Thanksgiving Service

25 verses 1 to 6 from the Scottish Psalter.

O come, let us sing to the Lord. Come, let us everyone a joyful noise make to the rock of our salvation.

Let us before his presence come with praise and thankful voice.

Let us sing psalms to him with grace and make a joyful noise.

For God, a great God and great King, above all gods he is,

depths of the earth are in his hand, the strength of hills is his.

To him the spacious sea belongs, for he the same did make.

The dry land also from his hands its form at first did take.

O come and let us worship him, let us bow down with all.

And on our knees before the Lord, our maker, let us fall.

Verses 1 to 6, Psalm 95. O come, let us sing to the Lord.

O come, let us sing to the Lord. Come, let us everyone.

And on our knees before the Lord, our maker, let us sing to the Lord.

And on our knees before the Lord, our maker, let us sing to the Lord.

itions across the Lord, our maker, let us sing to the Wu's Awée.

for His presence

God

with great

and thankful

voice.

Let us

take down

to Him

with grace

and make

a joyful

noise.

For God

our

great

God

and great

King

how

all

God

He is

Heaps

of the

earth

are in

His hand

the strength

of

wilt

this

is

to

Him

that

spacious

need

d task

to

king

and

uth

The dry land also from His hands

is for the worshiping.

O come and let us worship Him,

let us burn out with all.

And honor He before the Lord,

our maker, let us call.

Let us bow in prayer.

Lord, as we gather before you this evening,

we pray for grace that we may worship you in a right way.

We give thanks for this opportunity of offering praise

and thanksgiving to you.

Indeed, we have been created to praise.

Glory is the world of eternal praise.

And when you put a new song in our mouth here,

it is the beginning of that praise

that will go on forever and ever.

And so we pray, O Lord,

that our hearts might be stirred up

to offer that praise to you.

We give thanks for the song

that we just sang just now.

We give thanks, Lord,

for the way we sang it,

the heartiness of it.

And that is how it should always be

when we seek to praise and magnify our Lord,

because you are worthy of all praise and honor and glory.

We pray that it might be an integral part of our lives,

day in, day out,

because there is always a reason to praise thee,

even when things might be difficult in our own lives

and when we might be facing heartache

and pain and sorrow and difficulties.

while these things in and of themselves are hard

and there is nothing praiseworthy in these things,

you are always worthy of praise.

And so we pray that whatever our situation,

we may lift up our hearts to you

and that we might acknowledge you

as God of heaven and earth

and that we might praise you with all our heart

and that we will give this sense of adoration

and commitment that we belong to you.

We give thanks for all your wonderful promises

that are in the word

and we pray that we might have this spirit of thanksgiving

about us at all times,

that we might remember that you have been gracious to us

and that you have dealt with us

not according to our deserving.

You have dealt with us by your steadfast love

you have dealt with us in ways

that are often beyond our understanding

or comprehension.

But we give thanks, Lord, for your patience with us

because there are so many times

it would have been right for you to cast us off

but you've stuck with us.

Your love is unchanging

because you are unchanging in your nature.

And so we give thanks tonight

for that unchanging love

and we give thanks, Lord,

for the way that you draw us to yourself,

that you give us a heart for yourself.

We have to confess, Lord,

there was a day when we didn't have that

and even if there was a sense of

maybe of ascribing something to you,

we didn't understand,

we weren't aware,

we were too caught up with ourselves

but when you set your love upon us

that changed

and we began to see things in a different way.

And so we give thanks, Lord,

for delivering us from a fearful pit and mighty clay

and setting our feet upon a rock,

establishing our way

and putting a new song in our mouth.

And we pray that we will continue to sing

that new song every day and every night

and that you'll help us as we journey

through this world.

Bless this congregation, we pray.

Bless our homes, our families

and all whom we love.

We pray to bless all who serve you.

We pray for all the office bearers.

We pray for all those who work

in so many ways behind the scene.

We pray, Lord, for our church officers.

We pray for cleaners.

We pray, Lord, for those who work

with the young people.

