WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:05.299 We're going to begin our worship now by singing to God's praise in Psalm 116. 00:00:06.339 --> 00:00:13.919 We're singing on the Scottish Psalter version, page 395, singing from verse 1 to verse 8. 00:00:14.060 --> 00:00:15.560 The tune is Coals Hill. 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:22.059 I love the Lord because my voice and prayers heeded here, I while I live will call on him 00:00:22.059 --> 00:00:24.420 who bowed to me his ear. 00:00:24.420 --> 00:00:28.199 We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 8 to God's praise. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:49.480 I love the Lord because my voice and prayers heeded here, 00:00:49.480 --> 00:00:58.320 I while I live will call on him 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:05.319 who are to be this year. 00:01:05.319 --> 00:01:19.439 O let the wars and sorrows hear about me, 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:26.439 I will sing from verse 1 to verse 8 to verse 8. 00:01:26.439 --> 00:01:34.780 I belong to the Lord as if his actions duperule so. 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:37.439 I تم me in mode of silence. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:02:07.420 Thank you. 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:37.419 Thank you. 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:39.439 Thank you. 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:09.439 Thank you. 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:39.439 Thank you. 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:41.439 Thank you. 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:56.439 I lift my morning, my strong tears, my feet from falling free. 00:03:56.439 --> 00:03:57.439 Amen. 00:03:57.439 --> 00:03:58.439 Amen. 00:03:58.439 --> 00:03:59.439 Amen. 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:00.439 Amen. 00:04:00.439 --> 00:04:01.439 Amen. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:02.439 Amen. 00:04:02.439 --> 00:04:03.439 Amen. 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:05.439 I will come to God in a short word of prayer. 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:06.439 Let us pray. 00:04:06.439 --> 00:04:07.439 Let us pray. 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:08.439 Amen. 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:10.439 Amen. 00:04:10.439 --> 00:04:11.439 Amen. 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:12.439 Amen. 00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:13.439 Amen. 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:14.439 Amen. 00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:23.000 we do to come together as a people here, meeting and greeting one another, enjoying to see each 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:28.939 other and enjoy each other's company. But we thank you above all that we come, not with each other 00:04:28.939 --> 00:04:34.899 in mind in particular, but with you in mind. We come thankful that you call us to yourself, 00:04:35.100 --> 00:04:41.399 that you encourage us, that you are the one who strengthens us day by day. And we thank you that 00:04:41.399 --> 00:04:48.299 you have promised to be with us as we do come together. And we pray your blessing on this day 00:04:48.299 --> 00:04:55.719 and upon all that we do in our worship and in our times at home, in our times of fellowship and in 00:04:55.719 --> 00:05:01.939 Sunday school and creche and tweenies and all that goes on today, Lord. We thank you for everyone who 00:05:01.939 --> 00:05:07.979 is involved and who is here, but remembering those unable to be with us, even tuning in online as well, 00:05:07.980 --> 00:05:14.740 and thankful that together we can come and praise your name. So may you be with us, Lord, and lead 00:05:14.740 --> 00:05:21.879 us in all that we do. Bless your word to us. We thank you for it, that we can open up your word and 00:05:21.879 --> 00:05:28.920 read of the wonders of who you are and all that you have done for us. And so teach us through your word, 00:05:29.080 --> 00:05:36.000 Lord. May we learn from it and not just for today, but for every day of our lives, that we would live 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:42.620 by your word and by your truth. So bless us all together, we pray, and go before us, 00:05:43.139 --> 00:05:48.439 pardoning us in all our sins as we ask it all in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:05:50.699 --> 00:05:56.680 Well, before the young ones go out to the Sunday school, I just want to share a few words with you. 00:05:56.680 --> 00:06:04.040 I'm sure you all have different interests, things that you enjoy doing day to day, and maybe you're 00:06:04.040 --> 00:06:12.519 a big fan of people or teams or things like that. People like to follow football teams, 00:06:13.280 --> 00:06:20.259 people like to follow bands or singers, people like to follow film stars and things like that, 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:26.560 people who are important and who we hear a lot about. And if I was to ask everyone to put up their 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:34.000 hands, who here supports the greatest Scottish football team, Aberdeen? I'm sure everyone would 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:42.920 be putting up their hands. Maybe not. Well, other teams will have lots of followers as well, but there's 00:06:42.920 --> 00:06:51.079 a difference between being a follower and being a fan. So what's the difference? Well, if you think of 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:59.560 some football teams or you think of some pop stars or bands or film stars, they maybe have fans and 00:06:59.560 --> 00:07:06.919 they'll have followers. So take, for example, a team, a football team like Manchester City. 00:07:07.799 --> 00:07:12.919 A long time ago, many years ago, they maybe didn't have so many fans and followers because 00:07:12.919 --> 00:07:18.879 they weren't successful. But in these last few years when they've been winning everything, 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:26.019 a lot of people have started to be fans of them and to follow them. So all around the world now, 00:07:26.100 --> 00:07:31.680 they've got people who take an interest in how their results are going and how they're getting on. 00:07:32.439 --> 00:07:39.579 But the difference between a fan and a follower is a fan may be only there while the things are going 00:07:39.579 --> 00:07:47.659 well, while the team is winning. There'll be a lot of fans who will follow at that point. But when 00:07:47.660 --> 00:07:54.320 things start getting hard, when the results don't go their way, these fans, they just go to another 00:07:54.320 --> 00:08:02.700 team, another team who's maybe successful and winning. But those who are real followers of the team, 00:08:03.220 --> 00:08:10.500 they'll stick with them through the ups and downs. And they are the people who are really committed. 00:08:10.500 --> 00:08:17.060 And when we look at the Bible, it reminds us that when we look at the life of Jesus, 00:08:17.720 --> 00:08:25.060 there was times in his life when a lot of people were interested in him. As he was going about 00:08:25.060 --> 00:08:31.120 day-to-day life, people were hearing his teaching. They were seeing him do miracles, 00:08:31.420 --> 00:08:39.159 things that were impossible. Jesus did like walking on water, feeding the 5,000. There was all kinds of 00:08:39.159 --> 00:08:45.399 miracles that Jesus did. And people were really interested in this. There were many fans, if you 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:52.139 like, following him, thousands of people following him. But when things started getting more difficult, 00:08:53.100 --> 00:08:59.120 when Jesus started to teach them about things being hard and life not always being easy and 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:07.779 trials will come, he found that many of these fans, as it were, turned away. They didn't want to know. 00:09:07.779 --> 00:09:15.179 This sounded too difficult. And there was one point in Jesus's life when, as he was teaching and he was 00:09:15.179 --> 00:09:19.860 seeing people turning away, he was saying to some of the disciples who were with him, 00:09:20.500 --> 00:09:31.159 will you also go away? But their response was this, to whom else can we go? You alone have the words 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:38.639 of eternal life. They were followers of Jesus. Not just fans who were there for the good times when 00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:44.819 everything was going well, but who stuck with him, who stayed with him, who followed him. 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:52.759 And that's a reminder to ourselves today as well. Ask yourself, are you a fan or a follower of Jesus? 00:09:52.759 --> 00:10:00.460 Are you only here to hear about the good things and to enjoy the good times? Or will you truly follow 00:10:00.460 --> 00:10:09.740 Jesus? Follow him, especially maybe when things get hard and difficult, because he promises to be 00:10:09.740 --> 00:10:18.240 faithful to us, to be with us each and every day. So don't just be a fan who's there when things are good. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:25.480 Be a follower and know that Jesus is with us through the ups and downs of all our lives. 00:10:25.940 --> 00:10:31.919 So may God bless these thoughts to us. We're going to say the Lord's Prayer together now. 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:32.919 Amen. 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:33.919 Amen. 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:41.899 Our Father, we chart in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth 00:10:41.899 --> 00:10:50.079 as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our 00:10:50.079 --> 00:10:57.279 debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, 00:10:57.819 --> 00:11:00.959 the power, and the glory forever. Amen. 