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welcome to free grace baptist church just a couple announcements this morning the first there is a hymn sing after the evening service if you'd like to stick around for that within a handful of minutes following the closing prayer in the evening service if you're able to you can go up to the fellowship hall there and will be some singing of hymns if you'd like to do that you can go up there promptly after the evening service if you would like to to do that it starts again within about five minutes of the evening service no obligation but if you would like to sing more hems then you're free to do so up there in the in the in the hall that's after this tonight service secondly a reminder the the Jones are seeking membership here that's Michael Laura Jonathan and Rebecca just a reminder what our confession says from the biblical witness with regards to church membership chapter 26 paragraph 5 in the execution of this power wherewith he is so entrusted that is the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord Jesus calleth out of the world unto himself through the Ministry of his word by his spirit those that are given unto him by his father that they may walk before him in all the ways of obedience which he prescribe a--the to them in his word those thus called he commandeth to walk together in particular societies or churches for their mutual edification and the due performance of that public worship which he required of them in the world the members of these churches are Saints by calling visibly manifesting and evidencing in and buy their profession and walking their obedience unto that call of Christ and do willingly consent to walk together according to the appointment of Christ giving up themselves to the Lord and to one another by the will of god in professed subjection to the ordinances of the gospel it's a blessed thing when Christians seek to become members of a local church so we can pray for the Joneses and look we look forward to welcoming them into the fellowship here and the members a free grace baptist church well those are the announcements if you can turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Isaiah and chapter 11 Isaiah 11 are called to worship this morning will be a reading of verses 1 to 10 of Isaiah 11 the Word of God there shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord his delight is in the fear of the Lord and he shall not judge by the sight of his eyes nor decide by the hearing of his ears but with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked righteousness shall be the belt of his loins and faithfulness the belt of his waist the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb the leopard shall lie down with the young goat the calf and the young lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them The Crow and the bear shall graze their young one shall lie down together and the lion shall eat straw like the Ox the nursing child shall play by the Cobras hole and the weaned child shall put his hand in the Vipers den they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea and in that day there shall be a root of Jesse who shall stand as a banner to the people for the Gentiles shall seek him and his resting place she'll be glorious amen well let's stand and sing together our first him if you turn to your red Trinity salter will sing Psalm 110 to a familiar tune that's red Trinity Salter Psalm 110 please be seated let's go to our God in prayer let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice in this new day and we rejoice Lord God that it is your lord's day Sabbath once again your Saints can come into this place to rejoice in their God to worship their God and to sing the praises of Amazing Grace and of a Salvation wrought perfectly by Jesus Christ our blessed Savior we do pray that your name would be hallowed here in this place this morning and we pray that your Saints would worship you a right with great joy genuinely we would come before you and sing your praises that we would sing to you that we would pray to you that we would avail the reading and the preaching of your scriptures and we thank you again that we can hold your word in our hands the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments we have the freedom the Liberty to be able to gather together as Saints in Christ with our Bibles to worship you in spirit and in truth so we do pray that you would help us to do so that we would worship you in spirit and in truth that once again Lord God by your divine help we would be able to cast away any thoughts that would intrude to steal away a proper focus and attentiveness as we gather for worship we pray that by your spirit you would help us now to focus upon the worship of our God upon the reading of the scriptures upon prayer and upon that act of worship the preaching of your word might we all be focused and might we know your presence here in this place as you commune with your people promise of the New Covenant is that you will be our God and we will be your people and we rejoice in the fact that you do that you do bless your people and a day of worship with your presence that the Lord Jesus Christ walks among the lampstands and we do pray that we would rejoice in this truth and that you would be the recipient of all honor and praise we do ask Lord God that you would help us now to rejoice in the gospel of Jesus Christ our Savior we thank you that you did send him in the fullness of the times born of a woman and born under the law we thank you that he redeemed those who were under the law that he redeemed us that we might rejoice in the adoption as sons and we do pray that we would sing the praises of Amazing Grace today knowing that we have been saved not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to your mercy Lord God you saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit we know that our salvation comes by Jesus Christ our perfect Savior who came into this world to live a life of perfect obedience to your law in the stead of all those who believe who died upon Calvary's tree who bore in his own body the sins of all those who believe on that tree that he died perfectly so as to secure the salvation of a multitude that no man can number we rejoice in the fact that on the third day he rose again with power with great victory and that he now sits having ascended he now sits at your right hand where he lives to make intercession for his people where he stands in judgment over those who are his enemies where he stands in blessett reception of all those who are his Saints we do pray that we would rejoice in such a blessed Savior this day we would ask God that you would be with those who are unwell as we prayed for them this morning in this prayer meeting before worship we pray that you would be with each and every one strengthening them in body uplifting them in spirit that they would in the midst of their pains afflictions diseases and injuries know the judge of all the earth does right that the judge of all the earth is as well a blessed healer of his Saints we pray that you would cause them to know strength daily in their bodies and that they would again in the midst of this suffering nevertheless rejoice in the inner man in our blessed Savior in our bless of God and that they might gain strength day by day by the knowledge of God and their growth in the grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ we thank you that the Stuart's have returned to us safely we thank you that they were able to visit Jamie's mother there we do pray O Lord God for her that you would continue to strengthen her we know that as she looks forward to death she does so as a saint of the Living Christ and we pray that you would comfort her physically but that you would fill her daily with the great expectation that faith will become site and that she will be in the presence of our great god and of the land who sits upon the throne we do pray that you would bless her Lord God and we thank you again that the Stuart's were able to speak with her and to see her and we do pray that you would comfort their hearts as well and that caused them to rejoice in our God we do pray God that you be with our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world we know that there are many we know that there are nations whose dwelling Saints know a persecution that we know nothing of and we do ask that you would strengthen each and every one of our fellow Christians around the world that you would uplift them you'd be near to them that you would bring to