22.1.17

[0:00] Good morning and a warm welcome to the service this morning. It's good to see everybody here and it's good to have some visitors with us, some familiar visitors back again and a warm welcome is extended to everyone and especially those who are visiting.

[0:15] Tea and coffee are served at the close of the service and please if you're able to stay, take the time to stay and enjoy the fellowship together. The service this morning, I'm very thankful, is taken by Farrakhar MacLeod. I've been away in Edinburgh from Monday through to Friday night and so had no preparation time.

[0:37] And so Farrakhar is taking the service this morning and the evening service will be at six o'clock tonight and that service will be taken by Sir Reverend Andrew Coggle and our Mutscalpie this evening preaching.

[0:51] The notices for the week, just as on the sheet, the elders meet for prayer in the manse tomorrow at half past seven and the ladies Bible study meets at eight.

[1:02] First fruits on Tuesday and Road to Recovery. First fruits in the Church of Scotland Hall at half past seven and Road to Recovery at eight p.m. in the community centre. The Leverborough Women for Mission meet on Tuesday 24th January at half past seven in the Church Hall and the North Harris Youth Group will be given a presentation on their visit to Nepal last year.

[1:27] Prayer meeting at half past seven in the community centre here and the services next Sunday 11 and 6. 11 will be taken by myself in English. The 6 p.m. service is actually a Gaelic service. It's the last Sunday of the month.

[1:41] So that service will be in Gaelic and led by John McSween. There'll be an English fellowship at eight thereafter. A couple of dates for the diary. One is Discipleship Explored. It starts again on the 2nd of February and it's a seven week course, I think it is, where we consider in a little bit more depth what it means to be a disciple of Christ.

[2:05] And there'll be a congregational meal and fellowship on Saturday 4th of February. Team three on set up and the sign up sheet for food is on the table at the door there.

[2:18] My understanding is that the men will be doing the clean up operation and so we'll be receiving information soon on who and how that clean up operation will be executed. And Ladies Day, Transform Ladies Day, there'll be a Ladies Conference on Saturday 18th March 2017.

[2:36] And the speaker will be Sharon Dickens from 20 Schemes. And this topic will be how to live for Jesus in a world that doesn't. So these are dates for your diary to note and to pray into.

[2:49] And these, I think, are all the intimations. I'm going to take just a moment and pray now as Farrakh prepares to lead us. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for this, your day.

[3:05] We thank you for the fact that you have promised that when two or three gather in the name of Jesus, your assurance to us is that you will be with us.

[3:15] And we pray that throughout the service this morning and throughout this day that we would be aware of your nearer presence. We pray that the Holy Spirit may be active in us and in this place as we seek to worship you.

[3:31] We pray for any this morning who are present but do not yet know you. And we ask that even through your servant Farrakhar and the word that you will bring, we ask that some may be brought for the first time to saving faith.

[3:45] And for those of us who are following, for those of us who are disciples, we know our weaknesses, we know our frailty, we know our proneness to wandering.

[3:56] And we ask, Lord, that we would be bid to follow closer as a result of the word that is brought to us. So bless this time, we pray. We ask that you would meet with us.

[4:09] And we pray that you would be with Farrakhar now, that you would strengthen him, that you would equip him as you have called him. And, Lord, that he would know your presence and your blessing.

[4:21] And, Lord, that through his ministry we would be blessed and you would be glorified. So hear our prayers, cleanse us from our sin and lead us by your spirit. And we pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

[4:33] Well, a very warm welcome to our morning service. And we pray that the Lord would be pleased to bless us together as speakers and hearers alike.

[4:46] And that all that we seek to do be to the honour and glory of his name. Let us worship him together. Let us sing to his praise and glory.

[4:57] In Psalm 81. In Psalm 81. In Psalm 81. At verse 8. Psalm 81. At verse 8. O thou my people, give an ear.

[5:10] I'll testify to thee. To thee, O Israel, if thou wilt. But hush unto me. Down to the verse mark. Thirteen.

[5:20] Thirteen. O that my people had me heard. Israel, my ways had chose. I had their enemies soon subdued.

[5:31] My hand turned on their foes. Psalm 81. These six verses. To God's praise and glory. O thou my people, give an ear.

[5:52] Thou testify to thee. To thee, O Israel, if thou wilt.

[6:07] But harketh unto me. In midst of thee there shall not be.

[6:22] Any sin's gold doth fall. Not unto any God adored.

