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e e e e e e e e e morning everyone welcome to True Grace Baptist Church not quite as full as we were last Sunday but that was a special event good to see everyone here this morning uh last Sunday morning if you were here in the 9:30 hour we had a report from various uh Ministers of the Gospel across Canada from Ontario Saskatchewan Alberta and uh gave us a little glimpse of what they're doing and what the Lord is doing in their churches one of those Brothers was Dan warley who's here with us still this morning and he's going to be preaching for us this morning so remember the remember all of those brethren in your prayers as they labor in their various churches and various Fields so this this evening we'll be having the Lord's supper at 5:00 p.m. our Wednesday night bible study will take place as usual at 7:30 a couple of extra announcements on uh what date is it the Dan what date is the event with the children Saturday 11 okay coming Saturday the 11th of May there's going to be an event for fathers and Children of the church at Daniel slute wg's parents place is that correct on the farm okay so if you're planning on coming to that dad's with your kids it's not just younger kids but uh kind of geared that way but older kids can come too if you're planning on coming give Daniel a heads up so he kind of knows how going need to prepare for correct okay so that's the the 11th uh and then on the 18th of of May is a Saturday it's our church work day we usually gather first thing in the morning starting around 8:30 and uh do some work around the church until noon or early afternoon to to finish things up so if you're able to come for that that is the 18th and then the other thing that yet at the back of the church there's the sign up sheet for the summer lawn care for anyone that wants to take two weeks at a time to to mold The Lawns look after the little bit of landscaping out front that would be helpful I believe that's it for announcements we're going to turn in our Bibles to Psalm 119 for our call to worship Psalm 119 and we're going to read from verse 121 through 128 Psalm 119 verse 121 I have done Justice and righteousness do not leave me to my oppressors be sh for your servant for good do not let the proud oppress me my eyes fail from seeking your salvation and your righteous word deal with your servant according to your mercy and teach me your statutes I am your servant give me understanding that I may know your testimony monies it is time for you to act O Lord for they have regarded your law as void therefore I love your Commandments more than gold yes than fine gold therefore all your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right I hate every false way amen for our first hymn we're going to sing Psalm 145 in the sulter Himel Psalm 145 b as in bravo and we'll sing the first four stanzas please stand with me as we sing [Music] [Music] will forever bless your you after your praful PR the Lord and PR [Music] praise to your wers and mighty has and mesty [Music] will shall your aome I will your great PR yourest praise for your [Music] glor bless and your good [Music] rightous let's go to the Lord in prayer our gracious and merciful Heavenly Father we thank you for this day and for this opportunity to come into this place to worship you together as your gathered local assembly we thank you father that you have given us one another for good for fellowship and for up building of each other in the faith we thank you for this day that you have set apart for us to Worship in your house and we thank you that all over the face of the Earth this day your Praises are arising from your people and we thank you oh God for this taste of of Heaven on this side of Eternity Lord we pray that you would bless this congregation this day bless Dan as he comes up and as he ministers to us Lord we pray that you would give him unction and power from on high give him Clarity to speak boldly the word of Truth Lord we pray that you would continue the good work that you've begun in that congregation out in Ontario be with with Josh today and the others that have gathered there we pray God that you would continue to build that church up a congregation as they look uh forward to uh formally constituting in the future we pray oh God that you would continue to bring others in amongst them that are hungry for the word of God and we pray oh Lord that you would give them stability and unity and bless them as they as they labor onwards in that part of our country thank you for Dan and for his wife and for their their son we pray oh God that You' bless them as they return as they make the trip back encourage them continue with them we pray Lord we thank you for the conference that we had here last week and for all those that were able to visit from across Canada thank you for the church not only in dren but for those churches in saskat and in Regina and wurn in in Alberta Lethbridge and Fairview and and various other places across this country Lord we pray that you would continue to encourage and bless these congregations and we thank you that we have had opportunity to meet with them we pray that you would allow us to have more opportunity and to form an association together that would be of mutual benefit for the instructing of leaders and for the building up of one another in Most Holy Faith we thank you oh God for our Church plants here in British Columbia we pray that you'd be gracious to the work there in sui we thank you for what you are doing there bless uh Pastor Kirk Patrick and especially his wife expecting a baby we pray that you'd be gracious to her at this time and to the little one pray that the birth would go well Lord we pray that the church would would be behind them 100% And continue to support them Lord I pray that there would be Pulpit coverage during uh this time as needed bless that work this day will God thank you for what good things you are doing there in the north okan aen as well thank