A Vision and Mission Statement

We'll begin our worship this evening by singing to God's praise. We're going to sing in Psalm 106,

the Scottish Psalter version, Psalm 106, page 378 of the Psalm books. We'll sing from verse 1

to verse 5. The tune is done firmly in Psalm 106. At verse 1, give praise and thanks unto the Lord,

for bountiful is he, his tender mercy doth endure unto eternity. We'll sing from verse 1 to

5 to God's praise, and we stand to sing.

Give praise and thanks unto the Lord, for bountiful is he, his tender mercy doth endure unto eternity.

God's mighty works who can express, or show forth all his grace.

Blessed are they the judgment key, and justly do always.

Remember me, Lord, with that love, which thou to thine dost bear. With thy salvation, O my God,

for send me draw near. But I, my chosen stood may see, and in their joy rejoice. And may with thine inheritance,

Let us unite our hearts in prayer.

Let us pray.

Our gracious and everlasting Father,

we thank you that we come to you as our Lord

and as our God.

We come with so much to be thankful for.

We thank you for the peace that we enjoy.

We thank you for the blessing that we have

in coming to praise your name together.

We come, Lord, thankful for your tender mercies towards us,

mercies that are new each day.

And Lord, as we just look into our hearts this evening

and as we look into your word

and as we look out into the world, O Lord,

we come just thankful, Lord,

for the very fact that we have a God to call upon.

We have a God who hears the cries of his people.

We have a God who is able to do so much more

than we even ask or imagine.

And when there are times when we feel helpless,

when there are times where we feel much grief for our world,

when there is so much sorrow and sadness around us,

we thank you that you are a God who is able to comfort,

that you are a God who is able to change,

to change war into peace.

And as we have heard and seen in this last week, Lord,

the devastation of war in our midst once again in the world,

we do pray for you as the God of mercy,

the God of peace,

even to bring a quick end to this awful war in Israel,

as we are reminded on our prayer notes.

But in other parts of the world, too,

we see much devastation, much atrocities.

And we pray, Lord, for quick ends to it all.

In many ways, we know that that will not be until you return.

For your word reminds us that there will be wars

and rumors of war.

But we thank you, too, Lord,

that you are still God in the midst of it all,

that you are the one who is able to change evil to good.

And we pray, Lord, that in these days

that we would see your power at work,

that again, as we see, oh, Lord,

so much that we wonder at,

we don't have answers to the many questions we might face.

We don't have answers to the wickedness of mankind.

But, Lord, we thank you that in the midst of confusion

that you are able to bring more clarity.

We thank you, Lord,

that your word is such a great blessing to us

and to all your people,

even as we have sung in these words together this evening,

remember me, Lord, with that love

which thou to thine dost bear.

We thank you that your love is unending

and unchanging towards your people,

wherever they find themselves

and whatever circumstances they are in this evening,

that your love is unchanging towards them,

that you are the God of all covenant and all grace,

that you are the God who keeps his people,

not just here, but for all eternity,

and that whatever comes the way of your people in this world,

we know, Lord, that as your word says,

that it's greater to come,

that our blessings unending

and at the throne of God in heaven.

And we thank you, Lord,

that in the midst of turmoil,

that your word is such a blessing to us,

but how we need the eyes of faith,

how we need to hear your word through ears

that hear what you are saying to us.

For in the midst of it all,

there are warnings to our world

and to our people as well,

to each of us even here this evening,

that our times, O Lord,

are out with our control,

that all our lives are in your hands,

our days are numbered by you,

and teach us, Lord,

to do wisely with them.

For we know, Lord,

that we can so often put things away,

we can put them off till tomorrow,

when tomorrow is never guaranteed for any of us.

And so we pray, Lord,

that as you remind us again and again

of how quickly our lives and our world can change,

teach us, Lord,

to come near to you,

to call upon you,

to find our refuge in you.

And we pray, Lord,

that as a church and as a people,

that we will be spoken to in these days as well.