them comfort and courage in the midst of opposition and hatred and anger and we do pray that you would just comfort each and every one of their hearts give them that strength of spirit to be able to endure the attacks of the enemy and we do pray that they would lay hold of that hope that is set before them with great vigor that they might if Death Comes be strong unto the end and we do just pray that you would give them all that they need to to endure the assaults of the enemy and we would pray yet again that you would deal with the enemies of your church and of your gospel that you would save those who are your enemies bringing them from darkness to light bringing them from the madness of their opposition and idolatry to the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ to the living and true God we do pray God that as we know many will remain in opposition and many will remain in their unruh generous E and in the hardness of their heart so we do pray as such of these who would persecute your saints that you would bring them to an end that you would cause them to wither away like the snail that they might no longer bring opposition to the Saints of Christ we would ask and pray again Lord God that those who rule over us would do so in righteousness and justice and equity we know that we see madness and the ranks of those politicians who rule over us and we do pray that you would cause them to think of right with regards to proper justice and in the law of rule we do pray that they would cast aside laws that that uphold wickedness and that put down virtue that you would just cause Lord God your glory to rule throughout the earth and that rulers who rule over the peoples of the earth would do so according to your will according to your law and according to proper righteousness we do pray now that you would be with us God we would ask that you would help us now to worship you in spirit and in truth we pray that you would be with pastor Butler as he brings your word he comes up here to preach that you would strengthen him in this pulpit that he would know the aid of the triune God as he opens up his Bible to proclaim the things of truth might your Saints be encouraged and instructed well by spirit and word and Lord God might you save sinners this morning young and old and caused them to leave this placing the praises of our God and might all of us God who leave this place under the kind favor of a God of salvation might we leave this place seeking to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ might you now receive all glory and honor and praise and might our Blessed Christ be exalted upon the praises of the gathered assembly and we pray in price precious name amen well let's stand and sing again as a church if you'll turn now to your Trinity hymnal the larger one will sing hymn 133 together let's stand and sing 133 please be seated you turn in your Bibles to the book of Revelation for our new testament scripture reading that reading is Revelation chapter 7 revelation 7 revelation 7 beginning in verse 1 once again the word of the living and true God after these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth on the sea or on any tree then I saw another angel ascending from the east having the seal of the Living God and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea saying do not harm the earth the sea or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads and I heard the number of those who were sealed 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed of the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed the tribe of Reuben 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of gad 12,000 were sealed the tribe of Asher 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of naphtali 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of manasseh 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of Simeon 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of Levi 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of Issachar 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of Zebulun 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of Joseph 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of Benjamin 12,000 were sealed after these things I looked and behold a great multitude which no one could number of all nations tribes peoples and tongues standing before the throne and before the lamb clothed with white robes with palm branches in their hands and crying out with a loud voice saying salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the lamb all the Angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures and fell on their faces before the throne and worship God saying amen blessing and honor and wisdom Thanksgiving and honor and glory and might be to our God forever and ever amen then one of the elders answered saying to me who are these arrayed in white robes and where did they come from and I said to him sir you know oh so he said to me these are the ones who come out of the Great Tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb therefore they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in his temple and he who sits on the throne will dwell among them they shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore the Sun shall not strike them nor any heat for the lamb who is in the midst of the throne will Shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes amen let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice in this the reading of your Holy Word and we rejoice in what we see here in the book of Revelation we thank you for the certainty of your salvation that nothing happens before all of those who are yours are are saved Lord God we know that you will bring all of yours a to everlasting life those whom you have given to your son the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you that salvation is such that every tribe people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation are brought to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that your salvation is not restricted to one corner of the earth but rather the Lord Jesus Christ has saved people from out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation we rejoice in so glorious a salvation free and sovereign grace and we thank you Lord God that we can be like these those who have white robes washed in the blood of the Lamb and we rejoice in the shed blood of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ knowing that it is perfect for the salvation of sinners for the forgiveness of sins and for that blessed gift of everlasting life might we now rejoice in our Savior might we sing the praises of his perfect salvation and Lord God might you give us every day that measure of acknowledgment that rejoices in our Christ that rejoices in our God and that rejoices in so great a salvation and seeks to live in light of it go with us now as we continue in worship might we do so in spirit and in truth we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen our last Tim if you'll stand with me again as 393 and the Trinity hymnal let's stand and sing 393 you this be seated well please turn with min your Bibles to Matthew chapter 20 Matthew chapter 20 our focus this morning will be on verses 29 to 30 for where jesus heals two blind men I do want to read it its larger context beginning in chapter 20 at verse 20 then the mother of Zebedee sons came to him with her son's kneeling down and asking something from him and he said to her what do you wish she said to him grant that these two sons of mine may sit one on your right hand and the other on the left in your kingdom but jesus answered and said you do not know what you ask are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with they said to him we are able so he said to them you will indeed drink my cop and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it is for those for whom it is prepared by my father and when the ten heard it they were greatly displeased with the two brothers but Jesus called them to himself and said you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and those who are great exercise authority over them yet it shall not be so among you but whoever desires to become great among you let him be your servant and whoever desires to be first among you let him be your slave just as the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many now as they went out of Jericho a great multitude followed him and behold two blind men sitting by the road when they heard that Jesus was passing by cried out saying have mercy on us oh son