WEBVTT

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 Well, good morning.

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 My name again is Drew Arrington, and I count it a great privilege to be with you this morning

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 and a great honor to preach God's holy and inspired word.

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 Last week, Matthew helped us to see that Jesus, the faithful king, both comforts us and challenges us.

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 And one of the ways that Jesus challenges us is by leading his people into and through uncomfortable situations.

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 But, you know, Christians don't have a monopoly on difficult and challenging situations in uncomfortable times.

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 And as a result, there is plenty of contemporary advice on how one could and should deal with such times.

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 In a film, I know I said film, so you purists out there of J.K. Rowling, I understand it's not in the books, okay?

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 But in the film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the wise wizard Albus Dumbledore is standing before students

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 at the opening session of Hogwarts, much like I am with you.

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 And he's telling them about some faculty changes that have occurred over the summer break.

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 He's enlightening them to the fact that the coming school year will be a bit more challenging

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 for the presence of some outsiders around them that will make things seem to be darker than they actually are.

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 And when he does this, he ends with a prophetic proclamation that provides guidance to Potter and his pals.

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 And this is what he says.

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 Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times.

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 If one only remembers to turn the light on.

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 Now, it will not strike you as odd that our reading this morning will offer much better hope

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 than the words offered to the Hogwarts students.

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 So if you find yourselves like these fictional students on the precipice of an uncomfortable situation,

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 if you find yourself like this psalm,

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 if you find yourself like this psalm is for you.

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 Or, if you are younger in life and you have yet to experience times of deep darkness and the depths of despair,

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 this psalm is for you.

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 And finally, if you are here this morning and you are peering through relentless darkness

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 in search of some faint flicker of light,

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 then my dear friend,

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 this psalm is most definitely for you.

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 With that in mind, I would ask that we pray for the reading and preaching of God's word

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 before turning our attention to Psalm 130.

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 So with that, please join me in prayer.

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 Oh, gracious Heavenly Father, we indeed are needy and broken people this morning.

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 Our minds are dull and darkened by the presence of sin.

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 Our hearts are distracted by a multitude of affections.

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 And so we ask that you might grant us an extraordinary measure of your Holy Spirit.

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 That his power and presence might enlighten our minds

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 and warm our hearts to the truth of your scripture.

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 God, may this morning that we might not only know more about you,

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 but God, that we might come to love you with more tenacity.

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 God, we ask this, that it might glorify your name,

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 that it might honor Christ,

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 and that it might be for the good of your church.

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 Amen.

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 Well, Psalm 130.

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 If you'll turn in your Bibles or direct your device,

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 it starts with the caption of a psalm of ascent.

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 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.

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 O Lord, hear my voice.

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 Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy.

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 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,

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 O Lord, who could stand?

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 O Lord, you're in a voice for mercy.

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 O Lord, my soul is forgiven.

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 But with you, there is forgiveness that you may be feared.

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 I wait for the Lord.

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 My soul waits, and in his word I hope.

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 My soul waits for the Lord.

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 More than watchmen for the morning.

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 more than watchmen for the morning.

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 O Israel, hope in the Lord,

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 for with the Lord there is steadfast love,

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 and with him is plentiful redemption.

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 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

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 This concludes today's reading of God's word,

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 which is holy, inspired, and infallible.

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 Well, this morning we're going to consider the four stanzas,

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 the four couplets, if you will, of this poem in groupings of two.

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 So we're going to first examine the cry of despair to a gracious God,

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 which we see in the first four verses.

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 And then we will turn our attention to the response of a faithful God

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 in the final four verses.

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 And with that in mind, let's turn our attention to the cry of the psalmist.

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 One of the questions that comes to my mind as I'm first reading this is,

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 why is the psalmist crying out in despair?

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 What has plunged this psalmist in to the depths and the darkness of despair?

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 And the answer is, we don't know.

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 He's silent.

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 And a lot of people really don't even know who wrote this.

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 Some attribute it to David.

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 Most attribute it to somebody unknown.

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 So here we have an unknown psalmist, an unknown follower of God,

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 in the depths of despair, and we don't know why he's there.

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 But you know, that's not a problem for us.