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:08.860 We're going to sing again to God's praise this time in Psalm 70. Again, it's in the Scottish Psalter 00:11:08.860 --> 00:11:18.759 version, and the first version of the Psalm on page 309 of the Psalm books. Psalm 70, the first version. 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:26.519 Lord, haste me to deliver with speed. Lord, succor me. Let them that for my soul do seek shame 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:33.199 unconfounded be. We'll sing the whole of this psalm to the tune dense, and we stand to sing. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:40.200 Lord, haste me to deliver with speed. Lord, succor me. Let them that for my soul do seek, 00:11:40.200 --> 00:12:10.180 Thank you. 00:12:10.200 --> 00:12:40.180 Thank you. 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:42.200 Thank you. 00:13:10.200 --> 00:13:12.200 Thank you. 00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:41.200 Amen. 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:42.200 Amen. 00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:43.200 Amen. 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:44.200 Amen. 00:14:12.200 --> 00:14:15.259 And we can read the whole of this chapter together. 00:14:15.259 --> 00:14:16.259 Amen. 00:14:16.259 --> 00:14:17.259 Amen. 00:14:17.259 --> 00:14:18.259 Amen. 00:14:18.259 --> 00:14:24.740 So we see coming into chapter 4, we have the word, therefore, for, so Paul here is continuing, 00:14:24.939 --> 00:14:30.480 the writer of the letter, Paul is continuing to explain what it is to know the glory of 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:36.740 God as he speaks about it there, the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 00:14:36.740 --> 00:14:39.139 So we pick up our reading in chapter 4. 00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:46.019 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart, but we have 00:14:46.019 --> 00:14:48.560 renounced disgraceful underhanded ways. 00:14:49.159 --> 00:14:55.620 We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the 00:14:55.620 --> 00:15:00.659 truth, we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 00:15:00.659 --> 00:15:06.860 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 00:15:07.459 --> 00:15:13.120 In their case, the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:19.039 seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:27.939 And for what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your 00:15:27.939 --> 00:15:29.959 servants for Jesus' sake. 00:15:30.899 --> 00:15:37.279 For God, who said, let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:41.179 the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 00:15:41.179 --> 00:15:48.579 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God 00:15:48.579 --> 00:15:50.099 and not to us. 00:15:50.959 --> 00:15:54.279 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed. 00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:58.099 Perplexed, but not driven to despair. 00:15:59.059 --> 00:16:01.639 Persecuted, but not forsaken. 00:16:02.459 --> 00:16:05.079 Struck down, but not destroyed. 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:08.599 Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus. 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:12.840 So the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 00:16:13.580 --> 00:16:17.620 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake. 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:22.360 So the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 00:16:23.100 --> 00:16:26.360 So death is at work in us, but life in you. 00:16:27.300 --> 00:16:31.580 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, 00:16:32.019 --> 00:16:33.879 I believed and so I spoke. 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:37.639 We also believe and so we also speak. 00:16:37.639 --> 00:16:46.699 Knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 00:16:46.700 --> 00:16:49.660 For it is all for your sake. 00:16:49.660 --> 00:16:57.220 So that as grace extends to more and more people, it may increase thanksgiving to the glory of God. 00:16:58.060 --> 00:16:59.820 So we do not lose heart. 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:05.240 Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:13.539 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:18.900 As we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. 00:17:19.420 --> 00:17:26.059 For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 00:17:26.059 --> 00:17:31.279 We ask that God would bless that word to us. 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:34.460 Let us again just join together in a word of prayer. 00:17:34.460 --> 00:17:42.299 Our Father in heaven, we give you thanks that we are able to call upon your name. 00:17:42.940 --> 00:17:51.559 That in prayer we have that great assurance that we are not just speaking words to ourselves or to those who are gathered around us. 00:17:51.559 --> 00:18:01.319 But that we offer up our prayers to you as the Lord and God who has made the heaven and the earth and all that we see around us. 00:18:01.539 --> 00:18:05.240 As God who has made us for a purpose. 00:18:05.980 --> 00:18:09.319 As the one who is God over all. 00:18:10.220 --> 00:18:16.220 And the one who, as we have been reminded in our reading here, has given his son. 00:18:16.220 --> 00:18:25.819 We thank you that you did indeed not spare your son, but that you sent him into this world and sent him with a real purpose. 00:18:26.600 --> 00:18:32.559 Your love was shown to us in the very fact that Jesus was born in this world. 00:18:33.299 --> 00:18:37.240 That he came and lived here among the people of this world. 00:18:38.120 --> 00:18:45.279 And that he taught and showed himself not just as an ordinary man, but as the son of God. 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:50.440 And we thank you that the Bible reminds us of his power. 00:18:51.220 --> 00:18:57.099 And his power not just in the miracles that he did around his people then. 00:18:57.779 --> 00:19:00.680 Showing them things that were so impossible to do. 00:19:01.460 --> 00:19:05.059 But above all, the power that he had to give life. 00:19:05.960 --> 00:19:10.720 And not just life in a way in this world, but eternal life. 00:19:11.160 --> 00:19:13.119 The greatest gift of all. 00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:16.239 And so we thank you that we have your word. 00:19:16.359 --> 00:19:19.099 And may it help us in every circumstance. 00:19:19.559 --> 00:19:21.879 That whatever we are going through in life. 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:25.019 Whatever our past experience or present experience. 00:19:25.699 --> 00:19:29.559 That we would realize that your word gives us such great hope. 00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:32.179 A future to look forward to. 00:19:32.679 --> 00:19:34.719 That as we put our trust in you. 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:38.720 That you are the one who is able to heal hurts. 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:42.440 And to help us in times of anxiety and fear. 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:46.680 The one who is able to guide us when we feel lost in this world. 00:19:47.339 --> 00:19:50.319 The one who is able to give us strength when we feel weak. 00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:53.720 We thank you for everything that you do for your people. 00:19:54.339 --> 00:19:57.839 Everything that you do as we come calling upon you. 00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:01.759 And so we pray, Lord, that you will bless your word to us today. 00:20:01.919 --> 00:20:04.099 And bless all that we do in your name. 00:20:04.539 --> 00:20:09.399 We thank you, Lord, that the gospel is full of good news. 00:20:09.399 --> 00:20:13.480 In the midst of all the bad news that we see around us and hear around us. 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:17.639 And how we all need to hear your gospel. 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:20.039 How we need to hear this good news. 00:20:20.039 --> 00:20:22.539 And to all the ends of the earth, Lord. 00:20:22.639 --> 00:20:28.539 People need to hear about Jesus and the goodness and mercy that he is able to show. 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:31.899 And we pray, Lord, that around the world today. 00:20:32.500 --> 00:20:38.099 In the midst of times of terror and war and conflicts near and far. 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:41.740 We thank you that you are a God of peace. 00:20:42.339 --> 00:20:44.420 And we pray, Lord, to have mercy. 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:48.559 To have mercy in the midst of all that's happening in our world. 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:54.099 And to turn the angry hearts, the sinful hearts, the wicked hearts. 00:20:54.200 --> 00:20:56.619 To turn them from their evil ways. 00:20:57.240 --> 00:21:01.019 And to turn them to following the paths of goodness and righteousness. 00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:03.579 As you teach us in your word. 00:21:04.179 --> 00:21:08.119 So we pray, Lord, that you will look down upon us this day. 00:21:08.599 --> 00:21:11.259 Look down upon our world and upon your people. 00:21:11.619 --> 00:21:13.339 To all ends of the earth. 00:21:13.819 --> 00:21:16.339 And hear the prayers of your people. 00:21:16.339 --> 00:21:19.980 That you will transform our lives and our hearts. 00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:22.539 And all our nations, O Lord. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:25.059 To know your blessing and your peace. 00:21:25.699 --> 00:21:28.859 We thank you for our people here as a congregation. 00:21:28.859 --> 00:21:29.980 For our town. 