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[0:00] Good morning, everyone. A warm welcome to the service this morning. It's good to see all of you. It's good to see a few visitors with us as well today. You're especially welcome.

[0:10] And if you're able to stay behind at the end of the service, there's tea and there's coffee and cakes. And it'd be good to get the chance to meet you and to speak with you. The intimations have been on the screens before the service began.

[0:25] It's going to take a minute to go through a couple of the intimations. First of all, to note that the evening service is at six. I'll lead that service. We're coming to the end of our series on the Sermon on the Mount as we've been going through Matthew.

[0:43] And Dr. Latham actually came to faith through that, reading that passage of Scripture, the Sermon on the Mount. And so to bring this section to a conclusion, Dr. Latham's going to speak about the passage.

[0:57] And I also share some personal testimony as he shares as to how he came to faith in Christ. So that's tonight, six o'clock till seven.

[1:10] Be encouraged to come. Be encouraged to come along to that service. The Faith Mission will have their final meeting tonight in Leverborough. And so that's at half past seven.

[1:22] And you will be warmly welcome there also. In the course of the week, Ladies Fellowship, Little Fishers, Road to Recovery, as usual.

[1:34] Joanne has put a note down here just to say if there's anybody able to help with cover over the summer holidays, the Little Fishers continue. Please speak to Joanne at the end of the service.

[1:45] SU is back on in school every Wednesday at 1.45pm. Is that the right time, eh? 1.45pm.

[1:56] I was thinking that. 12.45pm in Ian Morrison's room. Mr. Morrison's room. You should never know the teacher's name. Mr. Morrison's room in Cerescott.

[2:09] So please note that, young ones, and let's be praying for that work. Prayer meeting on Wednesday in person and on Zoom. Chris McRae will lead the prayer meeting this week.

[2:20] I'm away in Edinburgh for a couple of days of meetings. Next Sunday in the morning, we'll have the family service where the Sunday school will get their books. And they'll take part in the service.

[2:32] And also next Sunday morning, we look forward to little Nancy Morrison being baptized. The evening service next Sunday will be at 6. And that will be a service where we celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper at the end of that service.

[2:50] And the speaker will be the Reverend Thomas Davis. And if there are any here, and I believe there are, if there are any here who know the Lord, who are trusting the Lord Jesus, who've never yet come forward and professed their faith by taking the bread and the wine, please come and speak to me or any of the elders before next weekend.

[3:12] We'd be delighted to welcome you. Is that all the intimation? Stornby High Church are having a bus trip to Scalpy on Friday.

[3:26] And they're asking to use the church. If you're able to help with soup, sandwiches, baking, please speak to Anne McRae. There's a sign-up sheet in the foyer. And the last thing is to note that the Lewis Christian Conference will be held from this Thursday, 20th June, through to Saturday, 22nd June.

[3:46] And that will be in St. Columbus Church. There's details, I think, have been perhaps on the screen. There's also a poster. The speaker will be the Reverend Jonathan Lamb, who speaks regularly at Keswick.

[3:59] I've heard him many times. He's an excellent preacher. So be encouraged to go to these services if you're able to. These, I think, are all the notices.

[4:10] So let's begin this time of worship. Let's sing to God's praise. Mission Praise 987. And the words are on the screen. Before the throne of God above, I have a strong, a perfect plea.

[4:24] A great high praise whose name is love.

[4:52] Whoever lives and pleads for me. My name is given on His hands. My name is written on His heart.

[5:06] I know that while in heaven He stands, No tongue can bend me, then sleep part. No tongue can bend, then sleep part.

[5:19] When He tempts me to despair, And tells me of the guilty name. Awkward I look and see Him there, Through me and into all my sin.

[5:36] Because the sinless Savior died, My sinful soul is counted free, For God the just is satisfied, To look on Him and pardon me.

[5:53] To look on Him and pardon me. Behold Him there, the risen Lamb, My perfect swathness, righteousness, The great unchangeable Lamb, The King of glory and of grace.

[6:16] One with Himself I cannot die, My soul is purchased with His blood, My life is filled with Christ on high, With Christ my Savior and my God, With Christ my Savior and my God.

[6:38] Let's unite our hearts together in prayer.

[6:49] Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank You for this, Your day.