of David and the multitude warned them that they should be quiet but they cried out all the more saying have mercy on us Oh Lord son of David so Jesus stood still and called them and said what do you want me to do for you they said to him Lord that her eyes may be opened so Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes and immediately their eyes received sight and they followed him amen we'll let us pray father we thank you for the word of God we thank you that you've not left us in this world of lies and deception on our own but you have provided to us the truth of Holy Scripture you have given to us as your children the spirit of adoption we pray that even now that sound that same spirit would guide us and direct us as we consider your word we ask that you would forgive us for all of our sins and our transgressions help us to see in this passage the Messiah the son of David the one who has pity the one who has power to save all those who come unto Him we ask that these things would be clear she would edify and strengthen your people that God this word would come as a blessing to those outside of Christ we pray that today would be the day of salvation we pray that sinners would see the one here that does give mercy and they buy greats would flee to him in faith and repentance we thank you for your goodness to us we thank you for your kindness for your love and we pray now that you would be glorified and honored in this gathering together and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well in chapter 21 the Lord Jesus will enter into Jerusalem and then there will be what's called The Passion Week so chapters 21 to 28 all take place in the span of seven days or thereabouts-- here at the end of Jesus ministry in terms of this progression from Galilee down into Jerusalem we see him in Jericho and we see them deal with these two men with great mercy and with great kindness this is the last official recorded miracle of our Lord in Matthew's Gospel there was a general statement in 21 14 then the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and He healed them but specifically here in chapter 20 we see detailed instruction or detail narrative concerning the healing of these two particular men as well what this passage demonstrates is that Jesus the Son of David is going into the city of David in order to save as people from their sins in accordance with what he's already mentioned in verse 28 he says just as the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many well that Davidic Sun goes into that royal city and ultimately gives himself up on behalf of his people so that they may indeed have life eternal and then another interesting connection that I think is present here you'll notice that Matthew mentions two men when we compare the other accounts and Mark and Luke they only highlight one man and I'll get to that in just a moment that there does seem to be something of a parallel ISM in 20 to 30 for the Apostles the two apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ approach Christ for privileged position within the kingdom when we come to Jericho we have two men blind men beggarly men and they cry out not for a privileged position that they cry out for mercy from the Lord from the son of David so we'll investigate verses 29 to 30 for under three considerations first the setting of the miracle in verse 29 secondly the earnest petition of the blind man in verses 30 and 31 and then thirdly the gracious response of the son of David in verses 32 to 34 but note in the first place the location verse 29 now as they went out of Jericho a great multitude followed him Jericho was about six 18 miles northwest of Jerusalem and essentially anybody was coming down from Galilee or who was on the eastern side of the river Jordan when they crossed from parrilla into Judah they would have stopped in Jericho it was a popular city and I think that explains why these two men happened to be there begging you go where the people are you need money you don't go to an obscure place but you go where there's a lot of people so that you can hold out your hand and get some coin now Jesus and His disciples were accompanied by the multitudes because remember the Passover Feast is coming so it's not Jesus just Jesus in the Twelve Apostles but there are great multitudes who are now making their way into Jerusalem to be present for the feast of Passover when we compare as i said the previous account there's a couple of healings in the gospel records back in chapter 9 of Matthew in verses 27 to 31 jesus heals two blind men now we aren't to suppose that this is simply a repetition of that or another account of that it is a different account those two in Matthew 92 place and Galilee and here we are in Judah specifically in the city of Jericho I did mention in mark 1046 252 and Luke 1835 243 both those evangelists record this as one man being healed of his blindness in fact mark identifies that man with the name Bartimaeus in mark 1046 all you avid young people who are readers of the read aloud Bible stories will remember blind Bartimaeus and that wonderful account after he was granted vision he saw the hills and he saw the trees and he saw the sky and he saw the mommies and he saw the daddies but best of all he saw Jesus that's the bartimaeus and view here in Matthew's Gospel as well we need to understand there's no contradiction if there are two there is certainly one and Mark and Luke do not tell us that it was only one most likely what we have is an out of Matthew who was an eyewitness who oftentimes records numbers very specifically in Matthew's Gospel in chapter 8 when jesus heals the demoniac matthew tells us there were two men there among the tombs who cried out in Mark and Luke they just highlight the one man and why mark indicates the name of the one man is probably because he was better known to other people the church subsequent to this particular count would have been able to identify with Bartimaeus he could have been a popular fellow in the early church so there are no contradictions matthew indicates there were two men so there was certainly one men a one man and mark mentions that man by the name of barn Emmaus so if as I proceed I refer to Bartimaeus and you don't see that name in our passage he is at least one of those men in our passage now let's move to the earnest petition of these blind men we learn a lot in this passage I know that sometimes we read through narratives like this and we say wow isn't that special jesus healed these men of their of their their their their blindness and then we just sort of move on there's a lot of stuff in this particular passage not only about these blind men but even more importantly about our Lord Jesus Christ and if you were here today and you are not a Christian you are a blind man or a blind woman or a blind boy or a blind girl you are in the blindness that sin brings as a result of our fall and Adam and there's only one way that that light can shine there's only one way that that vision can be granted and it is through this Lord this son of David now sometimes people who are engaged in this blindness or those who are in this darkness they don't even see their need they don't even care to think about their need when they are reminded in circumstances like these that they have need they want it to be finished and they want to be able to get away from these kinds of things but my hope and prayer is at the spirit today will open your blind eyes and will show you this one and whom there is mercy in whom there forgiveness and in whom there is healing I mean Jesus is able to touch these mat and heal them immediately wasn't that the experience of everyone here that by God's grace has believed on the Lord Jesus that moment you believe what happens you're forgiven of your sins you have new eyesight you see Christ in His glory and it is Majesty you see yourself as a desperately need phul sinner and that Christ alone has what you scanned in need of so I would encourage you this morning to pay close attention to what we find in this account concerning the men and concerning our Lord notice with reference to their condition they were physically blind they could not see Spurgeon says mercy needs misery to give it an occasion to work mercy needs misery to give it an occasion to work we see great distress in these two men will we see great mercy in our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Providence of God as he moves from parrilla over through Jericho down to Jerusalem he hears these two men and their blindness crying out they were beggars