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Well, good evening everyone and a warm welcome to our evening service.
! I'm sure you've all seen the notices on screen. I'd just like to highlight two or three of them.! First of all, there's the holiday club that begins on Monday, Wednesday, sorry, Wednesday, Wednesday to Friday, 10.15 to 12.30pm and I'm sure that there is still space for anybody who wants to help. The help would be very grateful. There's also the Deacon's Court meeting Tuesday at half past six in the hall next door and the most important meeting of the week, the Wednesday evening prayer meeting.
Someone once said that the prayer meeting is the engine room of the church and we are all encouraged to be at that meeting. The psalmist said, 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. Let us worship him tonight. Let us sing together to his praise and glory. We're going to sing in Gaelic. Psalm 118 and at verse 20.
Psalm 118 and at verse 20.
Psalm 118 and at verse 20.
Psalm 118 and at verse 21. Psalm 118 and at verse 21.
Psalm 118 and at verse 21.
Psalm 118 and at verse 21. Psalm 118 and at verse 21. Psalm 118 and at verse 21.
Psalm 118 and at verse 21. Psalm 118 and at verse 21. Psalm 112.
Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh
Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh
Oh Let us unite our hearts and pray. Let us all pray. Though gracious and ever blessed God who has brought us together this evening, at the evening at the evening and of prayer.
And Lord, we pray that you would still our hearts and that we would truly know that we are in the presence of the living God. The God who sees us, who knows us by your name, who knows our thoughts and the words that we speak before we address us.
The God who sees us, who knows us by your name, who knows our thoughts and the words that we speak before we address us. The words that we speak before we utter them.
You search us and you know us, our down-sitting, our uprising, our going out and coming in. And Lord, search your hearts tonight and take away from us everything that is unworthy of the name that we bear.
And Lord, that it would please thee to create within us a clean heart. And that you would renew a right spirit inside.
A spirit that would enable us to worship you in spirit and in truth. We were singing at the beginning of our service.
This is the door of God by it, the just shall enter in. Thee will I praise for thou me heardst and hast my safety been.
The stone that was, that made head corner stone that builders did despise. This is the doing of the Lord and it's wondrous in our eyes.
And we thank you, Lord, for all that you have done for us in Christ Jesus. When in the fullness of time you sent the darling of your bosom, our Saviour Jesus Christ, into this sin-stained and defiled world, to take upon himself our humanity, being likened to us in all aspects of life, yet without sin.
And he who could do no sin was made sin for us, so that through his death and glorious resurrection from the dead, that we may have life and have it in all its fullness.
And we thank you, Lord, that this evening your arms are stretched forth, your hands are open, and you are calling sinners to come to yourself.
And all who come to you, you have promised that you will in no wise cast out. And so, Lord, we pray that you would make us wise to our salvation, that we would be found fleeing from the wrath to come.
That we would be found fleeing to the open arms of Jesus, there to find forgiveness and mercy and grace to help us in your time of need.
And, Lord, you know that we need you every moment of every day. For without you, we are nothing and we can do nothing.
But when you are with us in the passion of your Holy Spirit, you enable us to do all things through Christ Jesus, who is our sustainer and our upholder.
We thank you, Lord, for all you have done for us down through the years. You have been our help in times gone by. You are our hope in times to come.
And as one of all said, to whom else can we go to? For the saving of our souls, save unto thee alone. You have the words of eternal life.
And we pray this evening, Lord, for those who are still out with the fold. They are so numerous. They are in our own household, in our own family, in our villages and neighborhoods, in our islands and highlands and to the ends of the earth.
There are men and women and boys and girls. And they are still out in the cold hills of sin and iniquity. And those are the people that you have come to seek.
That is where you found ourselves, Lord. And what you have done for us, you are able to do for those who are still on the outside.
Oh, that you would speak to them a word in season. That they would come to accept you as their own personal saviour and friend. Whom to know is life everlasting.
We pray, Lord, that you would bring your sons from afar. Your daughters from the ends of the earth. And that we would see your kingdom extended with power.
Your name lifted up and many drawn to you. We pray your blessing on all that has been done this day in your name.
In all denominations of your church to the ends of the earth. For your word has been proclaimed in spirit and in truth.
We pray, Lord, that that good seed may indeed be watered by the prayers of your praying people. And that you, our God, would give the increase in your good and perfect time.