For we are reminded that there is nothing new under the sun,

that your church,

your people have been opposed

down through all the generations and all time.

And we are reminded even in your word,

as we will read it this evening

and as we study it together,

that whether we look in the Old or the New Testament,

we see your people suffering at the hands of evil.

We see, O Lord,

the church, as it were,

being attacked from all sides.

And yet we see,

Lord,

the need for your people to stand strong

and to stand strong in the Lord,

to be a people of vision,

to be a people who have fixed their eyes on God

and who trust in him with all their hearts.

And we pray, Lord,

that in our day and in our time here,

that you will help us to stand in the Lord,

to stand strong in the Lord,

to put on the full armour of God

and so to stand as your word sees.

And we pray, Lord,

and thank you for all the armour that we have,

for all the provision that you have made for us

through your word,

through prayer,

through your righteousness,

through the church at large, Lord.

We thank you that you have equipped us

in every way to be your people,

to stand in this world and fight for your cause.

And we pray, Lord,

that you will encourage us,

that you will encourage us in these days

to see the urgency of the gospel

and to see the need to tell others of a saviour,

to show them the love of Christ,

the one who came to take away the sin of the world.

And so we pray and thank you, Lord,

that you are able to build your church

in the midst of every conflict,

every worry and every anxiety,

that your promise is that you will build your church.

And so we ask, Lord,

that to all ends of the earth today,

that you will speak,

that you will minister,

that you will draw people to yourself,

from all tribes and from all people,

from all ends of the earth,

Lord,

that you will be the God of salvation

that the psalm speaks of.

With thy salvation,

O my God,

to visit me,

draw near.

We sung these words

and we pray these words,

that it will be so for all your people,

near and far.

Draw near with your saving power.

Draw near with your grace

and with your mercy.

Lord,

remember us as a congregation here

and remember us in homes and families

represented and connected with us as a people.

Remember us,

Lord,

in all our different needs.

Help us and draw near to us,

Lord,

as we go through

all the different emotions

and experience of life,

whether it's times of joy,

O Lord,

as we saw the marriage of Yoin and Dawn on Friday,

as we saw such joy and happiness.

We thank you for that day.

We thank you for the marriage

and the celebration of it.

And we pray your blessing upon Yoin and Dawn

as they set on and married life together,

Lord.

We pray your blessing will be upon them

and for their families too,

Lord,

as they enjoyed the day together,

Lord,

that your blessing would be upon them also.

And yet in the midst of joy,

Lord,

we know that there is so often sadness,

even on the same hour,

Lord,

just here and along the road,

a wedding in one place

and a funeral in another.

And it's just a reminder to us

of our lives

and all that they entail,

joy in one place

and sorrow in another.

And we know that the experience of many,

even in this past week,

has been that sorrow and grief of loss.

And we pray,

Lord,

that in our communities here

and throughout our island,

that your comfort would visit homes

that have endured such sorrow and sadness.

We pray that your comfort will be with them,

Lord,

who mourn the loss of loved ones.

We pray also for those who are unwell.

We pray,

Lord,

for those who are in hospital and homes

and confined to their own homes,

Lord,

going through different experiences just now,

times of trial

and yet times when you minister,

Lord,

in powerful ways.

And we thank you

that your grace is sufficient,

sufficient for all experience,

that you are the one who draws near

in all our times of need.

And so,

Lord,

hear our prayers for one another

and do us good,

we ask.

Look down upon us,

Lord,

and continue with us this day

and in the days ahead as well,

Lord,

that we would know your leading,

your guiding,

your blessing with us

as we come confessing our sins,

Lord,

how we fall short of your glory

in so many ways

and as the word says in thought,

word and in deed,

how there are so often things

that we are convicted by

in our own hearts,

in our own lives,

in so many different ways.

But Lord,

we thank you

for that sense of conviction,

for for so many

their conscience is dead to sin.

But we thank you

that when you stir to life

there is that sense of conviction.