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 It's not a problem for us because we have the entirety of Scripture that helps us to understand

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 why the psalmist is in the midst of despair and why we find ourselves in the depths and darkness of despair.

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 And I want to point to three examples that highlight three reasons why we find ourselves

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 and why perhaps the psalmist finds himself in this situation.

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 First, we see in Exodus 3 that the Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt.

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 And it gives us a hint that sometimes we are in the depths of despair because of the sins of others,

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 because of the oppression that sin brings into life through the actions of other human beings.

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 In the life of Jesus Christ, we see him in despair in the Garden of Gethsemane.

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 And the main reason is because he is looking forward to the cross and the pain of death.

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 And so in that, we see that sometimes we suffer because of natural sin.

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 The fact that our bodies are not the way they were designed to be prior to sin,

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 but that they decay and eventually die.

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 And so we suffer not only the natural sin of our bodies decaying,

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 but we suffer the natural sin of many natural calamities.

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 And then we see in the life of Jonah, which is where most of us go

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 when we think about the reason for suffering,

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 and that is our own personal sin and rebellion against the holy God.

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 He says, you know, Jonah decided to run from the calling that God had given him,

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 and instead of pursuing God, went the exact opposite direction,

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 ended up in a storm, and then in the belly of a whale.

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 Talk about the depths of despair.

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 And we don't know, again, what the author was suffering through,

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 but I have a great hunch and understanding that you probably are pretty intimately aware

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 of what you are suffering with this morning.

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 You are probably pretty well acquainted with what type of sin has plunged you

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 into the depths and darkness of despair.

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 Perhaps it's a marriage that started out with great promise

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 and now is flooded with faults and accusations and a lack of love and appreciation.

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 Perhaps it's the death of a dear family member.

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 Maybe it's a medical diagnosis that has thrown you and your family for a loop.

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 Maybe it's a baby.

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 Or maybe you're looking at the life of a now-grown child

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 who has turned his or her back on the faith.

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 Well, one thing we know, we don't know what the despair is here,

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 but we do know that when in distress and people cry out,

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 we know that not all cries are equal.

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 It was not too long ago that some of us may have seen and heard

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 of the horrible act of violence that occurred in Memphis

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 in which five officers brutally beat a young man.

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 And it's not my point here to talk about the injustice of that,

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 although from all accounts it was very unjust.

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 But really, it's the focus here on the fact that in the midst of despair

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 and darkness, this young man cried out.

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 He cried out for his mom.

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 And his mom didn't hear, even though she was just literally yards away.

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 But it's not just the attack in Memphis.

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 We see in ancient Israel a desperate cry in the midst of dark times

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 when the prophets of Baal challenged to cry out to their God

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 to alleviate the drought.

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 They cry out.

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 They dance around.

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 They yell.

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 They cut themselves.

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 But Baal did not hear.

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 Oh, but in stark contrast are the words of Matthew Henry

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 commenting on this psalm when he says,

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 But in the greatest depths, it is our privilege that we may cry unto a God

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 and be heard.

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 More importantly than Matthew Henry's words are the examples of Scripture

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 that I pointed us to earlier.

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 is that in Hebrews, the Hebrews who were enslaved in Egypt,

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 says that in Exodus 3, God, speaking with Moses, says,

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 Moses, I have seen the affliction of my people,

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 and I have heard their cry.

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 Jesus crying to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane.

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 He says,

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 Oh, what great assurance this is for mothers and fathers who send their children

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 out of their homes into a world where we know they will be assaulted

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 in various different forms, whether mentally or emotionally

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 or in their education.

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 And to know that when they cry out,

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 even though we may not hear them,

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 we serve a God who does hear them.

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 Oh, but we serve not only a gracious God who hears us,

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 we serve a gracious God who forgives us.

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 And when we cry out in the depths of despair,

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 when it is even our own sin that plunges us there,

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 we cry out knowing that along with Jonah,

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 that God's steadfast love remains with us,

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 and his forgiveness reaches even into those depths.

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 The psalmist, in verses 3 through 4,

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 tells us as much when he says that God's forgiveness,

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 he says,

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 But with you there is forgiveness that you may be feared.

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 Forgiveness brings hope.

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 But as the psalmist says here,

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 it also alerts us to fear.

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 And that raises a very good question that I hope isn't a bunny trail,

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 but really needs to be addressed.

