God is Faithful

Great fear and meeting of the saints is due unto the Lord.

He of all about him should with reverence be adored.

What a wonderful summary that is of the spirit of worship as the Lord's people gather together Sunday by Sunday

or as opportunity presents itself to give glory to the Lord.

And as verse 8 puts it specifically in the chapter we read together earlier in 2 Timothy chapter 2,

2 Timothy 2 · chapter mention

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, has preached in my gospel,

for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal, but the word of God is not bound.

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus

with eternal glory.

You cannot but read this letter and take on board what really drove Paul,

what mattered most of all to him, what he really wanted more than anything else,

what drove him was giving Jesus Christ all the glory and all the praise.

And so here we have in just the second chapter of this wonderful letter that's so personal,

so moving to read this and think of the providence behind it, the circumstances,

here he is bound as a criminal, writing furiously, his right, his written ministry,

still going on even though he himself was suffering, bound with chains,

but he knew the word of God is not bound.

But what drove him, these wonderful words here in verse 8,

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead.

This was his mission.

To understand Paul, we need to bear these words in mind and ourselves.

Remember what drove him, what shaped him, what moulded him,

what motivated him was this exact sense of service and mission and purpose.

Remember Jesus Christ as preached in my gospel.

That, Timothy, is the key to you taking your place in service in his church as one of his people.

If you're going to lead, you yourself must be led.

That's an ethic of grace.

That certainly has its place in whatever role you're fulfilling in the work of the congregation.

To lead others, you yourself and I myself, you need to be led by the Spirit

toward understanding Jesus Christ, his finished work upon the cross.

And to share that with others, we ourselves need to study and delve into the scripture

and understand the gospel and seek the grace of the gospel to make Jesus known.

And that's all gone on in the heart and mind of Paul.

He wanted people to hear the good news and to grow in their newfound knowledge and understanding,

gained through the gospel ministry that he was part of.

Remember Jesus Christ as preached in my gospel.

Gospel.

Still wonder then, with this motivation, this love, this desire,

that we find him calling Timothy to get the perspective right in order to step into leadership,

in order to fulfill his ministry, in order to meet the responsibility and privilege that would be his

as a pastor, as a leader, as a teacher.

He had to first and foremost get the fundamentals right.

The foundation had to be in place.

And here it is, friends, remember Jesus Christ.

So I want to think about that for a few moments with you this evening,

and in the hope that we would benefit, as Timothy would have in reading these words for the first time,

that we would be encouraged, that we would be motivated to express real loyalty

and sharpen our perspective and deepen our hope that the light would burn brightly

as we go into a new week.

And who knows, Christian friend, the opportunities to witness to your Lord and Saviour

that await this week.

None of us know that.

We'll get to that in a moment.

The first thing then to notice tonight,

I'll put it to you this way,

you are to cherish your Lord and Saviour.

Cherish your Lord and Saviour.

If we don't remember our Lord,

then our spiritual growth cannot occur.

This word, we might just glance over it,

but this wonderful call,

the call here to remember Jesus Christ

is an absolutely crucial principle

in spiritual growth and Christian living.

Because forgetfulness

is an enemy of faithfulness.

If we forget,

we're going to stumble,

we're going to mumble,

we're not going to be certain,

we're going to be hitting the grey areas

instead of being black and white,

showing forth the praises of him

who called us from darkness

into his marvellous light.

For that light to shine brightly,

we need to remember.

This is a starting point.

I'm sure many of you know

that John Newton is famously on record

as saying toward the end of his own life,

my memory is nearly gone.

But I remember two things,

that I am a great sinner

and that Christ is a great Saviour.

That Christian friend is a message

that is the pulse of the New Testament.

It is where our hope is sourced from.

Jesus Christ,

our Lord and Saviour and friend,

he's done everything for us.

We have it beautifully described

so movingly by John in chapter 19 of Christ.

He bearing his own cross

as he leaves the city behind,

making his way to Calvary's hill.

There's our Saviour.

And why did he go there?

So that tonight you and I would have hope.

So that you and I, friends,

could speak of forgiveness,

redemption, adoption,

and salvation,

wonderful, glorious words of grace.

These are words that are just chocked full

in the New Testament

to help us understand who he is

and what it all means for you

and for me this evening.

And this is where it all starts.

Remember Jesus Christ,

risen from the dead,

the offspring of David,

as preached in my gospel.

So if we're going to remember,

that's going to protect us

as we cherish our Saviour.

We're going to refuse to forget.

