Sermon

A God You Can Know

February 8, 2026 Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Well, would you turn with me, please, in your Bibles back to Luke chapter 10.

Luke 10 chapter mention
So we'll read from verse 17 again.
In that same hour, he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit.
And said,
Let us bow just briefly in prayer.
heavenly father as we've prayed examine our hearts so too we long for the fruit of that
examination for your holy spirit just now to take us to the things of truth and to
work in our hearts faith and assurance to stir up in us a renewed sense of obedience and a call
to faithfulness in your service above all father we ask today simply that you would lead our hearts
to a place of settled knowledge may we know our god and knowing you may we rejoice as jesus did
in all things we ask this for christ's sake amen
so luke chapter 10 is one of these passages that allows us to listen in to the prayers of jesus to

Luke 10 chapter mention
his father that itself is really striking you know what we overhear is not technical language
it's not ritual formality it's not the speech of a servant approaching a different a distant master
or that of a diplomat approaching a foreign king he doesn't speak about god he speaks to god
and it is the prayer of a son who knows his father and that matters because the christian faith
teaches us to relate to god in the same way and one of the great blessings of the christian faith
is that we are brought into the family and the household of god that we are adopted and brought
into a new relationship we're therefore not invited to speak to god as an abstract
a force that's out there that we somehow commune with but rather to see him as our father
not a remote ruler to be approached but a father to be clung on to run towards not to be approached
with special and carefully chosen words but to be approached in the rawness of our feeling
the bible doesn't encourage us to soften this at all doesn't allow us any space to hide this
but rather when scripture records prayer in fact it's always recorded showing us the intimacy and the
closeness particularly of jesus to his father and that's something that we need to reflect as well
this morning what i want to do is think about this prayer of jesus and think about really the
knowability of god the fact that jesus prays to and presents to us a god who is knowable
a god that we can relate to and know and trust a god who today wants to be known and who longs for us
to know him not to keep him at arm's length therefore but to hold him close and to have him as our friend
that's what jesus is rejoicing in here god who is lord of heaven and earth and yet a father who reveals
himself to his children so as jesus prays first of all he addresses his father as lord of heaven and
earth and it's really important that we grasp this particular point because this is the first place that
we can get to know god paul talks about this in fact in romans uh in romans 1 verse 20 paul writes and

Romans 1:20
says for his invisible attributes namely his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived
ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made and so people are without excuse
when they say they do not know god in his ways it's quite a startling thought there are some things
about god that are knowable and god himself is in some way knowable from the creation that he has made
from everything around us because god has left his fingerprints all over that creation
we want to see that in the way paul says his invisible attributes are there to be seen namely paul says his
eternal power and the eternal power of god is the magnificence of god's power and creative influence and
being in everything that we see you see it as you look out into the heavens as you look out into the depths
of space and you see the vastness of space and you see the vastness of it and yet the fact that there are
forces at work that almost defy our understanding and that at the very edges of human knowledge and science
we see out in the universe structures in play clusters of galaxies that string together in cosmic
superstructures and yet down at the smallest and most intricate levels that we can look at beyond even
the most powerful microscopes that magnify light itself we can see down into the subatomic realm
i'm often thought i always feel very sorry for murder mcphail who tried to teach me chemistry in school
because when i went to university first year in university was just spent deconstructing everything that
they teach you in high school science because it's just not nearly complete enough and the truth of
that realm of science is so intricate and marvelous and all of the structures that we see in all of the
physical world that we see it all comes from simple equations of probability beyond the subatomic realm
and in all of this complexity god has left his fingertips fingerprints he's left traces of his character for us to see
because paul says it's not only his divine power that's on display but also his divine nature
and i would take that to mean god's holiness and his justice
that in the realm of nature what we see is forces at work that require responses
in some ways that's just a simple fortune reaction equation but we see it in natural justice as well
that when something wrong happens there is a crying out for justice
there exists in creation a natural justice that needs to be served
and god's fingerprints are there because god is a just god
and so our sin cries out for punishment
justice has to be served against wrongdoing
we're seeing it just now with the epstein scandal as it just continues
to rumble through public life
everyone knows it's wrong
but there's a difficulty to ascribe justice in this situation
just how wrong is it
and how do we get to the bottom of it
well i can assure you
and i would assure the rich and the powerful
of the world if they were here today
in fact of this that there is a god who sees
there is a god who will one day exercise judgment
we've sung of it this morning already
there is a god who sees and knows
and who does not forget
the injustice
that has been perpetrated against individuals
god can be known
because the cosmos tells us
there must be justice
and paul tells us that it's the suppression of that knowledge
that leads to human beings
sinking into depravity and abuse and shame
it's the suppression of god's knowability
that actually leads people down these routes
of depravity and wickedness
and before we get carried away with pointing the finger
at the rich and the powerful
who seem to be above the power of the law
to catch them
we should also remember
that we do the same ourselves
the tiny little sins
the tiny little abuses
the tiny little moments of neglect
of what we ought to have done
cry out against us
and they demand justice
and so today I wonder
which camp are you in?
