[0:00] Today, the first Lord's Day of a new year, and maybe we are not as active as we were a year ago.
[0:12] I'm not talking about anybody, I'm talking about myself. Maybe it's everything we do, it takes a wee bit longer to do it, but we are thankful to the Lord for how he has helped us and guided us down through the years to this present time.
[0:32] I see a few visitors with us this morning, and a warm welcome to you all. We pray that you would be refreshed in mind, body, and spirit as you worship with us this morning.
[0:45] The psalmist said, So let us worship him together this morning.
[1:06] Let us sing to his praise and glory from Psalm 118. Psalm 118, verse 19.
[1:21] Psalm 118, verse 19. O set ye open unto me the gates of righteousness, then will I enter into them, and I, the Lord, will bless. Down to the end of the verse, Mark 26.
[1:34] Blessed is he in God's great name that cometh us to save. We from the house which to the Lord pertains you, blessed have.
[1:44] Psalm 118, verses 19 to 26. O set ye open unto me the gates of righteousness. O set ye open unto me the gates of righteousness, then will I enter into them, and I, the Lord, will bless.
[2:19] This is the gate of God by it, the just shall enter in.
[2:31] Leave the light place for thou be heard, and hast my safety been.
[2:42] That stone is made, head cornerstone, which builders did despise.
[2:54] This is the doing of the Lord, and wondrous in our eyes.
[3:05] This is the day God made in it, will joy triumphantly.
[3:17] Sing thou, I pray thee, Lord, I pray. Send thou prosperity. Blessed is he in God's great name that cometh us to save.
[3:39] We from the house which to the Lord pertains you, blessed have.
[3:51] Let us come before the Lord in prayer. Let us all pray. Our gracious and ever-blessed God, the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, the uncreated one who was before time began.
[4:19] For you are the creator of all things, sin and unsin. And Lord, as we come into your awesome presence on this, the first Lord's Day of a new year, we thank you, Lord, for the health and strength you have granted to us, allowing us to come into the courts of your house to wait upon you with expectant hearts to hear what you, our God, has to say to us.
[4:54] Not what any preacher has to say or what any preacher can do, but what you, Lord, can do with your own word.
[5:05] And we thank you, Lord, that we can come into your presence, acknowledging that we are unworthy, and yet you call us to come with boldness to the throne of your grace and of your mercy, that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.
[5:30] And, Lord, you know that we need you every moment of every day. We confess, Lord, that without you we can do nothing.
[5:42] But when you are with us in the passion of your Holy Spirit, you enable us to do all things through Jesus Christ, who is our sustainer and our upholder.
[5:55] And we thank you, Lord, for the year that has now closed behind us, a year that has brought us joy and to some great sadness.
[6:09] We thank you, Lord, for the many blessings and mercies we enjoyed from your gracious hand. There are some, Lord, who enjoyed great happiness through members of their families getting married or a child being born into the family, which brings great joy.
[6:33] And we thank you, Lord, for times such as that. And there were also those who mourned the loss of loved ones. We have seen bright lights being extinguished and prayers ceasing.
[6:50] And we pray, Lord, that you would raise up others that would stand in the bridge. And we pray for those who are broken in their hearts and grieving at this time, that you would comfort them and uphold them and do for them, far abundantly above anything that we could ever ask or think on their behalf.
[7:15] And there are others who are laid aside on beds of illness at home or in hospital, for a considerable amount of time.
[7:27] And we continue to pray for them. We pray for all who are under your hand at this time, whether they be in home or at hospital, wherever they may be, whatever their situation.
[7:40] We pray that your healing hand may be upon them. And that you would restore them to health and strength of mind and body again, where that be your gracious will.
[7:52] And those who are still out with the fold of Christ, that you would heal their soul as well as their body. And we pray this morning, Lord, for those who are far from the those who are out in the cold hills of sin and iniquity.
[8:11] That is where we ourselves were. That's where you found us and you brought us in. And we pray, Lord, for those who are still far away from you.
