Well, that's welcome to our service this evening. We give thanks to God for this new opportunity to worship together and we trust that he will bless our time of worship to us.
We extend a welcome to those who are joining us online and also a welcome to those who are visiting with us.
I pray God's blessing to be on each individual person.
We join together in the worship of God by singing to his praise from Psalm number 132 in the Scottish Psalter.
It's on page 423 and we're singing at verse 11.
Psalm 132 at verse 11 in the Scottish Psalter. The tune is Free Church.
The Lord in truth to David swear he will not turn from it.
I of thy body's fruit will make upon thy throne to sit.
My covenant if thy sons will keep and laws to them may know that their children then shall also sit forever on thy throne.
And so on and we stand to sing to God's praise from verse 11 to the end of the Psalm.
The Lord in truth to David swear he will not turn from it.
I know thy holy truth will make upon thy throne to sit.
My covenant if thy sons will keep and laws to them may know that their children then shall also sit forever on.
I know thy throne.
For God's time hath made choice,
Let me teach times to dwell.
This is my quest,
Here still I'll sing,
For I do like it well.
Our moon I'm gaining less,
Our moon with red will satisfy.
And praise and hope with help,
Our saints shall shout for joyfully.
And there will I make it victor
To the poor blessed me.
For him that my anointing,
At love-boarding Thine.
At with our garment I will go,
Where shameless pain is told,
And yet the crown that he hath wear,
Abom him the rich child.
Let's join together in prayer,
Let's bow our heads in prayer.
Almighty and most gracious God,
Rejoice in this time of worship together.
You command us to come to worship you.
We desire to draw near to you,
Not only in obedience to your command,
But with the desire in our hearts,
That you will come and meet with us.
We rejoice in you as the God
Who has promised to do so.
And as we do worship you together this evening,
We pray that this time of worship,
And the whole of this day,
Will be a time when our hearts are moved,
Our lives are changed,
New direction is given to us.
And we truly sense that we are in the presence of God.
We give thanks to you for every way in which
You make yourself known to your people,
In the pages of Scripture,
In the story and the history of the people of God.
We are thankful to you for every way in which
You have blessed the hearts and lives of
Those present here before you this evening.
In times and seasons in life.
When you draw near.
When you make your name great in their hearts and lives.
When you shine in the brightness of your light.
And when you shine in the beauty of your Son,
The Lord Jesus, our Saviour.
We pray tonight that
Our time of worship would be
One such event and occasion.
When we are drawn close to you.
When our minds are enlightened.
When our hearts are moved.
And when we rediscover
How precious your grace is.
We discover how great your love is.
And rediscover even something of the words
That we are singing together.
The choice that you make of your people.
Your election of them.
So that they choose you.
Your love for them.
So that they love you in return.
Your delight in them.
So that they delight in you.
We pray you, O Lord our God.
To give to us.
That engagement of heart.
In your presence this evening.
So that joy may fill our hearts.
Arising from a sense of.
Our own nothingness and our undeservingness.
And arising from the glory of your grace.
Its magnitude.
Its power and its influence.
In the hearts and lives of sinners like ourselves.
And help us so that.
We would allow nothing to distract us from.
Paying attention to.
What you have to say to us.
That the way between us and you would be clear.
That all the lines of communion and communication.
Would be cleared by you in such a way.
That we would truly hear the.
Good sound of the gospel.
And that that good sound of the gospel.
Would resonate in our hearts.
And give to us.
A sense of.
Thankfulness before you.
A new determination to.
To follow you.
And to give our lives to you.
We give thanks to you.
For all those who.
Have followed you down through the years.
So faithfully.
We give thanks to you for.
The perseverance of the saints.
The encouragement that we have from.
Knowing from your word.
And from seeing the lives of your people.
That you are the keeper of your people.
That you are the guide of your people.
And that at last you will.
Bring them safely into your eternal home.
We pray that you will bless.
Any tonight who may be discouraged.
Any tonight who may be struggling in their faith.
Any tonight who may.
Be conscious of darkness instead of light.
Any tonight who may.
Sense a coolness in their hearts.
And brings to them.
Its own anxiety.
And longing to have the warmth of your grace and love.
Draw near to every heart.
We do pray.
Speak into the hearts of all of your children.
And be merciful and gracious.
And shine upon them.
We do pray.
The psalmist prayed for.
Your face to shine upon him.
And we pray that every heart before you tonight.
That loves your name.
Would know what it is anew.
To sense you turning around to them.
And looking down upon them.
In your loving care.
And in your grace.
And demonstrating to them.
That they are precious in your sight.
We pray a blessing for any tonight.
Who may be far from you.
Any tonight who.
Have not yet tasted.
The grace of God.
In Jesus Christ.
Any tonight who.
May know the truth in their minds.
But do not yet know the Lord Jesus in their hearts.
We do pray for such.
O Lord our God.
Your word teaches us that.
It is your spirit alone that brings life.
In your heart.
And we pray tonight for.
The power of your Holy Spirit.
To bring about that change in their hearts.
So that their knowledge of your truth.
Would descend into hearts.
That are made willing to.
Love you and to follow you.
And so that lives may be transformed.
By that saving power.
Speak with power we do pray to each and every one of us.
And may we sense the powerful influence.
Of your Holy Spirit.
With your word.
As we worship you together.
We pray for your blessing to be.
Upon us in such a way.
That having received your blessing.
We may be ready to serve you.
You sent your son into this world.
To serve you.
And you sent him into this world.
In some ways to serve us.
And you have called us now to.
Follow his example.
While we are sent to.
Continue the work that he began.
Give to us.
Hearts that are full of.
A desire to serve.
To serve your name.
In whatever capacity.
That we are called so to do.
And give to us such willing and loving hearts.
That may be our joy.
To show our love for you.
By showing your love to others.
And serving those around us.
And those around us.
In our congregation.
Those around us.
In our neighborhoods.
Those around us.
In our workplaces.
May you bless and guide.
And help us to be.
The servants of Jesus Christ.
Showing forth your praises.