are you in the camp
that suppresses the knowledge of god
and says I don't want to know him
or are you in the camp
that says god is someone I want to know
god is someone I need to know
because my own sins
demand that I need his help
demand that I need his intervention
in my life
you see the next phrase that Jesus uses
kind of confirms this
he says father I thank you
that these things have been hidden
from the wise
the wise of this world
think themselves so smart
so clever
they think themselves so assured
that they've got the world sussed out
that they understand how things work
that they understand what's going on
in their own hearts a lot of the time
that they know what's going on
that the knowledge of god for them
can be suppressed
and yet god is knowable
because he is a god who reveals himself
this is the second thing that we should give thanks for today
that we have a god who hides
and reveals the truth
now it's interesting the way Jesus speaks here
he says I thank you father
that these things
have been hidden from the wise and understanding
and revealed to little children
and it's really important that we grasp
just briefly
what these things are
that these things that have been revealed
are things that Jesus speaks about in this context
what he speaks about is actually this thing
where the 72 return
from their mission
and they tell Jesus about how the demons
are subject to them in his name
so in the name of Jesus
they've been casting out demons
they've been healing the sick and so on
all the things that Jesus sent them out to do
and when they come back
they're rejoicing
they're saying Lord
even the demons are subject to us in your name
and it's that truth
that triggers Jesus to say
I saw Satan
fall like lightning from heaven
and this is the truth
that is being revealed
the demons are subject
to the disciples in Jesus name
Satan's power
to blind
Satan's power
to enslave
and deceive
the nations
has been broken
the kingdom of Satan
has been crippled
by what Jesus has done
and it's interesting
that the Greek language itself
supports this
Jesus
the way Jesus speaks here
it's like
I'm currently seeing
Satan fall from heaven
this isn't
talking about something
that happened at the fall
thousands of years earlier
it's not something
that talks about
what's going to happen
someday in the future
when Christ returns
to judge the living and the dead
it's talking about
right here at this moment
during the ministry of Jesus
Satan's kingdom
was falling
Satan's power
was crumbling
it was being
destroyed
and
you might think
as the disciples
they're hearing that
and they're thinking
wow we're part of this
and Jesus cautions them
against rejoicing
in the wrong thing
he says to them
just remember
rejoice
yes
but rejoice more so in this
not that you can cast out
demons in my name
and that they are subject
to you
but rejoice
that your names
are written
in heaven
because that's where
the real action
is taking place
the real victory
is a victory
that belongs
entirely to Jesus
because of where
these people's names
are written
the disciples names
and our names
if we're believers
are written
in the Lamb's
book of life
it must be
an enormous book
it must be huge
the number of pages
for the millions
upon millions
of people
whose names are in it
but there is a book
there
it's repeatedly
referred to in scripture
God has his list
and this book
the names
of those who are saved
by the Lamb
whose names have been
written there
before the foundation
of the world
they're there
because of the victory
of Jesus
when he finally
came into the world
ultimately
climaxing
in fact
in his death
at the cross
because the book
belongs to the Lamb
who was slain
their names
have been written
before the foundation
of the world
all the way back
in history
in time
before even time
itself
but their place
there hinges
on the obedience
of the Son
to come
at the cross
and die for his people
at that moment
in time
and Jesus
says this
God is knowable
because
of this
victory
God is knowable
today
in the victory
of
Jesus
now
I wonder
if you would
put yourself
in the
shoes
of a child
for just a moment
and you think
about what
children boast
of
very often
the things
that a child
will boast
of
is their
father's
prowess
my dad's
bigger than
your dad
and it's
almost comical
in some sense
but the point
is that a child
rejoices
in the victory
of their father
they know
their father
is strong
they know
their father
is capable
they know
their father
loves them
and looks
after them
they know
their father
has done
everything
for them
they know
their father
will fight
for them
they know
their father
is the one
who secures
them
which that's
what we ought
to think
of
human fathers
fail
so that
that model
doesn't hold
up sadly
in every
child's
life
but that's
the ideal
and it's
the same
for us
we can
think of
our father
as the
victorious
one
in Jesus
the father
who sent
the son
the father
who commissioned
him to come
and do
this work
and the father
reveals himself
to his
children
in the
victory
of Jesus
and today
you're invited
to see that
at the cross
you're invited
in fact next
Sunday
to come and
taste
in fact
of it
to literally
remember
the death
of Jesus
in your
place
to savor
that victory
in its
fullness
will you
not know
him
would you
not come
and trust
in him
he is
thirdly
Jesus tells
us a God
who therefore
also delights
in gifts
and who is
known
in being
a joyful
giver
of gifts
you see
the way
the argument
follows
Jesus
in that
very hour
rejoices
in the
Holy Spirit
and says
I thank
you father
lord of
heaven and
earth
that you
have hidden
these things
from the
wise
and
understanding
and have
revealed
them to
little
children
yes
father
for such
was
your
gracious
will
it's a
wonderful
little
phrase
your
gracious
will
the word
that's actually
used in
Greek
there is
the word
goodwill
and it's
the same
word
that's used
at the
beginning
of Luke's
gospel
when the
angelic
host
appear
to the
shepherds
and they
say these
wonderful
words
glory to
God in
the highest
and on
earth
peace
among
those
with whom
God
is
pleased
the
pleasure
of
God
in
revealing
and
sending
the
son
the
messiah
is
the
same
pleasure
that
Jesus
is
speaking
of
here
that
God
delights
not only
in sending
his son
to be
a
savior
and who
brings
glory
to the
father
through
that
work
of
salvation
and
his
work
of
obedience
but
God
delights
in
now
making
that
story
making
that
good
news
making
that
gospel
known
to
us
he
delights
today
in
you
and
I
hearing
this
good
news
and
saying
Jesus
has
been
victorious
and now
it is a
gift held
out to
you
it is a
free offer
today
made
to you
a free
opportunity
to receive
good
things
from
God
and
this
is the
God
we
can
know
this
is the
God
who
is
knowable
because
of
his
gracious
character
there's
a way
of thinking
about this
in terms
of
mercy
and
grace
justice
we know
we deserve
we deserve
punishment
for the
wrong
things
that we
have
done
mercy
is when
that
punishment
is held
back
grace
is when
we receive
something
we do
not
deserve
grace
is when
we receive
life
everlasting
instead
of the
death
we deserve
grace
is the
gift
of
God
and so
I wonder
if you would
reflect for a
moment on
this today
and think
about all
of the
times
where you
have
experienced
that
grace
just
pause for a
minute and
think about
all of the
times you
have received
grace
you know
grace for
when prayer
has been
answered
and I think
in my own
life about
the times
where prayer
has been
answered
and it's
remarkable
the times
where I've
been so
aware
of a
crushing
sense of
sins
defeat
in my
life
and I've
been
overwhelmed
and overpowered
and left
helpless
because of
my sin
and I've
cried out
to God
and his
mercy
has come
in
like a
flood
and his
grace
has revived
and brought
about
redemption
and salvation
where there
ought only
to be
death
and destruction
that's not
just
praying about
the times
where you've
lost your
passport
and you
can't find
it at the
last minute
and you
need it
it's
praying about
the times
where your
life has
been spared
and where
new hope
has been
brought to
you
where light
has shone
in the
darkness
where things
have been
fixed that
were irreparable
where relationships
have been
restored
where the
most basic
foul ups
in your
life
have been
overcome
by a
gracious
God
who is
pleased
to help
his
children
that is
the God
that we
can know
a God
who reaches
into our
despair
and who
brings us
hope
and today
we have
that same
God
held out
before us
that same
God who
is available