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 So why would forgiveness evoke fear?

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 Let's put it this way.

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 If it weren't for sin, we wouldn't need forgiveness.

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 And so the very fact that God forgives sin

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 highlights the seriousness of that very sin.

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 And the psalmist would understand that so well,

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 being there in the temple

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 and watching the sacrifices come in,

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 the animals being led up to the altar,

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 the hands being laid on,

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 transferring the sin of the individual

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 or the sin of the community onto that animal,

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 and then having that animal slaughtered in their presence

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 and then burned on the altar.

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 However, the author would very much see the link

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 between sin and death.

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 Oh, but we have something that is far greater

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 than the sacrifice of a lamb or a ram on an altar.

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 We have the very life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ

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 that points to us not only the seriousness of our sin,

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 but also the sure and certain confidence

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 that we have forgiveness through our Savior Jesus Christ.

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 Even when it's our own sin that plunges us

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 into the depths and darkness of despair.

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 So when in those depths,

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 remember that relief does not come

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 by remembering where to turn on the light.

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 Rather, we find hope in a gracious God

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 who hears our cries and forgives our sins.

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 But it's just not the psalmist's cry that we see.

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 We see the response of a faithful God.

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 And one of the best stories that I've seen

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 about a response to being in the depths of despair

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 and the freedom that awaits is recorded

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 by a Reverend Tuck in a commentary.

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 And he writes the following.

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 In the year 1830,

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 on the night preceding the 1st of August,

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 the day slaves in the British West Indies

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 were to come into possession of the freedom promised them,

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 many of them, we are told,

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 never went to bed at all.

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 Thousands upon thousands of them

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 assembled in their places of worship,

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 engaging in devotional duties

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 and singing praises to God,

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 waiting for the first streak

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 of the light of the morning

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 of the day on which they were to be made free.

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 Some of their number were sent to the hills

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 from which they might obtain

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 the first view of the coming day.

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 And by a signal,

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 communicate to their brethren down in the valley

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 the very first moment of the breaking dawn.

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 Now this is the same posture of the psalmist here

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 when he says that he is waiting

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 more than the watchman.

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 He says,

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 my soul waits for the Lord

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 more than watchman for the morning.

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 More than watchman for the morning.

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 He has this posture

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 of hopeful waiting

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 and trusting

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 for the dawning of the light

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 to come

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 that he might have rest

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 and relief.

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 Notice,

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 this is not something that we can generate.

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 It's not something we can turn on.

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 It's not something that comes

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 from a government proclamation,

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 a regulatory reform,

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 or a politician's promise.

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 No,

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 this is hopeful,

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 waiting,

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 and trusting

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 in a gracious

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 and faithful God.

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 But here,

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 the psalmist thinks

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 more than a rescue

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 is what's in store.

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 It's more than just

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 alleviation

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 of a temporary,

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 temporal problem.

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 No,

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 the psalmist anticipates

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 much more.

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 He awaits

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 plentiful redemption.

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 Plentiful redemption

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 from a God

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 of steadfast love.

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 I think one of the best ways

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 to illustrate this

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 is

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 through the life

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 of a man

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 who actually

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 worked

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 to enslave

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 the same people

00:21:02.380 --> 00:21:04.300
 that we referred earlier

00:21:04.300 --> 00:21:05.540
 in 1830

00:21:05.540 --> 00:21:06.180
 who were waiting

00:21:06.180 --> 00:21:07.100
 on that herald

00:21:07.100 --> 00:21:07.640
 to say,

00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:09.020
 the day has arrived,

00:21:09.100 --> 00:21:09.760
 we're free.

00:21:11.940 --> 00:21:12.860
 And that person

00:21:12.860 --> 00:21:13.820
 is John Newton

00:21:13.819 --> 00:21:17.099
 who was a

00:21:17.099 --> 00:21:19.200
 slaver

00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:21.019
 along a ship

00:21:21.019 --> 00:21:22.779
 in various forms

00:21:22.779 --> 00:21:23.439
 and capacities

00:21:23.439 --> 00:21:24.200
 from crew

00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:24.819
 all the way up

00:21:24.819 --> 00:21:25.659
 to being a captain.

