New Year's Day Service - God's Promised Presence

We begin our worship this morning by singing to God's praise.

We will be standing for our singings apart from the second one.

The second singing is a Gaelic singing and the words are on the notice sheet.

But the first singing, Psalm 90.

We're singing Psalm 90 in the Scottish Psalter, page 350 of the Psalm book.

Singing from verse 13 down to the end of the Psalm.

Turn yet again to us, O Lord, how long thus shall it be?

Let it repent thee now for those that servants are to thee.

With thy tender mercies, Lord, as early satisfy.

So we rejoice shall all our days and still be glad in thee.

We'll sing from verse 13 to the end of the Psalm to God's praise.

Turn yet again to us, O Lord, how long thus shall it be?

Let him repent thee now for those that servants are to thee.

O with thy tender mercies, Lord, as early satisfy.

And then hence be born, as early satisfy.

So we rejoice shall all our days and still be glad.

and then hence be upon us, O Lord, how long thus shall we?

O let thy work and power appear,

thy servants face before,

and show unto their children dear,

thy glory evermore.

And let the beauty of the Lord

our holy us upon,

our mighty works,

established now,

established in the Lord.

Amen.

Let's come to God in prayer.

Let us pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Our Father in heaven,

as we come to worship you this day,

we thank you that you are the God of all our days and all our years.

Even as the psalmist reminds us here,

he speaks of the sorrows that we may have experienced in the past,

the days wherein we have had grief,

the years wherein we have seen ill.

But yet, O Lord, he reminds us that we can look to you and seek your face,

and that we may know your glory upon us,

the beauty of the Lord shining upon his people.

And we thank you for your promise to meet with us anew,

that as we come into your presence, Lord,

we come to magnify and praise your name.

And so we ask, O Lord, today that we will come in through reverence and fear of you,

but come with a sense of thanksgiving and rejoicing that you are God.

And so help us, Lord, as we begin a new year,

to commit our ways to you,

to seek your face, O Lord,

and to seek your blessing upon us, young and old alike,

that we will know, Lord, your leading and your guiding every step that we take,

that we would know, Lord, your establishing of your works in our midst,

that all that we do as a people, that you will bless our work, Lord,

for it is your work.

And so we ask, O Lord, that you will be with us all,

families, friends, loved ones, and all our community at this time,

that we will know, Lord, your blessing and your peace with us.

We thank you for all our young folks here today.

We thank you for a time of holiday for them from school.

We pray that you will bless them and watch over them even in these days

and as they return to school in the coming days as well.

May they be glad, O Lord, in their young years.

May they delight in you.

May they know you as their Lord and as their shepherd.

May you direct their steps and their paths, O Lord,

that they will seek to walk with you.

We ask, Lord, that for us all together as a people,

that you will show us your ways and teach us your paths,

and lead us in them.

So, Lord, we commit ourselves into your care and keeping

in our service of worship today and throughout this day.

May we give glory and praise to you.

Go before us, we ask, O Lord, and pardon all our sins,

as we ask it in Jesus' precious name. Amen.

That was good to have a number of young folks here today.

I hope you're enjoying your holidays.

I hope you're having a good time.

You'll be looking forward to going back to school this week.

I'm going to read a verse to you just now.

Just listen to what these verses say.

It's verses from the New Testament, Mark's Gospel,

reading in chapter 13 and at verse 35.

It's often a time of waiting for many different things just now.

And did anybody last night think to themselves,

I'm going to stay awake until the bells come, until midnight comes,

and we say Happy New Year to everyone.

Did anyone manage to stay up until midnight?

Yeah, a few people nodding their heads.

Did anybody fall asleep waiting?

Maybe a few parents will put, oh, there's one hand going up at least.

Maybe a few others as well.

You decide you're going to stay up and hear the bells coming in

and say Happy New Year to everyone.

But by the time maybe 10 o'clock or half past 10 comes,

you just fall asleep.

And what happens if you fall asleep?

Well, you miss everything, don't you?

You miss out on what's happening all around you.