[7:05] We thank You again for this gift that we've been given of the Lord's day, A day where we are commanded to stop work and to take time to rest, to rest our bodies physically, to rest our minds from all that preoccupies us in the daily responsibilities of our week, our working week.

[7:28] And we thank You that we're able to still our hearts, that we're able to be still and to know that You are God. And we pray that we would know as we gather together this morning in the name of Jesus, we pray that we would know that You are here with us.

[7:45] We thank You for the reminder, the blessed reminder of the Lord's day, the first day of the week, the day where we look back and remember that Jesus, Your Son, our Savior, rose from the dead.

[7:58] And we thank You for the blessing, the wonder of the good news of the gospel. We thank You that Jesus Christ, God the Son, came from heaven into this world.

[8:12] He took on flesh. He made His dwelling among us. And we thank You that He did so on a mission to save us, that He lived that life that was perfect and righteous.

[8:24] We thank You that He died that death on the cross, that our names indeed are graven on His hands and the wounds that still are visible.

[8:36] And we thank You, Lord Jesus, that not only did You die in our place to take the punishment for our sin, but You rose from the dead. And You promised that everyone who believes in You also shall rise in resurrection power on that final day.

[8:54] And we thank You that the moment that we believe, we have the promise and the first taste of the life that is abundant and the life that is eternal. So we have many reasons to sing.

[9:08] We thank You that we are able to come with our prayers this morning to the throne of God. We thank You that we have a strong and a perfect plea, not because we come in our own name.

[9:19] We don't come in our own name. We come in the name of Jesus. We come not with our own works because we know that even our best works are like filthy rags. We come clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

[9:32] We come trusting in His finished work. And we ask, Lord, that You would give to us that sense of joy in our hearts that we are saved through the work of Jesus.

[9:47] We pray for any who may be here this morning or who may be listening at a distance who have no sense of joy. We know that we can come to a church building.

[10:01] We know that we can sing words on a page or choose not to even. And we know that we can be sometimes disconnected from all that is going on around us.

[10:13] And we ask, Lord, for any who may have no faith in Christ. We pray for any who may go through the motions even of religious routine but have no life in their hearts.

[10:30] We ask, Lord God, that You would move in the power of the Holy Spirit. Every one of us is blind and dead in our transgression transgression and sin until You work to open our eyes, until You work to touch our hearts and bring life to us.

[10:49] We ask, Lord, that You would move in awakening, quickening, convicting power, that You would show every one of us our sin, that You would show every one of us that Jesus is the Savior and that we would hear the call of Jesus to us saying, Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, all who know their sin, and I will give you rest.

[11:11] I will give to you salvation. We pray that even today there might be someone in the building or someone out of the building who would hear the call of Jesus, who would come and who would be saved.

[11:24] We pray for any who may be saved and have not yet come forward to profess the fact that they are saved. we know, Lord, that in the Bible there were those like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea who were believers but secretly for fear of the Jews for a period of years perhaps even.

[11:45] We pray for any who may be believers but are still in secret. We ask, Lord, that You would give them the courage to come forward and say, I'm not ashamed to own my Lord and to defend His cause.

[12:01] We pray, Lord, that You would be working and especially as we come towards communion next Sunday we ask, Father, that You would be moving in the power of Your Spirit and that we might see those coming forward to take the bread, to take the wine, to remember the finished work of Jesus and to say that our faith is in Him.

[12:24] We pray for Thomas Davis as he prepares that You would lay a word upon his heart and that You would guide him in his preparations. We pray for Anthony as he prepares for this evening also.

[12:35] We ask, Lord, that You would speak through him and that You would encourage us in our walk with You. We pray for those who are going through a hard time just now. We are always conscious of those who are struggling.

[12:50] We pray for those who are ill and who are at home today who would desire to be here but who feel unable to come and we ask that You would minister to them in the power of Your Spirit.

[13:03] We pray for those who are housebound and for those who are in Harris House and Leverborough Care Home that You would minister to them as they come around Your Word on this day. We thank You that still there is the freedom to do so.

[13:17] We pray for those who are in hospital. We think especially of Duncan's father in hospital. At this time we think of Maria from Ardazig in hospital.