00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:27.519
 And multiple times

00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:28.639
 throughout his career,

00:21:29.019 --> 00:21:30.379
 he would cry out

00:21:30.379 --> 00:21:30.879
 to God

00:21:30.879 --> 00:21:31.579
 for some sort

00:21:31.579 --> 00:21:32.359
 of deliverance

00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:33.460
 and God

00:21:33.460 --> 00:21:34.439
 would answer him.

00:21:36.119 --> 00:21:37.099
 And then he would

00:21:37.099 --> 00:21:37.819
 go on

00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:38.379
 continuing

00:21:38.379 --> 00:21:39.500
 in his sin.

00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:43.960
 So we see

00:21:43.960 --> 00:21:44.960
 it's not just

00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:45.559
 a rescue

00:21:45.559 --> 00:21:46.400
 from depths

00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:46.980
 of despair

00:21:46.980 --> 00:21:47.359
 that God

00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:47.839
 has at,

00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:49.619
 but as in the life

00:21:49.619 --> 00:21:50.740
 of John Newton

00:21:50.740 --> 00:21:51.880
 who became

00:21:51.880 --> 00:21:52.559
 a pastor

00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:53.579
 and then

00:21:53.579 --> 00:21:54.220
 one of the most

00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:55.599
 ardent abolitionists

00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:56.339
 in England,

00:21:56.779 --> 00:21:57.980
 we know that God

00:21:57.980 --> 00:21:58.660
 is looking

00:21:58.660 --> 00:22:00.900
 for plentiful

00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:02.000
 redemption.

00:22:03.819 --> 00:22:04.940
 But it's not

00:22:04.940 --> 00:22:05.740
 just an earthly

00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:06.240
 redemption

00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:06.819
 that we look

00:22:06.819 --> 00:22:07.599
 forward to.

00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:10.199
 it is

00:22:10.199 --> 00:22:12.299
 that eternal

00:22:12.299 --> 00:22:12.899
 redemption

00:22:12.899 --> 00:22:14.500
 when God

00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:15.339
 comes back

00:22:15.339 --> 00:22:16.819
 in the form

00:22:16.819 --> 00:22:17.859
 of Jesus Christ

00:22:17.859 --> 00:22:19.919
 at the end

00:22:19.919 --> 00:22:20.799
 of history

00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:23.740
 and frees us,

00:22:24.099 --> 00:22:25.019
 redeems us

00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:26.439
 from all

00:22:26.439 --> 00:22:27.419
 our

00:22:27.419 --> 00:22:28.480
 iniquities.

00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:36.639
 So the

00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:37.360
 slaves

00:22:37.360 --> 00:22:37.780
 in the

00:22:37.780 --> 00:22:38.040
 British

00:22:38.040 --> 00:22:38.600
 Americas,

00:22:39.240 --> 00:22:41.220
 they were,

00:22:41.460 --> 00:22:42.020
 had sent

00:22:42.020 --> 00:22:42.680
 their peers

00:22:42.680 --> 00:22:43.560
 up on the

00:22:43.560 --> 00:22:43.920
 ridge

00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:45.520
 to catch

00:22:45.520 --> 00:22:46.280
 the morning

00:22:46.280 --> 00:22:46.700
 light

00:22:46.700 --> 00:22:47.060
 and then

00:22:47.060 --> 00:22:47.920
 signal back

00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:48.340
 down

00:22:48.340 --> 00:22:48.840
 that day

00:22:48.840 --> 00:22:49.620
 has arrived.

00:22:51.320 --> 00:22:52.180
 And I want

00:22:52.180 --> 00:22:52.720
 you to know

00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:53.360
 that we have

00:22:53.360 --> 00:22:54.340
 a more powerful

00:22:54.340 --> 00:22:54.920
 herald

00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:56.380
 than those

00:22:56.380 --> 00:22:56.900
 individuals.