And that's what these verses are telling us about here.

They're saying we have to stay awake,

but not for the bells coming at midnight,

but for the Lord's coming.

Do you know how long you will spend waiting in your lifetime?

It's said that if you live to the age of 70,

you'll have spent three years of your life waiting.

That might be waiting for someone to come.

It might be waiting in a waiting room like at a doctor's.

It might be waiting in a queue in the shop.

It might be putting on hold on the phone

when you're trying to phone through to a company.

It might be waiting on the plane or waiting on the ferry

because they're late.

We spend so much time waiting.

And someone said that if we live to the age of 70,

we spend three years waiting.

Can you imagine that?

If you look at it like this, on New Year's Day 2020,

if you'd started waiting then,

you'd have been waiting until today.

Sitting, doing nothing.

Just waiting.

Sounds crazy, doesn't it?

But waiting doesn't mean we do nothing.

And that's what the gospel here is telling us.

We're not just to wait for the Lord to come and do nothing.

We are to wait on the Lord, looking to Him, trusting in Him,

and doing everything for Him.

Believing in Him and then serving Him with all our heart.

Not knowing when He's going to come, but we wait.

We stay awake.

And that means that we stay awake.

We do work for Him.

We keep active.

We keep busy for Him.

Because He promises He's going to come.

Just like the bells of midnight came last night,

the Lord is going to come.

We don't know when, but He's saying to us all,

stay awake.

So let's not fall asleep today.

Let's stay awake, looking to and trusting in the Lord Jesus.

Well, we're going to say the Lord's Prayer together now.

So we'll say the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.

Amen.

We're going to sing to God's praise again.

This time we're singing in Gaelic from Psalm 73.

Two verses from verse 23.

We're going to sing verse 23 and 24.

I'll read them in English as well.

Nevertheless, continually, O Lord, I am with thee.

Thou dost me hold by my right hand and still upholdest me.

Thou with thy counsel while I live, wilt me conduct and guide.

And to thy glory afterward receive me to abide.

In English as well.

Dean Tiesel low.

Can I sing sing?

wievend на jackets

autographed

Squishaw

ca?

Влад산

stuh

ура

Aw.

trials

Spikeert hyder

The peace.

The peace.

O rei e serivai o�� e więcej

kom kumele suoscach imagine

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

In your hand, and our hearts, and our God of King.

We're going to turn to read God's Word together now.

Matthew's Gospel.

The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 28.

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

We can read the whole of this chapter together.

Matthew 28, from the beginning.

Now after the Sabbath, towards the dawn of the first day of the week,

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

Behold, there was a great earthquake,

for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven

and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.

His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow.

And for fear of him, the guards trembled and became like dead men.

But the angel said to the woman,

Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

He is not here, for he has risen as he said.

Come, see the place where he lay.

Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead.

And behold, he is going before you to Galilee.

There you will see him.

See, I have told you.

So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy

and ran to tell his disciples.

And behold, Jesus met them and said, Greetings.

And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him.

Then Jesus said to them, Do not be afraid.

Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee.

There they will see me.

While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city

and told the chief priests all that had taken place.

When they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel,

they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said,

Tell people.

His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.

And if this comes to the governor's ears,

we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.

So they took the money and did as they were directed.

This story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee,

to the mountain which Jesus had directed them.

And when they saw him, they worshipped him.

But some doubted.

And Jesus came and said to them,

All authority in heaven and on earth is being given to me.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you,

and behold,

I am with you always to the end of the age.

Amen.

And may God bless that reading from his word.

Let's again join our hearts together in prayer.

Let us pray.

Our Father in heaven,

as we read in these passages before us, Lord,

that we are a people who so often stumble along the way,

a people who so often have maybe many doubts and fears and anxieties.

We thank you that we are reminded that we come to our Lord and Savior,

Jesus Christ, who is risen,

who is ever living,

to make intercession for his people.

That even today as we come and offer up our prayers together at the beginning of a new year,

we have that great assurance and that great hope that we are heard through him.

For we come to the one whose name is above every name.