[13:28] At this time we think of Mary's mum Joan also in hospital. And for those who are sick, for those who are physically struggling, for those whose minds may be confused and disturbed, we ask, Father, that You would come alongside them.

[13:44] We pray that they would know the healing touch of Jesus where that's Your will. We know, Lord, that in this world we are only here for a while and when our days are coming to an end we have the promise of being taken to a place of peace and we ask, Lord, that where it's not Your will to heal, that You would give grace for each day that we are given in time and we thank You that when we are in Christ we are taken from time into an eternity with You.

[14:17] And so we pray for all who are sick. We pray for those who are grieving and we ask for Your comfort for them that You would minister to them as the God of all compassion.

[14:28] We pray for those who are troubled in their minds, who are anxious, who are worried. We pray for those who battle with addictions. We pray for those who feel cast down in their souls with depression.

[14:41] We ask, Lord, that as we see people coming into our minds' eyes that You would touch them as we carry them in prayer to You.

[14:51] We pray, Lord, that You would minister to them and that You would meet them at the point of their need. We pray for our nation as we approach elections. We pray for wisdom. We pray for humility.

[15:04] We pray, Lord, for the gift of repentance for a nation that has drifted far from You. We pray for all nations. We pray especially for those nations that we are connected with as a congregation.

[15:16] We think of Romania. We think of Malawi. We think of Nepal and the DPRK. And we ask, Lord, that You would be working in all nations that Jesus would be seen, that Jesus would be lifted up, and that many would be drawn to Him.

[15:35] So hear our prayers and help us as we seek to worship You. Help us to worship You in spirit and in truth. And we ask all this in Jesus' name. We pray for the forgiveness of our sin as we confess it.

[15:48] We pray that You would empty us of all that is of self. We pray that You would give us a view, a fresh view, a fresh vision of Christ. For we ask it in His name and for His sake.

[16:00] Amen. Boys and girls, would you like to come forward, please? Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. How are you all today?

[16:18] Good, good. Got something to show you? Do you know what this is?

[16:33] What's this film? It's definitely not a ranger's talk. It's a, what was it saying? You got it right, though.

[16:44] It's a Scotland talk, isn't it? It's a Scotland talk. You think it belongs to me? No. No, it doesn't belong to me, this one. Michael, come forward as well. As soon as I can see what's on your face to turn around so everyone can see you.

[17:02] What have you got on your face? Tattoos. Tattoos. What? Tattoos. Sorry, tattoos. I'm saying it wrong. Tattoos. As I already see him looks. As I already see him looks.

[17:12] No. So it's tattoos. And what tattoos, what tattoos are they? Scotland love hearts. Scotland love hearts. Thank you very much. So, what is this all about?

[17:26] Why are we talking about Scotland? What's going on just now? Henry. They're playing. They're playing, yeah. What competition is it, Fraser? Scotland versus Germany.

[17:37] Scotland versus Germany. We don't want to talk about that, do we? Yeah, that was on Friday night, wasn't it? Henry, what's the name of the competition? The Euros.

[17:50] Tell me this. Do you like watching the Euros? Do you like it when Scotland are playing? In a way, no.

[18:02] In a way, no. Tell me why. Well, as we saw on Friday. Sometimes it's not pleasant to watch when a game, and you're just losing the game, and it's going one, two, three, four, five goals are all going against us.

[18:20] That's not fun to watch, is it? But see, when it's a game, and it's really evenly balanced, and it's maybe no, no, and Scotland are getting chances, and then the other team are getting chances, and they almost score, and the other team would almost score, and there's a battle going on.

[18:35] Do you like watching that kind of a game when it's balanced? Henry? Kind of. Explain that a bit more.

[18:49] Yeah. It's a bit tense, isn't it? I like watching Scotland, and I like watching these games where it's finely balanced, but at the same time, I don't like it.

[19:03] Because I'm nervous. Because you're watching it, and you're curling your eyes at once, and you're up off your chair when they're just about to score, and then they miss, and then the team are coming the other direction against us, and you're thinking, no, no, no.

[19:17] And it's not that fun to watch, because we're nervous. And why are we nervous? Why are we nervous? Really?

[19:32] In case they lose. We don't know who's going to win. And so when you don't know who's going to win, and you're really wanting Scotland to win, it's quite nerve-wracking to watch them.