[6:36] The poor wind down shall fall. I am the Lord thy God which shed.

[6:51] From Egypt that be kind. I will lie upon thee.

[7:06] To thou wilt open wide. But yet my people to my voice.

[7:21] Would not a gentle fee. And in thy chosen Israel.

[7:35] They would have done of me. So to the blood of thy own hearts.

[7:50] I let deliver it. And then my people.

[8:04] Oh. They've been the wonderland. Oh, that my people had me heard, Is when my wish had shows.

[8:27] I rather than me to touch you, My hands turned on their foes.

[8:47] Let us come before the Lord in prayer. Let us all pray. Let us all pray.

[9:23] And is alive forevermore in the power of an indestructible eternity. And Lord, as we bow before you this morning, We pray that you would still our hearts, And that we would know, each one of us, That we are in the presence of the God who sees us and knows us, The God who understands all things about us, To God who knows us better than we know ourselves.

[9:52] And this morning we pray that you would serve your hearts, And that you would take away from us all distractions, That you would take away everything that would stand between yourself and thyself, And that it would please thee to create within us a clean heart, And that you would bring you a right spirit inside, A spirit that would bring honor and glory and praise to your name, For you are worthy of all of our praises.

[10:25] We thank you this morning, Lord, for your goodness to us, For your mercies and for your blessings, Which are new to us every morning.

[10:36] Great indeed is your faithfulness to us, And we, Lord, so undeserving of even the least of them. But we thank you that you are indeed a most gracious and a most merciful God, A God who is calling us to come to himself, A God who doesn't want any to be lost, And we thank you that all should come to put their trust and faith in him.

[11:09] And so we pray, Lord, that each one of us would be found this morning, Coming to you, asking your forgiveness, Asking that your cleansing blood would surrender us.

[11:26] We thank you, Lord, that all who come to you, Confessing their sins and seeking thy forgiveness, You have promised that you will in no wise cast aside.

[11:38] And so, Lord, we pray that you would make us wise to our salvation, That we would flee from the wrath that is to come, That we would flee to the open arms of Jesus, That we would find mercy, And we would find grace to help us In our time of need.

[11:59] Lord, you know our time of need. We need you every day, every moment. And our confession is that without you, We are nothing. And we can't do nothing.

[12:13] So, Lord, we pray that you would be pleased to help us, To guide us, To undertake for us Enough weakness and enough frailty.

[12:24] And that we would be found Praising and magnifying the name that is above all other names. For at the name of Jesus, Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess.

[12:39] Pray, Lord, that you would bless all those Who are less fortunate than we ourselves are. Those who are laid aside in beds of illness, At home or in hospital, Wherever they may be, Whatever their situation is.

[12:52] Lord, we pray your healing hand upon them, That you would restore them to health and strength again, If that be their hope. And those who are, Who would love to be with us this morning, But who are confined to their homes, Through old age or infirmity, We pray, Lord, that you would bless them where they are.

[13:13] We remember them, Lord, And surely they are remembering us at this hour of worship. And we pray that you would undertake for them in all of their names.

[13:24] Bless all those who are mourning the loss of loved ones. And even though we are, The year is still young, You have spoken to us so many times through the voice of death, Reminding us of the brevity of a mortless existence.

[13:41] We pray, Lord, That you would comfort all those who mourn the loss of loved ones. You would reach out to them, Lord, That you would comfort them, And that you would surround them with the arms of your love.

[13:52] And we ask, Lord, That you would richly bless them, And do for them far above, For we are able to ask or think. Pray for the world in which we live, With all its brokenness, For there is war, For there is bloodshed, For there is fighting, For there is hunger, For there is thirst, Where people are Taken away from their countries, From their homes, From their families, We pray, Lord, That you would stand in the midst of all these things, And that you would command your blessing to be upon them, And that many would be brought to know Jesus as their Saviour and friend, And to know his life everlasting.

[14:37] We pray for your persecuted church, Lord, Throughout the length and breadth of our world. Pray that you would surround them, And that you would encourage them and afford them, And that you would do far than above, If we are able to ask our things.

[14:52] And so we pray that you would bless us now, As we wait upon you at this time. Go before us, Lord, And prepare us, For what you have for us, And undertake for us, In our weakness and frailty, Make a glorious name for yourself, Lord, This day.

[15:12] So here as we pray, And forgive us our sins, And accept us free, For Jesus' sake, We ask.

