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[Music] good morning to everyone and welcome to free grace Baptist Church once again we welcome visitors it's your it's your first time here it's a joy to have you with us yet free grace Baptist Church if there's any questions or anything afterwards the please feel free to ask but it's good to see everyone here on this Lord's Day morning to worship our great triune God just one announcement before we begin worship the the church directory forms are still at the back of the church there if you haven't filled one out and submitted it please do so as soon as you're able to by the end of the month we're looking also to have all of the the photos taken so if you have time if you've brushed your hair and and all that sort of thing and I know I've brushed mine so I'm good to go but if you'd like to take a Jonathan will be available and taking some after this Lord's Day morning service and we'd like to get them all done by the end of the month if possible so your cooperation is greatly appreciated well let's begin our worship then if you'll turn in your Bibles with me to Psalm 96 Psalm 96 our call to worship this morning will be a reading of the entirety of this Psalm Psalm 96 beginning at verse 1 this is the word of the living and true God Oh sing to the Lord a new song sing to the Lord all the earth sing to the Lord bless his name proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day declare his glory among the nations his wonders among all peoples for the Lord is great and greatly to be praised he is to be feared above all gods for all the gods of the peoples are idols but the Lord made the heavens honor and Majesty are before him strength and beauty are in his sanctuary give to the Lord Oh families of the peoples give to the Lord glory and strength give to the Lord the glory due his name bring an offering and come into his courts or worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness tremble before him all the earth say among the nation's the Lord reigns the world also is firmly established it shall not be moved he shall judge the people's righteously let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad let the sea roar and all its fullness let the field be joyful and all that is in it then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord for he is coming for he is coming to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousness and the people's with his truth amen well let's stand and sing together the first hymn will be in the smaller red Trinity Salter will stand and sing Psalm 133 that Psalm 133 let's stand and sing together [Music] [Music] [Music] let's go to our God in prayer let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice we can gather together in the name of Jesus Christ as his Saints in this place to worship Father Son and Holy Spirit truly we would ask again Lord God that you'd help us to how low your Most High name we pray once again not only in this place but throughout the earth that your name would be hallowed that your Saints will be gathering together they have gathered and will be gathering together to worship you their great God we pray that we would hear in this place and that throughout the world your Saints would give you honor and would give you praise and truly Lord we would pray that we would have that measure of the Holy Spirit unto that end that we might give you a proper praise we pray that you would fill our hearts that we might worship you in spirit and in truth help us God by your grace and for your glory to cast aside thoughts that would intrude upon the proper worship of father son and spirit in this place and we pray that we would be attentive and we pray that we would be focused in worship for truly Lord God worship is your do and we do pray that you'd help us in this act of worship here this Lord's Day morning and we rejoice in the gospel of Jesus Christ our Savior and truly you give us many benefits you pour out upon us many blessings and we rehearse with great joy that blessing of blessing salvation through Jesus Christ our precious Savior we thank you for the forgiveness of sins we thank you Lord God for that righteousness which is Christ's which avails with you that is imputed to those who believe in his name we received by faith alone and we thank you for salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord and we rejoice in the fact that you sent him in the fullness of the times born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those under the law once again we rejoice with a great joy and that biblical truth that there is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptance and that it is this that Christ Jesus came into this world sinners to save and we do pray that you'd help us now to reflect with great joy upon the doing and the dying and the rising again of the Son of God we would find in that hour true salvation that we would find in that our hope and that we would have in Christ Jesus our Lord all those spiritual blessings in the heavenly places we do pray God that you'd be with those who need prayer we think Lord God of those who are sick those with illness we pray that you'd be with Linda Lord we pray that you'd strengthen her in the midst of her present trial we would ask that you would heal Lord God we know that it is with you to heal the Great Physician and and we do pray that you would heal that you would just grant her that physical strength in the midst of procedures and all of these things that you would grant the doctors to those dealing with her case you pray we pray that you would give them diligence and precision of craft and we do just pray that you'd strengthen her in the inner man the cause her in the midst of these things to rejoice in her great God and we do pray for for Kris that you would help him to be alongside Linda to be a source of strength and encouragement and in all these things and do give them much grace we pray for John Proctor we pray for our brother that you'd strengthen him pray that you'd heal him attend to his various wounds Lord and just strengthen him in his back and all those things that are plaguing him we pray that he would know healing that he would know strengthen that he would be able to join us soon we do just pray that in the midst of suffering in the midst of pain and discomfort he would cause him to rejoice in our God and Lord though away from us we pray that he would be in a sense present with us watching and rejoicing and singing the praises of God are of our great God and we do pray as well for Dawn Neufeld Lord that you'd strengthen him as he has in the hospital we pray that you would help those dealing with him to be strengthened in their craft to deal with his his case in the proper way we pray that you would heal as well that you'd give him reprieves from the pains and the discomforts associated with his illness and Lord that in the midst of physical affliction and you would lift him up and cause him to rejoice in his God we do pray Lord that you'd be with each and every one of us who are struggling spiritually we pray that you'd help us lift us up that you would strengthen us that all of your ailing Saints Lord that you would pick them up return to them the joy of their salvation we pray Lord God that for each and every one of us here now that you attend to each and every one that you'd strengthen us in the inner man that you'd caused us now in worship to render unto you that joyful service that is your do we do just pray that you would equip us daily for for that task of living in a crooked and perverse generation you'd help us by your grace and for your glory to hold forth your word of truth we do pray God that you'd be once again with the persecuted Church as we often hear of many attacks the tyranny the oppression the persecution and many nations we do just pray that you'd be near to each and every one of our fellow Saints our brothers and sisters throughout the world persecuted for your name's sake we would ask that you'd strengthen them that you would help them God that you'd be to them they're near God of all comfort and we pray that you would deal with those who persecute them we pray that through the proclamation of the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit many who are presently persecutors would be brought to the knowledge of Jesus Christ that you would save them and cause them to be found among those whom they formerly persecuted rejoicing in the triune God we do know that there will be those who would remain in opposition and we do pray Lord God that you would deal with them that you would bring judgment upon them we pray for your righteousness to be vindicated