We come to the one who is eternal,

the Alpha and the Omega,

the beginning and the end.

And we thank you that just as all things were made by him and through him and for him,

that you continue to uphold us through him,

that in him we live, move and have our being.

And today as we worship and praise your name,

as we seek your face anew,

we ask, O Lord, that we may see you and worship you.

Take away any distractions that are in our minds today.

Take away the thoughts maybe pressing upon us for the week ahead.

That in this time together,

our attention, our focus will be upon you.

And that your spirit will be with us

to bless your word to us,

to bless us in our hearts and in our souls.

We do thank you, Lord,

that at the beginning of a new year,

when we see so many things that can be new for us,

and we maybe, Lord, pray for change in our world

and in our nation

and in our own personal lives as well.

We see so many things that we want to be different.

We pray for our world and its chaos

with the many events going on around us

in so many different parts of the world.

And we think of the natural disasters over this past year,

even over these past days,

as we've seen the severe storms in America,

the snowstorms there,

as we've seen and heard over these past months

of earthquakes and natural disasters of different kinds,

as we've seen, O Lord,

the terror of war in our world,

the fear it's brought not just to one nation

but to many nations,

the fear of escalation of it,

the fear of the world in which we live

and the power that belongs to so few in it.

But yet, O Lord, we look to you,

the one who has all power and authority

in heaven and in earth.

And we pray, Lord,

that in this coming year,

we will see your hand upon us as a people,

as nations of this world,

that we will see your hand in power,

turning us from the ways in which we are going

and turning us towards you.

O Lord, how we pray for you to come

in a day of your mighty power,

in a day of your reviving power,

in reviving your people,

that we will worship you

and trust in you with all our hearts.

We pray that for our nation too, O Lord,

which has seen so much change in our midst as well.

As we think of the passing of our queen earlier this year

and a new king being installed,

we pray for him, Lord,

that you will guide him,

that you will uphold him,

that you will bless him,

that you will use him, Lord,

for your glory,

that you will turn his heart towards you,

that he will honor you with his words,

that he will honor you with his actions,

and that all he would do

would be to glory in your name.

Lord, how we pray

that you will do that for our king

and also our prime minister

and first minister

and all who rule over us.

O Lord,

that you would make these places of power and authority,

places of praise and worship,

that we would even,

as we look back in our land,

as we have seen and heard of days

when prayer was called for,

that we would see these days once again,

when our nation would be still

and to know that you are God.

We pray for our own homes

and our families

and our communities too.

In the year that's gone,

O Lord,

we've maybe seen

so much personal change as well.

And we know that today

is often a day of much emotion,

looking back

and all the grief and sorrows

that so many have had,

looking back

and the joys

and the high points too,

but giving thanks

for your constancy in it all,

that you are the God

who is with his people,

that you will never leave us

or forsake us.

And so may you bless

all our people,

bless our communities,

we pray, Lord.

Comfort those who need you,

comfort those who are cast down

in their hearts

and their minds

and in their souls.

We pray, O Lord,

that you will lift them up,

that they will come

to praise your name

as the God who is good.

We pray, Lord,

for our ministry here

as well as a people,

that you will bless

the preaching of your word

in this coming year,

that it will build us up,

O Lord,

that it will encourage us

and strengthen us

as a people

to stand up

to the challenges

that we face

and to be a people

who will stand up

for the name of Christ

and offer a prayer

constantly to you,

that you will turn the tide

once more against us,

that we will see,

O Lord,

your name praised.

Help us in our outreach,

that you will bless

our every endeavour

to go out with your word,

that we will be a people

who seek to do

and to seek to do

to your glory

all things.

May you continue with us,

we pray,

throughout this day

and as we commit all to you,

may you guide us, Lord,

and be our Lord

and our shepherd

each and every step

of the way,

guiding us

by your light

and by your spirit

as we ask all things

for the forgiveness

of our sins,

looking to you,

the one who is able

to pardon,

the one to whom

we give all glory

and praise,

looking to the name

above all names,

the name of our Lord

and Saviour,

Jesus Christ,

for his sake.