We thank you, Lord, for Stuart and the word he gave us this morning. And as he prepares to start, begin his studies in just over a month's time.
We pray your rich blessing to be upon him and upon all the family in all that lies ahead of them. We thank you for Gordon, who is with us this evening.
We praise you, Lord, and thank you for the work he has been doing in the past couple of years. We pray that you would richly bless his ministry in Helmsdale.
And we ask that you would continue with us, with him as he continues in his studies. We thank you, Lord, for Reverend Scott, who has been with us for nearly two years.
And the blessings we have enjoyed under his preaching. We pray for him and for Fiona and the family as they make the transition to gravel.
And as they look forward to being brought into that congregation, we pray, Lord, your rich blessing upon them.
That you would bless the ministry there and that they would see the congregation growing day by day. We pray, Lord, that you would bless all other servants of the cross who go forward in the name of Jesus.
And we pray for all the vacant congregations in our islands and highlands. And you would fill these congregations with men chosen by you.
And we ask, Lord, that you would be at work in all that we would seek to do. That we would bring honour, glory and praise to your holy name.
We pray for all those who are laid aside on beds of illness this evening. Some in hospital, some in their own homes. We pray that you would lay your healing hand upon them.
That you would restore them to health and strength again, for that be your gracious will. And we commit them into your care and keeping. And those who care for them and who love them and who are concerned for them.
Comfort them and uphold them. And do for them above our asking or thinking. Be with all those who mourn the loss of loved ones in the days and the weeks.
Even in the months and the years that are gone by. When the ones may be as sore and open as ever they were. Comfort them and uphold them.
Encircle them in the arms of your love. And do for them Lord exceedingly far above anything we are able to ask or think. And so we pray that you would bless our time together this evening.
As we sing your praises and as we read your word. And as we seek to meditate upon that word. In the prayers of your praying people, private and public.
May all rise up to you as a sweet smelling savor. And that the blessing of heaven would be ours. Continue with us now then we pray thee.
May the light of your countenance shine upon us. And your peace which surpasses human understanding. Be each one of us rich portion. So hear our prayers.
Forgive graciously all our sins and failures. We ask all things in Jesus name and for his sake. Amen. We continue to sing in Mission Praise 1116.
There is a higher throne than all this world has known. Where faithful ones from every tongue will one day come. Before the sun will stand.
Made faultless through the lamb. Believing hearts find promise grace. Salvation comes. Mission Praise 1116. To God's glory. There is a higher throne.
There is a higher throne than all this world has known.
Where faithful ones from every tongue will one day come. May faultless through the lamb. The sun will stand. The sun will stand. May faultless through the lamb. Believe in hearts find promise. May faultless through the lamb. Believe in hearts find promise. The sun will stand. May God's grace. May faultless through the lamb. Believe in hearts find promise.
May God's grace. Salvation comes. Hear heaven. Hear heaven's voice. Hear heaven's voice. Hear heaven's voice. Hear heaven's voice. will one day come before the sun will stand being faultless through the land believing hearts my promise made salvation come hear heaven's voices sing their thunderous at the brains to the emblem courts at our skies their praises rise of glory blessed by 10,000 dawn and hour to God our King who reigns on high whatever more and there we'll find our hope our fight before the throne will honor him in perfect song where we belong he'll wipe you tears they die as first unclogged
I along becomes a shepherd king we'll wait with him hear heaven's voices sing their thunderous and who reigns to!
!!!!! two readings tonight a short one and a comparatively longer one both in the book of Genesis the first reading is in Genesis chapter 1 and the first four verses of the chapter in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and the earth was without forum and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and God said let there be light and there was light and God saw the light that it was good and God divided the light from the darkness and then in Genesis chapter 3 now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord
God had made and he said unto the woman yea hath God said ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden and the woman said unto the serpent we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God hath said ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye die and the serpent said unto the woman ye shall not surely die for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil and when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise she took of the fruit thereof and did it and gave also unto her husband with her and he did it and the eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons and they heard the voice of the Lord
God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden and the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him where art thou and he said I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself and he said who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat and the man said the woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did it and the Lord God said unto the woman what is this that thou hast done and the woman said the serpent beguiled me and I did eat and the
Lord God said unto the serpent because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life and I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his hill unto the woman he said I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children and thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee and unto Adam he said because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree of which
I commanded thee saying thou shalt not eat of it cursed is the ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee and thou shalt eat the herb of the field in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground for out of it wast thou taken for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return Amen We will finish our reading there and we pray that God will bless to us the reading of his most holy and inspired word We'll sing again to God's praise in the psalter psalm 24 psalm 24 and verses 7 to 10 ye ye ye
Ye doors that last for a of glory entering.
But who of glory is the King? The mighty Lord is this, in that sick Lord that he denied and strong in battle is.
In that sick Lord that great day might and strong in battle is.
Ye kids lift up your heads, ye doors, doors that last for a of glory entering.
Be lifted up the sovereign King, all glory entering.
But who is he that is the King? Of glory who is this?
The Lord of hosts and liberty, the King of glory is.
The Lord of hosts and liberty, the King of glory is.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen, Amen, Amen.
As we come to study the word of God, let us ask for his help and guidance. Let us pray. Our gracious God, as we stand before your open word this evening, O Lord, you know how much I need the help and guidance of your spirit.
For without you, Lord, I can do nothing at all. I pray that you would be my voice this evening, and that you would take this service in hand, and that you would make yourself a glorious name out of my weakness and frailty.
Lord, that you would speak your word into all of our hearts and souls, and that your word would come alive to us. And we pray, Lord, that you would richly bless us as we wait upon thee to hear what you have to say, not what any man or any preacher has to say, but what the living God has to say to us through his own word.
And so, Lord, we pray that you would bless it to us, and that you would undertake for us, and that you would cleanse us from all our sins, and accept of us freely.
For we ask it in Jesus' name, and for his sake. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
Our text this evening is taken from the book of Revelation, chapter 3 and at verse 8.
We have these words, Behold, I have set before thee an open door. The word behold appears over a thousand times in the King James Version of the Bible, but not nearly so often in modern translations.
So what does the word behold mean in the Bible? Well, it means look, see or pay attention.
And who is saying this? Well, Revelation chapter 1 and verse 1 tells us The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show unto his servants.
When God is speaking to us, it would do us all well to pay attention as to what God has to say.
Now in our first shah reading, in Genesis chapter 1, we read, In the beginning, God.
The world was void. There was nothing but water. And the Spirit of God moved over the water.
And when you stop and think of the wonder of creation, the almighty power of our gracious God.
He spoke all things into being. The power of his spoken word. Let there be light. Light. And there was light.
Just as if you flick the switch over there. God said it. Let there be light. There was light. And we're not going to go through it bit by bit.
We don't have time. But God created all things that we can see. The mountains. The oceans.
The valleys. The earth on which we dwell. Everything that dwells in it. And above it. And underneath it. And the multitudes that we cannot see at all.
God created in the space of six days. God created in the space. And on the sixth day, he completed his work.
And he pronounced everything that he had done. It was very good. It's mind-blowing when we stop and think who God is.
He is an uncreated being. And because he is uncreated, it means that he always has been.
He is. He is. And he always will be. Question four in the Shorter Catechism asks, What is God?
And the answer is, God is a spirit. Infinite. Eternal. And unchangeable. In his being. Wisdom.
Power. Holiness. Justice. Goodness. And truth. In Genesis chapter 1, we have the account of creation.
It's awesome. It's mind-blowing. And when you think that God called everything into being by the power of his spoken word.
Now, in the time we have left to us, there are three doors I would like to try and open for you tonight.
And the first door is the door we closed on ourselves by sinning against God. The second door is the door Jesus opened up for us at Calvary.
And the third door is the door that is set before us this evening in the Gospel.
So first of all then, the door we closed on ourselves. The door is the door.
Now in Genesis chapter 2 and verse 8 we read these words, And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed.
This is the environment in which God placed our first parents. And commentators tell us, and I quote, that God wanted to test their obedience.
He gave them leave to eat of every tree in the garden except one. Genesis chapter 2 verses 16 and 17 says, And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it.
For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And if we fast forward to Genesis chapters 3 and verse 6, And we see there, and when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave it to her husband with her, and he did it.
You see, 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.
Satan said to them, He challenged God, Did God really say, You will die?
And he told them, You will not die, But in the day you eat of the fruit, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.
And it pleased them greatly, and they took of the fruit, and they ate. Before we go on, may I put a question to you, just as surely as I put the question to myself.
Would you or I have done any better than our first parents? Well, I can't answer for any of you, but I am pretty sure that I wouldn't have done any better.
It's so easy for us to find fault in others, and point the accusing finger.
And it's so easy for us to downsize our own sin. I'm sure there are some of you in here, and you will remember very well, and with a great affection, Reverend Nessian MacDonald, who was ministering the East Church in Inverness.
And he used to come up here, when we were in the Church of Scotland, at communion season time. He was very good with the anecdotes, and he told a wee story about two of his grandchildren, a boy and a girl.
I can't remember their names, but for the sake of a name, we'll call the boy Adam, and the girl Eve, and that is no disrespect to those children.
They had family worship one evening, and when family worship was over, and they had taken their seats, little Eve, she pipes up, and she says, Adam had his eyes open during the prayer.
Oh, how do you know? And the little girl says, well, you see, I only had one eye open. And you see, this is how we are.
We can download our own sins. A little white lie. You hear that often. Oh, a little, it's no hard. A little lie. It's a big lie.
It's a sin. And one sin is enough to keep us out of heaven. In disobeying God's command, and eating the forbidden fruit, sin, and pain, and sorrow, and suffering, and death, came into their experience, and it is with us until this day.
And when we turn on the news, and the TV channels, how depressing. All you hear is wars in different countries in the world, murders, rapes, and man's brutality towards his fellow being.
The story was told of a rich landlord who devised a clever plan for teaching his tenants how faith secures forgiveness of sin.
And while unbelief shuts one out from the glories of heaven, a lot of people in the neighborhood owed him several years' rent money. And they expected to be dealt with severely in the courts.
And instead, he posted a notice promising remission of back Jews to any who would meet him on a certain day at midday.
On the said day, he sat in his office and he waited. The crowds gathered in the street, and they whispered, and they talked amongst each other.
But none came in on the open door. And when it was approaching midday, one man who was delayed, he came running up the street and straight through the door.
And the landlord asked him, Are you a good man?
Oh, yes, sir, I am. Yes. Because, do you really expect me to forgive you? Yes, he said, because you faithfully promised it.
And do you believe me? Yes, I do. Yes, I do. Because you would not be the type of person to deceive anyone. But are you a good and a hard-working and industrious man?
And the man said, No. Well, the notice said nothing about that. So the landlord said, So you just believed what I said, and I have come to claim your receipt.
Indeed I have, sir. And the landlord stamped, paid in full, across his bill. And as the town hall clock struck, twelve, midday, this man comes running out, waving his bill of receipt.
And then all the people came running. And the door was closed. They were too lit. You know something, friends?
That little story reminds me of Noah. When God told Noah to build an ark, to save himself and his family, and two of every living creature, bird, animal, everything that had the breath of life in them.
And the people mocked Noah. Oh, old Noah. He's lost the plot this time. He must have sunstroke. He's building a huge, big ship in the middle of the desert.
And they mocked him. But the day came when God told Noah to go into the ark and to take with him.
Every living creature. And they went in two by two. Noah didn't have to gather them. God did that for him. And when everything was secure in the ark, God closed the door.
And then the fountains of the deep burst into life. And the floodgates of heaven opened and the world began to fill.
Oh, those people raced for the door then. But it was too lit. Another door was closed. And as for the people in the story, he rushed to the open door.
So those who were left outside the ark were lost. And tonight, Jesus puts an open door before each one of us.
Will you and I go in on that open door? All of that is the result of man's fall into sin.
But we see that God did not leave our first parents in their fallen state of sin and misery. No. In Genesis chapter 3, verse 15, verse 15, we have the promise of a saviour.
And verse 15 says, chapter 3, verse 15 says, And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed.
It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his hill. So we see that God promised a saviour to humanity immediately after the fall.
The verse we quoted foretells a spiritual battle between the offspring of the serpent and the seed of the woman, declaring that the woman's descendant will ultimately crush the serpent's head.
This then is the door we closed on ourselves. Secondly, there's the door Jesus opened for us.
It's interesting to note that when God closes one door, he will open another. when the time was right, God sent his son Jesus into this sin-stained and darkened world to take upon himself our humanity.
He was born into the humble surroundings of a stable, no place for the king of glory in the inn. The creator of all things had his bed, had as his bed a manger where animals fed from.
His mission in this world was to serve. Matthew chapter 20 verse 28, The beginning of Jesus' public ministry was marked by his baptism by John in the river Jordan.
Now, John didn't want to baptize Jesus. He said, and rightly so, I need to be baptized by you and not the other way about.
But Jesus compelled him for this it must be that righteousness may be fulfilled. And after Jesus was baptized and coming up after the water, Matthew chapter 3 and verse 16 says, And lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the spirit of God descending on him and lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.
And following his baptism, Jesus' earthly ministry begins. He traveled through Galilee and surrounding regions proclaiming the love, mercy, and justice of a loving God, toward a sinful people, people like you and me.
He used simple stories, parables, to get his message across. He demonstrated God's power over nature, disease, demons, and death.
He fed thousands with a few loaves and a couple of fish. He walked on water, he healed the sick, he gave sight to the blind, he unstopped the ears of the deaf, he raised the dead back to life.
And throughout this earthly ministry, Jesus fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies which confirmed his identity as the promised Messiah.
And when his short ministry here on earth was over, he went steadfastly to Jerusalem and to the cross at Calvary, and on the cross Jesus, the innocent, spotless Lamb of God, took your own sins and mine into his body on the cross.
And before that, if I can go back to the Garden of Gethsemane and we see Jesus praying fervently in the Garden that God would take the cup from him, take the cup from him, not my will, but thine be done.
What was in that cup that reviled Jesus so much? well, it was your own sin and it was mine, and if it was only my sins would have been more than enough for Jesus to recoil.
But the sins of the whole world were compacted into that cup. Sins of past believers, present believers, sinners who have still to come to faith, they were all there.
It's your own sin nailed to the cross tonight. Jesus wants them there so that you can enjoy eternal life with him.
We have to remember that Jesus was human just like we are. And as those soldiers hammered those spikes into his hands and into his feet, all the excruciating pain that the Savior went through.
But it was nothing compared with the agony of his spirit and his soul. That was where the real agony was.
Jesus sweated drops of blood in the garden as he strove with his father God. and you and I weren't at Calvary that day.
But your own sins and my sins helped to hammer those spikes into Jesus' hands and feet. And your sins and my sins helped to shed his blessed blood.
But this is the most amazing thing of all. That the blood that your sins and my sins helped to shed is the blood that has saved us from our sins.
And if you are here tonight friend or if you are listening online and you have still not given your heart to Jesus then the blood of Jesus can wash you clean as well if you give your heart to him.
And as Jesus hung on that cross and as he suffered and he did suffer he suffered like no one ever did and yet his heart was going out to those who were crucifying him and he prayed Father forgive them for they know not what they do he was praying for those who were crucifying him with his last breath Jesus Christ says it is finished it is finished and you know my friends this was not this was not a disbanding cry of defeat this was the triumphant shout of victory John chapter 10 and verse 17 and 18 tells therefore does my father love me because i laid down my life that i might take it up again no man taketh it from me but i lay it down of myself i have power to lay down and i have power to take it up again this commandment have i received of my father when he cried out with a loud voice it is finished he gave up the ghost and the veil of the temple was torn from the top to the bottom and in the olden days only the high priest could go in through the veil once a year and not without blood but when jesus cried out it is finished and he gave up the ghost the veil of the temple was torn from the top to the bottom and the access we had closed on ourselves it was now open and we can come with boldness to the throne of grace and mercy where we can receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need jesus is our intermediator we can go into the holy of holies now and our poor faltering words of prayer jesus takes them and he cleanses them and he presents them forceless before the throne above that is the savior god that we have and this door jesus opened up for us through his death commentators tell us and i quote jesus christ he was the veil to the veil to the holy of holies and through his death the faithful now have free access to god unquote and finally and the time is gone already to open door that is set before us in the gospel in john chapter 9 10 and verse 9 jesus says i am the door jesus is the door that is the door you and i go in on you come to jesus and you accept him as your savior and that is you through the door what a wonderful promise he says i am the door by me or through me if any man enter in he shall be saved what a wonderful promise we have here from the lord