throughout the earth in these cases and that many would be brought to justice and that you would cause those who remain in opposition who remain in rebellion that you would cause them to stumble like drunken men they may no longer bring violence upon the people of Christ we would ask God unto the end of unto the end of these things for the proclamation of your gospel throughout the world that you would empower those missionaries those ministers of yours throughout the world to preach the full and saving gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord that you would bring by your grace and for your glory many to a knowledge of Jesus Christ the Lord and God even in the ranks of government that you would cause those who rule to be made alive in Christ Jesus that they might rule in righteousness and justice and inequity and we pray for that measure of of common grace Lord God throughout the lands of those who are in places and positions of power and influence would not pervert the nation's but would rather do according to your will and according to your word it would seek to exercise justice throughout the lands not sanctioning abominations but upholding a proper justice we do pray for this and unto that end we pray again for the proclamation of your gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit be with us now in worship Lord we pray and we we always along to worship you in spirit and in truth we pray for pastor Butler as he preaches your word in a few minutes that you would give him that grace to proclaim with great courage and great clarity the things of your word to us we pray God that you would strengthen him in the pulpit and that you would be with us in the pews that you would strengthen your saints that you would save sinners and that this exercise of worship that we engage in would be unto the praise of your glorious grace would be unto the salvation of sinners and Lord God that our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ would be exalted upon the praises of his people we pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior amen let's stand and sing again this time in your larger Trinity hymnal we're gonna sing for 51 that's for 51 to a familiar tune let's stand and sing together [Music] [Music] please be seated our New Testament scripture reading is from the Gospel of Luke this Lord's Day morning you can turn to Luke 23 Luke chapter 23 beginning in verse 1 Luke 23 beginning in verse 1 once again the Word of God then the whole multitude of them arose and led him to Pilate and they began to accuse him saying we found this fellow perverting the nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar saying that he himself is Christ a king then Pilate asked him saying are you the King of the Jews he answered and said he answered him and said it is as you say so Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd I find no fault in this man but they were the more fierce saying he stirs up the people teaching throughout all Judea beginning from Galilee to this place when Pilate heard of Galilee he asked if if the man were a Galilean and as soon as he knew that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction he sent him to Herod who was also in Jerusalem at that time now when Herod saw Jesus he was exceedingly glad for he had desired for a long time to see him because he had heard many things about him and he hoped to see some miracle done by him then he questioned him with many words but he answered him nothing and the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him then Herod with his men of war treated him with contempt and mocked him arrayed him in a gorgeous robe and sent him back to Pilate that very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other for previously they had been at enmity with each other then Pilate when he had called together the chief priests the rulers and the people said to them you have brought this man to me as one who misleads the people and indeed having examined him in your presence I have found no fault in this man concerning those things of which you accuse him no neither did Herod for I sent you back to him and indeed and indeed nothing deserving of death had been done by him I will therefore chastise him and release him for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast and they all cried out at once saying away with this man and release to us Barabbas who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city and for murder Pilate therefore wishing to release Jesus again called out to them but they shouted saying crucify him crucify by him then he said to them the third time Why What evil has he done I have found no reason for death in him I will therefore chastise him and let him go but they were insistent demanding with loud voices that he be crucified and the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed so Pilate gave sentenced that it should be as they requested and he released to them the one they requested who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison but he delivered Jesus to their will amen well we have a fulfillment here of Psalm 2 in the course of the the proceedings here with respect to Christ and the crucifixion we see in verse 12 that every that very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other for previously they had been at enmity with each other Jim had mentioned last time that persons perhaps at odds with each other political rulers who are normally at odds with each other come together when it concerns opposition to the Christ into his church and here we see that Pilate and Herod became friends with each other the rulers of the nation's conspire together against against our God and against his Christ seeking to to cut off the bonds and to break the chains of his moral government over them and that's what we see here with respect to Pilate and Herod this fulfillment of Psalm 2 with regards to the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ truly he went as it had been eternally for ordained the means that are that are carried out the means that bring about this particular instance with regards to Christ and the crucifixion are the political machinations of Pilate and Herod to put him upon Calvary's cross we see here the people gathered around crying out time and again after Christ's righteousness is recognized after Christ's innocence is asserted time and again by Pilate we see here the people crying out crucify him crucify him and ultimately Pilate wickedly caves under the pressure of the crowd but this cry crucify him crucify him there's modern him that I think gets it right and it says something like ashamed I hear my mocking voice cry out among the scoffers if you're here this morning in your outside of Jesus Christ and unbelief there is no middle position but you're rather aligned with these who cried out at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ are at the trial of Jesus Christ crucify him crucify him you have their laught you're in their mix you're of their character you would have outside of Christ and outside of the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit cry it out crucify him crucify him and give us Barabbas God finds you out by his word and by the proclamation of his word by His Holiness by the revelation of his justice and his righteousness and his holy law defines you out as sinners and yet there is that blessed remedy that blessed salvation that blessed hope in Jesus Christ all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God yet this Christ who stood before Herod and who stood before Pilate gave himself for guilty sinners upon Calvary's cross and you by His grace can turn from being a scoffer from being a mocker from being one who cries out crucify him crucify him to being one who cries out worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive honor and blessing and glory be those of such ilk who cry out in praise and who cry out in worship believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your revelation to us we rejoice in your word and we rejoice in what we read here with respect to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ it is no doubt solemn it is no doubt a sobering account and yet contained within as our hope our joy our salvation that Christ took upon himself your wrath on Calvary's cross in order to redeem a multitude which no man can number and we do pray Lord that you would cause us to to be respectful to be honoring to to be such as who hold your word and high esteem as the infallible inspired inerrant word that it is that we would rejoice in these narrative accounts of our blessed Savior who went to Calvary's cross and the stead of believers we