Thank you. Okay. No. give you all a very warm welcome to this morning's worship service. We're again grateful to our own pastor who will be leading this time and bringing to us God's word. Just a reminder to everyone it is the Glenport outreach this afternoon and we meet at 5 30 around the table for the Lord's communion. All are welcome who have faith in the Lord Jesus and in good standing with the local church. This coming Wednesday it will be our pastor again bringing Bible study with us at 7.30. And this coming Saturday is Isabel Adamson's I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make a boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear their love and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. Let us approach the Lord in prayer. Let us pray. Almighty and ever-blessed God, we bow our hearts before thee this Lord's Day morning, and we come to worship thee. Lord, who are we to come? We would say with David of old, who am I? O Lord, we're sinners, but we thank thee there is a way open through our beloved Redeemer, and we thank thee there is access through him. Do forgive us our latest sins, heavenly Father, we humbly make them our plea. Remember again thy mercy, and what our Saviour has done. O Lord, we come then to thee, O Lord, we come to worship Thee, Thou art so worthy, O Lord. Accept our praise this morning. Help us to praise Thee. Help us to praise Thee in spirit and in truth. We have gathered often, but we need fresh help from Heaven this morning and on every occasion we gather. Have all the glory. Hear our prayer, for Christ's sake. Amen. If you would say we'll meet our first praise, Psalm 100. Psalm 100. We're singing the Lord the Psalm to the tune of the 100th. All people that on earth do dwell, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice. Him serve with mare, his praise forth tell. Come ye before him and rejoice. Psalm 100. O people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice, Hear the river, its grateful tell. Come ye before Him and rejoice. Know that our Lord is God indeed. Without our aid, He did us make. We are His flock, He doth us feed. And for His sheep, He doth us take. O excellent his gain we praise, Approach with joy his war song to. Praise, Lord, and bless his name always. For it is simply so to do, For by the Lord our God is good. His mercy is forever sure His truth at all times firmly stood And shall from age to age endure If you would turn with me to the Old Testament, to Genesis, the first book of the Bible, and the third chapter, and we're reading from verse 13 through to verse 24. The third chapter of Genesis, and we commence the reading at verse 13. Just briefly recall, as we read last week, we had the fall of mankind when sin entered into the world. But we're following on, and these questions here, and the answers which are given. The third chapter of Genesis, and we're reading from verse 13. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The servant 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 thus 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 heel. And to 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. None to 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. forms, 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 thus thou art, and unto thus shalt thou return.' And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God made coats of skins, and clothed them. And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also the tree of life, and eat, and live forever. Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to tell the ground from whence he was taken. And he drove out the man. And he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life. Amen. May the Lord have the blessing to the reading of his precious word. Well, we thought there of the fall of mankind. We thought of sin entering into the world. Well, we're going to turn now in light of this. to Psalm 51, Psalm 51, and we're going to sing verses 1 through to verse 7, and the tune is Contemplation. After thy lovingkindness, Lord, have mercy upon me, for thy compassion's great blot out all thine iniquities. Psalm 51, Psalm 51. After Thy loving kindness, Lord, have mercy upon me. O'er thy compassions break but half, O mine iniquity. me cleansed from sin and truly washed from my iniquity. For my transgressions I confess, My sin I ever see. Thanksgiving only have I sinned. In Thy sight I've been saved. That when Thou speak'st, Thou mightst be just, And clear in judging still. Behold, my iniquity was born the womb within. My mother also me conceived. in guiltiness and sin. Behold, now in the inward heart With true, delighted art, And wisdom thou shalt make me know, Within the hidden part. Do Thou with His Son sprinkle me, I shall be cleansed, Son. Yea, wash Thou me, and then I shall be whiter than the snow. I'm interested in reading as we found in 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2 and we're reading from verse 1 through to verse 12. Wherefore, lying aside, laying aside a man of small guile, and hypocrisies and envies, and a weevil's feelings, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the West, that ye may grow thereby. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious, to whom coming as unto a little stone disallowed the need of men, a chosen of God, and precious. Your sons, lively sons, are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious. but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, a stone of stumbling and a rock of the fells, even to them which stumble on the ground, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light, in which time past were not a people, but are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you, strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that, whereas they may speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of his addition. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, for the Lord said, whether it be to the king, as supreme. Thus far reads God's prayer. Lord in prayer. Let us continue in worship. O gracious God, we do thank Thee for the opportunity to come and to worship Thee. Thou art so worthy, O Lord, of praise. Who is a God like unto Thee? Thou art so glorious, O Lord, Thou art so great, and we thou art the potter and we are the clay, all we come to thee. We thank thee for thy word, O Lord, that which we have read thus far this morning, and we have read there of those solemn things concerning the fall of mankind, when sin entered into the world, and the consequences of sin. We recognise those consequences, O Lord our God, we thank Thee, lo, for a Saviour who came. O what a Redeemer, who came into the world and met the condition of life, and He went all the way to the cross in doing so. O we thank Thee that He died there upon the cross, He stood as a substitute. O we thank Thee for Him. And we thank Thee He accomplished redemption in full, and death could not keep Him. He rose victoriously, and we are thankful again this morning for the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Where would we be if He had not rose again? O Lord our God, we thank Thee for His resurrection. Our faith is not in vain. there he is making intercession for us, and we are so thankful. How little we think of him, how much he thinks of us. And oh, we thank thee. We do thank thee for this thy day, the Sabbath day, the Lord's day. And may we know much of Christ on this day, draw near further in this hour of worship. Touch our hearts, O Lord. O to know more of Christ on his day. Speak to us through thy word as we come to thy word this morning. Give help, O Lord, thou knowest. Lord, may be a word in seasons. Speak to our hearts. Lord, we beseech thee. O Lord, hear us now then in these scenes. Bless all who have gathered, we thank thee for everyone here and we do pray that thou bless from the youngest to the oldest, all we thank thee that in the younger years, and we do pray that here, men and women, boys and girls, would know the blessing of life in Christ. We who do, may we value this life, may we value Christ in all we beseech thee. Blessed be one here, thou knowest the hearts of all that are here, thou knowest the burdens that the congregation are going through, those that are known and those that are not publicly known. but they'll know us, O Lord. Help us, O Lord, to cast our burdens upon thee. For those who are not so well, we pray for them, those unable to be with us here today, and those who are here but not feeling so well. O Lord, be with them, we pray. We do pray that thou go before us, we pray that thou bless us further today. And as we enter a new week, we do pray for the midweek meeting, bless that time, particularly of prayer. For the youth work on Friday, we pray for that, O Lord, and do bless that. And then the baptising service on Saturday, we do pray again for Isabel, be with her and bless her. as she publicly declares her faith and repentance towards thee before a congregation. As she goes through the waters of baptism, O Lord, we pray for her, bless her and encourage her. Be of all who shall gather near and far, those in the family, those friends and others of the Lord. May it be a blessed time. So Lord, we look to Thee. We do pray again for the situation in Ukraine. We are concerned, O Lord. We bring our concerns unto Thee. And we do pray for a speedy conclusion to this conflict in Ukraine. O, may there be a restraining hand. We beseech Thee. And for the situation in the Middle East, we pray for that, O Lord. O, bring peace to that area, O Lord. We beseech Thee. And we do pray after these days of war that thou would strengthen the church, open the eyes of many Jews, O Lord, we pray, that they would look to Christ, O Lord, we beseech thee. And many in those areas as well, in those countries in the Middle East, open hearts, O Lord, after these days of great destruction and conflict. May there be much peace from the Prince of Peace. Oh, for a work of grace in the Middle East. Oh, may the Spirit come to many a heart, we beseech thee. We have all the young ones here, bless them. We thank thee for them. Those who are in the school and the college, we pray for them. Those in the home learning, we pray for them as well. Undertake, bless the parents as they seek to bring up their children. Bless the marriages here, undertaken everywhere, help us to reflect often upon our duties, set out in thy way and help us O Lord, we beseech thee. Bless the young people, bless the widows here, O be with them, come alongside them, we thank thee that thou art such a God to the widows and the widowers. O hear us in these prayers, we bring them to thee, As we come to thy word, have the glory speak to us through thy