Lord, we give thanks for them.

We remember the 55 plus fellowship as well.

We remember, oh Lord,

all our young people

as they grow up in a very challenging

and a very difficult day.

We pray, Lord, to protect them

and to keep them.

Grant wisdom to parents

and wisdom to leaders

who are teaching them in the right way.

What a wonderful opportunity that is given.

And we pray that the seed that is sown

in the early days of their life

may indeed bear fruit

that you will keep them

from the evil that abounds in this world,

the temptations which are many,

and that you will watch over them.

Lord, our God, we pray for those

who love you and serve you

in places of influence and prominence

throughout our communities

and indeed throughout our land.

We give thanks, Lord,

for every voice that is raised

on your behalf

and for every testimony that is born

speaking of you.

We give thanks, Lord,

for the wonderful way

that the gospel is spread

and so often we don't hear about it.

Every so often we get little glimpses

that even in this country of ours

when so often we see it

as simply as in darkness.

Yet so often there are pockets here

and there are pockets there

and where maybe the media

doesn't in any way reflect

maybe how many actually

are seeking you

and how many have a desire

or a heart for you.

Oh, Lord, grant us your grace

as we wait upon you.

Help us, Lord,

to grow more like you day by day.

Forgive us for what we are

in and of ourselves.

Forgive us, Lord,

for the sympathy that we have with sin.

Forgive us, Lord,

for maybe how unkind

we can be to one another

by our actions

and by our words.

Lord, we pray that

we may have a heart

for one another,

that the love of Jesus Christ

may be evident in our lives,

that we may care for one another.

So often it's said of Jesus

that he was moved with compassion.

We pray that we might have

something of our Savior's compassion

in this world that we live in

where it is difficult.

Lord, we pray

as we face challenges

with financial restraints

and with the cost of living crisis,

we ask, Lord,

that you will help

and that you will grant wisdom

to those who lead us,

those in authority over us.

We are commanded to pray

for kings

and for those in authority over us.

It is our duty

and so we pray for our king,

for the royal family.

We pray for those who lead us

in Westminster,

in Holyrood,

and locally here in the council.

Lord, grant them wisdom from above

and even for those

who don't look to you,

we pray that you will move them

in the right way

because the king's heart

is in the hand of the Lord

and he will move it

in whichever way he pleases

because it is yours to do

according to your will

with the armies of heaven

and with the inhabitants of the earth.

It is up to you, Lord,

to raise one up

and to cast another down.

You are the God

who can change the times

and the seasons.

Help us, Lord,

to have an insight

and a sense of who you are

in our life.

May our focus

always be upon you.

And so we give thanks then

for this evening

as we seek to

individually

and personally

and collectively

give thanks to you

for all that you do for us.

You do so much.

We have so much

to be thankful for.

We give thanks

for the community

that we live in,

the community

that we were brought up in.

We give thanks, Lord,

for,

although it's not as it was,

there is still

gospel influence here.

We give thanks

and we pray

that it might always be so.

We pray to encourage

the ministers here.

We pray for

Mr. McKeever

and Mr. Smith, Lord.

We pray to bless them

and wives and families, Lord.

We commit to your care

and keeping.

We give thanks, Lord,

for bringing

Calamurdu here

and Joan.

Lord, we pray

that you'll bless them.

Watch over us now,

we pray,

and as you brought them here,

we pray for the

congregation of North U.S.

O Lord,

we ask that

it might please you

to direct them

in a way

where you will lead

a pastor to them

because

their loss

is great,

whereas

as so often happens

when one moves,

then,

although we are

pleased,

it leaves

our congregation

empty.

So we pray for them.

Watch over us,

we pray,

and do us good,

cleansing us

from our every sin

in Jesus' name.

Amen.

We're going to sing again.

Is it 23 or 139?

139.

I couldn't remember.

We're going to sing

in Psalm 139A

and sing Psalms.

Psalm 139A

verses 13 to 16.

Psalm 139A

and sing Psalms.

And we're going to sing

from verse 13

to verse 16.