And your glory.
And your mercy.
We pray for your blessing.
To be upon all the activities.
Of the congregation.
That your hand would be upon.
All areas of work.
Of witness.
And of service.
We give thanks to you.
For the youth fellowship.
We pray for your blessing.
To be upon them.
As they meet together.
This evening.
May you bless to them.
The truth that is brought before them.
The teaching of your word.
And every way.
In which the gospel is.
Presented to them.
May their young minds.
Be edified.
And molded.
And shaped by you.
And may they know the.
Truth that gives freedom.
And may they know the truth.
That gives order.
And organization.
And structure to life.
And may they.
Learn to live by faith.
On Jesus Christ.
Who loved them.
And gave himself.
For them.
Bless all.
Our homes and families.
Bless those.
Who are laid aside.
In illness.
Bless those.
Who are frail.
And weak.
Bless those.
Who may be seriously ill.
Bless those.
Who mourn and grieve.
We pray your comforting presence.
For each and.
Every one of these.
And all of their individual situations.
May the spirit of the Lord.
Be near to them.
May you give health.
Whether that is in accordance.
With your will.
And may you give grace.
In the midst of every.
Kind of affliction.
That your people may.
Grow closer to you.
Even in times of trial.
And in times of.
Illness.
And in times of.
Affliction.
We pray your blessing.
To be upon us.
As a congregation.
Of your people.
These days of vacancy.
We continue.
To look to you.
To pray to you.
To guide.
And to lead.
For the spirit of the Lord.
To be upon us.
In our prayers.
Reaching out to you.
And for sensing.
Your guiding.
Your steering presence.
In hand.
To lead us.
To the person.
Of your choosing.
And of your appointing.
And praying.
That you will do so.
Through the prayers.
Of your people.
And giving each.
And everyone.
A sense of dependence.
Upon you.
And being encouraged.
And you making yourself.
Known.
To the minds.
Who are praying.
Before you.
So guide us.
And provide for us.
Bless all of our.
Connegations.
Bless our wider.
Island community.
We pray blessing.
To be upon each.
Of our connegations.
This evening.
And every parish.
In which the gospel.
Is preached.
We pray for our nation.
And for our land.
We pray for our parliaments.
We pray blessing.
To be upon all those.
In positions of authority.
We ask.
That you will.
Bless them.
And give to them.
Your fear in their hearts.
That they may be.
An influence.
For good.
Bless the wider world.
In which you live.
We pray blessing.
To be upon.
Every corner of it.
In its needs.
In its brokenness.
In its conflicts.
In its wars.
And in strife.
We pray that you will.
Have a mercy.
We do give thanks to you.
For the breakthrough.
In the Middle East.
And I pray that you will.
Establish that.
Peace.
That may be lasting.
For the good.
Of that area.
Of all those.
Who live in it.
And who have suffered much.
We pray a blessing.
To be on those.
Who are.
In authority.
And who are.
In the midst of all of these.
Deliberations.
May you.
Guide them.
In the way.
You.
Throughly establish.
A peace.
That will.
Be for the well-being.
Of that part of the world.
In the days.
To come.
In all of these nations.
And across the nations.
Of the earth.
We pray you.
To bless.
And to show that.
Your kingdom is coming.
That you are indeed.
Present in this world.
And that you are building.
Your church.
Encourage your people.
Every group.
We pray.
In the midst of all.
Discouragements.
We pray a blessing.
To be upon us now.
Before you.
Guide us.
Lead us.
Protect us.
Guard us from anything.
And what distract us.
We do pray.
And give us peace.
In praising you.
Give us peace.
In reading your word.
And studying it together.
Help us with a sense.
Of your guiding presence.
We ask.
And to me.
We will be still.
Before you.
In all we seek to do.
In your name.
At this time.
Hear us.
We pray.
And to our mercy.
We ask.
We ask these things.
For Jesus sake.
We are going to praise God.
This time.
It is Psalm number 18.
And at the beginning.
Of the Psalm.
It is Psalm number 18.
It is in Sing Psalms.
It is on page 19.
It is a song of David.
A song of.
Praising God.
For his deliverance.
And.
We are singing.
At verse 1.
On page 19.
And the tune is.
Duke Street.
I love you.
Lord.
You are my strength.
A forfeit is.
The Lord to me.
My rock.
And my deliverer.
For refuge.
To my God.
I flee.
And we sing.
From verse 1.
To the verse 6.
To God's praise.
Please.
To thee
My
Rock and
Mighty
Lever
For
A
Truth
My God
I
Be
He
Is my
Stronghold
And my
Shield
The Lord
Who saves
Me
By
His
Light
I'll
Call on
Him
And
Give
Him
Face
I
Stay
Deep
I
Close
To
Ride
But
Chords
Of
Death
Let
Unwilled
Me
Dis voy
Structure his me like a ring
Encircled by the smears of death
I miss the tenors of the grave
In my distress I call on God
I guide up to the Lord for thee
He from his temple appeared my voice
Healest and true that there I may
I'm starting together now to hear the word of God from the New Testament
from the book of Acts and in chapter 2
I'm reading at verse 22
The book of Acts chapter 2 and at verse 22
And you will notice from your Bibles that we are
stepping into the middle of Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost
Acts 2 and verse 22
Let us hear the word of God
Men of Israel hear these words
Jesus of Nazareth a man attested to you
by God with mighty works and wonders
and signs that God did through him in your midst
As you yourselves know
This Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan
and full knowledge of God
You crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men
God raised him up
losing the pangs of death
because it was not possible for him to be held by it
For David says concerning him
I saw the Lord always before me
For he is at my right hand
that I may not be shaken
Therefore my heart was glad
and my tongue rejoiced
My flesh also will dwell in hope
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades
or let your Holy One see corruption
You have made known to me the paths of life
You will make me full of gladness with your presence
Brothers, I may say to you
with confidence about the patriarch David
that he had both died and was buried
and his tomb is with us to this day
Being therefore a prophet
and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him
that he would set one of his descendants on his throne
he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ
that he was not abandoned to Hades
nor did his flesh see corruption
This Jesus God raised up
and of that we all are witnesses
Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God
and having received from the Father
the promise of the Holy Spirit
he has poured out this
that you yourselves are seeing and hearing
For David did not ascend into the heavens
but he himself says
The Lord said to my Lord
sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool
Let all the house of Israel
therefore know for certain
that God has made him
both Lord and Christ
this Jesus whom you crucified
Now when they heard this
they were cut to the heart
and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles
Brothers, what shall we do?