pray that you'd continue now with us in worship help our souls to be lifted to a high end reverence esteem of the one who created all things of the one who upholds all things and of the one who redeems sinners by grace through faith in Christ Jesus the Lord and it's in his name that we pray amen well let's stand and sing our final him before the preaching again in the larger Trinity hymnal him 32 let's stand and sing 32 together [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Acts we're in Acts chapter 4 Acts chapter 4 we've concluded a larger section that began in chapter 3 at verse 1 with the healing of that lame man the basis of that healing Peter preached a sermon and Solomon's porch word got to the religious leaders Peter and John were subsequently arrested they stood before the council the council threatened them not to speak or preach in the name of Jesus anymore they go they pray and then we come to this sort of progress report or a description of the church given by Luke in Acts chapter 4 verses 32 to 37 will see these along the way in the book of Acts where the author shows us what's happening within the context of the Church of Jesus Christ so I do want to read beginning in acts 4 at verse 32 now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own but they had all things in common and with great power the Apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all nor was there any one among them who lacked for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold and laid them at the Apostles feet and they distributed to each as anyone had need and Joseph who was also named Barnabas by the Apostles which is translated son of encouragement a Levite of the country of Cyprus having land sold it and brought the money and laid it at the Apostles feet amen will let us pray father in heaven we thank you for the written word we thank you that you have not left us in this world as orphans but you've given us the spirit and you've given us your Holy Word and we pray even now the Spirit would help us to understand this section help us God to internal these things help us as believers in Jesus Christ to manifest that or to evidence that by the way that we live do forgive us for our sins in all unrighteousness cleanse us afresh in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and help us again we pray by the power of your Holy Spirit and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well as I said that's one of the tactics that Luke employs along the way here in the book of Acts is to take a step back and just give us a sort of general summary of life in the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ the book of Acts obviously being primarily about making disciples and planting local churches so it makes sense that along the way the the book would refer to us or show us rather what's happening in the context of the church and I think Luke in this section in verses 32 to 37 wants us to learn three things about the church in the first place the church was unified secondly the church was instructed and thirdly the church was generous or charitable or benevolent well let's look first at the fact that the church was unified it is first declared in verse 32 and then it is demonstrated in verse 32 notice it says now the multitude of those who believe the scriptures are clear that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone the people of God are not the people of God because they are charitable the people of God are charitable because they are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ you need to see that and you need to understand that you will never enter into heaven by selling your house and giving the proceeds to the poor that is simply not taught in Scripture you will only enter into heaven based on the doing and the dying of our Lord Jesus Christ now those who are saved those who do believe the gospel those who have looked and lived will know sanctification they will know holiness they will know justice but it's not that righteousness that achieves with a for us status with God it's the righteousness of Jesus Christ and him alone so the people of God are identified as those who believe the gospel you have to get that you're not saved because your charitable your charitable because you're saved and if you're not charitable then perhaps the condition is you need to believe the gospel that's what we see in this particular section but it says the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul in other words there was Christian unity the people of God like each other the people of God loved each other the people of God care for each other the people of God want to help one another Calvin says and surely where faith Bharath the chief sway it does so knit the hearts of men together that all of them do both will and nil one thing Darrell Bock makes the observation he says as they prayed with one voice in verse 24 remember that they with one Accord lifted up their voice to God he says as they prayed with one voice in verse 24 so now they are committed to each other in terms of resources and we ought to appreciate this as well we're not saved because we give rather we give because we're saved but also the fact that our profession of faith in Jesus Christ will manifest itself it will evidence itself it is an internal reality that is corroborated by external conduct in other words we know that these people were believers in Christ because they held all things in common they didn't insist upon their own prerogatives and their own privileges when they saw a brother or a sister in need the faith that they had in Jesus Christ produced in them this desire to share this desire to alleviate the downtrodden and the poor this desire to come along and aid them and this is expression of the one Hartness and one soul mass or the unity that the people of God possessed and all throughout the New Testament you see this emphasize this this unity of the People of God not in the sense that we're all cookie cutters not in the sense that we all wear the same uniform not in the sense that we all do exactly the same thing at exactly the same time at exactly the same you know condition no but rather there is a unity of purpose among the people of God namely the glory of God the salvation of sinners and the strengthening of the people of God there ought to be a marked unity among the people of God in the church today and that marked unity comes not from a compromise of the truth but rather through a pursuit of the truth it's very intriguing if you look back at the early Creed's in Christianity they're oftentimes called the ecumenical Creed's you've heard that word ecumenism and we heard today and we think it's a bad thing Accu Menace ism today in many respects is a bad thing because it's a pursuit of unity with one another at the the compromise of truth but those early ecumenical Creed's sought ecumenism through the truth and appended at the very end of each of those ecumenical Creed's were Anathem us pronounced upon those who didn't believe the things that they had set forth in the Greek in other words their pursuit of ecumenism was not through a compromise of the truth but rather through a pursuit of the truth first Corinthians 13 we learn a lot about love do we often ponder the reality that love rejoices in truth you see the church had one heart and one soul because they believed in the one Savior provided by God the Father to save his people from their sins this is what is enjoined upon us in the New Testament so we see this declaration now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul now note the demonstration in terms of the unity of the church in verse 30 to be neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own but they had all things in common you see how this follows be one thing for us to say we're full of unity we have a one Hartness and a one soul Ness amongst us and yet there's no demonstration we don't pony up with our our goods we don't give to the cause of those who stand in need and yet these early believers did not say me me me mind mind mind they didn't have a lot in common with the horse leach of proverbs 30 which only ever says give give they weren't saying that in terms of their own possession they may have been saying and in terms of providing for others neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own but they had all things in common notice back in chapter 2 at verses 44 and 45 chapter 2 verse 44 now all who believed were together and had all things in common and sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all as anyone had need their love is seen in togetherness and their love is seen in charitable Ness and I think it