you that they are considering Hans crru for the eldership and we pray oh God that that would go well as as well we pray that you would bless and encourage him and that as he is uh tested you would uh see fit to to place him in that position and to give that church a plurality of Elders we thank you God for the the much good that has been done in the short time that they have existed as a church there continue to bless them oh God we pray we thank you oh God for those churches that we are associated with in other parts of the world bless the work in Elder bless the the congregation there in Honduras we pray oh God that your gospel would go forth in those places and Lord for those churches that are undergoing persecution this day be merciful to your Saints especially to those saints that are currently suffering in prison for the sake of Christ and for his gospel encourage them on this year Lord's day and may they know the comfort of the Holy Spirit we also pray for the orphans and uh Peter in Myanmar be gracious to that group as they attempt tomorrow to move a a group of perhaps a hundred children into the major city Lord we pray that this would go well we pray that there would be no problems no hindrances and that they would be given safe passage be gracious to them we pray oh God Lord continue with us as we worship this day may you cleanse us may you instruct us and Lord if there be any here that have not yet tasted and seeing that the Lord is good may this be the day of salvation we pray in Jesus name amen for our next himym let's turn in our Himel to number 234 234 stand with me as we sing the god of Abraham praise [Music] the prise to the anent of everas is great high for PR by and see am I for and my only for my shield [Music] his I [Applause] shall I shall be his face shall his power and sing the wers of his [Music] for with and of all and Jes forever Mery the Lord our rightousness I the world and the of his glor forever to god father Son and Holy Ghost All Join the heav might and mesty PR may be seated for our morning scripture reading in the New Testament please turn with me to Matthew chap 25 and we will pick up where we left off last week beginning in verse 31 m Matthew CH 25 and verse 31 to the end of the chapter when the son of man comes in his glory and all the Holy Angels with him then he will sit on the throne of his glory all the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate them one from another as a Shepherd divides his sheep from the goats and he will set the sheep on his right hand but the goats on the left then the king will say to those on his right hand come you bless blessed of my father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was hungry and you gave me food I was thirsty and you gave me drink I was a stranger and you took me in I was naked and you clothed me I was sick and you visited me I was in prison and you came to me then the righteous will answer him saying Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you drink when did we see you a stranger and take you in or naked and clothe you or when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you and the King will answer and say to them assuredly I say to you in as much as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren you did it to me then he will also say to those on the left hand depart from me you cursed into the Everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels for I was hungry and you gave me no food I was thirsty and you gave me no drink I was a stranger and you did not take me in naked you did not clothe me sick and in prison and you did not visit me then they also will answer him saying Lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you then he will answer them saying assuredly I say to you in as much as you did not do it to one of the least of these you did not do it to me and these will go away into Everlasting punishment but the righteous into eternal life amen let's pray gracious Father in heaven we thank you that you are God of Justice and a god of Mercy we know oh Lord that you were if you were only a God of Justice we would all be doomed to hell because that is what we deserve but in your kindness and your mercy you have sought us out and redeemed a great multitude from every tribe Kindred tongue and nation and thank you that you have also prepared good works for us to do in we pray oh God that we would be found faithful in doing them not to earn our salvation but because we have been saved and because we love our savior we pray these things in Jesus name amen for our final hymn we'll turn to Psalm 103 in this altar 103 d as in delta and we'll sing it to a familiar tune please stand with me as we sing father has for all his children here the we and all know [Music] are so is away the ofing the to all and his to his Gra the Lord will ever children children shall to see his right good morning truly is a blessing for us to worship our Great and Mighty God with you this morning so please take your Bibles and turn to the book of Ephesians chapter 1 it's Ephesians chapter 1 the book of Ephesians is a pastoral and Theological letter written to Christians that is those separated to God to fortify Church Unity first with what is to believed Orthodoxy and then that which is to be practiced orthopraxy so we'll read the first chapter of Ephesians we'll read the whole chapter Ephesians chapter 1 Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God to the Saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and Without Blame before him in love having predestined us to adoption as Sons by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his Gra Grace by which he made us accepted in the Beloved in him we have Redemption through his blood the Forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and Prudence having made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him in him also we have obtained un inheritance being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counil of his will