For you, O Lord,

created me,

you wove me

on your loom,

my inmost being

you have formed

within my mother's womb.

because I'm wonderfully made

with all your praise

I'll tell.

Your workmanship

is marvelous

and this I know

full well.

When in the secret place

my frame

was made

before my birth,

you saw my body

yet unformed

within the depths

of earth.

And all the days

that I should live

which you ordained

for me

were written

in your book,

O Lord,

before they came

to be.

Verses 13 to 16

of Psalm 139A

that's on page 181.

For you, O Lord,

created me.

Amen.

For you, O Lord,

created me,

you wove me

on your loom.

I am, O Lord,

in you,

that part

within my brotherhood.

Because I'm wonderfully

with all your praise

I tell.

Your workmanship

is marvelous

and this I know

Thank you, COVID-19.

To solve my body evermore

Within the depths of earth

And all the days that I should live

With you are made for me

Were written in your book, O Lord

Before they came to me

We're going to read now in the book of Psalms

Two Psalms, first of all in Psalm 145

And then in Psalm 100

First of all in the book of Psalms

In Psalm 145

I will extol you, my God and King

And bless your name forever and ever

Every day I will bless you

And praise your name forever and ever

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised

And his greatness is unsearchable

One generation shall commend your works to another

And shall declare your mighty acts

On the glorious splendor of your majesty

And on your wondrous works

I will meditate

They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds

And I will declare your greatness

They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness

And shall sing aloud of your righteousness

The Lord is gracious and merciful

Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love

The Lord is good to all

And his mercy is over all that he has made

All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord

And all your saints shall bless you

They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom

And tell of your power

To make known to the children of man

Your mighty deeds

And the glorious splendor of your kingdom

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom

And your dominion endures throughout all generations

The Lord is faithful in all his words

And kind in all his works

The Lord upholds all who are falling

And raises up all who are bowed down

The eyes of all look to you

And you give them their food in due season

You open your hand

And you satisfy the desire of every living thing

The Lord is righteous in all his ways

And kind in all his works

The Lord is near to all who call on him

To all who call on him in truth

He fulfills the desire of those who fear him

He also hears their cry and saves them

The Lord preserves all who love him

But the wicked he will destroy

My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord

And let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever

Then we turn to Psalm 100

And we're going to look at this Psalm after we sing

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord

All the earth

Serve the Lord with gladness

Come into his presence with singing

Know that the Lord, he is God

It is he who made us

And we are his

We are his people

And the sheep of his pasture

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

And his courts with praise

Give thanks to him

Bless his name

For the Lord is good

His steadfast love endures forever

And his faithfulness to all generations

Amen and may God bless to us

These readings of his holy word

We're going to sing again in Psalm 23

This is in Sing Psalm

Psalm 23

The whole psalm

Page 28 in the psalm book

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd

No want shall I know

He makes me lie down

Where the green pastures grow

He leads me to rest

Where the calm waters flow

My wandering steps

He brings back to his way

In straight paths of righteousness

Making me stay

And this he has done

His great name to display

Though I walk in death's valley

Where darkness is near

Because you are with me

No evil I'll fear

Your rod and your staff

Bring me comfort and cheer

In the sight of my enemies

A table you spread

The oil of rejoicing

You pour on my head

My cup overflows

And I'm graciously fed

So surely your covenant

Mercy and grace

Will follow me closely

In all of my ways

I will dwell

In the house of the Lord

All my days

The whole psalm

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd

No want shall I know

He makes me lie down

Where the green pastures grow

He leads me to rest