We're going to remember the blessings.

We're going to remember what we've learned

in our pilgrimage, Christian friend.

We're going to store up these nuggets,

these beautiful moments in time

and fellowship under the word,

together, perhaps at the Lord's table

in this very building.

Time and time again,

the Lord has fed you

and nourished you

and blessed you

and filled you

and built you up.

And you are to remember these things

and draw on these things

as you go into the world

and that world out there

that's waiting for us

is a dark world.

It's a world of indifference

and apathy.

It's a world where the devil reigns

as a prince.

It's where his influence is felt

in the secularism

that seems to be gripping

our own nation

and driving this progressiveness

toward liberalism

and atheism,

secularism at the back of everything.

And who's driving it?

Who's fanning that flame?

The devil.

Because he wants the church of Christ

silenced,

all the more important

that we cherish our Lord and Saviour

and remember Jesus Christ

risen from the dead.

Paul writes from a prison cell.

He is writing where things

have not gone

according to his own plans.

He didn't wish to be chained,

suffering, bound as a criminal.

But nevertheless,

this is where providence finds him.

We need to, friends,

as we remember,

hope for the best

but plan for the worst.

There will be times

where providence

overtakes us

in a manner

that we wouldn't wish on anybody

and things will suddenly change

and we may be disorientated

and buffeted

and uncertain

of where to turn

and so all the more important,

we remember Jesus Christ.

we remember who he is

and look where Paul was writing from.

As far as we can piece things together,

a New Testament scholars

have been so detailed

in the study of these things.

It seems that the two stages

of the Roman judicial system,

Paul has been through the first,

he's been found guilty.

It's now just a matter of the second

where the pronunciation,

the sentence will be carried out.

He doesn't know how long he's got.

Time is ticking

and for him,

he knows that there isn't much left to go.

He knows that he has been poured out

as a drink offering.

He knows that the time

for his departure has come.

Time is short.

There's not much left.

And so we find him in this letter

particularly emphasising

what needs to be emphasised.

Remember Jesus Christ.

Christ,

cherish your Lord and Saviour.

Christian friend,

there's a reminder here for all of us

that if we cherish our Lord,

it will protect us from apathy.

Where does apathy come from?

Apathy comes from disillusionment,

disappointment,

despair.

All these things can combine and collide

and take the hope right out of your heart

and leave you uncertain of things.

But not if you're fixed on Christ.

Not if you remember who he is

and what he has done for you.

Not if you as a Christian

can speak to him tonight

as your Lord

and your Saviour.

And so cherishing the Lord

is something that begins in here.

It's a heart work.

It's personal.

But there's another element to this

and that comes out in these words

in verse 9.

I am suffering

for which I am suffering.

So he makes a link there.

Remember Jesus Christ

risen from the dead,

the offspring of David

as preached in my gospel.

So has everything gone smoothly

because of that?

Absolutely not.

For which I am suffering,

bound with chains,

as a criminal.

But the word of God is not bound.

So here we're seeing Paul

and his awareness,

not just of the need

to have our heart warmed

with a love

that is completely focused on Jesus.

He wants us to be protected

from the apathy and disappointment

that comes from disappointment

and setbacks.

But he also is very conscious

of the watching world.

What did the world make of Paul

at this time?

As far as the Roman security detail

were concerned,

this was just a troublemaking Jew.

He was finished,

hopeless,

beaten,

a religious troublemaker,

a zealot,

a fool.

He was weak,

he was puny,

and above all,

he's in chains,

in a cell,

he's alone.

That was the world's view of Paul.

But it was not God's view.

God's view of Paul,

that's his view of every child

that belongs to him.

Precious,

forgiven,

adopted.

A child,

not forgotten,

not alone,

but loved

and redeemed

and part of his plan

to make the gospel known.

So Paul accepts this.

Remember Jesus Christ.

Remember the gospel

for which I am suffering,

bound with change as a criminal,

but the word of God

is not bound.

And so friends,

tonight,

the call from this

great personal epistle

is to cherish

your Lord

and your Saviour.

You'll notice the language

in verse 10

in these few verses

we've read together

and we're going to get to this

in a moment,

but just to jump ahead

into verse 10,

there's another link.

Therefore,

because of all this,

I endure everything

for the sake of the elect.

Why, Paul?

That they also may obtain

the salvation

that is in Christ Jesus

with eternal glory.

He cherished his Lord

and Saviour.

He loved making him known.

It was his motivation.

And he loved those

who, like him,

had responded

in repentance

and faith.

And this is the supreme

question of the Bible

now before us

here in verse 10.

He speaks in this phrase

of the elect,

those chosen by God,

that they

may also

obtain

the salvation

that is in Christ Jesus.

What is that?

It is to be saved

from the wrath

to come.

It is to be saved

from being under the law,

banished

and helpless,

facing a lost eternity

and to be transferred

into the kingdom

of his dear son.

That is salvation.

And so the question

in all of this,

friends,

tonight is,

do you know

and do you cherish

Jesus Christ

as Lord and Saviour?

That is

the supreme question

of the Bible.

Are you saved?

Do you know

the Lord

as your Saviour?

Do you know

what it is

to speak of

salvation

in Christ Jesus?

I pray so.

And the question

is this,

of course,

as we speak

about cherishing

the Lord,

if tonight

you're unconvinced

and unconverted,

I wonder

if you would ask

yourself in the

quiet and privacy

of your own heart

now or this evening,

why?

Why are you

unconvinced?

why are you

unconverted?

What is it

about the cross

and the saving

work of Christ

that leaves you

still far off?

Are you waiting

for something else?

Are you waiting

for something more?

Are you waiting

for someone

to say something

to you

that hasn't

been said before?

Bearing

his own cross,

he went out

and he gave himself

a ransom for many.

I would urge you

tonight,

friends,

to be very,

very careful

from saying

to the living God,

I want a sign.

I want something else.

I want something more

because if you're

saying that to God

tonight,

what you're saying

is the cross

is not enough.

The death

of your precious

beloved son

is not enough.

His atoning sacrifice,

that's not enough.

I need something more.

I want something else.

I need to be gripped.

I need to be impressed.

I need to be entertained.

I need something

that I haven't had yet

and I want you

to give it to me.

That is to say

to God,

the cross

is not enough.

Be very,

very careful,

friends,

that you

do not stay long

on that dangerous

ground,

but come to Christ.

Trust in him

with all your heart.

Cherish

your Lord

and your Saviour.

There's something else here

to turn to secondly

and we find it

in these words.

We've read through

verse 10 already.

Paul,

in this wonderful perspective,

he himself was chained

to all intents

and purposes.

He was restricted.

He was of no use

to anybody,

but look at this.

2,000 years later,

we have all his epistles

that form

the canon of Scripture

that feed our souls,

that give us insight

and understand

the glorious gospel

of grace.

The world had no idea

who they were dealing with.

They were dealing

with Jesus,

the King of Kings

and here his apostle,

his servant,

was writing furiously,

maybe by lamplight,

who knows,

scratching furiously away

on these parchments

led by the Spirit

as the word

was breathed out.

He was born along

and he wrote

these beautiful,

precious words

and sends them off

to Timothy

and he draws

this incredible letter

to a close

in verse 4.

I charge you

in the presence

of God

and of Christ Jesus

who was to judge

the living and the dead.

Preach the word,

Timothy.

Keep the focus,

Timothy.

Take heart,

Timothy.

But whatever you do,

preach the word.

Because Paul knew,

secondly,

that that was

to the benefit

of the church of Christ

and this is

the second thing here.

We are to cherish

our Lord

and our Saviour

and we are secondly

to cherish

his church.

Cherish

his church.

I endure

everything

for the sake

of the elect.

This was a man

who wasn't just

driven to some

kind of apostolic

high office.

He wasn't

lording it over

anybody.

He was the least

of all the apostles.

He was a man

who had been

truly humbled.

He was a man

who,

in his own words

in his testimony

in 1 Timothy,

remember he says

it twice

in a very short

space of time,

I received mercy.

He knew he had

been a pompous,

arrogant,

proud sinner

heading for

a lost eternity

until Christ

stopped him

in his tracks

and he received

mercy.

That's the gospel.

And so Paul

is giving himself

to the furtherance

of that cause

and the spreading

of that wonderful

name,

Jesus Christ

and he wants

to serve

the Lord

and by serving

the Lord

he wants to

nourish and

encourage and

look out for

his people.

I endure

everything for

the sake of

the elect

that they

also may

obtain the

salvation that

is in Christ

Jesus with

eternal glory.

He was driven

to encourage,

nurture,

build up the

faith because

he knew they

were living in

a dark and

sinful world.

as we are

tonight,

Christian friend.

I want to

share with you

what Oswald

Chambers said

about this

dynamic.

Oswald

Chambers,

maybe you

know his

very famous

devotional work,

my utmost for

his highest.

Oswald Chambers

at one point

and it's very

effective and

yes,

minister was

so short.

He said,

all heaven

is interested

in the cross.

All hell

is terribly

afraid of the

cross.

While humanity

are the only

beings who

more or less

ignore its

meaning.

We know

how true

that is.

We have

cultural heroes

tonight in the

UK for instance

and I mention

them often because

they seem to be

even more

prominent than

ever,

are comedians.

Comedians are

leading the charge

in the secular

world,

the progressive

mindset that

uses repeatedly

the gospel and

the things of

Christ and the

things of

Christianity

as a

battering ram,

as something

to mock and

something for

cheap laughs.

Be careful

with them.

Don't let them

get under your

skin or in

your mind.

A lot of

them are bad

people and we

need to be

careful of their

influence on

ourselves and

our youngsters

because they're

cultural heroes,

these comedians,

and they will

mock and

abuse and

deride the

cross of

Christ just

as Oswald

Chambers saw

over a hundred

years ago.

Humanity are the

only beings

who more or

less ignore

its meaning.

And we as

Christians,

the church,

can feel that.

We feel the

heat of the

mockery,

the disdain,

the way that

the world can

shun us at

times and

leave us,

don't want us

involved,

don't want the

voice,

don't want the

influence,

don't want the

space,

don't want a

seat at the

table because

we're going to

bring them to

Christ,

we're going to

live for

Christ,

we're drawn

not by an

ethic that

has as its

head cultural

progressiveness.

The Christian

church is

counter-cultural,

we're not going

to be shaped by

the culture

around us,

we're going to

engage with the

culture,

we're going to

enjoy as much

as we can of

it,

of course we

are,

but the

ethic that

drives us

is an

ethic of

grace,

for to me

to live is

Christ,

to die is

gain,

we honour

him above

all,

we put him

first,

his name,

and our

loyalty must be

seen in these

words,

remember Jesus

Christ,

so let us

do so friends

together as we

cherish our

Lord and

Saviour,

secondly let us

cherish his

church,

I endure

everything for

the sake of

the elect,

Paul is

very keen

on using the

word saints

in his

writings of

the church,

people,

brothers and

sisters,

set apart,

Adelphoi,

often used,

often translated

in the ESV as

brethren,

but it could

and should be

translated,

brothers and

sisters,

his sense

of family

was never

far from

the surface,

as he wrote

to Christians

around the

then known

world,

he knew they

were under

the cost,

he knew they

were suffering,

he knew they

were open

to attack

from the

enemy and

agnosticism

and secularism

and atheism

and pluralism,

he knew all

these things

were coming

against the

church,

not only

from out

with,

but then

the problem

from within,

false teachers

saying you

need circumcision,

you need the

Aaronic priesthood,

you need to

maintain the

bond we have

with our

father Abraham

and all the

Abrahamic

practices

and the

tension

from out

with and

the pressure

from within,

the church

was really

under the

cosh,

that's why

it meant

so much

to the

apostle Paul,

that's why

we have

wonderful

passages

such as

2nd

Corinthians

and chapter

11,

where we

read from

verse

23,

these words,

five times

I received

at the

hands of

the

Jews

forty

lashes

less

one,

three times

I was

beaten

with

rods,

once I

was

stoned,

three times

I was

shipwrecked

for a

night and

a day,

I was

adrift at

sea,

on frequent

journeys,

in danger

from rivers,

danger from

robbers,

danger from

my own

people,

danger from

Gentiles,

danger in

the city,

danger in

the wilderness,

danger at

sea,

danger from

false

brothers,

in toil and

hardship,

through many a

sleepless night,

in hunger and

thirst,

often without

food and

cold and

exposure and

apart from

other things,

there is the

daily pressure

on me of

my anxiety

for all the

churches.

Cherish

his church.

And so

we find

tonight that

the words of

scripture place

great dignity

on the

Christian church.

We don't

create it

ourselves,

we receive

it.

Behold,

what manner

of love

the Father

has given

to us,

we should

be called

children of

God.

As with

Paul,

so with

the Apostle

John.

They were

caught up

with the

great

dignity

that is

ours

through

Christ,

the dignity

that belongs

to the

church.

And so

he knew

and accepted

that to

further the

gospel,

he was

required at

times to

suffer for

the gospel.

And so

he accepts

this readily

and gladly,

I endure

everything for

the sake of

the elect,

that they may

also obtain

the salvation

that is in

Christ Jesus

with eternal

glory.

