I'm pleased to have a seat and let me invite you now to grab a Bible if you have one there
or look it out on your phone or whatever you need to do to get God's Word open in front of you and
turn to, I guess we're going to be in Genesis 1 and 2 and 3 this evening. We might dot in and
around elsewhere as well, but it's so important we have God's Word open in front of us. So tonight
we're going to be thinking about what the Bible teaches about human beings. As we continue this
series that we've been in over the last few weeks, and I really hope you found it helpful to think
about some of these things, to think about what the Bible teaches us about humanity. And I guess
since the idea of this series is it's designed to help us think biblically about some of the big
issues of our day, as we unpack what God says in His Word, what I want to do as we think about
humanity is through that lens. I want us to think about this whole issue of racism, to think
biblically about it so that we are equipped both to understand it and then be able to articulate to
the watching world our Christian response to this issue as it's presented itself in our day, right?
And in so doing, offer to the world a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ, who is the great lover and
transformer of human hearts. Because here's perhaps, just give you a little insight into my thinking
behind this, what I've become increasingly convinced of over the years as I've journeyed with Jesus,
is what the Bible says about human beings is both wonderfully dignifying and its holy
realistic. And the gospel which we encounter, as we encounter Jesus in the Word, is the hope for
our nation, is the hope for the people that we rub shoulders with every day, is Jesus Christ.
So you with me on this one? Okay, you can give me some kind of nod or a, yeah, this has really
excited me this week as I've prepared for it. So I really hope this thrills your heart as well as we
think about humanity and what the Bible says about humanity. But let me start by taking you to the
city of Rome. Okay, I don't know if any of you ever been to Rome. I've never been, it's on my kind of
bucket list to go to. But by far the most famous landmark in that city that I reported 6.4 million
people visited last year is the Roman Colosseum, right? I'm sure some of us in this room may be
watching this online. I've been to the Roman Colosseum. Incredible when you think about it.
Constructed in 70 AD, right? That is an old, old building. 70 AD. And in its heyday, it held
something like 50 to 80,000 people, which is a huge number of people when you think about it.
No wonder it's one of the most iconic structures ever built in human history, right? Incredible
feat of architecture. But if you travel to Rome today, what you'll see, I guess, is what they call
a glorious ruin, right? A glorious ruin. Because despite retaining the essence of its original beauty,
the Colosseum has been marred to the extent that what exists today is but a shadow of the glory that it
once had. And it's interesting because that is what C.S. Lewis, who's one of the great Christian
thinkers from, I guess, the last few hundred years, C.S. Lewis, the great Christian thinker, as he observed
people, said that we are exactly like the Roman Colosseum, right? Human beings. We are a glorious ruin.
And so what I want to do tonight is just kind of latch onto those two words,
that Lewis uses,
and unpack a little bit of what the Bible story says about these things. A glorious ruin.
And so here is what the Bible teaches us about humanity, right? Friends, we are glorious.
Human beings, glorious. If you've got it there, Genesis 1 and 2,
the opening chapters of the Bible
exclaim this at us, that human beings are
glorious. So we kind of tap into the Bible story at Genesis 1,
in the beginning was God, this God who has eternally been there, this God who has chosen to reveal
himself to us. We're introduced to this delightful God that we get in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2, who
eternally exists
as a community of one God in three persons,
Father, Son,
Son, and Spirit, who have always been eternally and lovingly delighting in one another.
Okay? Our God is triune, right? He is three in one. And because he is three in one, he is relational.
It's who he is. He's relational. He is love.
Okay? Now,
it's so important to park these kind of theological ideas because they're so important
to what we'll come on to see in a little while.
Okay? Our God is triune. He is relational.
He is love.
And this God creates the world. He didn't need to create the world.
He wasn't lacking in anything.
This God spoke and things came into being.
This God spoke and beauty happens.
Of an overflow of who he is, he creates the world.
Days 1 to 3 that we get in the Genesis 1 and 2 account, God forms the world.
Days 4 to 6, God fills the world.
And as the climax of God's good design, he creates human beings.
And he breathes life into them.