[8:23] They are in our own homes, in our own families, in our villages, in our neighborhoods, in our islands and highlands. And to the ends of the earth there are men and women and boys and girls.
[8:37] And we pray, Lord, that you would bring your sons from afar and your daughters from the ends of the earth. That we would see your kingdom extended with power.
[8:48] And that we would see glorious things being done in the name of your son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That you, O Lord, would be lifted up and that many would be drawn to thee.
[9:01] And we pray, Lord, that you would bless every denomination of your church to the ends of the earth. Where your word is proclaimed in spirit and in truth.
[9:14] We pray, Lord, that you would bless the good seed of the gospel that will be sown this day. We pray that it would be indeed truly watered by the prayers of your praying people.
[9:27] And that you, our God, would give the increase in your good and perfect time. We thank you, Lord, for our congregation here. We pray for our minister and his family who are away from us at this time.
[9:41] We pray that you would grant them journeying mercies as they return home. To take up again the mantle of the gospel that you have entrusted to him. We pray that you would bless him in his home in the pulpit.
[9:55] And amongst the flock you have given him to shepherd. And we pray, Lord, that you would grant him souls as a reward for his faithfulness to your cause and to your word.
[10:08] We pray for our minister in training, Scott McLeod. We thank you for him and for his family. We pray that your blessing to be upon him.
[10:20] And that you would continue to strengthen and uphold him as he proclaims your word. In not only in our own congregation here.
[10:32] But wherever he stands to proclaim the riches of your gospel. That you would be with him. And that you would bless him and encourage him. We also pray for Gordon as he seeks to continue his studies.
[10:48] Whatever door you open for him, Lord. We pray that you would bless him and his family likewise. And that you would strengthen him and encourage him in all that he does.
[11:02] Pray for Stuart as he opens up your word in Kalanish this morning. We pray the unction of your spirit to be upon him and upon that congregation. And Gordon as he opens your word in Kalanish this evening.
[11:17] We pray your blessing on all that will be done. That it would bring honor and glory and praise to your most holy name. We pray for all the congregations in our islands that are vacant at this time.
[11:31] And we ask Lord that you yourself would raise up men of your choosing. Who would fill the bridges in those congregations.
[11:42] And we ask Lord that you yourself would be at work in the heart and soul of all those. That you wish to call and that you would make known to them.
[11:55] That you decide for them to take up this mantle. We pray Lord for our own congregation, the members, the adherents.
[12:07] We ask Lord that you would bless each one of them. And that you would be very near to them. And undertake for them in all of their needs. We pray now that you would bless our time together.
[12:19] As we sing your praises. As we read your word. And as we seek to meditate upon your word. We pray Lord that we would be conscious of your spirit moving in our midst at this time.
[12:34] And that you yourself Lord would take our service in hand. And that you would bless us as we continue to wait upon us. So we pray now that you would shine on us with the light of your gracious countenance.
[12:48] And that the peace of God which surpasses human understanding would be our rich portion. So hear our prayers and continue with us. And cleanse us from all our sins and failures.
[13:01] In Jesus name we ask and for his sake. Amen. Boys and girls. Would you like to come forward?
[13:12] Now boys and girls.
[13:30] I know that Christmas is over. And I'm sure you've all had lots of lovely gifts. Yes? Mmm. Yes.
[13:41] Now then. I don't know what you normally play with. You probably have a computer. You probably have an iPhone.
[13:52] You probably have electronic games. I don't know. But you know. When I was a wee boy growing up. There was no computers.
[14:03] There was no phones in the houses. We had to go to a kiosk. To make a phone call. So little boys like me. We had to make our own toys. I remember one of my elder brothers.
[14:14] She made me a wee boat. It just shaped a bit of wood. And he stuck another bit of wood on top of it for a deck. And he put a nail in it for a mast. And I was so proud of that little boat.
[14:25] And there was a pond just in the back of our craft. And I used to go to sail that boat. And I used to load it up with stones. And sometimes just put mud on it. And it sailed beautifully.
[14:36] Sometimes I didn't load it very well. And it capsized. I'm going to tell you a story about a wee boy. And this wee boy, he got, .
[14:55] . . . . .
[15:06] a model. He had to build his own boat. It wasn't any, this is a cracker isn't it? And I got a loan of this, and I'm very grateful that I got a loan of this boat from some kind person.
[15:26] I have to take it back again very carefully. Anyway, the boy got a kit, and he began to build his own boat. And it took, it's not days he took, it took weeks before he managed to build his boat.
[15:47] And he loved, he loved his boat. And when it was finished, he took it to a stretch of open water that was near his house. And it was a sailing boat. So he put sails on, you see the masts there, and there's lots of riggings here. We could put sails on this boat and make it sail nicely. It would be better than the Glen Sanox maybe.
[16:14] And anyway, this little boy, he put the sails on the boat, and he took it down to the stretch of water. And he put the boat in the water, and he did a wee push, and this boat sailed beautifully.
[16:33] It was a nice calm day. It was a nice calm day. He had to wait for a calm day before he loosed his boat, and he pushed the boat, and it sailed beautifully. But then something happened.
[16:45] Something happened. A gust of wind came, and the sails filled up, and the boat sailed off. And the boy was delighted. It's sailing, it's so beautiful sailing away.
[17:01] But then he realized, but then he realized, it's going too far, and he started waving everything to the water after his boat. But the water was so deep, he had to turn back.
[17:13] And the boat kept on, and the boat kept on. And the boat kept on. And it got smaller and smaller, until he vanished out of sight. He lost his boat on the first day that he sailed it. He lost his boat.
[17:29] And the boat. He fell to the boat. He fell to the ground, and he cried. He was hard. And when he went home, and he saw his mum, and he burst into tears, and he said, oh, did the boat not sail there?
[17:47] And he said, yes, it sailed too well. It sailed away and I've lost it. And he was so sad.
[18:02] And then one day, he was walking down the town where he stayed. And there was a Jumboer sale shop.
[18:12] And he stopped at the Jumboer sale shop. And he looked in the window. And what do you think was in the window of the shop? What do you think it was?
[18:27] The boat. I knew I could depend on you. There was his boat in the window of the shop. And the boy trotted in.
[18:38] He didn't speak to the shoppingkeeper. He grabbed the boat and put it down. And he said, this is my boat. And the shopkeeper, hold on a minute. And the boy said, I made this boat.
[18:51] Look, there's my initials. There's nothing here. I put my initials on the bottom of this boat. It's mine. And the shopkeeper said, if you want that boat, you have to pay for it.
[19:08] Someone brought in this boat. And I papered it. So you have to pay for this boat if you want. So the boy went home. And he got himself some odd jobs.
[19:21] And he made money along with his pocket money. And after a few weeks, he had enough money to buy his boat back. So off he went to the shop.
[19:34] He put his money on the counter. And he got his boat. And as he went out the door, he held it to his chest. He loved his boat so much.
[19:44] And he was here to say, little boat, you are now mine twice. Because I made you.
[19:56] And now I have bought you. Do you know, boys and girls? Jesus is saying that if you come to Jesus and you give him your heart.
[20:11] And you believe in Jesus with all your heart. And you trust him. And you ask him to come into your heart. And help you to lead a good life.
[20:24] And to trust him. And Jesus will say, you are now mine twice. Because I created you.
[20:35] I made you. And now I have bought you. Did you know how Jesus bought you? If you give your life to Jesus, how will Jesus buy you?
[20:48] Is it with money? What is it? With his? That's the one. Jesus says, I made you.
[21:01] And I bought you with my blood. That I shed at the cross of Calvary. And so, boys and girls. If you remember the story of the wee boy.