Amen.

Well, again,

we'll sing

to God's praise.

This time,

we're singing

in Psalm 71

in the Scottish Psalter.

Psalm 71,

page 311

of the psalm books,

we're singing

at verse 14

down to verse 18.

These words remind us

again of looking

to the Lord

and trusting in him

for all that lies ahead.

But I with expectation

will hope continually

and yet with praises

more and more

I will thee magnify.

Thy justice and salvation

my mouth abroad

shall show

even all the day

for either of the numbers

do not know.

From verse 14 to 18

to God's praise.

Amen.

But I with expectation

will hope continually

and yet with praises

more and more

I will be magnified.

thy justice and salvation

my mouth and watch

shall show

and I will constantly

go on

and I will constantly

go on

instead of all

the Lord

and thine

your righteousness

divine

alone

I will

record

for even

from

my

years

so far

by thee

I have

been

taught

taught

and

hither

to

I

have

declared

the

wonders

thou

hast

taught

and

the

glory

be

be

not

when I

whole

land

be

headed

grow

till

to

this age

thy strength

and power

to

all

to

come

my

show

my

show

can we turn back to our reading in Matthew's Gospel

chapter 28 we're going to look at the last few words of this chapter

just to set in its context we see here the account of the resurrection of Jesus

something that we're hearing a study on in our Lord's Day evening services

the wonder of the resurrection and the hope that it gives to God's people

and it was something that brought much fear to the people even then to think that Jesus is risen

but he is and we thank God that he is and as he rose he gave this great commission to the disciples and indeed to his church at verse 16

verse 16

now the eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them

and when they saw him they worshipped him

but some doubted

and Jesus came and said to them

all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me

go therefore and make disciples of all nations

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you

behold I am with you always to the end of the age

particularly these words at the end

and behold I am with you always to the end of the age

these are words that you have maybe heard many a time before

maybe even just now in the last evening or so you've heard these words repeated

or read them again online

not the words we've read there but the words that were spoken

at the turn of the year in the Christmas broadcast of 1939

by King George VI

in that broadcast he said this

or he said these words that he was quoting

and I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year

give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown

and he replied

go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God

that shall be to you better than light

and safer than a known way

so I went forth and finding the hand of God

throgged gladly into the night

and he led me towards the hills

and the breaking of the day in the lone east

he quoted these words

that were from a poem by Minnie Haskins

and this was a time when our nation was on the cusp of the second world war

things were taking hold in our world at that time

that would bring much terror and fear to so many over a number of years

yet these words were spoken to give hope to a people

in the midst of all that was taking place

that as they were going forward at that time

that they would see that there was much that was unknown to them

but that they were trusted

that they were to entrust it all to a God who was known

and who knew all that was to come

and as we begin a new year ourselves just now

there's much that is unknown for us

be it in a personal level

there's maybe much uncertainty in our own lives at this time

be it as a church, as a denomination

again there's so much that we do not know

just what lies ahead for us

as a nation as we've seen so much change over these past years

and the great uncertainties that there are around us all the time

there's much that is unknown to us

and in our world that is in constant chaos

there's much that's unknown to us

but it is known unto God

God knows everything that lies ahead of us

and so we look to him

and we seek his face as we go forward into this new year

and it's going forward seeking to know this promise

that he gave to his disciples long ago

that we go forward as a people

who are seeking to worship and honour his name

in our worship that we give

and in our worship as we do

as we go out among the people of our towns and villages

as we seek to share the gospel with all around us

that we'll be bold for it

because we have this promise

behold I am with you always

even to the end of the age

New Year's Day is often an emotional day for so many people

I'm sure we have all maybe shed or will shed a tear at some point

last night or during this day

because looking back it often brings back many different emotions to us

some recent some maybe from more distant past

even today as we think again of the reminder of January 1919

and the great disaster that struck our island with the sinking of the Islay

or something that's been remembered today again

we can look in a near past and a near distant past

there's so much that brings so much emotion to us

things that have changed and are always changing

so we go in this sense of uncertainty

but are we going forward looking and wanting someone to lead us

even as these words that King George offered up to a nation so long ago

do we have that desire in our own hearts today

that as we go into the uncertainty into the unknown

that we will put our hand in the hand of God

and that we will go forward with him

we have one who is the light of the world

and we have the one who we are to go forward looking to and seeking to know his blessing