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:32.399 For our islands around us, Lord. 00:21:32.439 --> 00:21:35.559 And we pray for all our people, Lord, today. 00:21:35.659 --> 00:21:38.819 That you will draw near to all who need you in different ways. 00:21:38.819 --> 00:21:43.799 As we think of those who are mourning and grieving at this time. 00:21:44.539 --> 00:21:45.799 Even in this past week. 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:50.419 As we think of the Mackenzie family following the passing of Alistair. 00:21:51.079 --> 00:21:52.759 So suddenly this week, Lord. 00:21:52.819 --> 00:21:54.960 We pray for your comfort to them. 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:56.019 Your help to them. 00:21:56.559 --> 00:21:59.259 Especially as they prepare for the funeral tomorrow, Lord. 00:21:59.319 --> 00:22:02.319 We pray that you will surround them and uphold them. 00:22:02.859 --> 00:22:05.139 And be their refuge and their strength. 00:22:05.140 --> 00:22:07.440 We pray for those who are in hospital. 00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:08.840 For those who are in homes. 00:22:09.300 --> 00:22:12.000 Those who are confined to their own homes as well, Lord. 00:22:12.060 --> 00:22:15.820 Going through different experiences and times of ill health. 00:22:15.980 --> 00:22:17.840 Or different needs, Lord. 00:22:17.900 --> 00:22:19.560 We pray that you will bless them. 00:22:20.080 --> 00:22:23.060 And surround them with your goodness and your mercy as well. 00:22:23.059 --> 00:22:25.700 We ask, oh Lord, for our young people. 00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:27.099 That you will watch over them. 00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:30.539 Thankful for all who come so regularly, week by week. 00:22:31.159 --> 00:22:33.079 Looking ahead to this week even. 00:22:33.139 --> 00:22:35.599 And this evening we thank you for the youth fellowship. 00:22:36.299 --> 00:22:38.440 At Jonathan and Allison's house this evening. 00:22:38.579 --> 00:22:39.940 We pray for that time. 00:22:40.539 --> 00:22:42.399 And for Hannah as she comes to speak. 00:22:42.500 --> 00:22:43.519 May you bless that. 00:22:44.220 --> 00:22:49.500 May you bless the Presbytery camp this coming weekend as well, Lord. 00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:51.839 We thank you for all who have signed up for that. 00:22:51.960 --> 00:22:54.579 And may it be a time of real encouragement and blessing. 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:59.799 As the children and the leaders gather together over this weekend, Lord. 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:02.900 We pray for protection and for your blessing on them. 00:23:03.380 --> 00:23:06.240 We pray for the Christmas club coming up as well. 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:08.160 As invitations are sent out. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:10.920 That we would see a good response to it. 00:23:10.920 --> 00:23:17.120 And that you will help us to again remind ourselves and remind others of the gospel. 00:23:17.259 --> 00:23:20.560 The good news of Jesus coming into this world. 00:23:20.700 --> 00:23:23.700 And we pray that you will help in all of these things. 00:23:23.820 --> 00:23:25.460 That your blessing will be upon it. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:28.700 So Lord, may you continue with us throughout this day. 00:23:29.539 --> 00:23:31.080 Bless us in homes and families. 00:23:31.340 --> 00:23:35.380 Lord, look after us and all our loved ones as we commit ourselves into your hands. 00:23:35.380 --> 00:23:39.360 Take care of us and pardon us in all our sins. 00:23:39.360 --> 00:23:43.000 As we think of things that we say and do that we shouldn't. 00:23:43.480 --> 00:23:45.400 And the things that we don't do that we should. 00:23:45.840 --> 00:23:47.900 We pray, Lord, that you will help us. 00:23:48.460 --> 00:23:52.720 To know that you are a God of forgiveness and help in our every need. 00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:55.120 So hear our prayers as we ask them. 00:23:55.540 --> 00:23:56.540 In the name of Jesus. 00:23:56.800 --> 00:23:58.220 For his sake and glory. 00:23:58.780 --> 00:23:59.140 Amen. 00:23:59.140 --> 00:24:05.340 Let us again sing to God's praise. 00:24:05.420 --> 00:24:08.420 Before we turn back to look at the passage that we read. 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:11.560 We're going to sing in Psalm 146. 00:24:12.520 --> 00:24:14.259 Page 191. 00:24:16.600 --> 00:24:18.160 Psalm 146. 00:24:18.300 --> 00:24:21.540 We'll sing from verse 5 down to verse 10. 00:24:21.620 --> 00:24:22.440 The end of the psalm. 00:24:22.520 --> 00:24:23.780 The tune is Sussex. 00:24:23.779 --> 00:24:29.599 Blessed is the one who truly looks for help to Jacob's God. 00:24:30.119 --> 00:24:34.500 Blessed is the one who places all his hope upon the Lord. 00:24:34.579 --> 00:24:37.200 We'll sing from verse 5 down to verse 10. 00:24:37.619 --> 00:24:38.680 To God's praise. 00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:38.740 Amen. 00:24:38.740 --> 00:24:55.079 Blessed is the one who places all his hope upon the Lord. 00:24:55.079 --> 00:25:09.299 Blessed is the one who places all his hope upon the Lord. 00:25:09.299 --> 00:25:22.519 He who made the earth and heaven and the seas with all their sword. 00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:30.859 스� McMahon's prayer. 00:25:30.859 --> 00:25:41.759 Blessed is the one who believes foe as if the fisherman will ever changeost Him in a traumatizing land. 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:47.200 Chapel is the one who пока about theundenys 00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:51.139 and heavenly celestial prays. 00:25:51.140 --> 00:26:02.580 He releases those in prison, to oblige the Lord his side. 00:26:02.579 --> 00:26:15.240 For tomorrow, by God he races all delights in righteousness. 00:26:16.619 --> 00:26:28.139 He protects and cares for strangers when it will stand the forest. 00:26:28.140 --> 00:26:48.960 He trusts the wicked girls, so the Lord to endless days reigns to every generation. 00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:55.720 Praise to God, O Zion, praise. 00:26:58.140 --> 00:27:04.900 Well, let's turn back to our reading in 2 Corinthians chapter 4. 00:27:04.900 --> 00:27:15.120 And you notice at the beginning of the chapter, chapter 4, in verse 1, there it says, 00:27:15.460 --> 00:27:20.460 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 00:27:21.320 --> 00:27:26.000 And then if you go down to verse 16, that phrase is repeated. 00:27:26.660 --> 00:27:29.240 We do not lose heart. 00:27:29.240 --> 00:27:32.599 So there's this phrase that we have in this chapter. 00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:41.900 And I want to focus on that phrase, we do not lose heart, but looking at it particularly from verse 7 down to the end of the chapter. 00:27:41.900 --> 00:27:48.300 There's an American painter who was called John Sargent. 00:27:48.660 --> 00:27:53.320 He lived in the late 1800s and died in the early 1900s. 00:27:53.420 --> 00:27:55.480 He was a famous painter in his day. 00:27:56.259 --> 00:28:00.960 And he once painted a picture, a painting of roses. 00:28:01.800 --> 00:28:08.160 It was just a small painting, but it became very precious to him, became very important to him. 00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:16.480 It was a painting that was praised by art critics as something that was so beautiful and so delicate in so many ways. 00:28:17.080 --> 00:28:23.380 And he had offers, large offers from people to buy the painting, but he never sold it. 00:28:24.380 --> 00:28:27.600 He considered it his best work. 00:28:28.700 --> 00:28:30.500 And he was proud of it. 00:28:31.100 --> 00:28:36.900 But the reason that he kept it was this, that whenever he felt discouraged as an artist, 00:28:36.900 --> 00:28:44.620 whenever he felt that he was losing his focus or felt that he was a failure as an artist and just couldn't paint anything, 00:28:45.280 --> 00:28:52.080 he said he would look at that painting and remind himself that I painted that. 00:28:53.019 --> 00:28:57.560 And very often that would take him back to his focus on the gifts that he had, 00:28:58.000 --> 00:29:03.000 the gift that he had as an artist, and he would continue to paint very beautiful paintings. 00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:08.960 In a sense, maybe that's how we are with God's Word. 00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:14.880 There's a temptation for us at times when, as I was saying with the young ones, 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:18.720 when we're fans or followers, when the going gets hard, 00:29:19.099 --> 00:29:21.859 when things are difficult, that we can look at God's Word and think, 00:29:22.039 --> 00:29:24.220 there's nothing there for me. 00:29:25.640 --> 00:29:28.039 That doesn't make any sense to me. 00:29:28.039 --> 00:29:31.799 And the temptation is to turn away from it. 00:29:32.920 --> 00:29:37.619 When the reality is that by having God's Word, it should be the opposite. 00:29:38.460 --> 00:29:41.559 So that when there are times when we are feeling discouraged, 00:29:42.339 --> 00:29:46.599 when we are feeling downcast or disheartened and things that are going on, 00:29:47.240 --> 00:29:52.099 that we recognize that God has given us this Word. 00:29:52.099 --> 00:29:57.559 That we recognize what he has done for us, what he tells us in this Word, 00:29:57.619 --> 00:29:59.240 that he gave his Son. 00:30:00.199 --> 00:30:04.359 And we recognize, God did that for me. 00:30:05.659 --> 00:30:09.599 So we are to come back to God's Word again and again, 00:30:09.699 --> 00:30:16.119 and here to find encouragement in our lives, strength in our lives. 00:30:16.119 --> 00:30:22.179 This passage, chapter 4 in 2 Corinthians, as we look at this chapter, 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:30.459 it reminds us not to lose heart, not to turn away from God's Word, 00:30:30.539 --> 00:30:36.339 but indeed to come closer to him day by day, even in the most difficult circumstances. 00:30:37.439 --> 00:30:42.659 And we all know the kind of days that we live, that we live in. 00:30:42.660 --> 00:30:50.560 And it's so easy to lose heart, so easy to be dismayed in all that we see going on around us, 00:30:50.580 --> 00:30:54.320 or even in our own lives and experiences too. 00:30:55.720 --> 00:31:02.560 And above all, we see people and nations all over the world turning away from God, 00:31:03.420 --> 00:31:07.200 saying there is no God, we don't need God, God isn't real. 00:31:07.740 --> 00:31:10.200 People are not interested in the things of God, 00:31:10.200 --> 00:31:13.539 and so we can lose heart and think what we are doing, 00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:19.539 whether it's preaching or evangelism or just living our lives in our communities among people, 00:31:19.740 --> 00:31:25.180 we can lose heart as if nothing is happening, nothing is changing. 00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:30.759 But this passage reminds us what we have, 00:31:31.360 --> 00:31:33.779 that we have a treasure. 00:31:33.779 --> 00:31:37.019 We have something that is priceless, 00:31:37.619 --> 00:31:38.839 something that is precious, 00:31:39.019 --> 00:31:43.160 something that we need to hold on to firmly for ourselves, 00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:46.980 but also to show to others as well. 00:31:47.799 --> 00:31:52.960 And that's exactly what Paul was doing in this city of Corinth. 00:31:54.359 --> 00:31:58.579 You're going back 2,000 years here to the city of Corinth, 00:31:58.579 --> 00:32:02.199 a place that was in many ways a new city, 00:32:02.740 --> 00:32:07.559 a city that had been built only about eight years before this. 00:32:08.139 --> 00:32:11.579 It was a Roman city occupied by Romans, 00:32:11.899 --> 00:32:13.679 soldiers and authorities, 00:32:13.879 --> 00:32:17.819 and to be a Christian in this city was a challenge 00:32:17.819 --> 00:32:22.599 because the Romans hated the Christians. 00:32:22.599 --> 00:32:29.579 And if they tried to do anything that was putting the Lord up before people, 00:32:29.659 --> 00:32:31.980 they were very often persecuted or worse, 00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:33.719 they were put to death. 00:32:35.019 --> 00:32:38.219 So it wasn't an easy place to live in, 00:32:38.299 --> 00:32:41.779 and so people could have easily lost heart. 00:32:42.399 --> 00:32:44.219 But Paul comes to them, 00:32:44.259 --> 00:32:47.859 the apostle sent by God to come to this city, 00:32:48.419 --> 00:32:49.559 he comes saying to them, 00:32:49.559 --> 00:32:51.759 do not lose heart. 00:32:52.679 --> 00:32:55.139 And he goes on to tell them why. 00:32:56.299 --> 00:32:59.779 We see Paul reminding them here as to reasons 00:32:59.779 --> 00:33:01.960 for them not to lose heart 00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:05.119 and for ourselves not to lose heart today. 00:33:06.659 --> 00:33:09.179 That we have this ministry, 00:33:09.359 --> 00:33:10.220 this gospel, 00:33:10.399 --> 00:33:13.039 this treasure in jars of clay, 00:33:13.139 --> 00:33:15.740 as he says in verse 7. 00:33:16.579 --> 00:33:18.819 So that verse itself reminds us 00:33:18.819 --> 00:33:20.639 we have a great treasure, 00:33:21.480 --> 00:33:22.819 the good news of Jesus, 00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:25.059 but he says in jars of clay. 00:33:25.799 --> 00:33:29.039 So there's something fragile there as well, 00:33:29.099 --> 00:33:32.399 and we are indeed a fragile people. 00:33:33.480 --> 00:33:37.980 This chapter is kind of marked in three stages. 00:33:39.419 --> 00:33:40.659 We do not lose heart, 00:33:40.740 --> 00:33:42.000 he says in verse 1, 00:33:42.079 --> 00:33:46.679 because of this powerful word of God that we have. 00:33:46.680 --> 00:33:49.100 Then in verse 7, 00:33:49.779 --> 00:33:51.680 we don't lose heart, 00:33:51.740 --> 00:33:53.320 even though that we are weak. 00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:55.500 And then in verse 16, 00:33:55.799 --> 00:33:57.340 we don't lose heart, 00:33:57.400 --> 00:33:59.500 because we have something precious 00:33:59.500 --> 00:34:02.320 to look forward to as well. 00:34:02.980 --> 00:34:04.860 So we're going to focus just for a time 00:34:04.860 --> 00:34:06.000 on verse 7, 00:34:06.560 --> 00:34:08.579 down to the end of the chapter. 00:34:08.740 --> 00:34:11.840 And there's three things that we've given here 00:34:11.840 --> 00:34:15.140 to remind us why we shouldn't lose heart. 00:34:15.260 --> 00:34:16.220 And the first is, 00:34:17.079 --> 00:34:18.400 in our weakness, 00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:20.720 we can know strength. 00:34:22.760 --> 00:34:25.160 Secondly, we see in our pains, 00:34:25.800 --> 00:34:27.880 we can know his protection. 00:34:29.340 --> 00:34:30.740 And then thirdly, 00:34:30.740 --> 00:34:32.320 we'll see that though, 00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:33.640 as it describes here, 00:34:33.740 --> 00:34:35.519 we are wasting away, 00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:40.300 we too are watching for something better. 00:34:40.940 --> 00:34:43.199 So the first thing we want to see here is, 00:34:43.739 --> 00:34:45.440 though we feel weak, 00:34:46.179 --> 00:34:49.559 there is still a strength for us. 00:34:51.619 --> 00:34:55.780 We're reminded here of our own weaknesses, 00:34:56.139 --> 00:34:57.400 first and foremost. 00:34:57.400 --> 00:35:03.300 How do we go on in hard times? 00:35:03.820 --> 00:35:06.940 How do we go on when the going is tough? 00:35:07.000 --> 00:35:09.519 And especially as Paul is here speaking about 00:35:09.519 --> 00:35:12.320 showing forth the glory of God, 00:35:12.440 --> 00:35:15.860 telling others of the good news of the gospel. 00:35:16.320 --> 00:35:18.860 That was what the church in Corinth was there for, 00:35:18.940 --> 00:35:23.320 to proclaim the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, 00:35:23.420 --> 00:35:26.220 the glory of God in Jesus Christ. 00:35:26.219 --> 00:35:29.339 And yet there was times when they found it difficult. 00:35:29.759 --> 00:35:31.519 There was times in their own experience 00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:33.179 when they felt weak, 00:35:33.519 --> 00:35:35.980 just as we all do at times. 00:35:36.539 --> 00:35:40.199 We are just jars of clay. 00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:45.519 So we have a treasure in jars of clay. 00:35:46.259 --> 00:35:50.799 So we think of ourselves as those jars of clay. 00:35:51.259 --> 00:35:54.959 What kind of image does that bring to mind? 00:35:54.960 --> 00:36:00.960 Jars of clay in these days in Corinth were important. 00:36:01.820 --> 00:36:05.659 Jars of clay were used for carrying all kinds of things, 00:36:05.840 --> 00:36:10.940 water, wine, important things for their lives from day to day. 00:36:11.639 --> 00:36:14.559 But it wasn't like they were just mass produced. 00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:17.139 If you broke one, you just got another one. 00:36:17.579 --> 00:36:19.280 It wasn't quite that easy. 00:36:19.280 --> 00:36:27.460 So very often you would see jars that were chipped and fragile and cracked and very easily broken. 00:36:28.460 --> 00:36:34.060 So these jars, it's not an image of strength but of weakness. 00:36:35.500 --> 00:36:37.840 And every day that goes by for ourselves, 00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:41.240 we are reminded that that is what we are like too. 00:36:41.239 --> 00:36:43.979 We are a fragile people. 00:36:44.879 --> 00:36:47.679 We have our own chips and cracks. 00:36:48.199 --> 00:36:50.859 We're very fragile in so many ways. 00:36:53.199 --> 00:36:57.579 We sort of go on in life in that way. 00:36:57.579 --> 00:37:02.539 So we feel our own sense of weakness. 00:37:03.639 --> 00:37:06.400 But yet what Paul says to them here is, 00:37:06.980 --> 00:37:11.219 but we have this treasure in jars of clay 00:37:11.219 --> 00:37:16.940 to show the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 00:37:16.940 --> 00:37:19.940 So Paul and those who are with them, 00:37:20.019 --> 00:37:22.500 they've known their own fragility. 00:37:22.679 --> 00:37:24.240 They've known their own weaknesses. 00:37:24.460 --> 00:37:26.320 They've known their own challenges. 00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:29.000 They too are jars of clay. 00:37:30.059 --> 00:37:35.460 But he says we have this surpassing power that belongs to God. 00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:40.700 So he's reminding the people in his day and himself too 00:37:40.700 --> 00:37:42.900 and ourselves today as well 00:37:42.900 --> 00:37:46.380 that we can have courage and perseverance 00:37:46.380 --> 00:37:50.460 in the midst of everything that comes our way. 00:37:51.340 --> 00:37:54.420 That is how we should feel ourselves. 00:37:54.720 --> 00:37:58.780 Even when we are discouraged, we don't lose heart. 00:37:59.720 --> 00:38:03.820 Even when we're disappointed, we don't lose heart. 00:38:04.380 --> 00:38:08.720 Even when we're wanting to quit, we don't lose heart. 00:38:09.380 --> 00:38:12.539 There are so many challenges for you. 00:38:12.900 --> 00:38:14.360 And for me. 00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:20.680 And Paul was coming to them with this message. 00:38:21.480 --> 00:38:23.519 This message of hope. 00:38:24.280 --> 00:38:26.300 Do not lose heart. 00:38:27.740 --> 00:38:30.200 Has anyone come here today saying, 00:38:30.700 --> 00:38:31.480 you know what? 00:38:32.460 --> 00:38:36.440 I really hope today that the minister preaches a word 00:38:36.440 --> 00:38:39.820 that will leave me feeling downcast. 00:38:39.820 --> 00:38:43.840 That will help me to lose heart. 00:38:44.160 --> 00:38:46.820 I really want to be discouraged this morning. 00:38:48.240 --> 00:38:51.080 I'm sure no one has come feeling like that. 00:38:51.400 --> 00:38:54.559 You come here to see that no matter what is going on, 00:38:54.640 --> 00:38:56.760 that there is good news. 00:38:57.280 --> 00:39:00.460 To come here feeling that you want to be discouraged 00:39:00.460 --> 00:39:02.700 or leave feeling downhearted. 