[21:13] And the sailing boat. He made it. And then he bought it again. And he said, you are mine twice. Because I made you.
[21:24] And I bought you. And that is what Jesus will say to you. And to everyone else who gives them their heart. He will say, I love you so much.
[21:36] That I made you. And now I have bought you. And I will never leave you. I forsake you. The Bible says, Jesus said, Suffer the little children to come unto me.
[21:53] And forbid them not. For of such is the kingdom of God. We'll have a wee prayer. And then our hymn. And you go off to your Sunday school.
[22:07] Dear Lord Jesus. We thank you for these lovely children before us this morning. And we pray, Lord. That as they go to Sunday school.
[22:18] That they would learn something new about you this morning. We pray, Lord. That you would bless them. That you would speak to them through your word.
[22:29] And that the day would come when you could truly say about each one of them. I made you. And I bought you. And now you are forever mine.
[22:41] And so, Lord. Be pleased to bless them. And bless all those who teach them. We thank you for the gifts you have given them. And enable them to do your work here on earth.
[22:56] And so, bless us and continue with us. And take away from us anything that would stand between us and myself. So, hear our prayers and forgive us our sins.
[23:10] For Jesus' sake. Amen. Now we're going to sing in hymn 475.
[23:21] And that's in the red book. We have heard a joyful sound. Jesus saves. Jesus saves. Spread the darkness all around.
[23:43] Jesus saves. The world will join the sound, Jesus saves. Spread the darkness all around, Jesus saves.
[23:58] Hear the news to every land, Like the sea, star cross the ways, Onward is our Lord's command, Jesus saves.
[24:15] With love a rolling tide, Jesus saves. Tell to sinners far and wide, Jesus saves.
[24:29] Say the islands of the sea, Echo, bark ye ocean caves, Earth shall keep our jupiny, Jesus saves.
[24:45] Sing above the battle's sky, Jesus saves. By his death, an endless line, Jesus saves.
[24:59] Sing it softly through the gloom, When the heart for mercy prays, Sing in triumph for the tune, Jesus saves.
[25:14] Sing in triumph for the tune, Jesus saves. Jesus saves. Let the nations now rejoice, Jesus saves.
[25:29] Shirts our nation, full and free, Perished and that ocean waves, This our song of victory, Jesus saves.
[25:43] As our own minister so often says, As the children go out, pray for them.
[25:58] Our scripture reading this morning is taken from the Old Testament And the book of Genesis, chapter 3.
[26:17] The book of Genesis and chapter 3. Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
[26:29] He said to the woman, Did God actually say, You shall not eat of any tree in the garden? And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden.
[26:42] But God said, You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden. Neither shall you touch it, lest you die. But the serpent said to the woman, You will not surely die.
[26:57] For God knows that when you eat of it, Your eyes will be opened, And you will be like God, Knowing good and evil. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, And that it was a delight to the eyes, And that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, She took of its fruit and ate, And she also gave some to her husband who was with her, And he ate.
[27:25] Then the eyes of both were opened, And they knew that they were naked, And they sewed fig leaves together, And made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
[27:41] And the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, Where are you?
[27:54] And he said, I heard the sound of you in the garden, And I was afraid, Because I was naked, And I hid myself. He said, Who told you that you were naked?
[28:07] Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat? The man said, The woman whom you gave to be with me, She gave me of the fruit of the tree, And I ate.
[28:19] Then the Lord God said to the woman, What is this that you have done? The woman said, The serpent deceived me, And I ate.
[28:31] The Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all livestock, And above all beasts of the field. On your belly you shall go, And dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
[28:45] I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your offspring and her offspring. He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise his heel.
[28:59] To the woman he said, I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing. In pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, But he shall rule over you.
[29:14] And to Adam he said, Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, And have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, You shall not eat of it.
[29:26] Cursed is the ground because of you. In pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the plants of the field.
[29:39] By the sweat of your fists you shall eat bread, Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken, For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.