and his grace with us as we go forward

remembering that he is with us even to the end of the age

God with us

that is the heart of encouragement that we have in these words before us

and they were a people who needed so much encouragement

as you think of the disciples

as you think of the women who were at the tomb

as we read in this chapter as well

they were a people who needed encouragement

they had been through so much in following the Lord Jesus

they had seen many times of great blessing

and they had seen many times of great trial as well

culminating in seeing their Lord crucified

the most horrendous end to our Lord's life as in our eyes

and yet all planned by God

all with a purpose for God

the lowest point in their eyes

is really what we see as the highest point

that Christ died for our sins

but that he is risen

and as they met with the risen Christ

we see here in verse 17 that they met with him

and they worshipped him

on the mountain on which he had directed them to

but it says there too that some doubted

some doubted

they were still wondering what's going on

what's happening

what is the purpose in all of this

and again it reminds us of our own hearts as well

even as we come to worship God today

there could be an element of doubt in our own hearts

what is God's purpose in this world just now

what is his plans and purposes for us as a people

in this world when so many things don't seem to make sense

but he gives them these words

words and words with great authority

Jesus came and said to them

all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me

he has all authority in heaven and earth

and that is still true to this day

and this authority is the highest authority of all

and as we see here this authority it leads to a command

go therefore and make disciples of all nations

go into this world in the darkness of it

go and make disciples of all nations

show my name abroad far and wide

that my name will be glorified and praised

teach them to observe all that I had commanded

and then he gives them this promise

I am with you always

even to the end of the age

and so for a short time

I want us to think of this promise that he gives

the promise of his presence

and that this is the presence

that we would seek and look for going forward ourselves

into this new year

and the first thing about this promise is

the who of this promise

who is it that is giving this promise

when Jesus says

I am with you

what does he actually say

who is it that's actually going to be with them

it is a wonderful promise

and one that we have to see the great power

that's behind it

the authority that's behind it

the great I am

I am

I am with you always

we have to look at the name that is here

there is a name there before us

in the words

I am

it's a name that is powerful

and when you look at the names given in scripture

whether it's in the Old Testament or the New Testament

you often find that names had great significance

names told us a lot

not just about the person

but about the one who was giving the name as well

and so often throughout scripture you see a name given

and then the name explained

now we all have a name ourselves

but what does our name mean?

we all have a name given to us at birth

and if I was to say to you

my name is Calamurdo Smith

what does that mean to you?

maybe it doesn't mean much

maybe it doesn't explain much about me

and as people come to us

and we are meeting new people

we are often asking questions of one another

but the most common question

isn't just what is your name?

we will often ask as well

ko asa hau?

where are you from?

ko na dunyai?

who are your people?