they were not sitting by the road to soak up the Sun they were not chillin by the road just to enjoy the day they were men who begged that's what you did as a blind man you didn't have a job you didn't have a livelihood you didn't go to work you didn't get treated fairly and equitably by everyone else they were outcasts and they were men who depended on begging in order to survive remember in 1046 in Mark's Gospel Bartimaeus SAT there in his blindness begging Davies and Allison make this perceptive point they say perhaps one should remember that Passover probably was a special time for charitable giving sort of like what happens in December people get warm and they get fuzzy and they get kind and they get nice too bad we can't be like that from january to november but at least in the season of the month people have more of a charitable spirit they indicate that Passover was most likely that sort of a thing says so the blind man appeared to be in the right place at the right time they look however not to the crowd but to Jesus for help and their request is not for money now notice as well that these men are faithful these men are faithful how do we know that well Bartimaeus hears the words of the Lord Jesus in mark 1050 to go your way your faith has made you well but this passage without that appendage indicates that these men were men of faith how do we know that they call Jesus Lord they call Jesus son of David they come to Jesus and ask for eyesight have you ever had anybody beg from you has anybody ever asked you for something has anybody ever stopped you on the road and say sir or ma'am can you spare up whatever what do they typically ask for they ask for money I have to admit I have never in my life been approached by a beggar asking me to heal them of their blindness these men knew that in the son of David there was healing these men knew that in the son of David there was power these men knew that in the son of David they could actually say to him open our eyes and he had the ability and as we read in the narrative to compassion he is full of pity joined with power as we just sang these men had faith and it is quite intriguing because throughout Matthew's Gospel we get these contrasting views of Christ we get man who opposed him we get men who despise him we get men who reject him and then we get men who cry out to him saying son of David have mercy on us so these blind man physically blind have a spiritual sight that the religious leaders of Israel do not have when we get to Matthew 23 and the Lord price starts pronouncing woes and and and condemnation upon the scribes and the Pharisees how many times does he tell them that you are blind men you are blind guides you cannot see you have physical eyesight you can see the Sun in the hills and the trees and the mommies and the daddies but you can't see Jesus and yet these men who are sitting in darkness and blindness with hands held out they know who he is they understand something about the Christ they were faithful men note their petition I've already mentioned how they address Christ verse 30 Oh Lord son of David verse 31 Oh Lord son of David verse 33 Lord now Lord in the New Testament can also mean sir it has that idea that it can be a term of respect to a person that is an ordinary fellow but maybe a little bit higher station but because it's coupled with this statement son of David I think we ought to embrace the full weight of Lord these men understand something of Jesus again these are men in their darkness in Jericho that were appear apparently the least of all or the last and Christ treats them like the first these men call Jesus Lord they also call him son of David this is used of Christ in Matthew 11 9 27 12 23 15 23 21 9 20 1 15 and 22 41 246 what does son of David me it harkens back to second Samuel 7 you remember the occasion of 2nd Samuel 7 David is sitting in his house of cedar and david says I want to build a house for my god because I dwell in a Cinna in a cedar mansion a palace a royal place and God is dwelling in a tent and the Lord God says to David I'm not going to let you build a house for me David but rather I'm going to build a house out of you there will be a Davidic dynasty I will raise up from your seed one man one son that will sit upon the throne of David and that one son will orchestrate a rule of righteousness and justice and equity and blessedness and wonderful things Jesus Christ is the Davidic son jesus christ is the promised Messiah Jesus is the one charged by God to come into this world to liberate to save to vindicate to bring salvation and redemption to the house of Israel when we come to the New Testament the house of Israel is the Church of the Lord Jesus for whom he died and rose again so these men call upon Jesus as the Son of David who is entering into the city of David and he is going to bring salvation now notice their particular petition have mercy on us doesn't great distress cry out for great mercy I mean what do these guys supposed to ask will have mercy on us Lord take notice of us have you come to that place have you learned the reality that you're a sinner against a holy God again physically cited but spiritually blind you come and you sit under preaching and it just sounds like somebody's reading up a Chinese phone book to you you come and to contact with the word of the Living God and you might read through it it makes as much sense to you as that same phone book have you ever noticed and sensed and seen the reality that you're dead to spiritual things you know what the response ought to be lord have mercy on me don't want to sit in darkness I don't want to sit contrary to you I don't want to continue in rebellion I don't want to continue with this animosity or this enmity Jesus our Lord son of David have mercy on us that's the petition that these men offer up and as well when they offer up this particular petition again I think it reflects their understanding of who Messiah was the prophet Isaiah chapter 35 verse 5 tells of the Messiah of God then the eyes of the blind shall be open and the ears of the Deaf shall be unstopped you see as far as they understand this Messiah is walking through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem they're in the right place at the right time not simply to beg for money for a lot from a lot of multitudes but they're in the path of Jesus it's where you need to be is in the path of Jesus you need to be by the wayside you need to be by this street you need to be where Christ is going to pass that's where mercy comes now thankfully sits enthroned at the right hand of god most high so wherever you happen to be whatever Street you're on whatever road you're on whatever hole you may find yourself in Christ is near and that same cry son of David have mercy on me will reach the ears of this blessed Messiah they would have had the psalter in their minds they would have understood Psalm 72 a song as it says of Solomon but we know a greater than Solomon says concerning Messiah for he will deliver the needy when he cries he will deliver the needy when he cries the poor also and him who has no helper as Spurgeon says concerning this passage believing cries can hold the Son of God by the feet isn't that beautiful believing cries can hold the Son of God by the feet remember this is a mob this is a multitude heading down to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast these are two outcasts men and they are crying to the son of David to have mercy on that notice they're importunate II now kids that's a word that simply means what Jesus tells us to do in Matthew's Gospel we are to ask we ought to seek and we are not we are to be importunate we are not to let the Lord go unless he bless us that's importunate II that importunate widow in Luke's Gospel in Luke chapter 18 that woman who wanted the judge to render a particular verdict and she kept coming to him and coming to him and coming to him and sooner or later this judge who didn't fear God who didn't regard man said I'm going to give her her verdict less she weary me by her constant coming and Jesus implication from that is shall not God avenges own elect who cry on to him day or night be importunate about your souls be concerned about the fact that you're in darkness be concerned about the fact that you are spiritually dead be concerned about the fact that the bible does come to you and it sounds like a a phone book being read of 11 of one you're not interested in be concerned about that be importunate when Jesus tells us ask seek and not the tense of the verb is keep asking keep seeking keep