48:12.220
 here in this church today.

00:48:13.300 --> 00:48:15.079
 This promise, this statement of fact

00:48:15.079 --> 00:48:16.059
 would still be true.

00:48:16.780 --> 00:48:18.780
 That where they meet in his name,

00:48:20.260 --> 00:48:21.320
 he is there.

00:48:21.320 --> 00:48:24.400
 What an encouragement that is to us.

00:48:25.240 --> 00:48:26.760
 Not only an encouragement,

00:48:27.180 --> 00:48:28.340
 but a stimulus.

00:48:28.680 --> 00:48:30.420
 Because all of these empty pews that

00:48:30.420 --> 00:48:31.519
 are still empty,

00:48:31.800 --> 00:48:33.240
 we want to see them filled.

00:48:33.340 --> 00:48:34.460
 Why do we want to see them filled?

00:48:34.660 --> 00:48:36.580
 Because we want to see people

00:48:36.580 --> 00:48:38.660
 experience what it is to share

00:48:38.660 --> 00:48:41.260
 together in the kind of gathering

00:48:41.260 --> 00:48:43.660
 for worship where Christ guarantees

00:48:43.660 --> 00:48:44.519
 his presence.

00:48:44.519 --> 00:48:48.159
 We want them to come to know Christ.

00:48:48.940 --> 00:48:51.079
 We want ourselves to experience more

00:48:51.079 --> 00:48:52.980
 of what it is to grow in the knowledge

00:48:52.980 --> 00:48:53.579
 of Jesus.

00:48:54.320 --> 00:48:55.980
 In our commitment to Jesus.

00:48:56.940 --> 00:48:59.059
 In experiencing the love of Jesus.

00:49:00.139 --> 00:49:01.960
 All the things the Bible tells us

00:49:01.960 --> 00:49:04.099
 are the privileges of God's people.

00:49:04.500 --> 00:49:06.000
 We come to experience them,

00:49:06.239 --> 00:49:07.780
 to sharing them together.

00:49:09.380 --> 00:49:10.699
 And as the gathered church,

00:49:11.400 --> 00:49:12.820
 that too is our privilege today.

00:49:12.820 --> 00:49:15.000
 That even if it's just two or three,

00:49:15.980 --> 00:49:18.500
 we actually can use that

00:49:18.500 --> 00:49:21.320
 as a matter before God

00:49:21.320 --> 00:49:22.600
 that we seek his presence

00:49:22.600 --> 00:49:23.920
 even as two or three.

00:49:24.000 --> 00:49:25.440
 Now, please don't misunderstand me.

00:49:26.700 --> 00:49:28.940
 I think this has been misused

00:49:28.940 --> 00:49:31.380
 over the years as well.

00:49:31.460 --> 00:49:33.400
 This emphasis on the twos and the threes.

00:49:34.640 --> 00:49:37.380
 Because there are places, of course,

00:49:37.480 --> 00:49:39.880
 where there are very, very small

00:49:39.880 --> 00:49:41.480
 gatherings of God's people

00:49:41.480 --> 00:49:43.619
 faithfully meeting together today.

00:49:45.420 --> 00:49:46.679
 And we pray for them

00:49:46.679 --> 00:49:47.800
 and we remember them.

00:49:48.360 --> 00:49:49.760
 Not just in our own country,

00:49:50.079 --> 00:49:50.659
 in our islands,

00:49:50.780 --> 00:49:51.719
 but throughout the world.

00:49:53.440 --> 00:49:55.159
 But we mustn't take this verse

00:49:55.159 --> 00:49:55.539
 and say,

00:49:55.639 --> 00:49:57.559
 well, there's just the two or three of us

00:49:57.559 --> 00:49:58.699
 and that really, that'll do.

00:50:00.119 --> 00:50:01.659
 I'm satisfied with that.

00:50:02.039 --> 00:50:03.240
 Because the promise of God

00:50:03.240 --> 00:50:04.519
 is it's not about numbers.

00:50:04.920 --> 00:50:05.740
 It's not about hundreds

00:50:05.740 --> 00:50:06.380
 or thousands

00:50:06.380 --> 00:50:07.059
 or dozens

00:50:07.059 --> 00:50:07.639
 or whatever.

00:50:07.639 --> 00:50:09.719
 It's just about the twos and the threes.

00:50:09.900 --> 00:50:11.099
 As long as two and three

00:50:11.099 --> 00:50:13.019
 are faithfully meeting together,

00:50:13.219 --> 00:50:14.239
 that's really it.

00:50:14.319 --> 00:50:15.739
 That's pretty much all we need.

00:50:15.839 --> 00:50:16.339
 Is it?

00:50:18.659 --> 00:50:19.779
 Well, why do we evangelize?

00:50:21.519 --> 00:50:23.779
 Why has Jesus said

00:50:23.779 --> 00:50:24.779
 that he requires

00:50:24.780 --> 00:50:25.740
 that he requires

00:50:25.740 --> 00:50:27.260
 his worshiping people,

00:50:27.360 --> 00:50:28.400
 his gathered church,

00:50:28.920 --> 00:50:29.800
 to be gathered

00:50:29.800 --> 00:50:31.580
 in a sense as well

00:50:31.580 --> 00:50:33.640
 to think about evangelizing,

00:50:33.780 --> 00:50:34.300
 thinking about

00:50:34.300 --> 00:50:35.440
 how do we actually

00:50:35.440 --> 00:50:36.820
 transmit the gospel

00:50:36.820 --> 00:50:38.220
 and the privileges

00:50:38.220 --> 00:50:39.120
 that we have

00:50:39.120 --> 00:50:40.140
 as a gathered church?