because that tells us more

and I could tell you so much more about my name

by explaining where I am from

and who my people are

then you might know so much more about me

and be recognized as belonging to a certain place

and a certain people

and when you look in the names in scripture as well

you find so often that names given by God

have so much meaning behind them

you think of Abraham

whose name was changed by God

in his covenant with him

in Genesis 17 verse 5 it says

Genesis 17:5

no longer shall your name be called Abraham

but you shall be called Abraham

for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations

his name has great purpose

God gave him a new name

because he will be the father of a multitude of nations

so many as the stars in the sky

and the grains of sand on the seashore

would be the people of God

Moses was given a name

Exodus 2 verse 10 it says

Exodus 2:10

she named to Moses saying

I drew him out of the water

a name that had a meaning behind it

purpose behind it

Peter in the New Testament

was given a new name

he was Simon

but Jesus said to him

I tell you you are Peter

which means rock

and he said

and on this rock

I will build my church

and the gates of hell

shall not prevail against it

names have so much meaning in scripture

and so Jesus himself was given a name as well

he was given many names

as we thought in this past week

of the birth of Christ

we have seen the name given to our Lord and Saviour

you see it in Matthew chapter 1 verse 23

Matthew 1:23

it says the virgin will be with child

and will give birth to a son

and they shall call him Emmanuel

which means God with us

Emmanuel God with us

and here as we look at this verse

verse 20 of chapter 28

chapter 28

behold I am

he is the one who will be with us

Jesus' name means Emmanuel

God with us

that is the promise that we have here

Jesus' name means God will save

God is salvation

God is with us to this end

that he is a God who will save his people

I am

and you see this name begins back in the Old Testament

when Moses is commanded to go and lead God's people out of Egypt

Moses asks God

who will I say has sent me

and God says tell them

I am has sent you

God himself

God with us

I am

and then in the New Testament

when you see the life of Jesus

you see how often he says

I am

the I am sayings of Jesus

I am the bread of life

I am the resurrection

I am the life

I am the way

the truth

and the life

he is

the great I am

and so here as we look at this passage

and this verse in particular

who is it that is going to be with us

as we put our trust in him

I am

God

with us

just as he was

with Moses

just as he was with Joshua

who was in fear and trembling as well

and taking over the leadership from Moses

but God said to him

be of good courage

for I am with you

I am

there is so much in that name for us

God

with us

that is the promise

as we go forward

trusting in him

I am

is with us

God

is with us

the second thing we see here is

the when

we have the who

and then we have the when

I am with you

always

I am with you

always

always

it is good to have friends

and community around us

going into a new year

it is good to be able to share

with people

to have people

we can share so many things with

and especially at a time of year

when many feel lonely or sad

to be able to gather around one another

and share with one another

to be there to encourage

and to help

to help

but there is no one

who can be with us

always

there is no one who is always there for us

even our closest loved ones

there are times when they just cannot be there with us

but yet we have this assurance here

that I am is with us always

always

so as well as

the promise of the presence with us

there is also the promise

that he is going to be with us

always

every step of the way

that is a promise the Lord gives

to his people

that as we put our trust in him

he will go with us

always

it is a repeated promise

throughout scripture

of so often

never will I leave you

never will I forsake you

he says to his people

again and again

and this is not

a promise here

just for the early church

he is not saying

just to the disciples

I am with you

always

just for a short time

until you get the church established

until you manage to get things going

yourselves

then I will leave you to it

he is not just saying

this is for a short period of time

he is not saying either

I will come and I will be with you

now and again

I will come and be with you

from time to time

as I see your need

he is not saying that at all

he is not saying

well I will be with the church

in certain places

in certain parts of the world

at certain times

this is the great I am

the one who is able to be always present

with all his people

everywhere

and at all times

it is always

and everywhere

and that is something great for us

to remember too

that as we go on

looking to him

that he is with us always

to remember that every time

that we meet as God's people

he is with us

to remember that every time

even when we are not with others

as we are seeking him

he is with us

that great reminder

in Matthew 18 verse 20

Matthew 18:20

for where two or three

come together in my name

there am I with them

he is in the midst

to bless

and we see that he speaks