[15:25] Boys and girls, If you'd like to come forward. Now, I wonder what's in this tub here. What's your guess?

[15:39] Glue? Glue. Glue. I'm not going to tell you just now, But, When Carmen took this in for me, And he thought it was, Going to be a long, long, Say, But, Something to me, Doing it.

[15:56] Now, Boys and girls, I'm sure you're missing, Your minister today, He used to speak to you here, You're missing him? Maybe I shouldn't have said that.

[16:07] Well, I'll tell you, I'm missing him very much. Because I would rather him, Be standing here than me. Now, I'm going to tell you a wee story today. We could call it, An Action Story.

[16:21] And the story is about, An old farmer. And he was farming, Up in the hills, And his young grandson, Was living with him.

[16:33] And now, For convenience sake, We'll call the old farmer, We'll call him, Grandpa. And we'll call, The little grandson, We'll call him, Johnny.

[16:45] Now, Johnny loved, His grandpa, And he wanted to please him, And he wanted to be like him, In every way. And every morning, Very early in the morning, Grandpa would get up, And he would sit, At the end of the table, And he would read, His Bible.

[17:09] And Johnny wanted to please his grandpa, And he wanted to be like him, So Johnny, Read his Bible, As well. And after a few days, Johnny said, Grandpa, It's no use, I just can't understand, The things I'm reading, And as soon as I close the book, I just forget, What I've been reading.

[17:39] Grandpa was on his knees, He was setting the fire, Ready for the evening, And grandpa said, Here, You take this, Cold basket, And you go down to the river, And bring me, A basket, Of water.

[18:02] So off went, Johnny, Down to the river, And he dipped the basket, Into the river, And he lifted it up, And all the water, Ran out.

[18:20] He came up to grandpa, And he said, All the water is gone, Grandpa. And grandpa said, You're not trying hard enough, Johnny, Go and get me, A basket of water.

[18:36] So off Johnny goes again, And he dips, The basket in the water, And this time he runs faster. And when he comes to grandpa, The basket, Is empty, Again.

[18:52] And so Johnny goes, And he gets a bucket, I'll get you a bucket of water, Grandpa. And grandpa said, No, no Johnny, I don't want a bucket of water, I want a basket of water.

[19:04] You're just not trying hard enough, Johnny, Off you go. And so, Johnny murmured, And I'll show you this time. And he goes, And he dips his basket, And he runs really hard this time.

[19:17] And he comes up, And the basket, Is empty again. And Johnny says to grandpa, It's just no use, Grandpa.

[19:28] It just can't be done. And grandpa says to Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Have a look at your basket.

[19:38] And for the first time, Johnny takes a look at his basket, And the old, Dirty, Cold basket, Is clean, On the inside, As well, As the outside.

[20:01] Johnny, Said grandpa, That is what, The Bible, Does to your heart. You not, And we, As adults as well, We cannot understand, Everything we read, And we cannot remember, Everything we read.

[20:26] But when we read, The word of God, The Bible, It cleanses, Our hearts. And Johnny, Kept on, Reading his Bible.

[20:40] And when you go, To Sunday school today, Boys and girls, You listen, Really well, To what your, Sunday school teachers, Have to tell you.

[20:52] And one day, You will remember, I learned, This in Sunday school. And you know, Boys and girls, God's time, Is always, Perfect.

[21:07] He will bring back, To your memory, The things that you read, In your Bible, And the things that you learned, In Sunday school. And in his good time, He will bless you.

[21:21] I am sure of that. So you remember, The wee story, About grandpa, And Johnny, And the basket, Of what? Will you?

[21:33] Thank you for listening, And we'll have a wee prayer, Now with you. Dear Lord Jesus, I thank you this morning, For these lovely little children, And young people before us.

[21:50] And we pray, Lord, That you would richly bless, Each and every one of them. That you would keep them safe, Lord, From anything, Or anyone, That would seek, To hurt or hide them.

[22:03] We pray, As they go off, To Sunday school today, That they would learn, Something new, About yourself. And that, In your own good time, Lord, That you would draw them, To yourself, By your spirit.

[22:19] We thank you, That you are saying to us, In your word, Suffer the little children, To come unto me, And forbid them not, For of such, Is the kingdom of heaven.

[22:31] Bless all those, Who teach them, In Sunday school, And day school. Bless all those, Who love them, And care for them, Their mammies, And daddies, Grannies, And grandpas, Brothers, And sisters.