He creates them, body and soul.
He creates them intentionally and complementary as male and female.
Friends, meaning that our bodies, our very bodies,
carry inherent and wonderful dignity.
Right? Have you ever thought about that?
The body matters.
Matters.
Because, and this is the key phrase,
God made us in his image.
If you remember one thing from tonight,
and I really hope you remember more than one thing,
but if you're going to pick one, pick that one.
Okay? God made us in his image.
Here's what we get in Genesis 1.27.
Here's our first pit stop tonight.
So God created mankind in his own image.
In the image of God, he created them.
Male and female, he created them.
It's a wonderful bit of intricate Hebrew poetry there.
God made us in his image.
And of no other created thing,
in the opening account of the Bible,
is that said to be true.
No animal is made in the image of God,
yet human beings are.
And here's what that means.
That means that human life,
marvelous,
every human life,
marvelous,
valued,
known,
bestowed with dignity,
that is inherent,
right,
rather than earned.
Why?
Because each and every life,
from the moment of conception,
no matter how good or how bad,
we might deem somebody to be,
no matter how responsive,
or useful,
we might think someone is,
is a life that is made in the very image of God.
So the Bible teaches about what it fundamentally means
to be a human being.
Right?
Maybe you're here tonight and you're thinking,
I don't know,
am I really worth anything?
Is my life worth anything?
Is it worth carrying on going?
Because life's hard.
We'll see that in a minute,
why it's hard.
But friends,
this bestows,
or pronounces dignity over you that is inherent.
Right?
This is who you are.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made
in His loving image.
And it's no wonder,
isn't it,
that many of us have struggled during this season.
Because if we're made in the image of our relational gods,
friends,
it shouldn't surprise us that we are made for relationships
with one another.
It's been difficult,
hasn't it?
But this is who our God is.
And He pronounces dignity over each and every single human life.
And from that,
friends,
I hope you can see
why any kind of racism in our society,
any kind of prejudice,
any feeling of superiority,
any mindset that devalues human beings
for whatever reason that is,
and fails to see all human life is precious.
But as you see,
it is so stomach-wretchingly wrong.
It is sinful,
it is sinful,
and it's a very insult to our Maker who made us in His image.
Because all life matters to God.
all life matters to God.
And do you know what that means?
I was thinking about this week,
if that's the kind of pebble in the ocean,
if you like,
in the pond,
and all the ripples are coming out from it.
If you think about what that means,
friends,
it means that when any human life is under threat,
when inherent human rights are being overlooked,
when people are hurting,
when people are struggling,
for the many,
many reasons that you and I do in life,
that we as Christians,
friends,
we should be the first ones on the scene to help.
And speak up for those who can't speak for themselves,
and act with compassion and love,
because we have this understanding of what human life is.
And we have this understanding of who our God is.
You know,
it's a conviction like this that prompted William Wilberforce
to make a stand for people trafficking.
Well,
at the end of the 18th century,
he said this,
this is his famous line,
God Almighty has set before me two great objects,
the suppression of the slave trade,
and the reformation of manners.
Don't know how he got on with the second one,
but he certainly succeeded with the first.
You know,
let's make it our prayer from tonight,
that God would grant us something more of his heart for human beings.
You know,
recently Tim Farron,
I don't know if some of you maybe picked this up,
it was an interview that he did,
Tim Farron's the MP for Westmoreland and Lonsdale,
and from what I can understand,
he's a believer,
and he made what I thought was a huge challenge to the church
in an interview that he gave recently,
right?
He said that too often,
the only time that he hears passionately from Christians in his region,
in his constituency,
the only time he ever hears from them,
is on the issues of abortion or euthanasia,
right?
Now,
good and right that we have convictions about the beginning of life,
and the end of life,
but then he said,
if only I heard from the same Christians on issues to do with child poverty,
or single parents struggling to put food on the table,
or families struggling to make ends meet,
or people breaking down with mental health,
all these different issues concerning humanity as they arise in my constituency,
if only I heard from those Christians then.
I think that's a huge challenge to us.
Do you not think?