[19:45] Now, here's something you need your imaginations for, okay? Imagine we could get a time machine, and we could go travelling forward in a time machine to the last day of the Euros.

[20:00] And imagine on the last day of the Euros, it was Scotland against, I won't say England, Scotland against France, or Italy in the final.

[20:15] And we got to watch the final, and in this time machine, we're watching the final, and Scotland won 3-1 against Italy. And everyone's celebrating, and there's kilts everywhere, and there's joy, and all that stuff.

[20:30] And we got to see it in the time machine in three weeks' time. Imagine that. Imagine you knew that's how it was all going to end. On Wednesday night, after the prayer meeting, when you've been out of the prayer meeting, you've come home, and you're watching the second half of the football.

[20:54] Imagine on Wednesday night when you're watching the second game. If you knew in three or four weeks' time Scotland had won, would you be nervous watching the game?

[21:07] You wouldn't be nervous, would you? You would just be able to enjoy it, because you know that even though there's going to be battles in the game, even though they might lose a few goals, you'd be relaxed.

[21:21] I like your tattoo as well, Finlay, on your leg. You'd be relaxed, because Scotland would win. Now, here's the thing. in this world, we see a battle going on, don't we?

[21:39] It says in Ephesians chapter, I think it's chapter 6, 5 or 6, and it talks, Paul, as God speaks to him, he talks about there being spiritual warfare. There's like a battle, and we see it, and we feel it sometimes.

[21:53] There's a battle between God and the devil, there's a battle between darkness and light, and sometimes when we're in this world and things are going wrong, and we switch on the news and we see all the bad stuff that's happening, sometimes we think, it looks like the devil's winning.

[22:10] Sometimes it feels like the devil's winning, and that can make us, it can make us feel scared sometimes, can't it? It can make us feel a bit nervous and dying, but the good news is, in the Bible, in a sense, it's a bit like a time machine, and we can travel from today all the way through to the end of time, to the end of the Bible and Revelation, and you know what happens?

[22:46] who wins? Is it God or is it the devil? Is it Jesus or is it the devil? Who wins?

[22:59] Yeah. Tell me, shout out. God wins. Jesus wins. In a sense, he's already won, because on the cross, Jesus won.

[23:09] It says in the beginning of the Bible that there was a promise about the cross, and it said, it says in Genesis chapter 3 that Satan, he will strike the heel of Jesus, but Jesus will crush his head, and that's what happened on the cross.

[23:29] Satan was crushed. He was defeated. He's still roaming around. The final wisdom hasn't been blown yet, but in the end, when everything in this world is finished, what we know for sure is that Jesus wins, and everybody who's trusting in him is safe and secure in him.

[23:54] So we don't have to worry. We don't have to be anxious. We don't have to be scared. We shouldn't get down, because no matter how it looks and how sometimes it feels, Jesus wins, and we have to make sure that we're trusting in him.

[24:15] Okay? We'll pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day.

[24:30] We thank you, Lord, for your promises. We thank you for the Bible. We thank you that in the Bible we see such good news. Sometimes in this world there are so many things that happen that make us feel scared or sad.

[24:46] Sometimes it feels like everything is against you, and yet we thank you, Lord Jesus, that you are the one who has already got the victory, and we thank you that at the end of time we will see every knee will bow, it says.

[25:05] Every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. And so we pray that, Lord Jesus, you would be our Lord, that you would be our Savior, and that we would be sure that we are trusting in you, that we are holding on to you.

[25:19] And we pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. We're going to sing again to God's praise. We sang this hymn for the first time two weeks ago.

[25:30] We were kind of learning it, and we're going to hear it played and sung again, and then we're going to sing it today again.

[25:40] So the hymn is Hold Me, Savior. It's on the screen, and we'll stand to sing it in just a moment. . . . .

[26:05] And deeper than my wonder, never let me stay. Where my heart is standing laden, help me bear the weight.

[26:21] Pray my word and bring me closer to your side. Every heart that leads to worship is a precious body.

[26:37] Holy Savior, now and ever, Lord, let your goodness flow with me.

[26:50] Guide and keep me, gently lead me, your presence with me is my peace.