knocking if you don't have salvation for your soul don't stop you're going to go home today under the wrath and fury of God most high come to the son of David you see that's what's at stake for these men it was physical for us it's spiritual you continue on in this blindness you continue on in this darkness you continue on in this rebellion and rejection of the God who made you so that you would worship and serve and glorify Him if you continue to reject the Creator he will ultimately reject you you see the stakes in this particular contest are huge it's about heaven and it's about Hell it's about life and it's about death it's about eternal bliss or eternal damnation there ought to be importunate II some of you young people and children you come and you sit under the preaching of the word are you saved have you come to the Savior have you believed have you said son of David mercy on me have you been with that other man in Luke's Gospel who cries God be merciful to me the sinner you see importunate II when we want something we seek it don't we when we want something we have to have it don't we when we see that image in the newspaper on the internet telling us that the newest bestest latest thing will make us so happy we do everything we can to obtain that people line up for hours to buy new phones people are already ordering tickets for a movie that's coming out in two months people are importunate when it's something that they desire and that they crave and yet some of you will go away from here once against and yes we've heard the gospel yes I understand that I'm a sinner yes I realized that it wouldn't go well with me if I were to die right now but I'm going to continue on in my path I'm going to continue on in my rejection I'm going to continue on in my rebellion and in my darkness and I'm not going to see I'm not going to ask I'm not going to strive to enter in at that narrow way that's foolish these men couldn't see so they wouldn't stop until they could notice they're important t is seen by the way the crowd deals with them and we can be terrible can't we I don't mean yeah I do I think all of us are in this text then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet just like when Jesus bid Zacchaeus to come down out of the tree how does the multitude respond praise God that Jesus has conquered another wretch by sovereign grace no praise God that Zacchaeus is passed from death unto life and he's going to sit at the master's table for supper no they grumbled and they complained and what about those Pharisees in Luke's Gospel in Luke 15 when all the sinners and the tax collectors draw near to Jesus to hear him do they say praise God we disagree with some of his methodology we disagree with some of his emphasis but in the fact that he is preaching the kingdom of God we're glad that all these multitudes are dropped now they grumble and they complain and they murmur they carry on like little children who do not get their way it's the same thing here the multitude warned them that they should be quiet we don't know why perhaps they thought that Jesus excuse me needed to carry on with his journey and could not be to turn could be the fact that they thought that Jesus couldn't be bothered with such low life I mean to beggars in Jericho some have suggested at least one of the commentators said there was a particular product a particular balm that was in Jericho so there were lots of blind people in this particular city seeking a particular cure they were a dime a dozen right why should Jesus stop in the midst of his busy schedule to listen to you tube wretches they're marginalized they're outcasts they are a not part of the particular group notice what they do in response they cried out all the more saying have mercy on us O Lord son of David brunner says the followers resistance doubled the blind man's cries a mark of the reality of their faith you see if anyone ever tells you now you don't go to Jesus might happen with teenagers because you might run with a particular group of people they'd say well at Jesus that's four that's four fools or its four I don't know if they say sissies anymore whatever it is they what they used to put you down oh that's just for those kinds of people that you know you don't wanna be one of those religious wackos you don't want to be the one of those winged not so you don't want Jesus you succumb to that you say well you're right I don't want the one who can save me from my sins I don't want the Lord of glory son of David who has the power to bring me into everlasting life you succumb to societal pressure would you actually listen to someone who said that person who can give you life don't go to that person who can give you everything don't go to that person who can give you forgiveness if those are your friends you need new ones you need to get away from people that try to keep you from the Lord of glory you need to get away from those influences that will throw up obstacles in your path you need to get away from those persons that would rather do drugs or get drunk or engage in sex before they would ever have saving dealings with God through Christ that drunk sexual drug-induced stupor will ultimately lead them to the pit of hell unless by the grace of God they repent and believe on the gospel of the Lord Jesus the point is that when you tell somebody you know I'm thinking about what Jesus said in the gospel records I'm thinking about the reality that I'm sitting in blindness and in darkness I'm thinking about the reality that this son of david has mercy upon wretched sinners and I'm a wretched sinner and I i want to go to him if you have the sorts of friends that say no you don't want to do that you want to continue with us down this path to destruction go to christ and then find new friends go to christ and then to his church where hopefully we'll find a people that want to facilitate your access to the Savior instead of deny it instead of throw up obstacles dis crowd demonstrate something that is native in the hearts of men not only do we love our own sin but we love the fact that others sin too it's almost the summit of all evil is Calvin comments on Romans 132 it's not only that we love it but as we see others who loved it and corrupt themselves as well if anyone kids ever tells you you don't want Jesus you don't need Jesus stay away from Jesus stay away from them that is hellish devilish wicked talk anything that keeps a man a woman a boy or girl from Christ is something that to be avoided at all costs notice i love the scene i see it my mind's eye ha shop be quiet is want to hear from you he has no time for you they don't just kowtow and say oh yeah I guess you're right you see I suppose it's easy for men who have their site to minimize the plight of someone who doesn't perhaps if these crowd or this crowd SAT for a moment in darkness of their own they would understand something something of these blind man's cries so that's another indicators men and thought through sin they haven't considered the reality of it understood the gravity of this darkness that we find ourselves in but these men who understood these men knew and say they cry out all the more Lord son of David have mercy on us the blind man thankfully did not listen to the crowd I mean can't you in your life at this point as a redeemed man or woman say I'm thankful I didn't listen to so and so in my life I'm thankful that by God's grace I managed to resist that temper they didn't listen to the crowd it's a good sort of corollary here don't listen to the crowd when the crowds opposed to Christ right I mean the crowd is increasingly growing its growing more and more of a concern to believers the crowd as they continue further away from God embracing things that are unrighteous and unholy and ungodly they become more more of a threat to the people of God we don't listen to that we don't kowtow to them we maintain biblical fidelity in the midst of a crowd that has apostatized from God the blind man had great needs so they cried out for great relief Jesus or Lord son of David have mercy on II notice that the blind man would have continued in their blindness had they listened to the crowd and Jesus passed by praise God he put it in the hearts of these men who had faith that Jesus was a man joined with pity full of power that was able to save them he was Israel's Messiah he was the son of David in accordance with 2nd Samuel 7 the rest of the prophets and the psalter itself these men understood that he alone is the one that can bring light to our dark eyes I don't care if the crowd tells me to be silent