and what do you and i have to do to be recipients of this promise only believe believe 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 in his sword and kill himself and paul cried out with a loud voice do thyself no harm we are all here then he 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 on the lord jesus christ and thou shalt be saved you know friends i believe that the greatest sin we are guilty of is the sin of unbelief the many promises that jesus has given us in his word do we grasp them and embrace them with grateful thanksgiving and joy a question that only each one of us can answer personally romans chapter 10 verse 13 whoever shall call on the name of the lord they shall be saved there was a young man who came to a distinguished university professor and with great pleasure he informed him that the fondly cherished desire of his heart had been fulfilled he was to study law and when you have finished your studies what do you hope to do then prompted the professor oh then i shall study for my degree and then kept prompting the professor then i shall find difficult cases and win fame and honor and then prompted the professor then i shall be promoted and become rich and then yes indeed and then what what if you gain the riches of this world and lose your own soul you know my friends we may travel the ocean of life without a care in the world and without jesus christ but what about the docking what about the docking when when you come to shore and you're going to dock many a soul made shipwreck with the lights of the harbor bright in view you know we are all on a journey a journey through life to have eternity and what you do what you and i do with the open door that is set before us tonight will determine where you spend your eternity remember a day is coming and god will close the door the door that is set before you tonight and when god closes the door no one can open it again no amount of praying and no amount of shed tears will ever open that door again genesis chapter 6 and verse 3 says my spirit shall not always strive with man
in second corinthians 6 2 now is the appointed time now is the day of salvation moment now is the day of salvation but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment but still having a moment And when the service was over, he approached the young lady and he urged her to give her life to Jesus without delay.
And she angrily refused, saying, no, not just now, but at some other time. And that afternoon, that young lady was killed in a road accident.
The door that was open for her in the morning was closed that afternoon. Now, friends, none of us know what lies ahead.
We don't know what a minute or even a moment may bring forth in our lives. There's a hymn that we have sung maybe once, maybe twice.
I can't remember. But time is going by. It says, It says, Are you coming home tonight?
Are you going to go in on the open door that is set before you? Another opportunity given to go in on the open door.
Will you come in? Will you come in? Jesus is the door. Will you come in? Jesus is the door. His arms are stretched out. His hands are open. And he is beckoning you to come. Come to me. All ye who are heavy laid. Amen.
May the Lord be pleased to bless to us all anything that may have been on the mindset of his spirit. Let's pray. to me. All ye who lay hurt and heavy laden, I will give you rest. Come in on the open door before it's too lit. Amen. May the Lord be pleased to bless to us all anything that may have been in the mindset of his spirit. Let's pray. Our gracious God, we thank you for the open door that you have set before us this evening. And we pray, Lord, that you would make us wise to go in on that door while it is still day.
For the night cometh when no one can work. And we pray, Lord, that you would make us wise, that we would make our calling and our election should, that we would take hold of the one good and needful thing that shall never be taken away from us in this life, nor in the life to come.
Bless us all, Lord, as we sing your praises in conclusion. Go before us into this week that is opening up before us. Keep us true to yourself. Keep us humble at your footstool. And gracious, forgive us our sins, our fails and shortcomings. We ask it in Jesus' name and for his sake. Amen.
Amen. Our final praise is Be in Time, a hymn that Reverend Roddy Morrison introduced to us some years ago.
Life at best is very brief, like the falling of our lift, like the binding of a ship. Be in Time.
Let us stand to sing this hymn to God's praise. When the bells are telling me, like the falling of our lift, like the binding of a ship. Be in Time.
Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time.
Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be in Time. Be do not come at all as you seal your hope let's do be in time be in time be in time while the voice of Jesus calls you be in time if it's in you long away you'll be blind over yet I'm your body just to let me in time time is blind swiftly by death of judgment drawing nigh to the arms of Jesus by he in time oh I pray you count the cross never fail to the night be crossed and your soul will be lost be in time be in time be in time while the voice of Jesus calls you be in time if it's in you long away to be blind open and your body just to let me in time send a hit the warning voice give the Lord your final choice then or have the world your choice be in time come from darkness into light come let Jesus make your right come let me in time come let me in time be in time be in time be in time while the voice of Jesus calls you be in time if it's in you long away give the final open gate and your mind just to let me in time 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 us all this night forth and forever amen moment