these words

to his disciples

to pass on

to his people

down through all the generations

that he will be with his people

always

but you notice this is in the midst

of a command

being given as well

so the when is not just always

but the when is also

as we are going forward in his name

go therefore

and make disciples of all nations

go

be a people

who do

in my name

and then you will know

in an even greater way

my presence

with you

you see it

throughout scriptures

again so often

you think of

Moses as he was

going to the people

the children of Israel

and as God said

I am

has sent you

what was he doing

he was sending

Moses to lead a people

Joshua too

was to be a leader

of the people

and he was given

this promise

be strong and courageous

for I am with you

he is saying go

and do

and you maybe say to yourself

ah yes but they were people

who were specifically called

they had a great task

to do for the Lord

but so does every believer

every Christian

has a task from the Lord

the Lord

in Haggai

later on in the Old Testament

as the people

are again

downcast

and dismayed

and all that they are seeing

around them

the Lord calls

on his people

to work

in Haggai 2 verse 4

Haggai 2:4

it says

be strong

all you people

of the land

declares the Lord

and work

for I am with you

declares the Lord Almighty

he gives

his people

a task

and he is still giving

his people

a task

today

he still gives

his church

a task today

to go

to all the nations

of the world

to be his witnesses

to be the people

who declare

his glory

and they go

and we go

with this promise

that I am with you

always

a preacher in America

was telling a story

about having been speaking

to a mailman once

and the mailman

was sharing with him

about how he felt

such a great sense

of security

as he was out

and about

delivering the mail

and the preacher

asked him

why do you feel

so safe

you are all by yourself

you are going out

delivering the mail

and sometimes

into very dangerous

parts of the city

well the postman

the postman said to him

well because I know

all the resources

of the government

are pledged

to support my work

even if all I am delivering

is just a simple postcard

in my bag

no one dares touch me

because of the power

that is behind

my protection

every police force

will come

and guard me

if someone would do so much

as come near me

there was this security

in his work

there was a protection

over him

and one of our greatest fears

as we go about

the Lord's work

is our own natural fear

how can we do it

we feel weak

we feel we have no strength

of ourselves

we cannot do it ourselves

but that story

with the postman

reminds me about ourselves

on the business of God

that as we deliver

as we deliver

this great gospel

to others

as we stand up

for this gospel

before others

that we have this promise

I am with you

always

I am with you

and so may 2023

be a year

when we are bold

when we are bold

to go

with the gospel

when we are bold

to commit to the gospel

when we are bold

to stand up

for the gospel

in the midst of

all the attacks

that come our way

in the attacks

to God's name

through our governments

and through so many people

in this world

who seek to destroy

and put away

the name of God

and the name of Christ

may we be bold

to stand up

to speak out

to stand up

for the truth

of the word of God

and why can we be so bold

because of this promise

I am with you

always

he will never

leave us

he will never

fail us

God is with us

whatever we do

so let us seek

to be a people

who do

who go about

the Lord's business

with this great assurance

that he is with us

that he is with us

the third

and the final thing

I want us to see here

is how long

the how long

I am with you

always

to the end

of the age

even

to the end

of the age

the disciples

themselves

had spoken about

the end

of the age

when would it come

so many of them

felt it was coming

soon

but the reality is

that no one knows

not even the Lord

Jesus himself

was able to tell them

just when it would come

Matthew 24 verse 3

Matthew 24:3

the disciples

talking to Jesus

saying tell us

they said

when will this happen

and what will be the sign

of your coming

at the end

of the age

but Jesus

goes on to say

verse 10

at that time

many will turn away

from the faith

and will betray

and hate each other

but he said

he who stands

firm to the end

will be saved

there is this great uncertainty

as to when the Lord

will come

we don't know

we don't know

but just as we were saying

with the young ones

earlier

we are to stay awake

to stay awake

to be on our watch

for when that time

will come

and while we have time

to be about

the Father's business

to be a people

of faith

because he says

I am with you always

even to the end

of the age

the Lord's strength

will never fail us

the Lord's strength

will always

be with us

as we sang

in Psalm 71

we are reminded there

of our own lives

verse 17

for even from my youth

O God

by thee I have been taught

and hitherto

I have declared

the wonders

thou has brought

when we are young

when we are vibrant

whether it is in years

whether it is in years

or in faith

there is a sense

of strength

in the Lord

but as we go on