I don't care if the crowd doesn't like it I don't care if the crowd actually thinks I'm foolish I'm blind and I need mercy you see that's where you need to come doesn't matter what your friends think it doesn't matter what your friends say it doesn't matter what the general conception of Christianity happens to be out there in here with open Bibles under the eye of a holy God you are a sinner and you stand in need of Christ and Jesus is a Christ who stands to bless those in need because as we move to the third point the gracious response of the son of David he stops in his tracks it's beautiful look at verse 32 so Jesus stood still and called them those are amazing words do you ever come across words in your Bible you stuck Wow it's one of those in 30 or a First Samuel 36b we considered on Wednesday night David comes back to Ziklag and what's happened sick leg has been burned by fire their wives are gone their children are gone now mind you David and his mana just March 60 miles back to Ziklag for probably some R&R they wanted the comfort of family they wanted their own beds they wanted their own food they had come close to having been put into a compromised position so they come back to Ziklag and instead of finding homes instead of finding wives instead of finding children they find a city that has been ransacked by the Amalekites and so what happens they cry it's a good response isn't it they cry they weep first four they wept till they couldn't we penny more than what David's men wanted the stone he's the source of all this he's the problem behind the Ziklag caper he's the one that if we destroy well we still won't get our houses back we still won't get our wives and our kids back but it'll make us feel better just to stone him so David's got this mess but 6b says but David strengthened himself in the Lord his God that beautiful that what you do in the midst of a Ziklag strengthen yourself in the lord your god this is another one of those sorts of verses so Jesus stood still he's too busy for you he's got a mission he's got a journey there's necessity laid upon him from the father in heaven but he stood still you see sometimes actually I think people actually get it in their head you know I understand what you're saying I am a sinner I understand what you're saying that I have offended a holy God I understand what you're saying the holy God is going to ultimately cut me off and cast me off and throw me into hell forever because that's the way a holy and eternal God functions in a moral universe I understand all this but I don't believe Jesus would save me I don't believe Jesus would have me I don't believe Jesus would stop on a crowded road in Jericho and ask me what I want there's nothing more about these two men that would provoke the mercy and the grace of Jesus than there isn't us you see we're dealing with grace and mercy we're not dealing with payment and recompense we're dealing with grace and mercy so you ought to conclude that if Jesus on the way to Jerusalem in the midst of a busy city here's two wretches say Lord son of David have mercy on us and he comes to a stop and he calls for these man then you ought to reckon there is grace and mercy for a wretch like me i'm going to call on him too i'm going to cry out to him too i'm going to say son of David have mercy on me too you see you ought never to conclude that this same Jesus doesn't extend mercy today I think that's one of the points of the passage I think that's what's going on he's made this glorious statement in 20 28 just as the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many he's about to enter into the City of David to do the function of David's son and on the way he shows us something about gospel light he shows us something about opening the eyes of men DET he shows us something of his pity and as of his power it's almost as if matthew is saying to us as you enter into jerusalem in this horrific week of suffering for the son of man never forget his purpose 2028 it is to give his life as a ransom for many and never forget his mercy these two wretched men and Jericho that were outcasts beggars that were sitting marginalized Christ Stood Still it's not the glory of our Savior he stands still for us do you ever understand that sometimes you're just aching and agonizing and you've got a Ziklag situation yourself though not the same and you cry out to God and what do you find he listens he's there this is why the psalmist praises God according to Psalm I believe its 116 I love the Lord because he heard the voice of my supplications you know on the one hand we're supposed to love the Lord because he's the creator and where the creature that's our moral obligation we're not supposed to offer up reasons well the bible does I love the Lord because he has heard the voice of my supplications can you testify that has it been the case for you at have you been able to come away from the throne of grace saying by God's grace I've laid hold of him and even better he's laid hold of me Jesus stood still in a busy city on a busy mission and he asks these men what do you want me to do for you RT friends indicates that this is a characteristic of the kingdom that we just learned about chapters 19 and 20 what is a characteristic of the kingdom the first shall be last on the lash albi first these are two last men there two wretched men to two men we'd walk by perhaps take a security so that we wouldn't have to hear them begging I gotta say brethren you don't know this but oftentimes on a Tuesday morning when I Drive around that stuff no I opened the gate and I come driving around I'm always just expecting what I oftentimes fine persons have been there they party and they leave a nice mess for me to pick up and I just do it willingly as unto the Lord non don't I grumble and I wine and I complain sometimes I come back and there's people here Oh threatening I don't want to throw down or get in a fight or have them beat me up or anything like that but you know there's a part of me that doesn't want to have to deal with it it's a part of me that says you know I just hope no one's there because they're going to ask me for money not like we have some petty cash fund here so I get there all you know chip off a few gold ball from the gold blocks and you know hand it over to you but that there is that that resistance in my soul you know I just want to deal with that I think that was probably something in this crowd soul I please want to deal with it and certainly he doesn't want to deal with it he's son of David the son of David going to do with a guy guys like you he's got bigger better more important things to do and yet the son of David stood still he calls for the man and he says what would you have me do France says that Jesus stopped among such a large large moving crowd to respond to the request of too insignificant individuals illustrates again the unconventional values of the kingdom of heaven in which the good of a little one takes precedence and in which compassion triumphs over the expectations of the many you see brethren a part of this great multitude I don't know if Matthew wants us to understand it this way but we need to understand that Matthew and the other 11 are part of this self same multitude now whether they voice this to Bartimaeus whether they said this to Bartimaeus and his companion I'm not sure I don't know but they were part of this crowd you see there are times and we are not like the master we will not stand still we will not hand things out praise God for the master I'm not saying that so we'll go out and be slobs and not deal with people but praise God Almighty that this one gave his life a ransom for many you understand the point of the gospel you understand the glory of the atonement do you understand the blessing of verse 28 and the blood of Jesus it's because we don't do what Jesus did because we don't care about insignificant people because we don't restrain our passions and we don't restrain our wickedness and we don't restrain our evil and our inclinations and our corruptions that's why Jesus came to die for us and to rise again so that sinners by God's grace can look to him and live praise the Lord oh my notice the Lord questions them what do you want me to do for you certainly Jesus would know what a blind man wants doesn't he I mean we're not Jesus but we would know what a blind man would want don't we again it's to confirm to demonstrate into evidence their faith if they say to Jesus we want money we want a burger we want a bag of potatoes it's actually better to buy a bag of potatoes than a burger if