00:39:03.200 --> 00:39:05.180 It would be like going out to eat in a restaurant 00:39:05.179 --> 00:39:06.440 and going with the approach, 00:39:06.919 --> 00:39:09.859 I want to go to this restaurant so I get food poisoning. 00:39:10.559 --> 00:39:12.359 Or I want to go to this restaurant 00:39:12.359 --> 00:39:15.539 because I've heard the food they serve is rubbish. 00:39:16.819 --> 00:39:19.059 You don't go with that in mind. 00:39:19.059 --> 00:39:23.440 You go to eat and be satisfied and be filled. 00:39:25.039 --> 00:39:27.320 And that's why we should come here today as well. 00:39:27.420 --> 00:39:29.599 That's why we come to God's word, 00:39:29.699 --> 00:39:33.259 to recognize that we don't lose heart in his word. 00:39:33.380 --> 00:39:34.960 We don't turn away from it 00:39:34.960 --> 00:39:37.920 because here we have something that fills us up 00:39:37.920 --> 00:39:42.219 and leaves us feeling a sense of hope and encouragement. 00:39:42.219 --> 00:39:46.179 that we have a treasure for ourselves, 00:39:46.399 --> 00:39:49.439 this hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ, 00:39:50.459 --> 00:39:53.439 the one who gives life to us, 00:39:53.480 --> 00:39:55.359 even as jars of clay, 00:39:56.000 --> 00:39:59.739 fragile, cracked, chipped as we are. 00:40:02.719 --> 00:40:05.980 Despite all that is wrong and weak about us, 00:40:06.219 --> 00:40:11.099 we have one who is powerful and able to help. 00:40:11.099 --> 00:40:14.219 And he reminds us of that later on 00:40:14.219 --> 00:40:19.259 in the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 12. 00:40:19.920 --> 00:40:21.360 That great verse that says, 00:40:21.920 --> 00:40:25.119 but he said to me, this was to Paul himself, 00:40:26.139 --> 00:40:27.900 in his own weakness, he said, 00:40:28.400 --> 00:40:29.239 God said to him, 00:40:29.339 --> 00:40:31.799 my grace is sufficient for you 00:40:31.799 --> 00:40:36.779 for my power is made perfect in weakness. 00:40:36.780 --> 00:40:41.300 Paul, we often think of as the great apostle, 00:40:41.960 --> 00:40:43.300 such a strong faith, 00:40:43.680 --> 00:40:46.200 yet he too was just a jar of clay, 00:40:46.340 --> 00:40:48.640 fragile, weak at times, 00:40:49.100 --> 00:40:50.760 and needed the grace of God. 00:40:51.920 --> 00:40:52.840 So do we. 00:40:53.440 --> 00:40:54.640 But we have that promise, 00:40:54.780 --> 00:40:57.000 my grace is sufficient for you 00:40:57.000 --> 00:41:00.880 for my power is made perfect in weakness. 00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:05.079 So we do not lose heart because we are weak, 00:41:05.840 --> 00:41:08.619 because we have the power of God. 00:41:10.260 --> 00:41:12.900 The second thing we see here is 00:41:12.900 --> 00:41:16.579 we have pains, but we're protected. 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:19.920 Paul describes here the reality 00:41:19.920 --> 00:41:26.019 of the Christian life in verse 8 down to verse 12. 00:41:26.019 --> 00:41:30.059 He speaks there of different things, 00:41:30.159 --> 00:41:32.259 and it's quite a vivid picture, isn't it? 00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:34.840 He says, we are afflicted in every way, 00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:35.840 but not crushed. 00:41:36.500 --> 00:41:38.900 Perplexed, but not driven to despair. 00:41:39.460 --> 00:41:41.619 Persecuted, but not forsaken. 00:41:41.860 --> 00:41:45.059 Struck down, but not destroyed. 00:41:46.500 --> 00:41:49.559 There is pain even in following Jesus. 00:41:49.699 --> 00:41:51.179 When you think everything is going to be 00:41:51.179 --> 00:41:52.940 well and good for us, 00:41:52.940 --> 00:41:55.519 there is still times of pain 00:41:55.519 --> 00:41:57.679 and many different kinds. 00:41:58.840 --> 00:42:01.320 And imagine you were to take these words 00:42:01.320 --> 00:42:03.079 as a job description 00:42:03.079 --> 00:42:06.760 and to think this is what your job 00:42:06.760 --> 00:42:08.139 is going to entail. 00:42:08.519 --> 00:42:10.000 And you look at the kind of words 00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:12.039 that Paul is using here. 00:42:12.420 --> 00:42:14.619 He describes being afflicted, 00:42:15.800 --> 00:42:18.840 squeezed, and under pressure all the time. 00:42:18.840 --> 00:42:23.460 He describes this as coming from every side, 00:42:23.640 --> 00:42:27.440 so from every way, direction, and place, and occasion. 00:42:27.440 --> 00:42:28.740 This is ongoing. 00:42:30.559 --> 00:42:32.700 He then says perplexed. 00:42:33.240 --> 00:42:34.579 It's almost to be lost. 00:42:34.700 --> 00:42:36.320 You don't know which way to turn. 00:42:36.420 --> 00:42:38.019 You don't know which way to go. 00:42:39.519 --> 00:42:40.160 Persecuted. 00:42:40.980 --> 00:42:42.500 The idea behind persecuted 00:42:42.500 --> 00:42:45.400 is almost being hunted like an animal 00:42:45.400 --> 00:42:48.059 where people are out to get you. 00:42:48.840 --> 00:42:50.620 You're struck down. 00:42:51.280 --> 00:42:52.660 It's almost like you're just feeling 00:42:52.660 --> 00:42:54.980 as if everyone is on top of you, 00:42:55.380 --> 00:42:56.860 beating you down. 00:42:57.400 --> 00:43:01.039 So there's a very vivid picture for us here. 00:43:01.780 --> 00:43:03.160 And it's apparent to us 00:43:03.160 --> 00:43:05.220 that this is what Paul himself 00:43:05.220 --> 00:43:07.340 had suffered on many occasions 00:43:07.340 --> 00:43:09.579 and why he's writing to the church at Corinth 00:43:09.579 --> 00:43:10.720 as the people there 00:43:10.720 --> 00:43:13.380 are suffering these things as well. 00:43:13.380 --> 00:43:15.880 But perhaps today, 00:43:16.539 --> 00:43:18.660 these words describe you 00:43:18.660 --> 00:43:20.840 and your own situation. 00:43:21.840 --> 00:43:23.240 All of these things, 00:43:23.800 --> 00:43:25.720 afflicted, perplexed, 00:43:26.059 --> 00:43:26.660 persecuted, 00:43:27.300 --> 00:43:28.180 struck down. 00:43:29.039 --> 00:43:30.920 You feel at a loss at times. 00:43:31.579 --> 00:43:33.000 Don't know where to turn. 00:43:33.140 --> 00:43:34.119 Don't know where to go 00:43:34.119 --> 00:43:37.200 as everything is on top of you. 00:43:37.199 --> 00:43:41.000 Well, we have these words here 00:43:41.000 --> 00:43:42.439 to remind us today, 00:43:43.239 --> 00:43:44.079 you're not alone 00:43:44.079 --> 00:43:46.579 and you're not the first 00:43:46.579 --> 00:43:48.659 and you won't be the last. 00:43:49.739 --> 00:43:51.119 This is the experience 00:43:51.119 --> 00:43:53.119 of many people down 00:43:53.119 --> 00:43:55.419 through every generation. 00:43:56.819 --> 00:43:58.699 And perhaps you're saying to yourself now, 00:43:58.839 --> 00:44:00.779 well, maybe the minister is here 00:44:00.779 --> 00:44:02.279 to leave me feeling hopeless 00:44:02.280 --> 00:44:03.820 and to lose heart 00:44:03.820 --> 00:44:05.040 and to feel discouraged. 00:44:05.620 --> 00:44:07.260 But as we come to the Word, 00:44:07.380 --> 00:44:08.040 we see that 00:44:08.040 --> 00:44:10.600 although there are all these difficulties, 00:44:12.019 --> 00:44:14.000 although there are all these challenges, 00:44:14.640 --> 00:44:15.620 many of them, 00:44:16.120 --> 00:44:19.540 we see too that there is hope in them. 00:44:21.460 --> 00:44:23.800 We are pained in many ways, 00:44:23.940 --> 00:44:25.420 but what he reminds us of here 00:44:25.420 --> 00:44:27.460 is we are protected. 00:44:28.620 --> 00:44:31.420 That the Lord is with us. 00:44:31.420 --> 00:44:32.920 Because you notice 00:44:32.920 --> 00:44:35.340 as Paul goes through this list, 00:44:35.980 --> 00:44:36.840 afflicted, 00:44:37.619 --> 00:44:38.159 crushed, 00:44:39.000 --> 00:44:40.500 perplexed, 00:44:40.900 --> 00:44:41.599 persecuted. 00:44:41.980 --> 00:44:43.340 You see all of these things, 00:44:43.960 --> 00:44:46.019 but there's another word with them. 00:44:47.139 --> 00:44:47.559 He says, 00:44:47.820 --> 00:44:49.599 we are afflicted in every way, 00:44:49.900 --> 00:44:51.900 but not crushed. 00:44:55.400 --> 00:44:57.480 We are perplexed, 00:44:57.760 --> 00:45:00.240 but not driven to despair. 00:45:01.420 --> 00:45:03.000 We are persecuted, 00:45:03.539 --> 00:45:05.320 but not forsaken. 00:45:05.920 --> 00:45:06.900 Struck down, 00:45:07.760 --> 00:45:09.280 but not destroyed. 00:45:10.180 --> 00:45:11.180 And so what's the answer 00:45:11.180 --> 00:45:12.880 in all of these situations? 00:45:13.820 --> 00:45:16.659 It's to remember God with us. 00:45:18.539 --> 00:45:19.780 Yes, there are times 00:45:19.780 --> 00:45:22.260 when we feel afflicted in every way, 00:45:22.920 --> 00:45:24.000 but we're not crushed 00:45:24.000 --> 00:45:26.380 because the Lord gives us strength. 00:45:26.380 --> 00:45:28.000 There are times 00:45:28.000 --> 00:45:29.680 when we are perplexed, 00:45:29.720 --> 00:45:31.119 we don't know which way to go, 00:45:31.820 --> 00:45:33.380 but we don't despair 00:45:33.380 --> 00:45:36.140 because God can guide us. 00:45:37.280 --> 00:45:39.000 We can feel persecuted. 00:45:39.200 --> 00:45:41.059 That's people against us 00:45:41.059 --> 00:45:41.940 in so many ways, 00:45:42.099 --> 00:45:43.079 but not forsaken. 00:45:43.240 --> 00:45:45.260 That's God is with us. 00:45:46.200 --> 00:45:47.280 Struck down, 00:45:47.840 --> 00:45:49.380 but not destroyed. 00:45:50.380 --> 00:45:51.559 And never will be 00:45:51.559 --> 00:45:54.099 because God is for us. 00:45:54.960 --> 00:45:56.219 So what Paul is saying 00:45:56.219 --> 00:45:57.239 to us here is that 00:45:57.239 --> 00:45:59.279 throughout all our different trials, 00:45:59.460 --> 00:46:00.299 throughout all of these 00:46:00.299 --> 00:46:02.019 different experiences, 00:46:02.239 --> 00:46:03.460 we may have pains, 00:46:04.079 --> 00:46:05.759 but we are protected. 00:46:06.519 --> 00:46:08.059 He is with us. 00:46:09.440 --> 00:46:11.880 There's a story of a young missionary. 00:46:12.840 --> 00:46:14.659 His name was William Borden. 