[27:11] I'm a Savior, let your nearness to the area. Show me marvels of your mercy, wonders of your love.

[27:25] By the streams of water, lead me through the sky. Joy is with me on the way and always nearer time.

[27:41] Hold me, Savior, now and ever, Lord, let your goodness flow with me.

[27:54] Guide and keep me, gently lead me, your presence with me is my peace.

[28:09] King, my Savior, now and ever, King, my Savior, now and ever, King, my Savior, now and ever, to the finish, faithful to the end.

[28:21] There a sin there never was, our true or path to fast. Through the gates of glory, lead me all the way.

[28:35] There my faith will turn to sight and there will turn to grace. Holy Savior, now and ever, Lord, let your goodness flow with me.

[28:57] Guide and keep me, gently lead me, your presence with me.

[29:07] is my peace. Oh, be Savior, now and ever, Lord, let your goodness flow with me.

[29:26] Guide and keep me, gently lead me, your presence with me. Your presence with me is my peace.

[29:39] Your presence with me is my peace. Okay, boys and girls, if you head to Sunday school, and let's be praying for them as they go.

[30:02] and we'll turn now in our Bibles to Matthew chapter 7.

[30:18] Okay. Matthew chapter 7.

[30:45] And we'll read from verse 28 of Matthew 7 through to verse 17 of Matthew chapter 8. This is God's word.

[31:00] And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority and not as their scribes. When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.

[31:15] And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, I will be clean.

[31:26] And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, See that you say nothing to anyone, but go show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a proof to them.

[31:39] When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly. And he said to him, I will come and heal him.

[31:51] But the centurion replied, Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority with soldiers under me.

[32:03] And I say to one, go, and he goes, and to another, come, and he comes. And to my servant, do this, and he does it. When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

[32:20] I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness in that place.

[32:33] There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And to the centurion, Jesus said, Go, let it be done for you as you have believed. And the servant was healed at that very moment.

[32:46] And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her and she rose and began to serve him.

[32:57] That evening, they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah.

[33:09] He took our illnesses and bore our diseases. Amen. And may God bless that reading of his word to us.

[33:21] We're going to sing again now to God's praise. We'll sing from Psalm 116 verses 1 to 4. That's three stanzas and we sing in Gaelic.

[33:35] I'll read these verses in English. Psalm 116 and verse 1.

[33:46] I love the Lord because my voice and prayers he did hear. I, while I live, will call on him who bowed to me his ear. Of death the cords and sorrows did. About me compass frowned.

[33:57] The pains of hell took hold of me. I grief and trouble found. Upon the name of God the Lord then did I call and say, Deliver thou my soul, O Lord. I do thee, I do thee humbly pray.

[34:10] These three stanzas of Psalm 116. We sing in Gaelic. We remain seated to sing in Gaelic. This columnNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNING Thank you.

[35:21] Thank you.

[35:51] Thank you.

[36:21] Thank you.

[36:51] Thank you.

[37:21] Thank you.

[37:51] Thank you.

[38:21] Thank you.

[38:51] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[39:58] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[41:02] Thank you. nice tie is it had its tweed or where'd you get your jacket from something like that occasionally you get a blast of honesty I remember one um one January in Kinloch U going out for for dinner to this wee uh cafe and the the owner of the cafe um she met me uh with the words are you that minister the worst that I preached the worst Christmas sermon I ever heard and I was guilty uh apparently I mentioned the cross too much and she didn't she didn't like that we became good friends Matthew chapter 7 uh we're in verses 28 and 29 to to begin with and uh this section at the end of Matthew 7 uh marks the end of the the sermon the greatest sermon ever preached the sermon on the mount uh the the preacher is Jesus the preacher's preacher is God the son and we have the response here of the people to that sermon it says and when Jesus finished these sayings when he finished preaching the crowds were astonished at this teaching for he was teaching them as one who had authority and not as their scribes and these verses are the bridge from the sermon on the mount into the next section and as we cross from uh from Matthew chapter 7 into Matthew chapter 8 the the big theme in Matthew chapter 8 if you've got it open in front of you is uh the authority of Jesus we see in Matthew chapter 8 uh the authority of Jesus the crowds were astonished as they listened to his words as he preached because he preached as one who had authority and now as he goes down the pulpit steps you could say and into the the the cut and thrust of of life we see the the authority of Jesus and it's demonstrated in three ways and these are our three points for the sermon the first thing uh we see is that Jesus cleanses he cleanses a leper and the second thing we see is that Jesus commands uh he he commands the centurion's uh servant to be made well and uh he is made well and the last thing we see is that Jesus he casts out evil spirits uh he has authority in every situation there we see uh the the the remarkable authority of Jesus so first of all uh let's look at uh this first uh this first uh this first section from verse 1 of Matthew chapter 8 and we see Jesus cleanses so verse 1 let's step through the verses when Jesus came down the mountain great crowds followed him so we have this picture Jesus has been preaching and uh when he began to preach uh he sat down that was the indicator that he was about to start teaching his disciples come to him so this teaching is is bespoke for the disciples uh that's the beginning of chapter 5 uh but as he's preaching crowds are gathering vast multitudes i think it says in the in the authorized version they're they're gathering and they're they're following Jesus now and Jesus he he sees the crowds and he speaks into the crowds and that underlines for us the uh the inclusivity of the message of the of the gospel Jesus calls