[22:46] Bless them all, We pray thee, And go before us, And keep us all safe, And keep us, Humble at your footstep, Pardon our sins, And accept our sins, For Jesus' sake, Amen.

[23:05] We will sing now, A hymn, It's not in any of the books, But it's on the wall, What can wash away my sin, Just as, The water cleanses the basket, And as the word of God, Cleanses the heart, So we'll sing, What can wash away my sins, Nothing, But the blood, Of Jesus.

[23:28] Thank you.

[23:58] Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

[24:13] O precious is the flow that brings me white as snow. Oh, what a plant I know.

[24:26] Nothing but the blood of Jesus. For my heart and this I see. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

[24:40] For my cleansing lifts my feet. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. O precious is the flow that brings me white as snow.

[24:58] No other plant I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

[25:14] Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Not of good that I have done. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is the flow that brings me white as snow.

[25:34] No other plant I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. This is all my hope and peace.

[25:47] Nothing but the blood of Jesus. This is all my righteousness. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

[25:59] Oh, precious is the blood of Jesus.

[26:22] As our minister so often reminds us, as the children go out, pray for them. Let us now read a portion of God's word together. As we find it in St. Luke's Gospel.

[26:37] And chapter 19. We will pick up the reading at verse 28.

[26:50] St. Luke's Gospel, chapter 19 and verse 28. St. Luke's Gospel, chapter 19 and verse 29.

[27:27] St. Luke's Gospel, chapter 19 and verse 29. And if any man ask you, why do ye lose him? Thus shall ye say unto him, because the Lord hath need of him.

[27:39] And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he hath said unto them. And as they were losing the court, the owners thereof said unto them, Why lose ye the court?

[27:53] And they said, The Lord hath need of him. And they brought him to Jesus, and they cast their garments upon the court. And they said, Jesus, they're on.

[28:05] And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had sent, saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven and glory in the highest.

[28:34] And some of the Pharisees from among the merchants said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you, that if these should hold at peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

[28:51] And when he was come near, he beheld the city and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this day, the things which belonged unto thy peace, but now they are here from thine eyes.

[29:09] For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee around, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee, and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another, because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

[29:41] And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold their ends, and them that bought, saying, Unto them it is written, My house is the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of things.

[29:57] And he taught daily in the temple, but the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people saw to destroy him, and could not find what they must do, for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

[30:16] Amen, and may the Lord add his own blessing to his own holy and inspired world. John McSwin, one of his senior elders, is going to read us in your Dalek prayer now.

[30:32] Thank you, John. We are with his father.

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[40:52] God that has just united hearts in a short word of prayer. Our gracious and ever-blessed God, as we stand before your open word this morning, I pray, Lord, that you would take this service in hand and that you would be my mouthpiece as I attempt to be your poor and humble servant.

[41:23] We pray, Lord, that you would make a glorious name for yourself out of my weakness and out of my frailty and that you would be pleased to undertake for me in your upholding grace and that you would take this service in hand and that all that we would say and do would be to your glory and that the blessing may be ours.

[41:57] Continue with us, we pray, and forgive our sins. For Jesus' sake. Amen. Now for the child that is left to us, let us turn again to that portion of scripture that we read together in St. Luke's Gospel, chapter 19, and we'll read again verses 41 and 42.

[42:27] St. Luke's Gospel, chapter 19, verses 41 and 42, and when he was come near, he beheld the city and wept over it, saying, if thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy days, the things which belong unto thy peace, but now they are taken from thine eyes.

[43:03] Three specific times in the Bible, Jesus wept. I know that there's a few occasions written for us that Jesus wept over Jerusalem, but it is told us that there was three specific occasions that Jesus wept.

[43:25] And the first was before he raised Lazarus from the dead. And that is found in John, chapter 11, verse 35, the shortest verse in the Bible, Jesus wept.

[43:44] The second we have before us and will be the theme of our discourse. And the third is written for us in Hebrews, chapter 5, and verse 7.

[44:02] We have these words, Who in the days of his flesh, that's Jesus, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with crying, with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared.

[44:28] But here in verse 41, it is not a silent whippy when tears blow down the cheeks.

[44:42] But the commentators tell us that Jesus broke out into a strong crying.

[44:52] It was a sudden and violent passion that overtook our Lord. A sudden violent passion gripped him and he broke out in loud crying.

[45:12] Why should our Lord have been so suddenly gripped in this way? Well, if you can picture the sin, picture the sin Jesus was riding on the fall of Anas.