Where the calm waters flow

He leads me to rest

Where the calm waters flow

By wandering steps

He brings back to his way

In shape of righteousness

Making me stay

And this he has done

His great name to display

And this he has done

His great name to display

Though I walk in Dex Valley

Where darkness is near

Because you are with me

No evil and fear

Your rod and your staff

Bring me comfort and cheer

Your rod and your staff

Bring me comfort and cheer

In the sight of my enemies

The table you spread

The oil of rejoicing

Here pour on my hands

My cup overflows

And I'm graciously fed

My cup overflows

And I'm graciously fed

So surely your covenant

And mercy and grace

Will follow me closely

In all of my ways

I will dwell in the house

Of the Lord Almighty

I will dwell in the house

Of the Lord Almighty

Let's turn again to our second reading

Psalm 100

Just reflect for a little

On this psalm

Just read at the beginning

I won't read the whole psalm again

Make a joyful noise

To the Lord all the earth

Serve the Lord with gladness

Come into his presence

With singing

And so on

Now we know that

Thanksgiving

Is an essential part of life

People who don't give thanks

Just even in a general way

Just in life in itself

Are by and large

I would say fairly unhappy people

Because giving thanks

Is something that really is spontaneous

From a heart

That appreciates

And a heart

That responds

To life in general

So if you find somebody

Who is incapable

Or rarely gives thanks

You say to yourself

Well there's something wrong

With this person

It would almost look like

This person is fairly unhappy

And certainly for a Christian

Not to be giving thanks

Is almost a contradiction

Because it's part and partial

Of our Christian life

And you cannot read the scriptures

You can't

Particularly you can't

Go through the Psalms

Without being made aware

Of thanksgiving

And praise

Really being at the very heart

It's at the very heart

Of the Psalter

And so it would be very difficult

For a Christian

To be somebody

Who is not a person

Who is given to praise

And given to thanksgiving

Of course our time of thanksgiving

Is a very important part

Of our Christian calendar

It has been for years and years

We used to call it

The harvest thanksgiving

And rightly so

Because I suppose

Back in the day

Most people were involved

At one level or another

With

Even if it was only

A few

Crops

And of

Whether it was

Hay

Or barley

Or whatever

But most people

Had something

Or planted something

Or grew something

And so the harvest

Thanksgiving

Was a very

Very important part

Because there was

An acknowledging

That God is the God

Of the seasons

God said that

There would always be

Seed time

And harvest time

And so

It is important

That we

Do give God

The thanks

That is due to his name

Because we know

That he is ultimately

The God of the seasons

So

Thanksgiving

And it is right

That we always have

This period of

Thanksgiving

Every year

Now this psalm

As we see

Psalm 100

Is a psalm

That is bursting

With praise

And thanksgiving

And in a sense

It is almost fitting

That it is

Psalm 100

Because

100 in a sense

Is a standout number

Whenever you get

100

It is always something

That stops you

Whether it is

Like for instance

In cricket

And they talk about

Somebody getting

A century of runs

And they

They count out

How many centuries

He made

Or

We

When somebody reaches

100 years of age

It is a landmark time

And there is

Well it was

Up until very recently

A card

With a message

Came from the queen

Now it is

It is the king

So

100 is always recognised

When you go through

The bible

You will often see

100 as a

Very special number

And it is only fitting

That Psalm 100

Is this psalm

That is just

Filled

It is bursting

With praise

And thanksgiving

To God

And we find

The title

If you have it

It is an ESV

You have it

It says at the top of it

His steadfast love

Endures forever

And what a wonderful

Thought that is

God's steadfast love

Endures forever

And even if there was

No other statement

Made

Other than

The title that we have

Over that

That would be

A reason itself

For praise

And thanksgiving

Tonight

But then we see

Below that

It says

A psalm

For giving thanks

So that is what

What this

Particular psalm

Is here tonight

And it begins

By showing us

Ways of being

Thankful to the Lord

It says

Make a joyful noise

To the Lord

Serve the Lord

With gladness

And come into

His presence

With singing

So to make

A joyful noise

In a sense

This is making

A public confession

It is

It's almost like

A royal fanfare

