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please be seated we'll go to our God in prayer in just a moment just a reminder we do this reminder every now and then we do have a prayer meeting alt on alternating Sundays this morning for example was a prayer meeting at the 930 hour we follow that up on the next Sunday with a study in our confession we go consecutively through the confession of faith confession is a good thing to have Paul and Hebrews says let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering it's good to fill our minds with doctrine with God's truth so that we might be well equipped in our Christian lives and out there in the world so just a reminder of those two things as well Wednesday night Bible study where we do bring a lot of things to God in prayer and follow that up with Jim working through right now a First Samuel so just a reminder with regards to those church ministries we've said it before often times in prayer we don't have the hour that we have in the prayer time or in in the morning worship we don't have an hour to bring everything to God in prayer like we do in the prayer time if you do have prayer requests by all means bring them to us a call us email us those sorts of things and we can bring those things to God in prayer well let us go now to our God that he might bring a blessing upon our gathered assembly here this morning let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice now that we can gather together as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ I by your Saints gathered here in this place and we do pray yet again that it would not only be true here but around the world that in all those true churches of yours your people would be strengthened by their God that they would rejoice in you and that they would grow in the grace and in the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord that your ministers of the gospel a pastor's going into pulpits to preacher word this day would know the aid of the triune God to bring truth the two gathered assemblies we do pray that they would speak well of our Lord Jesus Christ and that they would preach true doctrine that they would stay away from error and would proclaim the whole counsel of God we would ask God that you would cause us now to rejoice in the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord we know that we have not been saved by deeds of righteousness which we have done but according to you your mercy you saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit we know that we are saved by the perfect work of the Lord Jesus Christ and we rejoice in that biblical truth that he came in the fullness of the times born of a woman born under the law that he might redeem those who are under the law we thank you for those precious words of first Timothy 115 this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into this world sinners to save we thank you for his perfect life of obedience to your law rendered in the stead of all those who believe we thank you for that work upon the cross that he upon that cross perfectly secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number by his shed blood and we thank you that he rose again the third day and great power and victory and that he has now ascended to your right hand where he ever lives to intercede for his people we pray that you would help us to rejoice in our Savior and that we would day-in and day-out dwell upon the riches and the excellencies of so great of Christ we do pray that you would be with those who need prayer for physical things Lord God we know that there are many as we pray for many this morning the struggling with sickness and disease and injury we do just pray that you would bless each and every one of these in their bodies that you would strengthen them and that you would heal them we know that the judge of all the earth does right by his people that you work all things together for the good of those who love you to those who are the called according to your purpose and we would pray that you would strengthen them and help them and give them strength to endure in the midst of affliction we do pray that you would uplift all those who are down spiritually that you would return unto them the light of your countenance and cause them to rejoice in their God and in his Christ we do pray that you would just strengthen those Lord God who perhaps are struggling spiritually that you would return them unto the old paths where the good way is that they may walk therein and find rest for their souls and we do just pray for each and every one of us that you would by your spirit and by your word cause us to daily beacon form to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ that we might know him that we might serve him and that we might in this lower world bring honor to your Most High name we think of those around the world Lord God as we prayed this morning who are bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ too many and other nations we would pray that you be again with Ellen Beardmore in Australia and da fat Hughes in New Zealand we do pray that you be with the many in the Middle East in Africa and in nations all around the world in Asia and Europe God that you would give them strength daily and strength specifically on the lord's day on sundays that they might bring the gospel of jesus christ too many in need give them what they need in order to proclaim the word of truth to their gathered assemblies and we do pray God that in all of these assemblies you would be honored by your people and that you would save sinners to the praise of your name we would pray finally that you would be with those who are persecuted for belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as we read this morning those who are put to death simply for believing in the Lord Jesus that you would be with those who are under such oppression and hatred and persecution we do pray that you would protect them that you would watch over them that you would be unto them their God of all comfort strengthening them in the midst of affliction and we pray that they would buy their faith be able to look away from the anger and the venom of their persecutors and look with great faith upon the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world our Lord Jesus Christ and in him find all strength for their daily struggles we do pray again God that you would deal with their persecutors that you would save those who are presently opposed to you that you would conquer their hearts that they would turn from their idols and turn from the madness of their persecution unto the living and true God and that you would as well deal with those who govern over us we pray God that you would be with Kings those who are in authority is recalled to pray for those who do rule over us that you would cause them to do so in righteousness and in truth we pray that they would not pass laws and sanction things that are wicked in your sight but rather Lord God they would uphold true justice and righteousness and equity in the land we do pray that we would are earnestly and Jenny only be in prayer for all of these things and God we would pray that you be with pastor Butler as he comes up here to open your word we do know that ministers of your truth it cannot rest upon their own strength in this pulpit to proclaim the things of your word but rather they need that strength from on high and so we do pray that you would strengthen our brother as he opens his Bible to preach your word give him what he needs to proclaim with great clarity the things of your truth and we do pray that all of this this morning this worship this preaching would be done unto the praise of your name that you would strengthen your gathered Christians here this morning and Lord God that you would save those who came in these doors outside of Christ that you would conquer their hearts and cause them to leave singing the praises of our precious Savior and it's in his name that we pray amen let's stand and sing our second him then we'll be 271 if you'll stand with me and sing that to 71 in your hymnals please be seated our new testament scripture reading this morning is from revelation 8 so you can turn there with me we return to our consecutive reading of the New Testament in the morning services revelation eight a reminder because the language is interesting the Apostle John is using symbol and emblem and signification the god the risen Christ giving visions pertaining to judgment as he is bringing his