Peter said to them
Repent and be baptized
every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins
and you will receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit
for the promises for you
and for your children
and for all who are far off
everyone whom the Lord
our God calls to himself
and with many other words
he bore witness
and continued to exhort them
saying
Save yourselves from this crooked generation
so those who received his word
were baptized
and there were added
that day
about three thousand souls
Amen
This is God's word
we trust that you are blessed to us
that reading from it
Now return to placing God
this is Psalm number 80
That's Psalm number 80a
on page 107
We're singing at verse 14
Psalm 80a at verse 14
The tune is Sussex
Turn to us, O God Almighty
Look and see from heaven above
Tend this vine your hand has planted
and the Son you raised in love
We stand to sing from verse 14
to verse 19
to God's praise
Turn to us, O God Almighty
Look and see from heaven above
Tend this vine your hand has planted
And the Son you raised in love
See your pine cut down and wither
And this branch is burned with fire
Your renewed past, your people
And they perish in your eye
Let your hand be placed in blessing
On the land at your right hand
On the Son of man you chose
Who had hope you caused to stand
Then we will not wander from you
Turning from you
Turning from you to our shame
Strengthen us, revive and heal us
Then we'll fall upon your name
Look on us, our God Almighty
Let us see your glory bright
Turn us once again towards you
Come and save us, give us life
Let's turn together now to the book of Acts
And chapter number 2
And we can read at verse number 36
Acts chapter 2 at verse 36
Reading this verse
But considering the surrounding verses together
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain
That God has made him both Lord and Christ
This Jesus whom you crucified
Now when they heard this
They were cut to the heart
And said to Peter and the rest of the apostles
Brothers, what shall we do?
Do you?
Now it's clear as we read the Bible
That there is progression in the story of our salvation
And right from the beginning of the Bible
We see a development in the promise and the purposes of God
To save a people for himself
And step by step and stage by stage
We see God working out his plans
That's what we expect from God
He has a purpose and he has a plan
And every detail of it is provided by him
And worked out by his own intervention and action
When you read the book of Acts
We see itself that it is a sequel to the gospel according to Luke
Luke is a historian who has given to us
An account in the gospel
Of the way in which Jesus spoke to the people
The way in which he performed miracles
The way in which he spoke of his life and of his death
And the way in which he died and was resurrected
And Luke makes clear at the beginning of this book of Acts
That he is speaking to us about the kingdom of God
And tonight we want to think something about the kingdom of God
And in that progression
We see at the beginning of this chapter
That something really significant has taken place
I would suggest perhaps more significant than the cross itself
That the time has come for God, for Jesus
To send his spirit into the world
That's the only thing that makes a difference
That the spirit of God is now here
And because the spirit of God is now here
God is building his church
With the power of his spirit
And ensuring that his mission is on course
That the progress of redemption
Continues relentlessly
Until the day at which
All of the church of Christ
Is at last saved
And I want us to think of this passage this evening
In the sense of
Pressing a reset button
Because there are times in life
Simply by the kind of lives that we live
That whatever faith we have
Is influenced by and corrupted by
The things that take place around us
And we end up becoming fuzzy in our thinking
We end up losing sight of the basic principles of our salvation
And we end up living a life that
Perhaps to a greater degree
Or a greater or lesser degree
Is departing away from what the Bible says
We have a smart thermostat
In our home for controlling our heating
It's great when it works
It knows when we're away
That we don't need heat
It knows when we're home that we need heat
It senses when we come in
When it's working it's great
But when it stops working
It thinks we're at home when we're away
It thinks we're away when we're at home
And it gets confused
And the only way of resolving that problem
Is pressing the reset button
And going back to factory settings
So that it works the way that it should
And tonight I want us to bear that in mind
Because that's what we so often need
In our journey through this world
Pressing the reset button
Taking all of our thoughts
About our personal salvation
And about the work of God and of Jesus
Back to the basics of the Bible
And then to rediscover
What our faith really is
And what God has actually done
And so
The life of faith
And pressing the reset button
First of all I want us to see in the passage
That there is a return
And to see that return
I want us to notice
First of all
That there is
The absence of a presence
And it's
We need to be careful to understand
That when we
Read the Bible
From end to end
There is a stage in the Bible
When the presence of God
Is absent
And only what God does
Will restore his own presence
To his people
And in this passage
We see that
There is the absence
Of the presence of God
And that absence
Is brought before us
From the way in which
We are introduced
To the cross itself
And the way in which
In verse 23
This Jesus
Delivered up
According to the definite plan
And for knowledge of God
You crucified
And killed
By the hands
Of lawless men
There is a definite plan
Of God
The cross is no accident
That took place
Because a sinful world
Rejected the Lord Jesus
They certainly did that
But there is a definite plan
And in accordance with that
Plan
There is a delivering up
And we need to be sure
That we don't mistake
In delivering up
For deliverance
Because deliverance
Is rescuing from
And delivering up
Is handing over to
And that's what
Peter wants to highlight here
That in the cross
Of Jesus
There is a delivering up
To all of the cross
Involved
And when we see
Jesus on the cross
He's delivered
Into the hands
Of God himself
The God
Whose plan
It is
And for us to understand
The big picture
Of the Bible
And the big picture
Of the story
Of salvation
For us to fit
Ourselves into it
We need to understand
That the cross
Is the glass
Through which we see
The absence
Of the presence
Of God
And when I hear
Jesus on the cross
Saying
My God
Why have you
Forsaken me
What is that
Telling us
It is
Telling us
That Jesus is here
Representing his people
And that he is
Representing his people
Because
They have forsaken God
And because
They have forsaken him
He has forsaken them
And God spoke of that
In Deuteronomy 31
They will forsake me
And break my covenant
And because of that
I will forsake them
And when I do hear
Jesus crying out
Why have you
Forsaken me
It speaks to us
Of the absence
Of God
That God is no longer
With his people
Of course God
Is still working
But in the big picture
Of our salvation
The message is
God is absent
And for Jesus
To go
Where
Where we should be
He needs to
Experience
The absence
Of the presence
Of God
And that's what
Happens on the cross
It's
The exile
That we see
Physically
In Babylon
But it's the
Spiritual exile
Where we're
Forsaken
By God
Because we
Ourselves
Forsook God
And when we
Come to
The cross
Of Jesus
Personally
And individually
To ask
What the cross
Means
Yet
Yes it
Certainly
Does mean
That he
Loved me
And gave
Himself
For me
But the
Big picture
Into which
We must
Fit these
Elements
That are
Personal
Is the
Big picture
Of God
Withdrawing
His presence
From his
People
And the
Only answer
To that
Is to send
His son
The Lord
Jesus
To die
On the
Cross
And to
Experience
That
And to
Go there
As the
One who
Is bearing
Our sin
And who's
Our substitute
Dying in
Our place
The absence
Of the
Presence
Let's not
In sight
Of the
Whole story
Of God's
People
That feeds
Into the
Cross
To inform
Us
That God
Is
Absent
And
Salvation
At the
Cross
Speaks
Of
And the
Resurrection
Speaks
Of
It speaks
Of the
Return
Of the
Presence
Of God
And that's
What Peter
Wants to
Highlight
Here
We see
The way
In which
He
He speaks
Of
Jesus
Being
Raised
From the
Dead
And
God
Loosing
The
Pangs
Of
Death
Because
It was
Not
Possible
That
Death
Should
Hold
Him
He
Is
Raised
By
God
And
The
Very
Action
Of
God
In
Coming
To
Raise
His
Son
From
The
Dead
It's
The
First
Expression
Of
The
Return
Of
The
Presence
Of
God
That
He
Is
Active
Now
In
The
Person
Of
His
Son
To
Raise
Him
From
The
Dead
And
He
Raises
Him
From
The
Dead
And
Peter
Goes
On
To
Show
The
Way
In
Which
He
Is
Exalted
And
Seated
At
God's
Right
Hand
And
There
We
See
The
Great
Transaction
That
Speaks
Of
The
Return
Of
The
Presence
Of
God
And
Peter
Speaks
About
That
In
Verse
Number
33
Having
Received
From
The
Father
The
Promise
Of
The
Holy
Spirit
He
Has
Poured
Out
This
Which
You
Now
See
And
Hear
The
Spirit
Of
God
Is
Poured
Out
Into
The
Church
The
Spirit
That
Jesus
Promised
His
People
His
Disciples
In
The
Upper
Room
The
Helper
The
Comforter
If
I
Go
I
Will
Send
Him
To
You
If
I
Go
The
Father
Will
Send
Him
In
My
Name
It's
The
Spirit
That
Was
Promised
And
Now
In
This
Moment
In
The
Experience
Of
The
Says
On
This
Rock
I
Will
Build
My
Church
The
Prophet
Zechariah
Says
Not
By
Might
Not
By
Power
But
By
My
Spirit
Saith
Your
God
The
Spirit
Of
God
Is
Here
No
Matter
What's
Happening
To
Us
Personally
No
Matter
What's
Happening
To
Us
Collectively
As
Congregations
And
As
Churches
Across
The
World
No
Matter
What
We
May
Conclude
The
Spirit
Of
God
The
Presence
Of
God
Is
Irreversibly
Here
In
The
Church
Of
Christ
In
The
World
And
That's
How
The
Church
Will
Grow
And
Tonight
As
We
Think
Of
Pressing
The
Reset
Button
On
Our
Understanding
Of
Salvation
We
Want
To
Do
So
And
To
Remember
That
In
The
Resurrection
Of
Jesus
The
Exaltation
Of
Jesus
And
In
This
Historical
!
Event
That
The
Greatest
Thing
That's
Happened
In
The
History
Of
God's
People
Has
Now
Taken
Place
God
Is
Back
With
His
People
The
Return
The
Power
That
Is
Working
Through
Christ's
Resurrection
The
Power
That
God
Is
Using
The
Holy
Spirit
That
Third
Person
Of
The
God
Who
Works
Powerfully
In
The
World
Despite
Of
That
We
May
See
The
World
To
Be
The
Return
The
Greatest
News
That
God
Is
Back
That
The
Broken
Relationship
That
Jesus
Has
Suffered
For
That
And
The
Conditions
Of
The
Covenant
That
Determine
That
He
Has
Removed
The
Condemnation
And
The
Spirit
Of
God
Is
Present
The
Return
Secondly
That
Brings
Us
To
Think
Of
The
Revelation
What
Does
This
Mean
For
Them
This
Great
Historical
Event
What
Does
It
Mean
For
Them
God
Wants
Them
To
Know
That
He
Has
Reversed
Their
Decision
It's
Wonderful
Despite
What
They
Thought
Of
The
Lord
Jesus
That
God
Has
Reversed
That
And
He
Reminds
Them
And
He
Wants
Them
To
Know
In
Verse
36
To
Know
For
Certain
That
God
Has
Made
Him
Both
Lord
And
Christ
The
Jesus
Whom
You
Crucified
Be
Assured
Of
This
Be
Absolutely
Certain
Of
This
And
Not
Simply
Be
Absolutely
Certain
Of
It
Intellectually
But
Be
Absolutely
Certain
Of
This
In
Your
Hearts
What
Is
That
They
Have
To
Be
Certain
About
It's
This
Judgment
Of
God
The
Reversal
Of
Their
Decision
That
The
Jesus
Whom
They
Crucified
God
Has
Made
!
Him
Both
Lord
And
Christ
God
Has
Placed
Him
In
The
Position
Where
He
Distributes
The
Benefits
Of
Salvation
God
Has
Placed
Him
In
That
Place
Of
Equality
With
God
Where
He
Is
Able
As
The
King
Of
His
Kingdom
To
Distribute
Freely
To
Those
Who
Are
His
People
He
Is
In
Charge
Of
God
Salvation
All
Authority
Is
Given
To
Him
In
Heaven
And
In
Earth
Peter
God
Wants
Them
To
Know
That
He
Is
Lord
And
He
Wants
Them
Also
To
Know
That
He
Is
Christ
He
Is
The
Great
Deliverer
The
Anointed
One
That
The
People
Were
So
Familiar
With
Reading
About
In
The
Old
Testament
That
The
People
Refused
To
Believe
Was
Jesus
When
He
Told
Them
That
He
Was
God
Has
Made
It
Clear
Now
He
Has
Installed
Him
To
Be
That
Great
Deliverer
Of
His
People
That
Messiah
The
Christ
He
Is
The
Anointed
One
Who
Is
Seated
On
God's
Throne
In
Zion
And
Having
Placed
Him
On
His
Throne
He
Is
There
Setting
The
Timetable
For
This
World
He
Is
There
Until
His
Enemies
Are
Made
His
Footstool
In
Other
Words
There's
A
Proces
There's
An
Era
In
The
Experience
Of
This
World
Where
God
Is
Working
To
Establish
His
Kingdom
And
To
Overthrow
His
Enemies
And
Because
Christ
Has
Been
Seated
On
His
Throne
That
Era
Has
Now
Commenced
And
For
All
Of
The
Hearers
They
Are
To
Understand
That
Era
Has
Commenced
And
Despite
The
Fact
That
They
Rejected
Him
That
God's
Plan
Remains
On
Cush
For
The
Salvation
Of
His
People
And
Perhaps
In
The
In
The
Mercy
And
In
The
Grace
Of
God
That
He
Reversed
Their
Judgment
And
That
He
Vindicated
The
Lord
Jesus
And
He
Sat
Him
On
His
Throne
As
He
Promised
That
He
Would
So
Do
The
Revelation
Of
The
Lord
Jesus
Paul
Says
In
First
Corinthians
That
If the
Roars of
This
World
Had
Understood
They
Would
Not
Have
Crucified
The
Lord
Of
Glory
He
Goes
On
To
Speak
Of
The
Way
In
Which
No
Eye
Has
Ever
Seen
Or
Heard
The
Things
That
God
Has
Prepared
For
His
People
But
God
Has
Revealed
Them
To
Us
By
His
Spirit
Here
Is
A
Revelation
That
Comes
To
Those
Who
Are
Gathered
At
Pentecost
It
Is
A
Revelation
That
Speaks
To
Them
Of
Their
Wrong
Doing
And
Their
Action
In
Crucifying
The
Lord
Jesus
And
It
Is
An
Action
That
They
Carried
Out
Because
They
Did
Not
Understand
Who
He
Was
God
Gave
Him
A
Name
That
Is
Above
Every
Name
But
The
Key
Thing
Is
For
Them
To
Understand
The
Crucial
Reversal
The
Critical
Action
Of
God
And
Setting
Jesus
On
His
Throne
And
When
We
Begin
To
Think
Of
The
Revelation
Of
The
Gospel
And
The
Claims
Of
The
Gospel
That
Is
Surely
The
First
Sign
Here
Of
The
Mercy
Of
God
That
Tonight
You
May
Be
In
The
Habit
Of
Rejecting
The
Lord
Jesus
As
Your
Savior
That
You
May
Be
In
The
Habit
Of
Informing
Yourself
About
Him
As
The
Jews
Were
In
The
Days
Of
Jesus
You
May
Be
In
The
Habit
Of
Filling
Your
Mind
With
The
Truths
That
He
Speaks
But
Yet
Consistently
In
The
Habit
Of
Rejecting
Him
As
Your
Savior
And
The
Marvel
For
You
In
The
Gospel
Tonight
That
God
In
His
Grace
Has
Reversed
This
Judgment
On
Their
Part
And
That
He
Can
Work
To
Ensure
That
You
Reversed
Your
Judgment
And
That
Your
Judgment
Of
The
Lord
Jesus
Is
Consistent
With
God's
Own
Judgment
The
Reversal
Were the
Reversal
Not
True
None
Of
Us
Would
Be
Saved
But
Because
The
Reversal
Is
True
And
Has
Taken
Place
Then
Salvation
Is
To
The
Whole
World
What
Do
They
Do
With
That
Revelation
What
Is
Their
Response
To
That
Revelation
It
Initiates
A
Crisis
In
Their
Lives
They
Were
Cut
To
The
Heart
They
Had
A
Spiritual
Heart
Attack
That
They
Had
Spasms
Of
Spiritual
Pain
That
They
Never
Experienced
Before
Because
Suddenly
The
Day
Is
Dawning
The
Veil
That
Paul
Speaks
Of
Has
Been
Taken
Off
Their
Minds
And
They
Realize
Now
That
They
Are
Guilty
Of
The
Greatest
Sin
Of
All
That
They
Have
Crucified
The
Lord
Of
Glory
And
They
Have
Crucified
The
Very
Person
That
Religiously
They
Were
Waiting
To
Appear
And
To
Appear
For
Their
Salvation
They
Were
Cut
To
The
Heart
And
We
Saw
Recently
In
Or
In
The
Passage
From
Zechariah
Chapter
12
The
Way
In
Which
God
Pours
His
Spirit
And
It's
A
Spirit
Of
Grace
And
Of
Supplication
And
Those
Who
Receive
Of
The
Spirit
Of
God
They
Look
On
Him
Whom
They
Have
Pierced
And
They
Mourn
For
Him
The
Revelation
Has
Brought
Them
To
The
Place
Where
The
Crisis
Is
Such
That
They
Rejected
The
Lord
Jesus
And
Now
They're
Face
To
Face
With
The
Reality
Of
Their
Lostness
And
That
Unless
God
Does
Something
Else
For
Them
There
Is
No
Hope
For
Them
And
From
There
They
Cry
Out
To
Peter
And
To
The
Rest
Brothers
What
Shall
We
Do?