It's a declaration

Before God

That he is God

Of heaven and earth

And that he is

Worthy of honour

And praise

And glory

In fact

You'll often find

In the Psalms

There's a

A cry

A call

For us

To

Worship God

Making a noise

Now the singing

Tonight

Was really

Beautiful

And

So it should be

Because

It's God

We're praising

And I know

That everybody

Hasn't been blessed

With the best voice

Some people

Have been blessed

With great voices

Other people

Haven't

I know some people

And they long

To get to glory

One man in particular

Very much used

By the Lord

Was the late

Kenny MacDonald

And he couldn't

Sing at all

And he would say

You know this

I can't wait

To get to glory

Where I'll be able

To express

To praise God

Because

It's something

I can't do here

I haven't

Just don't have

A singing voice

So

But we can still

Do it with our heart

And we do

Praise God

With our heart

As well

Even if we can

But

So often

In the Bible

It talks about

Giving

Visible

And audible

Expression

To God

For instance

In Psalm 47

It says

Clap your hands

All peoples

Shout to God

With loud songs

Now

I know our

Culture is different

I'm sure we would

Get a shock

If we started

Actually

Doing that

Just now

And making these

Shouts

And clap

But the idea

We find

So often

In scripture

Is that

God is somebody

Who is worthy

Of praise

And honour

And when you

Look round

In this world

And you see

So many people

Who are calling

Out their rights

And people

Who are shouting

About this

And shouting

About that

They do shout

They do make

A noise

And so often

The church

Is just

It's almost

Like a wee

Whisper

You look at

Football matches

And the singing

And terracing

And the shouting

And yet

And so often

When we

Maybe come

To worship God

Might only be

A whisper

Or

A poor

Sound

Now

Don't get me wrong

I'm not saying

That's how

It is here

But it can be

And as I say

I thank the Lord

Tonight

For the

The lovely

The lovely singing

So it's important

Make a joy

Joyful noise

To the

To the Lord

All the earth

And then

It says in verse 2

Serve the Lord

With gladness

And you know

This is the most

Incredible privilege

That you and I

Have been given

Because all of us

In here tonight

If you love the Lord

You are in service

To the Lord

And the Lord

Will always give you

Something to do

And sometimes

We need a little bit

Of pushing into

That service

But we should all

Be involved

In serving the Lord

And here he is

The creator

Of heaven

And earth

And he has us

As his servants

Here in this world

Because you think about it

The Lord didn't send

The Lord doesn't send

Angels down from heaven

To preach

Or to lead the singing

Or to open churches

Or to do the Sunday school

Or to teach people

Or to witness

Or to help

Or to be missionaries

It's not angels

He sent

It's us

Uses us

And so

We've always got to

Remember that

The witnessing

The telling

Of people

Telling people

About Jesus Christ

It's our responsibility

It's our duty

It's our

Work

To serve

And so

We're told here

That we are to

Serve the Lord

With

What does it say

Serve the Lord

With gladness

And so

When we come in

To service with the Lord

When we come to serve

When we come to

Worship the Lord

We need to have

Gladness in our heart

And I think

There's quite a responsibility

Upon us

Because

Sometimes we can

Come into church

Going through all kinds

Of do

We can come in with

And we do

With all our issues

With all our baggage

With all that's been going on

Throughout the day

Or throughout the week

And that's important as well

That we come with these things

And bring them before the Lord

But there comes a specific time

When our focus

Is upon the Lord

And we must put aside

All these other things

And focus upon Him

And give Him

This worship

And this service

That is due to His name

But

Whatever we're doing

For the Lord

Make sure that we do

Our service

With gladness

Because the Lord

Sees our attitude

He sees how we serve

He sees the spirit

That we have

In our service

He sees whether we do it

Willingly

Or grudgingly

Whether we do it gladly

Or whether it's just

A burden to us

You know

If

If you're out for a meal

And

The waiter or waitress

Is sort of

Really grumpy

And kind of

Throwing the food at you

I don't mean

Like throwing the food

But throwing the plates down

And

It's like

Everything is a

It's a burden

And you just

You can see

This person

Just does not want

To be here

And their whole

Demeanor

And everything about it

Is just

In fact

It

Spoils the meal

Because the actual

Service that you can

That you can get

Can either be

An uplifting experience

Or else

It can put you down

And how much more

With regard to

Our service

To the king of glory

Because

We're serving

Every single Christian

All of you

You're serving the lord

Wherever he has put you

And whether it's

In a big thing

Or in a little thing

You're still serving

So you make sure

That your service

Is done

With

Gladness

Because that's what

That is

That's what is

Required of it

Of us

That our heart

Is in it

And that we are

To come

Into his presence

With singing

And again

This involves

Like our whole being

Where we're giving

We're giving to the lord

A sense of

Our adoration

To him

Of we're paying

As it were

Like homage to him

And as we go back

To verse 1

Where it says

Make a joyful noise

To the lord

We're saying

All people

We know how it goes

In the psalm

In the metrics

All people

That on earth

To dwell

Sing to the lord

With cheerful voice

It's like

It's like the whole world

Is

They're making a claim

On

Who god is

And so

We have to

We have to

Give

Voice

In our praise

And then verse 3

It says

Know

That the lord

He is god

Yes we give thanks

And we do so joyfully

But we also do it

Intelligently

In other words

We know

Who we're

Who we're

Singing to

We know who we're

Praising

We know who we're

Giving thanks to

We're not doing this

Kind of blindly

We know

Who this god is

And tonight

We give him thanks

We give him thanks

For who he is

In himself

For his glory

His majesty

His authority

His dominion

His rule

His government

We give thanks

To god

For all that

He is in himself

And all that

He's done for us

For answering

Our prayers

For his grace

For his mercy

For his pardon

His forgiveness

His peace

His love

His joy

Just so much

That he gives us

And so

When we

When we come

Worshiping the lord

That's what it says

We know the lord

We know who

We're worshipping

Many

Don't worship god

Because they don't know

I'm sure many people

Wonder why are they

Going

Why are they going

To church during the week

What's it all about

Well if they knew god

They would join us

But it's because

They don't know

They don't know

Who god is

They've never come

To grasp

Who he is

If they did

If they had the same

Understanding

And knowledge

Of who god is

Then it would be different

They would

They would join

With us

And that's what

What we do

We worship

A god we know

Remember how

Paul in Athens

He came across

People who are

Worshipping the

Unknown god

None of us

Tonight

Are worshipping

The unknown god

We know

Who we worship

And then it says

Know that the lord

He is god

It is he who

Made us

And we

Are his

Now Isaiah

Terms that

We are the work

Of his hands

And when you think

About it

The awesome

Skill

And the intricate

Minuteness

That went into

The creation

Of us

When you think

That from the dust

To the ground

That god took

And he made

He formed

When you think

Of the

Skeletal structure

That we are

And we think

Of all the

The

The different

Whether it's

The respiratory

System

Or the pulmonary

System

Or the reproductive

System

Or the nervous

System

And all the joints

And all the tendons

And all the muscles

And this awesome

Brain

Who just

Just beyond

Any mind

The comprehension

To comprehend

Just what it is

And it's from the

Dust to the ground

When you think

Of the wisdom

And the planning

And the power

That went in

To the creation

And then

In the creating

Of the woman

From the man

Taking the rib

And built

And fashioned

And shaped

And brought together

And that's

That's what

It's telling us

Here

Know that the

Lord he is God

It is he

Who has made us

And we are his

And it's little

Wonder that the

Psalmist

Was saying

We are fearfully

And wonderfully

Made

But as we know

Tragically

Despite the wonder

Of what God did

It wasn't enough

Remember how

Adam and Eve

What God

Did for them

What God

Made them

What God

Provided for them

It still wasn't

Enough

They wanted more

And it's still

The same today

And we know

The result

Of where

Everything

Beautiful

That was made

Was smashed

Not only did God

Make us

Brilliantly

Physically

And mentally

But he also

Morally

And spiritually

And knowledge

Righteousness

And holiness

And bang

The fall

Shattered

Everything

Not only

Ourselves

But the

Whole

Creation

The whole

Creation

Is groaning

Everything

That's why

There's tsunamis

And earthquakes

And floods

And droughts

And everything

The fall

Impacted

Everything

Altogether

But you

God

God

God

Didn't give

Up on us

God

Came after

Us

And right

From the

Very dawn

Of history

We find

God's

Promises

Running

Right

Through the

Word

Because God

Had a purpose

In all that

He did

And his love

And his love

His patience

His foreknowledge

He worked

It all

And so we

Are his

Twice over

We were his

First of all

In the

Original creation

And then we

Are his again

Through Jesus

Christ

Because Jesus

Is termed

The redeemer

And a redeemer's

Work is to buy

Back

What once

Belonged

That's what

Jesus has done

He has bought

Us

Back

To God

Bought us

And brought us

Paid the price

And brought us

Back to God

So we

Are his

So here's

A great cause

For thanksgiving

Here's this love

That

Absolutely

Refused

To give up

So we

Are his

It is

He who made us

And we are his

We are his people

And the sheep

Of his pasture

You know

It's one of the

Great themes

Of the Bible

Is that

We are

God's sheep

Right through

The Old Testament

God was termed

Israel's shepherd

In the New Testament

Jesus is termed

The good shepherd

The great shepherd

And the chief shepherd

And he is the shepherd

Who cares

And tends

And looks after

And provides

The shepherd

Who has never lost

A sheep

Or a lamb

Ever

And so

We are

His people

Now

I think maybe

We've said this before

But in

In the parts

Where we

Belong

With the parts

Where we live

So often

Maybe with more

And more

People moving in

From

From

Out with

But it used to be such

That when you would

Meet somebody

Maybe for the first time

People would ask

Who are your people?

So that question

Has been asked

Of you

Throughout your life

At some time

Who are your people?

When somebody's trying

To work out who you are

Now who are your people?

And rightly or wrongly

When they maybe work out

Who your people are

They make a judgment

Of an assessment

Of who you are

Whether it's a right assessment

Or a wrong assessment

But your people

Come into play

As they look

At you

And

We can apply that

Spiritually as well

Because

We are God's people

We belong

To God

And you know

How

The characteristics

And mannerisms

Run through families

You see it in people

Quite often

We say

Oh it's in their people

Whether it might be a wit

It might be

People who are really clever

Traits of character

Oh it's in the people

We often say that

Well we apply that

Spiritually

And it should be true

Of every Christian

It's in the people

What's in the people?

Christ likeness

We should be

Ressembling Jesus

More and more

Every year

Because

He is

Our saviour

He is

Our shepherd

He is at work

Within us

He's moulding us

And he's shaping us

And he's changing us

Every day

Every week

Every month

Every year

So that we

Become more

And more

Like him

And

That's

That's

What the Lord

Is doing

And although

This is a wonderful thing

It says

We are his people

You know

God has made everything

In this world

We're told that

That everything that was made

Was made by him

But out of

Everything in the whole

Wide world

And everyone

In the whole wide world

There is only one

Group

That he's

Has a special

Claim upon

And that's you and me

His people

Out of everything in the world

He doesn't say that about

Anything else

His people

Are his portion

Nothing else

The end of the day

Nothing else counts

This is all

That counts

That's not a reason

For pride

It's not a reason

For taking any

Glory to ourselves

In fact

It's the very opposite

That should be

The most humbling thing

And yet

Which should

Fire us up

With a great sense

Of thanksgiving

And awe

And wonder

That the God

Of heaven and earth

Has set his love

Upon you and me

Out of all the people

Of the world

And you

Are his special

People

His special

Portion

And he takes glory

To his own name

In you

It's a humbling

It's quite an extraordinary thing

And then

It says here

We are his people

And the sheep

Of his pasture

The sheep

Of his pasture

And that's what

We sang there

In Psalm 23

That

How we lie down

In green pastures

You and I know

That there are

Certain times

The sheep

Will not lie down

Sheep won't lie down

If they're scared

If they're afraid

Sheep won't lie down

If they're hungry

You can't get a hungry

Sheep to lie down

Do you know

If you want to see

This picture of contentment

That Psalm 23

Paints for us

And it's such a beautiful

Picture of the sheep

By the still water

And the green pasture

It's a picture

Of absolute contentment

That only

Well watered

Well fed sheep

Will give you

And that's

What it's talking about here

It's his pasture

He has provided

For us

This pasture land

And where is it?

Well it's here

His word

It's here

Where we come together

That's why God's house

Is a special place

Because God

Meets with us

And he gives us

Of his food

And

Remember this

The world

Has not one

Thing

For your soul

Nothing

Zero

You will never get

Anything in this world

That will

Nourish

Or fill

Your soul

There's things in this world

Which might be good

For the body

And such like

And good for the mind

But there's nothing

For the soul

It is through

The word

Through the feeding

Through the teaching

Through the work

Of God's spirit

Touching our hearts

And so

He's given us

This lavish feeding

And if we're struggling

If we're empty

If we're hungry

The fault is not

With a shepherd

It's not with a pasture

Because a beautiful

Pasture land

It's rich

It's luscious

There's everything

You could want

In it

So we're hungry

Then there's something

Wrong with us

Not with a shepherd

Not with the pasture land

It can only be with us

So we need to ask

The Lord

Lord help me

Help me to appreciate

The feeding

You've given

Help me to

Enjoy it

Help me to be

Nourished by it

Help me to be

Strengthened by it

Help me to be

Built up by it

Thank him for this

And then finally

Just in a word

We see the invitation

That is given

Enter his gates

With thanksgiving

And his courts

With praise

You know

It's quite wonderful

When you see

Enter his gates

With thanksgiving

And his courts

With praise

It would bring you

Back into the Old Testament

And to the temple

And to the courts

That are there

And to God's house

And you know

One of the wonderful

Things is

That when we

Think back

There was one

Special place

Within the temple

Which was

The most holy place

Or the holy of holies

It was the one place

Nobody could get to

Apart from the high priest

Once a year

But remember

When Jesus

Cried out

It is finished

The veil of the temple

Was torn in two

And now there is

Immediate access

Into his presence

And that's where

We're invited

We're invited

Ushered in

Through

Through the door

Through into

The presence

Of the king

And that's a wonder

Wonder and glory

Of it

Give thanks to him

Bless his name

For the lord is good

His steadfast love

Endures forever

Isn't that wonderful

See that word

Steadfast

It means that it

Cannot be moved

It is absolutely

It's a rock

Of fixedness

And that's who

God's love

Is to you

And also notice

It also finishes

By saying

His faithfulness

To all

Generations

It's not great

All generations

And you look back

And you look at

The faithfulness

Of God

To Noah

And to Abraham

And to Isaac

And to Jacob

And to Joseph

And to Moses

And to David

And to Daniel

To John

And to Paul

And so on

Right down to you

Throughout the generations

And he will continue

His faithfulness

Will continue

Throughout all generations

So tonight

May we seek

To praise the lord

And give him thanks

Because sometimes

You know

We get used to it

Don't we

There are times

We get used

To what we have

We've lost

The sense of wonder

That we should have

Remember how it first was

When you

First came

To see the lord

To appreciate

What he had done

When you first

Took a wee taste

In the pasture land

When you first

Laid hold upon

The fact that

You were his

That he had made you

The wonder of it

The newness of it

But sometimes

The years cause

That to fade

They shouldn't

It shouldn't

It should be the reverse

We should in fact

Be praising him

More and more

And more

For what he has done

For us

Let us pray

Lord our God

We give thanks

For our time together

Where we were able

To think about

Why we should be

Praising and thanking you

And there is no end

For our reason

To praise and thank

It's what we will be doing

Throughout an endless eternity

It is

Indeed what we see

That

The

The

The saints

In glory

Are praising the lamb

Worthy as a lamb

To receive honour

And glory

And praise

And as we journey

Through this world

We pray

And the closer we get

To the land

Of eternal praise

We pray

That praise

Might become

More and more

Part

Of what we are about

Bless us

And we pray

Bless us Lord

Those who mourn

Those who are sad

And despite the fact

That we do think

Tonight

Of praise

And thanksgiving

We do know Lord

That while you require

This of us