message of prophecy to his particular audience this comes to us and we see this language of the seals and the trumpets and and all of these things we need to remember that John in the spirit was brought to see these things and they speak particularly to judgment if you ever have time you can read Exodus 19 and 20 among other passages there in Exodus 19 and 20 remember God with the occasion of Mount Sinai and the bringing of the law there are noises and lightnings and thunderings to stress his holiness and the perfection of his law here in Revelation 8 we see that same language and it is brought out what is brought into view is the fact that those people to whom that revelation was brought in in the book of Exodus have put to death the Lord of glory the Lord Jesus Christ have violated the Covenant of God and have now brought upon themselves the curses of that covenant they were to obey the Lord their God who brought them from out of bondage in Egypt they were to obey his precepts and they failed and put to death the one who was sent to them to bring the words of Verity and truth and now these judgments are brought out upon that apostate people revelation 8 beginning in verse 1 when he opened the Seventh Seal There was silence in heaven for about half an hour and I saw the seven angels who stand before God and to them were given seven trumpets then another angel having a golden censer came stood at the altar he was given much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne and the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended before God from the Angels hand then the angel took the censer filled it with fire from the altar and threw it to the earth and there were noises thunderings lightnings and an earthquake so the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound the first angel sounded and hail and fire followed mingled with blood and they were thrown to the earth and a third of the trees were burned up in all green grass was burned up then the second angel sounded in something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea and a third of the sea became blood in a third of the living creatures in the sea died and a third of the ships were destroyed then the third angel sounded and a great star fell from heaven burning like a torch and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water the name of the star is wormwood a third of the waters became wormwood and many men died from the water because it was made bitter then the fourth angel sounded and a third of the Sun was struck a third of the Moon and a third of the stars so that a third of them were darkened a third of the day did not shine and likewise the night and I looked and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven saying with a loud voice woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound amen let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice in your word to men we rejoice in this revelation concerning Jesus Christ and His glory though as judgment is in view we know as the book sets forth to us that the Lord Jesus Christ is victorious and the fulfillment of his promise that he would build his church and the gates of Hades would not prevail against it we rejoice at here 2,000 years removed from from this revelation we can believe in our Lord Jesus Christ that we can find all spiritual blessings in him and we do pray that you would help us victorious through his conquering that you would help us daily to live in light of such a glorious gospel that we would seek to witness to to mend the riches and the excellencies of our Savior the Lord Jesus and that we would in this lower world conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ we thank you again that the joneses have been brought into membership we pray that you would be with them you would strengthen them in their walk with us that you would strengthen our entire church that we might be a church unified around the gospel of Jesus Christ that we might be strong in the truth and that we might as this small church in this part of the world nevertheless grow and shine as lights in the crooked and perverse generation holding forth the word of truth and we pray in Christ's precious name amen well our final him then before the preaching will be 21 again in the larger Trinity hymnal so if you'll stand with me and we can sing 21 together I well please turn with me in your Bibles to First Samuel chapter 28 my apologies to those who attend the wednesday night bible study some of this will be repetitious was an abbreviated week in terms of attending conferences and nevertheless I think what the message of First Samuel 28 specifically vs 3 225 contained for the people of God and for those who are not the people of God is most essential in the church today I do want to read our section again chapter 28 beginning in verse 3 no Samuel had died and all israel had lamented for him and buried him in raima in his own city and soul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land then the Philistines gathered together and came and in camped at schuh name so Saul gathered all Israel together and they in camp tat Gilboa when Saul saw the army of the Philistines he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly and when Saul inquired of the Lord the Lord did not answer him either by dreams or by urim or by the prophets then Saul said to his servants find me a woman who is a medium that I may go to her and inquire of her and his servants said to him in fact there is a woman who is a medium at Endor so Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes and he went and two men went two men with him and they came to the woman by night and he said please conduct a seance for me and bring up for me the one I shall name to you then the woman said to him look you know what Saul has done how he has cut off the mediums and the Spiritist from the land why then do you lay a snare for my life to cause me to die and Saul swore to her by the Lord saying as the Lord lives no punishment shall come upon you for this thing then the woman said whom shall I bring up for you and he said bring up Samuel for me when the woman saw Samuel she cried out with a loud voice the woman spoke to Saul saying why have you deceived me for you are saw and the king said to her do not be afraid what did you see and the woman said to Saul I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth so he said to her what is his form and she said an old man is coming up and he is covered with a mantle and Saul perceived that it was Samuel and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down the Samuel said to Saul why have you disturbed me by bringing me up and Saul answered I am deeply distressed for the Philistines make war against me and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore neither by prophets nor by dreams therefore I have called you that you may reveal to me what I should do then Samuel said so why do you ask me seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy and the Lord has done for himself as he spoke by me for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand given it to your neighbor David because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute his fierce wrath upon amalek therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me the Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines immediately saw fell full length on the ground and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel and there was no strength in him for he had eaten no food all day or all night and the woman came to Saul and saw that he was severely troubled and said to him look your maidservant has obeyed your voice and I have put my life in my hands and and heated the words which you spoke to me now therefore please heed also the voice of your maidservant and let me set a piece of bread before you and eat that you may have strength when you go on your way but he refused and said I will not eat so his servants together with the woman urged him and he heated their voice then he arose from the ground and sat on the bed now the woman had a fatted calf in the house and she hastened to kill and she took flour and needed it and baked unleavened bread from it so she brought it before Saul and his servants and they ate then they rose and went away that night a man let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for the word of God we thank you that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and that it's all profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness and we pray now that by the power of your Holy Spirit you would thoroughly furnish your people unto every good work and Lord God by that self-same spirit we pray that those who are outside of Christ would meet the Savior today we pray that the conviction of sin would be produced by the Holy Spirit and the promotion of Jesus Christ as the one alone who is able to save to the uttermost all who draw near to God through him Lord bless your word as it goes forth here and elsewhere may it run swiftly and be glorified and even now as we come to Scripture we confess our sins and transgressions we pray that you would wash us a fresh in the blood of the Lord Jesus when we look at that perfect that holy law we see how far short we come and we plead the mercy in the merit of the one who alone is able to forgive so wash us and purify us now and fill us with the Holy Spirit that he may in lumen our minds and our hearts and we ask in Jesus name Amen now as we look at this particular passage in many respects it is a scary passage of Scripture I mean after all there is a witch in the passage but I submit that this passage of this chapter is far scarier when we consider what has become of Saul the king of Israel I hope that you will see that as we move through our exposition this morning it is important for us to understand that many respects what we find here in verses 3 225 is the last statement concerning saw remember Israel cried out for a king they wanted to be like the nations around that and through the Providence of lost donkey Saul is identified as the man that would in fact be the leader over God's people is real let's all getting to about chapter 13 makes a series of bad decisions and it culminates here in chapter 28 where he actually seeks the council and seeks wisdom from a witch or a medium or what we might call a necromancer which is just a big word that means somebody who speaks to the dead so what we see in this passage is the decline of Saul and that is far scarier than the particular which story that we meet with in this particular chapter also we need to understand that vs 3 225 go with chapter 31 in many respects the author has given us chapter 28 verses 3 225 to underscore a contrast between David and Saul just by way of reminder in chapter 27 in First Samuel David goes to the land of the Philistines he approaches the king a Kish and he asks for safe haven so a Kish gives gave it in his men the city of Ziklag and from that vantage point David goes out and slaughters the enemies of Israel he has safe haven he has rest for his men but he does such a good job that a Kish actually elicits or solicits David to go into battle against Israel look at chapter 28 verses 1 and 2 says now it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war to fight with Israel and a Kish said to David you assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle you and your man that's a dilemma for David isn't it I mean you don't have to have attended our wednesday night studies to realize this david is on his way to being the king over Israel so David cannot March with the Philistines in combat against Israel this is a real dilemma for David he has a real conundrum or an enigma or a problem and were left at the end of verse 21 during scratching our heads how is David going to get out of this david has this great problem this great dilemma now it will be resolved in chapter 29 in verses 1 to 11 but the insertion of souls dilemma in 28 32 25 indicates that there is a dilemma or a problem bigger than facing Philistines in battle or bigger than having to face Israel in battle with the Philistines and that bigger dilemma is the absence of God it is the silence of God you may wonder how we know that 3 2 25 goes with for a chapter 31 chapter 31 is the battle between Israel and the Philistines they are in shuna when we read verse 3 and verses 3 and 4 here in chapter 28 they are in unum chapter 29 is a fact that's about halfway between Gath and shauna so a fact in chapter 29 is when David finds resolution for his particular dilemma now that you're all sufficiently confused with that let's look at the text and see what it has to say to us very specifically in terms of three observations in the first place we see the occasion of Saul's decision or the enemy confronted in verses three to six certainly the execution of Saul's decision or the medium contacted in verses seven to fourteen and then thirdly the result of Saul's decision or the Prophet consulted in verses 15 to 25 note in the first place in verse 3 we are reminded that samuel the prophet of Israel is dead he died back in chapter 25 that's where it's reported to us or declared to us but here we are reminded that Samuel had died and all israel lamented over or for him and buried him in raima in his own city and then this statement in verse 3 and Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land so basically verse 3 sets the setting or it provides the setting of the contact for everything that follows in this consultation with this particular media now interestingly enough Saul was obedient in this regard the old testament law demanded that spiritists and mediums in persons who tried to contact the debt be put out of the Land of Israel well they were to be put to death but putting them out of the land of Israel was a good thing as well in Leviticus 19 chapter 20 chapter Deuteronomy 18 several prohibitions against this attempt to contact the dead David samora says the very need for such prohibitions is an indication that the problem of necromancy again big word that means trying to talk to dead people necromancy and of religious practices related to the debt was widespread in ancient Canaan in other words God warns his people concerning abuses that were rampant when they go into the land of Cain and they are not to fetch spiritists they're not to seek mediums that is certainly an observation that we must make from the passage do not go get a Ouija board do not play with the occult do not open yourself up to those dark and evil forces do not do those things that God's Word condemns Davis says concerning this remember but we must remember that scripture describes such practices not as futile but is pagan he says Yahweh forbids Israel to use these means not because they do not work but because they are wicked it is an evil practice as we move through the narrative it does work but it's still abominable abominable before the living and true God young people and children do not open yourselves up to those dark things do not go down that path do not play with witchcraft do not play with sorcery do not seek to try and communicate with the dead again as this passage testifies it's not that it doesn't work it's that Yahweh forbids it Yahweh condemns it Yahweh calls it an abomination and Yahweh calls for death to those who practice such things now notice Saul has a problem as I've already mentioned verse 4 then the Philistines gathered together and came an encampment shoot'em so Saul gathered all Israel together and they encamped at Gilboa that's the that's the issue that's what chapter 31 will indicate Saul's got a dilemma Saul's got issues David Gus for sure according to 28 1 & 2 but the souls is bigger Saul's is more desperate will find in chapter 29 David's dilemma neverfull nevertheless finds Yahweh's resolution not so for Saul throughout the story of Saul and David beginning in chapter 16 of First Samuel and ending in chapter 31 we see the rise of David and the decline of Saul and we don't see the rise and decline because one's a better political leader or one's got more military savvy David's rise and Saul's decline is dependent upon the relationship to the Living God saw rejected God saw refused God saw distorted the Word of God where David was in fact a man after God's own heart and I want to submit to all of us that we dare not to be a Saul as we find him in this particular passage so the threat posed by the Philistines is a real one and now notice souls desire in verse 5 when soul saw the army of the Philistines he was afraid in his heart trembled greatly and when Saul inquired of the Lord the Lord did not answer him either by dreams or by urim or by the prophets you see that's what's scary certainly the which story is scary and I don't mean to intend otherwise but the Lord didn't answer him this is the sitting king in Israel this is God's vice-regent over his earthly typical Kingdom and soul tries to hear the word of the Lord through prophet and priest and God is silent