00:46:14.659 --> 00:46:17.440 He grew up in America 00:46:17.440 --> 00:46:18.940 and he was an heir 00:46:18.940 --> 00:46:20.699 to a great fortune. 00:46:21.659 --> 00:46:22.359 A millionaire. 00:46:22.599 --> 00:46:23.839 His family was rich. 00:46:25.319 --> 00:46:26.960 He graduated in college 00:46:26.960 --> 00:46:27.759 and could have done 00:46:27.759 --> 00:46:29.599 pretty much anything in his life. 00:46:31.399 --> 00:46:32.799 But he was converted 00:46:32.799 --> 00:46:33.819 at a young age. 00:46:34.699 --> 00:46:36.440 And from a very early age 00:46:36.440 --> 00:46:37.019 in his life, 00:46:37.119 --> 00:46:38.000 what he wanted to do 00:46:38.000 --> 00:46:39.739 was serve the Lord. 00:46:40.480 --> 00:46:42.059 And he got a particular interest 00:46:42.059 --> 00:46:43.460 in foreign mission. 00:46:43.460 --> 00:46:45.199 And so, 00:46:45.820 --> 00:46:47.280 he turned his back 00:46:47.280 --> 00:46:47.940 on his wealth. 00:46:48.099 --> 00:46:49.720 He left that life behind. 00:46:50.539 --> 00:46:52.380 And he went to Egypt, 00:46:52.639 --> 00:46:53.679 to Cairo initially, 00:46:53.780 --> 00:46:55.220 in the hope of going on then 00:46:55.220 --> 00:46:57.139 to China as a missionary. 00:46:58.920 --> 00:47:01.099 But he hadn't been in Egypt long, 00:47:01.920 --> 00:47:03.599 where he was sharing the gospel 00:47:03.599 --> 00:47:05.260 with the Muslims 00:47:05.260 --> 00:47:06.840 in that city. 00:47:07.840 --> 00:47:09.860 And after about four months there, 00:47:09.920 --> 00:47:10.760 he became ill. 00:47:10.760 --> 00:47:13.520 And he had developed 00:47:13.520 --> 00:47:15.920 a spinal form of meningitis. 00:47:16.820 --> 00:47:18.320 And after only four months, 00:47:18.380 --> 00:47:19.560 he passed away 00:47:19.560 --> 00:47:22.160 at the age of 25. 00:47:23.900 --> 00:47:25.160 Many people would say, 00:47:25.160 --> 00:47:25.220 hey, 00:47:25.580 --> 00:47:27.200 what was the point 00:47:27.200 --> 00:47:28.500 in that? 00:47:30.100 --> 00:47:31.260 Such a waste 00:47:31.260 --> 00:47:32.960 in so many ways. 00:47:32.960 --> 00:47:34.240 And yet, 00:47:34.280 --> 00:47:34.820 if you go 00:47:34.820 --> 00:47:36.099 to Egypt, 00:47:36.280 --> 00:47:36.760 to Cairo, 00:47:36.820 --> 00:47:37.940 there's a graveyard, 00:47:38.119 --> 00:47:39.039 a cemetery there 00:47:39.039 --> 00:47:40.539 for our missionaries 00:47:40.539 --> 00:47:41.720 who had passed away. 00:47:42.720 --> 00:47:43.800 There's a gravestone 00:47:43.800 --> 00:47:44.880 for William Borden. 00:47:46.159 --> 00:47:46.900 And on it 00:47:46.900 --> 00:47:48.099 are the words, 00:47:48.699 --> 00:47:50.079 apart from faith 00:47:50.079 --> 00:47:50.920 in Christ, 00:47:51.800 --> 00:47:53.280 there is no explanation 00:47:53.280 --> 00:47:54.920 for a life 00:47:54.920 --> 00:47:55.780 as this. 00:47:55.780 --> 00:47:58.720 Apart from 00:47:58.720 --> 00:48:00.420 faith in Christ, 00:48:00.519 --> 00:48:01.700 there is no explanation 00:48:01.700 --> 00:48:02.460 for such 00:48:02.460 --> 00:48:03.500 a life 00:48:03.500 --> 00:48:04.320 as this. 00:48:04.980 --> 00:48:06.120 What does that say? 00:48:07.320 --> 00:48:07.540 Well, 00:48:07.560 --> 00:48:08.660 it says to us 00:48:08.660 --> 00:48:09.600 that he lived 00:48:09.600 --> 00:48:10.960 for Christ. 00:48:12.260 --> 00:48:12.940 His faith 00:48:12.940 --> 00:48:13.820 was so strong, 00:48:14.220 --> 00:48:14.980 he was called 00:48:14.980 --> 00:48:15.600 by the Lord 00:48:15.600 --> 00:48:16.260 to do that, 00:48:16.320 --> 00:48:16.800 even though 00:48:16.800 --> 00:48:18.820 it was for a short time. 00:48:20.460 --> 00:48:21.340 The Lord 00:48:21.340 --> 00:48:22.080 used him. 00:48:22.079 --> 00:48:26.139 We do not 00:48:26.139 --> 00:48:27.199 lose heart. 00:48:28.099 --> 00:48:28.679 Though there are 00:48:28.679 --> 00:48:30.799 times of pain, 00:48:31.420 --> 00:48:31.739 the Lord 00:48:31.739 --> 00:48:33.259 always has a purpose 00:48:33.259 --> 00:48:34.739 and is always 00:48:34.739 --> 00:48:35.219 there 00:48:35.219 --> 00:48:36.880 for his people. 00:48:37.960 --> 00:48:38.799 And we conclude 00:48:38.799 --> 00:48:39.719 by seeing that 00:48:39.719 --> 00:48:40.799 as you come 00:48:40.799 --> 00:48:41.440 to the end 00:48:41.440 --> 00:48:42.299 of this chapter, 00:48:42.900 --> 00:48:43.480 we see that 00:48:43.480 --> 00:48:44.239 there is the great 00:48:44.239 --> 00:48:44.860 hope 00:48:44.860 --> 00:48:45.900 for all 00:48:45.900 --> 00:48:47.619 of God's people. 00:48:48.619 --> 00:48:49.619 In verse 16 00:48:49.619 --> 00:48:50.519 down to the end 00:48:50.519 --> 00:48:50.980 it says, 00:48:50.980 --> 00:48:53.059 so we do not 00:48:53.059 --> 00:48:54.139 lose heart. 00:48:54.880 --> 00:48:55.780 In the midst 00:48:55.780 --> 00:48:57.139 of everything 00:48:57.139 --> 00:48:57.900 that's going on 00:48:57.900 --> 00:48:58.500 around us 00:48:58.500 --> 00:48:59.500 and as he says here, 00:48:59.940 --> 00:49:00.659 all that's going 00:49:00.659 --> 00:49:01.480 on within us, 00:49:01.599 --> 00:49:02.079 though we, 00:49:02.320 --> 00:49:03.380 our outer nature 00:49:03.380 --> 00:49:04.800 is wasting away, 00:49:05.500 --> 00:49:06.480 our inner nature 00:49:06.480 --> 00:49:07.420 is being renewed 00:49:07.420 --> 00:49:09.400 day by day. 00:49:10.480 --> 00:49:11.240 So Paul 00:49:11.240 --> 00:49:11.840 is saying 00:49:11.840 --> 00:49:12.860 these great words 00:49:12.860 --> 00:49:13.360 for us, 00:49:14.000 --> 00:49:14.559 do not 00:49:14.559 --> 00:49:15.940 lose heart. 00:49:17.000 --> 00:49:17.460 If these 00:49:17.460 --> 00:49:18.539 were the only words 00:49:18.539 --> 00:49:19.679 you take today, 00:49:19.679 --> 00:49:21.179 rejoice 00:49:21.179 --> 00:49:21.960 in them 00:49:21.960 --> 00:49:23.359 and the one 00:49:23.359 --> 00:49:24.339 who is behind 00:49:24.339 --> 00:49:24.719 them, 00:49:25.159 --> 00:49:25.759 our Lord 00:49:25.759 --> 00:49:26.719 Jesus Christ, 00:49:26.819 --> 00:49:27.519 do not lose 00:49:27.519 --> 00:49:28.019 heart 00:49:28.019 --> 00:49:29.359 because he is 00:49:29.359 --> 00:49:29.739 there 00:49:29.739 --> 00:49:31.000 for us. 00:49:32.519 --> 00:49:32.879 And he 00:49:32.879 --> 00:49:34.000 wants us 00:49:34.000 --> 00:49:34.919 or his people 00:49:34.919 --> 00:49:35.839 here on ourselves 00:49:35.839 --> 00:49:36.119 today 00:49:36.119 --> 00:49:37.139 to go on 00:49:37.139 --> 00:49:37.940 with this sense 00:49:37.940 --> 00:49:38.619 of a vision 00:49:38.619 --> 00:49:39.419 of God 00:49:39.419 --> 00:49:41.019 to remind 00:49:41.019 --> 00:49:41.559 us 00:49:41.559 --> 00:49:42.779 that yes, 00:49:42.859 --> 00:49:43.339 we will have 00:49:43.339 --> 00:49:44.379 pains in this 00:49:44.379 --> 00:49:44.899 world, 00:49:45.980 --> 00:49:46.379 but that there 00:49:46.379 --> 00:49:47.099 is greater 00:49:47.099 --> 00:49:48.259 to come. 00:49:49.339 --> 00:49:49.679 Now he 00:49:49.679 --> 00:49:50.360 says it in a 00:49:50.360 --> 00:49:50.880 way that we 00:49:50.880 --> 00:49:51.380 could think, 00:49:51.719 --> 00:49:52.339 what does he 00:49:52.339 --> 00:49:53.339 know of 00:49:53.339 --> 00:49:53.779 suffering? 00:49:53.839 --> 00:49:54.079 When he 00:49:54.079 --> 00:49:54.839 describes it 00:49:54.839 --> 00:49:55.339 there in 00:49:55.339 --> 00:49:56.360 verse 17 00:49:56.360 --> 00:49:56.819 as this 00:49:56.819 --> 00:49:57.440 slight 00:49:57.440 --> 00:49:58.319 momentary 00:49:58.319 --> 00:49:58.940 affliction 00:49:58.940 --> 00:50:00.179 is preparing 00:50:00.179 --> 00:50:00.920 us for an 00:50:00.920 --> 00:50:01.799 eternal weight 00:50:01.799 --> 00:50:02.400 of glory 00:50:02.400 --> 00:50:03.480 beyond all 00:50:03.480 --> 00:50:04.239 comparison. 00:50:05.059 --> 00:50:05.500 So we look 00:50:05.500 --> 00:50:06.400 not to the 00:50:06.400 --> 00:50:06.940 things that are 00:50:06.940 --> 00:50:07.259 seen, 00:50:07.380 --> 00:50:07.779 but to the 00:50:07.779 --> 00:50:08.199 things that 00:50:08.199 --> 00:50:08.940 are unseen. 00:50:09.639 --> 00:50:10.059 For the 00:50:10.059 --> 00:50:10.380 things that 00:50:10.380 --> 00:50:10.699 are seen 00:50:10.699 --> 00:50:11.440 are transient, 00:50:11.599 --> 00:50:12.400 that's temporary, 00:50:12.400 --> 00:50:14.119 but the 00:50:14.119 --> 00:50:14.619 things that 00:50:14.619 --> 00:50:15.320 are unseen 00:50:15.320 --> 00:50:17.660 are eternal. 00:50:19.139 --> 00:50:19.860 It's hard 00:50:19.860 --> 00:50:20.559 for us to 00:50:20.559 --> 00:50:21.480 understand 00:50:21.480 --> 00:50:22.360 all the 00:50:22.360 --> 00:50:23.119 different things 00:50:23.119 --> 00:50:23.880 that go on 00:50:23.880 --> 00:50:24.980 in this 00:50:24.980 --> 00:50:25.660 world and 00:50:25.660 --> 00:50:26.840 Paul isn't 00:50:26.840 --> 00:50:27.460 just putting 00:50:27.460 --> 00:50:28.180 down on it 00:50:28.180 --> 00:50:28.579 here by 00:50:28.579 --> 00:50:29.480 describing them 00:50:29.480 --> 00:50:30.780 as momentary 00:50:30.780 --> 00:50:31.920 afflictions. 00:50:33.079 --> 00:50:33.639 He says 00:50:33.639 --> 00:50:34.300 that so we 00:50:34.300 --> 00:50:35.160 will see the 00:50:35.160 --> 00:50:36.300 greater purpose 00:50:36.300 --> 00:50:37.480 of God in 00:50:37.480 --> 00:50:38.059 our lives 00:50:38.059 --> 00:50:38.500 as we put 00:50:38.500 --> 00:50:39.240 our trust 00:50:39.240 --> 00:50:40.420 in him. 00:50:41.119 --> 00:50:41.360 It's a 00:50:41.360 --> 00:50:42.099 great example 00:50:42.099 --> 00:50:42.700 for us 00:50:42.700 --> 00:50:43.019 from the 00:50:43.019 --> 00:50:43.820 Old Testament. 00:50:44.340 --> 00:50:44.620 In the 00:50:44.620 --> 00:50:44.980 book of 00:50:44.980 --> 00:50:45.400 Genesis, 00:50:45.579 --> 00:50:45.920 it's the 00:50:45.920 --> 00:50:46.640 life of 00:50:46.640 --> 00:50:47.240 Joseph. 00:50:48.280 --> 00:50:48.800 Joseph, 00:50:49.059 --> 00:50:49.460 who had 00:50:49.460 --> 00:50:50.140 many brothers 00:50:50.140 --> 00:50:50.640 who were 00:50:50.640 --> 00:50:51.440 jealous of 00:50:51.440 --> 00:50:51.599 him. 00:50:52.500 --> 00:50:52.940 He was 00:50:52.940 --> 00:50:54.099 his father's 00:50:54.099 --> 00:50:54.640 favorite. 