00:50:40.440 --> 00:50:41.260
 How do we actually

00:50:41.260 --> 00:50:42.300
 communicate that

00:50:42.300 --> 00:50:42.840
 to the world

00:50:42.840 --> 00:50:43.440
 in which we live?

00:50:43.600 --> 00:50:44.240
 We go forth

00:50:44.240 --> 00:50:45.560
 and we evangelize.

00:50:45.559 --> 00:50:49.960
 Luke chapter 14,

00:50:50.980 --> 00:50:51.900
 verse 23,

00:50:52.199 --> 00:50:53.579
 part of that great passage

00:50:53.579 --> 00:50:54.320
 that deals with

00:50:54.320 --> 00:50:56.019
 the great banquet

00:50:56.019 --> 00:50:57.340
 as Jesus described it.

00:50:58.039 --> 00:50:59.039
 Invitations given out

00:50:59.039 --> 00:51:00.059
 to come to the banquet

00:51:00.059 --> 00:51:01.559
 were refused.

00:51:01.699 --> 00:51:03.059
 So then others were invited.

00:51:03.480 --> 00:51:04.579
 Some of them refused.

00:51:04.920 --> 00:51:05.799
 And then Jesus said,

00:51:06.019 --> 00:51:06.039
 well,

00:51:06.880 --> 00:51:08.320
 go out into the highways

00:51:08.320 --> 00:51:09.320
 and hedges

00:51:09.320 --> 00:51:11.199
 and compel them

00:51:11.199 --> 00:51:11.960
 to come in

00:51:11.960 --> 00:51:13.559
 that my house

00:51:13.559 --> 00:51:14.279
 may be filled.

00:51:14.420 --> 00:51:14.900
 Now, don't

00:51:14.900 --> 00:51:16.340
 misunderstand that.

00:51:16.440 --> 00:51:18.160
 We don't compel people

00:51:18.160 --> 00:51:19.380
 by forcing people.

00:51:20.059 --> 00:51:21.000
 We're not in the business

00:51:21.000 --> 00:51:23.079
 of trying to actually

00:51:23.079 --> 00:51:24.360
 force our views

00:51:24.360 --> 00:51:25.000
 upon others.

00:51:25.139 --> 00:51:25.780
 We're not here

00:51:25.780 --> 00:51:27.260
 because we're forced

00:51:27.260 --> 00:51:28.160
 to come to church,

00:51:28.280 --> 00:51:28.820
 but we're here

00:51:28.820 --> 00:51:29.619
 because we're willing

00:51:29.619 --> 00:51:30.960
 and because we want to come.

00:51:31.639 --> 00:51:32.200
 And when God

00:51:32.200 --> 00:51:33.180
 makes us willing,

00:51:33.280 --> 00:51:34.240
 he gives us the mind.

00:51:34.320 --> 00:51:35.139
 He gives us the mind

00:51:35.139 --> 00:51:36.300
 that's made willing

00:51:36.300 --> 00:51:36.900
 to come.

00:51:39.420 --> 00:51:40.920
 And so when Jesus said,

00:51:41.059 --> 00:51:42.360
 compel them to come in,

00:51:42.860 --> 00:51:43.660
 what he meant was

00:51:43.659 --> 00:51:45.819
 use every reasonable

00:51:45.819 --> 00:51:47.119
 argument you can

00:51:47.119 --> 00:51:49.719
 to try and persuade people

00:51:49.719 --> 00:51:51.000
 to come into

00:51:51.000 --> 00:51:52.159
 the gatherings

00:51:52.159 --> 00:51:53.199
 of God's people

00:51:53.199 --> 00:51:54.879
 so that my house

00:51:54.879 --> 00:51:55.539
 may be filled,

00:51:55.659 --> 00:51:56.420
 so that my kingdom

00:51:56.420 --> 00:51:57.440
 may be filled up.

00:52:00.000 --> 00:52:00.460
 And today,

00:52:00.519 --> 00:52:00.980
 as we pray

00:52:00.980 --> 00:52:03.500
 for that world out there,

00:52:03.559 --> 00:52:04.359
 for those who don't

00:52:04.359 --> 00:52:05.299
 come near a church,

00:52:05.399 --> 00:52:06.719
 for those who would,

00:52:07.339 --> 00:52:08.219
 if God

00:52:08.219 --> 00:52:09.559
 wills it,

00:52:09.920 --> 00:52:12.739
 fill these empty pews

00:52:12.739 --> 00:52:13.799
 that we'd long

00:52:13.799 --> 00:52:14.559
 to see filled,

00:52:15.399 --> 00:52:15.500
 well,

00:52:15.500 --> 00:52:16.479
 he is saying to us

00:52:16.479 --> 00:52:16.839
 today,

00:52:17.259 --> 00:52:17.479
 well,

00:52:17.879 --> 00:52:18.639
 it's your business

00:52:18.639 --> 00:52:19.859
 as well as the church

00:52:19.859 --> 00:52:20.279
 of God.