toward him you see I submit that there is a problem worse than facing Philistines it's like that story Matthew and Mark where the persons are all gathered together to hear Jesus preach and the the roof is open by for industrious men and they lower their friend on a mat and when Jesus sees that man on a mat he says to him son your sins are forgiven you and they're all perplexed and scratching their heads and wondering collectively who does this guy think he has only God alone can forgive sins and then Jesus says I want you to know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins so he tells the man to pick up his mat and walk now we as modern readers come to that passage we say wow this paralyzed man was healed no this sinful man was forgiven this sinful man was cleansed in the blood of the Lord Jesus you remember when we looked at that passage in Matthew Knight I said there is a problem worse than paralysis and that problem is sin you see there's a problem worse than facing Philistines there is a problem worse than facing a job loss there is a problem worse than facing a broken relationship there is a problem worse than hearing a bad diagnosis at the at the doctor's office and that problem is the absence of God that's what our author is saying David's got problems to be sure but i want to put him on the back burner for a moment and let you see solves problems and then i want you to come to grips with the reality that whatever issues or trials or difficulties you may have in this lower world if you've got God then praise God just Saul has issues and he has no voice or no word from the Living God and we know why the Lord did not answer him either by dreams or by yer amor by the prophets well in the first place all had rejected the Word of God Saul had rebelled against the living and true God the prophet of God wouldn't speak to him and as well there was no urine that is a reference to the priesthood if you've been with us over the wednesday night studies you'll remember that something happened to the priesthood in chapter 22 they were exterminated they were massacred because David went to the city of Nob where the priest well when Saul got wind of that he ordered a mass execution of all the race in Israel of course there's no urim force all he's bloodied the ground with those priests thankfully one priest was spared his name was a by afar and he was with David so that when David faces problems he can call for the FO to the ephod that that device that the priest war that that part a part of his of his attire that he wore wherein he could seek the Lord God most high Saul seeks a word from the Lord and the Lord God is silent may I say brethren you may have trials and you may have difficulties and you may have hardships but is it a blessing to go to the Lord and lay your burdens before him and know that he hears you because of Jesus is that everything you see in a solid in a David there's going to be trials we're going to see in contrast at the end of the sermon this morning Saul and David you see difficulties befall Saul's and they befall David's difficulties befall the Christian believer but they befall the next door neighbor as well perhaps as a pagan the issue is not whether or not we'll have trials or difficulties or tribulations on this earth I mean non-christians get cancer non-christians lose jobs non-christians have their relationships break up to non-christians go through the same sorts of things that Christians go through the fundamental difference is we can say at the end of the day I love the Lord because he has heard the voice of my supplication I love the Lord because he is there for me in times of trial I can say with the psalmist or I can echo with the psalmist I cast my burden on the lord because I know that he cares for me Saul's got issues and he's got no God so he tells his men to find me a woman verse 7 who is a medium that I may go to her and inquire of her interestingly enough his servants know specifically where to go to find such a woman and that brings us secondly to the execution of Saul's decision where he contacts this medium in verses 7 to 14 they say in fact there is a woman who is a medium and end or now if you had a map before you you would know that shoot'em where the Philistines are and Gilboa where Israel is and a fact that sort of halfway point is and gas is endures just a little northeast of where Philistines are so in verse 8 when Saul disguises himself he has to skirt the Philistines to get to Endor in order to contact this particular media what's a lesson there we will go we will see we will pursue what we think will help us we will go we will see and we will pursue that which we think will help us even if it means having to evade the Philistines in the process brethren are we willing to do those sorts of things for the truth of God's Holy Word would we skirt Philistines to get to end or not to contact a witch but to hear the faithful preaching of the word of God would we risk our necks just a wee little bit to be under the sound and faithful exposition of God's holy truth it's amazing what pagans what unbelievers will go through in order to achieve their particular ends and then conversely we meet the people of God who have access to the Lord God most high through a great high priest and we're often times lazy unwilling to skirt any sort of enemy unwilling to put ourselves at out at all brethren we ought to at least admire the industriousness of Saul in this passage now please don't go from here and say I want to be like Saul that's not my point there was personal risk when he puts off his clothes and he disguises himself you know what that means he took off his royal robes the king who gave the order to exclude mediums from the Land of Israel couldn't walk through the front toilet nor the fortune-tellers house and say I want you to do your whammy on me read my palms and and you know look at my tea leaves and and get out your terokkar he couldn't do he had to disguise himself and know what's conspicuous in this particular section in verse 8 so Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes and he went and two men went with him and they came to the woman by night this makes sense if you've got a skirt Philistines and you've got to sneak into the medians house at Endor you would go by the cover of night but it is conspicuous here notice at the end of verse 25 then they rose and went away that night typically in the scripture nighttime is associated with not only darkness that's the obvious but falsehood Jesus Christ and John's Gospel says I am the light of the world the scripture testifies that our God dwells in unapproachable light not beautiful but here Saul is seeking around under the cover of night I think the author is underscoring for us that this pursuit is one riddled with falsehood later the prophet Isaiah will write and when they say to you seek those who are mediums and wizards and whisper and mother mutter should not a people seek their God should they seek the data on behalf of the living to belong to the testimony if they do not speak according to this word it is because there is no light in that they will pass through it hard pressed and hungry and it shall happen when they are hungry that they will be enraged and cursed their King and their God and look upward then they will look to the earth and see trouble and darkness gloom of ancient anguish and they will be driven into darkness robert van Noy comments this is the same sort of gloom and darkness found in First Samuel 28 it is the darkness of the absence of God that Saul's dilemma that Saul's problem that may be your problem today that may be where you find yourself today is there an absence of God in your life is there no presence of God in your life you see that's far more terrifying isn't it later on Samuel is going to tell Saul his enemy is Yahweh what's worse facing a bunch of Philistines it shoot up or facing the Living God who the Bible describes is a consuming fire what's worse facing joblessness or a bad diagnosis or a broken relationship or facing the god of heaven and earth who will hold you guilty for all of your sins and violations against his holy law it's an amazing thing what we get so perplexed about isn't it you meet somebody and they're down and they're sorrowful or they're sad and they say oh my life is a mess my life is in ruins my life is shattered and you say are you a believer well no that's the least of my concerns no that's the most of your concerns because the Bible testifies that our Lord