As we think about what it means to shine forth the love of Jesus in our community,
I think that's a huge challenge,
to take our understanding,
our biblical understanding of humanity,
and our love for human beings made in God's image,
and look for ways to apply it consistently across the board,
as we serve our community,
to think about how we could be salt and light in this city of ours.
Human beings are glorious because they're made in God's image.
Now,
here's a thing to think about just as we park this,
maybe sit on this for a moment.
Here's the thing.
Human beings are glorious,
but I'd imagine that you and I will be hard-pressed to find people in our day-to-day lives
who wouldn't affirm everything that I've just said there,
regardless of whether they're Christian or not.
Probably true, isn't it?
Don't need to be a Christian to believe a lot of what I've just said.
And we recognize, don't we,
and we're so thankful for many non-Christian people and organizations
who are doing wonderful work the world over.
We're so thankful for everything that they do to help in so many situations.
I remember when we traveled to Mozambique when I was a student,
in the middle of nowhere,
seeing Oxfam doing their thing,
thinking that is brilliant.
It's brilliant.
So thankful for what they do the world over.
But perhaps increasingly,
in my conversations with people,
having explained my Christian moorings,
friends,
here's how I always gently and lovingly probe people to think about their worldview
and how they think about human beings.
Just to ask good questions,
lovingly.
Okay?
So,
that sense of right and wrong that exists inside each one of us,
that sense of right and wrong,
we know that things are right,
we know when things are wrong.
Friends,
where does that come from?
Where does that come from?
Human life,
what is it?
What is it?
These human rights that we speak of,
that are so important,
I remember studying them in my legal days,
these human rights that we speak of,
when does somebody qualify for them?
And when does somebody disqualify for them?
And who decides that?
And on what grounds do they decide that?
She's just asking questions of people's worldview.
How do we know?
These are big questions, right?
These are big, big questions,
but it's so important that we think about these things,
think about these things.
You know,
I find it fascinating,
you know,
you've heard of a guy called Jordan Peterson,
right?
It's big in our culture at the minute,
Jordan Peterson,
who,
by his own admission,
is not a follower of Jesus,
but he was asked recently in an interview
about this whole idea of human dignity,
and he made this fascinating observation
about the image of God.
He said really simply,
and I've kind of shortened it down,
he said simply,
this is the cornerstone of civilization,
and we ignore it at our peril.
It's not fascinating for somebody
that doesn't believe in God at all,
but understands that our Western culture,
friends,
is built on this understanding
that human beings have an inherent dignity
because they are made in the image of God.
I find that incredible to think about.
We've got to move on,
our time is kind of speeding on.
Friends,
never lose sight of the fact
that human beings are made glorious.
They are glorious
because they are made
in the very image of God.
Isn't that a wonderful worldview
to have as a Christian?
I think we should go on the offensive
with that more.
I'm trying to help people understand
this is what the Bible teaches
about human life.
Human beings are glorious,
but then think about the flip side of that,
what I said earlier about the C.S. Lewis quote.
It also teaches us
that we are a ruin.
We're a ruin.
In the Bible story,
after Genesis 1 and 2,
we get Genesis 3.
Adam and Eve in the garden,
one rule.
Don't eat from that tree.
Don't eat from the tree.
And unpack that.
We really need to see
what's going on there.
God's saying to them,
it's only by trusting me,
by submitting to my gracious
and my good kingship over you.
In relationship with me
is the place where you'll flourish,
right, as human beings.
It's in the sphere of grace
that you will find your purpose
and you will find joy
as my creatures.
Friends, which is why
if we're looking to know
blessing in our lives,
we're looking to know
what life to the full is.
Do you see how it's to be found
in exactly the same place here
in a sphere of grace
and relationship
with this good God?
But Adam fails to lead
as God told him to.
Eve fails to listen
as God told her to.
They believe the whispers of Satan
who would just say,
did God really say?
Did God really say?
Which underneath it
is this question,
is God really good?
Is he really good?
What happens?
Eve takes the fruit
and friends,
it's an act of deliberate rebellion
against God.
It's the very definition of sin
as it enters the human condition
and mars each and every human heart.