00:22:56.900 --> 00:23:00.380
 because we

00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:00.840
 have a

00:23:00.840 --> 00:23:01.240
 herald

00:23:01.240 --> 00:23:02.000
 that points

00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:02.560
 us not

00:23:02.560 --> 00:23:03.240
 just to

00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:03.519
 our

00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:03.920
 freedom

00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:05.480
 in this

00:23:05.480 --> 00:23:05.920
 world

00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:06.880
 but to

00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:07.620
 a plentiful

00:23:07.620 --> 00:23:08.280
 redemption

00:23:08.280 --> 00:23:09.000
 that awaits

00:23:09.000 --> 00:23:09.480
 us in the

00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:09.980
 next and

00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:10.480
 that person

00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:10.880
 is none

00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:11.280
 other than

00:23:11.280 --> 00:23:12.000
 Jesus Christ.

00:23:13.100 --> 00:23:13.600
 He is the

00:23:13.600 --> 00:23:14.360
 first fruits

00:23:14.360 --> 00:23:14.780
 of the

00:23:14.780 --> 00:23:15.240
 resurrection.

00:23:15.860 --> 00:23:16.300
 He is the

00:23:16.300 --> 00:23:17.060
 one who

00:23:17.060 --> 00:23:18.680
 has conquered

00:23:18.680 --> 00:23:19.360
 death,

00:23:19.740 --> 00:23:20.400
 stands on

00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:20.860
 the other

00:23:20.860 --> 00:23:21.680
 side of

00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:22.560
 death and

00:23:22.560 --> 00:23:23.100
 despair,

00:23:23.099 --> 00:23:23.859
 and he

00:23:23.859 --> 00:23:24.559
 looks back

00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:24.839
 and he

00:23:24.839 --> 00:23:25.299
 says,

00:23:25.719 --> 00:23:26.219
 I am

00:23:26.219 --> 00:23:26.599
 here

00:23:26.599 --> 00:23:29.299
 and the

00:23:29.299 --> 00:23:29.779
 light is

00:23:29.779 --> 00:23:30.079
 coming.

00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:31.639
 So when you

00:23:31.639 --> 00:23:32.779
 find yourself

00:23:32.779 --> 00:23:34.199
 in the midst

00:23:34.199 --> 00:23:34.839
 of the

00:23:34.839 --> 00:23:35.579
 darkness and

00:23:35.579 --> 00:23:36.079
 the depths

00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:36.719
 of despair

00:23:36.719 --> 00:23:37.099
 that you

00:23:37.099 --> 00:23:37.839
 will encounter

00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:38.299
 in this

00:23:38.299 --> 00:23:39.919
 life and

00:23:39.919 --> 00:23:40.659
 the horizon

00:23:40.659 --> 00:23:41.939
 just seems

00:23:41.939 --> 00:23:42.919
 to be below

00:23:42.919 --> 00:23:43.819
 and lower

00:23:43.819 --> 00:23:44.459
 than you want

00:23:44.459 --> 00:23:44.980
 it to be

00:23:44.980 --> 00:23:46.480
 and the sun

00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:47.579
 isn't peeking

00:23:47.579 --> 00:23:48.099
 over the

00:23:48.099 --> 00:23:48.500
 crest,

00:23:50.179 --> 00:23:50.939
 know that

00:23:50.939 --> 00:23:51.959
 Jesus Christ

00:23:51.959 --> 00:23:52.919
 is there

00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:53.960
 seated at

00:23:53.960 --> 00:23:54.380
 the right

00:23:54.380 --> 00:23:54.900
 hand of

00:23:54.900 --> 00:23:55.400
 God the

00:23:55.400 --> 00:23:55.779
 Father

00:23:55.779 --> 00:23:57.019
 interceding

00:23:57.019 --> 00:23:57.700
 and pleading

00:23:57.700 --> 00:23:58.160
 on your

00:23:58.160 --> 00:23:59.100
 behalf and

00:23:59.100 --> 00:23:59.460
 he is

00:23:59.460 --> 00:24:00.039
 communicating

00:24:00.039 --> 00:24:00.880
 to you

00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:01.460
 through the

00:24:01.460 --> 00:24:02.140
 Holy Spirit

00:24:02.140 --> 00:24:02.580
 saying,

00:24:03.120 --> 00:24:03.580
 hang on,

00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:05.380
 the light

00:24:05.380 --> 00:24:06.279
 is coming.