Their
Only
Hope
Is
In
The
Message
Of
Peter
And
The
Other
Apostles
And
You
See
What
Is
Happening
!
They
Rejected
The
Lord
Jesus
And
Having
Rejected
Him
The
Only
Hope
That
They
Have
Is
To
Look
Into
That
Very
Place
In
The
Word
Of
God
And
In
The
Plan
Of
God
Where
Alone
Hope
Is
To
Be
Found
Brothers
Those
Who
Belong
To
The
Kingdom
Of
God
What
Can
We
Do
They
Were
Cut
To
The
Heart
They
Were
Convicted
Of
Their
Sin
And
The
Very
Jesus
Whom
They
Rejected
Is
The
Jesus
Who
Spoke
To
His
Disciples
And
Who
Said
To
Them
In
John
Chapter
16
That
He
Would
Send
The
Helper
And
When
The
Helper
Would
Come
He
Would
Convince
He
Would
Convict
He
Would
Speak
Into
Their
Minds
Not
Only
To
Inform
Them
Intellectually
But
To
Speak
Into
Their
Minds
In
Such
A
Way
That
Their
Consciences
Are
Moved
To
Recognize
Their
Guilt
And
Here
Is
That
Spirit
Of
God
That
Jesus
Promised
Now
Working
In
The
Lives
Of
The
People
Who
Are
Hearing
The
Sermon
And
That
Spirit
Is
Doing
That
Very
Same
Work
Convicting
Them
Of
Sin
And
Of
Righteousness
And
Of
Judgment
Convicting
Them
Of
Their
Wrong
Doing
And
Such
Is
That
Conviction
That
It
Silences
Them
There
Is
No
Argument
Against
The
Conviction
That
Comes
From
The
Spirit
Of
God
It's
Silencing
It's
Numbing
It
Brings
Us
A
Sense
Of
Hopelessness
And
That's
Exactly
What
They
Experienced
And
We
Recognize
That
This
Moment
Is
More
Than
An
Emotion
That
This
Moment
Has
Its
Emotions
But
This
Moment
Is
Ground
Breaking
And
Life
Changing
It's
The
Spirit
Of
God
The
Promised
Spirit
Of
God
That
Jesus
Said
Will
Take
Of
The
Things
That
Belong
To
Him
And
Show
Them
To
Us
Here
Is
The
Stepping
Stone
To
Coming
To
Know
The
Lord
Jesus
As
Savior
The
Revelation
That
Brings
About
Conviction
And
Tonight
In
Pressing
The
Reset
Button
God
Wants
Us
To
Recognize
The
Bare
And
Simple
Truth
Of
What
It
Means
To
Come
Face
To
Face
With
A
Lost
And
To
Cry
For
Salvation
It's
Not
Something
That
You
Learn
To
Do
It's
Not
Something
That
Someone
Teaches
You
To
Do
It's
Not
A
Feeling
That
You
Have
Although
It
May
Have
Feelings
This
Moment
Is
The
Critical
Intervention
Of
God
In
Life
To
Switch
The
Lights
On
To
Cause
The
Darkness
To
Go
And
To
Cause
Us
To
See
Our
Lostness
And
We're
Not
Saying
That
In
Order
For
Us
To
Be
Saved
That
We
All
Need
The
Same
Level
Of
Guilt
And
Of
Conviction
In
The
Presence
Of
God
But
What
The
Bible
Is
Saying
That
We
Cannot
Be
Saved
Without
Having
A
Sense
Of
Need
And
If
Tonight
You
Have
That
Sense
Of
Need
It's
Not
Normal
Humanly
Speaking
It's
Something
That
Just
Doesn't
Happen
Because
We
Choose
It
To
Happen
It's
Something
That
Happens
Only
Because
God
Is
Working
And
The
Spirit
Of
God
Is
Working
In
Life
The
Revelation
That
Brings
Us
To
Cry
Into
The
Very
Arena
And
The
Environment
And
The
Covenant
Of
God
Where
God
Has
Reconciled
Sinners
To
Himself
Through
Jesus
Christ
Where
His
Presence
Is
Restored
The
Revelation
When
You
Press
Your
Reset
Burden
On
Your
Christian
Experience
On
Your
Journey
With
God
And
When
You
Peel
Away
Everything
That
Has
Become
Attached
To
You
Over
The
Years
Of
Following
!
The
Lord
Jesus
When
You
Peel
Them
All
Away
Does
The
Reset
Button
Take
You
To
The
Factory
Settings
That
We
Have
In
The
Work
Of
The
Spirit
Of
God
In
The
Hearts
And
The
Lives
Of
Sinners
Like
You
And
Me
Who
Are
Lost
We
Have
To
Come
Back
To
That
Basic
Truth
And
Fact
And
If
We
Cannot
Then
Something
Has
Gone
Wrong
If
We
Cannot
Do
That
Such
As
Been
The
Corruption
Of
Our
Thinking
Such
As
Been
The
External
Influences
As
Well
As
The
Internal
Influences
That
We've
Lost
!
Track
Of
The
Way
In
Which
God
Works
And
The
Great
Lesson
That
We
Learned
Together
This
Evening
Is
To
Get
Back
On
Track
And
To
Ensure
That
We
Begin
Where
Only
God
Creates
A
Beginning
The
Return
The
Revelation
And
Finally
The
Reconciliation
In
Verse
Number
38
Peter
Said
To
Them
Repent
And
Be
Baptized
Every
One
Of
You
In
The
Name
Of
Jesus
Christ
For
The
Forgiveness
Of
Your
Sins
And
You
Will
Receive
The
Gift
Of
The
Holy
Spirit
Repent
They
Need
To
Change
Their
Minds
Their
Action
Has
Been
Sinful
In
Crucifying
The
Lord
Jesus
The
Need
To
Repent
It's
An
Intellectual
Process
Through
Which
They
Are
To
Revisit
What
Has
Happened
In
The
Past
And
Now
Seeing
What
Has
Happened
In
The
Past
In
The
Light
Of
What
God
Has
Revealed
To
Them
To
Come
To
The
Judgment
That
What
They
Did
Was
Absolutely
Wrong
It
Was
Sin
Against
!