If I have

to suffer

for their

well-being

and their

nourishment

and their

encouragement,

well,

so be it.

Perhaps he

had understood

at this point

as his life

and ministry

and service

was fast

drawn to a

close that

the Lord

had put him

in prison

so he

would write

and write

and keep

writing.

and so

we have

the prison

epistles

and the

pastoral

epistles

and the

Corinthian

letters

that furnish

us with

such great

insight and

understanding

of the

gospel of

our Lord

and Saviour

Jesus

Christ.

John

Stott said

this,

glory comes

through

suffering.

This is

an invariable

law of

Christian life

and service.

We are not

entitled,

Christian friends,

to an easy

time.

That's not

a promise

we receive

in the

Bible.

What we

do receive

is great

dignity

as children

of the

living God

and that

is a

wonderful

humbling

reality

tonight.

So there's

no sense

in us

sitting back

leaving it

to God

or leaving

it to

others.

We have

to take

an example

from these

early believers,

this first

century church

that reached

out,

that turned

the world

upside down,

that lived

out what

the Lord

had worked

in and

they made

Jesus

known.

I endure

that they

may obtain.

We too

must cherish

the church

and do

the work

we are

called to

do in

our day

and in

our age.

Many

passages

in the

New Testament

deal with

the nature

of the

church and

how it is

that the

church is

to conduct

herself.

By this

of course

I'm speaking

to you

and to

me as

Christians

this evening.

We've

gathered in

a place

of worship

but we

know that

the Bible

and New

Testament

makes it

clear that

the church

is not

a building

we are

living

stones.

We belong

to Christ.

We are

called to

worship

together

to nourish

ourselves

through the

word and

through sacraments

and prayer.

This is where

we learn

where understanding

deepens and

expands

that it is

those who are

poor in

spirit

that inherit

the kingdom

of heaven.

And that's

why Paul

is so clear

in other

writings

that we

are to

conduct

ourselves

in a

manner

that is

worthy

of the

calling

with which

we have

been

called.

Called

from

darkness

to

light.

Therefore

as Jesus

said

let your

light

shine

before

men

that

they

might

glorify

your

father

who is

in

heaven.

And so

I mentioned

earlier

that we

are

driven

by

an

ethic

of

grace.

An

ethic

not

of

moral

principles

of course

but

principles

that have

at their

heart

the grace

of the

gospel.

So we

put

Jesus

first.

We

die

to

self

to

live

for

him.

And

this

is

very

important

especially

in

your

situation

this

evening

as a

vacant

congregation.

You've

been

now

21

months

going

through

this

process.

It's

been

a

privilege

to be

part

of

it

with

you.

I

wish

it

had

been

shorter.

I

wish

it

had

been

clearer.

At

times

I

know

things

could

have

been

so

much

better.

But

the

best

of

men

are

men

at

best.

And

I

hope

you'll

forgive

my

blunderings

and my

uncertainties

as we've

gone through

just to

get to

this

point.

Where

are we

in

this

process?

At

this

point

in

time

we

have

had

the

speeches,

we've

had

the

election,

we've

had

the

votes,

the

votes

are

in,

the

counts

have

been

done.

And

now for

you on

Wednesday

the next

phase is

just around

the corner.

Now I

need to

speak

tonight

specifically

and

particularly

to the

members

of this

congregation.

Let me

say this

to you

gently

and with

all

respect,

you need

to be

here on

Wednesday.

If you're

not here

on Wednesday

there are

mandates

available for

you to

take part

in this

process.

That

allows

you to

put your

name to

the call

we hope

to sign

here on

Wednesday

evening.

It's

not me

now that's

telling you

what to

do.

I'm

pointing you

to the

ethic of

grace.

I mentioned

the election

that's

happened.

All that

we have

to go

on as

a branch

of the

church

of Christ

when it

comes to

vacancies

is numbers.

We've

had the

vote and

the numbers

have been

cast.

The

clear

majority

said we

wish to

call

Calamurdo.

So what

do we

do now?

How do

we run

with this?

How do

we deal

with this?

I'm going

to turn

now to

where perhaps

this ethic

of grace

is most

clearly and

famously

spelt out.

How do

we conduct

ourselves

perhaps at

a time

when you're

challenged

because things

maybe didn't

turn the way

you'd hoped

for?

Well, so

be it.

That happens

often in life,

doesn't it?

We don't

allow our

own sense

of things

to cloud our

judgment at

a time like

this.