00:24:10.080 --> 00:24:11.220
 The light

00:24:11.220 --> 00:24:11.580
 that will

00:24:11.580 --> 00:24:12.480
 deliver you

00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:13.320
 not only

00:24:13.320 --> 00:24:14.080
 from this

00:24:14.080 --> 00:24:14.580
 circumstance

00:24:14.580 --> 00:24:15.039
 that you

00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:15.800
 find yourself

00:24:15.800 --> 00:24:16.180
 in,

00:24:16.940 --> 00:24:17.700
 but it

00:24:17.700 --> 00:24:18.380
 will redeem

00:24:18.380 --> 00:24:20.080
 you from

00:24:20.080 --> 00:24:21.000
 all the

00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:22.180
 effects of

00:24:22.180 --> 00:24:22.700
 sin.

00:24:22.920 --> 00:24:23.779
 and

00:24:23.779 --> 00:24:24.240
 corruption.

00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:28.140
 So hang

00:24:28.140 --> 00:24:28.440
 on.

00:24:30.080 --> 00:24:30.640
 The

00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:31.200
 herald

00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:32.380
 tells you

00:24:32.380 --> 00:24:33.560
 the light

00:24:33.560 --> 00:24:34.680
 is coming.

00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:39.240
 It's not

00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:41.100
 a light

00:24:41.100 --> 00:24:41.680
 that we

00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:42.100
 have to

00:24:42.100 --> 00:24:42.400
 somehow

00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:43.200
 turn on.

00:24:44.140 --> 00:24:44.580
 No,

00:24:44.900 --> 00:24:46.400
 it is more

00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:46.900
 than that.

00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:48.720
 It is the

00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:49.620
 steadfast love

00:24:49.620 --> 00:24:49.920
 of the

00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:50.200
 faithful

00:24:50.200 --> 00:24:50.640
 Father.

00:24:51.640 --> 00:24:52.160
 The

00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:52.720
 plentiful

00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:53.279
 redemption

00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:53.940
 purchased

00:24:53.940 --> 00:24:54.640
 by the

00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:54.880
 Son

00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:56.319
 and the

00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:56.680
 presence

00:24:56.680 --> 00:24:57.019
 of the

00:24:57.019 --> 00:24:57.759
 Holy Spirit

00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:59.580
 reminding us

00:24:59.580 --> 00:25:00.580
 of both

00:25:00.580 --> 00:25:00.840
 those

00:25:00.840 --> 00:25:01.340
 realities.

00:25:01.339 --> 00:25:01.480
 peace.

00:25:04.139 --> 00:25:04.599
 Well,

00:25:04.639 --> 00:25:05.179
 we conclude

00:25:05.179 --> 00:25:05.639
 our time

00:25:05.639 --> 00:25:05.959
 together

00:25:05.959 --> 00:25:06.559
 this morning

00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:07.759
 with the

00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:08.319
 promise that

00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:08.639
 in the

00:25:08.639 --> 00:25:09.240
 depths and

00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:09.740
 darkness of

00:25:09.740 --> 00:25:10.139
 despair,

00:25:10.539 --> 00:25:11.539
 we have a

00:25:11.539 --> 00:25:12.159
 better hope

00:25:12.159 --> 00:25:13.859
 than mere

00:25:13.859 --> 00:25:14.459
 happiness

00:25:14.459 --> 00:25:16.699
 and a

00:25:16.699 --> 00:25:17.459
 light that

00:25:17.459 --> 00:25:18.179
 is surer

00:25:18.179 --> 00:25:18.799
 than our

00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:19.439
 ability to

00:25:19.439 --> 00:25:19.740
 turn it

00:25:19.740 --> 00:25:19.980
 on.

00:25:20.879 --> 00:25:21.339
 So when you

00:25:21.339 --> 00:25:22.119
 find yourselves

00:25:22.119 --> 00:25:22.679
 in the depths

00:25:22.679 --> 00:25:23.240
 of despair,

00:25:23.879 --> 00:25:24.759
 cry out to a

00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:25.500
 gracious God

00:25:25.500 --> 00:25:26.099
 who hears

00:25:26.099 --> 00:25:27.500
 and forgives.

00:25:27.500 --> 00:25:28.880
 when the

00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:29.259
 light of

00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:30.099
 dawn refuses

00:25:30.099 --> 00:25:30.640
 to break

00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:31.119
 through the

00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:32.380
 darkness of

00:25:32.380 --> 00:25:32.920
 despair,

00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:34.740
 cling to the

00:25:34.740 --> 00:25:35.480
 faithful God

00:25:35.480 --> 00:25:36.059
 who showers

00:25:36.059 --> 00:25:36.539
 you with

00:25:36.539 --> 00:25:37.759
 steadfast love

00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:39.180
 and plentiful

00:25:39.180 --> 00:25:39.680
 redemption.

00:25:42.660 --> 00:25:43.859
 In the words

00:25:43.859 --> 00:25:44.460
 of Charles

00:25:44.460 --> 00:25:44.920
 Simeon,

00:25:45.619 --> 00:25:46.079
 if we

00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:46.660
 looked inward,

00:25:47.460 --> 00:25:47.940
 we shall

00:25:47.940 --> 00:25:48.539
 find nothing

00:25:48.539 --> 00:25:49.500
 but discouragement.

00:25:50.299 --> 00:25:50.920
 But if with

00:25:50.920 --> 00:25:52.180
 David we

00:25:52.180 --> 00:25:53.039
 look to God,

00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:54.539
 we may find

00:25:54.539 --> 00:25:55.299
 abundant

00:25:55.299 --> 00:25:56.579
 encouragement in

00:25:56.579 --> 00:25:57.440
 his attributes,

00:25:57.500 --> 00:25:58.839
 in his works

00:25:58.839 --> 00:25:59.920
 and in his

00:25:59.920 --> 00:26:00.319
 words.

00:26:02.859 --> 00:26:03.720
 He is

00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:04.079
 faithful.

00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:05.839
 His presence

00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:06.539
 will penetrate

00:26:06.539 --> 00:26:07.279
 the darkness.

00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:08.940
 His grace

00:26:08.940 --> 00:26:10.200
 will illuminate

00:26:10.200 --> 00:26:10.720
 the depths

00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:11.819
 and his

00:26:11.819 --> 00:26:12.579
 strength will

00:26:12.579 --> 00:26:13.200
 carry you

00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:13.579
 through the

00:26:13.579 --> 00:26:15.259
 despair and

00:26:15.259 --> 00:26:15.759
 bring you

00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:16.319
 all the way

00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:16.619
 home.

00:26:17.539 --> 00:26:17.759
 Amen.

00:26:18.460 --> 00:26:18.980
 Let us

00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:19.200
 pray.

00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:22.240
 Gracious

00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:22.720
 God, you

00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:23.400
 are indeed

00:26:23.400 --> 00:26:24.839
 the God who

00:26:24.839 --> 00:26:25.740
 offers plenteous

00:26:25.740 --> 00:26:26.119
 redemption.

00:26:27.500 --> 00:26:29.259
 God, would you

00:26:29.259 --> 00:26:30.559
 please encourage

00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:31.339
 us and remind

00:26:31.339 --> 00:26:32.019
 us this morning

00:26:32.019 --> 00:26:33.319
 through the power

00:26:33.319 --> 00:26:33.940
 and presence of

00:26:33.940 --> 00:26:34.700
 your Holy Spirit

00:26:34.700 --> 00:26:36.819
 of the sure and

00:26:36.819 --> 00:26:37.660
 certain realities

00:26:37.660 --> 00:26:39.019
 that even though

00:26:39.019 --> 00:26:39.680
 we may find

00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:40.599
 ourselves in the

00:26:40.599 --> 00:26:41.480
 depths of despair,

00:26:41.640 --> 00:26:42.359
 surrounded by

00:26:42.359 --> 00:26:43.759
 darkness, the

00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:44.359
 light of your

00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:46.480
 presence is on

00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:46.960
 its way.

00:26:47.519 --> 00:26:48.079
 And the

00:26:48.079 --> 00:26:48.900
 dawning of

00:26:48.900 --> 00:26:50.720
 eternity will

00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:52.099
 bring a day in

00:26:52.099 --> 00:26:52.880
 which the light

00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:54.240
 will never end.

00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:56.200
 we ask all

00:26:56.200 --> 00:26:56.539
 this in

00:26:56.539 --> 00:26:57.099
 Christ's name.

00:26:57.400 --> 00:26:57.599
 Amen.