00:52:20.339 --> 00:52:20.839
 As you gather

00:52:20.839 --> 00:52:21.739
 from time to time,

00:52:22.079 --> 00:52:23.339
 what you share together

00:52:23.339 --> 00:52:24.359
 is not just matters

00:52:24.359 --> 00:52:24.939
 of worship,

00:52:25.419 --> 00:52:26.159
 but how we're going

00:52:26.159 --> 00:52:27.359
 to actually get out there

00:52:27.359 --> 00:52:28.839
 and bring the gospel

00:52:28.839 --> 00:52:30.419
 to the world around us.

00:52:31.259 --> 00:52:32.339
 You share together

00:52:32.339 --> 00:52:33.799
 in discussing that

00:52:33.799 --> 00:52:35.199
 and thinking about

00:52:35.199 --> 00:52:37.099
 how we increasingly

00:52:37.099 --> 00:52:38.299
 would want to do that.

00:52:38.300 --> 00:52:40.900
 And, of course,

00:52:41.300 --> 00:52:42.000
 Matthew's gospel

00:52:42.000 --> 00:52:42.880
 ends like that,

00:52:42.900 --> 00:52:43.360
 doesn't it?

00:52:44.660 --> 00:52:45.060
 He talks,

00:52:45.160 --> 00:52:45.680
 Jesus says,

00:52:46.200 --> 00:52:47.519
 all authority in heaven

00:52:47.519 --> 00:52:48.039
 and on earth

00:52:48.039 --> 00:52:49.620
 has been given to me.

00:52:50.720 --> 00:52:51.200
 Therefore,

00:52:51.940 --> 00:52:54.100
 go and make disciples

00:52:54.100 --> 00:52:55.500
 of all nations.

00:52:56.519 --> 00:52:56.720
 You see,

00:52:56.800 --> 00:52:57.200
 he didn't say

00:52:57.200 --> 00:52:58.480
 go and make

00:52:58.480 --> 00:53:00.200
 saved Christians.

00:53:01.400 --> 00:53:01.920
 He didn't say

00:53:01.920 --> 00:53:03.240
 go and make converts.

00:53:04.580 --> 00:53:06.060
 That's God's business.

00:53:06.940 --> 00:53:07.599
 What he said was

00:53:07.599 --> 00:53:09.259
 go and make disciples.

00:53:10.299 --> 00:53:10.940
 Gather people

00:53:10.940 --> 00:53:11.759
 under the teaching

00:53:11.759 --> 00:53:12.360
 of the Bible,

00:53:12.480 --> 00:53:13.039
 under the teaching

00:53:13.039 --> 00:53:13.539
 of the Word,

00:53:13.940 --> 00:53:15.299
 into the worship of God,

00:53:15.360 --> 00:53:16.759
 into the gathered church.

00:53:17.019 --> 00:53:18.460
 Go and make disciples

00:53:18.460 --> 00:53:19.739
 of all nations.

00:53:19.840 --> 00:53:20.759
 And how did he finish it?

00:53:21.519 --> 00:53:24.059
 And I am with you

00:53:24.059 --> 00:53:26.380
 to the end of the age.

00:53:27.400 --> 00:53:28.480
 I am with you.

00:53:29.299 --> 00:53:30.619
 I will be in your midst.

00:53:30.759 --> 00:53:31.460
 I will be with you.

00:53:31.500 --> 00:53:32.480
 I will not leave you

00:53:32.480 --> 00:53:35.119
 as you go about the business.

00:53:36.059 --> 00:53:37.360
 of evangelizing

00:53:37.360 --> 00:53:37.980
 in his name.

00:53:39.739 --> 00:53:40.579
 I was reading a book

00:53:40.579 --> 00:53:41.340
 just now by

00:53:41.340 --> 00:53:42.360
 another pastor

00:53:42.360 --> 00:53:42.900
 from America

00:53:42.900 --> 00:53:44.820
 called Tony Marida.

00:53:46.119 --> 00:53:46.679
 It's a book

00:53:46.679 --> 00:53:47.659
 that I'm going to be using

00:53:47.659 --> 00:53:49.099
 in some ways

00:53:49.099 --> 00:53:50.320
 regarding these studies

00:53:50.320 --> 00:53:50.779
 as well.

00:53:51.239 --> 00:53:53.340
 But he talks about

00:53:53.340 --> 00:53:54.799
 how as a congregation

00:53:54.799 --> 00:53:55.559
 or as a church

00:53:55.559 --> 00:53:56.119
 in America,

00:53:56.920 --> 00:53:57.940
 they were supporting

00:53:57.940 --> 00:53:59.400
 a church plant,

00:53:59.840 --> 00:54:00.639
 new church,

00:54:00.940 --> 00:54:01.719
 in Frankfurt,

00:54:02.099 --> 00:54:02.659
 in Germany.

00:54:02.659 --> 00:54:04.759
 and the pastor

00:54:04.759 --> 00:54:05.559
 of that church

00:54:05.559 --> 00:54:06.579
 was a man,

00:54:06.940 --> 00:54:07.879
 Stefan Poues.

00:54:08.899 --> 00:54:09.940
 And he says that Stefan

00:54:09.940 --> 00:54:11.159
 one time came over

00:54:11.159 --> 00:54:11.679
 to America

00:54:11.679 --> 00:54:12.539
 to spend time

00:54:12.539 --> 00:54:13.480
 with him,

00:54:13.879 --> 00:54:14.319
 with Tony

00:54:14.319 --> 00:54:15.379
 and his people

00:54:15.379 --> 00:54:16.739
 there in America.