[45:02] everyone to come uh to him the disciples weren't like Jesus security team uh keeping the crowds away uh no one was being asked to leave this gathering everyone is being called to come to Jesus and that's maybe a point for our encouragement and also for our instruction uh there there is no one in this room there is no one in this village there is no one in this island there is no one in this nation there is no one in any nation who is not being called to come and look to and believe in and receive grace from Jesus it's a universal invitation and for those of us who are who are christians we have to go out with that in our minds there isn't a soul that you work with there isn't a soul in your family there isn't a a single person in this place even the the the most vocal atheist in this place they are not excluded they are being called through us they are being called to come to Jesus to Jesus he comes down from the mountain verse one great crowds are following him and he's seeing these crowds he's ministering to these crowds verse two and behold a leper now for us uh the impact maybe is is slightly lost on us but but on that day in that place at that time this would have sent shockwaves through the whole crowd behold look a leper is there now lepers were unclean lepers were were contagious uh there was no cure for leprosy uh no one wanted contact with a leper because they too would become ill they too would become unclean they too would be outcasts in terms of the the society and so all of a sudden there's this shockwave that goes through the crowd a leper is identified and he is coming to Jesus think back to covet times two three years ago remember the remember the the stress uh the panic that there was when it came to uh potential contact with other people i can still uh i can still in my mind as i visualize this building with you know oceans of space between six chairs here and three chairs there and this sense of people being terrified oh i can't come because there was fear of contact well take that situation uh take that uh that that

[47:59] COVID time multiply it by a thousand and that's the situation that we're reading of in this passage behold verse 2 a leper and that leper verse 2 came to Jesus and knelt before him saying lord if you will you can make me clean so what do we learn here as we see this leper approaching Jesus well we learn learn that the leper understood that Jesus had authority the leper recognized that Jesus had authority that's why he knelt before him he doesn't swagger along he doesn't come with some kind of entitled sense about him he kneels before Jesus because he recognizes authority he believes that Jesus has the power to heal him there's no doubt about that in his mind but what the leper is unsure about is whether Jesus would be willing to heal someone like him and there are people uh who are like that there are people uh who feel uh too unclean there are people i've met them even here who feel who feel too bad to come into the church so they won't come there are people who who feel too unworthy to come to the lord's table even those who who believe that Jesus is the authoritative one even those uh who who have asked for salvation they feel too unworthy to come to the lord's table the invitation has sounded and they say not me i'm too unworthy and they get themselves into a state of of despair and satan likes to keep us in that state of despair i was thinking about the leper as we were we were singing the first time i think the leper would have liked the first time it says when satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt the uncleanness within upward i look and see him jesus there who made an end of all my sin and this leper he's heard of jesus he's recognized the authority of jesus and he is now up close and he is looking to jesus so what happened next verse 3 jesus stretched out his hand and touched him saying i will be clean and immediately his leprosy was cleansed and so we have a we have a a beautiful picture here that speaks to us of the of the love and the compassion and the power and the authority of jesus he is able to cleanse and he is willing to cleanse

[52:01] everyone who looks in faith to him and so we see that with this leper the question is what has this got to do with us!

[52:20] ! the the reality is there's there's no one here this morning who has who has leprosy and even if uh there was a condition leprosy that somebody in the building had there there's now a cure for leprosy in a way that there wasn't back in in that day so so so what has this actually got to do with us how does this apply to us well jesus often uses pictures doesn't he and leprosy is a picture of my sin leprosy is a picture of sin and sin is a condition that all of us suffer from sin makes us unclean not at the level of our skin but at the level of our heart sin is a terminal condition uh the wages of sin is death it leads to death so how can i be cleansed of sin how can i be made well as a sinner well the only reason the only way that i can be made well is by doing what the leper did and coming to jesus the only way that we can be made spiritually well is by coming to jesus and asking him to cleanse us in his blood we're going to sing this hymn at the end there is a fountain filled with blood drawn from immanuel's veins and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains singly ferguson said the leper obviously didn't know much about jesus but he believed that jesus could heal him and he came to him and then he he goes on to say many people know a great deal about jesus but never come to jesus to ask him to heal them how tragic it would be if there would be someone here today who knows about jesus and who sees that he is able to heal that he is willing to heal that he is willing to save but we never ask him to save us we have to ask him it's not enough to sit in the chairs it's not enough to come through the door it's not enough to have our our name on a list of adherents it's not even enough to have our name on a list of members the key crucial thing is we have to ask jesus to heal us at the heart level and the leper teaches us to come to jesus the leper teaches us to ask for healing and the moment we ask jesus to cleanse us immediately we are cleansed we are saved jesus cleanses you know there's there's no one else there's nowhere else you can go this morning to get cleansing from your sin only jesus can cleanse and he promises that he will cleanse us from every sin if we just ask him how good is that news every haunting guilty memory every every weight that crushes in on us in the dark of the night as we think about the things we've done and the things we should have done the things we've said and the things that we should have said the thoughts that pass through our minds that horrify us

[56:23] the sin of it and yet it can all be gone we just come to jesus as the leper did and ask for cleansing!

[56:40] there's two more things to note about this cleansing just before we move on the first thing is that jesus touched the leper verse 3 jesus he he stretches out his hand and he touches him and uh let's just ask the question for a moment why did jesus stretch out his hand and touch this leper well it wasn't because he needed to it wasn't that jesus needed to make contact with the leper for the the cleansing power to get through a word would have been enough he could have just said be clean and he would have been clean and we see that in the next miracle but jesus in this case he touches the man he stretches out his hand there's an effort here he stretches out his hand and he touches this man because this man needed to to feel the love and the compassion of jesus and this man needed to receive the assurance that he was clean!

[57:55] jesus touched him just physical touch involved in this healing miracle as we apply this especially in light of uh next sunday night why do we have communion why do we have these elements you know real things bread and wine that we can touch well it's not because we need them in order to be saved the word of jesus is enough the dying thief shows us that because he never had communion and he was saved so there's no power coming through the bread and the wine no saving power that's coming and transmitted to us through the touch!

[58:46] the reason we have communion the reason we have these elements these real things is because jesus and his love for us and jesus in order to give assurance to us us he gives us bread bread and he gives us wine to touch and to taste so that we will be reminded and we will be assured and reassured that jesus loves us and he has cleansed us through his his body that he gave and his blood that he shed!

[59:44] Jesus touched them the last thing we see here is that jesus tells this man to go and show himself to the priest specifically jesus said to him see see that you say nothing to anyone he doesn't want drama here already the crowds were we're all gathering but he says go show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that moses commanded for a proof to them so jesus tells him to go and show himself to the priest why was that necessary well i think there was two reasons firstly it was to fulfill the law firstly it was to fulfill the law the bible said that this is what he was to do we could go back to leviticus 13 and 14 we're not going there today but we can see in these chapters that this was what was required when there was one who was made well who was cleansed of leprosy they were to go and do this and so jesus he's not setting the bible aside he is he's acting in accordance he's fulfilling the law and the other thing that jesus wanted was that the people in the crowd and the the priest through whom the news would go out would see that this man really was saved he had been touched he had been cleansed he had been made well by jesus so jesus says go and show yourself to the priest profess your faith and what i've done for you and again as we have communion in our mind's eye why do we need to profess our faith why do we need to come to the lord's table if we are christians well it's for the same reasons because jesus said so jesus said to those who are cleansed at the heart level i want you to do this in remembrance of me i want you to take the bread i'm commanding you to take the wine i am telling you to do this so we do this in obedience to the word of god it's not an option it's not a nice thing to do it's not if you kind of feel like it on the day if you're feeling quite buoyant and in your own heart uh then think about coming forward and taking the bread and the wine if you're in the kind of good spiritual mood go and do it that's not what it says no it says if you are cleansed from your sin if you are trusting in jesus jesus says do this not an option a command do this and so we do this in obedience to the word of god and as we do this as we take the bread as we take the wine we are telling other people that we are christians that we are unworthy sinners who have been cleansed by the willing powerful authoritative gracious loving kind savior jesus cleanses and i think this is where we'll leave it today