that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the Praise of his glory in him you also trusted after you heard the word of Truth The Gospel of your salvation in whom also having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory therefore I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints do not cease to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers that the god of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of Glory may give to you the spirit of wisdom and Revelation and the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that you may know what is the hope of his calling what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance and the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the Heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come and he put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church which is his body the fullness of him who fills all in all our great God Lord we thank you um for your word we thank you that you have revealed yourself to us both through nature and through divine revelation that you have given us truths that we may know more about you and about your wondrous works and I pray this morning Lord that you would open our eyes to the great truths contained in your word that you would edify the Saints and that if there are any who have not closed with Christ here this morning that you would make them alive that you would call lost Sinners into Marvelous Light we pray above all Lord that you would be glorified we pray this in Jesus name amen now the first chapter in the book of Ephesians speaks of God's purpose of reconciliation by the Covenant of redemption in verses 3 to 14 and then the Apostle explains that he does not cease to pray in Thanksgiving and intercession for the Saints which is a community of people chosen by God those who are chosen by the father redeemed by the son and sealed with the spirit or those purposed purchased and claimed by God Paul explains that he intercedes for the Saints for increased spiritual understanding that they may know the hope of his calling the riches of the glory of the inheritance and the exceeding greatness of God's Almighty power today's sermon will be on the exceeding greatness of God's Almighty power and our text will be verses 19 to 23 and it is the apostles prayer that the Saints may know the exceeding greatness of God's Almighty power this will be examined first of all the supremacy of God's Almighty power that's the supremacy of God's Almighty power second the demonstration of God's Almighty power the demonstration and third the immensity of Christ's exaltation now I'm sure everyone here has probably heard somebody trying to to trick you in some manner by presenting this false dilemma by asking the question if God is all powerful can he make an object that's so big that he himself can't move now that this false dilemma is a false dilemma because two options are given and both options presume upon something that is not correct and it's intended to to trap you to get you to admit to something um that is inaccurate it presents two options both of which are based on a faulty understanding of God and his power it is the trap to confirm error and it is a deficit understanding of God's Almighty power it presumes that if God can do something then therefore he must do it upon our our wishes and therefore if he is neither able to do it or not powerful enough to make it um then it presumes that all powerful is synonymous with do anything however God as we know in fact cannot do anything the Divine being cannot Act contrary to his nature he cannot sin he cannot change he cannot lie he cannot die God can do all things congruous to the Divine will in harmony with his perfect Infinite Wisdom what he does do is he does according to His holy Divine will so what is the key takeaway of this it's that God is all powerful all power is derived from and delegated by God God is Almighty so our first point is the supremacy of God's Almighty power in verses 19 now in order to best understand God and in order to best understand the exceeding greatness of the almighty power of God then we must unhitch our assumed Med perceptions of God from our creaturely finite limitations and weaknesses we want to think that if we cannot understand or experiencing something then we can't acknowledge that God can however God is not dependent or contingent upon any of his creation nor are we God so our text says the exceeding greatness of his power Now by way of creating all things of Nothing by the word of his power God's Almighty power therefore exists before the foundation of the world let me explain when we think of time time is measurement of irreversible succession of change or of movement or of one directional progression it is based upon daily rotations of the Earth and annual or or sorry and annual orbiting of the Sun the Earth and the Sun are both the result of God creating the cosmos that is the beginning of time or in the beginning therefore prior to the beginning of time prior to the beginning of the cosmos God existed now this isn't a matter of turning back a clock for addition reverted increments of time nor is it a matter of extending the timeline backwards for unrecorded succession of change over God fills all time and space God's existence is infinitely Timeless this means God doesn't wait this means God doesn't learn this means God doesn't react and God is not caused there's nothing that is antecedent to God therefore God's power is unsurpassably absolute this means that God is not influenced forced or overpowered he does not sorry he does not act upon information or undergo change or suffer under anything nor is he moved into or out of his Perfection he is absolute God doesn't Outsource power God doesn't obtain power rather by virtue of his very essence God himself is power he's not just all powerful God is omnipotence itself God is power God is Almighty or to put it in another way I'm sure you've heard all that is in God is