We are by nature rebels
against this God,
against our creator.
We don't want his rule in our lives.
We want our rule.
And all of a sudden,
after Genesis 3
and the Bible story,
you start to get words like shame
and guilt and anger
and envy
and murder
and pride.
These weren't here
in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2.
The writer trying to show us
the ripple effects of sin
as it's affected
each and every single human being
and affected our world.
And you get death.
Death.
It seems to me that
we need to maybe re-grasp
a sense of the fact
that death wasn't the way
that it was supposed to be.
You know, each and every time
figures are read out to us
on our news at the minute,
we should be grieving.
Right?
We should be thinking about
those who have lost loved ones
because death is anything
but natural.
This wasn't the way
God designed it.
And it seems to me
that as Christians
we should be
modelling to the world
what real joy looks like.
What real joy looks like.
And we should be modelling
to the world
what it is to truly mourn.
Right?
Truly mourn.
And grieve.
That death isn't the way
it was supposed to be.
None of these things, friends,
were in God's good design.
And so here,
and I think this is really important
if you want to grasp this
for what we'll come back to
in a minute,
there's a three-way disruption
going on here
as sin enters the world.
A three-way disruption
to the harmony
that exists in Genesis 1
and Genesis 2.
Think about it
in three directions.
Okay, there's an upward disruption
that our sin has caused
that severed the relationship
between us and our Creator.
There's an outward disruption
between us
and our fellow human beings.
And there's an inward disruption
in our hearts
and in our minds
as the whole of creation
suffers the effects
of the sin sickness.
Okay?
I find it amazing
how many of these themes,
there's only one of you
that's ever thought about this.
And once I've mentioned this
you'll start seeing them everywhere, right?
How many of these themes
are reflected
in some of our culture's
most loved stories?
Okay, do you know
our girls love to watch,
they love to watch
Beauty and the Beast.
You ever watched that,
Beauty and the Beast?
Okay, it's a catchy tune or two,
Beauty and the Beast.
If you haven't watched it,
okay,
Disney Plus,
seven-day free trial,
you can get it over half-term,
knock yourself out, okay?
Beauty and the Beast.
The whole story is about this
prince,
who fails to be
the person
that he's called to be.
And there's a curse
over him
and the castle.
Right?
The castle, him,
and everything in it,
all of the people
are under this dark cloud
of her curse.
Why?
Because of the beast's failure
to be the person
that he was called to be.
And everything
and everyone in the castle
is longing one day
to be freed from the curse.
And the only way
that that will happen
is by an act
of sacrificial love.
And you begin to see
these themes everywhere
in our stories
that we love
in our culture.
It's exactly the same
with the sin sickness
that the Bible
is talking about.
Friends,
it's how we make sense
of a world full of pain
and hurt.
Death,
as I said,
was never the way
it was supposed to be.
Friends,
when it comes to
racism,
when it comes to prejudice,
when it comes to sin,
have you ever asked yourself
why it's even here
in the first place?
You know,
in a big lens,
understanding of things,
friends,
these things exist.
They originate from the sin
in every human heart
against God
or sin against Him.
Right?
It's really popular
for people to say,
I cannot believe
we're still talking
about these things
in 2020.
And you know
what they mean.
Right?
You know what people mean.
And we're so thankful
for the developments
that we have made
as a culture
over the last
kind of few decades
on a lot of these issues.
But in another sense,
friends,
heartbreakingly
with this worldview,
the fact that we are
still talking about
a lot of these things
in 2020
I don't think
it should surprise us.
Because the issue,
the core of the issue,
right,
it's not primarily
an educational one.
It's not primarily
about money.
It's not a legal one.
It's not about power.
The heart of the issue,
and these are all
great secondary things
that we want to use
to see these things
stamped out of our society.
But the core of the issue,
the Bible says,
is the human heart.
That's the problem.
Human beings
capable of tremendous goods
and yet capable
of terrible evil.
And we know
these things are true
in our own hearts,
but we know
these things are true
as we look out
on the world.
You know,
I still remember
the day that my dad
first brought home
our first family PC,
right?