word. Hear our prayer, for Christ's sake. Amen. Before we turn to God's word, if you would help me to Psalm 118. Psalm 118 verses 19 through to verse 26 and the two Peter, and these words here, plainly as we come to Peter and other passages, point us to the Lord Jesus Christ, despised by the builders, we think particularly of the Jews, certain Jews, but become the headstone of the corner. These are precious words. Psalm 118, verses 19 through to verse 26, here of the Psalm 118. O said he, open unto me the gates of righteousness. Notice verse 22, the stone is made head cornerstone as a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ, which builders, as the Jews, did despise. This is the doing of the Lord and wondrous in our eyes. We particularly think of the day of resurrection, but then leading on to consider Pentecost as well. This is the day God made in it, where joy triumphantly Save now, I pray thee, Lord, I pray thee, send now prosperity. Psalm 118, verses 19 to verse 26. O set ye, O turn unto me the gates of righteousness, Then will I enter into them, and I alone will bless. This is the gate of the fight, the just shall enter in. Be well, my praise, for Thou behold'st, and hast my safety be. That stone is laid, that cornerstone, which builders did despise. This is the doing of the Lord, and wondrous in our eyes. This is the day God made in His will, joy triumphantly. Save Thou Thy Greatest, Lord Thy Greatest, and Thou prosper'st me. Blessed is he in God's great name, that cometh up to stay. We from the house wish to the Lord a change in blessed hand. If you would turn with me this morning to 1st Peter, chapter 2. 1st Peter, chapter 2, and we'll read again verses 1 through to verse 3. 1st Peter, chapter 2, and we'll read again verses 1 through to verse 3. Wherefore lay aside all malice, and all guile, and all hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes desire sincere milk of the wet, that ye may grow thereby. If so be, ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. where there is life, there is a desire to learn more of Jesus. And so the new convert desires to go again and again to the word of God. The book is consulted, the word of God. Now just notice verse two, as no newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. Well Peter here, he encourages these new converts to seek to desire the sincere milk of the word. Now as we think of the milk, it is the things which are more easy to be received. You understand that, don't you? When we think of the milk of the word, the plainer, the easier things to be received. Well, here Peter gives this exhortation to these new converts, as newborn babes, desirous of sin, milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. And then notice what he says in verse three. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. If so be, for those who are truly converted, they had tasted that the Lord was gracious. And if you look at Psalm 34, that the Lord is good. which the word gracious here can be translated as good as his goodness here. The Lord is good. What a great and glorious God we have. He is so good. We sang of it this morning in Psalm 100. Now just briefly before we come to these words this morning, Peter, as we have seen in the first chapter, gave an exhortation to holiness and then mutual love. We're here in the second chapter, he continues on with this by exhorting the converts, the scattered men and women that were scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia and Cappadocia to continue in the pathway of covenants. And particularly as we notice in verse 1, to lay aside all uncharitableness. Notice verse 1, wherefore, you notice young people, children, it connects from what we laying aside all manners and all garb, and hypocrisies and envies, and all evil speaking. You see, one is to be concerned about doing that which is right, so they need to lay aside all uncharitableness. Well, having made this claim, he encourages them, he exhorts them now, as newborn babes, to desire the sincere milk of the word. that ye may grow thereby. Now just pause before we consider these things. Do you notice the contrast? In verse one, he encourages, he exhorts that all uncharitableness is laid aside because that will not help in growth. The contrast is verse two, the milk of the wad. That's what will help in growth. Where there is uncharitableness, there will not be growth. where there is the milk and the word, if you receive and taste it further, there will be new. Well, let's come to these words this morning. We're particularly going to notice verse two and verse three, and three words as we do this morning. First of all, life. Secondly, tasting. And thirdly, growth. Life. tasting and growth. Now just notice verse two, as newborn babes. Now here Peter is addressing young converts, those who have just come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You notice verse two, as newborn babes. There's life within. They have a spiritual life. Then last week, we considered the life within, the true believer. Verse 23, being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruption by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. They have been born again. They have life. We hear these new converts have described as newborn babes. You children here this morning, you think of a little newborn babe that's just been