God so then you might naturally ask well what is God God is a spirit infinite Eternal and unchangeable in his being wisdom power Holiness Justice goodness and Truth God's power is as God's being infinite Eternal and unchangeable Timeless Transcendent self-existent self-sufficient independent uncaused most absolute and supreme so what are the implications of this the implications are Eternal perfect actuality or pure act he eternally accomplishes his holy will ultimate efficient causal power God is most powerful and that without change now if I said let's all Sprint to chilak Lake and back together we would find very quickly that we Tire we deplete our energy source and um that we Decline and that we fail however God's power is infinite it it is boundless it is immeasurable it is inexhaustible non- depletable unthwarted and immutable this means that God's creation cannot deplete or exhaust God's power it cannot overthrow him nor thwart him frustrate confound nor exasperate him it cannot cause God to suffer under it or cause God in any way whatsoever God's creation cannot overpower God God is Almighty so you might say well that's all in good and it's easy to read that in a book or write it on paper or to just preach it from a Pulpit within the within the walls of a church but what about actual historic events throughout history for example what what about the serpent deceiving Eve and the subsequent fall of all Humanity into sin misery and condemnation even there God is all powerful but what about the Egyptians enslaving and oppressing God's chosen Nation even there God is all powerful but what about the Babylonians sieging destroying and Exile exiling God's City Temple and people even there God is all powerful what about the Romans arresting mocking reviling and crucifying the Messiah even there God is all powerful but what about Nero persecuting destroying and exiling Christians yes even there God is all powerful even the Roman Coliseum public spectacle of brutality brutally and violently persecuting Martyrs of the the faith even there God is all powerful what about the Pope usurping the place of Christ and deceiving multitudes even there God is all powerful but what about Henry VII declaring himself to be head of the church and shortly after Bloody Mary executing faithful Christians for preaching justification by grace alone through faith alone and Christ Alone even there God is all powerful but what about government sanctioned affirming celebrating promoting or legislating the murder of the vulnerable abortion infanticide euthanasia Sovereign self- autonomy expressive individualism and this godlessness sodomy homosexuality homosexual marriage gender dysphoria and subsequent rewarding rewarding of the evildoer while punishing those who do good yes even there God is all powerful now as we contemplate God's Almighty power and how we apply it to Historic life events perhaps it's a better way to ask questions such as this what about when God judges the living and the dead and brings all things into Unity under Christ when Earthly P when Earthly rulers past present and future are brought Before the Throne of God where will their power be then what about Satan and his evil forces of Darkness some have a tendency of dualism and they and they're thinking of God and Satan as though equal in power and Infinity but Satan just like the Egyptians just like the Babylonians just like the popes and just like the rulers Satan also is one of God's creatures and whatever power he may have is entirely from God and at his disp osal God Alone is all powerful Romans 19:6 says sorry Revelation 19:6 says and I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude as the sound of many Waters and as the sound of Mighty thunderings saying Allelujah for the Lord God omnipotent Reigns so what do you fear or better yet who do you fear if you are not in Christ Christ and fear God and His wrath upon all who do not believe who do not repent and turn to Christ alone for salvation Psalm 34:4 says I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears if you are in Christ what do you fear just as Noah and Company were carried safely through the delus of judgment so also those in Christ will pass safely into Glory nothing in death can over overthrow the power of God and so also Nothing in life can overthrow the power of God God is all powerful Isaiah 41 says fear not for I am with you be not dismayed for I am your God I will strengthen you I will help you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his mighty power our text continues which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the Heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come the exceeding greatness of God's Almighty power is here demonstrated and the res resurrection and exaltation of Christ which brings us to our second point the demonstration of God's Almighty power namely in Christ's resurrection and Christ's exaltation so first the demonstration of God's Almighty power in Christ's Resurrection our text says raised him from the dead that is death to life firstborn from the dead resur resurrected and Victorious he was raised because Buried buried because dead so this necessitates questions well why did he die he died because he suffered and die suffered and died to satisfy the wrath of God and to purchase a people for his own possession well why was this necessary because the wages of sin is death why are the wages of sin death because all a fallen mankind is lost in sin in need of Redemption why so because God is Holy and God is righteous and God is just so he was raised because he was buried he was buried because he was dead because we see here what we read in the Son of God accomplishing the work of redemption for us he was raised but raised to what Christ was exalted to the utmost Heights of Glory he was seated at the father's right hand in the Heavenly places now you might hear that and you might think but I thought you just said that God is a spirit how if God is a spirit how can the father have a right hand in the Heavenly places what we have here is called an anthropomorphism or anthropomorphic language which means having a human form it is figurative language in scripture uh it figuratively attributes human characteristics to God and we know that it's figurative because in John 4:24 says God is Spirit it is creature accommodating language we cannot relate to God so we cannot understand um as God Is So as we are God's creatures it is creature accommodating language is not literal materialistic View of the Divine rather Expressions meant to accommodate man's temporal standpoint we want to be able to relate or to imagine something in order to grasp it however we are not God we are God's creatures so we cannot relate to God nor can we imagine God however we can account for God as he has revealed himself now the doctrine of God is the foundation interpretive key for all subsequent theological discourse so for example when a text speaks about the external works of God as unfolded in time to his creatures we don't isolate that from the rest of scripture to try to Define who God is by his eternal Essence we take that which scripture speaks about God of his Essence to formulate that Doctrine and bring it with us when we then subsequently understand the works of God as is unfolded in time to his creatures communicated to us according to our temporal standpoint so the doctrine of God by the doctrine of God a careful formulation of God that we take with us as foundational building blocks of interpretation so right hand seated at the father's right hand figuratively means the place of greatest honor nobility dignity and Authority the humanity of Christ invested with highest highest exaltation and blessing while the Divinity of Christ always eternally co-equal with the father and undivided in essence and Glory without conversion confusion or blending of Divine Essence with the human nature seated him also means a completed work Christ the triumphant Messianic branch of David abiding in the holy of holies with the father in an everlasting Kingdom of Glory John 12:41 says that Isaiah saw Christ's glory and spoke of him what is this in reference to what did he see Isaiah 6 says in the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord I Saw the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifted up and the train of his robe filled the temple above it stood seraphim each one had six wings with two he covered his face with two he covered his feet and with two he flew and one cried to another and said holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory and the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out and the house was filled with smoke so we see the demonstration of God's Almighty power and the resurrection of Christ and secondly in the exaltation of Christ in our text it says far above all principality and power and might and Dominion far above all Christ exalted to the greatest power worldly and Heavenly material and immaterial current as well as future far above all and above every name that is named all under his feet at his command and absolute disposal in Philippians 2 we read therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on Earth and of those under the Earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father the exceeding greatness of God's Almighty power is demonstrated in the immensity of Christ's exaltation of universal power and authority so that brings us to our third point which is the immensity of Christ's exaltation namely Universal power and authority so the universal power and authority of Christ's exaltation first of all to all creation says all things all things under his feet again this is figurative language meaning total subjection to the power of Christ who Reigns on high both in heaven and on Earth there is nothing that is not subjected to him he is King of Kings Lord of lords faithful and true the Lord God Almighty Universal power and authority second of all to the church militant and the church triumphant Christ's kingly power to subdue Rule and Keep Those whom he purchased with his precious blood in an undissolvable Union and third the relation of Christ as head over the church now it is not as though he is in deficit and in need rather the church which is Christ's body is filled by him the fullness of him who fills all in all and communicates all good things to the church with power over all things for her good Christ fills his body the church with all its members and the gifts and Graces of the spirit Christ as head and representative we do not stand before God self represented we do not stand on our own by our own merits by our own Works attempting to plead our own cause rather Christ as a lamb that had been slain pleads our cause by his blood and and merits Christ is the church's beloved and friend the chiefest among 10,000 preeminent full of glory and Majesty Christ to the church is altogether excellent altogether glorious altogether admirable altogether precious altogether desirable he is altogether lovely nothing can be desired that compares with him Christ is Holy to be feared desired and loved John Owen wrote glorious in his way of rule and the administration of his kingdom full of sweetness efficacy power Serenity Holiness righteousness and Grace in and towards his elect of Terror Vengeance and certain destruction towards the rebellious angels and Men glorious in the issue of his kingdom when every knee shall bow before him and all shall stand before his judgment seat so it is this power the exceeding greatness of God's Almighty power that is the power of God towards those who believe first of all being preserved by God's Almighty power says to our text says towards us who believe according to to the working of his mighty power that is the working of faith in Believers itself is an instance of God's Almighty power being called drawn and quickened by the power of God and also kept by the power of God the power of God in the whole of our Salvation 1 Peter 1 says blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundance abundant Mercy has begotten us again to a Living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance Incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed at the last time just as by God's power we are born again so by God's power we are kept regardless of various trials in fact by God's power we are kept through trials Matthew P wrote that all the parts and steps of spiritual life from The First beginning of Grace and regeneration to the consummation of it in glory are of God the power of God towards those who believe secondly at the resurrection ction of the Dead with Christ raised and exalted as our head or as our public figure or representative or federal head of Those whom uh have been purposed purchased and claimed by God Colossians 2 says buried with him in baptism in which you also were raised with him through faith and the working of God who raised him from the dead Christ is the basis of our hope he's the basis of Our Hope in the resurrection he is risen and exalted and sits as our head our representative our mediator and our advocate in Romans 8 we read that if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you in conclusion what Blessed Assurance saved to the uttermost not by my power or lack thereof but God's Almighty power and Christ Our Redeemer is exalted on high and ever lives to intercede for us Hebrews 7 tells us that but he because he continues forever as an unchangeable priesthood therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them John Flavel wrote think how safe the people of God in this world are whose head is in heaven why do we tremble thus do we not see our head above water if he lives Believers cannot die John 14:19 because I live ye also shall live yes it is true that no man may come to Christ except by the power of God John 6:44 says no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him but embracing Christ that is receiving and resting on Christ is not forced or driven involuntarily the unregenerate by Fallen sinful nature does not seek after God and rejects Christ in opposition to him so you're probably asking how then does a rebellious nature in opposition to and at enmity with God come without being forced involuntarily by the power of God the old man dies in Christ and is made new in Christ that is a new creation 2 Corinthians 5 says if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation old things have passed away behold all things have become new and the new man drawn by the father is now genuinely and earnestly willing not by self-generation of Fallen human nature but by the power of God Psalm 110 says willing in the day of God's power sure you're all familiar with Ezekiel 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you I will take the Heart of Stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of Flesh I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and will keep my judgments and do them now when we consider a grafted Branch that's grafted to a root stck the the branch that's grafted it doesn't sever itself and relocate itself onto the root stock it cannot do that itself however when it is severed and when it is affixed to the root stock then it must take hold and live if you have not taken hold of Christ then abandon any hopes of a self-generated righteousness or justification come unto Christ all who are weary and burdened and he will give you rest take hold of Christ receive Christ rest on Christ Embrace Christ John 6:37 says all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out give praise to God for the Lord God omnipotent Reigns let's pray our Eternal almighty God Lord we acknowledge that you are the one true Living God is you who created all things all things are from you and through you and to you you have created us and sustain our lives and it is for your purpose Lord we praise you for your power that you are not limited as your creatures are for you are an eternal Creator and we are your creatures and as we cannot comprehend Your Existence thank you that you have revealed yourself to us both um in nature that man is without excuse and by your special Revelation that we might account for who you are and as you have revealed yourself to us I pray that you would open our eyes to your greatness to the greatness of your Almighty power and that you would cause us to rever you more so I pray that you would increase our faith I pray that you would also um expand our understanding of your truth that we we might have the wisdom to apply these things in daily life whether there are times of prosperity that we would acknowledge that it is by Your Hand by your power and to praise you and to thank you or in times of various trials and adversity that nothing has overthrown you that none of your creatures has overpowered you whether that be rulers or dark Forces nothing overpowers you you alone have you alone are all powerful you alone are Almighty help us I pray Lord to trust you and I pray that you would grant us the grace to glorify you in all situations whether it is um what we would desire or for our ease but acknowledging that you are good and you are Almighty so Lord we praise you pray also that you would Advance Your Kingdom Here locally and again if there are if there are some here who have not closed with you I pray Lord that you would shine light in darkness that you would make dead Sinners alive that you would call lost dead cers Sinners into Marvelous Light pray that you would be with your people pray that you would bless your people we pray this in Jesus name Amen to close our morning worship service we're going to turn and sing the doxologies that's found on page 570 in Himel stand with Me Together As we sing the doy all blessings praise All Creatures here below hallelu hallelu praise the host praise Father Son and Holy Ghost hallelu hallelu hallelu hallelu hu seated for a brief time of meditation when the piano is finished you are dismissed e