00:50:55.900 --> 00:50:56.240 And his 00:50:56.240 --> 00:50:57.019 brothers didn't 00:50:57.019 --> 00:50:57.620 like this, 00:50:57.700 --> 00:50:58.039 so they 00:50:58.039 --> 00:50:58.900 sold him, 00:50:59.200 --> 00:50:59.480 and he 00:50:59.480 --> 00:51:00.039 became a 00:51:00.039 --> 00:51:00.780 slave in 00:51:00.780 --> 00:51:01.300 Egypt. 00:51:02.099 --> 00:51:02.820 In Egypt, 00:51:03.000 --> 00:51:03.880 he was falsely 00:51:03.880 --> 00:51:04.780 accused of 00:51:04.780 --> 00:51:05.300 things and 00:51:05.300 --> 00:51:06.360 cast into 00:51:06.360 --> 00:51:06.840 prison. 00:51:08.300 --> 00:51:08.960 And so here 00:51:08.960 --> 00:51:09.760 he was, 00:51:09.960 --> 00:51:10.640 going through 00:51:10.640 --> 00:51:11.220 all these 00:51:11.219 --> 00:51:11.980 times of 00:51:11.980 --> 00:51:12.839 hardship and 00:51:12.839 --> 00:51:13.439 challenges. 00:51:14.279 --> 00:51:14.679 His own 00:51:14.679 --> 00:51:15.439 family had 00:51:15.439 --> 00:51:16.519 turned against 00:51:16.519 --> 00:51:16.859 him, and 00:51:16.859 --> 00:51:17.779 yet many 00:51:17.779 --> 00:51:18.879 years later, 00:51:19.719 --> 00:51:20.339 that whole 00:51:20.339 --> 00:51:21.399 experience was 00:51:21.399 --> 00:51:22.079 used for 00:51:22.079 --> 00:51:22.480 good. 00:51:23.239 --> 00:51:23.739 His own 00:51:23.739 --> 00:51:24.399 brothers had 00:51:24.399 --> 00:51:25.480 to come to 00:51:25.480 --> 00:51:26.079 Egypt for 00:51:26.079 --> 00:51:26.659 help, and 00:51:26.659 --> 00:51:27.399 he had been 00:51:27.399 --> 00:51:28.480 restored in a 00:51:28.480 --> 00:51:29.459 prominent position 00:51:29.459 --> 00:51:29.980 in Egypt, 00:51:30.079 --> 00:51:30.579 almost like 00:51:30.579 --> 00:51:31.579 prime minister, 00:51:31.699 --> 00:51:32.099 as we would 00:51:32.099 --> 00:51:32.980 call it today. 00:51:33.939 --> 00:51:34.480 And he was 00:51:34.480 --> 00:51:35.159 able to show 00:51:35.159 --> 00:51:36.079 mercy to his 00:51:36.079 --> 00:51:37.459 brothers and 00:51:37.459 --> 00:51:38.219 to his family 00:51:38.219 --> 00:51:38.859 and to help 00:51:38.859 --> 00:51:39.739 them in a 00:51:39.739 --> 00:51:40.339 time of 00:51:40.340 --> 00:51:40.700 famine. 00:51:41.340 --> 00:51:41.820 And as 00:51:41.820 --> 00:51:42.880 Joseph looked 00:51:42.880 --> 00:51:43.500 back on 00:51:43.500 --> 00:51:44.420 his life, 00:51:45.400 --> 00:51:45.960 as he saw 00:51:45.960 --> 00:51:46.700 all that had 00:51:46.700 --> 00:51:47.400 happened in 00:51:47.400 --> 00:51:48.019 his life, 00:51:48.420 --> 00:51:49.059 his brothers 00:51:49.059 --> 00:51:50.059 turning against 00:51:50.059 --> 00:51:50.940 him, being 00:51:50.940 --> 00:51:51.700 put in prison 00:51:51.700 --> 00:51:52.300 in Egypt, 00:51:52.420 --> 00:51:52.900 all these 00:51:52.900 --> 00:51:53.680 hardships, 00:51:54.300 --> 00:51:54.800 he was able 00:51:54.800 --> 00:51:55.559 to look back 00:51:55.559 --> 00:51:56.160 and say to 00:51:56.160 --> 00:51:56.600 his own 00:51:56.600 --> 00:51:57.160 brothers, 00:51:58.260 --> 00:51:58.860 you meant 00:51:58.860 --> 00:51:59.360 it for 00:51:59.360 --> 00:52:01.019 evil, but 00:52:01.019 --> 00:52:01.800 God meant 00:52:01.800 --> 00:52:02.340 it for 00:52:02.340 --> 00:52:02.820 good. 00:52:03.780 --> 00:52:04.460 So he could 00:52:04.460 --> 00:52:05.160 see that in 00:52:05.160 --> 00:52:05.740 the midst of 00:52:05.740 --> 00:52:06.519 everything that 00:52:06.519 --> 00:52:07.019 happened, 00:52:07.019 --> 00:52:08.340 God still 00:52:08.340 --> 00:52:09.119 had good 00:52:09.119 --> 00:52:10.159 in the midst 00:52:10.159 --> 00:52:10.559 of it. 00:52:10.599 --> 00:52:11.019 And that is 00:52:11.019 --> 00:52:12.380 hard for us 00:52:12.380 --> 00:52:13.420 to understand 00:52:13.420 --> 00:52:14.300 at times. 00:52:14.699 --> 00:52:15.300 But it's by 00:52:15.300 --> 00:52:16.559 seeing the 00:52:16.559 --> 00:52:17.820 eternal weight 00:52:17.820 --> 00:52:18.599 of glory, 00:52:19.139 --> 00:52:19.679 as he 00:52:19.679 --> 00:52:20.579 describes it 00:52:20.579 --> 00:52:20.980 here, to 00:52:20.980 --> 00:52:21.880 see that 00:52:21.880 --> 00:52:22.639 everything in 00:52:22.639 --> 00:52:23.219 this world, 00:52:23.360 --> 00:52:24.199 it's temporary. 00:52:25.139 --> 00:52:25.599 And that's 00:52:25.599 --> 00:52:26.159 not what we 00:52:26.159 --> 00:52:27.300 are to chase 00:52:27.300 --> 00:52:28.079 after, the 00:52:28.079 --> 00:52:28.619 things of 00:52:28.619 --> 00:52:29.599 this world 00:52:29.599 --> 00:52:29.960 that will 00:52:29.960 --> 00:52:30.880 satisfy us, 00:52:30.960 --> 00:52:31.739 but only for 00:52:31.739 --> 00:52:32.259 a short 00:52:32.259 --> 00:52:32.840 time. 00:52:32.840 --> 00:52:34.820 but we 00:52:34.820 --> 00:52:35.100 are to 00:52:35.100 --> 00:52:35.539 look to 00:52:35.539 --> 00:52:36.059 the things 00:52:36.059 --> 00:52:36.800 that are 00:52:36.800 --> 00:52:37.700 unseen in 00:52:37.700 --> 00:52:38.380 many ways 00:52:38.380 --> 00:52:39.019 for us. 00:52:39.880 --> 00:52:40.559 But by 00:52:40.559 --> 00:52:41.400 faith we 00:52:41.400 --> 00:52:41.920 look to 00:52:41.920 --> 00:52:43.640 Jesus, and 00:52:43.640 --> 00:52:44.300 there find 00:52:44.300 --> 00:52:44.940 the things 00:52:44.940 --> 00:52:45.660 that are 00:52:45.660 --> 00:52:47.280 eternal, the 00:52:47.280 --> 00:52:47.780 things that 00:52:47.780 --> 00:52:48.539 are permanent, 00:52:48.700 --> 00:52:49.260 the things 00:52:49.260 --> 00:52:50.620 that God 00:52:50.620 --> 00:52:51.440 has prepared 00:52:51.440 --> 00:52:52.760 for all 00:52:52.760 --> 00:52:54.140 his people. 00:52:55.579 --> 00:52:56.079 And that 00:52:56.079 --> 00:52:56.559 is the 00:52:56.559 --> 00:52:57.640 hope that 00:52:57.640 --> 00:52:58.120 the Lord 00:52:58.120 --> 00:52:59.800 Jesus gives 00:52:59.800 --> 00:53:00.920 to us. 00:53:02.840 --> 00:53:03.800 the things 00:53:03.800 --> 00:53:04.280 in this 00:53:04.280 --> 00:53:05.660 world will 00:53:05.660 --> 00:53:06.579 pass away. 00:53:08.300 --> 00:53:08.800 But the 00:53:08.800 --> 00:53:09.340 things of 00:53:09.340 --> 00:53:09.920 God are 00:53:09.920 --> 00:53:11.559 permanent and 00:53:11.559 --> 00:53:12.140 eternal. 00:53:13.220 --> 00:53:13.780 And that 00:53:13.780 --> 00:53:14.340 should give 00:53:14.340 --> 00:53:15.120 us hope. 00:53:15.880 --> 00:53:16.400 That's what 00:53:16.400 --> 00:53:17.900 helps us to 00:53:17.900 --> 00:53:18.700 not lose 00:53:18.700 --> 00:53:19.320 heart in 00:53:19.320 --> 00:53:19.820 the midst 00:53:19.820 --> 00:53:20.940 of all that 00:53:20.940 --> 00:53:22.120 goes on in 00:53:22.120 --> 00:53:22.880 this life. 00:53:24.160 --> 00:53:24.900 People in 00:53:24.900 --> 00:53:25.559 this world, 00:53:25.720 --> 00:53:26.280 they seek 00:53:26.280 --> 00:53:27.019 after their 00:53:27.019 --> 00:53:27.539 treasure. 00:53:28.579 --> 00:53:29.059 You've seen 00:53:29.059 --> 00:53:29.960 it over 00:53:29.960 --> 00:53:30.820 generations. 00:53:31.100 --> 00:53:31.380 You think 00:53:31.380 --> 00:53:31.720 of the 00:53:31.719 --> 00:53:33.039 race and 00:53:33.039 --> 00:53:33.699 space for 00:53:33.699 --> 00:53:34.639 people to 00:53:34.639 --> 00:53:35.279 find their 00:53:35.279 --> 00:53:36.239 way to 00:53:36.239 --> 00:53:37.139 the roots 00:53:37.139 --> 00:53:38.179 of creation 00:53:38.179 --> 00:53:38.599 and all 00:53:38.599 --> 00:53:39.259 that's behind 00:53:39.259 --> 00:53:39.539 it. 00:53:39.659 --> 00:53:40.019 People are 00:53:40.019 --> 00:53:40.459 looking for 00:53:40.459 --> 00:53:41.519 answers in 00:53:41.519 --> 00:53:41.959 so many 00:53:41.959 --> 00:53:42.659 places that 00:53:42.659 --> 00:53:43.000 are just 00:53:43.000 --> 00:53:43.659 temporary, 00:53:43.919 --> 00:53:44.139 that are 00:53:44.139 --> 00:53:44.619 passing 00:53:44.619 --> 00:53:45.079 away. 00:53:46.119 --> 00:53:46.679 You think 00:53:46.679 --> 00:53:47.379 of people 00:53:47.379 --> 00:53:48.539 in the 00:53:48.539 --> 00:53:49.500 gold rush 00:53:49.500 --> 00:53:50.239 or the 00:53:50.239 --> 00:53:51.059 oil rush 00:53:51.059 --> 00:53:51.500 where people 00:53:51.500 --> 00:53:51.839 are looking 00:53:51.839 --> 00:53:52.219 to make 00:53:52.219 --> 00:53:52.980 their fortune 00:53:52.980 --> 00:53:53.480 in these 00:53:53.480 --> 00:53:54.139 things. 00:53:55.179 --> 00:53:55.699 Again, 00:53:55.980 --> 00:53:56.539 things that 00:53:56.539 --> 00:53:57.559 will pass 00:53:57.559 --> 00:53:57.919 away. 00:53:59.179 --> 00:53:59.579 You think 00:53:59.579 --> 00:54:00.179 of people 00:54:00.179 --> 00:54:01.000 on a 00:54:01.000 --> 00:54:01.919 smaller scale 00:54:01.919 --> 00:54:02.519 today who 00:54:02.519 --> 00:54:03.219 pin their 00:54:03.219 --> 00:54:03.859 hopes on 00:54:03.859 --> 00:54:04.759 winning the 00:54:04.759 --> 00:54:05.419 lottery or 00:54:05.419 --> 00:54:06.079 something like 00:54:06.079 --> 00:54:06.599 that. 00:54:07.879 --> 00:54:08.639 It'll be 00:54:08.639 --> 00:54:09.440 life-changing, 00:54:09.579 --> 00:54:09.940 yes, in 00:54:09.940 --> 00:54:10.559 many ways, 00:54:10.659 --> 00:54:11.219 but is it 00:54:11.219 --> 00:54:11.559 for the 00:54:11.559 --> 00:54:11.899 better? 00:54:12.980 --> 00:54:13.559 It's only 00:54:13.559 --> 00:54:14.199 temporary. 00:54:15.839 --> 00:54:16.500 We're looking 00:54:16.500 --> 00:54:17.659 for treasure 00:54:17.659 --> 00:54:18.379 in the wrong 00:54:18.379 --> 00:54:19.059 place. 