Great day.
We were growing up,
right?
We had dial-up internet,
remember those glorious days,
only one person
on the phone at a time?
Great days.
But the internet
is a case in point
about what I'm talking
about here,
about humanity,
right?
Amazing invention.
How would we have coped
over the last six months
without the internet?
Think about it.
What would we have done?
I don't know.
Send carrier pigeons
to one another?
I don't know what we would have done,
right?
How would we have coped?
Amazing invention
that human beings
are using
for incredible goods.
But is it not true
to say that the internet
is the very source
of some of the worst things
about our world today?
It's true, isn't it?
Pornography
and cyberbullying,
money laundering,
people trafficking,
on and on and on
the list could go.
Human beings, friends.
You see what the Bible is saying?
A glorious ruin.
Which is where the story
would have stayed
if this God
isn't who he is.
This is where the story
would have stayed
if it wasn't for
this God
who is in the habit
of loving his enemies,
of pursuing people
who want nothing
to do with him.
If it weren't for the gospel,
the message of Christ crucified,
that God has acted in Christ
out of his great love
for a world lost
and reveling in sin
and darkness,
offering great hope
for humanity.
humanity.
Right?
And there's two sides
of this transforming hope
that we have
in the gospel.
If you remember back
to our kind of
three-fold disruption,
remember God,
outward,
inward.
Right?
Think about those things.
Here's what the gospel does.
Friends,
there cannot be an act
that more rubber stamps
the dignity of humanity
than the incarnation.
That God would come down
in the person of Jesus.
that Jesus Christ,
God eternal,
took on flesh.
And he is the very embodiment
of perfect humanity,
which means to be transformed
more into his images,
to become more human,
as it were.
He is what it means
to live life to the full.
He is what it is
to live a fully joyous life.
He is the true
and better Adam,
whose life would end
at the cross
where he takes the place
of sinful humanity.
Friends,
we're all those
who would trust in him
for the forgiveness
of their sin.
How does this
king conquer?
He conquers through humility.
And we in turn,
friends,
as we turn to him,
are clothed
with his perfect righteousness.
We know mercy,
we know grace,
we know love abounding.
You know,
I was chatting to my friend
Paul Rees,
who's down at Charlotte Chapel.
He was telling me
a story recently
about a funeral he took
over the last couple of months
for an older man
and his congregation
and just family
clearing out the house
and they found his old Bible,
right,
and gave it to Paul
and Paul opens it
and there was a huge circle
around the opening verses
of Psalm 130.
Huge circle in this guy's Bible
around the phrase,
if you, Lord,
kept a record of sins,
Lord,
who could stand?
But with you,
there is forgiveness
so that we can,
with reverence,
serve you.
And Paul said,
that man knew the joy
of sins forgiven,
of being right with God.
Friends,
Jesus heals
our upward separation.
Heals our upward separation.
We are reconciled to God.
We are justified.
We are adopted into his family
because of his great love for us.
And now,
God has sent his spirit
into our hearts
to know his fatherly love.
Jesus has reconciled us that way
and he's reconciled us internally,
transforming us internally
by his grace
as God breathes into us
into spiritually dead corpses
and is transforming us
more into the image of Jesus.
Jesus.
Friends,
it's almost like God
is declaring over us
that
I made you,
I created you in my image
and I've redeemed you
from the power of sin
and death
and I am transforming you
more into the likeness of Jesus
so that you can come
increasingly
to bear that image
once again
to the watching world.
Jesus has reconciled us
to God,
transforming us internally
and it changes us corporately
as the church
and here's the logic of it
and follow with me
if you're still tracking here,
right?
If the very core
of who our God is
is that he is triune,
okay?
He is loving unity
in diversity.
If that is who our God is,
as this God claims for himself
and changes his people,
friends,
not only should we expect
to see something of that
being reflected
in the church,
but surely it makes sense
that we best image him
to the world
when we live out
loving unity
in diversity.
And we have a saviour,
don't we,
who is all about crossing divides,
who crossed the Jew
and Samaritan one
to reach the woman
at the well,
who crossed the clean
versus the unclean one
when he touched the leper.