bears repetition because we said it then and we'll say it now this was not state coerced in other words the people of God are not a menace by the Roman Empire and forced or coerced to ameliorate the the downtrodden the poor wasn't communism as well it wasn't Church coerced it wasn't mandated when we get to chapter 5 in that case with Ananias and Sapphira Peter says when you help the property it was yours when you sold it the proceeds were yours you didn't have to lie you didn't have to be a hypocrite there is no diminishing of free property or the eighth commandment under the reign of Messiah this was a voluntary willing heart on the people of God to give with reference to those in need it was a voluntary compassion expressed as an ass of this one Hartness and one soul nests our confession highlights nevertheless their communion one with another as Saints does not take away or infringe the title or propriety which each man hath in his goods and possessions we need to maintain this brethren communism is always back whether it comes from the state or whether it comes from the church there is to be no sacrifice by sword of one's possessions the beautiful thing about Christian charity is that it's done from a willing spirit it's done from a happy heart it's not done with threat of imprisonment it genuinely is charity it genuinely is the giving of alms it genuinely expresses the truth of God's free grace received by sinners such that they believe the truth and now that they have one art one soul with people that are destitute they come alongside happily as those who've received grace to give grace to others there's no sword involved by a church or state it is genuinely compassionate compassion and action now notice secondly we move from the church was unified - secondly the church was instructed verse 33 and with great power the Apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all now I suggest that you could remove verse 33 and that would still make sense in fact it would have a structure that's even a little bit more obvious because verse 32 tells us they didn't insist upon their own thing but they held their possessions in common with others and then verses 34 and following amplify or demonstrate or illustrate how that is the case in other words they held things in common well what does that mean practically well those who had land sold it and took the proceeds and dropped it at the feet of the disciple you see you don't need 33 there on the one hand make sense of what's happening in 32 and following but you absolutely positively do need verse 33 there for this very reason what was occurring wasn't some natural phenomena but it was driven by God's grace the the statement here in verse 33 concerning preaching is the way we ought to view the engine-room in the ship in other words the ship doesn't go through the water unless the engine is going right you all know that it or when you leave here today and you turn your key and it doesn't do anything your car's not gonna roll now you can ask several of the bigger fellows to to push it and of course make it roll that way I understand that but but you need that engine don't you to make the car roll I'm not a mechanic but that much I do know okay this isn't the Flinstones we don't do it with our feet to sort of move the unit on its and then oh we have an engine and I think verse 33 is crucial because what's happening again is not skate it's not just the best idea at the particular time but this is the fruit of God's gospel this is what it's about in other words you're saved by grace through faith in Jesus why so you can mock the downtrodden and poor so that you can eat while the destitute are going hungry so that you can feast while others are put into a and imposed fast no the gospel yields this type of fruit this is the emphasis the the preaching produced this the preaching of the gospel essentially produced this and the preaching of the gospel will sustain this notice in verse 33 and with great power the Apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all now this is the primary emphasis in the apostolic ministry isn't it fact look at chapter 6 at verse 2 chapter 6 at verse 2 then the 12 Sun in the multitude of the disciples and said it is not desirable that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables therefore brethren seek out from among you seven men of good reputation full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom whom we may appoint over this business but we will give ourselves continually to prayer into the Ministry of the word so going back to chapter four at this particular time the Apostles were still conceivably able to administer the various gifts given Lourdes perps persons were we're selling their capital or their their houses and their properties and bringing capital assets and laying them down at the feet of the Apostles and the apostles were to find those who were in need and they were to help them but when that got too much and it kept the Apostles from prayer and the Ministry of the word that's when they call for the selection of Deacons and when we come to verse 33 this is the primary emphasis in terms of apostolic ministry and with great power the Apostles gave witness and that great power links us back to the Apostolic Prayer in chapter 4 when they specifically asked the Lord in verse 29 now Lord look on their threats and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak your word Paul speaks of this in first Corinthians chapter 2 I didn't come to you with great power and with great learning and with great you know oratorical ability but my preaching was in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power you see that's what the church stands in need of not just men who can exegete scripture but men filled with the spirit that can preach scripture you see it's the spirit ultimately that we need when it comes time to the expounding of God's Word it's not just an intellectual exercise there ought to be intellectual exercise persons ought to learn the scripture whole idea behind apostolic preaching is that great grace was upon them all not only to believe the gospel but to look out for the various needs within the context of the local church and minister unto them you see this is the engine room without the preaching of the gospel it's no better than a group of people that have gotten together with a particular social agenda and say we want to throw money at this perhaps to appease our conscience or perhaps to try and make ourselves look really good see without verse 33 and I'm not suggesting Luke will always put a verse 33 in there but I think that to read this and say wow they were doing this and wow it's amplified there and to miss the connection with reference to the preaching of God's Word is something we don't want to do because notice what he says very specifically verse 33 with great power the Apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus isn't that intriguing with great power the Apostles gave witness to a teaching or to a study on unity among the Brethren now that's fine we can have Bible studies on unity among the Brethren we can also have Bible studies and lessons on generosity displayed by the Brethren but it is intriguing and it may just be a piece of luke's theological shorthand to compendious compendium this resurrection of Jesus is an all-encompassing term for both gospel and everything that the Bible says but it is intriguing the Apostles are declaring the resurrection of Jesus and as a result of that declaration of the resurrection of Jesus we read that great grace was upon them all you've perhaps heard that from time to time that preaching is a means of grace there's no mistake here there's no sort of misstep by Luke I think the connection is very tight the Apostles preached with great power and God sent great grace preaching is a means of grace and that preaching that focuses upon the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is a conduit by which the grace of God comes to the people of God and that race then is fleshed out in the lives of God's people toward others does everybody get this this isn't just a unique study and a group of people that tried to help their neighborhood this kind of stuff we get well there's this neighborhood in downtown LA and they've just gone out there with coffee and with chocolate and doughnuts in there they're really trying to ameliorate the suffering of that at down truck that's not this this is Christianity in action this is the people of God looking after themselves based on what the father had done in the son for their salvation they're believers they have one heart they have one soul they don't cleave to their possessions