Faith, Forgiveness and Freedom

We're going to begin our worship this evening singing in Psalm 89 in the Scottish Psalter.

! That's on page 344.

Singing verses 1 to 6.

And of course we're conscious of the fact that David, as he is here before us in the psalm,

is a type or a representation of the Lord Jesus Christ himself in his kingship, the kingship of his saviourhood.

And so as we sing these verses, we're very conscious that they do apply to Christ and the kingdom that Christ presides over.

Psalm 89 and verses 1 to 6 will stand to sing.

The Lord's mercies I will ever sing,

And with my life I shall

Thy faithfulness

Take to the Lord

To generations

To generations

All

Thy faithfulness

Thou will

When

Thy faithfulness

Thou

Thy faithfulness

Thou

Thou

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness

! Thy faithfulness

O Lord, our God, as we gather once again here in this place of worship,

as we do so collectively with our minds focused on those things

that we have been singing that are before us in your word,

we thank you that we begin our service with certainties,

the certainty of your being, the certainty of your kingdom,

the certainty of your rule and its precision.

And we give thanks to you, Lord, for the certainty of the promises

that you give and have given to your people.

And we bless you, O Lord, that we find ourselves as we trust in you

based upon those certainties for ourselves.

And, Lord, we live in a world of uncertainty,

and our lives in many ways are uncertain from day to day.

And yet we thank you that we draw near tonight to the God

who is sure and certain and steadfast in all his ways and in his being.

Bless us, we pray, as we familiarize ourselves again with these great truths.

And as we come to take them to ourselves,

help us, we pray, to feed our souls upon them.

And enable us tonight, O Lord, to come with that relish for your word

that would come like the psalmist to treasure it in our hearts

and to have it in such a way that would express its truth every day through our lives.

And we thank you, O Lord, for the many benefits that we have received from you already today.

A day that you have set apart, even in the creation of the world,

to be a day that is marked by holiness to the Lord.

A day that you have set apart as sacred for your people.

Lord, while we acknowledge that every day brings elements of sacredness

in the way in which we are to dedicate ourselves and our time to you,

we thank you that you have given special emphasis to your day

as a day that is a reminder to us of the Lord's oversight

and especially of the Lord as the Redeemer of his people

who gives us peace and who enables us to look forward to the fulfillment of that kingdom

that is in the Lord Jesus Christ and over which he is set as king.

And we thank you, Lord, tonight for your word to guide us once again.

You have guided us many times previously through your word.

You have blessed your word to us.

You have given us, Lord, times of magnificent consideration,

requests and petitions also, Lord, that seek your help during the course of life.

We thank you that your knowledge above all of these things ensures

that every aspect of our need is known to you

and that you are able to meet us at all times.

We pray your blessing, Lord, to be with us as worshipers tonight.

And we thank you for the privilege of worshiping you,

the privilege of having all elements of our worship in which we engage freely available to us.

And we thank you, Lord, that even as we sing these words of praise to you,

we thank you that we can sing our times of rejoicing and gladness to you,

but that we can also sing out the pains and the sorrows of our heart.

And we give thanks, O Lord, that such expressions of our pain and of our suffering at times

enable us to accommodate these things and to dwell upon them in such a way

as would carry them before the Lord for his help.

We thank you tonight, Lord, for your church,

for the way in which we are a part of that great church of God

throughout the whole realms, all the realms of this whole world.

And we give thanks that we form part of that great number

which no one is able to number but yourself.

And we give thanks that your church is undivided,

whether it be in heaven or in earth, in the past or in the future or present.

You know your people and they come to know you.

And we pray tonight for your people, wherever they may be,

throughout all the places in the world in which you have set them.

O Lord, we pray that you would bless them,

bless those of them unable to gather as we do,

bless all the gatherings of your people also,

bless those who are isolated from others,

bless those, Lord, who partake of services online

and are able thereby to hear your word

and to be joined in that medium with your people

as they worship you together.

We pray for those who are ill tonight.

We ask, Lord, that you'd bless them.

They are known to us and unknown alike.

And we pray that whether we know them or hear about them,

we pray, Lord, that you would help us to carry them

before your throne of grace.

We pray for those who are seriously ill.

We ask that you would be near to them.

O Lord, as the end of life may seem very close for them,

we pray that you would prepare them and us

for that final step from time into eternity,

which may come much more quickly than we are ourselves anticipating.

Make us ready, O Lord, we pray,

and through the gospel prepare us

to enter into the realms of glory

to be with the Lord himself.

We pray that you would bless all families

who have lost loved ones

in recent times or in times past.

We thank you especially for those

who have traveled with us on the way

and shown to us the way of faith

and are no longer in this life.

O Lord, we thank you for their witness

that it goes on speaking to us.

And we pray that you would help us to walk

in the ways of faith like them.

And your blessing too to those who rule over us,

we pray tonight for our government,

both in Westminster and here

and in our own parliament in Scotland.

We ask, O Lord, that in the turmoil of these days

that you would give them wisdom.

You have called upon us to remember them

in prayer before you.

And we set them before you, Lord, tonight,

though we recognize so many of them.

They do not seem to walk in your ways

or want to do so.

And yet we pray for all of them.

And we pray that you would bring to them

the light through the gospel

that will shine into their own lives

and that will enable them to look out

on the world in which they live

and on the people over which you have placed them

in a way that would have regard for God

and for his ways.

We pray especially, Lord, at this time

for the bill about to go through

the Scottish Parliament

with regard to the end of life.

We pray, Lord, that you would be pleased

to have this bill fall from being passed.

We recognize as you people

how important it is that the Lord

only has a claim over the time of our birth

and the time of our death.

And we pray, Lord, that you would grant

that there may be a majority

that would reject the proposals of this bill

and that would therefore enable us

as your people to give thanks to you

for the way in which, once again,

we pray that you would preserve life

until you see fit to take us out of this world.

Remember those who care for us

in palliative care.

We thank you for the provisions

of palliative care, O Lord.

Lord, we pray that you would enhance it

and that it might be increased in our land

and that resources might be given to it further

to enlarge its provision for us.

Grant, O Lord, that we may look to you

for the provision of all of these things

that come to us for our benefit.

And so bless us now, we pray,

continue to look over us in your mercy and grace

to pardon our sins,

to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness.

We offer all of these prayers to you, O Lord,

this evening, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

and for his sake.

Amen.

Let's continue to praise God.

We're singing this time in Psalm 32.

Psalm number 32 in the Sing Psalms version.

That's on page 38.

We'll sing verses 7 to 11.

You are my hiding place, O Lord,

my true security.

You keep me safe in troubled days.

You circle me with joyful praise

when you have set me free.

I will instruct you by my word

and guide you in my way.

My counsel I will give to you.

My eye will keep your path in view

and watch you day by day.

So these verses in Psalm 32 from verse 7

through to the end.

You are my hiding place, O Lord.

You are my hiding place, O Lord,

my true security.

You keep me safe in troubled days.

You are my hiding place,

to circle me with joyful praise,

when you have set me free.

I will instruct you by my word

and guide you in my way.

My counsel I will give to you.

My eye will keep your path in view

and watch you day by day.

You not be like the horse or new

which cannot understand.

They must be hurt and kept in check.

As they the pride of turn their neck

to go where you command.

The way its walls will march in peace,

but those who trust the Lord

is come and let me will surround.

Your righteous let your joy abound

and face the Lord your God.

Let's turn now to read God's word

and you'll find a reading tonight

in the book of Acts.

The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 13.

And we can begin reading at verse 26.

We have an account here from verse 13

onwards of the journey of Paul and Barnabas

to arrive in Antioch of Pisidia

and where Paul preached there in the synagogue.

And so we pick up the narrative at verse 26

where he addresses those in the synagogue.

Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham

and those among you who fear God,

to us has been sent the message of this salvation.

For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers

because they did not recognize him

nor understand the utterances of the prophets

which are read every Sabbath,

fulfilled them by condemning him.

And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death,

they asked Pilate to have him executed.

And when they had carried out all that was written of him,

they took him down from the tree

and laid him in a tomb.

But God raised him from the dead

and for many days he appeared to those

who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem

who are now his witnesses to the people.

And we bring you the good news

that what God promised to the fathers,

this he has fulfilled to us their children

by raising Jesus

as also it is written in the second Psalm.

You are my son.

Today I have begotten you.

And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead,

no more to return to corruption,

he has spoken in this way.

I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.

Therefore, he says also in another Psalm,

you will not let your holy ones see corruption.

For David, after he had served the purpose of God

in his own generation,

fell asleep and was late with his fathers

and saw corruption.

But he whom God raised did not see corruption.

Let it be known to you, therefore, brothers,

that through this man forgiveness of sins

is proclaimed to you.

And by him, everyone who believes is freed

from everything from which you could not be freed

by the law of Moses.

Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the prophets

should come about.

Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish.

For I am doing a work in your days,

a work that you will not believe,

even if one tells it to you.

As they went out, people begged that these things

might be told them the next Sabbath.

And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up,

many Jews and devout converts to Judaism

followed Baal and Barnabas,

who, as they spoke with them,

urged them to continue in the grace of God.

Amen.

May God bless to us again a reading of his word.

Before we turn back to look at one or two things

from this passage, let's sing again,

singing in Psalm 16 in the Scottish Psalter

in verses 1 to 7.

Lord, keep me, for I trust in thee.

To God thus was my speech.

Thou art my Lord, and unto thee my goodness

doth not reach.

To saints on earth, to the excellent,

where my delights all placed,

their sorrows shall be multiplied

to other gods that haste.

Of their drink offerings of blood

I will no offering make.

Yea, neither I their very names up in my lips will take.

God is of mine inheritance,

and cup the portion.

The lot that fallen is to me

thou dost maintain alone.

And to me, happily,

the lines in pleasant places fell.

Yea, the inheritance I got,

in beauty doth excel.

I bless the Lord,

because he doth by counsel me conduct.

And in the seasons of the night

my reigns do me instruct.

These verses from the beginning.

Lord, keep me, for I trust in thee.

Lord, keep me, for I trust in thee,

to God thus was my speech.

The heart my Lord,

round love to thee,

my goodness doth not reach.

Who saves on earth to the excellent,

where my delight so blessed.

Their sorrows shall be multiplied,

to other gods that haste.

Of their day offerings of blood,

I will no offering make.

Yea, neither I their very names up in my lips

will take.

God is of my inheritance,

and God the portion.

God is of my heart.

The Lord hath fallen,

is to me,

and does not maintain alone.

Come to me, happily,

Bum,

Bum,

Bum,

Bum,

Bum,

Bum,

Bum,

Bum,

Bum,

Bum,

I got in beauty doth herself.

I bless the Lord because he doth

I counsel, he conduct

And in the seasons of the night

My praise to thee is God.

If you turn with me please to Acts chapter 13.

Acts 13 · chapter mention

Acts chapter 13.

Acts 13 · chapter mention

We can give our minds for a short time tonight.

To verses 36 to 39.

So reading at Acts 13 verse 36.

Acts 13:36

For David, after he had saved the purpose of God

And his own generation fell asleep

And was laid with his fathers and saw corruption.

But he whom God raised up did not see corruption.

Let it be known to you therefore, brothers,

That through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.

And by him everyone who believes

Is freed from everything from which you could not be freed

By the law of Moses.

Beware therefore, lest what is said in the prophets

Should come about.

Well, we'll read here about Paul's first missionary journey

Which took him through the various places mentioned

Until he arrived here, as we read here in this passage,

At Antioch in Pisidia.

It's part of what's now known as Turkey.

As he came to Antioch in Pisidia,

He did what was his custom at the time

He went to the synagogue

Where the Jews gathered for worship.

And as he came to the synagogue

And addressed the people in the synagogue,

He took from the Old Testament

What God had led him to

Declare to the people there

A passage that led to

The person of Jesus.

It's always interesting to note

How Paul went about addressing

Wherever he was

The context in which he ministered the gospel

Because he didn't

He didn't approach every situation

In exactly the same way

Although he preached exactly the same gospel.

It was always Jesus

The death of Jesus

And here particularly the resurrection of Jesus as well.

But if you compare this with chapter 17

Where you find Paul in Athens

At the Areopagus

Addressing a large crowd of pagans

He didn't begin with the Old Testament

He began with a more general revelation

Or an emphasis on more general revelation

Of God as creator

And even found it appropriate to quote

Once or twice from the prophets

Of the pagans themselves

Just to make points that he wished to

Set before them

That led him to speak about

This God that he himself

Had come to declare.

But here he's speaking to Jews

So it's quite appropriate

That he goes to the Old Testament

Well known by the Jews

And takes them from the Old Testament

To the person of Jesus.

And that's of course important

For ourselves as well.

Because wherever you start in the Bible

You always have to try and trace the line

That brings you to Christ.

Whether it's in the Old Testament

Prior to the coming of Christ

Or in the New Testament epistles

Or in Revelation

After Jesus had come

After Jesus had died and risen

And gone back to heaven

It still always comes back to him.

So in your Bible study

You always try and trace these lines

That take you back to the person of Jesus

Because it's in him

That everything really hangs together.

He is the one

That God himself has set

As saviour

And so everything else goes through him

Including the preaching of the gospel itself

As we'll see tonight.

And so as he presents

These various details

From the Old Testament

He comes to focus especially

On King David.

And he sets that beside

Jesus himself

Who is of course the king

In the New Testament sense

That fulfilled the kingship

Of David.

And so you find in this passage

Some correspondences with David

In the person and work of Jesus

But also some contrasts

Between Jesus and King David.

And that's what we're really focusing on

For a short time this evening.

We'll break it into three parts.

Verses 39

Through verses 36 to 39.

First of all we'll look at

Some details of David's life

And death.

And then looking secondly at

Christ's death and life.

And thirdly

How the passage ends

With an emphasis on

Gospel life

And death.

King David's life and death.

Christ's death and life.

And then the gospel's emphasis

On life but also

On death.

So David's

Life and death

Very briefly

In the compass in which

Paul dealt with it here.

Verse 36

David

After he had served

The purpose of God

In his own generation

Fell asleep

And was laid with his fathers

And saw corruption.

Now that's really all he says there

About God

Sorry

God says about David

But there's a correspondence with

And a contrast with

What happened

In Jesus himself.

But notice what he says.

He served

God's purpose

In his own generation.

What does that actually mean?

Before we go on

To look at the following

Details about Jesus

It's important

To stop over that.

What does he mean by saying

David

Actually served

The purpose of God

In his own generation?

Well it certainly leads us

To that great question

What is the purpose

Of human life?

Why are we here?

What is the purpose

We exist?

What is the purpose

Of living the life

We live in this world?

This is the great question

Of what is the meaning?

What does it give meaning

To human life?

Many people in the world

Would of course

Answer that question

In very different ways

And some would even say

There's no meaning at all

To it

You just live your life

The best you can

And at the end of it

That's it

That's not what the Bible

Of course tells us

The Bible tells us

Indeed the Shorter Catechism

In the first question

And answer of the Shorter Catechism

Really summed up for us

The Bible's teaching

On the purpose of human life

What is man's chief end?

What is the chief purpose?

The main purpose

For which man exists

Man's chief end

Is to glorify God

And to enjoy Him forever

When you look at the overall purpose

Of human life

Whether you look at Christians

Or whether you look at the whole world

Who are not Christians at all

But as far as God's creation

Of human beings is concerned

This is the purpose

With which they were created

This is the purpose

For which you and I

Must look at life

Our own life

And the life

Of the world in which we live

God created us

For this end

For this purpose

To glorify God

To give praise to God

To bring Him honor and glory

But also to enjoy Him forever

It's not one side or the other

It's glorifying God

But it's to enjoy Him forever

That's the overarching purpose

Of human life

But then Paul is talking here

About something

You might say more specific

Something that's narrower

Than the overall purpose

Of human life

What he's talking about here

Is God's purpose for David

In his own generation

So while you can ask that question

What is the great purpose

And meaning of human life

And when I was with you

Remember we tried at one time

To go through the book

Of Ecclesiastes

Which really asks

All of these questions

And ends up with

That great summary

This is the whole purpose

Really the meaning

Of human life

Which is to fear God

And keep His commandments

In other words

To honor God

To bring Him praise

And glory

To exalt His name

But as you look at the way

In which Paul puts it here

He served the purpose of God

In his own generation

That asks the question then of me

Not just why do I exist

But why has God placed me

Where I am today

In this generation

What am I doing

With the advantages

The benefits

That God has given me

In this life

Where I am now set

And so it's the same

For yourself tonight

In this specific timeline

Of our own generation

What is God's purpose

For me

In the span of my life

In this world

However short

Or long it might be

That's the question

That's really arising

For us from this terminology

David serving

The purpose of God

In his own generation

So you have to ask

The question

As I have to ask it

Of myself

What am I doing

With my life tonight

Is my life serving

To bring honor

And praise to God

Am I doing the things

For which God

Has given me

The facility

Or the gifts

By which I can serve Him

By which I can show Him

To this coming

To this generation

That I'm part of

And the generation to come

What's His purpose

For me today

What does He have

What is He

Seeking of me to do

For Him

In the here and now

You have to answer

That question for yourself

I can't answer it for you

Under the overarching

Purpose of God

For all human life

To glorify

And enjoy Him

You bring it down

To your own

Personal situation

In this life

And you say

Where does that leave me

In terms of my

Precise

Individual responsibilities

And privileges

In the course of my life

Is your life

Tonight dedicated

To bringing glory

To God

In this generation

Is your life

One of serving

The Lord

And of asking daily

What must I do

For Him today

How am I going to

Serve God today

In the ways

That He enables me

To do that

David served

The purpose of God

In his generation

He fulfilled

What God had given him

To do as the king

Over Israel

And wherever you're set

Tonight

You have responsibilities

At home

You have responsibilities

To your neighbors

You have responsibilities

In your place of work

You have responsibilities

In your retirement

You have responsibilities

Wherever it is

God has placed you

But here is something

That always follows on

From wherever we're placed

What will you have me

To do Lord

In the span of my life

In this generation

Will my life

Will your life

Be one of positive influence

In this generation

That's really

What's behind

Some of what's behind

This reference here

In David serving

The purpose of God

In his own generation

I don't want to dwell on that

Any further

Because we've got more to do

In the rest of the passage

That David after he had saved

The purpose of God

In his own generation

Fell asleep

And was laid with his fathers

And saw corruption

Now this is moving towards

A contrast with Jesus