We've got a God,
a king,
who is all about
crossing divides,
who is all about
bringing reconciliation.
Friends,
all of that is to say
that reconciliation
is the very heart
of the gospel
and the church is called
to reflect it
to the world.
And that's why
when it comes to displaying
that unity
and diversity,
friends,
I think we need to
take more seriously
the call
to actively pursue it
for the glory of God.
Right?
Particularly when it maybe
comes to social
and racial unity,
friends,
we need to get better
at listening.
And we need to get better
at learning
and entering into
other people's stories
and adapting.
Right?
Not the gospel,
but entering into
other people's lives
and thinking,
how can we help
introduce these people
to Jesus
and love them
and hearing from
other people's experiences.
And I think it might
mean us needing
to get a bit better
at being uncomfortable.
As we seek to display
and take seriously
what God has done
in Jesus,
as we reflect this God
to the watching world,
loving unity
in diversity.
And I love that picture
that we get
at the end of Revelation.
Right?
Chapters 4 and 5.
You can check this out
in your own time.
Who is gathered
around the throne
worshiping God?
Friends,
it is a people
from every tribe,
tongue,
and nation.
This people
who God
has gathered together
and made one
through his spirit.
This is God's
very good design.
His very good design.
And this is what
he is doing
in the gospel.
We saw that
in Ephesians 1,
didn't we?
Chapter 10.
About God's plan.
God's plan.
And how he is
displaying his glory
to the world.
And our girls,
we have got this little book
called God's
very good design.
Right?
Trying to explain
this stuff
to children.
And it ends
with these words,
God made it,
people ruined it,
Jesus rescued it,
and he will finish it.
It is beautiful,
isn't it?
Friends,
a glorious ruin.
We started in Rome.
Let's just finish
in Geneva.
Okay?
Not too far from Rome,
I guess.
It's a city that
450 years ago
was turned on its head
by the knowledge
of Jesus.
Okay?
At the beginning
of the 16th century,
the city's motto
translated into English,
after darkness,
I hope for light.
Right?
It was a city's motto.
Right?
If ever there was
a sentiment
that captured the mood
of our world right now,
I think there it is.
Right?
After darkness,
I hope for light.
What's the headline,
friends,
that you and I
hope to wake up to
every single morning
when we've done so
for the last
six to eight months?
Yeah?
Vaccine found.
That's what we're
hoping for,
isn't it?
Vaccine found.
Friends,
in the gospel
we have a better hope
that's available
to us now.
And do you know what?
The people of Geneva
encountered it.
After the Reformation
hit Geneva,
the city changed
its motto from
after darkness,
I hope for light.
Do you know what
they changed it to?
After darkness,
light.
Why?
Well,
the Reformation
had at its heart
all,
it was all about
heralding the glory
of Jesus,
how you can be made
right with your creator.
And as the people
of that city
heard and responded
to it,
friends,
they truly believed
that they'd found
the hope
that they'd been
looking for as people.
As we truly believe
this,
that Jesus Christ
is the great hope
for humanity.
Jesus Christ
is the great hope
for the church,
the beautiful community
that we are called
to be,
that displays
the power of God
as we come together
in unity and diversity,
as we reflect him
to the world.
Jesus is the great
life for the people
in our city.
And I guess the question
to end on,
friends,
is,
are you convinced
of it in your own heart?
You know,
what I want to do
just as we respond
to this tonight,
I realize there's been
a lot of big things
in there,
and I definitely felt
the pressure
of not being able
to do any of that
justice in,
what,
25,
30 minutes?
I don't know
what it's been.
But Jesus Christ
is the hope
for our nation,
and he's the great
restorer of life
and joy,
and he is the giver
of life.
And so,
friends,
I just want to maybe
just pause for a moment
and allow us
just in our own,
our own quiet,
perhaps just to respond
to this.
Maybe you want to,
you're thinking of
particular issues
or particular people
in your minds
or maybe something
that's going on
in your own life
as we thought
about what the Bible
says about humanity.