but rather they see their possessions as serving everybody within the community and why is that because they're a group of people in a neighborhood that want to fix things no because the Apostles preached the cross and through the preaching of the Cross great grace came upon them all this isn't the favor with men that acts 2:47 has it's the same word but in acts 2:47 the church is growing in terms of their favor with man that's not the connection here the connection here is that through the preaching of the gospel great grace is coming upon the people of God from God and that's the empowering agent with reference to their good doing that's what you need to see it's not a group of people that tried to solve a local problem it's God the Lord working in his people through His grace through preaching now you might say well Butler you're a preacher and that kind of stuff makes you happy yeah I am a preacher and that kind of stuff does make me happy I have to tell you but but that really is what it says that really is the connection you could successfully move from 32 to 34 and not miss a beat in fact there would be more structural coherence I would suggest if you went from 32 to 34 this idea that they held everything in common is amplified in 34 in following but Luke doesn't want us to see it that way Luke wants us to know what's activating these people what's motivating these people what's causing these people to do the very things these people are doing it's the gospel of Jesus it's the glory of God it's the truth that truth believe that truth received that truth will then move a man a woman a boy or girl to do what God says to do it's a beautiful thing we're saved by faith alone but that faith is never alone but it's accompanied by all other saving graces I submit to you based on this passage that preaching is the engine-room that drives this ship and it hasn't changed remember their prayer in verse 29 not get rid of the Sanhedrin not make all their cars you know falter on their way homes and they die in horrible accidents not make sure Lord that we're never threatened but in light of the fact that kid that the Sanhedrin is threatening us give us boldness to do what we're supposed to do even in the midst of it we saw that last week I know it was a long time ago but we did see that last week the primary emphasis of the church in this first century context was on preaching the word and now Luke is giving us another view it's not only the preaching of the word for the salvation of sinners within the Empire but it's the preaching of the word for the energizing of the saints of Christ within the context of the church to do what they're supposed to do it's a beautiful thing beautiful beautiful connection that Luke gives us here you know in other words what I'm trying to say is they were what they were because the preaching was what it was they were what they were because the preaching was what it was and God's provision of grace was upon them all now means of grace that has been misunderstood in the life of the church we say oh you mean it's sort of like bail we drop a quarter in we push the button and we get out the pop that we want that's how bail was worshiped you just did certain things visa vie copulate fornicate and then bail would would would redound in blessings to the worshippers are you saying God is like that when you suggest this idea of means of grace no the emphasis on means of grace has never been as long as you do this then God will I think the emphasis is more on you're more likely to know the nearness of God when you're reading your Bible when you're praying and when you're in church singing and worshipping and praising then when you're fixing your car engine not that you can't worship God or think of God when you're fixing your car engine but the means of grace are those things provided by God for the benefit of his people with reference to the way he gives them things yeah and it's not formulaic read your Bible for four hours this week and you'll increase and you know holiness by eighteen units that's not how it's supposed to look BC but it's full of foolish and and foolhardy to suppose there aren't means that God's ordained for the benefit of his people you see this in the salvation of sinners and 1st Corinthians 1:21 for since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom did not know God it pleased God through a lot through zapping them through giving them an experience through causing them to thus and amount sham and go into some meditative chant and come out as believer know through the foolishness of the message preached that's the means that God's ordained that's the means that God uses not always people can read their Bibles and get saved the point is God doesn't typically just snap as cosmic fingers and make people believers there's conviction of sin there's a recognition of the Savior and there's belief in him and that comes through information it comes to contact it comes through understanding it comes to hearing fact doesn't Paul tell us that in Romans 10:17 faith comes by what faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God it's not magic it's not okaz focus it's not mysticism it's not esotericism it is rather gospel preaching blessed by God the presence of the Holy Spirit and great grace coming upon that all beautiful thing now notice thirdly and finally the church was benevolent or charitable or generous whatever we want to say notice in verses 34 and following we have first the sufficiency highlighted verse 34 a nor was there any one among them who lacked beautiful thing nor was there any one among them he lacked I don't think that means everybody had a summer home everybody had you know passes to the theatre and everybody had two cars and you know a chicken in every pot again this isn't Roosevelt this is gospel okay doesn't mean that everybody had the same as everybody else in fact when it comes down to who the apostles dole out this stuff to it's to those who had need the goal wasn't driven by equality for everybody everybody has the same chicken everybody has the same you know chicken in the pot everybody has the same car in the driveway everybody wears the same unit again this isn't communism this ain't now saint paul pott saint stalin this is gospel moving the people of god to a willing charitable mass to their fellows who are suffering fact alexander explains this first clause the condition here described is not one of affluence or wealth but one of freedom for from distress and want when it says nor was there any one among them who lacked that doesn't mean they all ate lobster all the time it just means they ate they had they had shelter they had clothing they had food again it might not have been you know the sorts of things that others in the context of the church had use no equality here in terms of everybody's got to be the same fact note the next section the explanation of this what why is it this way Luke how can it be the case 34 a nor was there any one among them who lacked well well how could that have been Luke well I'm gonna tell you in verses 34 being following for all who are possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold now the generosity of these landowners is obvious isn't it yes it is everybody nod with me it's obvious that these landowners were generous but it also ought to be obvious that there were landowners there were people of substance there were people of wealth there is this ungodly unholy wretched approach to money which says never have any well I would affirm that if the Bible held that no the Proverbs say give me neither poverty nor riches because if I'm broke I'll be tempted to go out steal and dishonor my god but if I'm rich I'll be tempted to forget my god there's dangers associated with poverty an and riches and we need to appreciate that we need to understand that but the Bible's response to money is never get rid of every drop of it that's who fairly simplistic that is just not biblical that's papists potpourri that that is this value of of what is it vow not chastity its vow of poverty you're gonna be a holier priest if you eat gruel I'm sorry a stake might help him to preach a little better once in a while a bit of meat on his bones may help him to raise up his voice and declare the truth better than gruel why is that why is is poverty somehow holy if poverty's holy brethren we're all going to be the most holy people in the face of the earth because we'll get rid of everything well Jesus told that rich young ruler to go and sell everything he had it follow him you know what Jesus is doing there and Jesus is preaching the law that one use of the law there's three of them remember the one is called the