you buy a bag of potatoes the brother can eat or the man can eat for all week you get him a burger and it's not gonna last very long you see if they ask for ordinary alms they believe him to be an ordinary man they asked for ten bucks they think that Jesus is just like everybody else in the crowd but here is an evidence here is a demonstration here is a confirmation that these men have faith in the son of David the Lord of all because they say open our eyes that's faith brethren they knew who they were dealing with they knew he was a man with power they knew it was recorded concerning Messiah and the prophet and what pastor camera as well concerning Isaiah chapter 11 what does Messiah do when he comes to Israel he heals blind men he hears the cry of the needy he stops in the midst of a crowded City and he walks over to them or he has them brought to him and he says to them what would you have me to do and these men say open our eyes and notice Jesus compassion they said in verse 33 Lord that our eyes may be open so Jesus had compassion this has been mentioned several times in Matthew's Gospel up to this point Jesus has compassion that great member i said earlier there are those who hear the fact that they're sinners they're under the wrath and fury of god they say but I don't know if Jesus will accept me Jesus had compassion on these men Jesus has compassion demonstrated throughout the gospel narratives compassion again speaks to the reality of mercy and grace it's not desert it's not what you've earned it's not what you're indebted to or God's indebted to you in some sense or other it's about compassion this is the heart of the Savior this is what he loves to do healing these blind men affirms and demonstrates and confirms the reality yes that he is the son of David but it shows us something of this messiahs heart and so is the case when any sinner comes to him what did you find when got by God's grace you believe the gospel did you find blows and kicks and reproofs or did you find welcoming arms from the Savior if you wonder about this compassion you can turn to luke's gospel in chapter 15 where you see it this play you remember the father he had two sons and the one son says father give me my share of the loot I want to go out live now realize what that son is saying to his father when do you get an inheritance you get the inheritance when you're when you're your parent dies so this song essentially says to his father you're better off to me dead than alive chinami to proffer this deal give me my share the inheritance now so I do what I want to do so what does he do he goes out and he does what he wants to do he goes out he sins he goes out near Abele's he goes off he squanders that money he ends up in a hog pen losting after and craving the food that the pigs are eating I mean talk about a glorious or a wondrous word picture that our Lord Jesus gives pigs will eat anything that was looking tasty to this boy in the hog pen so what happens he comes to his senses he says I know what I'll do I'll go back home I don't believe the kids converted at this point whatsoever I believe he's functioning in the capacity of a mercenary I know what I'll do I'll go back to my father's house because my father servants at least get a square meal a day I'll go back I'll say I've sinned against heaven I've sinned in your sight I mean that all sounds really good but his motivation is to fill his belly each and every day he wants to use the father to make sure that he doesn't have to eat big food so he goes back to the Father and if that is indeed the case what the father does even is more glorious a display because if you see when that kid comes back smelling of pig reeking of hog desiring only to be counted a servant in his father's house so he can make his daily bread there's not been genuine repentance if there's not been genuine conversion and good men differ on this particular interpretation but when the father sees and from a long way off the father runs to him the father falls on him the father kisses him the father puts a ring on his finger and he puts it close on his robe on his back that's compassion that's grace that's mercy that's what we're dealing with in the Christian gospel for someone to say I don't deserve Jesus you're right no one deserves Jesus we've all offended God we've all sinned against God we deserve damnation and Hal and rap but the glory of the Christian message is that Jesus stood still that Jesus says what do you want me to do for you and Jesus had compassion that's what we preach not go out and do better or try harder but flee to the one who has compassion flee to the Lord less pity joined with power flee to the Lord alone who is able to wash you from your sins and give you a righteousness that will avail with his father you see that picture of the prodigal the ring on the finger the rub on his back isn't that a blessed blessed emblem of justification God and the gospel takes off our old filthy Pig stinking garments and he cast them aside and he takes that glorious gospel robe of Jesus Christ's righteousness and he puts it on us and he accepts us into his home and he calls for a feast and a party in a celebration that's the heart of our God never conclude that I've been such a mass in such a ranch in such a sinner that Jesus will never have me that is the wrong conclusion with an open Bible the reality is is because you've been such a rep because you've been such a mess because you've been such a sinner flee now to Christ go to the one who has compassion for sinners he is full of pity but as the hymn we sang continues joined with power what would it be if they said Lord son of David have mercy on us and he has this move for this wave of compassion come over him but he says you know I'm not really the son of David I don't have the power to heal you you see sinners you know no don't only need pity you need power and that's what Jesus has I pity you I hope I do pity you if you're unconverted but how does the power to save you imagine power raw power with no pity or compassion that'd be kind of difficult to deal with as well but both these things are joined in our beloved Savior he's got pity and power for sinners and that's what the text indicates so Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes the Lord of glory touches their eyes the son of David does what the Prophet spoke up the son of David hears the cries of the needy and he comes to their aid and will he not do that now has he stopped this blessed activity of saving his people has he come to the place where he's retired where it's over he's no longer engaged in this particular business why do you think every lord's day we bring this to bear on your hearts and minds every Lord's Day children we tried plead with you or tell you the Christian gospel why because he sits enthroned at the right hand of his father where he has pity joined with power such that any who come to him in faith will have everlasting life they will pass from darkness they will pass from death into that blessett blissful position of the sons of God and notice he heals them immediately I don't shake your hand on your way out because I have a cold and I don't want to get you sick Jesus the sense that if I touched you you'd get healthy if I touch you you're going to get sick that's just always the way it's going to be but notice he reaches out he touches their eyes and immediately their eyes received sight and they followed him think back to that read aloud Bible stories now they saw the mountains now they saw the trees now they saw the sky now they saw the mommies and the daddies and the friends and the relatives and the people in the city the best of all now they saw Jesus and what do they do they follow him so people do when they receive mercy and compassion from the one who has power they follow him Carson makes this perceptive statement he says the two healed men joined the crowds following Jesus pressing on to the Passover they expected and the cross they did not they don't understand what the demands of discipleship are going to reveal to them in just about a week's time when they see the Son of God not enthroned upon a throne but had thrown to pawn cross I mentioned earlier that Bartimaeus is commended by Jesus in Mark's Gospel for his faith go your faith has saved you all your faith has made you well John Calvin makes this note by the word faith has met not only a confident hope of recovering sight but a loftier conviction which was that this blind man had acknowledged Jesus to be the Messiah whom God had promised you see there's something more significant here than the reality that these men got their physical sight restored they laid hold of the son of David they saw the one prophesied they saw the one promised they saw the one of the prophets and the rest of Scripture testified and pointed to Gill points out with reference to this faith because it can be messed with you know you get these health wealth prosperity guys saying well you still got cancer because you didn't have faith I mean look it over here God side or jesus said the bartimaeus go your faith has made you well if you haven't gone well because you don't have faith that's wicked version of Holy Scripture Gil qualifies Gil nuances what faith in that context means not that the virtue of healing came from the act of faith but from the object of it our faith is only as good as the object if someone ever says to you doesn't matter what we believe it's just that we do believe that is hogwash that is the stuff they feed the pigs that is the stuff you do not need it's not about the fact that you have faith it's about the person that faith is rooted in it is the object of faith you can believe in a rock and end up in hell you believe in the Lord Jesus you end up in heaven by the grace of God Gil says not that the virtue of healing came from the act of faith but from the object of it his faith was not the cause of nor the reason why but the way and means and went in and by which he receives the cure it's the instrument just like the Apostle affirms everywhere it's not the reason it's not the condition it's not because you have faith I'm going to make you well now that's the hand the empty hand by which we hold to the Blessed promise of God this is a glorious account of two miserable men that find the son of David in conclusion let us rehearse what this what the condition was they were blind beggars and social outcasts not a lot of status to have is a blind person in the first century I mean there's lots of programs now there's a lot of good things people get treated very well you know in societies like these brethren it's just not that way or in times like these it just wasn't that way I mean if you were a widow or you were an outcast life was tough you went to Jericho near the Passover because you knew a lot of people were going to be coming through the city and that would be the time you could beg best they were blind beggars social outcasts they were rebuked and rebuffed by the crowd there warned sternly by the crowd it he doesn't want to hear from you they were importunate in their approach to Jesus I hope you learn what that means I hope I made it clear ask seek knock and don't stop you need to say with Peter when the Lord Jesus says are you gonna are you going to leave me now and cry Peter says Lord to whom shall we go you have the words of eternal life I need to be under that word I need to be where the word is I need to be by the wayside I need to be by that Street where Jesus passes by I need to be there because it's there that I'm going to meet the Lord of glory the son of David that is able to save me from my sins they were menifee who'd avoid a physical sight saw with the eye of faith that Jesus was the Lord the Son of David promised in the scriptures passing through Jericho and they would not take no for an answer that's importunate we see in this passage secondly the glorious identity of Jesus Christ he is the Lord of all these men were absolutely right and they're addressed to him Lord again it means sir in certain context and in certain situations but Matthew tells us his faithful readers that when you see Lord combined with son of David these men are speaking a truth that we need to pay attention to he is Lord and he is the son of David David I've mentioned several times in the sermon that him that we just sang 393 he is full of pity joined with power is that beautiful isn't that the conception of the picture rather rather the demonstration that scripture gives us of our Lord he is full of pity and joined with power that same ham goes toward the end forget which stands it but it says he is able he is able he is able he is willing don't know more he's got power joined with pity he is able he is able he is able he has all power and he is willing don't continue to sit in darkness don't continue to live into the crowd don't continue to resist this one who has pity and power and has demonstrated it in this room with wretches like us if you ever doubt for a moment that there's mercy to be had in the Lord Jesus talked to me for a few minutes talk to some of the other brethren was there something good about us that commended ourselves to the Lord oh we were running from God we were going away from God Paul the Apostle tells us in Romans 3 there is none who seeks after God there is no fear of God before their eyes that was my place I wasn't coming to church I didn't want to hear gospel preaching I didn't want to sit under the word I wanted to get away from it Christ is full of pity joined with power he is able he is able he is able he is willing doubt no more if you are succumbing to pressure maybe it is friends maybe it is the buddies at high school or middle school or whatever school you happen to be it maybe it's kids on your block maybe it's the you know Facebook site or whatever it may be perhaps there's some pressure upon you that you you really shouldn't go to the Lord Jesus royal draws this practical lesson from this passage he says let us mark the value of pains and perseverance in seeking christ friends relatives and neighbors may say unkind things and reprove our earnestness we may meet with coldness and want of sympathy where we might have looked for help but none of these things move us if we feel our diseases and want to find Jesus the Great Physician if we know our sins and desire to have the pardon let us press on may I encourage you today first and foremost that you flee now by faith and what happens when the Son of God touches you he heals you immediately it's not beautiful or minions teach that you have to come forward or you have to sign our tour you have to bow your head raise your hand whenever I is bout Jesus doesn't need you to do that Jesus says right where you are believe believe and you will be healed believe and you will be forgiven believe and you will receive a righteousness that will avail with the father and haven't it is immediate it is right now but if it is the case that you resist reject and you say you know I want to think more about it then think don't listen to the crowd don't listen to the god haters don't listen to those who reject the Lord of glory and the son of David rather listen to the word of truth that bid you come to the Savior and i think one final thing that this text does in this particular passage you'll always try to understand connection why is a text where it is back in Matthew chapter 4 when the Lord Jesus starts his gospel ministry Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah as Matthew does very often notice in 414 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying the land of Zebulun in the land of nafta lie by the way of the sea beyond the Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned I think Matthew maybe he hasn't but this is something I think Matthew is reminding us of this Matthew using the emblematic blind man to show us the Messianic age has come and that light that Dawn's for the good of Gentile and jew alight emanates from the cross it comes from the place where the son of man gave him self for his people that's where light is found that's where truth is found that's where joy and everlasting life are found it's at the cross will let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for the word of God and thank you for the pity power of our Lord Jesus Christ certainly God as your people we have tasted that pity and power for ourselves and we want others to hear of it we want others to know of it we want others by your grace to believe it God today I pray that there would be men women boys and girls that would go home and have dealings with you they would not throw these things off that they would not reject these things but they with the blind man would say Lord son of David have mercy on me if anything opposes or anything resists or anything even in their own hearts would suggest otherwise may they cry all the louder Lord son of David have mercy on me I pray that you would go with us now help us to consider these things help us to be encouraged with the word of God and we pray through Christ our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation and then be dismissed you