Let me read

to you

from

Philippians

in chapter

two,

how it

is we

are to

conduct

ourselves

going forward

with an eye

to Wednesday

in particular

and this

is for the

members.

If there

is any

encouragement

in Christ,

any comfort

from love,

any participation

in the spirit,

any affection

and sympathy,

complete my

joy by being

of the same

mind,

having the

same love,

being in

full accord

and one

mind.

Do nothing

from rivalry

or conceit,

but in

humility

count others

more significant

than yourself.

Let each

of you look

not only to

his own

interests,

but also

to the

interests

of others.

of this

mind among

yourselves,

which is

yours in

Christ Jesus,

who though

he was in

the form

of God,

did not

count equality

with God

a thing

to be

grasped,

but made

himself

nothing,

taking the

form of

a servant,

being born

in the

likeness

of men,

being found

in human

form,

he humbled

himself by

becoming

obedient to

the point

of death,

even death

on a cross.

There is the

ethic of

grace.

Count

others

better

than

yourselves.

Members,

you need to

be here on

Wednesday.

There is a

clear

responsibility

and duty

for you to

be here.

I am not

telling you

to be here,

but what I am

doing is I am

taking you to

the scripture

and I am

presenting you

with a word

that says

there is a

time and a

place where

the church,

where the

believers and

members of

the church,

the living

stones,

have to be

gathered in

together and

conduct

themselves in

a manner

that is

worthy of

the calling

with which we

have

been called.

So there we

have an

ethic of

grace in

Philippians and

when we turn

forward to

Paul's final

letter, we

find him

enduring.

He is bound

with chains

as a criminal.

But he knows

that is not

the end.

He knows

that the

word of

God is

going out,

is going

forth,

is spreading.

Therefore he

endures for

the sake of

the elect that

they also may

obtain the

salvation that

is in Christ

Jesus with

eternal glory.

Cherish your

Lord,

and your

saviour,

and cherishes

church.

Sometimes that

means getting

in line,

getting together,

working together,

pulling together,

and taking your

part in what

could be the

next phase,

the next season

of ministry here

among you as a

congregation.

What an

opportunity.

At a time of

real challenge,

many of us,

if we think

back,

will be hard

pressed to

find a

time in

our

denomination

where we've

had so

many vacancies

to deal

with.

Everybody's

double-hatting.

There are

intermoderators

and lay

preachers

crisscrossing

our island

every Sunday

and sometimes

on a

Wednesday as

well.

And it's

the same

in the

north of

Scotland,

in Skye

and Wester

Ross,

and in

Glasgow.

Vacancies,

challenge,

gaps.

We need

men.

And so we

pray to the

Lord of the

harvest to

raise up and

send workers

who will

reap a

great harvest

to his

glory.

We need

men.

We need

grace.

We need

prayer.

And there

in Philippians

we see the

stress that

the apostle

puts on

unity and

being of

one mind

together.

As our

Lord and

Saviour

prayed the

night he

was betrayed

that they

may be

one.

As you

father are

in me and

I in you

that the

world may

know that

you sent

me.

We look

to his

grace and

mercy and

peace to

lead and

guide and

sustain.

A day by

day be it

Wednesday signing

a call or

out there

speaking to

an unbeliever

we might be

as described

in this very

chapter the

good soldier

of Christ

Jesus.

The honest

athlete,

the hard

working farmer.

Great three

amazing pictures

of what it

is to be a

child of God,

a forgiven

sinner.

Telling others

about the

Lord that

you have come

to know and

love and

serve.

cherish your

Lord and

your Saviour

and cherish

his church.

May he bless

you at this

time.

May he go

before you

and be among

you.

May you know

a time of

great blessing

and grace

as we gather

week by week.

Wednesday,

yes,

is just another

meeting in many

ways,

another moment

in the life

and experience

of the

congregation

of which

you are

part.

And above

all may his

name be glorified.

And it's

his name we

finish with.

And this

is the

question.

What does

his name

mean to

you tonight?

What does

his call

to have a

walk that

is worthy

of his

calling?

What does

it mean

to you

tonight?

Have you

sought him

until you

found him

with all

your heart?

Have you

come to

understand

that unless

and until

you bow

the knee

and cry

out,

Lord,

be merciful

to me,

a sinner,

that you

remain

out with

his

kingdom?

You

remain

under

the law

which

brings

with it

the

curse

of

eternal

judgment?

But he

came and

fulfilled that

law and

lived a

perfect life

and having

been raised

from the

dead,

says now

by the