pedagogical the child tutor towards this young man thought he was righteous all these things I've kept from my youth what do I lack Jesus says well you haven't kept the tenth commandment grind that into your conscience right now and let you see that ghost sell everything you have give it to the poor and follow me that man sin was covetousness you know some suppose that was Paul I'm not sure about that longer I live the more it actually does kind of make sense when Paul sort of rehearsing his deal in Romans seven what was the sin that was used by God to show him himself it was do not covet do not lust I would not have known unless the law had said now again I'm not saying it is Paul but it certainly functions in the same way with that rich young ruler he goes away sad why because he had a lot of stuff it's the 10th word that brings conviction for sin brethren the simplistic answer with reference to your resources is to get rid of it all the biblical answer is cuff up give be generous in fact if you have a lot of stuff you ought to read first Timothy 6 now I don't want to say I don't trust all of you wealthy landowners to read this on your own but let me just refresh your memory as to what first entity 617 219 says if ever there was a point in time where the Bible could clearly say that it's wicked to possess money it would be first Timothy 6:17 command those who are rich in this present age to get rid of everything to divest their portfolio whatever that means to sell their resources to to take all their loot and you know take it wherever you would take all your loot that's how what Paul says he says command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty nor to trust and uncertain riches but in the Living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy you mean Paul if I'm certain on a pile of loot I ought to thank God that I'm sitting on a pile of loot sure he gave it to you now again it's communistic destroy he didn't give me a pile of loot maybe he knows you can't handle a pile of loot convinced that's why I've never found a bag of money God knows better than I do we rehearsed that a bit last week in Psalm 103 I didn't get into those particulars but one of the things we don't often use on is how God has protected us not only from you know car racks or train racks or some sort of horrible thing but in terms of sin and temptation praise God he hasn't given me a pile of loot praise God Almighty that he has held some of that back so so you mean weren't to actually thank God for the benefits and blessings that he gives us it's unfortunate I don't even have to say that isn't it I mean if you've actually got a skill your that proverbs fellow that you know you see a man who excels in his work he'll stand before kings the man who excels in his work and he stands before kings is typically compensated handsomely for that you ever called to fix the plumbing in the White House or in Ottawa you're probably gonna make more money than you do fixing my plumbing just the way it goes and God's given you that ability and God's given you that talent and you've gone out and you found it the pavement and you've done you've turned wrenches you've you've used your mind you've used your intellectual property you've you have service the greater good and God's rewarded you for that you you should thank God don't you think anybody that has the gift to put two pieces of wood together ought to praise God that he's got that gift persons you got the gift to think through a jumble of numbers and figure out how to properly answer Canada revenue more power to that guy and praise God for that gift that he's given em you see Paul says that things received ought to be thanked or we ought to thank God for but not only that now notice in verse 18 let them do good that they be rich in good works ready to give willing to share storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life that's the ethic that I suggest submit no demand is biblical not just get rid of everything you have but also not just keep everything you have God didn't give you all of that ability and give you that you know that that's savvy and money-making so you can you know all the bells and whistles associated with life again I'm not saying no bells and whistles Butler wants us to live in cheats no Butler says do it you do but do it for the glory of God and COFF up because that's what they did in the early church they coughed up you heard the preacher say you know we've got good news and we've got bad news we have all the money that we need for the present building fund the bad news is it's in your wallets Koff up is what the passage suggests the goal of Christianity is not the goal of socialism remember Churchill said socialism is a philosophy of failure the creed of ignorance in the gospel of envy its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery that's not Christianity now we need to be honest and say that what Churchill also said one of the problems with capitalism is the unequal share of blessings so you went after socialism to be sure as an equally shared misery but one of the intrinsic points or problems with capitalism and again I am NOT here to suggest anything other than but one of the problems is is that we don't cough up we just hold on to everything if we are the people of God and we have one heart and we have one soul and it's driven by faithful gospel preaching we ought to come along the side of the downtrodden and pour among our people what they're doing they're caring for one another let us do good to all man Paul says in Galatians 6:10 especially to those of the household of faith it's a beautiful thing when we look after each other we care for each other what's Jesus say in Matthew 25 the the good that you did for them you did it unto me what you withheld from them you you withheld from me see probably behind this is Deuteronomy 15 for we get a bit of a snapshot that at least for the time being within the land the new people of God there was no poverty but the rest of Deuteronomy 15 indicates that the poor you will always have and we know that this is a a snapshot of one aspect because we get into chapter 5 verses 1 to 11 and we meet the case the sad case of Ananias and Sapphira so not all the people of God were generous with the resources that God had entrusted to them but in terms of the situation here they sold their property they brought the proceeds to the Apostles and the Apostles distributed to each again as anyone had need don't miss that modifier they distribute it so that everybody would be equal so that everybody would be the same so that everybody would brethren that's not fair you hear these communist countries where guys who are you know medical doctors make the same amount of money as somebody who sweeps the street now sweeping the street is a noble task in fact there's a guy in our town every time I see him I praise God for him I think he's one of the best things Chilliwack has going for him he's out there sweeping with a smile on his face anytime you look at him and he give him the Nadi's he just beams he lights up that is a noble calling but in terms of the abilities necessary to do brain surgery and sweep a street I'm of the mind that the brain surgeon should make a little more money I think that's built into God's world do you see a man who excels in his work he will stand before kings what's the contra a man who doesn't excel in his work he's not going to stand before gains and that's ok not everybody's going to stand before kings not everybody's going to fix the king's toilet but somebody is and as a result he's going to get compensated for it do we begrudged him no we rejoice with those who rejoice because we're god-fearing people the Apostles saw the particular needs and they took stuff to them not to bring everybody up to snob not everybody's the same it's not this sort of monolithic group again with uniform and with the same jobs and with the same pay and with the same foot no there's diversity there's some that make a lot of money and others that don't that's just the way you're looking at me like I'm nuts do you read The Book of Proverbs do you read the Old Testament have you heard Jesus the poor you will always have with you see communism fails at that particular point they want to do something better than Jesus Jesus was content not known how content but he says it matter-of-factly you're always gonna have the poor you're not always gonna have me see communism don't know we can't have anybody poor and you know how that all ends up right you know how that goes everybody ends up ports up the few on the top it's a it's a it's a miserable system because of remaining sin there's no way a group of people