[29:52] The man called his wife's name Eve, Because she was the mother of all living. And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, And clothed them.
[30:04] Then the Lord God said, Behold, The man has become like one of us, In knowing good and evil. Now lest he reach out his hand, And take also of the tree of life in it, And live forever.
[30:19] Therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, To work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, And at the east of the garden of Eden, He placed the shed of him, And a flaming sword that turned every way, To guard the way to the tree of life.
[30:41] Amen. And we know that God will bless his own holy and inspired world. We are now going to sing in Gaelic, Psalm 118, Verses 19 to 21.
[31:01] NINGNINGNING!
[31:12] NING!NINGNINGNING!
[31:42] NINGNINGNING!NINGNING . Thank you.
[32:47] Thank you.
[33:17] Thank you.
[33:47] Thank you.
[34:17] Thank you.
[34:47] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[35:01] Thank you. Thank you.
[36:01] Thank you. Thank you.
[36:33] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[36:45] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. that that world would find a straight way into our hearts and souls, bringing forth an abundant harvest for your glory and for the good of our mortal souls.
[37:04] So hear our prayers and forgive graciously all our sins and failures. In Jesus' name we ask and for his sake. Amen.
[37:21] Our text this morning is taken from St. John's Gospel, chapter 10 and at verse 9, where Jesus says, I am the door.
[37:41] By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture. Jesus says, I am the door.
[38:03] What open door has God set before each one of us this morning? It goes without saying that a door has to be shut before it can be opened.
[38:18] So we can turn to Genesis chapter 1 and verse 27, which says, So God created man in his own image.
[38:32] In the image of God created he him. Male and female created he them. And this was on the sixth day.
[38:47] And God finished all of his creation. And see what he says in verse 31. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
[39:07] Everything that he made, it was perfect. Three things I would like to draw your attention to this morning.
[39:21] And the first is the door we closed on ourselves by sinning against God. The second is the door Jesus opened up for us at Calvary.
[39:40] And the third is the open door that has set before us this morning. So first of all then, the door we closed on ourselves.
[39:57] When God created Adam and Eve, our first parents, he created them in a state of perfect innocence.
[40:10] Perfect innocence and holiness. They were in perfect harmony with their creator. And they were obedient to him in all things.
[40:26] Our first parents in their state of original innocence were the happy friends of God without sorrow, without suffering of any kind.
[40:40] now if we turn to Genesis chapter 2 and verse 8 and this is what we see.
[40:55] And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden and there he put the man whom he had formed. He put Adam into the garden of Eden to tend the garden and to look after it.
[41:17] This is the environment in which God placed his first parents. I know I'm sure that you are the same as I am.
[41:27] There are some things in the Bible that we just cannot understand. and one thing that I think about quite a lot is the amount of people in the world millions and millions of people in the world and millions and millions of people who have departed this world into eternity.
[41:56] Where would all those people be if Adam and Eve hadn't eaten of the forbidden fruit? And I searched and this is what one of the commentators said and I quote that God wanted to test the obedience of Adam and Eve.
[42:25] He gave them leave to do as they pleased. He gave them leave to eat of every tree in the garden except the tree of knowledge and good of good and evil.
[42:43] That is the one tree that God commanded our first parents. The day you eat of it you will surely die.
[42:56] Now God's intention for our first parents had they been faithful and obedient to his command and will was that they were to be to have a constant state of holiness and happiness in this life and everlasting glory in the next.