00:54:17.420 --> 00:54:18.679
 And on a particular

00:54:18.679 --> 00:54:19.219
 Lord's Day,

00:54:19.299 --> 00:54:19.920
 he joined

00:54:19.920 --> 00:54:21.559
 that congregation

00:54:21.559 --> 00:54:22.619
 in worship.

00:54:23.019 --> 00:54:23.879
 But then he was due

00:54:23.879 --> 00:54:24.460
 to leave

00:54:24.460 --> 00:54:25.879
 early next morning

00:54:25.879 --> 00:54:26.920
 to go back

00:54:26.920 --> 00:54:27.659
 to Frankfurt

00:54:27.659 --> 00:54:28.480
 in Germany.

00:54:29.239 --> 00:54:30.000
 And Tony said,

00:54:30.000 --> 00:54:31.360
 I had to apologize

00:54:31.360 --> 00:54:32.059
 to him

00:54:32.059 --> 00:54:33.900
 because there was

00:54:33.900 --> 00:54:35.139
 no time for me.

00:54:35.199 --> 00:54:35.699
 I really wanted

00:54:35.699 --> 00:54:36.340
 to show him

00:54:36.340 --> 00:54:37.340
 something of the city.

00:54:37.880 --> 00:54:38.940
 I wanted to show him

00:54:38.940 --> 00:54:39.960
 some of my favorite

00:54:39.960 --> 00:54:40.559
 restaurants

00:54:40.559 --> 00:54:41.500
 and eating places

00:54:41.500 --> 00:54:43.280
 and other aspects

00:54:43.280 --> 00:54:43.880
 of the city

00:54:43.880 --> 00:54:44.500
 that were worth

00:54:44.500 --> 00:54:45.039
 looking at,

00:54:45.199 --> 00:54:46.920
 that people always

00:54:46.920 --> 00:54:47.500
 went to see.

00:54:48.219 --> 00:54:49.039
 So he apologized

00:54:49.039 --> 00:54:49.980
 to Stefan.

00:54:50.460 --> 00:54:51.280
 Really sorry

00:54:51.280 --> 00:54:52.219
 that it wasn't time

00:54:52.219 --> 00:54:53.239
 to do that.

00:54:53.340 --> 00:54:53.840
 He would have loved

00:54:53.840 --> 00:54:54.679
 to have done that.

00:54:55.099 --> 00:54:55.440
 You know what

00:54:55.440 --> 00:54:56.460
 Stefan's reply was?

00:54:56.500 --> 00:54:57.099
 He said this,

00:54:58.099 --> 00:54:59.219
 There's nothing

00:54:59.219 --> 00:55:00.739
 greater we could

00:55:00.739 --> 00:55:01.859
 have done together

00:55:01.859 --> 00:55:02.679
 than we've done.

00:55:03.659 --> 00:55:04.399
 There's nothing

00:55:04.399 --> 00:55:05.199
 greater that you

00:55:05.199 --> 00:55:06.179
 could have shown me.

00:55:07.299 --> 00:55:08.659
 I just got to

00:55:08.659 --> 00:55:10.199
 worship with the

00:55:10.199 --> 00:55:11.019
 saints at your

00:55:11.019 --> 00:55:11.539
 church.

00:55:12.579 --> 00:55:14.019
 We got to enjoy

00:55:14.019 --> 00:55:16.099
 the end for which

00:55:16.099 --> 00:55:16.919
 we are created

00:55:16.919 --> 00:55:18.419
 together.

00:55:20.259 --> 00:55:21.119
 There's nothing

00:55:21.119 --> 00:55:23.779
 greater that you

00:55:23.779 --> 00:55:24.699
 could do today

00:55:24.699 --> 00:55:26.559
 than to be here

00:55:26.559 --> 00:55:28.000
 as a worshipping

00:55:28.000 --> 00:55:29.400
 gathered people

00:55:29.400 --> 00:55:30.059
 of God.

00:55:31.000 --> 00:55:31.659
 There's nothing

00:55:31.659 --> 00:55:32.440
 greater that I

00:55:32.440 --> 00:55:33.480
 could show you.

00:55:34.599 --> 00:55:35.679
 Supposing if you

00:55:35.679 --> 00:55:36.119
 are a visitor

00:55:36.119 --> 00:55:36.780
 today I would

00:55:36.780 --> 00:55:37.340
 take you around

00:55:37.340 --> 00:55:38.099
 all the sites

00:55:38.099 --> 00:55:38.840
 of the island,

00:55:39.420 --> 00:55:39.840
 show you all

00:55:39.840 --> 00:55:40.480
 these wonderful

00:55:40.480 --> 00:55:40.940
 beaches,

00:55:41.219 --> 00:55:41.679
 show you all

00:55:41.679 --> 00:55:42.539
 these great

00:55:42.539 --> 00:55:44.920
 sites of long

00:55:44.920 --> 00:55:45.280
 ago,

00:55:45.500 --> 00:55:47.739
 all these remnants

00:55:47.739 --> 00:55:49.619
 of temples or

00:55:49.619 --> 00:55:50.199
 brochs or

00:55:50.199 --> 00:55:50.539
 whatever.

00:55:52.019 --> 00:55:52.719
 Remember what he

00:55:52.719 --> 00:55:52.980
 said,

00:55:53.179 --> 00:55:54.059
 There's nothing

00:55:54.059 --> 00:55:55.820
 greater that you

00:55:55.820 --> 00:55:56.400
 could have done

00:55:56.400 --> 00:55:58.599
 for me and to

00:55:58.599 --> 00:55:59.659
 have me join you

00:55:59.659 --> 00:56:01.440
 in the worship

00:56:01.440 --> 00:56:02.179
 of God.