God
And
In
Revisiting
That
Previous
Place
And
That
Previous
Judgment
And
Opinion
And
Changing
Their
Minds
About
It
Because
They
Are
Now
Persuaded
That
They
Were
Absolutely
Wrong
And
Turning
Away
From
It
Because
They
Hate
That
They
Hate
That
Very
Moment
Of
Rejection
And
They
Want
To
Turn
Back
To
The
God
Who
Had
Spoken
Through
Them
Through
The
Lord
Jesus
The
God
Against
Whom
They
Had
Sinned
Repent
Repentance
And
That's
What
God
Wants
Us
To
Look
At
In
Our
Lives
This
Evening
Whether
We
Are
Christians
Or
Not
Repentance
Must
Be
In
Place
Whether
We
Are
Christians
Or
Not
We
Must
Understand
What
It
Means
To
Look
At
Our
Sin
And
To
Look
At
Our
Wrong
Doing
And
To
Recognize
How
Wrong
It
Is
In
The
Light
Of
What
God
Has
Told
Us
And
To
Turn
Away
From
That
And
To
Seek
The
Mercy
Of
God
As
It
Is
In
Christ
Recognizing
A
Wrong
Doing
And
Recognizing
That
There
Is
Mercy
With
God
And
For
You
Tonight
Who
Does
Not
Yet
Know
The
Lord
Jesus
Repentance
Is
Something
That
Is
Life
Changing
And
Because
Of
The
Way
In
Which
God
Works
If
It
Is
The
Spirit
Of
God
That
Works
In
The
Sense
Of
Conviction
And
Guilt
It
Is
The
Spirit
Of
God
That
Calls
You
And
Gives
To
You
This
Repentance
Before
God
And
You
Have
To
Search
Out
In
Your
Heart
This
Evenly
Whether
In
This
Very
Moment
The
Spirit
Of
God
Which
Was
Working
At
Pentecost
Is
Now
Working
In
Your
Heart
Persuading
You
To
You
To
You
To
Turn
Away
From
The
Repeated
Decisions
To
Reject
Recognizing
How
Wrong
You
Were
And
Being
Persuaded
Now
That
What
You
Must
Do
Is
Turn
To
God
And
Cry
Out
To
Him
That's
Where
Our
Hope
Rests
That
The
Returned
Presence
Of
God
That
Works
Through
His
People
Through
His
Church
In
The
World
Will
Touch
Hearts
And
Lives
And
Will
Bring
About
That
Change
And
Every
Moment
That
The
Gospel
Is
Preached
We're
Praying
For
The
Holy
Spirit
To
Take
The
Truths
Of
The
Gospel
And
To
Drive
Them
Home
To
Hearts
And
Minds
To
Bring
About
That
Change
And
For
You
Pressing
The
Reset
Button
Is
Bringing
You
To
The
Basic
Place
Of
Facing
Your
Unbelief
And
Crying
Out
To
God
To
Forgive
You
For
That
Unbelief
And
For
The
Christian
This
Evening
The
Call
To
Repentance
Is
For
You
As
Well
We
Know
That
On
Our
Journey
Through
Life
We
Lift
Up
Baggage
We
Add
So
Many
Things
To
Life
We
Become
Busy
And
We
Become
Muddled
In
Our
Thinking
And
Cluttered
In
Our
Spiritual
Lives
And
Tonight
God
Wants
Us
To
Press
The
Reset
Button
And
To
Repaint
Of
All
Of
The
Things
That
We
Have
Introduced
To
Life
That
God
Says
Shouldn't
Be
There
And
That
Are
An
Obstacle
To
Our
Enjoyment
Of
The
Peace
Of
God
That
We
Have
!
In
Christ
Jesus
Oh
Lord
And
All
Of
Us
Have
To
Allow
The
Word
Of
God
And
The
Spirit
Of
God
This
Evening
To
Penetrate
Our
Lives
To
Go
Through
The
Exterior
Of
Christian
Profession
And
To
Land
In
Our
Hearts
And
In
Our
Consciences
And
To
Show
To
Us
The
Things
That
Ought
Not
To
Be
There
The
Things
That
Ought
Not
To
Be
Present
Or
Through
About
Us
And
All
Of
Us
Have
An
Exercise
To
Undertake
This
Evening
And
To
Go
And
To
Ask
God
To
Show
And
To
Go
And
To
Ask
God
To
Convict
And
To
Go
And
To
Ask
God
To
Help
Us
Take
These
Things
Away
And
Be
Rid
Of
These
Things
Turn
Away
From
Them
Repent
Of
Them
Repent
And
Be
Baptized
Every
One
Of
You
In
The
Name
Of
Jesus
Christ
For
The
For
Your
Sins
And
You
Will
Receive
The
Gift
Of
The
Holy
Ghost
There
Is
The
Baptism
That
Speaks
Of
Cleansing
There
Is
The
Baptism
That
Speaks
Of
A
Life
Now
Devoted
To
Discipleship
There
Is
A
Baptism
Which
Illustratively
Is
Comes
From
The
Whole
Idea
Of
Dipping
Something
In
Dye
So
It
Comes
Out
A
Different
Color
And
In
Life
The
Baptism
That
Peter
Is
Calling
For
And
The
Gospel
Is
Calling
For
Is
That
Kind
Of
Process
Where
We're
Dipped
Into
Christ
And
We
Become
New
People
And
Different
People
A
Different
Color
Because
We are
Now
The
Children
Of
God
And
That
Different
Color
Is
There
Because
Of
The
Forgiveness
Of
Her
Sins
I
Wonder
How
Much
Their
Relief
Gauge
Or
The
Relief
Gauge
In
Their
Lives
I
Wonder
How
Much
It
Rose
When
They
Heard
This
When
There
Is
This
Great
Opportunity
To
Accept
And
To
Receive
That
From
A
Moment
Of
Extreme
Anxiety
That
They
Move
To
A
Moment
Of
Great
Promise
And
Of
Great
Freedom
And
Of
Entering
Into
A
New
Life
Trusting
In
God
That's
The
Moment
Of
Reconciliation
And
What's
The
Outcome
What
Is
The
Outcome
We
Began
By
Thinking
Of
The
Absence
Of
The
Presence
Of
God
We
Thought
Of
The
Presence
Of
God
Being
Restored
Through
The
Resurrection
And
Exaltation
And
The
Spirit
Of
God
Being
Poured
In
This
Historical
Event
One
Off
Event
But
What's
The
Outcome
When
We
Receive
The
Forgiveness
Of
Sin
We
Have
We
Have
The
Gift
Of
The
Holy
Spirit
The
Holy
Spirit
Of
God
That
Speaks
Of
The
Presence
Of
God
In
The
Church
Of
Jesus
Christ
Now
Becomes
The
Holy
Spirit
Of
God
That
Speaks
About
The
Presence
Of
God
In
Each
Individual
Heart
It's
The
Spirit
That
Brings
New
Life
It's
The
Spirit
That
Shows
Jesus
To
Us
It's
The
Spirit
That
Transforms
Us
In
Our
Thinking
It's
The
Spirit
That
Renews
Us
It's
The
Spirit
That
Makes
Us
Like
Jesus
The
Presence
Of
God
In
The
Hearts
Of
The
Children
Of
God
Has
Life
Changing
Life
Transforming
Destiny
Setting
Influence
And
Impact
And
That's
The
Promise
That
They
Were
Given
And
As
We
Do
Press
The
Reset
Button
We
Want
To
Go
Forward
In
Life
In
This
Very
Place
With
This
Very
Experience
With
The
Presence
Of
God
That
Maybe
Has
Been
Absent
From
Our
Lives
For
A
Long
Time
Maybe
Has
Never
Been
In
Our
Lives
!
That
The
Presence
Of
God
And
The
Power
Of
The
Holy
Spirit
Of
God
Would
Be
In
Our
Hearts
And
That
Will
Change
And
That
Will
Help
And
That
Will
Show
To
Us
The
Kind
Of
Life
That
We
Ought
To
Live
That
Will
Bring
Us
Back
To
The
Factory
Settings
Of
The
Work
Of
God
Grace
In
Our
Lives
And
Will
Ensure
That
We're
Starting
Where
We
Should
Start
That
We
Go
On
Where
We
Should
Be
Going
On
That
We
Are
Pleasing
To
God
And
That
The
Spirit
Of
God
Which
Is
The
Presence
Of
God
Which
Changes
Us
Now
Will
One
Day
Jesus
Himself
Will
Raise
Us
Out
Of
Our
Graves
Will
Transform
Us
Into
His
Lackness
And
Go
Into
The
Full
Enjoyment
Of
God's
Everlasting
Salvation
And
So
Tonight
Let's
Not
Lose
Sight
Of
The
Big
Picture
Of
The
Absence
Of
The
Presence
Of
God
And
The
Return
Of
His
Presence
Through
The
Work
Of
The
Lord
Jesus
Let's
Hear
The
Revelation
And
Let
It
Penetrate
Our
Hearts
Convict
Us
Of
Our
Sin
And
May
Response
Be
To
Reach
Out
And
To
Cry
For
The
Reconciliation
That
Comes
Through
Faith
In
Jesus
Christ
By
The
Power
Of
God's
Spirit
In
Our
Lives
May
God
Help
Us
To
Be
There
This
Evening
To
Go
Through
That
Process
And
To
Rediscover
And
To
Discover
The joy
Of
The
Freedom
Of
Having
Your
Sins
Forgiven
And
Having
Peace
With
God
And
Walking
With
God
In
The
Land
Of
The
Living
May
God
Bless
!
His
Word
!
Let
us
!
Most
Gracious
God
We
Bow
Before
You
We
Acknowledge
The
Goodness
And
The
Greatness
Of
Your
Grace
We
Are
Thankful
To
You
For
Every
Way
In
Which
You
Intervene
In
The
Experience
Of
This
World
We
Give
Thanks
To
You
For
Your
Intervention
In
Sending
Your
Son
We
Give
Thanks
To
You
For
Your
Intervention
In
Sending
The
Holy
Spirit
And
We
Give
Thanks
To
You
For
Your
Intervention
In
People
Like
Your
Selves
And
Tonight
We
Pray
That
You
Will
So
Work
And
Bless
Your
Word
To
Us
That
We
May
Be
Made
New
That
We
Will
Be
New
People
And
New
Creations
In
Christ
Jesus
And
That
Our
Lives
Will
Be
In
Devotion
To
You
And
Serving
You
All
The
Days
Of
Our
Lives
Help
Us
So
To
Walk
With
You
And
Grant
Us
Grace
Every
Day
To
Remain
Faithful
Amen
Behold
How
Good
A
Thing
It
Is
And
To
Becoming
Well
Together
Such
As
Brethren
Are
In
Unity
To
Dwell
We
Stand
To
Sing
The
Psalm
And
At
The
Close
I
Will
Go
To
The
Main
Door
Behold
How
Good
How
Thing
It
Is
And
How
Be
Coming
Well
Together
Such
As
Brethren
Are
In
Unity
To
Dwell
Like
Precious
Point
And
All
The
Head
As
Precious
The
Year
Is
Ro
In
E
On
S
De
To
The
S
The
!
The
God
Is
God
Is
God
!
For
!
The
De
Less
In
God
!
Of
Grace
Of
Lord
Jesus
Christ
The
Love
Of
God
The
Father
And
The
Fellowship
Of
The
Holy
Spirit
Be
With
You
All
Now
And
Forever
More
Amen
Thank you.