[63:51] so let me ask you just as i as i finish have you been cleansed all of us all of us are sinners so this is for all of us all of us are sinners!

[64:09] all of us are sinners but not all of us perhaps have asked for cleansing have you asked yet for cleansingNINGNINGNINGNING For Jesus to cleanse you from your sin?

[64:44] If the answer is no, do it now. Bow your head now. Admit your sin now, as I do.

[64:59] Ask for the cleansing of Jesus now. And what we see through this leper is he is willing and he is able to cleanse. And once we have done that, what do we do next?

[65:25] Well, we do what we are taught by the leper. We go and tell people. That we are cleansed. We tell people that we are sinners who have been saved by the saving touch of Jesus.

[65:43] And we take the bread. And we take the wine. And we feel that reassuring, loving touch of Christ in the elements.

[65:56] As we come to the table. And as we do this. And as we do this. In obedience to and in remembrance of him.

[66:08] So if that's you. And you've never done it. Come and speak to me. After the service.

[66:19] And come. As you and I are commanded to. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word.

[66:31] And we thank you for your son. We thank you for the authority of the powerful, the loving, gracious, compassionate Savior.

[66:42] and we pray Lord that Jesus that you would be lifted up today we pray that we would be able to see you take your word and apply it to our hearts give us eyes to see Jesus give us ears to hear the call of Jesus give us hearts that are responsive and warm to the leading of Jesus and help us, each one of us to come pray for anyone here today who has never yet prayed that prayer who has never yet said Lord Jesus will you cleanse me from my sin we thank you that a simple prayer like that from our hearts is enough to save us eternally we think of the tax collector who just beat his breast and said

[67:46] God have mercy on me a sinner we thank you that that prayer was enough for him to be declared righteous by Jesus we think of the thief on the cross who just said Jesus remember me and was promised today you will be with me in paradise may there be no one here today no one who listens into this message who who sees Jesus like one of the crowd but never comes astonished but not moved to actually ask for healing we pray that every one of us would come seeking that cleansing from sin and Lord that as the table was set next weekend if we are spared that we would come as those who are cleansed as those who are thankful as those who are joyful as sinners saved by grace hear our prayers and go before us we ask in Jesus name

[68:51] Amen we'll sing to finish Mission Praise 671 671 and Mission Praise and the words on the screen there is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's grave and sinnersNINGNING All their guilty sins.

[69:51] And sinners crunch beneath that flood, Whose all their guilty sins.

[70:02] The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in his name.

[70:13] And there may I as my last knee Wash all my sins away. Wash all my sins away.

[70:30] Wash all my sins away. And there may I as my last knee Wash all my sins away.

[70:46] Dear dying, love your precious blood Shall never lose its pride. Till all the ransomed church of God Be saved to sin no more.

[71:09] Be saved to sin no more. Be saved to sin no more. Till all the ransomed church of God Be saved to sin no more.

[71:30] Ere since by faith I saw a stream Your flowing wounds abide.

[71:41] Redeeming love has been my thing And shall be till I die And shall be till I die And shall be till I die And in a noble, sweeter song I'll sing your power to save When this poor is me Starry tongue Thou silence in the grave Thou silence in the grave Thou silence in the grave

[72:43] Thou silence in the grave When this voice being stammered up My silent in the grave Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of God the Holy Spirit be with us all now and forevermore.

[73:09]  Amen.