[43:18] our first parents and their children were not to remain in the garden of even forever but were after spending their allotted time of trial or testing upon earth to be taken body and soul into heaven without being obliged to die unquote if we turn to Genesis chapter 5 and verse 24 Enoch walked with God then he was no more because God took him 2nd Kings chapter 2 verses verse 11 as they were walking along and talking together that is Elijah and Elisha suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated them and
[44:24] Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind the Bible does not tell us specifically why God took took Enoch and Elijah to heaven without tasting death but Psalm 18 and verse 30 tells us as for God perfect is his ways if we go back to Genesis chapter 3 and verse 6 we see that Adam and Eve are not obedient to God's command when Satan slithered into the garden of Eden in the form of a serpent our first parents were far too easily taken in by
[45:25] Satan's slick talk that made everything so attractive before we go on may I put a question to you would you would I have done any better than our first parents now I can't answer for you but I am pretty sure that I could not have done any better than our first parents did it's so easy for us to point the finger at other people's failings and failures and return a blind eye to our own failures and our own shortcoming in disobeying God's command and eating the forbidden fruit sin and pain and suffering and sorrow and death came into their experience and is with us until this present day when we turn on the news and
[46:44] TV channels or on the radio how depressing all you hear is war in different countries murders and rapes and man's brutality towards his fellow being our own nation of Scotland once known as the land of the book where we sent missionaries overseas and now our nation of Scotland is classed as an unreached nation where missionaries have to come and preach the word to us that so far we have turned our backs on God but he hasn't turned his back on us his arms are still stretched out and his hands are open and he is still calling sinners like you and me to come to himself and all who come to him he will never cast aside a story was told of a rich landlord who devised a clever plan for teaching his his tenants how faith secures forgiveness of sins while and belief shuts out one from the glories of heaven a lot of people owed him several years rent and he posted a notice promising remission of back
[48:41] Jews to anyone who would meet him in his office on a certain day before midday there and on the appointed day the man opened up his office and he waited waited and waited and the crowds gathered in the streets and they talked and they talked nobody went in on the open door until just before midday there was one man he was delayed and he came rushing up and in through the door he goes and he went up to the landlord and he says I have come to direct my remission and the man said do you really expect to be forgiven and the man said yes you promised and are you worthy of it well there was nothing said about that you just told us to come but are you a good man are you a hard working man well you told us nothing about that either so the landlord said do you believe you believed when
[50:03] I said that if you came you would be forgiven of all this debt and the man said yes indeed I do believe you and the landlord took his bill and he stamped on it paid in full and just as the clock struck midday he went rushing out to the office waving his bill I'm free and the rest of the people gathered in the street they rushed to the door and the door was closed it was locked they were too lit you see my friends Jesus is saying today I have set an open door before you and that door is going to close one day this little story reminds me of
[51:07] Noah and the ark when God commanded Noah to build a huge big ship the ark where did he build it near the sea he built it in the desert miles and miles away from anywhere and it took Noah 100 years to build the ark and he preached to the people and he told them that there was a huge flood coming and to make a preparation they didn't listen they mocked and they said poor Noah he's building a huge big ship in the middle of the desert the sun must be getting to him he's got sun stroke and they mocked him but the day came when
[52:10] God told Noah to take two of every living animal bird creepy crawly two of everything into the ark and Genesis chapter 7 and verse 16 tells us God closed the door all the people the fountains of the deep sprung into life and the flood gates of heaven burst!
[52:50] open and the earth began to fill up the people rushed to the door of the ark and again it was closed it was too late they were carried away in the flood this then is the door that we closed on ourselves secondly the door Jesus opened up for us on the cross and you'll be pleased to hear that the next two points are not quite so long it's interesting to note that when God closes one door he will open another one when the time was right and in the fullness of time God sent his son Jesus into this sin stained and deprived world to take upon himself our humanity to be black unto us he had the same feelings he was born as a little child in the humility of a stable no room for the king of glory in the inn his bed was a manger where animals ate from he came to serve not to be served he came in humility creator of the whole world his mission to serve the beginning of
[54:40] Jesus public ministry was marked by his baptism baptized by John in the river Jordan and John initially resisted recognizing Jesus sinless spotless nature but Jesus compelled him for so it must be that scripture be fulfilled and after Jesus was baptized and coming up out of the water Matthew chapter 3 16 tells us and lo the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the spirit of God descending upon him and a voice from heaven saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased following Jesus baptism his earthly ministry began he traveled through
[55:45] Galilee and surrounding regions proclaiming the love and mercy and justice of a loving God toward a sinful people he used simple stories parables everyday things that people were acquainted with and he did that to get his message across no one ever preached as simple as Jesus did even a little child could understand it he demonstrated God's power over nature over disease over demons and death he fed thousands with five loaves and a couple of fish he walked on water healed the sick gave sight to the blind and stopped the ears of the dead raised the dead back to life!