[45:32] This was his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He was riding on the fall of Anas a young donkey. And the commentators tell us that Bethphage and Bethany and the Mount of Olives were to the east of the city of Jerusalem.

[45:58] And as one goes down, as comes over a certain brow of the hill on the Mount of Olives, and as you begin to descend down into the valley of Kidron, and so here you can see a magnificent view.

[46:22] You stand on the top and the brow of this valley and you look down on the city. And it's a magnificent view of the city above it and looking down upon it.

[46:36] The roof of the temple was covered in gold and it shone brilliantly in the sunlight. It was a magnificent sight to behold.

[46:52] And as Jesus wept at the sight of the city, the multitude of his disciples, they sang and danced and rejoiced and they sang their hosannas and shouted their praises, praise be to the king who comes in the name of the Lord.

[47:19] Blessed be the king who comes in the name of the Lord. He knew that those very same people who sang their hosannas and shouted their blessed be the king who comes in the name of the Lord.

[47:42] He knew that these very same people in just a few days' time would cry out, crucify him, crucify him. away with them, away with them.

[47:55] We will not have this man to reign over us. And knowing all of this was tearing and breaking Jesus' blessed heart.

[48:16] He had ministered unto these people over the course of three years. He had healed the sick. He had raised their dead.

[48:31] He had cleansed their lepers. He had fed their hungry. He had forgiven their sins.

[48:43] And yet for the most part he was rejected despised. And as John chapter 1 verse 11 tells us, he came to his own and his own received him not.

[49:06] Jesus knew the heart of these people just as surely as he knows your heart and mine today. and he knows what's going through your mind at this very moment.

[49:22] Oh, that kitchen I was longing for. What's happening in the football today? Wonder how Andy Murray is getting on. He knows your heart, he knows mine.

[49:34] There is nothing hid from him. Our lives is like an open book before. And he knew that those people they wanted an earthly king.

[49:52] A king who would lead them out into their battles who would fight their battles for them who would bring them back again victorious with the spoils of war.

[50:11] They didn't want a spiritual king who would lead them out of the darkness of their sins to the glorious light of the gospel and of God.

[50:28] No, they didn't want that kind of king. it would cramp their style too much.

[50:41] And Jesus knew he would be rejected, he would be despised, he would be ultimately killed.

[50:59] He knew the nest of vipers that he was flaming himself into. And yet, the love and concern of his blessed heart for that city and its people was sin in the tears that he shed for them.

[51:26] Verse 34, verse verse verse verse verse 34, verse 34, verse 34, verse 34, it says, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hand doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not.

[52:05] Wonder if Jesus is weeping over ourselves here today. just picture Jesus on the top of Benayach behind us there, and he's looking down in the village of Tarber, and the surrounding villages, and he's saying, how often I have wept over you, how often I would have gathered you, even as a hand gathereth her cheeks, but you would not, you would not listen to me, you would not have me.

[52:39] Is Jesus speaking to one individual in here today, and is he saying, how often I have spoken to you, how often I have called you, even in the dark watches of the night, I have spoken to you, you did not listen, you did not hear, you did not want me, I would have gathered you, even as a hand gathereth her cheeks, but you would not have me, you would not open the door of your heart to me, you know, my friends, Jesus will not force his way into your heart, heart, Jesus knocks at the door of the heart, and he wants you to open that door, die at times, he says, have banged on that door, wanting to come in, but you would not have me, when you sit in this building

[54:12] Sunday after Sunday, morning and evening, and those of you who come to the prayer meeting on Wednesday, and you're sitting under a faithful ministry, and under the preaching of a faithful servant, and that word is speaking to you, that word is knocking on the door of your heart, and today, this morning, in this service, Jesus is knocking once again, is anyone willing to open their heart to Jesus today, is anyone willing to call out, I am coming, Lord, coming now to me, oh Lord, would you wash me, cleanse me in that precious blood that you shed for me on

[55:19] Calvary, and you know, not only is Jesus weeping over our cities and our villages, and indeed individuals, but he is weeping because he knew what is in the future.

[55:45] Verse 42 in this chapter we read, saying, if thou hadst known, even thou at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from your eyes.

[56:05] The things that were come to pass, they did come to pass, the Roman armies surrounded Jerusalem them in the thousands upon thousands.