we maybe feel

more weary

and in verse 18

of that Psalm

the Psalmist says

and now Lord

leave me not

when I

old and grey headed

grow

till to this age

thy strength

and power

to all to come

I show

there is a sense

of prayer

in these words

Lord

leave me not

now when I am

frail in myself

weak in myself

leave me not

till to this age

thy strength

and power

to all to come

I show

there is this longing

in the Psalmist

to keep going

all his days

in the strength

of the Lord

and that is

not just a promise

and a desire

for that Psalmist

it should be our desire

too

that the Lord

would be with us

even to the end

of the age

when is the end

of the age

is there an end

of the age

well the word

reminds us that

though our time here

is temporary

there is eternity

always before us

and for God's people

they would ever sing

his praise

to all eternity

he will be with us

always

throughout all the ages

throughout all of time

throughout all eternity

so the question today is

how are we going forward

into this new year

are we going forward

putting our hand

into the hand of the Lord

trusting him

there is a story

there is a story about

a cathedral

that was built

in Italy

and on this cathedral

back many years ago

there were three entrances

into the cathedral

three great doors

and above each door

were words inscribed

into the stone

and pictures

above them as well

over one door

the door

was an ornately

carved wreath

of roses

and the words

underneath

said

all that

all that which pleases

is but for a moment

on the other side

there was another door

and above this door

was sculpted

a cross

and below this cross

were the words

all that which troubles

is but for a moment

a moment

but then there was

a third door

in the middle

the largest

of the three doors

and above this door

was the inscription

that only

is important

which is eternal

now for many of us

will be going through

one of these three doors

going into the new year

we'll be going forward

through a door

thinking of all the pleasures

of this world

all that we're enjoying

and it's reminding us

it's but for a moment

others are maybe going into this year

with many troubles

many sorrows

many sadness

in their hearts

but again

there is a reminder

as there isn't God's word

it's but for a moment

the best way

to go forward

is looking to God

and trusting

in Him

for that

which is permanent

is eternal

and God

is unchanging

and unchangeable

and we are to look

to that God

as we go on

into this new year

yes there will be joys

along the way

along the way

we make the most of them

but we don't depend on them

yes there will be troubles

along the way as well

but they are for a moment too

but with God

and Christ Jesus

His Son

is what is eternal

and it's to what is eternal

that we are to look

and to trust

and to trust

the one who is

the great

I am

and the one who has promised

His people

and His church

I am with you

always

even to the end

of the age

may He be with us

going forward today

and always

that we would seek His face

and know His blessing with us

let us pray

let us pray

our Father in heaven

we rejoice

that you are a God

of so many promises

promises of blessings

in this life

help us to enjoy them

not selfishly

not making them

our priority in life

but giving thanks

to you for them

we know too Lord

the many troubles

of this life

give us strength

to endure them

and to come through them

by your grace

and by your mercy

remembering too

that they are but for a moment

but help us above all

to know Jesus Christ

our Lord

the one who is eternal

and the one who gives the hope

of eternal life

through faith in Him

may we look to Him

and go forward

today and always

knowing Him

and seeking to serve Him

and knowing that great promise

that I am with you always

even to the end

even to the end

of the age

guide us and keep us

we pray

and pardon our sins

in Jesus name

Amen

Amen

We are going to conclude

by singing to God's praise

in Psalm 46

in the Scottish Psalter

page 271

I'm going to sing

from verse 7

down to the end

of the psalm

The Lord of hosts

upon our side

doth constantly remain

the God of Jacob's

our refuge

us safely

to maintain

at verse 10

be still and know

that I am God

among the heathen

I will be exalted

I on earth

will be exalted

high

we sing from verse 7

to 11

to God's praise

to God's praise

The Lord of hosts

upon our side

doth constantly be within

O God of Jacob's

our refuge

has saved me

to maintain

come and behold

come and behold

what marvelous words

are high the Lord

ye Lord

come see what

there so is

come see what

there so is

come see what

there so is

come see what

the

還

beyond

the earth

had brought

unto the

ends of

all the earth

of all

the earth

Hai

Till peace eternes

The holy grace

Thus here we pass

Then find the child's heart

Be still and know

That I am God

A God, Marie, the light

Where we exalted

Lord, cannot deny

On earth

Will be exalted

High

Out God, dear

In the intriguing-to- spar.

That Roncharis Kingrezyes.

Come to the refuge, I ever will abide.

After the benediction, I'll go to the main door.

Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, rest upon and

abide with you all, now and forevermore. Amen.