Maybe just in the quiet,
friends,
maybe you want to offer
your own prayers to God,
and then we'll come back
and we're going to pray
for some of the stuff
that we've talked about
tonight,
particularly as it affects
the people in our city
of Edinburgh.
So why don't we just
have a moment of quiet
and then I'll bring us
back and we'll pray.
Amen.
Matthew chapter 9,
verses 35 to 38.
Jesus went through
all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the good news
of the kingdom
and healing every disease
and illness.
When he saw the crowds,
he had compassion on them
because they were harassed
and helpless like sheep
without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
the harvest is plentiful,
but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord of the harvest,
therefore,
to send out workers
into his harvest field.
May we just spend a few moments
in prayer as we respond to this.
Heavenly Father,
we would pray tonight
as your people here
for Christ's heart
for the people of our city.
As we read there in Matthew 9
of Jesus having compassion
as he looked on the people
who made up the crowds.
Father,
that they were lost
and that they were desperately
in need of our shepherd.
And thank you
that he didn't just look and leave,
but he looked
and went to the cross
so that the universal call
of the gospel
could go out to people
to come to him
and to have life in his name
as they know forgiveness of sins.
And we just praise you, Lord,
for who you are.
Thank you just for the short time tonight
gazing upon who you are,
the God who is loving unity
and diversity.
And so, Father,
we would just maybe want to bring
to you our own prayers this evening.
Father,
for the times
perhaps in our lives
where we have got this wrong,
Lord,
we pray that you would help us, Lord,
to grasp what you say
is true of human beings.
Father,
we think of our own city this evening
and we would pray for Edinburgh.
And we think of the many different people
that we know in our circles,
the many different people
who live in this city.
Father,
we'd want to pray maybe tonight
for the most vulnerable in our city
as we think about
what you have said is true
about every single human being
as being made in the image of you.
Lord,
we would pray tonight
for those who are on our streets
and who are homeless.
Father,
we ask that they would get the support
and the shelter that they need.
Father,
we pray for different organisations
working so hard there
that you would help them,
Father,
to provide social care
and to provide physical help.
Lord,
that we might see people
not having to resort
to homelessness in our city.
Father,
we pray for those
who are struggling
with unemployment just now.
Lord,
we know the times
in which we live,
the recession
in which we are currently in.
And so,
Father,
we pray for those
who are finding themselves
out of work
that you would be near to them.
Father,
they would know you
as the great provider.
Lord,
we would think of those
in our city
who are struggling
with loneliness
and depression.
Father,
who are struggling
with this season
as a thought of perhaps
another lockdown
looms large in the mind.
Father,
we pray that you would be near
to these individuals,
that you surround them
with people
who can care for them well.
Maybe particularly
those,
Father,
tonight who are struggling
with the very thought
of keeping on going in life.
Father,
that you would put people
around them
who can speak
the truth of your word
into their lives,
that they are of value,
that they are known,
that they are loved.
Father,
we would think of the many
children in our city,
Lord,
who find themselves
in poverty,
those who are struggling,
Lord,
to go to school.
Father,
we pray for them
and particularly,
Lord,
we maybe pray
for half term this week
that you would give them
rest
and you would give them
a break.
And Father,
that you would help
provide for families,
so that children
can be brought up
well in this city.
Father,
we think of those
who find themselves
in care homes as well.
Lord,
realizing the heartbreaking
statistics
that we've maybe heard
over the last
number of months
as we thought about
those in care homes,
Lord,
we pray that you would
just be near to them.
Father,
for those who are
struggling with pain
and with hurts,
Father,
those who are grieving
the loss
of both family
and friends.
Lord,
that you would be
known as the great
comforter
in those situations.
And so,
Father,
we would just pray
tonight that you
would help us
to love people
well.
And so,
Father,
we just praise you
for your words,
your precious words.
Father,
where would we be
without your words?
And so,
Lord,
we just commit
ourselves to you
tonight.
and we just
praise you
that you hear us,
that our words
don't just bounce
off the ceiling,
that they don't
just echo
around the room,
but Father,
you hear us
because we pray
in Jesus'
precious name.
Amen.