[56:53] And throughout this earthly ministry Jesus fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies prophecies which confirmed his identity as the promised Messiah God and when his short ministry on earth was over he went to Jerusalem and in the garden of Gethsemane we see Jesus with his disciples and he took Peter James and John with him and he told them stay ye here watch and pray while I go yonder and after going a distance Jesus fell down on his knees and he prayed to God the Father to take this cup away and
[57:58] Jesus he sweated great drops of blood such was his anguish and what caused Jesus his anguish that he sweated great drops of blood what was it that was in that cup that caused his anguish where it was your sins and my sins and every believer passed present and still to confess their sins were compacted into that cup and if it were only my sins that would have been more than enough!
[58:50] But the sins of the whole world were there and Jesus wants your sins there!
[59:05] so that you and I can enjoy eternal life with him! In his final moments Jesus prayed for those who crucified him father forgive them for they know not what to do!
[59:29] And with his final breath he cries out it is finished and he yields up his spirit and the veil of the temple was torn from the top to the bottom and this is the door that Jesus opened up for us as we heard in our Gaelic service last week the veil of the temple and only the high priest could go in not through the but round the end of it once a year and he never went in without blood and here when Jesus cried with a loud voice it is finished that veil could separate us from the holy of holies was torn from the top to the bottom and an access was allowed us we can come with boldness to that throne of grace that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need
[60:51] Jesus Christ he was to veil to the holy of holies and through his death the faithful now have free access to God!
[61:12] and finally and your time is slipping away the open door that is set before each one of us this morning in John chapter 10 and verse 9 Jesus says I am the door now in the days of Jesus shepherds were out in the fields day and night looking after their sheep and when night time came the shepherd would put the sheep into the fort into the sheep fort and there was no door on the fort and the shepherd would lie down in the doorway during the night so that anything that tried to get in the shepherd would fill it and anything that tried to get out the shepherd would also fill it and
[62:17] Jesus this is the metaphor Jesus is making for us he is the door we have to come through him no one can come to God the father except through Jesus the son this morning we have an access to that door Jesus is calling us to come and all who come to him he will never cast out and all who call upon his name they will be saved it it is strewn with boulders it is strewn with all kinds of trouble it is winding but it leads to everlasting!
[63:52] life is that the path you are on this morning or are you on the broad way it is so straight and it is so easy to walk but it leads to utter darkness and despair and separation from God at the end of time in Acts chapter 16 we have an account of the Philippian jailer thinking that Paul and Silas and the other prisoners had escaped he was about to fall on his sword when Paul cried out with a loud voice do thyself no harm for we are all here then the Philippian jailer came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas and said sir what must I do to be saved and they said to him believe in the
[64:57] Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved you know friends I believe the greatest sin we are guilty of is the sin of unbelief the wonderful promises we have in scripture do you and I take them to heart and I so often and I have to hold my hands up I so often fail in that way do we grasp them do we embrace them with grateful thanks and joy it's a question that only you and I can answer we need to answer it truthfully Romans chapter 10 verse 13 we've quoted a river whoever shall call in the name of the Lord shall be saved story to finish off with a young man came to a distinguished university professor with great pressure and he told him that the desires of his heart were finally fulfilled he was to become a lawyer and the professor said oh well that's great but what next and the young man said then
[66:18] I shall get my degree and then said the professor then I shall get difficult cases and win fame and honour and then says the professor then I shall be promoted and I get rich and then yes indeed what then if the richest of the world is all we have at the end of our days we have nothing but if you are rich toward God then you will have eternal life you know my friends we can sail we can sail the oceans of life without a king!