are ever gonna get together and just do everything right if you believe that boy do I have some land for you to buy cuz that's just foolhardy the whole idea of checks and balances are there because of the you Nate depravity of man and the system which says hey everybody's created equal ultimately ends up with the pigs being more equal brethren this is not communism this is the willingness of God's people empowered by grace to give of their resources to help the needy among them it really is that simple and it really is that sublime it really is that beautiful so up until later on the Apostles could administer this they could administrate this because that's what it tells us they laid them at the Apostles feet that means they trusted the Apostles with the resources that they had and they the Apostles distributed to each is anyone had need now when it comes pushed push comes to shove in chapter 6 and this distributing to those in need specifically the Hellenistic widows and the the Hebrew widows when that became a problem and kept them from their study in prayer that's when they said select these men so that they can administrate this you know why seven probably because each day of the week there was a deacon to make sure that nobody went hungry beautiful thing isn't it the division of labor now Luke ends with an example some say well Barnabas was the best at this no I think Barnabas is introduced here for a couple of reasons in the first place Barnabas according to Darrell Bock and I have no reason to suspect these he's off here Barnabas is kind of a hero to Luke you'll see that later in acts 13 and following Luke who's your hero Paul I mean Luke was a fan of Paul Luke loved Paul Luke was a you know I mean the way that he writes concerning Paul well you know it seems like he's got a an affinity for this Barnabas here which intriguingly later on Paul and Barnabas have a falling out but Barnabas is going to fare heavy in the rest of the narrative well not the rest but for several chapters so this is a good way for Luke to introduce us to this guy who's going to come up again it's in Acts chapter 9 that Barnabas brings Paul to the church in Jerusalem and says no he's legit remember the church in Jerusalem when they initially saw Paul they they got scared why because Saul of Tarsus used to arrest people like them imagine your worst enemy coming to church on Sunday morning he might be tempted to slide down the peel a little bit you know wait a minute well Barnabas comes along and says no no he sees legit God saved him he's a trophy of grace Barnabas was key there Barnabas is key in Acts chapter 11 and there we see Act in Acts chapter 11 22 and following that Barnabas has a gift of preaching when we see that he's called son of encouragement I don't know that that means necessarily on a Sunday he would have gotten your coffee and said isn't it a beautiful day now he probably had that disposition about him but the word encouragement also has in its realm of meaning exhortation Barnabas may have been a preacher Barnabas may have been who could bring it and that's why Barnabas was known by the Apostles as Barnabas his name was literally Joseph or Joseph you'll see that some of the the manuscript tradition supports it was Joseph or Josie's or Joseph which literally yay-yay-yay saw Yosef or yeah yo seis but but he's either josie's or Joseph but to the Apostles he's called the son of encouragement again it may have been that he just spoke nice words to the Apostles you look good today here's nice happy day to be a lot it could be that or it could be the ability to open the word and exhort and preach and bring it he fares again later in Acts chapter 13 to 15 he's with Paul on the first missionary journey he's with Paul if I mean this Barnabas is a huge character in terms of biblical history then at the end first Acts chapter 15 there is a problem they dispute over the role of John Mark John Mark had left them Paul didn't want to take him again there was this breach and so Paul and Barnabas had different ways he comes up again in Galatians chapter 2 as one who has even led astray in Peters you know at least outward defection in terms of not eating with Gentiles and then Paul speaks of him a favorably in first Corinthians chapter 9 so Barnabas you know was like the rest of us he had his ups and he had his downs his ops were vouching for the Apostle Paul his ops were preaching in Antioch his ups were attending the the first missionary with Paul his downs were breaking with Paul well again I I'm not actually convinced anybody was in sin there I think it highlights and we'll get there later that that good men can disagree I know that's just beyond our pale today I can't disagree we all have to see it no we can disagree that's okay can't disagree on the Trinity can't disagree on justification by faith there's certain principle acts of faith or certain principle doctrines of our faith that we can't disagree on when it comes to John Mark I mean Paul's is you know people get into all they you know they commended Paul so therefore they were know who was right but you know to break break with Paul at least shows us that Barnabas wasn't a yes-man right if anybody's ever to be a yes-man it's whoever's hanging out with Paul you know they're tempted to be a yes-man it's whoever's with Paul all right you always wanted to say yes Paul yeah you're right oh yeah whatever you say Paul and then he gets led astray in the Peter debacle but he's not cast off so I suggested that that Luke amplifies this section with a particular example not to show us that Barnabas was the best but to show us Barnabas you can hear more about this Barnabas as we move through the book of Acts but then as well to contrast Barnabas with Ananias I mean Ananias is a terrible representative of life in the church at this particular time it's no accident that we end on the high note of Barnabas and then we move into this dark dreary time concerning Ananias and his wife Ananias his problem was that he lied to God wasn't that he had money it wasn't that he kept money instead he lied to God so that's why we amplifier Luke rather and amplifies Barnabas well I just want to close with a few thoughts first the blessing of unity among God's people we sang it at the outset of worship behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity and then in Ephesians chapter 4 the Apostle Paul tells us it's not only a blessing but it's something that the people of God ought to be pursuing they ought to be holding on to if they have a modicum of it if they have a degree of it if they possess something akin to it they need to fight for it see we get so busy fighting each other that unity is the casualty Paul says no you're supposed to fight for unity not fight each other so there's no unity for one in Ephesians I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called with all lowliness general with long-suffering bearing with one another in love endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace are we doing that as the people of God are we endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace how is it that we can do that well I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say it's the stuff of verse 2 which helps us were to do it with all lowliness and gentleness with long-suffering bearing with one another love though as those are the ingredients in this worthy walk and along the way we will as well endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace why verse 4 there is one body in one spirit just as you were called in one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all isn't this Paul's complaint in 1st Corinthians chapter 11 what are we supposed to be doing at the Lord's Supper yes we're supposed to be worshiping God yes we're supposed to be remembering our blessed Savior and we are as well supposed to be expressing the unity of the saints that that loaf that one loaf nests that one body nests what happens in Corinth some are getting drunk some are into the point of gluttony others are being neglected Paul's point is is that you are chattering you are breaking you are bringing into disrepair the very body of Jesus himself which is the church don't do that you can eat and drink at home that's Paul's point he doesn't say don't ever eat and drink again no do that at home so that when you come together as a church is not for judgment brethren unity is something that the church needs to be pursuing secondly the blessing of generosity among God's people the blessing of generosity amongst among God's people again it was not state coerce it's not even church mandated but it is the expression of a voluntary willingness on the part of God's people to