But we thank you too

that you do not leave us there,

but that with you

there is forgiveness,

that you are the one

who is able to lead us

to the rock that is higher,

to our Saviour Christ Jesus,

our Lord,

that we can come

confessing our sins,

knowing that he is faithful

and just to forgive.

So, Lord,

hear our prayers

and draw an ear to us now

and continue with us

in this time of worship.

We ask it all

in the precious name

of Jesus Christ,

our Lord,

and for his glory.

Amen.

We'll again sing

to God's praise.

We're going to sing

in Psalm 17

in the Scottish Psalter.

Psalm 17,

page 217

of the Psalm books.

We'll sing from verse 4

to verse 9.

Psalm 17,

page 217,

verse 4.

The tune for this one

is St. Andrew.

As for men's work,

I buy the word

that from thy lips

doth flow,

did me preserve

out of the paths

wherein destroyers go.

Hold up my goings,

Lord,

me guide

in those

thy paths divine,

so that my footsteps

may not slide

out of those ways

of thine.

We'll sing from verse 4

to 9

to God's praise.

St. Andrew.

St. Andrew.

St. Andrew.

ST.

those ways of life.

I call in love on me, O God,

because thou wilt me hear,

but thou is hearken to my speech,

to me in my, my ear.

Thy wondrous loving kindness show,

thou art not by thy right hand,

since them are just in thee from those

that up against them stand.

At the apple of the ivy keep,

in thy wings shake me close,

from lud of deserts compassing,

the hand of the heavenly voice.

We can turn together this evening to read in Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians,

reading in chapter 2.

1 Thessalonians chapter 2.

1 Thessalonians 2 · chapter mention

We read from the beginning of the chapter down to verse 16.

1 Thessalonians chapter 2,

1 Thessalonians 2 · chapter mention

and at verse 1.

For you yourselves know, brothers,

that our coming to you was not in vain.

But though we had already suffered

and been shamefully treated at Philippi,

as you know, we had boldness in our God

to declare to you the gospel of God

in the midst of such conflict.

For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity

or any attempt to deceive.

But just as we have been approved by God

to be entrusted with the gospel,

so we speak,

not to please man,

but to please God,

who tests our hearts.

For we never came with words of flattery,

as you know,

nor with a pretext for greed.

God is our witness.

Nor did we seek glory from people,

whether from you or from others,

though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.

But we were gentle among you,

like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.

So being affectionately desirous of you,

we were ready to share with you,

not only in the gospel of God,

but also our own selves,

because you had become very dear to us.

For you remember, brothers,

our labor and toil.

We worked night and day

that we might not be a burden to any of you,

while we proclaimed to you

the gospel of God.

You are witnesses and God also,

how holy and righteous and blameless

was our conduct towards you believers.

For you know how like a father with his children,

we exhorted each one of you

and encouraged you

and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God,

who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

And we also thank God constantly for this,

that when you received the word of God,

which you heard from us,

you accepted it not as the word of men,

but as what it really is,

the word of God,

which is at work in you believers.

For you, brothers,

became imitators of the churches of God

in Christ Jesus that are in Judea.

For you suffered the same things

from your own countrymen

as they did from the Jews,

who killed both the Lord Jesus

and the prophets

and drove us out

and displeased God

and opposed all mankind

by hindering us

from speaking to the Gentiles

that they might be saved.

So as always,

to fill up the measure of their sins,

but God's wrath has come upon them

at last.

And so on.

May God bless that reading from his word.

Before we turn back to look at part of this passage,

we'll sing again to God's praise in Psalm 43.

Psalm 43 in the Sing Psalms version,

page 54 of the psalm book,

and we'll sing the whole of this psalm.

The tune is Marl.

Psalm 43,

We'll sing the whole of this psalm

to God's praise.

Amen.

Amen.

Get me, O my God,

Against destruction

Bleed my cause.

Deliver me

From wicked foes

And hypocrites

To break your laws

You are my stronghold

And my God

Why then have you rejected me

Why must I go

Abound in me

Untrodden by the enemy

O send your life

For found your truth

Let them direct me

In your grace

And bring me to your holy hill

Into your sacred dwelling place

Then to God's altar

I will go

To God my joy

And my delight

And I will praise you

With the heart

O God, you are

My God of might

Why are you downcast

O my soul

Why are you so disturbed

In me

Trust God

For I will praise him yet

My Savior and my God is he

Well we can turn back

To our reading

In 1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 2 · chapter mention

Chapter 2

We're going to look at

Verse 13 to 16

Together this evening

1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 2:13–16

Chapter 2

Verse 13 to 16

Reading at verse 13

There we also thank God

Constantly for this

That when you received

The word of God

Which you heard from us

You accepted it

Not as a word of men

But as what it really is

The word of God

Which is at work

In you believers

And so on

In some ways

We're picking up

Where we left off

This morning

Where James was preaching

On the gathered church

And being gathered

To listen

To God's word

We were challenged

At the end

To be hearers

Of the word

And not

Doers of the word

And not just

Hearers of it

And this evening

As I was sitting

This morning

I was saying

Stop James

You've got so many things

I'm going to say tonight

That there will be

A little bit of overlap

Perhaps this evening

But hopefully not just

Saying the same things

But we're continuing

Our study

In Nehemiah

And how are we

Continuing the study

In Nehemiah

When we're in

First Thessalonians

We're jumping forward

Some 500 years

We're in the New Testament

We're in the days

Of Paul writing

To this church

So how are we

Continuing our study

In Nehemiah

Well as I've said

As you go through

In the book of Nehemiah

The danger is

It can easily become

About us

And not about God

It's about our plans

Our works

Our strategies

All of these kinds

Of things

That naturally

Appear in the book

Of Nehemiah

As he comes to

To rebuild

The walls of Jerusalem

It can become

Very structured

And organized

In some ways

But as we saw

Before

When you look

At Nehemiah

As one commentator

Says

It's all about

Jesus

It's all about

The kingdom of God

And the kingdom of God

Being built

When you go back

To the days of Nehemiah

What was at stake

It was more than just

The walls

It was more than just

The city

Of Jerusalem

It was the good

Of the Lord's people

And it was the worship

Of God

And the spread

Of the gospel

You wonder

If Nehemiah

Had not had

That burden

And that burden

From God

To go back

And to rebuild

The walls

What would have become

Of Jerusalem

Jerusalem

A place where

500 years later

Paul left from

To take the gospel

To other parts

Of the continents

To reach out

To the churches

In Philippi

Thessalonica

Corinth

All of these

Different places

But it all goes back

To Nehemiah

In some ways

And you think

Nehemiah's ministry

Was more about

Just the there

And then

For the people

Of his day

It was for the kingdom

Of God

And generations

To come

In Nehemiah

Nehemiah 4 · chapter mention

Chapter 4

We saw

How the people

Had become

Overwhelmed

By the work

All they were seeing

Was the debris

Of the wall

And it was coming

To that point

Where they were

Starting

To be discouraged

And to ask

Different questions

And the question

That can often arise

In the midst of a work

Where you don't really see

The purpose in it

Is

What's the point?

What are we doing?

And why?

What are we doing?

And why?

And that's the question

That can continue

To arise

Arise in the days

Of Paul

As he was going out

With the gospel

To all these places

What are we doing?

And why?

The question that arises

In our day to day

What are we doing?

And why?

As a church

It's always

A danger

For ourselves

And that's why

It's important

That we see

The whole picture

Not just

Of the gospel

And the mission

Of the gospel

Not just from Nehemiah

But right throughout

The word of God

So as we go

Through Nehemiah

We intersperse it

With little bits

From here and there

We look before

At the team ministry

In Colossae

How everyone

Had a part

To play

And how we saw

That

Inacted too

In Nehemiah's day

Where all the people

Came together

To work

On the wall

Everyone had

Their part

To play

But I think

In the midst

Of everything else

That's going on

This question

Of vision

Is why

And what are we doing

And why

It's to see it

As the work

Of God's kingdom

That's what's important

To remind ourselves

Of constantly

It's not just

For us

It's not just

For today

It's for generations

Coming after

So that if we were

To think even

Of Nehemiah's day

And Paul's day

500 years apart

How they're connected

By the kingdom

Of God

And the work

Of the gospel

So that if God willing

500 years from now

There's still a congregation

Of God's people

Here

And the gospel

Is spreading

Far and wide

They may look back

On days

Long long time ago

And think

Well in difficult days

In days when the world

Was in crisis

We thank God

For those who were

Faithful to the gospel

In these times

That they stood strong

In the gospel

That they preached

The word of God

That their vision

Was for God

For his people

And for his cause

Far and wide

That is the aim

Of the gospel

In all generations

Our eyes

Fixed on God

Many churches today

They speak

Excuse me

About vision statements

Vision statements

It's a way of reminding us

About what we are about

Just a few words

That maybe give us

A summary of

What we are doing

The Free Church of Scotland

Has a vision statement

A healthy gospel church

For every community

In Scotland

Just one sentence

And yet

In that sentence

Is packed

So much vision

A healthy gospel church

For every community

In Scotland

Not everybody likes

These kinds of things

But isn't it good

To have something

To focus on

And ask ourselves

What are we doing

And why

The Free Church

Is this vision

A healthy gospel church

It wants God

To be worshipped

In the right way

In every community

In Scotland

That the gospel

Is for all people

Here in this land

Because it is

The word of God

That can make

Such a difference

And as you look back

In the word of God

You look

Into Nehemiah's day

You think to yourself

Well what was Nehemiah's

Vision statement

For the people

Of Jerusalem

In his day

Did he have one

Well as we see

Nehemiah is a man

Of vision

He is someone

Who is fully focused

On God

And in Nehemiah 2

Nehemiah 2:17

Verse 17

You have

If you would like

A vision statement

A vision of what's

Happening

And a vision

Of what's to be done

In Nehemiah 2

Nehemiah 2:17

Verse 17

We've looked at it

It says

You see the trouble

We are in

How Jerusalem lies

In ruins

And its gates burned

Come

Let us build

The wall of Jerusalem

That we may no longer

Suffer derision

So there's three

Aspects

To that vision

Statement

The trouble

That they are in

There's a realization

There's a realization

That we are in ruin

The walls are in ruin

The gates are burned

But there's a vision

For the work

Come

Let us build

The wall of Jerusalem

And there's a purpose

In it

That we may no longer

Suffer derision

That the people of God

Would no longer

Be mocked

And so that

As they come up

Against challenges

Along the way

They can go back

To this

They can go back

To these words

And look on them

And say

What are we doing

And why

When it doesn't seem

To be gaining

Any headway

When it seems

To be failing

What are we doing

And why

We don't like

What we're seeing

We don't like

What's going on

Around us

We want to build

The wall of Jerusalem

Because we don't want

The people of God

To be mocked

And for ourselves

There's a vision statement

There for us today

We look around

We see the ruins

We look around

And we see the work

That's to be done

And we are to go

To that work

To rise to it

But always

This vision of God

Before us

That we are doing it

For him

And so

As we come into

First Thessalonians

We are reminded here

Of another kind of

Vision statement

What are we doing

And why

Paul may be asking

In the days

Here in the New Testament

And you've got

Great statements

In First Thessalonians

In chapter 1

Verse 3

It's wonderful

Verse 2

And verse 3

It's wonderful

The way Paul here

Looks at the church

At Thessalonica

We give thanks to God

Always for all of you

Constantly mentioning you

In our prayers

Remembering before

Our God and Father

Your work of faith

And labour of love

And steadfastness of hope

In our Lord Jesus Christ

What vision

What vision there is

In these words

What purpose

There is

In these words

How

Your work of faith

Your labour of love

Your steadfastness

Of hope

But as you come

To the end of chapter 2

Where we're going to focus

On this evening

You see it kind of

Builds on that vision there

So that as the believers

As he's praying for them

As he's so encouraged

In all of their faith

Their love

Their hope

In the Lord Jesus Christ

In verse 13

To verse 16

Although it's

A slightly longer section

It's like a vision statement

It's like a mission statement

For us

Where it's highlighting for us

Three things

That the church

At Thessalonica

Was about

And it's these things

That I want us to focus on

This evening

These

This section

Verse 13

To verse 16

It highlights

Three things for us

Three things that

Nehemiah would have

A focus on

In his day as well

Three things that we

Can have our focus on

In our day as well

A vision

For the church

Here

A vision for

Any congregation

Of the Lord's people

And the three things

That we can take

From these verses

Are this

One

Preach the word

This is what we were hearing

This morning

The focus

The centrality

Of preaching

The word of God

The second thing is

Building up

Of believers

Building up

Of believers

A sense of

As it says

In verse 14

Become

You become

Imitators

Of the churches

Of God

In Christ Jesus

That are in Judea

The believers

Are being

Built up

And then thirdly

You see the focus

You see the focus

In verse 15

And 16

Of the opposition

Of the opposition

That Paul

And the people

In Paul's day

Were facing

Those who were

Opposed to the gospel

Just as we saw

In Nehemiah

There were those

Who were opposed

To the work

And there is

This sense

Of reaching

The lost

So you have

These three things

Preach the word

Build up

Believers

And reach

The lost

And you could

Take them

In that order

It is so

Necessary

First and foremost

To preach

The word

And in the

Preaching of the word

Believers

Are built up

And in believers

Being built up

There is this burden

And this sense

Of reaching

The lost

You know

What are we doing

And why

It is such an

Important question

For us

To always have

In focus

Preaching the word

Building each other up

And reaching the lost

We can ask the question

What is the point

In preaching

And you can come at it

In two ways

You know

What is the point

In preaching

And come at it

In a negative way

Nobody is listening

People are rejecting

The word of God

What is the point

In preaching

That is the focus

Of those who would

Lose heart

In it

But we don't

Lose heart

We don't lose

Confidence

In the word

Of God

What is the point

In preaching

It is because

The word of God

Is powerful

To change

God

Is able

To change

To change

This world

To change

The people

Of this world

So we do not

Lose heart

In the work

We fix our eyes

On God

In it

Nehemiah

Did that for his people

As they set

To rebuilding

The walls

Of Jerusalem

Don't think

The encouragement

Was there last week

To rebuild

A wall

From the church

Here to plaster

Field and back

But we're involved

In the kingdom

Work

Of God

That's our work

Today

Not building

A physical wall

In many ways

We're breaking

Down walls

We're breaking

Down barriers

And we're here

To build

The kingdom

Of God

To be used

By him

So the three things

That he reminds us

Of here

To have

In our focus

As we get on

With the work

Of building

The kingdom

Of God

Firstly

Preach

The word

Because of the

Faithfulness

Of Nehemiah

And the people

The gospel

Is here being

Preached

In Thessalonica

And look at what it says

In verse 13

We also thank God

Constantly for this

That when you received

The word of God

Which you heard from us

You accepted it

Not as the word of men

But as what it really is

The word of God

Which is at work

In you

Believers

There's a powerful

Reminder to us there

Of what the church of God

Is about

In every generation

We'll see it more

As we go back

To Nehemiah

Again we'll look at it

In a later date

But throughout

Every generation

Of God's people

The importance

As we are hearing

This morning

Of listening

To what God

Is saying

Nehemiah

Listened

To God

He was given

A burden

But he listened

To God

The good hand

Of God

As it says

Again and again

Was upon him

And so it was

With Paul

As he listened

To God

As he took

The gospel

To all corners

Of the world

In that day

As he preached

The gospel

Look at how it was

Received

In Thessalonica

Not as the word

Of men

But what it really is

The word of God

There was power

In this

There was hope

And there was

A realization

That this is

What we need

Nehemiah's day

This is what we need

We need

God with us

No other God

Can help us

And this is

What we need

Today

The same God

And it's

The same word

That we have

Today

It is

The word

Of God

Which is at work

In you believers

It is

A powerful

Word

Jim Packer

He says this

Of preaching

In preaching

The word of God

Delivers through the preacher

A message from God

To his people

About God

And godliness

How we trust in God

And how we live

For him

There is commands

And there is instructions

For us

And as we come under

The preaching

Of God's word

It should stir up in us

A love

And appreciation

For the word of God

The blessing that is ours

To be able

To come and hear

The word of God

Proclaimed

And to share

In this together

The gathered people

Of God

With God's presence

With us

We should hunger

To learn

More of this Christ

More of God

And what he has done

For us

And this is what

Paul

Is rejoicing in here

We also thank God

Constantly for this

That you received

The word

Of God

It was something

To rejoice in

And what we

See here

Is God's word

And being received

And at work

In them

And you wonder

What does it mean

The word of God

At work in them

It's keeping

The people going

Day by day

It's this word

Of God

That's sustaining them

And encouraging them

And building them up

And keeping them going

Day after day

Think about it

In this way

It's like a car engine

And a car engine

Needs certain things

To keep it going

You need to put fuel in

To keep it going

You need to put water in

To keep it cooled

But you also need

To put oil in

To keep all the parts

Moving and lubricated

And all working

Together

So for ourselves

Too

We need all aspects

Of the gospel

Of God

In our lives

We need prayer

We need fellowship

But we need the preaching

Of the word

That keeps everything

Moving

And lubricated

Together

The preaching

Of the word

Is essential

Essential

In any vision

And mission

Statement

That we're going

To have

We are going

To preach

The word

Of God

Romans

Romans 10:15

Chapter 10

Verse 15

Shows us

Just how important

The preaching

Of the word

Of God

Is

And says

How are they

To preach

Unless they

Are sent

As it is written

How beautiful

Are the feet

Of those

Who preach

The good news

But they

Have not all

Obeyed

The gospel

For Isaiah

Says

Lord who

Has believed

What he has

Heard from us

But faith

Comes

From hearing

And hearing

Through

The word

Of Christ

Faith

Comes

Through hearing

So the word

Of God

Preached

Is essential

In our vision

In our mission

The next thing

We see here

Is the building

Up of believers

There's a sense

Of the believers

Responding

To the word

Of God

In verse 14

For you brothers

Became imitators

Of the churches

Of God

In Christ

Jesus

That are in Judea

For you suffered

The same things

From your own

Countrymen

As they did

From the Jews

You look at this

And you see

The similarities

With Nehemiah's day

You know

As soon as

The people

In Nehemiah's day

Started to build

The wall

They were met

With opposition

Opposition

From hostiles

Outside

Their own people

But opposition

Within

From their own

People as well

And here it is

Again in the days

Paul writing

To the Thessalonians

There's opposition

From out with

Which you can

Understand

But here it's

Coming within

As well

The same things

That you suffered

The same things

From your own

Countrymen

As they did

From the Jews

It's fascinating

How whenever

There's something

Good happening

With the Lord

There's always

Opposition

Nehemiah's day

The work

Had been

At a standstill

There was

Nothing

Happening

There was

No opposition

But as soon

As the stones

Started to get

Built up together

All of a sudden

The evil one

Is in there

And the same

Is true here

The gospel

Is spreading

Through the ministry

Of Paul

And his partners

And again

The evil one

Is in there

Straight away

There'll be

Opposition

And for ourselves

Today

There'll be

Opposition

In whatever

We do

For the gospel

If we are

Going to stand

For the gospel

If we are

Going to preach

The gospel

If we are

Going to be

Witnesses

For the gospel

Whatever the

Lord puts us

There will be

Opposition

And so

What do we need

What do we need

In our vision

In our mission

Statement

Well we need

To be built up

As the word

Of God

Is preached

We need to be

Building one

Another up

As well

What do we need

Most

As a church

Today

Do we need

More people

To come

Yes

We long

For that

Do we need

What do we need

Is it not

Spiritual

Growth

Is it not

So that when

People come

In

They meet

With mature

Christians

People who

Have experienced

Life in all

Shapes and

Form

And who are

Able to meet

People in

Their need

Now

And to show

The power

And the wonder

Of the gospel

That the gospel

Can help

In every

Situation

A church

Will never

Grow or

Prosper

When there

Is no

Spiritual

Growth

When there

Is no

Growing

In our

Understanding

Of god

And who

He is

Again

This is what

We see

Paul

Teaching

Again and

Again as

He's writing

To all

These different

Churches

Encourage one

Another

Build one

Another up

That the

One

Another

Are there

Constantly

For us

And there's

Just another

Reminder to

Us here

You brothers

Became

Imitators

Of the

Churches of

God in

Christ Jesus

That are in

Judea

We learn

From one

Another

We share

With one

Another

And it is

This that

Will see us

Through

The times

Of persecution

The times

Of our

Afflictions

The times

Of our

Suffering

When we

Have been

Built up

Through the

Preaching of

The word

And we

Are built

Up in

The fellowship

Of god's

People

It is this

That enables

Them to

Stand

It is this

That will

Enable us

To stand

As well

And you

Go back

Again to

Verse 3

Of chapter

1

Verse 2

And 3

Where he's

Giving thanks

To god

Always

In his

Prayers

Remembering

Before our

God and

Father

Your work

Of faith

Your labour

Of love

Your steadfastness

Of hope

Why was this

So important

Why were

These things

Three things

There so

Important

A labour

Of love

Steadfastness

Of hope

All of these

Things

Were so

Important

Because it

Is what

Kept them

Going

When the

Days

Were hard

And difficult

It's what

Kept them

Going

God

With them

God

Giving them

Assurance

It's what

We're seeing

In Nehemiah

Nehemiah 4 · chapter mention

Chapter 4

As the people

Were dismayed

At the rubble

That seemed

To be everywhere

The lost cause

Asking these

Questions

What are we

Doing

And why

It's for

God

It's because

God is

With us

Because God

Is at work

In this place

He wants

Good

For his

People

God is

On our

Side

So

Paul

Is thankful

Here that

He sees

The word

Of God

At work

In these

People

Building

Them

Up

And this

Is again

Is a great

Part

Of our

Vision

Statement

For us

As well

We preach

The word

We build

Up one

Another

And all

Of this

Is focus

On God

Who is

Good to

His people

A focus

On Christ

Our

Savior

That is

What keeps

Our vision

Right

But added

Unto these

Two things

Is the

Last

Part

Reaching

The

Lost

What you

See

At the

End of

Verse 14

Down to

Verse 16

Is again

A reminder

To us

Of the

World in

Which we

Live

Today

That the

Gospel

And Jesus

Christ

Is so

Often

Rejected

Verse 15

Who killed

Both

The Lord

Jesus

And the

Prophets

And drove

Us out

And displeased

God

And oppose

All mankind

By hindering

Us

From speaking

To the

Gentiles

That they

Might

Be saved

You see

What's

Happening

Here

Paul is

Reaching out

With the

Gospel

And he's

Got his

Church

Reaching

Out

With the

Gospel

Reaching

Out

Speaking

To the

Gentiles

That they

Might be

Saved

But in

This

There is

Opposition

And again

You ask

What are

We doing

And why

What's

Our vision

In the

Midst

Of this

What was

Nehemiah's

Vision

In his

Day

As all

Around

Was

Opposition

Well it

Was so

The nations

Wouldn't

Ridicule

God

And his

People

So that

Jerusalem

Would stand

Tall

Once again

As a

Place that

Worshipped

God

And honoured

Him

And sought

For others

All around

Them

To see

This is

Our

God

He is

On our

Side

And you

Will not

Defeat

Us

And when

You look

Into the

New Testament

When you

Look at

The days

Of Paul

Here