00:54:20.539 --> 00:54:21.099 But here 00:54:21.099 --> 00:54:22.039 Paul reminds 00:54:22.039 --> 00:54:22.559 us that we 00:54:22.559 --> 00:54:23.719 have a 00:54:23.719 --> 00:54:24.539 great treasure, 00:54:25.539 --> 00:54:26.579 the glory 00:54:26.579 --> 00:54:27.399 of God in 00:54:27.399 --> 00:54:27.980 the face 00:54:27.980 --> 00:54:29.099 of Jesus 00:54:29.099 --> 00:54:29.840 Christ, 00:54:30.760 --> 00:54:31.579 something so 00:54:31.579 --> 00:54:32.159 precious, 00:54:32.760 --> 00:54:33.740 so powerful 00:54:33.740 --> 00:54:34.880 that makes 00:54:34.880 --> 00:54:35.599 us rich 00:54:35.599 --> 00:54:37.159 beyond everything 00:54:37.159 --> 00:54:37.920 else that this 00:54:37.920 --> 00:54:38.639 world can 00:54:38.639 --> 00:54:39.320 offer us. 00:54:40.619 --> 00:54:41.380 We are in 00:54:41.380 --> 00:54:42.900 jars of 00:54:42.900 --> 00:54:44.059 clay ourselves, 00:54:44.280 --> 00:54:44.760 we're brittle 00:54:44.760 --> 00:54:45.519 and fragile 00:54:45.519 --> 00:54:46.840 in so many 00:54:46.840 --> 00:54:47.380 ways. 00:54:48.460 --> 00:54:49.000 But to 00:54:49.000 --> 00:54:49.559 know this 00:54:49.559 --> 00:54:50.079 treasure, 00:54:50.260 --> 00:54:50.800 to love 00:54:50.800 --> 00:54:51.980 this treasure, 00:54:52.099 --> 00:54:52.679 to love 00:54:52.679 --> 00:54:53.679 the Lord 00:54:53.679 --> 00:54:54.300 with all 00:54:54.300 --> 00:54:55.099 our hearts 00:54:55.099 --> 00:54:56.500 is to 00:54:56.500 --> 00:54:56.739 know 00:54:56.739 --> 00:54:57.279 something 00:54:57.279 --> 00:54:57.639 that's 00:54:57.639 --> 00:54:57.920 not 00:54:57.920 --> 00:54:58.699 temporary 00:54:58.699 --> 00:54:59.880 or just 00:54:59.880 --> 00:55:00.259 for a 00:55:00.259 --> 00:55:00.639 moment, 00:55:01.719 --> 00:55:02.239 but something 00:55:02.239 --> 00:55:02.960 eternal 00:55:02.960 --> 00:55:04.400 and forever. 00:55:07.219 --> 00:55:07.659 Yes, 00:55:07.719 --> 00:55:08.279 we'll have 00:55:08.279 --> 00:55:09.480 our pains, 00:55:09.759 --> 00:55:10.059 yes, 00:55:10.440 --> 00:55:11.039 we are 00:55:11.039 --> 00:55:11.559 wasting 00:55:11.559 --> 00:55:12.059 away, 00:55:13.360 --> 00:55:13.819 but we 00:55:13.819 --> 00:55:14.219 have a 00:55:14.219 --> 00:55:14.860 hope in 00:55:14.860 --> 00:55:15.239 Jesus 00:55:15.239 --> 00:55:16.000 Christ 00:55:16.000 --> 00:55:17.380 that's 00:55:17.380 --> 00:55:18.000 secure 00:55:18.000 --> 00:55:19.519 for all 00:55:19.519 --> 00:55:20.839 eternity. 00:55:22.059 --> 00:55:22.599 Do you 00:55:22.599 --> 00:55:23.079 know it? 00:55:24.880 --> 00:55:25.799 Are you 00:55:25.799 --> 00:55:27.179 a fan 00:55:27.179 --> 00:55:28.699 or a 00:55:28.699 --> 00:55:29.079 follower? 00:55:30.259 --> 00:55:30.619 Are you 00:55:30.619 --> 00:55:31.259 only there 00:55:31.259 --> 00:55:31.619 when the 00:55:31.619 --> 00:55:32.099 going's 00:55:32.099 --> 00:55:32.519 good, 00:55:33.139 --> 00:55:33.860 when things 00:55:33.860 --> 00:55:34.299 are going 00:55:34.299 --> 00:55:34.719 well, 00:55:34.799 --> 00:55:35.099 but when 00:55:35.099 --> 00:55:35.980 the rubber 00:55:35.980 --> 00:55:36.579 hits the 00:55:36.579 --> 00:55:36.900 road, 00:55:37.219 --> 00:55:37.759 I don't 00:55:37.759 --> 00:55:38.519 need God. 00:55:38.980 --> 00:55:39.480 He's not 00:55:39.480 --> 00:55:40.159 there for 00:55:40.159 --> 00:55:40.400 me, 00:55:40.699 --> 00:55:41.319 I'll just 00:55:41.319 --> 00:55:42.119 turn away 00:55:42.119 --> 00:55:43.179 and find 00:55:43.179 --> 00:55:43.860 my treasure 00:55:43.860 --> 00:55:44.579 in something 00:55:44.579 --> 00:55:45.099 else. 00:55:46.460 --> 00:55:47.079 It won't 00:55:47.079 --> 00:55:47.539 help. 00:55:48.779 --> 00:55:49.279 It may 00:55:49.279 --> 00:55:50.039 help for a 00:55:50.039 --> 00:55:50.360 time, 00:55:50.480 --> 00:55:51.159 but it's 00:55:51.159 --> 00:55:52.000 ever only 00:55:52.000 --> 00:55:52.659 temporary. 00:55:54.079 --> 00:55:54.619 It's to 00:55:54.619 --> 00:55:55.039 be a 00:55:55.039 --> 00:55:55.500 follower, 00:55:56.420 --> 00:55:57.820 to know 00:55:57.820 --> 00:55:58.400 that the 00:55:58.400 --> 00:55:58.960 Lord will 00:55:58.960 --> 00:55:59.719 hold you 00:55:59.719 --> 00:56:01.139 and support 00:56:01.139 --> 00:56:01.460 you and 00:56:01.460 --> 00:56:01.739 give you 00:56:01.739 --> 00:56:02.539 that sufficient 00:56:02.539 --> 00:56:03.519 grace day 00:56:03.519 --> 00:56:04.159 by day 00:56:04.159 --> 00:56:05.260 as you 00:56:05.260 --> 00:56:05.679 put your 00:56:05.679 --> 00:56:07.300 trust in 00:56:07.300 --> 00:56:07.639 him. 00:56:09.000 --> 00:56:09.780 We are 00:56:09.780 --> 00:56:10.219 weak, 00:56:10.599 --> 00:56:11.380 but he 00:56:11.380 --> 00:56:11.699 gives 00:56:11.699 --> 00:56:12.400 strength. 00:56:13.019 --> 00:56:13.539 We are 00:56:13.539 --> 00:56:14.320 pained, 00:56:14.579 --> 00:56:15.139 but he 00:56:15.139 --> 00:56:15.420 gives 00:56:15.420 --> 00:56:16.139 protection. 00:56:17.099 --> 00:56:17.679 We are 00:56:17.679 --> 00:56:18.139 wasting 00:56:18.139 --> 00:56:18.699 away, 00:56:20.099 --> 00:56:20.420 but may 00:56:20.420 --> 00:56:20.780 the Lord 00:56:20.780 --> 00:56:21.340 help us 00:56:21.340 --> 00:56:22.160 to watch 00:56:22.160 --> 00:56:23.320 and look 00:56:23.320 --> 00:56:23.900 to him 00:56:23.900 --> 00:56:24.940 for the 00:56:24.940 --> 00:56:26.180 things that 00:56:26.180 --> 00:56:26.860 are eternal. 00:56:27.160 --> 00:56:27.500 Let us 00:56:27.500 --> 00:56:27.780 pray. 00:56:29.780 --> 00:56:30.260 Our 00:56:30.260 --> 00:56:31.080 Father in 00:56:31.080 --> 00:56:31.420 heaven, 00:56:31.560 --> 00:56:32.620 we praise 00:56:32.620 --> 00:56:33.019 you for 00:56:33.019 --> 00:56:33.880 your goodness 00:56:33.880 --> 00:56:34.500 to us, 00:56:34.540 --> 00:56:34.780 that you 00:56:34.780 --> 00:56:35.080 are the 00:56:35.080 --> 00:56:35.500 God who 00:56:35.500 --> 00:56:36.220 has promised 00:56:36.220 --> 00:56:37.420 always to 00:56:37.420 --> 00:56:37.800 be with 00:56:37.800 --> 00:56:37.980 us, 00:56:38.060 --> 00:56:38.620 never to 00:56:38.620 --> 00:56:39.240 leave us. 00:56:39.700 --> 00:56:40.040 And may 00:56:40.040 --> 00:56:40.600 all your 00:56:40.600 --> 00:56:41.120 people, 00:56:41.320 --> 00:56:41.440 Lord, 00:56:41.480 --> 00:56:42.140 even today 00:56:42.140 --> 00:56:42.560 who are 00:56:42.560 --> 00:56:42.860 feeling 00:56:42.860 --> 00:56:43.500 crushed 00:56:43.500 --> 00:56:43.780 and 00:56:43.780 --> 00:56:45.200 perplexed, 00:56:45.820 --> 00:56:46.500 persecuted 00:56:46.500 --> 00:56:47.400 and afflicted 00:56:47.400 --> 00:56:47.760 in so 00:56:47.760 --> 00:56:47.960 many 00:56:47.960 --> 00:56:48.400 different 00:56:48.400 --> 00:56:48.860 ways. 00:56:49.559 --> 00:56:50.019 May your 00:56:50.019 --> 00:56:50.860 people know 00:56:50.860 --> 00:56:51.880 your great 00:56:51.880 --> 00:56:52.739 presence and 00:56:52.739 --> 00:56:53.539 power with 00:56:53.539 --> 00:56:53.739 them, 00:56:54.280 --> 00:56:54.599 that they 00:56:54.599 --> 00:56:55.019 would know, 00:56:55.199 --> 00:56:55.360 Lord, 00:56:56.079 --> 00:56:56.760 that things 00:56:56.760 --> 00:56:57.179 in this 00:56:57.179 --> 00:56:57.579 world, 00:56:57.900 --> 00:56:58.300 no matter 00:56:58.300 --> 00:56:59.139 how hard 00:56:59.139 --> 00:56:59.780 they are, 00:57:00.219 --> 00:57:00.920 are passing 00:57:00.920 --> 00:57:01.380 by, 00:57:02.019 --> 00:57:02.480 but that we 00:57:02.480 --> 00:57:03.239 have something 00:57:03.239 --> 00:57:04.920 precious to 00:57:04.920 --> 00:57:05.539 look forward 00:57:05.539 --> 00:57:05.719 to. 00:57:05.780 --> 00:57:06.320 The treasure 00:57:06.320 --> 00:57:06.860 we have 00:57:06.860 --> 00:57:07.920 now is 00:57:07.920 --> 00:57:08.219 what we 00:57:08.219 --> 00:57:08.679 look to 00:57:08.679 --> 00:57:09.619 for eternity 00:57:09.619 --> 00:57:10.619 and that 00:57:10.619 --> 00:57:11.239 hope of 00:57:11.239 --> 00:57:12.280 life with 00:57:12.280 --> 00:57:12.760 our Lord 00:57:12.760 --> 00:57:13.219 Jesus. 00:57:13.860 --> 00:57:14.119 So may 00:57:14.119 --> 00:57:14.619 you bless 00:57:14.619 --> 00:57:15.199 your word 00:57:15.199 --> 00:57:15.659 and bless 00:57:15.659 --> 00:57:16.339 us and 00:57:16.339 --> 00:57:16.659 continue 00:57:16.659 --> 00:57:17.099 with us 00:57:17.099 --> 00:57:17.639 now in 00:57:17.639 --> 00:57:17.980 Jesus' 00:57:18.239 --> 00:57:18.460 name. 00:57:18.920 --> 00:57:19.259 Amen. 00:57:23.259 --> 00:57:23.839 We'll 00:57:23.839 --> 00:57:24.559 conclude by 00:57:24.559 --> 00:57:25.619 singing to 00:57:25.619 --> 00:57:26.039 God's 00:57:26.039 --> 00:57:26.599 praise in 00:57:26.599 --> 00:57:28.259 Psalm 134. 00:57:29.119 --> 00:57:29.440 This is 00:57:29.440 --> 00:57:29.920 in the 00:57:29.920 --> 00:57:30.900 Sing 00:57:30.900 --> 00:57:31.400 Psalms 00:57:31.400 --> 00:57:31.819 version, 00:57:32.000 --> 00:57:33.480 page 175, 00:57:34.980 --> 00:57:36.159 Psalm 134, 00:57:36.359 --> 00:57:37.519 the first 00:57:37.519 --> 00:57:37.900 version, 00:57:38.099 --> 00:57:39.339 Psalm 134a. 00:57:40.239 --> 00:57:41.000 And we'll 00:57:41.000 --> 00:57:41.359 sing the 00:57:41.359 --> 00:57:41.619 whole of 00:57:41.619 --> 00:57:42.099 this psalm. 00:57:42.179 --> 00:57:42.719 Praise the 00:57:42.719 --> 00:57:42.960 Lord, 00:57:43.039 --> 00:57:43.339 all you 00:57:43.339 --> 00:57:44.039 as servants 00:57:44.039 --> 00:57:45.000 as you 00:57:45.000 --> 00:57:45.719 serve with 00:57:45.719 --> 00:57:46.500 one accord. 00:57:47.019 --> 00:57:47.539 Praise the 00:57:47.539 --> 00:57:47.800 Lord, 00:57:47.920 --> 00:57:48.159 and your 00:57:48.159 --> 00:57:48.860 night watches 00:57:48.860 --> 00:57:49.340 in the 00:57:49.340 --> 00:57:50.599 temple of 00:57:50.599 --> 00:57:51.019 the Lord. 00:57:51.079 --> 00:57:51.400 The tune 00:57:51.400 --> 00:57:52.219 of Stuttgart 00:57:52.219 --> 00:57:52.559 and we'll 00:57:52.559 --> 00:57:53.340 sing the 00:57:53.340 --> 00:57:53.679 whole of 00:57:53.679 --> 00:57:54.259 this psalm. 00:57:54.259 --> 00:57:54.800 Amen. 00:57:58.800 --> 00:58:02.340 Praise the 00:58:02.340 --> 00:58:03.279 Lord, 00:58:03.420 --> 00:58:04.279 all you 00:58:04.279 --> 00:58:05.059 are 00:58:05.059 --> 00:58:05.400 as 00:58:05.400 --> 00:58:06.719 you 00:58:06.719 --> 00:58:10.019 serve 00:58:10.019 --> 00:58:10.840 with 00:58:10.840 --> 00:58:11.800 one 00:58:11.800 --> 00:58:16.220 praise the 00:58:16.220 --> 00:58:20.300 Now or 00:58:20.300 --> 00:58:22.720 Lord. 00:58:22.719 --> 00:58:28.079 The temple of the Lord. 00:58:29.000 --> 00:58:34.899 Raise your hands with endless temple. 00:58:35.679 --> 00:58:41.959 To the Lord your broken ways. 00:58:41.959 --> 00:58:48.539 He who made the earth and heavens 00:58:48.539 --> 00:58:55.860 bless you from this holy grace. 00:58:56.699 --> 00:58:59.400 After the benediction I'll go to the main door. 00:59:00.259 --> 00:59:03.219 Now may grace, mercy and peace from God, 00:59:03.619 --> 00:59:05.519 Father, Son and Holy Spirit 00:59:05.519 --> 00:59:07.699 rest upon and abide with you all 00:59:07.699 --> 00:59:10.039 now and forevermore. Amen. 00:59:18.539 --> 00:59:20.539 Amen.