share to give to cough up to be the horse leech in the proper sense not give give to me but give give to others you see that is extra all conduct consistent with an internal commitment to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ you all understand that you all get that I suspect thirdly the blessing of instruction among God's people again going back to well you're just a preacher yeah I'm a preacher but verse 33 is couched in here you can provide another reason why I couldn't see any other reason than how I breached it the commentators didn't really get into that it's just well the description of the church but I think it's a description of the church with a particular key element there that's the hinge upon which the church turns without that it is a group of people in a neighborhood trying to do a good thing that's not what this is it's a group of God's people expressing their one heartedness their one soul nets because they have believed the gospel by the grace of God they're hearing preaching great grace is coming upon them all and when they see a brother or sister in need they give a brethren we have to make that connection see if there are churches that exist that basically say this well it's not so much doctrine it's about how we live and then there's other churches that say well it's not really about how much we live it's it's about doctrine why can't we have both we are supposed to have both towards the goal of preaching is in the first place the glory of God the goal of preaching I don't know if I'd say 2nd or 3rd but you know on the same sort of par we got glory of God and then we've got salvation of sinners it's intriguing to me that they preached the resurrection of Jesus now if we read this passage rightly it's in the church they did this you hear that once in a while poor believers we need to move beyond the gospel really you need to move beyond the gospel I for one need the gospel each and every day you again gospel preaching isn't some basic little bit of drivel it is about the life the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the implications associated with that gospel I get it I would not want to go to some gospel preaching that was basically an emphasis on how great I am and I need a little bit of Jesus to complete my life I get that I would repudiate that version of gospel at any step of the way but in terms of the engine that is driving the church what does Luke say their focus was they preached the resurrection of Jesus see brethren we need that you and I need gospel preaching but you and I need James to as well on James 1 well James 1 and to the whole conglomerate there what's James 1 tell us were to be doers of the word not just hearers only you know what a terribly scary passage of Scripture for me is isn't it Ezekiel 33 you can turn there Ezekiel 33 some might say well the entire Book of Ezekiel terrifies me just a little bit because I'm not sure I know what's going on in there but notice what we see in Ezekiel 33 30 as for you son of man the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses and they speak to one another everyone saying to his brother please come in here what the word is that comes from the Lord I I got an email the first part of this week and it was from sermon audio.com and when somebody comments on our sermon audio comm it I guess automatically I doubt somebody's typing it up but it generates a an email that comes to that church so I got it and it was a comment posted to a sermon by a guy in Detroit this guy in Detroit his name is Greg Smith I've met him online and he listens to my preaching he attends and he's a white guy that attends an all-black church he's told his black church about Jim Butler and apparently I don't know if I haven't seen a report for a long time but it used to be we'd get a lot of hits in Detroit well that's why Greg Smith anyways so Greg Smith puts on there that you know this sermon was seen as a talk sermon he was blown away that's never happened and I'm not saying oh boy I've made it to the to the top here I'm just saying and and I have no reason to doubt Greg Smith but but just getting a lot of hits on sermon audio isn't it this text is terrifying if we continue look at he says please this is what they're going to say please please come in here what the word is that that comes from the Lord so so they come to you as people do they sit before you as my people and they they hear your words but they don't do them now if I have a million hits on a servant on sermon audio calm and none of those people actually do what the sermon said to do I could you see this is Ezekiel's point or God's point through the Prophet notice so they come to you as people do they sit before you as my people and they hear your words but but they do not do them for with their mouths they show much love but their hearts pursue their own gain indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument for they hear your words but they do not do that and when this comes to pass surely it will come then they will know that a prophet has been among them you know what's better than that was a good sermon Jim that was a good sermon can better is to obey the Word of God better is to go home today and look at your financial situation and see if you're a cheapskate and see if there isn't something you could be doing to express the one Hartness and the one soul nest that you have with the people of God because of the grace of God that has bound you together as believers in Jesus Christ better than a thousand hits on any particular sermon is a thousand people doing what God says happen with Ezekiel they're gonna come to you so you've got to come here as they go there just gonna do what you say you're gonna be like somebody that can play a violin they'd love to hear it but they don't do it see now people get that and then they never say good sermon preacher and they you know they avoid you like the play it's not wicked to tell somebody you know the lingo too far the other way now I'm not bucking for praise here tell me how good I'm not doing that but there is this sort of Christian excess you know we don't want to promote pride charm is deceitful and and beauty is vain but a woman who fears the Lord she shall be praised the husband says many daughters have done nobly but let you excel them all husbands if you have the mindset that I don't want to praise my wife because I don't want her to get proud you're weird praise her tell her that she's doing a good thing we're not disembodied spirits we are the kinds of people that do need and require and and appreciate some encouragement once in a while that that's okay again the point is do what God's Word says and then the blessings of the Christian gospel if you're not a believer here this morning charity will not get you to heaven Jesus will charity does not get you a place at the banquet feast grace through faith in Jesus Christ the multitude of those who believed justification is by faith alone we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and that on two good words were not saved because of our good works because of our charity because of our generosity but we are saved by grace so that we will do those things now brethren if we enjoy those blessings then let us in turn be a blessing to others well let us pray father thank you for your word thank you for these glimpses of the early church and the instruction that they afford to us and I pray that you would help us to be unified help us to be in strucked it and help us to be a charitable a generous benevolent people and God may you be glorified in the congregation forgive us for our sins forgive us when we sin cleanse us from all unrighteousness certainly when we see passages like these we think of ourselves in the light of God's holy law we do see where we fall short again we are thankful for the doing and the dying and the rising of the Lord Jesus God we thank you for grace through faith in Him we thank you for so wonderful the salvation help us to go therefore and to be doers of your word and we ask in Jesus name Amen well let's close by singing the doxology in praise to our triune God will stand as we sing together [Music] the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen father go with us help us to sanctify the Sabbath day may we find rest in you may we find rest in the company of fellow believers may we bring glory and praise to you as we eat and as we drink and as we gather tonight again for worship may your presence be among us and we know the nearness of God as our good and go with us now and grant us that peace which does surpass all understanding and we pray this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation