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foreign [Music] foreign good morning welcome to Free Grace Baptist Church if you're visiting a special and warm welcome to any visitors amongst us and we we trust that you will enjoy worship this morning and again worship this evening at five o'clock in regards to announcements there there's just uh there's just a couple announcements regular bible study on Wednesday night like usual uh and in case any anyone wasn't sh or didn't know John Curry is going to be married uh to a to a young or to a lady I should say you know we usually always say to a young lady but to a lady his own age perhaps and uh her name sorry she is her she is his age um he's he's listening online today so uh he's not well he's got a bad back so he's uh he's been he's been with his brother in Richmond for the last uh for the last week we certainly pray for John uh so her name is um Malena and uh they're going to be married on November the 19th at two o'clock here in the church um now obviously it's not going to be a regular wedding uh where you know there's attendance and whatnot it'd be a stand-up luncheon uh up upstairs a reception so if you would like to come to her you're planning to come to it on November the 19th at two o'clock maybe you could just uh email my wife Leslie she's planning some kind of a stand-up reception upstairs in the fellowship hall in regards to how much food to get so if you're planning to come please just let her know either speak to her or email her to let her know that you plan to come and then the last announcement oh if you could let her know by November 14th it's not like you need to decide today but maybe maybe by November 14 it's just 14th just let her know and November 13th is the last Sunday in regards to a special collection for my mark Myanmar The the situation there with Peter and the compound many of us are aware of it prayer letters we've been reading prayer letters for a number a couple of years actually now so we have designed we've desired as a church to continue to support them in a special way uh so we we've been seeking the church is going to contribute a certain amount and as is our usual plan we always ask people if they're interested or willing or wanting to contribute a little extra to make sure we kind of pool all of our money together so that we can send it as one one offering so that's November 13th at the middle of November so I believe that's it for announcements if you could turn your Bibles now to begin worship please turn your Bibles to Psalm 31. Psalm 31 and we'll read verses 19 to the end Psalm 31 beginning at verse 19 oh how great is your goodness which you have laid up for those who fear you which you have prepared for those who trust in you in the presence of the sons of men you shall hide them in the secret place of your presence from the plots of man you shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from The Strife of tongues blessed be the Lord for he has shown me His Marvelous kindness in a strong City for I said in my haste I am cut off from before your eyes nevertheless you heard the voice of my supplications when I cried out to you oh love the Lord all you his Saints for the Lord preserves the faithful and fully repays the proud person be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart all you who hope in the Lord amen well please turn with me in your hymn books to hymn number 149 we'll be seeing it to a different tune 149 be as in bravo and please stand praise [Music] there is [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] be seated well let's go to God In Prayer our gracious and our loving Heavenly Father we come into your holy presence this morning through your son the Lord Jesus Christ and we are a grateful father for the fact that we have the almighty to come to this day to bring our prayers petitions and requests before but also our Praises father we thank you for your goodness your kindness to us in each one of our lives in this past week since we last met together we praise you father the people of God do desire to come into your house weekly to worship the Triune god father Son and Holy Spirit we are grateful for the for the fact Lord that you bend your holy year to hear our prayers and petitions and praises and we praise you father this day you've given to us to worship you one day and seven to reflect and and bring our praises to the to the Creator God that you are thank you Father you revealed yourself in the scriptures in these 66 books that we have in order to uh to to open up the the mind of God and we thank you for the spirit of the Living God that has also been given in order to help us to understand the word and we pray Lord that your blessing might be upon all these things this day we praise you for the father for the gift of your son the Lord Jesus Christ and truly we are grateful for the fact that we are that we we have a saving interest in being here this day we have a saving interest in in reflecting glory to to to the God on high for the uh for the gift of our Salvation we are grateful father that you have not left us to ourselves but rather you you sought us out and you you cleansed Us in that precious blood of your son the Lord Jesus Christ we would ask that you would cleanse the fresh even this day father for we know that we rise from our beds as continuing uh in sin we we have that adamic sinful nature that still is with us and we although we may struggle against it father we pray that you would help us to uh to to find that forgiveness through your son the Lord Jesus give us that that that that blood that does cover a multitude of sins we pray that we might be righteous in the sight of God this day through your son the Lord Jesus Lord we do pray for any and all in this place Who Have Not Bent the knee to King Jesus who have not who have not sought forgiveness who are still dead in their sins and their trespasses Lord be merciful to them we pray cause the word of God to to to ruminate in their heart and mind and we pray Lord that they would desire that the person of Christ that forgiveness of sins that that we have that we who are in Christ Jesus know that we our sins are forgiven us that we will stand right before you one day when we stand in eternity and you will you will uh you will say enter in uh not because of anything righteous that we have done but because of that righteousness of your son the Lord Jesus Lord how we pray that there is any in here this this day who are outside of Christ that you would be merciful to them move upon their heart upon their mind and cause them Lord to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and cause them to to to trust in that forgiveness of sins that that you that is that is open to all who would call upon the Lord Jesus Christ Lord we pray that we would be Sanctified this day by your holy word bless your word as it's preached uh hear from this Pulpit bless our pastor strengthen Him Father give to him that that that strength of of Mind a strength of spirit that might with the Holy Spirit to declare Faithfully your word and we pray that he would not shave off the rough edges but rather he would declare all that the word of God says and Lord we pray that the spirit of God might attend the preaching as well and cause it to be for the edification the building up of saints here in this place this day and Lord what we pray for ourselves we pray for Pastor Mike Patrick in in Syria we pray for cam who is preaching uh in in Armstrong as well this day we pray for those in uh in Dryden we pray for our our sister Church in in Honduras as well father we pray that your blessing might be upon each one of these churches cause them Lord to know that that spirit that Aid and help of the spirit of God upon the preaching upon the worship and we pray Lord that they would that they would Delight themselves in you and that you would be well pleased to send your blessing and cause them to to rejoice in the things of Eternity father we do thank you that you have blessed us with with the knowledge of what is going on over there in Myanmar as well and we we certainly are prayerful and concerned for for them and for the situation they find themselves in Daily just a war going on all around them and just that uh that that brevity of life is before their very eyes each and every day Lord we pray that you would continue to preserve them in the future as you have in the past and we do rejoice in the way in which you have preserved them and we pray that you might yet preserve them we pray that the you would give give to them that that shelter that protection that that they require and we do pray Lord as they seek to offer Aid and help to to refugees to the children who are with them and uh in in their compound as well as refugees who are hiding in the forest Lord we pray that in all these things you would be glorified through the salvation of Sinners and we pray that you'd move upon the hearts of the children as well that are under their care cause them Lord not just to be protected physically but ultimately to to have their Never Dying Souls protected for all of eternity they would Trust and Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ bless Peter and bless the other workers the the other leaders there in the compound give them strength father we know that uh just as as Moses grew tired uh father we we pray that we pray that in the in the ongoing war that Peter is seeing all around him and the the the the demands upon his time and upon his uh upon uh good judgment we pray Lord that he would not weary but rather you would strengthen him and cause him Lord to be of a sound mind and and strengthened with with good decisions and we prayed you would give him Good Counsel uh with with of those around him blessed Rebecca Hamilton as well and the the the medical situation she finds herself in and we pray Lord that you would strengthen her and cause her Lord to know your help and your Aid uh daily as she offers as she offers help to to Peter and the people in the compound there Lord we do pray for needs within our own church we pray for those who are who are sick those who are not well physically we pray Lord that you would be pleased to touch them cause them to to to know that that that health and strength that does come from you we know Lord that there are other situations that that certainly uh that you are well aware of we pray Lord that you would be pleased to touch each and every one of us this day uh you know where where our concerns are we're uh where where we might call upon you and we pray Lord that you would touch each and every one here this day that has that has requests and petitions that they would bring them before you and Trust entrust them to you and leave them with you we do pray that they might enjoy uh just to worship this day here in this place Lord we do pray for the mothers amongst us who are who who are expectant we pray Lord that you would strengthen them cause them to to to to be kept healthy and well we pray those little ones that growth in their womb that you would be pleased to bless them and and may they be born on the on the on on the day of your choosing uh healthy and well and we just commit them into your hands and pray Lord that you would be merciful to mother and child and and the whole family and that we pray they might be welcomed in to a to a family that would seek to teach them the fear of the Lord and that you would be that you would be pleased to to do that work of Grace within the hearts of of each individual because we know father that Grace cannot be passed on uh through uh through through any other means and by by work of the holy spirit in the heart and lives of each individual so Lord do bless them we do pray and cause your word to go forward this day both here and all around the world father we do pray your blessing upon the persecuted church as well we read in the last hour of many who are suffering for the cause of Christ we pray Lord that you would continue to cause them to be looking to you we pray that you would strengthen them and for those who have lost loved ones pastors uh uh teachers Christians who have uh who have been who have been persecuted who are currently being persecuted in jails Lord we pray that you would just minister to them we pray that your spirit might take the word of God and apply it to their hearts their lives and cause them Lord to to dwell upon the word of God dwell upon upon upon these things of Eternal worth that your spirit would would be with them and cause them Lord to trust in you and hope in you for for one day father each of us will enter into eternity and we desire that that they would enter in well they would not said that they would not fear men that they would not give up that they would not uh that they would not cower but rather they would be found faithful to the very end and we just pray all these things father in Jesus precious name amen well please turn with me your hymn books to hymn number 446 446 I'll ask you to please stand again yes [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] around Christmas [Music] always [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] second Peter chapter 3. beloved I now write to you this Second Epistle in both of which I stir up your pure Minds by way of reminder that you may be mindful of The Words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and the Commandment of us the Apostles of the Lord and of our of the Lord and Savior knowing this first excuse me that scoffers will come in the last days walking according to their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming for since the father's fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation for this they willfully forget that by the word of God the heavens were of old and the Earth standing out of water and in the Water by which the world that then existed perished being flooded with water but the heavens and the Earth which are now preserved by the same word are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and Perdition of ungodly men but beloved do not forget this one thing that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day the Lord is not slack concerned concerning his promise as some count slackness but is long-suffering toward us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up therefore since all these things will be dissolved what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness godliness looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire and the elements will melt with fervent heat nevertheless we according to his promise look for new heavens and a new Earth in which righteousness dwells therefore beloved looking forward to these things be diligent to be found in him in peace without spot and blameless and consider that the long-suffering of Our Lord is salvation as also our beloved brother Paul according to the wisdom given to him has written to you as also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to understand which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction as they do also the rest of the scriptures you therefore beloved since you know this beforehand beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness being led away with the error of the wicked but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to him be the glory both now and forever amen well let's pray our gracious and our loving heavenly father it's with great desire now we come before you come humbly before you and before your word as we desire to hear it lift it up as we desire to hear it uh opened up in the next hour we pray Lord that you would be pleased to strengthen Us by it we pray that we would be steadfast not our own strength but rather steadfast in the word of God so we pray that you would be pleased to bless that word now as it's opened up strengthen Us by it we do pray cause it to be for our edification for our building up for our for that preparation for the day for the for the for the day when we will enter into eternity may we hear those words well done thou good and faithful servant enter in Lord we pray that you would cause us to keep on the right Road cause us to to persevere and we know that it is through that perseverance that ultimately we will uh enter enter into heaven through the through the righteous works of the Lord Jesus Christ so Lord bless this time now bless is our may it be for for the building up of the Saints for the edification and even for the Salvation of Sinners so bless our pastor strengthen him cause him to be to to have the the power and the might of the spirit of the Living God as he opens up the word of God and we do pray these things in Jesus name amen well please turn with me your life for the last hymn before we go to the preaching to him number 275 275 will ask you to stand once again please [Music] thank you foreign [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign [Music] you can turn with me in your Bibles to John's gospel where in John chapter 8 huh John 8 our Focus this morning will be verses 30 to 36 but I want to read beginning in verse 21. so John chapter 8 beginning in verse 21 then Jesus said to them again I am going away and you will seek me and will die in your sin where I go you cannot come so the Jews said will he kill himself because he says where I go you cannot come and he said to them you are from beneath I am from above you are of this world I am not of this world therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins for if you do not believe that I am you will die in your sins then they said to him who are you and Jesus said to them just what I have been saying to you from the beginning I have many things to say and to judge concerning you but he who sent me is true and I speak to the world those things which I heard from him they did not understand that he spoke to them of the father then Jesus said to them when you lift up the son of man then you will know that I am and that I do nothing of myself but as my father taught me I speak these things and he who sent me is with me the father has not left me alone for I always do those things that please him as he spoke these words many believed in him then Jesus said to those Jews who believed and believed him if you abide in my word you are my disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free they answered him we are Abraham's descendants and have never been in bondage to anyone how can you say you will be made free Jesus answered them most assuredly I say to you whoever commits sin is a slave of sin and the slave does not abide in the house forever but a son abides forever therefore if the son makes you free you shall be free indeed amen well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for the written word of the living and true God we know that all scripture is given by inspiration of God and it's profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness so grant us ears to hear and hearts to receive these things and may your holy spirit guide us and teach us and lead us into all truth as well God we pray that you would be merciful to Sinners to those still dead in their trespasses and sins we know it's not by works it's not by effort it's not by moral reform but it comes by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone that Sinners receive that forgiveness and that righteousness they desperately need and well as well father forgive us for all of our sin and everything that darkens our minds and hearts and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well remember this is the day after the Feast of Tabernacles so in John 8 Jesus goes to the temple and many people draw near to hear him and then of course he engages in some dispute with the religious leaders and that's the context that we find ourselves in this morning they continue to question his identity and his authority and he continues to answer them on both counts he says that he is the one sent by the father and that then justifies or rather corroborates the authority with which he speaks he is the sent one from the one who sent him John tells us in the prologue in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God the word became flesh and dwelt Among Us now at this point the unbelieving Jews are resisting that the unbelieving Jews do not see that and the unbelieving Jews are growing in their animosity and their enmity toward him in fact notice what he says specifically there in verse 28 then Jesus said to them when you lift up the son of man then you will know that I am and that I do nothing of myself Christ knows the purpose for which he came he knows that there's going to be a crucifixion and he knows that ultimately it is these people that are culpable or responsible certainly pilate gives the order to execute the Lord Jesus Christ but he does so at the bidding of these Godless men these men that rejected the Messiah sent by God to save his people from their sins now as we continue in this section I want to look at the blessedness of spiritual Liberty in verses 30 to 32 that's what Christ speaks on there and then secondly the wretchedness of spiritual slavery in verses 33 to 36. so that's sort of an overview of the section so let's look first at the blessedness of spiritual Liberty in verses 30 to 32. I should say there's a contrast that we see obviously stated by our Lord notice back in verse 21 before he says if you do not believe that I am you will die in your sins and when he says I am as I've tried to show you that goes back to the the book of Exodus chapter 3 and verse 14 when God manifests himself through the burning bush to Moses and at the question of Moses who shall I say sent me he says I am who I am so Christ says that he is of the same nature as the father that's another uh emphasis in that whole idea of of the the one sent by the father he has the same nature he's the son of God not by creation he's the son of God not by adoption but he is the Son of God by Nature he is the only begotten of the father so the contrast is between the condemnation of those who do not believe on the Lord Jesus and then the freedom for those who receive the Lord Jesus that's the emphasis in verses 30 to 32. notice the person's addressed we see this in verse 30 as he spoke these words many believed in him and then in verse 31 then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him now in terms of a probable identification of this particular group go back for just a moment to chapter 2 chapter 2 in John's gospel tells us or alerts us to the reality of false disciples or false professors or false followers we see that in our own day we live in what so-called a Christian Nation or at least it used to be identified that way but the abortion rate soar euthanasia is going off the charts we see sexual perversion all that sort of thing so not everyone who says that they're Christian is necessarily a Christian Jesus deals that with that in Matthew chapter 7 relative to the day of judgment not everyone who says to me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of God now when we look at chapter 2 we see this caution or this alert that there may be those who falsely profess faith Faith notice in 223 now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover during the feast many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did but Jesus did not commit himself to them because he knew all men and had no need that anyone should testify of man for he knew what was in man and then turn over to John chapter 6. John 6 is an extended narrative where Jesus teaches in a synagogue in caperna and there are a multitude that are following after him and as we as we sort of close out the chapter we see that many followed him not because they received him as the bread of life but because he fed that he gave them physical breath and once that physical bread ran out and then he places demands upon them in terms of discipleship they fall away they don't want him anymore they're only in it for what they can get at the temporal level and so we see this false discipleship or this false sort of profession in John 6. notice in verse 16. therefore many of his disciples when they heard this said this is a hard saying who can understand it when Jesus knew in himself that his disciples complained about this he said to them does this offend you notice he doesn't shrink back from declaring truth he doesn't say well let me change my message to make it more uh palatable for you to make it more easy for you to digest no he doubles down on the sovereignty of God and on the necessity for faith in him for salvation so as he doubles down notice their response in verse 66 from that time many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more so when we get to chapter 8 with this reference to the many who believed his words in verse 30 and then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him in verse 31 we acknowledge the reality that there are false professors but I'm going to suggest that these aren't necessarily false professors look back at chapter 8 specifically at verse 1. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives now early in the morning he came again into the temple and all the people came to him and he sat down and taught them so out of all the people that came to him there were those who believed on him now obviously it's not the religious leaders because Jesus is going to continue to go head-to-head with those men he's going to continue to condemn them in verse 44 he says you are of your father the devil but within the midst of Jerusalem at that time at the temple as Jesus is teaching it is not out of the the world to suspect that many did believe in him why do you think the religious leaders were outraged against Jesus it wasn't again a question of theology though it was to some degree it was ultimately a question of politics if everybody follows him they're not going to follow us if everybody comes after him then that's going to give us less advantage in terms of our position and so I was would suggest that there were many that did believe in him they received the truth that he was the one sent by the father in order to save his people from their sins and so he looks at that particular subset now amongst the many in Jerusalem amongst the religious leadership and he addresses them on matters of faith and so after looking at the person's address notice the blessing described in verses 31 B and 32 again the blessedness of spiritual Liberty is going to deal with the wretchedness of spiritual slavery in a moment but here specifically he wants to speak concerning faith in him and there's two things that's going to occupy our time first the consequence of Faith at the end of verse 31 and then secondly the power of the truth in verse 32 notice the consequence of faith in verse 31. so we have that reference in verse 30 as he spoke these words many believed in him then Jesus said to those Jews who believed them if you abide in my word you are my disciples in deed now notice what he says there if you abide in my word and you have to see the close connection between the word of Christ in verse 32 and the person of Christ in verse 36 you don't have Christ apart from the word these churches these peoples these persons these uh professors of faith today that want to try and Advance the cause of Jesus Christ apart from the word of Truth are engaged in a Fool's errand it is not entertain people into the kingdom of God it is not social justice people into the kingdom of God it is to preach the truth of Jesus Christ Our Lord for the advancement of the cause of God and Truth he says if you believe in Earth rather you abide in my word you are my disciples indeed the language here means to remain or stay right you get that if you abide in your neighbor's house you've remained there or you have stayed there it is used of someone who does not have leave a certain realm or sphere it means to remain continue or abide so again look at the text if you abide in my word you are my disciples indeed sometimes people wonder how how do I really know if I'm a Believer or not well what's your response to the word of God how do I know if I'm actually saved what's your response to the word of God how do I know if God has opened my heart and given me life eternal what's your response to the word of God you abide in it you remain in it do you stay in it are you saturated with it is it your joy and your Delight one commentator Edward Klink says the term communicates the sense of presence a permanent residing in a specific location just as the father remains in the sun 14 10 and the spirit remains Upon Jesus 132-33 so also must Believers remain in the Sun and he in them and again the connection is strong it is to abide in his word there is simply not a Christian that has disdain for the word of God now all of us as God's people need more love for it we need more abiding in it we need more staying with it we need more remaining with it to be sure but somebody that is opposed to the scriptures of the old and the New Testaments is not somebody that is in Christ he is not somebody that has found the savior he is not somebody that has believed the gospel because the Telltale sign of somebody who has believed on Jesus is that they will abide in that word of Truth notice the emphasis on the word in the remainder of this discourse notice in verse 37 I know that you are Abraham's descendants but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you notice in verse 43 why do you not understand my speech because you are not able to listen to my word notice in verse 51. most assuredly I say to you if anyone keeps my word he shall he shall never see death notice in verse 52 then the Jews said to him now we know that you have a demon see that's absolutely positively a betrayal of those who have the word in their hearts they're not abiding in the word when they accuse Jesus of having a demon notice Abraham is dead and the prophets and you say if anyone keeps my word he shall never taste death and then drop down to verse 55 yet you have not known him but I know him and if I say I do not know him I shall be a liar like you but I do know him and keep his word now again the Son of God by Nature his word is the Father's word there's no difference There's no distinction between words there and in terms of the particular particularities of the words Gil says if you continue in my word meaning the Gospel called his because he was both the author and preacher and some and substance of it now I want to pause for just a moment and note something concerning the order the theological order because there's persons out there that say well you have to you have to obey the word in order to be saved you have to do what God says in order to be saved no that's not what the Bible's teaching is now just hear me out because I think that sounds counterintuitive what do you mean abiding in the word means doing what Jesus calls us to do but in terms of the theology in terms of the overarching rule of scripture the analogy of faith when Jesus talks about belief in him that's the means by which justification occurs in other words we're justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ when we believe the gospel wonderful things happen if you have not believed the gospel today may I encourage you to do so because wonderful things happen when you believe the gospel the message about life the life death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ when you believe you are forgiven of your sins and you you receive the righteousness of Christ whereby you'll enter into the uh the presence of God most high those are wonderful things those are the bestest of things those are the most excellent things forgiveness and a righteousness that avails with God so it is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ that's been the emphasis thus far in the discourse notice in verse 24 therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins for if you do not believe that I am you will die in your sins verse 30 as he spoke these words many believed in him verse 31 then Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him or believed him so how do we know now whether we have believed or not because you'll abide by my word or abide in my word you'll remain there you'll stay there you'll have your presence there the theological order is clear we're Justified freely by grace through the instrumentality of faith we receive the Forgiveness of sins and the righteousness of Christ and then by Grace we abide in him so the emphasis is not obey me and then you will be saved that's the emphasis in every other religion out there do what you're supposed to do and then you'll be rewarded at the End by God that's not the teaching of scripture the teaching of scripture sees us as slaves of sin he's going to say that whoever commits sin is what he's a slave of sin he's dead in his trespasses and sins dead man don't obey the Bible dead men don't do what God said we must be born again we must be regenerated we must have The Graces of faith and repentance to close with our Lord Jesus Christ the religion of man says the command and then the blessing do this and you will live the religion of Christ says I did this believe on me and live and as a result of that life the consequences abiding in his word doing those things that are pleasing in his sight walking in obedience to him again not unto salvation but because we've been saved so the abiding in the word of God a word of Christ is a consequence of faith in Christ not the condition that is a huge difference and unfortunately many people don't get this and they teach a religion of Works they teach a religion religion mixed of Faith plus works when the Bible's emphasis is grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone how do I know I'm a Believer because I abide in his word not I'm going to abide in his word so that I can become a Believer it is a consequence of faith in our blessed savior the one who believes and abides in Christ notice what he says in verse 31 it if you abide in my word you are my disciples indeed in other words there's no question there's a certainty John writes his gospel so that we might believe that Jesus is the son of the Living God and that believing in his name we might have everlasting life do you know why he writes his first epistle he writes so that we may know so that we may have that Assurance so that we may have that confidence so that we may understand that certainty how do we gain that confidence how do we gain that certainty how do we know for sure well if you are my disciples you will abide in my word if you have believed the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ you will walk in obedience to him and again not in obedience so that I might be saved but in obedience because I have been saved there is a huge distinction between Faith or rather abiding in in him as a condition for salvation versus as a consequence of Salvation and the emphasis in the entirety of scripture is that it's a consequence of our Salvation turn back to John 1. you see this in the prologue or at least you see this order somewhat at least by way of analogy notice in verse 14 the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth John bore witness of him and cried out saying this was he of whom I said he who comes after me is preferred before me for he was before me and of his fullness we have all received and Grace for Grace now notice this contrast between the old Covenant and the New Covenant that's what verse 17 is it isn't a suggestion that there was no Grace and no truth in the time of Moses that's not what he's doing and it's not a suggestion that there's no command or no law in the time of Jesus he is simply contrasting Covenant verse 17 for the law was given through Moses but Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ so if you take that sort of framework Grace and Truth we by God's grace are conquered through the instrument mentality of his truth and once we come out of Darkness into Marvelous Light we recognize that truth for what it is and we by Grace abide in it we remain in it we stay in it we love it again we don't love it like we ought we should get better for sure but there is this Affinity in the heart of God's people for his word his Commandments are not burdensome they're not Grievous we don't hear the the word of God come to us as Disciples of Christ and say oh come on there's about you know seven of those Commandments that I actually like there's three of them I just don't want to have any truck with whatsoever that's not the child of God David imitates this dispossession when he says oh how I love your law it is my meditation day and night what does Jesus say later on in the upper room discourse if you love me what you will keep my Commandments not out of drudgery not out of a slavish mentality remember you're free now your sons of the blood of the living and true God you've been brought out of Darkness into Marvelous Light and this is your joy and your delight and so when it comes to this statement if you abide in my word you are my disciples indeed the one who believes and abides in Christ is in fact a disciple and the one who abides in Christ having believed on him is one who's received Grace and Truth as a blessed provision of the Covenant of Grace now notice secondly the power of Truth in verse 32 verse 32 he says and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free beautiful isn't it I remember hearing a message by Dr Greg bonson he died in the mid 90s but he was a a graduate of USC he was a I got a master's degree in in philosophy and he says that in the you know in the Pavilion or the quad area at USC University of Southern California they they quote John 8 32. but only half of it the truth shall make you free well that's a true ISM to be sure but you do not want to divorce it from and you shall know the truth and the and there connecting us to the word of Christ of course generally speaking truth makes you free lies are not good deception is not good gaslighting not good no bueno these are bad things but in terms of the truth Christ isn't speaking here in some generic sort of a way two plus two you know the principles of you know light of nature sorts of things talking about himself it's talking about his word again notice the close connection between verse 32 and verse 36 you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free verse 36 therefore if the son makes you free you shall be free indeed so back to verse 32 you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free note is he highlights the knowledge of the truth we must know the truth again Brethren this is why you come to church this is why you read the Bible this is why you are exposed to truth faith comes by hearing and hearing by what it comes by the word of God it doesn't come by osmosis it doesn't come by connection it doesn't come by any other way than through the vehicle of God's truth it is absolutely Paramount it is absolutely crucial it is absolutely necessary and Christ highlights that principle that when by Grace We Believe on him we abide in that truth the more that we experience that truth the more the Holy Spirit confirms to us that truth the spirit is an onboard confirmation that the word of God is in fact true that's why it doesn't matter about all the particular evidence we can give to people about the veracity of scripture those things have their place our confession acknowledges those things but the ultimate testimony is the Holy Spirit working in and with our hearts confirming it to us this isn't the Mormon burning in the bosom this isn't some you know feeling or experience it is the ministry of God the Holy Spirit to confirm that truth in the hearts of God's people those who come to Christ in faith receive the blessing of the holy spirit so Christ speaks concerning the knowledge of the truth but then notice that he highlights the power of that truth verse 32 you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free the truth shall make you free so when you look at a statement like that you see Power you see efficacy you see an emphasis upon the necessity for that word of Truth Now for anybody that's keeping track of the time we're probably going to end at verse 32. so don't think you're going to miss your lunch uh we're not going to be here till three going through all of these verses you can blame Jay Gresham matron my beloved and I read an article by him last night it was answered exercising the truth and I thought this would be a good place in the life and Ministry of our church to revisit that wonderful thing called Truth and again I don't mean in the political sphere though we are lied to and gas lit a lot I'm talking about the religious realm I'm talking about spiritual things I'm talking about the church's response to Society at large as I mentioned before it's not entertainment that are going to win people that is going to win people to the kingdom of God it is not you know the most powerful orator it's not you know Benny Hinn with his gifts and his and his healings it's not Joel Osteen and as you know everybody's happy all the time mentality Brethren that stuff is not truth that stuff does not Advance the kingdom of God our blessed savior tells Pontius Pilate that truth is the vehicle by which he extends his kingdom turn to John chapter 18. John chapter 18 you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free notice in John 19 at verse 36 Jesus answered my kingdom is not of this world that doesn't mean it doesn't involve this world it doesn't mean he's not controller of this world but rather it means it does not originate from this world he's not voted in it's not that there's a primary it's not there's a general it's not that oh everybody casts their ballot for Jesus when he says my kingdom is not of this world do not interpret that to mean that Christ has no concern for this world Christ tells us in the in the Lord's prayer to pray that God's will be done where On Earth as it is in heaven Psalm 103 says that God's kingdom is over over all things so this my kingdom is not of this world means it doesn't originate here it's not a democratic process he wasn't voted into office there's no term limits that are that are over the Lord Jesus notice the conclusion or the implication he draws from that if my kingdom were of this world my servants would fight couple of weeks ago we looked at you know a defense or uh the legitimacy of self-defense and Holy Scripture uh in our Wednesday night bible study there's a group of Christians professing Christians don't don't question their profession but they're called pacifists well Jesus legitimizes the use of violence in the Civil sphere if it is necessary just like Romans 13 legitimizes the use of the sword in the Civil sphere if it is necessary look at the implication my kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world what would he do my servants would fight and my servants would win my servants would make a bloodbath because they're my servants but on to the rest of the passage notice so that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now my kingdom is not from here pilate therefore said to him are you a king then Jesus answered you say rightly that I am a king for this cause I was born the only reference to Christ's birth in the Gospel of John there's a reference to the Incarnation in the prologue at 114 the word became flesh and dwelt among us but there's no birth narrative like we had in the other gospels there's no nativity scene this is the only reference to Christ's birth and what is the referent he says you say rightly that I am a king for this cause I was born you usually preach you know uh approach the the Incarnation season with a heavy emphasis on the Babe Jesus and certainly he was a babe at point in time but he was born to be a king That season of incarnation should remind us of the King of Kings and the Lord of lords and the glory and the power of His might and Dominion now notice he says for this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world that I should bear witness to the truth everyone who is of the truth hears my voice what advances the kingdom of Jesus Christ on Earth it's not entertainment it's not social justice Warrior ISM it isn't any of the emphases that we have seen over the last couple of generations it isn't on feel good it's not on dude good array it is on the proclamation the propagation the defense of in the maintenance of God's holy truth Genesis to Revelation is our weapon it is the sword of the spirit the Apostle says the weapons of our Warfare are not carnal but they're Mighty for the pulling down of strongholds what are those weapons prayer and preaching perhaps this is why we don't see Power in the church today why we don't see the gospel going forth conquering and to conquer because we put the weapons on the shelf and we've adopted other means now in terms of the church's response to the truth we've got the book of Acts we see the emphasis there the Apostle would go to a particular City he would find himself in a synagogue because in the synagogue there'd be religious-minded folk and there would be God-fearing Greeks so there'd be unbelieving Jews and there would be God-fearing Greeks so Paul would go to those synagogues and what would he do let's just feel Jesus let's just receive him into our hearts let's just have a loving and an experience no he would reason he would explain from the scriptures he would go to the the text he would expound the tax he would apply the tax and then he would call them to repentance and faith in our blessed savior and then the Apostle Paul in his writings tells us the church's response to that truth turn to First Timothy chapter 3. First Timothy chapter 3 several observations from Paul's writings concerning the church's responsibility to the truth because if you shalt know the truth and the truth shall make you free it's almost like Christ is giving us information as to what we are to do in this world on his behalf does that make sense in other words we aren't supposed to just you know kind of come up with you know let's get this business model let's have a CEO let's have movers and shakers let's hire a marketing company let's let's brand ourselves because once we do that then we'll Advance the kingdom of God Brethren the kingdom of God doesn't need our branding the kingdom of God doesn't eat our CEOs the kingdom of God doesn't need the Razzmatazz of of Pep rallies and and leaders that that aren't that aren't knowledgeable in Holy Scripture the kingdom of God has built into it a mechanism for its advancement for this cause I was born and for this cause I or or by this means or reason I Advance my cause it's through the word of Truth so notice in first Timothy chapter 3 the identification of the church so first Timothy 3 14 these things I write to you though I hope to come to you shortly but if I am delayed I write I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God which is the Church of the Living God the pillar and ground of what the truth it's not the pillar and ground of entertainment it's not the pillar and ground of feel-goodery it's not the pillar and ground of therapeutic moral deism it is the pillar and ground of the truth that's the emphasis that the Apostle highlights notice as well the function of the church is to propagate the truth turn to Second Timothy chapter four second Timothy chapter 4 verse 1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom no sober or words could be found in Holy Scripture could there be Paul is going to die he tells us that In this passage he knows his time is short he knows he's his departure is at hand and he has a final command for Timothy as a public person not as a private person the private commands come later Timothy when you come bring the cloak I left in troas bring the books especially the parchments those are Timothy is a private person come and visit me in the Pokey and bring me good stuff because it's cold in here and I want to read I want to study I want to strategize I want to I want to extend the kingdom of God most high so that's commands to Timothy in the latter part of verse chapter four that are as a private person but second Timothy 4 1 and 2 comes to him as a public person it is the last official command issued by the Apostle Paul with reference to the church and her conduct with reference to the church and her feng shui so the solemnity in verse one I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom make sure wonder what's coming next what's so important what matters this much to the apostle that he's going to issue this charge to Timothy the public man on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ what is it that demands that kind of reverence that kind of solemnity we all know what that command is it is preach the word again we are the pillar and ground of the truth so what do we do with that truth do we just keep it to ourselves no we take those claims everywhere we go and press the Blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the consciences of all men everywhere he says preach the word be ready in season and out of season and it's not just preach but he gives them the manner in which to preach notice that preach the word convince rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and teaching if it was Timothy's shopping list he could preach it however he wanted if it was Timothy's wish list for his birthday he could preach however he wanted if it was Timothy's private letter to his wife or his children he could preach it however he wanted but the word of God the truth of God the people of God and those who hope to be or we want to be the people of God don't have to right the right to not pay attention convince rebuke exhort do it with all long-suffering because it's a it's a difficult cause it's a difficult task and do it with teaching the people of God should learn the word of God from the pillar and ground of the truth imagine that and then notice as well the churches a responsibility we're going to jump out of Paul for a moment over to Jude Jude 3. again A Familiar passage of scripture I hope all of this is a reminder but the church's function we've seen or identification is the pillar and ground of the truth the church's function is to propagate the truth we're now on the church's responsibility is to contend for the truth notice in verse 3 of Jude's epistle beloved while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the Saints why did he do that he says very clearly the beginning of the verse I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation I just wanted to write you the justification by faith alone I wanted to write you about the Divinity of Jesus the triunity of God I wanted to write to you about the blessedness that we share in Christ Jesus our lord but I found it necessary to kind of change directions I need for you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the Saints and if we would ask the question of Jude well why did you change directions why why did you go in this this particular manner well he answers look at verse 5. uh I'm sorry verse 4 4 certain men have crept in unnoticed if these apostates if these defectors if these Heretics had not crept into the churches then Jude's purpose to just write concerning our common salvation would have been realized but the fact that these Heretics the fact that these devils in men's clothes the fact that these unorthodox persons the fact that these new judases have crept into the church unawares necessitated Jews Jude's exhortation to do what to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the Saints Brethren this is a duty of the church this is a responsibility of the church you often hear it oh let's just love Jesus Doctrine divides it most certainly does it divides the children of God and the children of the devil we don't divide over eschatology we don't divide over some of the other certain things that we find in the Bible but we we divide when it comes to theology proper we divide when it comes to christology we divide when it comes to justification by faith alone we don't have truck with wrong we don't have truck with the New Perspective we don't have truck with the Federal Vision at the level of Faith plus works we divide Brethren because faith alone is the resounding emphasis in the pages of God's holy word we are to contend earnestly now lovingly of course we're not supposed to be morons and baboons and beat everybody up that disagrees with us but we're supposed to contend we're supposed to fight we're supposed to see that truth as so important that we will hold on to it come what may the Apostle Paul sets the example for us in the book of Acts in Acts chapter 20. none of these things move me the thought that he's going to go to Jerusalem that he's going to be arrested and that he's going to be turned over over to civil Authority no I have a particular Mission and it is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ Our Lord to extend the kingdom of God most high on the Earth We're to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the Saints back to Paul notice in chapter or second Timothy chapter one so we've seen the identification of the church as the pillaring ground of the truth the function of the church is to propagate the truth the responsibility of the churches to contend for the truth and then the church's stewardship is the protection of the truth this contend earnestly seems to envisage those wretches coming in amongst us and us meeting them not with come on guys can you just leave come on guys can you just leave us now you meet them with the truth if you do not sign off on this if you do not confess this if you do not believe this if you do not repent from your sins then again we have no truck with you again this is just so offensive today oh come on Butler we just ought to be ecumenical we ought to have a big tent everybody ought to come and be a participant everybody who confesses that Jesus Christ Has Come In the Flesh everybody who confesses that he is descent one from I'm the one who sent who lived who died and was raised again oh yeah they come into the tent and those who confess that by grace through faith in him oh yeah they're in the tent but if you mess up on those things you're not in the town it's intriguing because the early Creeds in Christianity were called The ecumenical creeds and I think I don't want to speak out of line but I think at least a lot of them I will say ended with a series of anathem us now anathema is a Greek word that is the the Greek version of a word that occurs in the Old Testament the word in the Old Testament is Karam and Harem simply meant something devoted to destruction something under the ban the children of Israel in the sacking of AI or or in Jericho were forbidden to take any of the booty to take any of the loot it is under the ban it is devoted to destruction so we get to the New Testament the Apostle Paul co-ops that term again he uses great so he says anathema he uses it in Romans 9. he says if it were possible that I could be anathema from Christ for the sake of my countrymen I would take it first Corinthians 12 he says no man can say that Jesus is accursed or anathema apart uh if he's led by the spirit he uses it in Galatians chapter one as well if any man preaches another gospel that I haven't preached next year let him be anathema and so this idea of anathema is what the early church Creeds pronounced on persons that didn't confess that Greed for them that was ecumenical that was the tent you can certainly have habitation in the tent provided you profess the truth ecumenicism today goes about like this well can they say Jesus because if they can say Jesus we've got communion with them no sorry at some point we've got to ask the question which Jesus are they talking about I mean if you think about it just the last I don't know a few months they invoked Jesus to endorse abortion at least some they endorse or they invoke Jesus to endorse you know all a host of things well Brethren that's not the big tent that the scripture calls us to so the Jude 3 contend earnestly for the Faith with those who creep in but in the common everyday sort of Maintenance of the truth or the defense of the truth look at second Timothy chapter one again Paul writing to Timothy here as a public man certainly there's a private application for Timothy but notice what the church's function is in terms of the protection of the truth first second Timothy 1 13 He says hold fast the pattern of sound Words which you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus hold fast not let go not be such a wimp not be such a coward not be such a compromiser that when they want to abort babies and euthanize everybody when they want to engage in sexual perversion that includes the mutilation of children you say well you know I guess Jesus would be okay with that Jesus would not be okay with that Jesus condemns that unequivocally from Genesis to Revelation if we are Jesus disciples and we abide in his word there is a clear-cut dividing line there is a distinction between the children of the devil and the children of God most high hold fast the pattern of sound Words which you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus now notice verse 14 that good thing which was committed to you keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us not Let It Go not just say well it's not that important Brethren I dare say the truth is the most important this is the deposit that has been carefully given to us by God most high the Apostle says in second Corinthians 4 7 we have this this this treasure gospel treasure in Earth and vassals so that the Excellence of the knowledge may be of God and not men tonight in Ephesians 3 he's going to talk about his ministry as a steward of the Gospel when he talks about the the the proclamation of what the unsearchable riches of Christ This is Our Calling this is our task this is what we're about can we have other things should we perhaps do other things are there more that we can is there more that we can undertake yes absolutely positively draw up your plans make your suggestions take them to the deacons and we'll see what we can do but the primary emphasis as long as there's breath in our lungs and we can confess our faith in Jesus Christ and we band together as the Church of Jesus truth must be everything in a world of lies in a world of deception in a world of Darkness what's going to make the difference it's not our power of persuasion it's not our experience it's not our thoughts it's the word of God most high the church has this particular uh responsibility and dare I say this particular privilege what is the church's Joy it's to see the people of God abiding in his word right isn't it wonderful to to share the gospel with somebody and and by Grace they believe it doesn't it make you happy Jesus says that the angels in heaven Rejoice over one sinner who repents in Luke 15. well the church does that too it's nothing more encouraging for a pastor than to hear at the prayer terminating or they are in private Council I shared the gospel with this work associate and perhaps he's not saved yet but boy he's really thinking about that praise God that's awesome what's the name so I can pray for that or we hear of God's blessing in other churches we hear of other people coming to the Savior we hear people embracing the truth doesn't that make you happy isn't that what it's about isn't that our function and this is our as well as our privilege there's a must-do-ness about this but there's a get to do this about this as well the privilege and the joy of witnessing people not only receiving the gospel by grace and believing on it but saying God's people grow seeing people God God's people grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ to hear them say something like John Newton you know what I'm not what I ought to be I'm not what I want to be but by God's grace I'm not what I once was That's The Power of truth the truth is everything the church has been given this as a stewardship and may God most high encourage and strengthen and help us to remain faithful in that stewardship of it and then finally go back to John chapter 8 John chapter 8 the Lord Jesus Christ makes this definitive statement in verse 32 you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free what's that mean shall make you free what if the government continues to clamp down on Christians and they throw people in jail oh that'll never happen in Canada I suppose they probably said that at one time in Pakistan I suppose they probably said that at one time in China I suppose they probably said that at one time in Saudi Arabia but as history has taught us it's not always the case we're going to always enjoy freedom in the temporal sphere so when Jesus says you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free and then we turn to the book of Acts for instance when we turn to Paul's letters Paul Paul's not free in fact we looked at that last week in Ephesians chapter 3 verse 1 a prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles what's Jesus mean here well it's pretty obvious I think all of you would say okay I get it whoever commits sin is a slave of sin the wretchedness of spiritual slavery so what he's obviously referring to in verse 32 is the the blessedness of spiritual Liberty the blessedness of spiritual Freedom so what are we free from what have we been released from you go back to the Old Testament it's pretty obvious obvious what was The Exodus about the Exodus was about deliverance from bondage the children of Israel at the endogenesis end up in Egypt the King dies or the Pharaoh dies a new king or a new Pharaoh comes on the scene and he has no concern for the Israelites whatsoever except as a slave Force I mean they're pretty helpful for that I can them on their backs and I can make them you know build my stuff and I can help have them you know extend my kingdom so when we look at the Exodus which means departure when we look at the Exodus that that deals with the theme of Liberation not Liberation theology the the Kami version but Liberation or Deliverance it's obvious from the bondage of from the bondage of Egypt so what do we have freedom from in our situation well I would suggest we have freedom first of all from the curse of the law freedom from the curse of the law now time is going so I just will call out the passages that you should refer to later in Galatians 3 13 Christ became a curse to free us from the curse of the law Galatians 4 in the fullness of time God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to do what to redeem those under the law the law as a covenant of Works drove us and the law as a covenant of Works smashed us and so we were under the law and yet Christ having become a curse frees us from the curse of the law so we have freedom from that secondly we have the freedom from the condemnation of sin freedom from the condemnation of sin last Sunday night we had a bit of a going away for a young man if you're just visiting tonight or today for a young man that had been in our church for many years and sad to see him go and he was asked what was his favorite hymn he was one of our pianists and cam asked him cam came up with one of his camisms I think we've probably sang you know about 6 500 hens you know since you were born and brought up in the context of the church okay I just I'll take that by faith I didn't go home and check the map and he says 580. 580 in the old Hamburg 580 in the old hymn book has a stanza that says my sin oh the Bliss of this glorious thought my sin not in part but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more praise the Lord praise the Lord it's a good Hymn for a young man to hold on to it's a good Hymn for all of us to hold on to it's a good Hymn for anybody that has that burden of sin that has that weariness and heavy ladeness even this morning of sin you know your conscience you know the the word of God you know where you are at odds and the only means by which we get freedom from that sin is through the blood of Jesus Christ his son come to him in faith you receive forgiveness again one of the chief bones of our religion is the Forgiveness of sins so you're free from the condemnation of the law you're free from the condemnation of sin you're free thirdly from the wrath of God most high Romans chapter 3 verse 25 and 26 the Apostle tells us that God the Father set forth his son as a propitiation now that's a word that perhaps we don't use in everyday language propitiation presupposes the wrath of God and initiation means that that wrath is spent it's not diverted it's not sent away but it was spent upon the son of his love when Christ goes to the Cross he's not there for an example he's not there just to teach us something about love he is there bearing in himself The Curse Of God most high for us men and for our Salvation he was set forth through his blood as a propitiation for sin and so when by Grace we receive this Freedom we're free from that curse of the law that condemnation of sin and that wrath of God most high but then the final observation is we're freed from the tyranny of the devil the the Devil Himself he's active John John 8 44 you are of your father the devil the Deeds of your father you want to do don't ever think or suspect it there's no devil there's a devil he he roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour he is the prince of the power of the air that works and the sons of Disobedience according to Ephesians 2 2 but when by God's grace we believe that gospel we're freed from that tyranny so even if we're in a jail cell even if we're in a gulag even if we're in a plane plummeting out of the sky I'm not trying to scare anybody we have that freedom from and the scriptures are replete with that emphasis concerning freedom from the tyranny of the devil such that the Apostle John can say later in first John 4 greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world we have been Freed From The Tyranny and from the bondage and from the misery of being bound by the devil there's a freedom from and there's obviously a freedom too the freedom to enjoy God and to glorify him forever the freedom to do those things that are pleasing in his sight and the Freedom ultimately to go to Emmanuel's land where we will be in the presence of our blessed god father Son and Holy Spirit World Without End Amen well let us pray Our Father we thank you for your word we thank you for the clarity of our Lord's words here and help us to appropriate that truth help us to see first and foremost that Christ is the only Savior for Sinners and God give The Graces of faith and repentance so that Sinners may come to him as well all of us we pray that we would abide in his word that we would love that word that we would call it our Delight as individuals as families as a church I pray that we love it but as well as a church I pray that we would propagate it that we would defend it that we would protect it that we would rejoice in its reception and that we would be faithful to you and For Your Glory as you have called us to do we thank you for this day we pray for your blessing upon us and we ask these things through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well you can turn with me in your hymn books to number 568 you'll stand as we sing together 568. [Music] God [Music] Holy Spirit be brought up our lord Jesus from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you complete in every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever amen thank you Lord God most high for the word of truth I pray for your blessing upon each one here that we have a wonderful Lord's day which would bring us together tonight to worship you in spirit and Truth we pray that all over this Earth as your gospel is proclaimed that word would run swiftly and be glorified Advance your kingdom revive your people awaken those dead in their trespasses and sins and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation