The Believer's Benefits(2)

Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer. Let us pray.

Our Father in heaven, as we gather in your name this evening hour, we thank you for the shelter of this place.

We thank you for the peace that we can have, the calm that we enjoy in the midst of coming round your word when all around us there seems to be the storms of life as well as the natural storms.

We thank you for the great joy that there is in coming among your people and together to worship you, whether it's hearing the word and the presence of one another here or whether we tune in online at home.

We do pray to know your peace with us and to know that you are near, that you are speaking to us.

And we thank you for these words that we have sung together, the words that speak about the enduring nature of your city and the citadels, the towers that surround it.

And speaking of the great wonder of the strength of your place and where your people gather, for it is a city that will always endure, the city of the Lord.

And we thank you that you are the one who keeps it secure, that you keep your people secure down through all the generations.

We thank you that we can, with the psalmist, reflect and look back and contemplate your steadfast love, the steadfast love that the psalmist was able to see in his own experience and that God's people saw in so many different ways,

that enduring steadfast love that you have surrounded your people with.

And we thank you that that is an unchanging love, that your steadfast love is towards us this day,

that the same strength and security that you gave your people then, that you give to your people today,

and that we have that great assurance that whatever rocks this world, whatever shakes the world that we live in,

and knowing ultimately that the great shaking that will come in the day of judgment,

that there is a security in you, and that all who believe and trust in you, they will never be taken from you.

And so we thank you for your great steadfast love in that way.

And we pray that so many others would come to know and experience it for themselves,

that even this evening as we read your word together, as we are reminded of the great benefits that you show towards us,

all that is ours in Christ, that it would become fresh and anew to us all,

and especially to those who have never tasted it before,

that it would become a moment that would open their hearts to receive your word,

and to enjoy the warmth and the blessing of it.

Our hearts that are hard, Lord, we know that you are able to melt them.

We know that, for you have done it to your people.

You have done it to us in the past.

You have done it to people down through all the generations.

We think even of the Apostle Paul and how strong he was in his opposition.

He was persecuting the church, putting your people to the sword,

bringing them so much cruelty, breathing out cruelties, as the word says.

And yet in a moment, you brought him to see the power of God,

and to see the wonder of Christ, and to know your spirit working in him.

And we thank you that they marveled at Paul,

in the same way as they marvel at, we can marvel at the people that you bring to faith to this day.

We see so many lives transformed, even when we look at ourselves, Lord,

the things that were impossible for us to do because of the sinful nature that we have,

and how you brought us to know your grace, your mercy.

And we do thank you for that, and help us to always have that before us,

in order to lose our wonder at the precious nature of your covenant promises,

of all your steadfast promises towards your people,

that we will keep them always in mind, and long to know them more and more,

not just for ourselves, but for all around us.

In the midst of troubles, anxieties, fears, and worries that so many people have,

we pray for the peace of God that passes understanding to surround your people in so many different ways.

And we do thank you again for the church that you are building, that we are part of.

We are not just a congregation here, but we thank you, Lord,

that today is a day of worship to you, a day that has been put aside for that very purpose from the very beginning of time,

a day set aside when we put everything else to one side and come to worship you,

to fellowship with your people, to look to you, to refresh ourselves in you,

in all our activities of the day, that we would find our rest in you and refreshment for today,

and also as we go into the week ahead, that it would be an encouragement to us to feel and know your presence here

and to go out into the working week ahead, or school week, or whatever we are involved in,

whatever we are doing, to know that refreshing power of your Spirit with us,

to know the joy of the Lord as our strength, and to know the wonder of your grace and salvation.

And we pray, Lord, that your people near and far would know and experience that day after day.

For your people are to all ends of the earth, as the Word describes the great vastness of the world in which we live,

and we see it so much ourselves as we see the wonder of satellite images and the enormity of the world,

and yet the enormity of the number of people, yet the wonder of your knowledge towards us,

that there is no one and nothing hidden from you,

but that when the sun rises from the east to the west throughout your days,

that you have that knowledge of your people.

And even as the sun sets and as people go to sleep, as they lay down in the watches of the night,

we know that you never slumber or sleep, as the Word reminds us,

and that you are one who is constantly watching over.

And so we pray, Lord, for all your people, near and far, that you would bless them,

that you would encourage, that you would remember those who are persecuted,

that you remember those who are in very difficult situations and circumstances,

whether it's in times of fear or worry or natural disaster, war or famine.

There are so many things going on, O Lord, in this world,

and we just pray for your goodness and mercy to be over us.

We do remember the cause of your church here.

We thank you for all our people and for all the endeavors to reach out with your Word.

Again, we commit the vacancy at this time to you and the committee that meet on Tuesday evening

for your blessing and wisdom and guidance towards them.

We pray, Lord, for patience as we wait upon you in these things

and that you would ultimately guide us, Lord, that you would show us your will

and that your will be done.

We remember, too, the prayer meetings through the week,

thankful for all that takes place where people gather in your name,

whether it's in Laxdale on Tuesday evening,

in the Seminary on Wednesday and Thursday for English and Gaelic,

we thank you for that unity in prayer.

We pray that you will build us up in that way

and help us always to be a praying people,

coming together to worship you and to wait upon you,

to look to you in dependence for all things.

We thank you, too, for being able to pray for so many different matters going on around us

and as we think of that response that we see on our bulletin that was involved with Tesco

and just the wider issue of the Lord's Day in our islands and far and wide.

Lord, we do pray for blessing and peace to reign over your day and over your people

and that you would bring people to see the wisdom that there is in rest.

It is not just something that Christians seek to demand of people,

but it's something that you and your wisdom have given from the very creation of the world,

an appointment that the more people try to do, the more they see that there is no end to work,

there is no end to tiredness or frustrations or no end to the life and the wheel that we seem to be so often caught up in.

But yet, O Lord, we thank you that you give a break in the week

and it's a wise day to use for your glory and ultimately for rest for all things.

And so we pray, Lord, for people to see and know the wisdom of God in all of that.

And we pray too, Lord, for our young people.

We thank you for them, for the Sunday school, the creche, the tweenies,

for the explorers, the YF and all that goes on with all our young people.

We ask your blessing on all that is done for them and upon them in school as well,

with the teachers and staff and primary schools and the high school.

And we pray for protection, for blessing, for help for those who will soon be sitting prelims in these coming weeks.

As we prepare for them, Lord, take away anxieties, fears and worries that they might have.

I help them to lean upon you and to trust on you and to pray to you for help in the midst of it.

We do pray for students away from home as well.

We remember them, Lord, and ask your blessing over them,

many as they go back to universities and colleges in these coming weeks,

that you would bless them and watch over them.

We remember those belonging to the congregation here in the past

who have gone on to serve you in ministry in different ways.

Remember Muriel, thankful for her, for her ministry in Cambodia.

Remember Scott and Fiona and the girls as they are in North Harris now.

Bless them, Lord, be with them.

Remember Muriel Campbell as he has moved away to Enoch Bain and awaits an induction there.

We pray for your blessing over him and the family.

And as they settle there, as the induction comes around, Lord,

that your blessing be on the congregation.

Think of Roddy Barvis.

He's been connected to this congregation in the past.

And as he comes to us in a few weeks' time, Lord,

we pray for encouragement together as he springs to us the work of international mission too.

And just ask your blessing on him in that work.

And so in all these things, Lord, we look to you,

thankful for the gift of prayer and yet so much that we could still pray for,

that you know our hearts, Lord.

You know our desires.

You know our needs.

And so we lay them before you and ask in all things that you will hear us,

you will pardon us for our sin,

and that your will be done in all things.

So go with us now.

Bless your word as we sing it,

as we open it up, reading it together and sharing from it,

that you would guide us in all of our thoughts.

For we ask it all in Jesus' name and for his sake.

Amen.

Sing.

Sing.

O God, what time thou didst go forth

before thy people's face,

and when through the great wilderness,

thy glorious marching was.

Then at God's presence shook the earth,

and drops from heaven fell,

the sign I shook before the Lord,

the God of Israel.

O God, how to thine heritage

did send a plenteous rain,

whereby thou went and weary was,

didst it refresh again.

Thy congregation then

did make their habitation there,

of thine own goodness for the poor.

O God, thou didst prepare,

the Lord himself did give the word,

the word abroad did spread.

Great was the company of them,

the same who published it.

We'll turn and read God's word together now.

We're going to read first of all

in the Gospel of John, chapter 1.

John 1 · chapter mention

Gospel of John, chapter 1,

John 1 · chapter mention

we're going to read from the beginning

down to verse 18,

and then we'll turn to the book of Psalms

and Psalm 103.

So our first reading is in the Gospel of John,

John 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1.

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through him,

and without him was not anything made

that was made.

In him was life,

and the life was the light of men.

The light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God

whose name was John.

He came as a witness

to bear witness about the light

that all might believe through him.

He was not the light,

but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light which enlightens everyone

was coming into the world.

He was in the world,

and the world was made through him.

Yet the world did not know him.

He came to his own,

and his own people did not receive him.

But to all who did receive him,

who believed in his name,

he gave the right to become children of God,

who were born not of blood,

not of the will of the flesh,

not of the will of man,

but of God.

And the Word became flesh,

and dwelt among us.

And we have seen his glory,

glorious of the only Son,

from the Father,

full of grace and truth.

John bore witness about him,

and cried out,

This was he of whom I said,

He who comes after me ranks before me,

because he was before me.

And from his fullness

we have all received grace upon grace.

For the law was given through Moses.

Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God.

The only God,

who is at the Father's side,

he has made him known.

Then we'll turn to a reading in Psalm 103,

in the book of Psalms.

And we can read from the beginning of the Psalm,

down to verse 13.

Psalm 103.

You'll find this around page 602.

We read from the beginning,

down to verse 13.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all that is within me.

Bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits.

Who forgives all your iniquities.

Who heals all your diseases.

Who redeems your life from the pit.

Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.

Who satisfies you with good,

so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.

The Lord works righteousness and justice

for all who are oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses,

his acts to the people of Israel.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger,

and abounding in steadfast love.

He will not always chide,

nor will he keep his anger forever.

He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love

towards those who fear him.

As far as east is from the west,

so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

As our Father shows compassion to his children,

so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

And so on.

And may God bless these readings from his word.

Before we come and look at this passage together,

we'll sing again in Psalm 147.

The Sing Psalms Version, page 193.

We're singing from verse 14 down to the end of the psalm.

Psalm 147, page 193.

At verse 14,

We'll sing from verse 14 down to the end of the psalm.

The Lord will grant you peace within

The borders of your land,

And finest wheat will fill your fields

From his sustaining hand

To all the corners of the earth,

The Lord's commands proceed

For when he speaks,

His word goes forth

Through all the world with speed

He spreads the snow

As wool the frost

Like ashes on the land

He hurls forth, I say

Hail like stones

Who can such gold withstand

But when he sends

His mighty word

And makes the warm wind

The frozen waters

Start to melt

And once again

To flow

To Jacob

God

Declares

His word

And makes

His doctrines

Known

His ordinances

He reveals

He reveals

To Israel

Alone

He has not dealt

In such a way

With any other race

To us

To us

Alone

He shows

His laws

O praise

The Lord

Of grace

We can turn back

Together

To our second reading

In the book of Psalms

In Psalm 103

This evening

We're going to look

At the section

From verse 6

Down to verse 13

But just

Bear in mind

Verse 2

Which is the theme

Of the psalm

That we started

Looking at a couple

Of weeks ago

In verse 2

It says

Bless the Lord

O my soul

And forget

Not all his benefits

Forget not all his benefits

And then in the psalm

It goes on to outline

The benefits

That are ours

Through God

And so we continue

That theme

In verse 6

To verse 13

This evening

We're going to look

At some of the benefits

That we find here

In verse 6

It says

The Lord

Works righteousness

And justice

For all who are oppressed

He made known

His ways

To Moses

His acts

To the people

Of Israel

And so it goes on

We all experience

Times of reflection

In our lives

In different ways

We come to points

And experiences

Sometimes it can be

Because of appointed days

Or special days

That come our way

Rememberance day

Is always a time

Of reflection

When we look back

And remember

Great sacrifice

Made for us

Our new year's day

It's always a time

When we reflect

We've just had that

And I'm sure

Many of us

Spent some time

There reflecting

And looking back

On our own lives

Or on the past year

The lives of others

It's a time

Of just looking

And seeing

What's going on

Around us

So we can see it

In a broad way

We can also see it

In a narrow way

In our own lives too

When we think of

Our own personal

Reflections

Or remembrances

It can be

Maybe a significant date

In our own experience

In life

It might be a special occasion

A happy occasion

It could also be

A sad occasion

That brings to mind

Things from the past

Or even things

In the present

That we reflect on

So we have them

In a personal way

And in a broad way

In a general sense too

But we also have

Moments of remembrance

When we see

In the scriptures too

When you look

Through God's word

You find

That God

God has always

Put that significance

Of remembrance

Into the hearts

Of his people

You think of

The Old Testament

And the remembrance

Of the deliverance

The exodus

From Egypt

He gave them

The Passover

Something that they

Were to remember

In all the generations

Afterwards

To remember

The deliverance

That God

Had given to them

And then you see

In the New Testament

As we see the Passover

Being replaced

By the Lord's Supper

And the deliverance

From sin

For God's people

Through the sacrifice

Made by Jesus Christ

So we have the Lord's Supper

That we continue

To remember

And it's a time

Of reflection

Personal reflection

Congregational reflection

And just reflection

In general

As to the benefits

That we read of

Here in Psalm 103

For example

We reflect on

God's goodness

To us

And in many ways

We're seeing in this

Psalm

David reflecting

And looking back

In his own experience

And also

Looking forward

In his own experience

Too

And in his reflection

You see

Sometimes it's a very

Personal reflection

Very intimate to himself

Other times

It's looking in a broader

Sense as well

But what he's doing

For us

Is showing us

The benefits

That are ours

In Christ

And for ourselves

This evening

We're thinking of it

Under that heading

The believer's benefits

To know

The benefits

That he's speaking of here

We must as a people

Have faith

In the Lord Jesus Christ

To enjoy

These benefits

In their fullness

And David here

Is just looking at

In this sense

And from his very soul

It begins with that sense

In the Psalm

In verse 1

Bless the Lord

Oh my soul

And all that is within me

There's a sense

Of everything that I am

Everything that I have

I want to praise it

I want to give praise

To you Lord

For all of your benefits

To me

And so we began

Looking at this Psalm

A couple of weeks ago

Looking at the benefits

And we saw

In verse 1 to 5

The benefits

That David

Outlines for us

We saw forgiveness

Healing

Redemption

Crowning

And satisfying

And we went into

The details

Of just what

These benefits

Mean

And meant

And we want to

Continue that theme

This evening

By looking at this

Psalm

And see the benefits

That we see

In verse 6 to 13

And there's four

I want to highlight

To us this evening

But before we

Before we do come

Into the details

Of it

Before we look

At it some more

I want to first

Share something

That Charles Spurgeon

Said about this

Psalm

It's like a chord

With me

And it just

Helps us to see

Just the wonder

Of these words

As we look at them

He's got away

With words

Charles Spurgeon

So I don't mind

Quoting him

His words

Are more eloquent

Than mine

But he says this

As in the lofty Alps

Some peaks

Rise above all others

So among even

The inspired psalms

There are heights

Of song

Which overtop

The rest

This 103rd Psalm

Has ever seemed

To us

To be the Mount Rosa

Of the divine chain

Of mountains

Of praise

Glowing with

A ruddier light

Than any of the rest

It is as the apple tree

Among the trees

Of the wood

And its golden fruit

Has a flavour

Such as no fruit

Ever bears

Unless it has been

Ripened

In the full sunshine

Of marshy

He's got away

With words

All right

But what you see

Him saying there

Is basically that

Although all the word

Of God

Is precious

We're not

Putting it on

A pedestal

In that sense

Every word

Is God breathed

But yet he says

There are these ones

That just seem to

Rise higher

Than the others

The mountaintops

Mount Rosa

Is one of the highest

Peaks

In the Alps

And he's saying

On its pinnacle

You're just seeing

The height

The wonder

The glory of it

And that Psalm

103

In the midst of others

It rises above

And just shows us

The wonder

Of God's mercies

And God's benefits

Towards us

And so this evening

We want to continue

To climb this mountain

To see

What David is saying

To us

About these benefits

And just see

The wonder

Of these benefits

To all who believe

In the Lord Jesus

And so like I said

There's four

I want to look at

This evening

Four benefits

From verse 6

To verse 13

The first one

Is this

God acts

For us

That's one of our benefits

The second one

Is he is merciful

And patient

The third one

Is he is gracious

And the fourth

He is compassionate

So we want to go

Through these four

First of all

God acts

For us

We see this

In verse 6

And verse 7

I'm sure

You've either

Said it

Or you've heard

This said

Maybe you've said it

Today

Maybe you've said it

More than once today

Do I have to do

Everything myself

Maybe you've just said it

In the last hour

Before coming out

To church

Do I have to do

Everything myself

You've asked someone

To do something

And the usual reply

Is in a minute

And a couple of hours

Later you come back

Nothing's done

Do I have to do

Everything myself

As David reflects

On the benefits here

It's almost like

He's being reminded

Of God

Who's saying

Do I have to do

Everything myself

For you

But not in a way

Of having a goal

But in a sense

Of just realising

As David would

And we should

Our own helplessness

That we cannot act

In the ways that God can

And the way God has

For his people

That we realise

That our cause

Is hopeless

Except the Lord

Act on our behalf

He says there in verse 6

The Lord works

Righteousness and justice

For all who are oppressed

He has made known

His ways to Moses

His acts

To the people

Of Israel

And what we see here

Is left to our own devices

We stumble

And we fall

Left to our own devices

We would say to the Lord

In a minute

I'll sort it

And yet we leave things

We leave things undone

But the great benefit

That we see here

Is that the Lord

Acts for us

And we see He acts here

In two different ways

He acts in His actions

In what He does

But also in what He says

In His words

The Lord acts for us

How do you deal

With the sin

In this world

How do you make things right

We would love

To put everything right

In this world

We would love

To have justice

In this world

To those who are oppressed

We would love

To be able to take them

Out of that oppression

To right every wrong

In this world

But we can't

We can't do it

And when we look

At ourselves

Our own righteousness

Our own actions

They're just like

Filthy rags

Before the Lord

There is nothing

That we can put right

In this world

By ourselves

Because we are spoiled

We are marred

By sin

But what we find here

Is that the Lord

Works

The Lord

Acts

He acts righteously

And He acts on justice

To all who are oppressed

And He speaks

He has made known

His way to Moses

His acts

To the people of Israel

He has continued

To speak

To His people

And that's what we sang of

In Psalm 147

The last psalm

That we just sung

In verse 18

It says

But when He sends

His mighty word

And makes the warm winds blow

The frozen waters

Start to melt

And once again

To flow

It's this image

Just like what we've seen

Overnight

Last night

How the snow

And the ice

Was there

But when that warm wind

Comes

It disappears

How quickly

It's gone today

And that's

The way we can see

That God acts

That in the same way

That as He speaks

And as He acts

He is able to do things

That we could never do

Ourselves

It's impossible

If we were to think

Of this for ourselves

And think

Well

We have to sort

These problems

We have to sort

The injustice

To people

We have to sort

Our own righteousness

We have to be right

With God

By ourselves

It would be such

A burden

That we could never

Carry it

We could never manage it

We could never do it

But the benefit

That we have

Is that the Lord

Works

And the Lord

Acts

God has acted

On our behalf

There is no justice

That we could achieve

Ourselves

There is no salvation

That we could achieve

Ourselves

It is He

That acts

And we thank God

That He does

The Lord has

Acted on our behalf

The Lord has showed

This towards us

We saw it

In the last time

We were looking at it

How He redeems

Our life

How He

All these benefits

He forgives

In our iniquities

He heals our diseases

We can't do it

Ourselves

But yet we are

Precious

To Him

He crowns you

With steadfast love

And mercy

It says in verse 4

And we see this again

In verse 6 and 7

How He acts

In His steadfast love

And mercy

Towards us

We hear the wind

This evening

Going up again

And bad forecast

Again overnight

We see storms

Coming

And so often

Storms bring damage

With them

A few years ago

During one storm

That came our way

There was a barge

It was a salmon feed barge

That was moored

And it broke

Its mooring

I can't remember

Exactly where it was

But it ended up

Drifting in the minch

And it ended up

Being sunk

Because it had drifted

It had been damaged

It went on the rocks

It wasn't old

It had just been

Fairly newly built

Cost a million pounds

But after I'd been

Raked

On the rocks

The question was being asked

Is it worth salvaging?

Is it worth doing anything

To try and

Get it back?

Something that cost

A million pounds

You're thinking

Surely

There's got to be

Some benefit

In getting it back

Something can be done

But even the question

Being asked

Is it worth it?

And you think to God

Well

The way God acts

The way God works

Does he act in that way?

Does he look on us

And say

Is it worth

Saving these people?

Is it worth

The difficulty?

Is it worth

The hassle?

Is it worth

That what he says

Yes

We know that God

Didn't count up a cost

For our salvation

And say

I'm not sure

Is it worth it?

Because as we see

The words that are used here

Who redeems your life

From the pit?

He's saying

It is worth it

My action is worth it

He took action

He acted on our behalf

Because what was impossible

For us

He did

He did in his son

Christ Jesus

He acted

For us

So we have the benefit

There

Of God's action

And God's

Word

To us

As we read

In John 1

We read of the word

Who became flesh

And dwelt among us

And we have seen

His glory

Glory of the only son

From the father

Full of grace

And truth

The Lord

Has acted

And the Lord

Has spoken

And so he continues

To give us

This benefit

He communicates

To us

He speaks

To us

He acts

For us

The second benefit

We see here

Is he is

Merciful

And kind

He is

Merciful

And kind

The Lord

Is merciful

And gracious

Slow to anger

And abounding

In steadfast

Love

Patience

It's something

That we don't

Always have

Again you think of

Do I have to do

Everything myself?

You're asking that

Out of impatience

Have you ever had

Your patience

Tested?

It's not so much

A question to ask us

How many times

Have you had

Your patience

Tested?

I'm sure we could say

Many times

And we've tested

People's patience

Ourselves

Many times

But have you ever

Asked yourself

I wonder

Have I tested

God's patience?

Are my actions

Are what I'm doing

The way I'm living

Is it testing

God's patience?

Patience

The question again

Should be

Have I tested

It shouldn't be

Have I tested

God's patience

But how many times

Have I tested

God's patience?

You see it with

The children of Israel

In the Exodus

Testing God's patience

Again and again

With the way that

They were treating him

The way that

They were acting

No matter what he did

For them

They seemed to just

Do their own thing

And we're the same

I just have to look

At my own life

And examine

How many times

Have I grumbled

Or complained to God

How many times

Have I said

God

You don't know

What you're doing

I'll do it my way

We do it all the time

We're testing his patience

And yet here we read

The benefit that we have

That he doesn't act

As he should

Towards us

Or that he could

Towards us

The Lord is merciful

And gracious

Slow to anger

And abounding

In steadfast love

How do you know

When someone's angry

Against you?

If it's getting serious

If it's getting to a point

Of rage

Quite often

It's the nostrils

That give it away

They start flaring

There's a real anger

And we're not here

Talking just

In a bad mood

With someone

We're not talking about

I'm not talking to you

At the moment

We're talking

A serious kind of anger

That the Lord

Restrains from

Because you see

The words that are used there

The Lord is

Merciful and gracious

And especially

The Lord is slow

To anger

The literal translation

Of slow

To anger

There is

His nostrils

Don't flare

In anger

That's the literal

Translation

It doesn't

Go to the point

Where his nostrils

Flare

Because if it did

We could never stand

We could never stand

Against God's anger

And God's wrath

We could never

Stand

Psalm 130

Speaks of that

Who could stand?

Who could stand

Before you Lord?

We couldn't

But the benefit

That we see here

Is he is merciful

He is gracious

He is slow

To anger

And abounding

In steadfast love

His ways

Are not our ways

His thoughts

Are not our thoughts

He doesn't act

Like we do

He has a greater

Patience

Than we do

The Lord

In other words

God's mercy

It's relentless

It's unending

He wants his people

To be saved

That is his longing

That is his desire

Because a day is coming

When that wrath

Will come

But in his mercy

Just now

He is gracious

And slow

To anger

It is not never ending

Because there is a warning

There is a warning

There for us as well

It will not always

Be so

He will not leave

The guilty unpunished

He will bring justice

As it says

To the oppressed

But he will bring

Judgment upon

All who reject

And all who

Put him away

All who ignore him

You ignore him

At your peril

But today

We live

In a day

Of his mercy

He is slow

To anger

And so it is a day

To respond

This is one of the

Great benefits

For you

If you are not

Believing this evening

That he is patient

That he is slow

To anger

But it is a warning

It is a warning

Of the serious nature

Of who God is

That he will

On the day of judgment

Pour out

That anger

And we cannot stand

Then

The Lord is merciful

And gracious

Slow to anger

And abounding

In steadfast love

But he will not

Always

Chide

Nor will he

Keep his anger

Forever

We also see

It is closely

Linked to this

As well

His gracious

Nature

As well

We mentioned

The word

Gracious

There

But it goes on

In this psalm

As well

In verse 10

He does not

Deal with us

According to our sins

Nor repay us

According to our

Iniquities

As we come in

To worship

God

As we come

We realise

Our sin

We realise

Our sins

That are many

And worse

Than we want

To believe

And it sounds

A strange benefit

That that's one of

The benefits

We have

When we come

In to worship

God

But God shows us

As we are

He is merciful

He is gracious

He is slow

To anger

But when he shows us

Our sin

It's in a benefit

Way as well

Because it helps us

To understand

That in our sins

That are many

His mercy is more

As the hymn says

We realise

How much

We have

Fallen short

Of his glory

We realise

How far away

We are

From where we

Should be

As we come in

To worship

A holy God

As we come

Before his word

We realise

He does not

Deal with us

According to our sins

Nor repay us

According to our

Iniquities

What's he talking about?

Are we not good people?

No

We're not

But he is

Gracious

He is gracious

And we should

Never lose sight

Of that

The great cost

Involved for our sins

To be forgiven

The great cost

If he was to deal

With us

According to our sins

We would be lost

But what did he do

To deal with our sins?

He sent Christ

He sent Christ

That he would take

Our sins

For us

Because we couldn't

Do it ourselves

We see there

His action

Towards his people

That he might

Save them

From their sins

He sent his son

Martin Luther

Described it

In this way

He said

Although out of pure grace

God does not

Impute our sins

To us

He nonetheless

Did not want

To do this

Until complete

And ample

Satisfaction

Of his law

And his righteousness

Had been made

Since this

Was impossible

For us

God ordained

For us

In our place

One

Who took upon himself

All the punishment

We deserve

He fulfilled

The law

For us

He averted

The judgment

Of God

From us

And appeased

God's wrath

Grace

Therefore

Cost us

Nothing

But it cost

Another much

To get it

For us

Grace

Was purchased

With an incalculable

Infinite

Treasure

The son

Of God

Himself

The wonder

Of God's

Grace

So as we read

Here in verse 10

He does not

Deal with us

According

To our sins

That is

The wonder

Of his grace

Now when you think

Of that grace

It's not just

For a moment

When you think

Of the hymn

Amazing Grace

You think of the author

Who wrote it

John Newton

And the wonder

Of that grace

That saved him

That grace

That saved

A wretch

Like me

But he's not just

Talking about

A moment's grace

Because he goes on

To express it

In that way

It's much more

Than just about

The grace

Of conversion

Because he says

Through many dangers

Toils

And snares

We have already

Come

It's this

Ongoing grace

It was grace

That brought us

Safe thus far

And grace

Will lead us

Home

So it's not just

Grace

For a moment

But grace

That keeps us

Day by day

Grace

That will see us

Home

Is that not

A wonderful benefit

Is that not

Something that we

Should be so

Thankful to God

For

That as we

Believe in him

We have that grace

Not just for a moment

But for every moment

Of every day

And the grace

That will sustain us

And see us

Home

Give thanks to God

If you know this grace

And if you don't

Pray

Pray to know

That wonder

Amazing grace

That is able to save

Saved a wretch

Like me

Not just John Newton

Would say that

Any sinner

Could say that

We are saved

As wretches

By the grace

Of God

He is gracious

The fourth

And final

Benefit

We see here

He is compassionate

He is compassionate

When you look at

Verse

11

Through to

Verse 13

For as high as the heavens

Are above the earth

So great

Is his steadfast love

Towards those

Who fear him

As far as east

Is from the west

So far does he

Remove our

Transgressions

From us

Then you have

These words

In verse

As a father

Shows compassion

To his children

So the Lord

Shows compassion

To those

Who fear him

The benefit

Of a compassionate

God

He doesn't deal

With our sins

According

To our sins

But instead

As far as

East is from

The west

He has removed

Our transgressions

From us

Why

Because he has

This relationship

Of compassion

As a father

To his children

We have

We have this

Great benefit

Of being

In the family

Of God

We read it

Throughout the scriptures

We read it

In

John chapter 1

John 1 · chapter mention

Of how we are

Children of God

He describes

In the letter

Of 1st John

We see it there

In chapter 3

As well

See what kind of love

The father has given

To us

That we should be called

Children of God

And so we are

The reason why

The world does not

Know us is that

It did not

Know him

Beloved

We are God's

Children

Now

There is this

Relationship

That we have

Through faith

In Christ

We are God's

Children

And there are

Benefits in us

In us

For us

In that

We know God

As our father

As far as

East is from

The west

He has removed

Our transgressions

Why as a father

Shows

Compassion

To his children

And what a benefit

We have

To know him

As our father

We all have

Different experiences

In life

Of when we were

Children

And I remember

Growing up

Myself

When I was young

If I did

Something wrong

The first instinct

Was to try and

Hide that wrong

From my parents

I don't know

How much

Super glue

I went through

Trying to hide

My faults

From my parents

Because it would

So often happen

If I was playing

With my sister

It seemed to be

That something

Would bounce off me

And I would

Kick something

And would always

Knock over

An ornament

And you were

There trying to

Glue it back

Together before

They would see

It was

Far too obvious

When they came

Home that

Something was

Wrong

We cannot

Hide it

But it's

Our natural

Instinct

To try and

Hide it

From our

Parents

And we see

It's an instinct

That is in man

From the very

Beginning

Because as soon

As Adam and Eve

Had done wrong

In the garden

Their first instinct

Was to hide

To hide away

It's just

In us

And yet

When we see

A compassionate

Father here

We see

He's not out

Just to punish

Us

He's out

To heal us

To restore

Us

In right

Relationship

With him

As a father

Shows compassion

To his children

So the Lord

Shows compassion

To those

Who fear him

That when

There's a right

Fear

When there's a

Right fear

It is

Knowing that

We have

Let someone

Down

That we have

Failed someone

And we're afraid

Of those

Consequences

But the Lord

Shows us

This compassion

Shows us

This steadfast

Love

Compassion

Towards those

Who fear him

In the great

Distances

That we see

Mentioned here

As high as the

Heavens are above

The earth

So great

Is this steadfast

Love towards

Those who fear him

And then we see

It was sin

As far as east

Is from the west

So far as he

Removed our

Transgressions

From us

There's love

And there's

Transgressions

And there's

This great

Distance

But there are

So many

Verses that

Remind us

That God

Is gathering

His people

From a distance

And one of

Them is in

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 30:3

30 verse 3

And it really

Speaks about

This relationship

Of the father

Towards his

Children

Showing compassion

And it says

Then the Lord

Your God

Will restore

Your fortunes

And have

Compassion on

You

And he will

Gather you again

From all the

Peoples

Where the Lord

Your God

Has scattered

You

He is bringing

His people

In

He is bringing

His children

In

He is bringing

His children

Home

It's like the

Parable of the

Prodigal son

That speaks of

That compassion

Of the father

Who saw his son

Coming back

From a distance

And he ran

Towards him

He showed him

Not what he

Deserved

But he showed

Him mercy

He showed him

His steadfast

Love

He showed his

Compassion

And God

Has that

Compassion

Still

Towards those

Who fear him

And it's

Always in the

Midst of

Everything

Going right

We are so

Often taught

The compassion

Of God

When things

Are not going

Our way

The way that

We would want

Them to go

And in great

Difficulty

Sometimes

We see the

Steadfast love

Of God

That is

Unchanging

There was a

Missionary called

Alan Gardner

And he

Spent many

Of his

Years

As a

Missionary

To different

Parts of

South America

And he

Suffered

Many

Troubles

During his

Years as a

Missionary

And ultimately

During his

Mission

He lost

His life

In 1851

At the age

Of 57

He died

Of starvation

And disease

Having become

Drifted away

From where

He'd been

Staying

And ministering

In

He was

Abandoned

In a

Shipwreck

Almost

And he

Was left

By himself

He starved

To death

And it

Wasn't a

Quick death

It was

Something he

Suffered a

Lot in

And it

Took time

But he

Had kept

A journal

Even in

Those latter

Days

A journal

That you

Can still

See to

This

Day

And in

It he

Was writing

Down his

Own thoughts

And quotes

From the

Psalms

And different

Things

One point

He wrote

Down the

Verse

From

Psalm 34

Psalms 34:10

Verse 10