[67:17] without Christ but what about the dogging many a soul made shipwreck with the harbored lights in view outside the city of London a tombstone can be sent with the inscription passerby stop and think I am in eternity you are on the brink what path is it are you on this morning are you on the narrow path that leads to eternal life or are you on the broad path that leads to utter darkness and despair and separation from
[68:18] God forever the door we closed on ourselves by sinning against God the door Jesus opened for us at Calvary the open door that is set before you this morning are you going in on that open door remember my friend that door is going to close one day when God closes the door there is no human on earth that will open it again no amount of praying and no amount of tears shed will ever open that door again I urge you this morning if you are still out with the fold of Christ don't play about with your eternal destiny come to
[69:22] Jesus while it is today the Bible never talks about tomorrow it is always today today if you hear his voice harden not your heart come to him go through the open door and you will have eternal life let's pray your gracious and ever blessed God we thank you for your word and we pray Lord that you would bless that word to us the doors we have tried to explain in some small way and we ask Lord that each one of us would be found going in on the door that is opened before us this morning that narrow door that narrow winding path that leads to everlasting life and glory with yourself
[70:26] O Lord we pray that you would make each one of us wise to our salvation and that we would be found fleeing from the wrath to come and fleeing to the open arms of Jesus to find mercy and grace that will help us in our time of need and so we pray that you would bless our time together bless us as we sing your praises in conclusion and as another week opens up before us may we be drawn that bit closer to yourself and that you yourself Lord would lead us and guide us and undertake for us in all that we would say and do hear our prayers and continue with us and forgive us graciously our sins for Jesus sake Amen our final praise is a hymn that
[71:33] Reverend Roddy Morrison introduced to us some years ago it's not in any hymn book but we have it here on our screen we are indeed grateful to Reverend Roddy and Chris son for their time with us over the years and their faithfulness and remembering us every week at the throne of grace and we pray God's blessing on them and their family so life at best is very brief like the falling of a lift like the binding of a sheep be in time and that open door that is set before us be in time go through the open door before it closes for the last time let us stand and sing this hymn to God's gloryNING!
[72:26] NINGNINGNING!
[72:41] NING!NING!NING!NINGNING Fleeting days are telling past that the die will soon be cast and the fatal line be passed.
[73:04] Be in time, be in time, be in time, while the voice of Jesus calls you be in time.
[73:16] If it's in you longer wait, you may find no open gate, and you'll try be just too late, be in time.
[73:28] Fear, flowers, sun, decay, youth and beauty pass away, oh you have not long to stay, be in time. While God's spirit bids you come, sinner do not longer roam, lest you seal your hopeless doom, be in time.
[73:49] Be in time, be in time, while the voice of Jesus calls you be in time. If it's in you longer wait, you may find no open gate, and you'll cry be just too late, be in time.
[74:10] Time is gliding swiftly by, death and judgment draweth nigh, to the arms of Jesus fly, be in time. Oh, I pray you come to cross, ere the fatal line be crossed, and your soul in hell be lost, be in time.
[74:32] Be in time, be in time, be in time, while the voice of Jesus calls you be in time. If it's in you longer wait, you may find no open gate, and you'll cry be just too late, be in time.
[74:53] Send and hear the warning voice, give the Lord your final choice, then all heaven will rejoice, be in time. Come from darkness into light, come let Jesus make you right.
[75:08] I'll receive the light tonight, be in time, be in time, be in time.
[75:19] While the voice of Jesus calls you be in time. If it's in you longer wait, you may find no open gate, and you'll cry be just too late, be in time.
[75:34] Amen. And now may grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, one God blessed forever, rest on and abide with each one of us, and with all of those we love and hold dear, and with all of God's people everywhere, this day forth and forevermore.
[76:01] Amen.