00:56:03.679 --> 00:56:04.599
 For where two

00:56:04.599 --> 00:56:06.099
 or three are

00:56:06.099 --> 00:56:07.119
 gathered in my

00:56:07.119 --> 00:56:10.299
 name, there I

00:56:10.299 --> 00:56:11.960
 am in the

00:56:11.960 --> 00:56:12.380
 midst.

00:56:13.000 --> 00:56:13.599
 Let's pray.

00:56:13.599 --> 00:56:13.659
 Amen.

00:56:13.659 --> 00:56:19.139
 Lord, our

00:56:19.139 --> 00:56:19.940
 gracious God,

00:56:20.940 --> 00:56:22.759
 we have so

00:56:22.759 --> 00:56:23.519
 many privileges

00:56:23.519 --> 00:56:24.420
 in gathering

00:56:24.420 --> 00:56:25.259
 together as your

00:56:25.259 --> 00:56:26.299
 word tells us.

00:56:27.679 --> 00:56:28.420
 Forgive us, we

00:56:28.420 --> 00:56:28.960
 pray, for the

00:56:28.960 --> 00:56:29.759
 times when we

00:56:29.759 --> 00:56:30.739
 fail to appreciate

00:56:30.739 --> 00:56:31.460
 as we should

00:56:31.460 --> 00:56:32.839
 to the extent

00:56:32.839 --> 00:56:33.539
 we should, O

00:56:33.539 --> 00:56:33.859
 Lord,

00:56:34.599 --> 00:56:35.179
 how great our

00:56:35.179 --> 00:56:36.119
 privilege is.

00:56:37.339 --> 00:56:37.920
 And we pray

00:56:37.920 --> 00:56:38.359
 that you would

00:56:38.359 --> 00:56:39.179
 help us as we

00:56:39.179 --> 00:56:39.940
 value these

00:56:39.940 --> 00:56:40.420
 privileges,

00:56:41.619 --> 00:56:42.259
 to be all the

00:56:42.260 --> 00:56:42.960
 more concerned

00:56:42.960 --> 00:56:43.800
 and determined

00:56:43.800 --> 00:56:45.440
 to be together

00:56:45.440 --> 00:56:45.860
 with your

00:56:45.860 --> 00:56:46.400
 people as

00:56:46.400 --> 00:56:46.980
 often as we

00:56:46.980 --> 00:56:47.300
 can.

00:56:48.460 --> 00:56:49.140
 We thank you

00:56:49.140 --> 00:56:50.220
 for worship.

00:56:50.520 --> 00:56:50.920
 We thank you

00:56:50.920 --> 00:56:51.900
 for congregational

00:56:51.900 --> 00:56:52.280
 worship.

00:56:53.240 --> 00:56:53.980
 We thank you

00:56:53.980 --> 00:56:54.620
 for the benefits

00:56:54.620 --> 00:56:55.320
 of fellowship

00:56:55.320 --> 00:56:55.880
 together,

00:56:56.800 --> 00:56:57.380
 for the ways

00:56:57.380 --> 00:56:57.900
 in which you

00:56:57.900 --> 00:56:58.560
 enable us to

00:56:58.560 --> 00:56:59.280
 interact with

00:56:59.280 --> 00:56:59.780
 each other,

00:57:00.560 --> 00:57:00.900
 so as to

00:57:00.900 --> 00:57:01.300
 share the

00:57:01.300 --> 00:57:02.040
 experiences of

00:57:02.040 --> 00:57:03.640
 life and to

00:57:03.640 --> 00:57:04.080
 bring these

00:57:04.080 --> 00:57:04.940
 also under

00:57:04.940 --> 00:57:05.740
 the teaching

00:57:05.740 --> 00:57:06.080
 of your

00:57:06.080 --> 00:57:06.580
 word and

00:57:06.580 --> 00:57:06.980
 spirit.

00:57:07.940 --> 00:57:08.440
 We pray,

00:57:08.700 --> 00:57:09.060
 Lord, today

00:57:09.060 --> 00:57:10.720
 as we begin

00:57:10.720 --> 00:57:11.080
 what we

00:57:11.080 --> 00:57:11.820
 anticipate to

00:57:11.820 --> 00:57:12.120
 be,

00:57:12.260 --> 00:57:12.920
 a series

00:57:12.920 --> 00:57:13.700
 of studies

00:57:13.700 --> 00:57:14.740
 and your

00:57:14.740 --> 00:57:15.120
 word's

00:57:15.120 --> 00:57:15.660
 teaching of

00:57:15.660 --> 00:57:16.180
 the gathered

00:57:16.180 --> 00:57:16.940
 church of

00:57:16.940 --> 00:57:17.300
 God.