[56:20] They dug trenches from above the city, they built wars, and they hemmed them in on all sides. There was no one who could come into the city, there was no one who could come out, there was no way they could get food, and the Romans encamped and sieged the city until the people starved to death.

[56:55] It was one of the most terrible events in history, and commentators tell us that women killed and ate their own husbands.

[57:10] They ate their own babies, their own children. Such was their desperation, such was their hunger. Just imagine the horror of it all.

[57:24] And the women soldiers waited and waited until they knew that the people were so weak and so hungry, and then they charged into the city, and they slaughtered men, women, and children in their thousands.

[57:46] And those who would survive, they carried them, they carried them away, prisoners to Rome, and there they built the Coliseum, and many other places as well.

[58:03] them. Psalm 79 and verse 3 says this, Their blood above Jerusalem like water they have shed, and there was none to bury them when they were slain and dead.

[58:22] the streets of the city, they flowed with blood. And you know the sad thing about this massacre and destruction is that it could have been avoided.

[58:46] these people had heard the gospel for hundreds of years. They were prepared for this very day. They had the prophets.

[58:59] You can think of Noah and the flood. When Noah built the ark miles and miles away from the sea, and he told the people that a big flood was coming, and to turn to God, them, they mocked him.

[59:17] Oh, Noah has lost the flood this time. He's building a ship out of the desert. No water. He's lost his marbles. And they mocked him, and they didn't listen.

[59:31] But the day that God told Noah to go into the ark, himself and his family, and two of every living creature with him, and notice that God closed the door of the ark.

[59:54] And when God closes, no one can open. And the floods rose, and those people believed were too dead.

[60:17] There was Abraham, there was blessed Abraham as well, and he remonstrated with God over Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham, but there wasn't as much as ten Christians in Sodom and Gomorrah that would have saved those two cities.

[60:38] There was Isaiah, who has heard her report, who has believed us, and he proclaimed God's word to the people.

[60:50] They didn't listen. there was Zechariah, chapter 9 and verse 9, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, behold, thy king cometh unto thee.

[61:08] He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon Anas and upon a court, the fall of Anas.

[61:19] Zechariah foretorted, he predicted it. We were singing at the beginning of our service, O that my people had me heard, Israel my ways had chose.

[61:41] Isn't it the same for ourselves today? O that you and I had heard, O that we had chosen Jesus instead of the world.

[61:57] And I remember, my friends, as I can be a wee bit personal, when I came to profess faith in Jesus, there was an old elder walking down to the church one evening and he said to me, don't leave it too late.

[62:24] And the same for you today, my friend, if you are outside the fold of Christ, don't leave it too late.

[62:36] Those people we have been talking about, they didn't listen. We're going to do our own thing. But when destruction and calamity struck, they were too late.

[62:53] As the tree falleth, so shall it lie. There is no forgiveness on the other side of death.

[63:03] today is the appointed time. Today is the day of salvation. These people, they had hundreds of years of warning.

[63:19] They had hundreds of years of preaching and of preparation. Can you say that you haven't heard the word? Yes, you have. You have been prepared for it as well.

[63:33] you have heard. What have you done with it? They didn't know who Jesus was.

[63:52] They didn't recognize him. And as we have already quoted in John 1 11, he came unto his own and his own received him not.

[64:11] Because they did not know him or worse still, they did not want to know him. him. And Jesus as he wept over Jerusalem, he knew that in 40 years time that the Romans would come and besiege that city.

[64:37] Is it any wonder that Jesus wept? Jesus wept over the holy city of Jerusalem. It broke his heart to see it.

[64:51] A story was told of a rich man's son who was about to graduate from university.

[65:03] For months the son was asking his father for a new car. He knew that his father was wealthy and he had plenty of money.

[65:19] More than enough money. And when graduation day came, the young man's father called him into his office, into his study.

[65:33] the father handed him a rock gift and congratulated the new about to be graduate on his achievement.

[65:49] And looking disappointed the son opened the gift to find a lovely leather bound journal.

[65:59] journal. Now my interpretation of a journal would be like an everyday book, a sort of diary. I don't know if I'm right there, but that's my interpretation of it.

[66:13] and this lovely leather bound journal, it was embossed with the young man's name on the cover. And the young man was angry and he just threw the journal down on the table and he stored him down.

[66:32] he hadn't seen his father since graduation day. The years had rolled on, they had passed away.

[66:50] And the son became wealthy and successful like his father before him. He had a beautiful home, a well-paid job, a lovely family.