But the contrast

Can only be brought out

Really if you look at the detail

In regard to David

First of all

What is he saying about

David having saved

His own generation

He fell asleep

What does that mean

Obviously it's not

It's not just a physical sleep

Fell asleep

Is the Bible's way

Of believers in Jesus

Believers in God

Coming to the end of life

In this world

And entering into eternity

It doesn't mean

That when God's people

Leave this world

They enter into

An unconsciousness

That they enter into

A blissful unconsciousness

In eternity

That they enter into

An eternity

Where they're not

You might say

Awake in their souls

Or in their minds

Where they're not able

To exorcise and function

Their minds

As they are in this world

Actually it's the very opposite

To fall asleep

In the biblical sense of it here

Means to enter into

Perfect rest

Because one of the things

You associate with sleep

With sound sleep

Especially with calm sleep

You associate peace with that

Don't you?

You associate

There's somebody who's at rest

And of course the Bible

Uses the word rest too

To describe the eternity

Of those who've left this world

This side of the resurrection

They've gone to their rest

They've gone to sleep

They've gone to their peace

They've gone to be with Jesus

Their souls are at rest

They are at rest spiritually

There is nothing

There is nothing

To disturb them

How often do you find

In this world

That your life is disturbed

We can have nightmares

We can have worries

In our mind

That cause us to

Remain awake

Or to have a fitting

Sort of sleep

Just here and there

And here and now

But not constantly

At peace or at rest

So many things

In this life

That crowd in upon

Your mind

That really leave you

Without the kind of sleep

That you'd love to have

Nothing enters into

The sleep of the saved

Nothing enters into

The bliss and the peace

Of those who've left

This world in Christ

There is nothing

To disturb their rest

Nothing to spoil

Their peace

Nothing of nightmares

Coming into their existence

No worries to carry with them

To disturb them

In their peace

That's your prospect

As a Christian

That's something

That awaits you

You might go through

This whole life

Filled with worries

Filled with anxieties

Filled with pains

Mental

Physical

You might have all sorts

Of things happening

In your life right now

That make you just

Long for peace

Well if you're a Christian

If your trust is in the Lord

This is what's awaiting you

You're going to leave

All of these things behind

And you're going to enter

Into this perfect sleep

This bliss

This bliss

This blessing of peace

Where nothing's going

To disturb you

How different is it

With the death

Of the unsaved

The death of what the Bible

Calls the wicked

And remember

The wicked are not just

Those who've led

A debauched life

And openly been

Flagrant in sin

The Bible uses

The word wicked

Just very often

Just as the opposite

Of the saved

The believer

And as there are no

Nightmares in heaven

Hell is one

Endless nightmare

A nightmare for which

There is no waking

No rest

No undisturbance

No end

No change

No prospect of release

That's the nightmare

But the contrast

Is the peace

The sleeping

The rest

Which the Bible

Presents to us

As God's

Eternal life

Given

To those who

Trust in Christ

What is the prospect

Tonight

For you

And for me

As you look

At your own life

As you think

Of your relationship

With God

As you think

Of how it is

Between yourself

And God

As you think

Of whether you've

Come to repent

Of sin or not

To trust in Jesus

Or not

Where does that

Leave you with regard

To your eternity

I have to ask

The same

Of myself

Well here is David

After he had

Served the purpose

Of God

In his own generation

He fell asleep

And was laid

With his fathers

And saw

Corruption

Saw corruption

Means his body

Returned to the dust

It's something

That happens

To all

Who are laid

Into the grave

It's what's

Ahead of us all

We don't like

To think about it

As we attend

Funerals

But we often

Leave grave sites

And cemeteries

With some

Maybe fleeting

Thoughts about ourselves

But they soon

Pass on

But we shouldn't

Allow that

We should always

Say when you look

At the grave

Or a present

At a funeral

That's going to be

Me in a very short

Time

But where will I be

That's going to be

My body

Laid into the grave

Where will I be

Where will I be

Conscious of peace

Or conscious

Of the nightmare

Of hell

Well Psalm 48

Reminds us

That death

For the Lord's people

The passing of

Of us from this world

Into the next

Does not in any way

Interfere with

Our peace

With being at rest

With God

Psalm 4

Psalms 4:8

Verse 8

You remember

David puts it there

I will both

Lay me down

To sleep

And take rest

In peace

For you Lord

Alone

Makes me

To dwell in safety

Or to dwell safely

I will lay me down

And rest in peace

He's surrounded

By his enemies

He's harassed

He's crying out

To the Lord

In his pain

What is the end

Of the psalm

He's thinking about

What's across

That bridge

In eternity

He's thinking

I will lay down

My life in peace

He's certainly

Talking about

The present life

As well

That he can still

Sleep

If God gives him

The safety

To protect him

From his enemies

He can still say

My life is safe

With God

I don't need to worry

About my enemies

Yes he can do that

But he's surely

Taking us beyond

The grave

Beyond this life

Into eternity

This is my future

This is the prospect

For me

He's saying

I will lay down

In peace

And I'll take

Quiet rest there

Why?

Because you Lord

Alone

Make me dwell

In safety

And that safety

Tonight

Is yours

In Jesus Christ

He is your security

And your safety

Forever

David's life

And death

But he goes on

To speak about

Christ's death

And life

As he brings out

The contrast

In many ways

With David

He whom God

Raised up

Did not see

Corruption

Let it be known

To you therefore

That through this man

Is preached to you

Proclaimed to you

Forgiveness of sin

Well

It says here

Jesus died

He did not see

Corruption

He did die

And he was laid

For a time

In the sepulcher

But God

Raised him up

From the dead

It's important

That we notice

How Paul

Also

In his epistles

Emphasizes

The death

Followed by the

Resurrection

Of Jesus

That at the heart

Of the gospel

As he passed on

To the Corinthians

The very heart

Of the gospel

The kernel

Of what he preached

This is what he said

I passed on

I gave to you

What the Lord

Also gave to me

That the Lord

Jesus Christ

Died

According to the

Scriptures

That he was buried

That he rose again

According to the

Scriptures

That is the heart

Of the gospel

That's the basis

Of our hopes tonight

That there's a death

Greater than the death

We ourselves die

That there's a resurrection

From the dead

Which we could never

Accomplish for ourselves

A resurrection

That stands above death

And says

Death you are now

Defeated

And without Jesus

You don't have that

In Christ

That's your great privilege

That's the prospect

That you have

Looking into eternity

What a prospect it is

That you're united

To Christ

In both his death

And his life

Well it's saying here

That he was

He was

Raised from the dead

And that through him

Is proclaimed

Forgiveness of sins

God raised him up

There's a lot we could say

About that

It's important to realize

That Christ really died

He wasn't just

He wasn't unconscious

As he was laid

His body wasn't laid

In the

In the sepulcher

As somebody

Who was unconscious

He was dead

He died on the cross

He died the death

Due to us

For our sins

Remember always

I think I've emphasized

This so many times

From this pulpit

We need to

Because it's part

Of the gospel

The death he died

Was the death

You and I deserve

For our sins

Not just the death

In terms of

Body and soul

Being separated

And no longer

In this world

And his body

Being laid

Into the tomb

The death

Jesus died

Was the death

We deserved

For our sins

The death

That is nothing

Less than hell

That's what he suffered

That's what he endured

That's what he took

To himself

But when all that

Was over

As it was

On the cross

Itself

When he said

It is finished

Father into your hands

I commit my spirit

Then his body

Was laid in the sepulcher

And on the third day

He rose again

From the dead

He's emphasizing here

As so often

God raised him up

Why did God

Raise him up

Why does it say

That it was God

Who raised him up

Because God

Was well pleased

With what Jesus

Had done

To say it

Just put it briefly

Like that

He raised him up

Because he was pleased

With the death

He died

That it was sufficient

For all eternity

To cover the sins

Of his people

And no other person

Could have done that

But Christ

Has achieved it

And if you go to

Hebrews

And chapter 13

You'll find an emphasis there

Which is also important

In its own right

Where the emphasis there

On the resurrection

Of Jesus

Is that

God actually

Raised him up

In such a way

That

He brought

God again

The God of peace

Brought again

From the dead

Our Lord Jesus

The great shepherd

Of the sheep

And these words

He brought him again

From the dead

Actually mean literally

He was obliged

To bring him back

From the dead

If we can say

Such bold language

Of God

He had no option

But to

Bring Jesus

Back from the dead

Why?

Because Christ

Had fulfilled

All that he came

In this world

To achieve

By his life

And death

On the cross

Wherefore God

Brought him back

From the dead

And you know

The resurrection

Of Christ

In many ways

You could say

It's God's own

Stamp of approval

Over what Christ

Did

In his death

On the cross

God raised him up

So as not

To see corruption

So that's

Christ's

Death

And life

That's where he's

Unlike David

David was

Buried

And saw corruption

Christ was buried

And saw no corruption

David was buried

And didn't

Come back

To this world

Christ was buried

And rose from the dead

On the third day

Wherefore

On account of that

Let it be known

To you therefore

Brothers

That through this man

Forgiveness of sins

Is proclaimed to you

And by him

Everyone who believes

Is freed from everything

From which you could not

Be freed

By the law of Moses

So there's David's

Life and death

There's Christ's

Death and life

And finally

There's this gospel

Life and death

The emphasis

In the gospel

He's saying

Let it be known

To you therefore

Brothers

He's appealing to them

To listen to this point

Through this man

Through this Jesus

Is proclaimed to you

Forgiveness

Of sins

The gospel is good news

It's the best news

We could actually have

Declared to us

And why is it good news?

Because the emphasis

In the gospel

Is on life

Life in Christ

For those like you

And I

Who don't deserve it

But for whom

It's provided

Through Jesus

By him

Through him

Forgiveness of sins

Is proclaimed

And when you think of

Forgiveness of sins

That lies at the heart

Of the message

Of the gospel

That's really what

Paul is emphasizing here

For these Jews

In Antioch

In Pisidia

And it's a crucial

Emphasis

Because it means

Freedom

From condemnation

That's really what

He's saying

Forgiveness of sins

Is proclaimed to you

And everyone

Who believes

Is freed from

Delivered from

Everything from

Which you could not

Be freed by the law

Of Moses

Here were these Jews

Thinking

The law of Moses

Is ours

God gave us

The law of Moses

If we obey

The law of Moses

Then we're right

With God

We are righteous people

And Paul as you see

Particularly in Romans

And Galatians

You read these epistles

He's saying

No that's not how

You come to be justified

You cannot be justified

By your own efforts

However much

You keep the law

And who knew that

Better than Paul

Who tried mightily

By his own efforts

To persuade himself

That he was right

With God

Until he came

To meet with Jesus

On the road to Damascus

And Jesus

Knocked him

To his knees

And actually

So

Said to Paul

That he was actually

A persecutor

Rather than a righteous man

Persecutor of God's people

That was the turning point

Especially

In the life of the apostle

And from then on

He sought

To emphasize

At the heart

Of the gospel message

He preached

Here is forgiveness

Not one that you can

Manufacture for yourself

You don't need to

Not one you can

Create for yourself

It's not necessary

It's already there

In the person and work

Of Jesus

Who died and rose

From the dead

And therefore

On the basis of that

Forgiveness of sins

Is declared to you

And to everyone

Who believes

They are freed

From the sentence

Of the law

From condemnation

For what the law

Could not do

Could not be done

By the law of Moses

And that's such an

Important emphasis

Right through

The course of

New testament history

And on to our own day

There are millions

In the world tonight

Who think that

Being a Christian

Means doing everything

The best you can

And because God is kind

He's not going to

Reject you

God is kind

God is good

The goodness of God

Is nowhere better

Emphasized than in the

Provision of a saviour

For us

But it's not because

We do certain things

Ourselves

Not even because

Of our faith in him

That we're saved

We're saved because

Of him

And because of

What he has done

And through his

Person

And through his work

Whoever

Believes

Comes actually

To be delivered

Freed from

What the law of Moses

Could not free them from

Now that's

That's through freedom

And I've emphasized

It many times

In this pulpit

Freedom is not

The definition

The world gives

To freedom

Freedom for you

And for me tonight

Is not what the world

Especially that

Atheistic hostile world

To the gospel

Says is freedom

That freedom

Is just casting off

These things of the bible

These things of religion

Especially these things

Of the Christian religion

And especially

Of reformed religion

Where Jesus is the

Center of everything

Do away with that

Just follow your own

Inclinations

Do the best you can

As you see your life

Developing

That's an argument

From the pit

It's an argument

From the devil

Who wants to

Destroy you

And end up

With him

In a lost eternity

Now God is saying

Forget about

Trying to do the best

You can

In order to be saved

Because I have

Someone here

Who has done

The best he could

And that's far better

Than your best

The best

That Jesus is

And that Jesus has done

And you don't need

Anything other than that

To be right with God

When you reach out

By faith

And take Jesus

To yourself

This is what comes

Into your possession

This is what's marked up

On your account

In eternity

By God

This person

Is now righteous

Because the righteousness

Of my son

God is saying

Has become theirs

In Colossians chapter 2

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

And verse 6

You find it put there

That again faith

And trust in Christ

Is emphasized

Because faith is

Essentially trust in Jesus

And Colossians 2

And verse 6

Puts it there

Where you find

Paul emphasizing

How they received

Jesus Christ

As you received

Christ Jesus

The Lord

So walk in them

He's emphasizing for them

How they have to continue

In the form

And way of life

That they began

When they came to Christ

First of all

But the word received

There is important

And it's important

To remember

That we receive Christ

Remember that great

Catechism 31

Preceded by the

Previous 132

How does the spirit

Apply to us

The redemption

Purchased by Christ

The spirit

Applies to us

The redemption

Purchased by Christ

By working faith in us

And thereby

Uniting us to Christ

In our effectual calling

And in effectual calling

Which is the next question

And answer in the catechism

We're reminded that

Effectual calling

Involves

God persuading

And enabling

Us to embrace

Jesus Christ

Freely offered

In the gospel

So don't go along

With the idea

Though it may sound

Nice

That a Christian

Is somebody

Who believes

A certain set

Of principles

And of promises

And of commandments

Or you might say

The whole Bible

A Christian is somebody

Who believes that

Who believes that

To be true

Of course a Christian

Believes that

To be true

But a Christian

Primarily

A believer

Primarily

A saved person

Primarily

Is one who has

Embraced Christ

There is no salvation

By just saying

Well I believe

Everything that's in the Bible

But I'm not going to

Embrace that way of life

That embraces Jesus

And tries every day

To be true to him

That's a Christian life

Persuades and enables us

To embrace

Jesus Christ

Freely offered

In the gospel

And Paul is saying here

This is the gospel

Through this man

Forgiveness of sins

Is proclaimed to you

And by him

Everyone who believes

Is freed

From the law of Moses

Freed from the condemnation

The law actually

Pronounces

Well he goes on

To say

There's a warning as well

He quotes here

From the prophecy

Of Habakkuk

Beware therefore

Lest what is said

In the prophets

Should come about

Look you scoffers

Be astounded

And perish

For I'm doing

A work in your days

A work

That you will not believe

Even if one tells you

In other words

He's drawing from

That condemnatory note

In the prophet Habakkuk

That reminded the people

Of his day

Of the consequences

Of not believing

And trusting in God

And it all comes down

To this at the end

Of the day friends

Doesn't it

The cross

As it divided

Two individuals

At Calvary

From each other

So it divides

Humanity

Into two types

Of people

Those who believe

And those who don't

Those who are saved

And those who are not

Those who will not

Be saved

And those who will be

That's why it's so important

For you and for me

Tonight

With the wonderful

Privilege that God

Has given us

Of freedom

To hear the word

Of God

To hear the gospel

To hear the good news

That through Christ

Is proclaimed to us

Where God is saying to us

Here is acceptance

With me

Here is righteousness

Here is something

That I guarantee

I will always respect

And I will always accept

When you receive my son

By faith

By trusting in him

When you take him

To yourself

When you make him

Your own

When by faith

The faith God gives you

You come to receive him

Then you receive

His righteousness

You receive God's acceptance

God's friendship

And you receive

Everything the Bible

Tells you

Comes in Jesus himself

For you

As a saviour

Through this man

Forgiveness of sins

Is proclaimed to you

And everyone who believes

Is freed

From everything

From which you could not

Be freed

By the law

Of Moses

In other words

It's really saying to us

Very strongly

And very clearly

Very graphically

In many ways

And because of the type

Of people you and I are

We need to have it that way

And God in his kindness

Has given us

This gospel

Where life and death

Are set out before us

Where it tells us

Trust in the Lord

And you will not perish

Don't trust in him

Continue without

Giving your life to him

And you will perish

You will perish

Forever

But that's not going to be you

Is it?

Surely

Surely you tonight

Are going to say

Even if you've never

Said it before

I must

Come to Jesus

I must receive him

I must embrace him

I cannot afford

For time

Or eternity

To die without him

May it be so

Let's pray

Eternal God

We give thanks

For the gospel

We give thanks

For your kindness

And love

In providing us

With such a glorious

Message of salvation

Lord we pray

That you would grant us

To use that faith

And trust in Jesus

That would bring us

Into that right relationship

With you

And when we have done so

Lord enable us

To proceed in it

To know you better

Day by day

And to come to welcome

All that you bring to us

By way of further assurance

Of the Lord

Of the Lord

Of your people

Bless this congregation

We pray

Continue to provide

For them

We thank you

For them

We thank you

For their witness

We thank you

For their support

We thank you

For all that it means

To us to be here

Tonight

And we thank you

Especially for

The way in which

You have continued

To bless them

Down through the years

We pray that you

Would provide them

With one to lead them

In the things of God

We ask that you

Would help them

To focus upon

One who would become

Their minister

In due time

And graciously hear us

Now and accept us

For Jesus' sake

Amen

We're going to conclude

Our service tonight

Singing in Psalm 85

Psalm 85

That's in Sing Psalms

Singing verses 8 to 13

Page 113

If you're using the Psalm books

Page 113

We'll sing from verse 8

I will hear what God the Lord says

To his saints he offers peace

But his people must not wander

And return to foolishness

Surely for all those

Who fear him

His salvation is at hand

So that once again

His glory may be seen

Within our land

Verses 8 to the end of the Psalm

To God's praise

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

For all those who fear Him, His salvation is at hand.

So that once again His glory may He sing within our hands.

Come to our head together, righteousness and peace and grace.

Righteousness lives down from heaven, from the earth's faithfulness.

What is good the Lord will give us, and our madness truth will be.

Righteousness will go before Him, and His royal way be given.

Amen.

If you'd like me get to the main door, please, after the benediction.

I'll shake hands with you there.

Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father,

and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you now and evermore.

Amen.

Thank you.