00:57:18.060 --> 00:57:18.600
 O Lord,

00:57:18.660 --> 00:57:19.040
 of God,

00:57:19.120 --> 00:57:19.540
 help us,

00:57:19.640 --> 00:57:20.000
 we pray,

00:57:20.660 --> 00:57:21.300
 all the more

00:57:21.300 --> 00:57:22.040
 to be visible

00:57:22.040 --> 00:57:22.740
 in the world

00:57:22.740 --> 00:57:23.840
 and to be

00:57:23.840 --> 00:57:24.360
 seen as

00:57:24.360 --> 00:57:24.960
 your people

00:57:24.960 --> 00:57:26.120
 and to be

00:57:26.120 --> 00:57:26.940
 concerned to

00:57:26.940 --> 00:57:28.440
 transmit the

00:57:28.440 --> 00:57:29.020
 gospel and

00:57:29.020 --> 00:57:29.800
 its values and

00:57:29.800 --> 00:57:30.500
 its teaching and

00:57:30.500 --> 00:57:31.260
 its principles

00:57:31.260 --> 00:57:32.780
 to this needy

00:57:32.780 --> 00:57:33.420
 world around

00:57:33.420 --> 00:57:33.900
 us.

00:57:34.840 --> 00:57:35.360
 We pray for

00:57:35.360 --> 00:57:36.000
 any today

00:57:36.000 --> 00:57:37.180
 who heard

00:57:37.180 --> 00:57:37.640
 your word

00:57:37.640 --> 00:57:38.100
 and have not

00:57:38.100 --> 00:57:39.360
 yet come to

00:57:39.360 --> 00:57:39.620
 give their

00:57:39.620 --> 00:57:40.380
 life to you,

00:57:40.500 --> 00:57:40.940
 to come to

00:57:40.940 --> 00:57:41.740
 trust in you,

00:57:41.739 --> 00:57:42.639
 come to

00:57:42.639 --> 00:57:43.299
 receive you

00:57:43.299 --> 00:57:43.639
 as you are

00:57:43.639 --> 00:57:44.059
 offered in

00:57:44.059 --> 00:57:44.559
 the gospel.

00:57:45.639 --> 00:57:46.000
 We ask,

00:57:46.099 --> 00:57:46.419
 O Lord,

00:57:46.519 --> 00:57:47.319
 that your

00:57:47.319 --> 00:57:48.019
 Holy Spirit

00:57:48.019 --> 00:57:48.759
 will be active

00:57:48.759 --> 00:57:49.539
 amongst us,

00:57:50.500 --> 00:57:51.179
 teaching us,

00:57:51.299 --> 00:57:52.059
 drawing us,

00:57:52.819 --> 00:57:53.239
 bringing us

00:57:53.239 --> 00:57:53.899
 more and more

00:57:53.899 --> 00:57:55.199
 into that

00:57:55.199 --> 00:57:55.959
 living fellowship

00:57:55.959 --> 00:57:56.759
 with yourself

00:57:56.759 --> 00:57:58.259
 through which

00:57:58.259 --> 00:57:58.699
 we know

00:57:58.699 --> 00:57:59.579
 we come to

00:57:59.579 --> 00:58:00.219
 be saved.

00:58:01.279 --> 00:58:01.500
 And so

00:58:01.500 --> 00:58:02.079
 continue to

00:58:02.079 --> 00:58:02.619
 bless us in

00:58:02.619 --> 00:58:02.959
 all our

00:58:02.959 --> 00:58:04.159
 activities as

00:58:04.159 --> 00:58:04.879
 a congregation.

00:58:05.559 --> 00:58:06.319
 We acknowledge,

00:58:06.539 --> 00:58:06.679
 Lord,

00:58:06.739 --> 00:58:07.119
 we come

00:58:07.119 --> 00:58:08.479
 together in

00:58:08.479 --> 00:58:09.379
 so many ways,

00:58:09.380 --> 00:58:10.200
 not only

00:58:10.200 --> 00:58:10.740
 for worship

00:58:10.740 --> 00:58:11.260
 but in

00:58:11.260 --> 00:58:12.420
 other aspects

00:58:12.420 --> 00:58:12.760
 of the

00:58:12.760 --> 00:58:13.480
 congregation's

00:58:13.480 --> 00:58:13.700
 life.

00:58:13.780 --> 00:58:13.960
 And we

00:58:13.960 --> 00:58:15.160
 pray your

00:58:15.160 --> 00:58:15.960
 blessing today

00:58:15.960 --> 00:58:17.280
 to follow all

00:58:17.280 --> 00:58:17.559
 that we

00:58:17.559 --> 00:58:18.119
 endeavor to

00:58:18.119 --> 00:58:19.079
 do in

00:58:19.079 --> 00:58:19.660
 your name.

00:58:20.460 --> 00:58:20.920
 Be with us

00:58:20.920 --> 00:58:21.480
 now as we

00:58:21.480 --> 00:58:22.079
 spend time

00:58:22.079 --> 00:58:22.640
 in fellowship.

00:58:23.539 --> 00:58:23.960
 Blessed to

00:58:23.960 --> 00:58:24.099
 us,

00:58:24.180 --> 00:58:24.579
 we pray,

00:58:25.160 --> 00:58:25.780
 refreshments

00:58:25.780 --> 00:58:26.579
 provided for

00:58:26.579 --> 00:58:26.920
 us.

00:58:27.240 --> 00:58:27.539
 Make us

00:58:27.539 --> 00:58:28.320
 thankful also

00:58:28.320 --> 00:58:29.240
 that you

00:58:29.240 --> 00:58:29.700
 look after

00:58:29.700 --> 00:58:30.220
 our bodily

00:58:30.220 --> 00:58:30.800
 needs so

00:58:30.800 --> 00:58:31.160
 well.

00:58:32.019 --> 00:58:32.360
 Hear us,

00:58:32.460 --> 00:58:32.820
 we pray,

00:58:32.920 --> 00:58:33.320
 and pardon

00:58:33.320 --> 00:58:33.880
 our sin

00:58:33.880 --> 00:58:35.079
 for Christ's

00:58:35.079 --> 00:58:35.420
 sake.