[67:08] And one day he came to realize that his father was getting old. And he thought to himself, it's time to put the past behind.

[67:24] I'll go home to my father. But at that very moment, a message came through on his phone.

[67:37] Your father has just passed away. And he had to return home to see to his father's estate.

[67:53] father's home. And as the morning son regretfully returned home, he began searching through his father's paper.

[68:08] And he saw that the journal was still where he had left it. And he opened the journal and as he flicked through it, a set of car keys fell from the back of the junk to the floor.

[68:33] A dealer tag was attached to the key that read paid in full. Wherever this car takes you, right above it, and remember it forever more.

[68:54] Love, Dad. And Jesus paid for your own sins and for my sins with his blood, with his precious blood, and he rubber stamped it with these blessed words, paid in full.

[69:14] Love, Jesus. And Jesus decided that none should perish.

[69:29] And how do we know that? Well, 2nd Peter, chapter 3 and verse 9.

[69:41] The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long suffering to his word, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come.

[70:01] You see, Jesus does not force you or me to come, but he decides you to come. We sang at the beginning of service, and I've said it already, oh, that my people had me heard, Israel my ways had chosen, oh, that we, each one of us would choose, the path that Jesus is leading us on, and the path that he decided to go on.

[70:44] Oh, that you had known, these people did not know the one who came to them in love, in mercy, the one of whom the prophet Isaiah wrote in chapter one and verse three.

[71:06] the ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master scribe, but Israel does not know, my people does not consider, they knew not God, they knew God's only son who came to them in mercy.

[71:39] Isaiah chapter 48 verse 18 Oh, that thou had harkened to my commandments, then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.

[72:02] this morning, Jesus bids you to use this your day. Do not linger, do not delay.

[72:19] Today is God's accepted time. Today let him in here, your heart.

[72:32] God be pleased to bless anything that may have been with the mindset of his life.

[72:43] Let's pray. Our gracious God, we thank you this morning for your word, thy word, which is quick and powerful, you sharper than any two-edged sword.

[73:03] We pray, Lord, that each one of us, whether we are Christians or whether we are still out with the fold, that we would be drawn nearer to thee, and those who are still out with thy fold, Lord, that you would draw them to yourself by the power of your spirit.

[73:23] You do not decide that any should perish, but that all may have everlasting life.

[73:35] We pray that you would bless us as we sing your praise in conclusion. We pray that you would bless your servant who would minister your word to us this evening.

[73:48] We ask that the unction of your spirit would undertake for him and that the word he proclaims to us be a living word that would find a straight way into all our hearts and souls.

[74:02] We thank you for our own minister who is back with us this morning and as he goes down to Scarpe this evening to preach your word we pray that you would be with him and that you would undertake for him and that you would church throughout the length and breadth of our land grant Lord that this day would indeed be a great day for the extension of your kingdom when many would be brought to a saving and personal knowledge of Jesus come to know his life ever life go before us into this week that is now opening up before keep us safe Lord and keep us true to yourself and forgive us graciously our innumerable sin we ask it in Jesus precious name for his sake Amen Our final item of praise is hymn number 374 in the red book 374 to

[75:17] God be the glory great things he has done so loved he the world that he gave us to some who yielded his life and atonement for sin and opened the life that all may go in 10 3 7 4 to God's praise and glory hym so may His claims He had done, so loved He the world that He gave us His Son.

[76:05] The ill of His life are now tormented for sin, and over the life in that all be glory.

[76:18] Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice.

[76:33] O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son, and give Him the glory, great things He hath done.

[76:48] To perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, to every believer the promise of God.

[77:01] The light has strengthened, who truly believes, the moment from Jesus the pardon received.

[77:14] Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice.

[77:27] Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice. O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son, and give Him the glory, great things He hath done.

[77:42] Do things He hath taught us great things He hath done. And greater rejoicing through Jesus the Son.

[77:55] But here they our lives have greater will be. We'll be a wonder of our times go when Jesus we see.

[78:10] Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear its voice. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice.

[78:23] O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son, and give it the glory in things he has done.

[78:39] I'd like to invite our minister to come and put the minister down in the tree house. Our Father, once more we thank you for your word spoken through your servant.

[78:54] We pray that you would bless it to us and grant faith that we would respond in a way that would give you the glory. And would assure us with the salvation that is promised in Christ.

[79:06] And now we pray that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father. And the fellowship of God the Holy Spirit would be with us all, both now and forevermore. Amen.