to us
that God
who reaches
into the
fires and
the destruction
of our
lives
and will
take us
out of it
and set
us
on a
place
of sure
footing
and sure
ground
the truth
is all
of these
moments
that you
can look
back on
God
is in
them
God
is working
already
in the
lives
of his
people
and he
is making
himself
known
through
his
grace
there's a
wonderful
expression
in Hosea
Hosea

Hosea 1:10
chapter 1
verse 10
it says
in the
place
where it
was said
to them
you are
not my
people
it shall
be said
of them
you are
children
of the
living
God
and this
is how
our God
is known
he takes
people who
actually
deserve
to be
left
lost
and abandoned
cast out
utterly
and he
takes them
and he
brings them
in as
his
children
and says
I will
be to
you a
father
and you
will be
my
son
what a
privilege
that is
to us
today
to know
that there
is a
God
who wants
to adopt
us
into his
family
who wants
to welcome
us
out of
his mere
good
pleasure
out of
his
grace
peace
there is
fourthly a
God who
is known
in this
thing that
Jesus talks
about
the father
has handed
over to
me
authority
you see
it in
verse
21
for
in verse
22
all things
Jesus
says
have been
handed over
to me
by my
father
and no
one knows
who the
son is
except
the father
or who
the father
is except
the son
and anyone
to whom
the son
chooses
to reveal
him
all things
have been
handed
over to
me
Jesus
says
and this
is the
truth
God
is known
in the
way he
has handed
over
power and
authority
to
Jesus
this is a
bit tricky
so let me
just try and
explain this
and get
the logic
of this
right
the 72
have
returned
and they're
rejoicing
and they're
saying
we are
so
delighted
to report
that even
the demons
are subject
to us
not because
we're great
but they
are subject
to us
in
your
name
so at
the name
of Jesus
miracles are
being performed
at the name
of Jesus
demons are
being thrown
out of
blighted
lives
at the name
of Jesus
freedom has
come into
the experience
of these
people
and we see
that today
still
I think
about the
work of
road to
recovery
for example
we see
their very
tangible
evidence
real
evidence
of the
victory
of Jesus
that in
Christ's
name
people are
set
free
released
from
slavery
and
addiction
we see
it in
the gospel
we see
it in
the stories
of repentance
in people's
lives
we still
see this
it still
happens
and it's
at the
name
of
Jesus
and so
Jesus
then rejoices
in the
Holy Spirit
thanking
the Father
for the
revelation
of this
for the
revelation
that this
has been
to these
humble
little
children
those
who have
come
with that
childlike
humility
to the
Father
those
who have
come
with that
childlike
faith
trusting
in
Jesus
and then
he acknowledges
all things
have been
handed over
to him
by the
Father
so the
all things
that I
think he's
referring to
there
has to
do with
salvation
it has
to do
with this
work of
Satan's
kingdom
being broken
and cast
down
and destroyed
of Satan's
power itself
of Satan
himself
falling
collapsing
in fact
it goes
all the way
back to
the very
beginning
of the
Bible
to the
first
proclamation
of good
news
that the
seed of
the woman
would bruise
the head
of the
serpent
would deliver
a fatal
blow
to the
serpent
and that
is what
Jesus
achieves
and he
achieves
it
because of
a functional
reality
within the
Trinity
and this
is a
deep
theology
it's a
difficult
theology
for us
to grasp
in its
fullness
but it
is that
within the
Trinity
there is
what we
could call
a functional
subordination
we know
the Trinity
the Godhead
is the
Father
the Son
and the
Holy Spirit
and these
three are
one God
same
substance
and glory
and power
same
entitlement
to the
praise of
the nations
they are
equal in
every way
but within
the function
of the Trinity
and the function
of our salvation
there is a
subordination
enters in
the Father
sends the
Son
and the
Son
although he
is equal
with the
Father
agrees to
be sent
and then
the Son
as part of
his victory
sends the
Holy Spirit
and the Holy
Spirit now
comes and
dwells
within
his people
there is
that subordination
of function
and the
Father
in order
to achieve
all of
this
Jesus
rejoices
in this
truth
the Father
has handed
all things
over to
the Son
that today
every aspect
of our
salvation
is rooted
in
and secured
by
Jesus
himself
because he
has been
given
that role
in its
fullness
by the
Father
the Father
has said
it's yours
to do
and now
Jesus
has come
and he's
obeyed
and he's
gone to
the cross
and he
has done
what is
necessary
for your
salvation
and mine
so much
so that at
the end
of the
cross
he can
say
it is
finished
there's
nothing
more
needed
no more
work to
do
and
all of
this
is for
our
security
because
there is
just one
person
just the
perfect
one
tool
that is
needed
to complete
our salvation
and one
practical
example of
this will
be next
Sunday
as we
come to
the Lord's
table
when
Jesus
instructed
us to
say
and said
do this
in
remembrance
of me
he's
inviting
us to
a means
of grace
he's
inviting
us
to a
means
by which
our
faith
in God
can be
strengthened
by which
we can
receive
encouragement
because
in the
Lord's
Supper
we remember
everything
about our
salvation
rests on
the work
of
Jesus
it
rests on
what he
has done
now I
know
that
there is
a tradition
in our
island
in our
culture
in our
congregation
where some
of you
think
that I
need to
be strong
enough to
go to
the
Lord's
table
that I
need to
go to
the
Lord's
table
having
already
attained
a measure
of strength
and I
want to
say to
you simply
this
Jesus
has done
it all
the father
didn't say
I'm going to
give some
of the
authority
to Jesus
but I'm
going to
hold back
a little
bit to
give to
you know
Ian
Murdoch
or to
Gordon
Matheson
to say
they have
to get
themselves
to a
point
where they
can
receive
our
salvation
doesn't
work like
that
it's
all
of
Jesus
and so
when we
come to
the Lord's
table
what we
come to
is a
proclamation
of our
whole
dependence
on Christ
and you're
not going
to find
strength
for anything
else
what you'll
actually find
instead is
when you
come in
that
obedience
when you
come in
humble
childlike
obedience
to the
Lord's
table
you will
receive
the strength
you long
for
you will
receive the
strength
there that
you're
craving
that you
need
because it's
a means
of the
grace of
God
flowing
into our
lives
as we
take part
of that
bread and
that wine
by faith
because it's
all of
Jesus
it's not
of us
and that's
the God
that's
knowable
today
a father
in God
who has
given all
of that
responsibility
and all
of that
authority
and all
of that
power
everything
that is
necessary
for the
salvation
of his
people
it rests
with
Jesus
today
and so
we come
to the
Lord's
Supper
to remember
what Jesus
has done
Paul says
in Romans
8
this is
how we
know
God
this is
what we
know
of God
he
he who
did not
spare
his
own
son
but
gave
him
up
for
us
all
how
will
he
not
also
with
him
graciously
give
us
all
things
!
God
as
the
one
who
offers
you
the
full
security
of
knowing
God
as
your
friend
as
the
one
who
is
the
victor
over
sin
and
over
Satan
and
over
death
itself
and
who
says
now
will
you
not
come
and
so
I
would
ask
you
today
to
follow
after
Jesus
pray
to
him
ask
him
to
give
you
faith
ask
him
to
give
you
that
gift
of
hope
and
trust
in
Christ
alone
that
you
may
know
him
as
your
saviour
let's
pray
thank you
father
lord of
heaven
and
earth
that
you
have
hidden
these
things
from
the
wise
and
understanding
and
revealed
them
to
little
children
yes
father
for
such
was
your
gracious
will
lord
may
you
today
reveal
these
things
to
people
here
may
you
make
yourself
known
through
Jesus
the
saviour
and
may
we
be
given
the
faith
of
little
children
who
will
trust
in
their
father's
power
in
their
father's
might
that
we
would
rely
on
him
and
know
him
in
that
victory
we
ask
all
of
this
in
Christ's
name
amen
we
shall
sing
in
conclusion
in
psalm
147
in
sing
psalms
page
192
I
think
although
I've
said
we'll
sing
verses
1
to
7
we'll
just
sing
verses
1
and
2
because
the
time
is
definitely
gone
so
we'll
sing
the
first
two
stanzas
oh
praise
the
lord
how
good
it
is
to
sing
him
songs
of
praise
how
pleasant
to
give
thanks
to
him
for
all
his
gracious
ways
I
will
stand
and sing
these
two
stanzas
to his
praise
oh
oh
praise
oh
praise
the
lord
how
good
it
is
to
sing
him
songs
of
praise
how
blessed
to
give
hands
to
him
!
for
all
his
gracious
way
the
lord
builds
up
Jerusalem
and
he
it
is
alone
who
reaches
to
Israel
to
bring
the
exiled
soul
now
the grace
of the
lord
jesus
christ
the love
of god
the father
and the
fellowship
of god
the holy
spirit
be with
each
one
of us
now
and
always
amen
as