00:58:35.660 --> 00:58:35.960
 Amen.

00:58:35.960 --> 00:58:39.320
 Well,

00:58:39.380 --> 00:58:39.599
 let's

00:58:39.599 --> 00:58:40.320
 conclude our

00:58:40.320 --> 00:58:40.800
 service this

00:58:40.800 --> 00:58:41.240
 morning by

00:58:41.240 --> 00:58:42.519
 singing to

00:58:42.519 --> 00:58:43.099
 God's praise

00:58:43.099 --> 00:58:43.639
 from Psalm

00:58:43.639 --> 00:58:44.800
 27.

00:58:48.440 --> 00:58:49.179
 That's on

00:58:49.179 --> 00:58:50.119
 page 32.

00:58:53.159 --> 00:58:54.340
 Psalm 27,

00:58:54.460 --> 00:58:55.260
 verses 4 to

00:58:55.260 --> 00:58:55.720
 6.

00:58:57.579 --> 00:58:58.440
 Here is the

00:58:58.440 --> 00:58:59.159
 psalmist again

00:58:59.159 --> 00:59:00.480
 talking about

00:59:00.480 --> 00:59:01.740
 being in

00:59:01.740 --> 00:59:02.340
 God's house

00:59:02.340 --> 00:59:02.679
 in those

00:59:02.679 --> 00:59:03.199
 days in the

00:59:03.199 --> 00:59:03.780
 Old Testament

00:59:03.780 --> 00:59:05.740
 so that he

00:59:05.740 --> 00:59:07.240
 would gaze

00:59:07.240 --> 00:59:07.800
 upon the

00:59:07.800 --> 00:59:08.360
 beauty of

00:59:08.360 --> 00:59:08.740
 the Lord

00:59:08.740 --> 00:59:09.260
 as God

00:59:09.260 --> 00:59:10.580
 made himself

00:59:10.580 --> 00:59:11.280
 known to

00:59:11.280 --> 00:59:12.700
 them in

00:59:12.700 --> 00:59:13.360
 those times.

00:59:14.000 --> 00:59:14.620
 So one

00:59:14.620 --> 00:59:15.180
 thing I'll

00:59:15.180 --> 00:59:15.860
 plead before

00:59:15.860 --> 00:59:16.340
 the Lord,

00:59:17.000 --> 00:59:17.620
 and this I'll

00:59:17.620 --> 00:59:18.440
 seek always,

00:59:18.780 --> 00:59:19.340
 that I may

00:59:19.340 --> 00:59:19.960
 come within

00:59:19.960 --> 00:59:20.700
 God's house

00:59:20.700 --> 00:59:21.820
 and dwell

00:59:21.820 --> 00:59:22.320
 there all

00:59:22.320 --> 00:59:22.880
 my days,

00:59:22.960 --> 00:59:23.400
 that on the

00:59:23.400 --> 00:59:23.900
 beauty of

00:59:23.900 --> 00:59:24.320
 the Lord

00:59:24.320 --> 00:59:25.740
 I constantly

00:59:25.740 --> 00:59:26.540
 may gaze

00:59:26.540 --> 00:59:27.620
 and in

00:59:27.620 --> 00:59:28.080
 his house

00:59:28.080 --> 00:59:28.620
 may seek

00:59:28.620 --> 00:59:29.100
 to know

00:59:29.100 --> 00:59:30.140
 direction

00:59:30.140 --> 00:59:31.060
 in his

00:59:31.060 --> 00:59:31.600
 ways.

00:59:32.160 --> 00:59:32.500
 For in

00:59:32.500 --> 00:59:32.960
 his dwelling

00:59:32.960 --> 00:59:33.300
 he will

00:59:33.300 --> 00:59:33.780
 keep me

00:59:33.780 --> 00:59:34.360
 safe in

00:59:34.360 --> 00:59:34.619
 troubled

00:59:34.619 --> 00:59:35.099
 days.

00:59:35.800 --> 00:59:35.980
 Within

00:59:35.980 --> 00:59:36.500
 his tent

00:59:36.500 --> 00:59:36.760
 he'll

00:59:36.760 --> 00:59:37.079
 shelter

00:59:37.079 --> 00:59:37.320
 me

00:59:37.320 --> 00:59:37.460
 and

00:59:37.460 --> 00:59:37.720
 on a

00:59:37.720 --> 00:59:37.960
 rock

00:59:37.960 --> 00:59:38.139
 me

00:59:38.139 --> 00:59:38.599
 raise.

00:59:39.179 --> 00:59:39.659
 My head

00:59:39.659 --> 00:59:40.099
 will then

00:59:40.099 --> 00:59:40.619
 be lifted

00:59:40.619 --> 00:59:41.920
 high above

00:59:41.920 --> 00:59:42.599
 my enemies

00:59:42.599 --> 00:59:43.019
 and in

00:59:43.019 --> 00:59:43.559
 his tent

00:59:43.559 --> 00:59:44.240
 I'll

00:59:44.240 --> 00:59:44.740
 sacrifice

00:59:44.740 --> 00:59:45.119
 with

00:59:45.119 --> 00:59:45.579
 shouts

00:59:45.579 --> 00:59:46.860
 of joy

00:59:46.860 --> 00:59:48.460
 and praise.