Jesus Christ is going to come again in glory to judge the living in the dead our lord jesus christ is going to stare into your eyes as you give an account for deeds done in the body whether good or ill and the lord jesus will ultimately make a final pronouncement concerning your never dying soul it'll either be well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of thy rest or it will be depart from me for I never knew you into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels what's a bigger problem Philistines at shootin for the living and true God and eternity soul hasn't even begun to open his eyes to the reality that he is faced with now known as request specifically to the medium she's right to fear consequences in verse 9 the woman said to him look you know what Saul has done how he has cut off the mediums and the spirit is from the land why why then do you lay a snare for my life to cause me to die the word saw she doesn't know it's all that she fears it might be entrapment there's a hidden camera somewhere she's going to be found out she's going to be caught to be some reality show the outed media or the out in which she doesn't want that to happen so Saul tries to calm her down now notice how Saul does that verse 10 and saw swore to her by Yahweh here I think the author wants us to go oh come on Saul are you kidding me Saul you're going to swear to her by Yahweh and then notice what he goes on to say as Yahweh lives no punishment shall come upon you for this thing back in chapter 23 soul has the gall to pronounce a blessing in the name of the Lord upon the ziplines soul not to take the name of Yahweh on his lips except in contrition and in repentance and in humility he is in no posture whatsoever to swear by Yahweh's life that this which will be in a good state again van way says saw blasphemously used the name of the Lord to guarantee the woman that she could violate the Lord of the law of the Lord with impunity Davis says the reader must not miss the irony Saul swears the oath by Yahweh by always life as he seeks help from a source that you always askin down you see what this indicates as well that when a man defects or when a man undergoes apostasy oftentimes he still thinks he's okay it's an amazing thing isn't it I mean we the reader hopefully can see that Saul is really messed up I mean you don't have to have been there every Wednesday night as we develop the particular chapters and went through every jot and tittle but I hope you're sufficiently able to say Saul is not in a good place it's all messed up Saul doesn't see that does he what's one of the reasons why we are to encourage one another daily lest we be hardened through what the deceitfulness of sin sin so Rex a man that while he's flailing about and defection from the living and true God he still thinks he's doing well for soil the only problem is is that in this instance I'm not getting word from the Lord so I better do something to try and get some help on how to face these Philistines I know I'll go to this medium and I'll swear to her by the Lord that everything is going to be a okay for her or what we're looking at this thing so you're not you're out of your mind you need to repent you need to force a you need to flee but how come we don't always see it our own lives we entertain a particular sin we make peace with those Canaanites in the land instead of dispossessing them from our hearts we are like making a peace treaty with them and we'll let them sit there and reside there just so long as they don't make us do anything really too bad how come we don't see that deceptiveness how come we don't see the fact that we have shaved off the rough edges how come we don't see the fact that we aren't using the word of God as we are how come we don't see that we don't pray like we used to how is it that we could ever write off apostasy or defection saying well you know I used to be on fire 30 years ago now it's just the way it is you know we just kind of fall into this this groove and we just sort of you know make it to heaven why is that ever been accepted that we can lose our first love or lose that he tore that that fire that we have when we first converted I love the Apostle Paul he says for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain wow he's a brand new believer and this is his sentiment know he'd been a believer for about 30 years brethren we make allowances for laziness for defection and for what appears at times to be the beginning of apostasy and yet we delude ourselves that everything is a-okay I'm doing well I'm not doing those great big wicked horrible things I i have my Canaanites but I'm managing them properly you realize you're never called to manage Canaanites are called to dispossess them from the land now you know my analogy here when I talk about Canaanites remaining sin in your heart other words the heart I'm always confused it's somewhere in here it's in the chest we let Canaanites live I know I'm a gossip but everybody is I know I like to look at pretty women are pretty guys but you know everybody does I know I've got a streak of pride that's obnoxious to everyone around me but so does everybody else we're not called to manage full of managed Canaanites we're called to dispossess the land of Canaan eyes you might say as a young birds and i know i'm not that honorable to my parents I know they don't always obey them in the Lord as I ought but you know none of my friends do you profess saving faith in the Living God the primary orbit the primary manifestation of that as a child is going to be in your relationship toward your parent you dishonor your insubordinate your rebellious you reject do not delude yourselves that well I'm not as bad as my friends again where in the Bible or we ever caught to pursue a life of holiness that looks like this I'm not as bad as my friends that's not what we're told where to talk we're told to put on the Lord Jesus Christ we're told to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts we're told to pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord how is it that Christians can come to First Samuel 28 rightly conclude that Saul's masked up and those self-same Christians can leave from a church gathering and continue to live in defection from God and not see that how is that it's the deceitfulness of sin you know what will help you to see past the deceitfulness of sin the lens of Scripture you know why the Apostle Paul tells us not to be conformed to this world but rather to be transformed by the renewing of our minds what's the emphasis there say you were converted at 25 you spent 25 years not thinking God's thoughts after him in fact you spent 25 years thinking the exact opposite in contrast to God with your fists raised to God at age 25 by His grace you become a Christian you by grace believe the gospel you by grace come to the Savior you say well I'm justified freely by His grace yes but sanctification demands this conforming ro train forming by the renewing of your mind 25 years of wretched habits don't just automatically disappear you have to use the scripture you have to come to church you have to be with Christians you have to learn what the deceitfulness of sin looks like so you can try to de throat it have no truck with such things it's easy to see Saul and not so easy to see our own defection when it's in our own lives now notice Saul assures her that everything is going to be okay verses 11 and 12 the woman says whom shall I bring up for you Saul says bring up Samuel for me verse 12 when the woman saw Samuel she cried out with a loud voice and the woman spoke to Saul saying why have you deceived me for your soul the fact that the woman is startled that she sees something indicates that are that her job up to this point had been a fraud now you've probably seen those those houses that say you know fortunes read or crystal balls looked into or you know teret cards or tea leaves whatever they do I know there's one or there was at least one in a path that I walked the dog on now do you actually think that all of them really do what they say you can go in there and get the skinny on your future no they're probably fakes right I mean there's always going to be somebody to patronize these people because people want a word from without it's another thing this text indicates for us to be in a place where you have no word from without is a horrific place to be we have a word from without it's the scripture we need to avail ourselves of it but the fact that this woman saw something indicates or the fact that she was surprised indicates that she in fact saw something now the obvious question in this passage is what's that really Samuel there's three approaches to answer that question 1 it was just a fake but the fact that she startled and surprised and the fact that Saul has a conversation with this apparition appearance personnage a personage indicates that it was not fake the second interpretation is that it was actually Samuel it's a tough way to go with I mean each of these interpretations have some difficulties associated with them I mean the fact that you know this pagan woman is able to call up Samuel after God the Lord has said that I'm not going to answer solid and here he does answer that it's a difficult interpretation it's pretty most of the modern commentators take this that it really was Samuel you'll hear me refer to Samuel and I'm not going to keep doing air quotes the tax tells us it was Samuel but the third interpretation is that it was a false spirit and evil spirit but it is intriguing and a difficulty for this particular view that what this spirit or what Samuel says is a prophecy concerning the truth that does come true in other words Samuel says that tomorrow you and your sons will die what a false spirit know that that's another indicator that 28 goes with 31 because tomorrow you and your sons will die but again rather than the obvious question of the text is not the obvious emphasis of the text the obvious emphasis of the tax is that there is a problem worse than Philistines there is an enemy greater than Philistines there are issues that you haven't even begun to dream about in their enormity and in their entirety if you have failed to reckon with the living and true God so basically this is now brings us or brings us to the result of Saul's decision or the profit consultant notice in verses 15 to 25 verse 15 Samuel said to Saul why have you disturbed me by bringing me up Saul answers I am deeply distressed for the Philistines make war against me and God has departed from me and not answer me anymore neither by profits nor by dreams therefore I have called you that you may reveal to me what I should do you feel the weight of this you see the gravity of the problem you see what Saul is facing can you enter into his hardship he has no word from the Lord he's got to face the Philistines in battle he's got to go up against an enemy but we can at least survey or surmise that Saul's not legit in this aspect notice at the end of verse 15 he says therefore I have called you that you may reveal to me what I should do what does this betray Saul doesn't want God for God Saul wants God for deliverance from Philistines Saul wants God to get him out of a difficult situation Saul wants God to give him the divine whammy so that he can go into battle against the Philistines and not die you see I think Saul is like us in many respects this way are we seeking God for God are we seeking God for what God gives us now there is a sense where we seek God for the salvation that he gives in our Lord Jesus Christ but there's this utilitarianism that it settles in the hearts of people we want God when we have problems we want God when we need somebody to bail us out we want God when we face a difficult crisis in our lives but once the crisis is solved I don't want God anymore thank you very much do you see that in the text do you see that may be in your own hearts they're trying to pick on anyone here I just think it's good for us to come face-to-face with an apostate and say Saul teach me how not to go and do thou thou likewise are we utilitarian do we serve God for what he gives us do we serve God because he gets us out of our trials do we say to God before we go in the doctor's office Lord if the the diagnosis is not cancer then i'll make sure i'm in church every sunday i'll make sure i go to that bible study and that confession studying and we start to sort of bargain and barter with God because we want what he has there's a difference between serving God for God and serving God for us Davis puts it this way if anything Saul's quest should have been to face Yahweh not to seek Samuel his need was not for information but communion not so much to prepare for battle but to recover God's presence Saul it seems wanted the results of God's favor more than he wanted God's favor he wanted the results of God's favor more than he wanted God's favor J Gresham machen puts it like this in his excellent book what is faith he says we value God solely for the things he can do we make of him a mere means to an ulterior end and God refuses to be treated so such a religion always fails in the hour of need if we have regarded religion merely as a means of getting things even lofty and unselfish things then when the things that have been gotten are destroyed our faith will fail when loved ones are taken away when disappointment comes and failure when noble ambitions are set at naught then we turn away from God we have tried religion we say we have tried prayer and it has failed of course it has failed we make this observation often on Wednesday night as you look through the Old Testament how was bail served bail was served as a big machine if we do the right things then the big machine will spit out the things that we want God does not be God is not treated that way the Lord did not create this universe to be your servant the Lord God most high is not your servant now there is a sense of course where the Son of God came to serve he is the bond servant the slave that laid his life down for us he is a minister in that regard but this idea that we serve God for what God gives is wrong he says of course it has failed god is not content to be an instrument in our hand or a servant that our beck and call he is not content to minister to the worldly needs of those who care not a bit for him has it ever dawned on us that God is valuable for his own sake that just as personal communion is the highest thing that we can know on earth so personal communion with God is the sublime 'used height of all if we value God for his own sake then the loss of other things will draw us closer to him we shall then have recourse to him in time of trouble as to the shadow of a great rock in a weary land Saul is not that way I wonder if we're that way at times we want God for what God gives again if you're a sinner here this morning and you haven't come to Christ go to God for what he gives grace mercy forgiveness and a righteousness that avails with him in the gospel of our Lord Jesus by all means go that is a an emphasis in Scripture those who believe that God is or those who believe must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him so by all means but I think you know the difference those who use God for better jobs those who use God for more personal satisfaction those who use God for a better relationship God's not at our disposal to use that way so this is Saul's problem now notice Samuels response in verses 16 to 19 we're coming to a conclusion soon the first place Samuel underscores the fact of Yahweh's departure verse 16 then Samuel said so why do you ask me seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy you see that's the scariest part of this chapter that is a terrifying reality God has become Saul's enemy the least of your problem is the Philistines God is your enemy what is the apostle paul asked in Romans chapter eight at verse 31 he says if God is for us who is against us if God is for us who can be against us in Saul situation and unfortunately probably in the situation of a multitude of people out there I mean just here but out there if God is against us who can be for us doesn't matter if you don't have cancer it doesn't matter if you have the best job it doesn't matter if your wife is you know pretty and well-adjusted and your children render obedience and all those like if God is against you what good are those things you see Saul faces this dilemma which far exceeds anything David as going on in this section notice Samuel says this is the fulfillment of God's Word verse 17 the Lord has done for himself as he spoke by me for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David was prophesying chapter 15 Samuel said God's going to take the kingdom from you and give it to your neighbor now Samuel underscores that his neighbor is David sure thats all really had a problem with this if you've been in the book for any time you'll know that Saul has been engaged in a murderous rage against David he has tried on multiple occasions to commit homicide against that future king and so forth Samuel to say david has the kingdom I'm sure Saul pi didn't go well that's great news this just added fuel to the fire notice as well the reason for y'all ways action in verse 18 because you did not obey the voice of Yahweh nor execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day remember back in amalek chapter 15 saal was given instructions go in destroy the Amalekites and kill a gag pretty basic instructions isn't it before you start saying wow that just doesn't sound Christ yet this was time of war mala kites were the enemies of God saw was supposed to go in and take care of business he doesn't go in and he doesn't take care of business remember he reports back to Samuel he says Samuel I've done everything God said it Samuel says if that's the case why am i hearing the lowing of the cattle and i'm hearing the the bleeding of the sheep those preachers those beasts preach to your infidelity and why is a gang in all of his wickedness still with us interestingly enough it's in that section in chapter 15 where the Lord God Almighty says that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft soul rebels against the word of Yahweh in chapter 15 God says he's going to cut him off from kingship and by the time we get to chapter 28 full-blown witchcraft and then notice the judgment of Yahweh upon Saul verse 19 moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me the Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines not only this all not yet the helpee once but he gets the prophecy concerning his death on the morrow and that with his sons and not only is Saul and his sons going to die but Israel's going to lose in battle essentially the medium says I want you to eat Saul and Saul says no I don't want to eat she keeps on it the old makes the proper observation I think that she didn't want him dropping dead in her living room it's a wise woman if anything else we can say about her she doesn't want the dead king who has forbidden her to exist in Israel she didn't want him dropping dead in her living room so she says he eat the servants say ed reluctantly Saul eats off he goes he goes into battle according to chapter 31 and he dies and his sons die what do we learn well as i said the question was this really Samuel I don't know I have my hunch in one direction or the other but only that's the point and notice as well how brief it is in terms of what she does there's not 15 verses concerning the incantations that she did or the process by which she went through the author doesn't want to legitimize or validate or say to you the reader try this it is briefly explained to bring us to the point where God the Lord condemned saw it is not to create a curiosity among readers so that they'll go thou and do likewise again stay away from the occult stay away from the Ouija board stay away from the Black Arts stay away from those things especially you in the church you have access to the living and true God through our Lord Jesus Christ who is the light of the world who's given us his scripture who has given us this light in a dark world there ought to be no a hankering in the heart of a believer to pursue such wickedness the emphasis in the chapter is on the apostasy of Saul and I think as Christians we can learn for lessons from this in the first place the professing Christian who refuses God's Word will be refused by God see that's what ought to scare us when we neglect our Bibles when we neglect church when we neglect the means that God has ordained we continue to reject God's Word God may reject us the evidence the reality that we never came the Christ in the first place because persons who come to Christ now are those described in the Beatitudes as those who hunger and thirst after righteousness now now some hunger and thirst you know in a way that we don't maybe necessarily I mean you read biographies you wow that guy really hunger and thirst it I must not be a Christian I don't make it then don't make that necessary or make that implication necessarily Brendan ass should be some desire and the heart of a believer to want the scripture I mean I like to think when my wife met me she wanted to talk to me once in a while they're here what I had to say if I sent her those uh she gushy love letters and she you know just threw them in the trash I'd be curious if she was really in this wouldn't I did you read my letter sweetie no I threw the trash you can write me back now why would I write you back I would probably have bowed out at that time I'm insecure as it is man if she delayed that on he ought have been rotted but isn't that our relationship with God sometime you're going to read his letters to me I'm certainly not going to send letters to him I don't mean you know typing out an email to God but praying see brethren at some point a lack of a spiritual appetite must evidence or at least suggest the lack of the reality of saving faith in the second place the professing believers an enemy worse than the Philistines when they reject the Living God I call Saul a professing believer now to take our new covenant Ordo salutis and try to read it back into the life of Saul you can't do that or it's difficult to do that let's all was a member of the covenant community so was the king of said community certainly Saul had recited the Shema he had said in his lifetime hear o Israel the Lord our God the Lord is one you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength so saw at least out and externally would have professed to be a believer in fact that's his consternation you alway won't answer me what's the implication he thinks you always should answer him because Yahweh answers Covenant members that the professing believers an enemy worse than the Philistines when they reject the Living God the third place the believer we learned this for ourselves must pursue faithfulness and not defection as was the case with soul brethren you're going to have difficulties and trials and hardships in the Christian life there there man they're going to be there what's the point or what's the the emphasis here get up dust yourselves off and press on you at the Christian life in many respects is made up of I know grace and mercy and the spirit and the glory of God and the efficacy of Christ as mediator you know on the human level do you know what two things need to be there and very often aren't faithfulness and discipline what's Paul tell Timothy exercise yourself toward godliness not go sit on the beach in Hawaii and it's just going to overtake you we wouldn't that be great that was the pathway to sanctification we'd be a godly bunch wouldn't we well I'm so holy I spent you know week on the beach and I'm holier for it disa planted faithfulness I mean I don't know how many times in my life as a Christian those things have been how to have been underscored for me or how many times you know and my encouragement Stu children or courage mints to brethren what to do I'm really so are you faithful and disciplined that's saying these are magic pills to make all your worries go away but I'm certainly suggesting that unfaithfulness and a lack of discipline is not the pathway to communion with God again I'm not saying this and you know in separation from grace and mercy in the presence of the Spirit and the power of God and all those sorts of things all that's true and all that's necessary we need that divine that divine aid and emphasis but is Christian we are not supposed to just lie down and be holy that's not it brethren Saul is a perfect example of defection in times of crisis and then in a fourth place the believer who senses silence from God continues to seek god I want to illustrate that this is our last point actually our second to the last point but I'm sure we'll be done in six minutes there's a contrast as I've suggested with David and Saul so how does David's dilemma resolve 28 1 and 2 acreage says I want you to march with us against Israel David can't do that he's going to be the king of Israel he can't join with Philistines to go fight in Israel so chapter 29 as I said gas effect shoot'em on the way to shoot him the military battle site they stop an effect and they have a military parade the Lords of the Philistines want to survey the troops they want to make sure they've got their kit their gear their equipment you want to make sure they're ready to go and fight the Israelites and so as the troops of the Philistines are marching past these Lords of the Philistines the Lords of the Philistines see David in his man the Lords of the Philistines say we don't want David in his man this could be a strategy by David in his man when we face Israel there at our rear flank or a rearguard they turn on us they set up basically an ambush a Kish says no David is trustworthy David's a great guy David is a wonderful human being his time in Ziklag has been nothing but pleasant for all of us Lords of the Philistines and now we can't have David march with us so zinc ish tells David you can't march with us what is that God's blessed Providence to deliver david vaigha Philistine lords there goes his dilemma David can now go home and the home he goes so David and his and make the now 60 mile track from effect back down to Ziklag and I'm sure that these men on their way back home are thinking food they're thinking wives they're thinking children they're thinking comfort they're like us we do a hard day's work or we go through a particular trial or a difficulty and we believe God owes us some R&R don't we I mean I put in eight hours of solid work today nobody mess with me we deserve it because we're us at any rate David and his man go back to Ziklag for some healthy R&R for some time with wives time with children time at their homes and what do they find when they get to Ziggler they find the city burned down they find their houses burned down they find their wives and their children taken captive now you think you've got problems I don't to minimize what you're going through I don't want to say they're not problems but you need to sometimes put things into perspective David was hunted like a dog David was pursued on to death by saw the king of Israel it is bad enough if somebody's upset with you but when it's the king I mean if Prime Minister Trudeau shows up at your house to kill you that's a problem don't you think david has been hunted like a dog delivered by his God on hot pursuit living with the Philistines he comes back to Ziklag and everything is an utter mess as Davis says just when you think you've hit your last straw there's another last straw just when you raise your hands and say I can't handle anymore First Samuel 30 says yes you can and yes you must so what happens when they find that their cities are burned when they find are the cities burn and the houses are burnt and their families are gone what do they do they cry it's good response to calamity isn't it chapter 30 verse 4 says they weep till they could weep no more I get that I understand that my wife and my children were taken my house was burned and everything was a mess I think I'd weep we'd all wait verse 5 underscores that it's not only the men but a hit om and Abigail are gone as well David's wives the King select or elect for Israel's thrown his wives had been abducted and then in verse 6 a it tells us that the men wanted to stone wanted to stone David just think about the rationale here they've lost every day David lost everything and now David's men start picking up stones and say we're going to get rid of you I'm going to bring your wives back so I'm going to make your house magically reappear no but it's going to make us feel better because David you got us into this mess you see how bleak and how terrible and how distressing David's dilemma really is but then in verse 6 B we have one of those statements that ought to throw the heart of everybody who believes on the Lord Jesus it says but David strengthened himself in the Lord his God it's beautiful isn't it we always have recourse to the Lord our God we come back to Ziklag and it's burned down we come back to our families and they're gone we still have recourse to the Lord our God you say what does it mean to strengthen oneself in the Lord is God what it means at least three things in the first place it means that we find strength in the experiential knowledge of God he strengthened himself in the Lord his God Galatians 2 20 Paul says who loved me and gave himself for me you know one of the chief boons of the Christian religion is that it's a religion of personal pronouns he loved me and he gave himself for me David strengthened himself in the Lord his God McLaren said he could no longer say my city my possessions my wife my children but he could say my god that's how one strengthens himself and the Lord is God the second place it's through the rehearsal of God's promises back in chapter 23 at verse 16 it says that Jonathan strengthened David's hand in the Lord God how did Jonathan strengthened David's hand by rehearsing to David the promise that David would be the king of Israel that beautiful rehearse the promises of God how do I find strength and God by rehearsing the promises of God and notices well Jonathan's effect on David Jonathan strengthens David and the Lord his God in chapter 23 Jonathan's gone David's alone but David records hey I can still strengthen myself and the Lord my God the benefit the encouragement the exhortation and the love that you pass on to a brother or a sister they serve them long beyond the time that you speak to them the truth you recall something you remember something that brother said this that sister reminded me of this and while can I feed a fresh on it and in the third place david strengthened himself and the Lord his God by using the means of grace to preach the sermon last week a pastor barcelos his church and I said to them as I'll say to you you reformed Baptists are always talking about using the means of grace yes absolutely how do I know that that's what David did he calls for a bio far he calls for the a phone he calls for the means by which he can seek the Lord his God you see the contrast between Saul and David they both have dilemmas they both have trials they both have issues they both out challenges but when Saul calls upon Yahweh there's no answer when David calls upon your way God answers and the final observation is this I've already pointed it out Saul and verse aid goes by night Saul according to verse 25 leaves and it's still night what two themes permeate this chapter darkness and the absence of God right would everybody agree darkness and the absence of God now when we go through our studies in First Samuel we look at the typical significance of David how David is a type of Jesus when David cuts off goliath join head that's typical of his son when he will crush the serpent under his foot now I'm not prepared to say that Saul is a type of Jesus in this passage but i am prepared to say that the episode is typical of what we find in the latter passages of the the passion of our lord jesus what pervades the messiah in his last hours darkness and the absence of God darkness and the absence of God the same sorts of things thats all phases here faq van Noy says Saul's abandonment was justified and merited while Christ's abandonment with substitution airy and redemptive Jesus is on the cross and the whole land is engulfed in darkness Jesus cries from the cross my God my God why hast thou forsaken me so this episode in some sense is typical of what befalls the Savior he does that as was said by vinod in a redemptive and substitution Airy manner and the beautiful reality is is that those by God's grace who look unto Jesus will not undergo that darkness and abandonment the fact that Christ cried that on the cross ensures that none of the elect none of the people of God will ever ever ever have to say why have you forsaken me because Christ undertook on our behalf Christ poured out his life Christ took the wrath and fury of God that we deserved rather we ought to learn from this darkness and abandonment that there is one who bore the darkness and who bore the abandonment such that all who believe in him will have everlasting life and that means light and communion the direct opposite of darkness and abandonment is light and communion with God most high will let us pray our Father we thank you for the word of God and we thank you for these passage is in the Old Testament many respects what we find in our Old Testaments is the Christian life lived helped us to receive these things help us to think through them and pray through them and may we Lord God seek to to glorify and honor you and defined our strength in you we ask that you would go with us now we pray for dr. Lawson that he'd had a safe trip here and that you'd bless the preaching of the word tonight that you would edify and encourage your church and she would build us up in our most holy faith and we pray through Christ Jesus our Lord amen close with the brief time of meditation