00:59:48.860 --> 00:59:49.119
 And we're

00:59:49.119 --> 00:59:49.460
 singing to

00:59:49.460 --> 00:59:49.740
 a tune

00:59:49.740 --> 00:59:50.480
 Grafenberg

00:59:50.480 --> 00:59:51.079
 these

00:59:51.079 --> 00:59:51.920
 verses 4 to

00:59:51.920 --> 00:59:52.360
 6.

00:59:52.360 --> 00:59:58.940
 one thing

00:59:58.940 --> 01:00:00.220
 I'll plead

01:00:00.220 --> 01:00:02.300
 before the

01:00:02.300 --> 01:00:03.120
 Lord

01:00:03.120 --> 01:00:05.180
 and this

01:00:05.180 --> 01:00:06.760
 I'll seek

01:00:06.760 --> 01:00:08.019
 always

01:00:08.019 --> 01:00:11.320
 that I

01:00:11.320 --> 01:00:13.099
 may come

01:00:13.099 --> 01:00:14.099
 within

01:00:14.099 --> 01:00:15.800
 God's

01:00:15.800 --> 01:00:16.440
 eyes

01:00:16.440 --> 01:00:18.519
 and dwell

01:00:18.519 --> 01:00:20.360
 there all

01:00:20.360 --> 01:00:23.480
 my days

01:00:23.480 --> 01:00:25.820
 that on

01:00:25.820 --> 01:00:26.860
 the

01:00:26.860 --> 01:00:27.800
 beauty

01:00:27.800 --> 01:00:30.059
 of the

01:00:30.059 --> 01:00:31.000
 Lord

01:00:31.000 --> 01:00:32.079
 I

01:00:32.079 --> 01:00:34.059
 constantly

01:00:34.059 --> 01:00:37.559
 may gaze

01:00:37.559 --> 01:00:39.900
 and in

01:00:39.900 --> 01:00:41.539
 his eyes

01:00:41.539 --> 01:00:43.400
 may seek

01:00:43.400 --> 01:00:47.300
 direction

01:00:47.300 --> 01:00:49.059
 in

01:00:49.059 --> 01:00:50.000
 his

01:00:50.000 --> 01:00:52.340
 ways

01:00:52.340 --> 01:00:53.940
 for

01:00:53.940 --> 01:00:54.740
 in

01:00:54.740 --> 01:00:55.619
 his

01:00:55.619 --> 01:00:56.720
 dwelling

01:00:56.720 --> 01:00:57.780
 he

01:00:57.780 --> 01:00:59.119
 will

01:00:59.119 --> 01:01:00.039
 keep

01:01:00.039 --> 01:01:01.059
 me

01:01:01.059 --> 01:01:02.180
 safe

01:01:02.180 --> 01:01:02.980
 and

01:01:02.980 --> 01:01:04.099
 troubled

01:01:04.099 --> 01:01:06.139
 way

01:01:06.139 --> 01:01:08.139
 where

01:01:08.139 --> 01:01:08.940
 than

01:01:08.940 --> 01:01:09.780
 his

01:01:09.780 --> 01:01:10.720
 tent

01:01:10.720 --> 01:01:11.460
 he'll

01:01:11.460 --> 01:01:12.599
 shelter

01:01:12.599 --> 01:01:14.099
 me

01:01:14.099 --> 01:01:15.519
 and

01:01:15.519 --> 01:01:16.480
 on

01:01:16.480 --> 01:01:17.420
 a

01:01:17.420 --> 01:01:18.280
 rock

01:01:18.280 --> 01:01:18.780
 me

01:01:18.780 --> 01:01:21.440
 raise

01:01:21.440 --> 01:01:22.820
 my

01:01:22.820 --> 01:01:24.039
 head

01:01:24.039 --> 01:01:24.780
 will

01:01:24.780 --> 01:01:25.720
 then

01:01:25.720 --> 01:01:26.500
 be

01:01:26.500 --> 01:01:27.780
 lifted

01:01:27.780 --> 01:01:29.240
 high

01:01:29.240 --> 01:01:30.760
 above

01:01:30.760 --> 01:01:32.440
 my

01:01:32.440 --> 01:01:34.659
 enemies

01:01:34.659 --> 01:01:37.420
 and

01:01:37.420 --> 01:01:38.220
 in

01:01:38.220 --> 01:01:39.059
 his

01:01:39.059 --> 01:01:40.019
 tent

01:01:40.019 --> 01:01:40.920
 I'll

01:01:40.920 --> 01:01:42.920
 sacrifice

01:01:42.920 --> 01:01:44.920
 with

01:01:44.920 --> 01:01:45.739
 hearts

01:01:45.739 --> 01:01:46.679
 of

01:01:46.679 --> 01:01:47.659
 joy

01:01:47.659 --> 01:01:48.599
 and

01:01:48.599 --> 01:01:50.440
 praise

01:01:50.440 --> 01:01:52.219
 if you

01:01:52.219 --> 01:01:54.739
 allow me to get to the main door please I'll greet you on the way out

01:01:54.739 --> 01:02:01.599
 now may grace and mercy and peace from God the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit

01:02:01.599 --> 01:02:04.280
 be your portion now and evermore

01:02:04.280 --> 01:02:05.159
 Amen

01:02:05.159 --> 01:02:27.819
 thank you

01:02:27.819 --> 01:02:28.359
 thank you

01:02:28.360 --> 01:02:58.340
 Thank you.