born. There's life. And so we think of life here, a spiritual life. That's plain, isn't it? In contrast to what we considered last time, one before they have life is dead in trespasses and sins. Ephesians 2 verse 1, And you have he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. One has physical life, but not a spiritual life in view of the Lord. 1 Timothy 5 verse 6, but she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. You see the scripture makes it abundantly clear. Is dead, that is spiritually, while she liveth, that's physically. And there are many thousands, millions like that today. They're alive, but they're spiritually dead. And before the new birth, as we considered last time, one is spiritually dead. One is in bondage, living for sin. Every day, if we describe such a one, they're breaking the first commandment. They're not putting the Lord first. Every day. What is the first commandment? Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Yet the unconverted, they're not putting the Lord first. In the Westminster Catechism we read, what are the duties required in the First Commandment? The duties required in the First Commandment are the knowing and acknowledging of God, to be the only true God and our God and to worship and glorify Him accordingly by thinking, meditating, remembering, highly esteeming Him, honouring, adoring, choosing, loving, desiring, fearing of Him, believing Him, trusting and hoping. the larger catechism that is. But do you see, when one does not believe, when one does not look to him and love him and esteem him, they sin against him, they break the first commandment. What do we read in Ecclesiastes 12 verse 13, let us say the conclusion of the whole matter, fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man. Oh, consider men dead in chastises and They fell to keep the first commandment. Now we who love the Lord, we don't keep it perfectly, do we? But through the Lord's grace, we're enabled to do that which is right at times. But oh, consider those dead in trespasses and sins, they've never put God first. What spiritual bondage they are in. They fell to do that which is right by not believing where we fall to the bondage. However, through Christ there is deliverance and life. John 8 verse 36, if the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. There's deliverance, a life of bondage, living for sin, not believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. He is able to give life having given deliverance. John 10 verse 10, the thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy, I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. There's deliverance and there's life and he came that there might be life. He entered this world, he was conceived in the womb of Mary and he was born off her. He kept the law perfectly, and then he suffered the penalty for the breach of the law on behalf of others. He went all the way to the cross of Calvary. He met the condition of life, and he did it in full. Remember those well-known words, thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. He's the Savior, the Redeemer, who met the condition of life. There's life through him. There's deliverance through him from bondage. What bondage it is, isn't it? Not to put God first, to be so living for sin, gripped by sin, not believing in the Lord, but there comes deliverance through Him, and there's life through Him. There's a new life. What does Peter write here? As newborn babes. What about you this morning? Are you a newborn babe? Or an older Christian? Or are you not a Christian? As you look at verse 2, is this speaking to you? What do you know when I haven't been born again? What did the Lord say to Nicodemus? You must be born again. What else we think of this new life? There's a rebirth from above. You must be born again. If you read that passage in John 3, particularly the word again can be translated from above. Born again from above. It's a work of grace. It's a work of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. What is a new life? Newborn babes. Here Peter's addressing those who have just been converted. They believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and they repented of their sins. And when you think of a birth, you think of a new life, don't you? A little one appears, a little baby, and how precious is the new life, what a wonderful thing it is to see a baby. How wonderful it is, the Lubav. You who loved the Lord here this morning, let's not lose the wonder of what the Lord has done for us. He's given us life. We were born again. Christ was found within. The wonder, if you're without Christ, oh, that your eyes would be opened to see the wonder of the Lubav. It's a wonderful thing. Life is put within. We call it that principle of grace from the Lord. There's a new man within. Just think of it, there's a new heart now. In Ezekiel 36, verse 26, a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. Before, a stony heart, but now, a heart of flesh. There's life within. You think of the heart, there's love, isn't there? And there's the eye of faith. You think a little baby, their little eyes, they look up, they see where there's the eye of faith. Look unto me, we're told in Isaiah 45, verse 22, when there's the new life, faith is put within. There's the eye of faith, what is found looking. Hebrews 12 verse 2, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Looking, are you looking this morning? Have you faith? Now sometimes doubts like eyelids come over the eye of faith, says Ebenezer Eskin. But oh, There's the eye of faith. Are you looking? Are you looking to Jesus now? Are you exercising faith? Are you looking? And are you thankful in what He did here upon earth? Are you thankful? He's my Saviour. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. It began with Him, my Saviour, and He'll keep me in life and it will end with Him. Are you looking now? Let me ask you, are you looking unto Jesus. Maybe someone here, you're not looking. I turn with me to Isaiah 45 and verse 22. Isaiah 45 and verse 22. What do we read here? Look unto me and be you saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none. Look unto me. If one is to be saved, they have to look. Have you looked? There was a certain young man, many of you know this, on a winter's day, went into a little chapel. There was a man in the pulpit. He stood in because the preacher was going to arrive, and he opened up that text, look unto me. And he said this, young man, you look miserable. That was quite frank and blunt, wasn't it? You look miserable. Looking in the wrong direction. Look unto me. Well, C.H. Spurgeon that day looked unto the Lord. What a blessing to look. Have you looked to Jesus? What a blessing to exercise faith, looking unto Jesus. There's a new life, one has the eye of faith. Have you this eye of faith? Are you looking? At times we go sinking, like Peter, when we look at the wind which is boisterous. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look to Him. Well, as the eye of faith, there's a heart, a new heart. And then consider there is a renewed will. Now one through the grace and help of the Lord will be found seeking to do that which pleases God. And so we read in Psalm 110, verse three, thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. Well, grace does, a renewed will. The believer through the help of the Lord seeks to do that which is right. And then consider there's a new walk, isn't there? Yes, a little baby doesn't walk straight away. It takes a little time, doesn't it? But there's a new walk when we consider a new life. before one was going down a path that seemeth right unto them, but the ends thereof are death, as we read in the Proverbs. But when there's a new life, there's a new walk. Turn with me to John 8, verse 12. Jesus said, I am the light of the world. He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. That's plain, isn't it? The unbeliever walking in darkness, they don't know Christ. But the new born, One who has life, they're following the Lord, He's the light of life. There's a new war, not in darkness, but in light. They view the Saviour, and out of love they seek to follow Him. Remember those words of Jesus, if ye love me, keep my commandments. And the believer knows in their hearts they fell so often. They seek to do that which is pleasing Him. Isn't that true? We who love the Lord, we seek to do that which pleases Him. There's a new walk. Walk as the children of light. There's a new walk. We're thinking of this life. If we could go on further, there's a time now to sing and talk of Jesus. With love in the soul, Psalm 40, verse 3, he had put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. That one may have come to church and joined in with the singing, but when the Lord gets life, they find themselves singing to the Lord from their hearts. There's a new song. Have you this new song? Psalm 116, I love the Lord, the believer. Yes, I don't love him as I so desire, I want to love him so much more. But I love thee, I love the Lord. There's a tongue to sing, have you got a tongue to sing? In your heart, the words coming forth, but also a tongue to talk of Jesus. Remember that lady? She was a woman, she was a robber, the well of Samaria. And the Lord comes and touches her heart, light is put within. And what do we read in John 4 verse 29? Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ? There she leaves her water pot. She forgets what she's doing for a moment because her heart is taken. Have you ever known such a thing? Your heart taken by Jesus? Well, this woman, her heart is taken by Jesus. She's been given life. She's a heart now of love for Jesus. And what does she do? She goes and speaks of him. You remember the shepherd's children? They met the Lord. And what did they do? They went around Bethlehem, making known the things that they had heard and seen. They talked of Jesus. Yes, the unbeliever may talk of the Lord, for this is what I read, but with a new heart, the believer talks of one they know. Do you talk of Jesus? Is there this mark of grace? You talk of one you know personally. All of you know of King Charles III. A few years ago, it used to be all of you knew of King and Queen Elizabeth II. But all of you know King Charles III. But does any of you really know him? Well, if you do, come and see me afterwards. I don't think any of you really know King Charles III. You know of him. but you don't really know Him. Christ, the King of kings, let me ask you, do you really know Him? Do you talk of Him? I know whom I have believed. I talk of my precious Savior. This is my friend and this is my beloved, Solomon 5, verse 16. My friend, my beloved. Have you a tongue to sing? Have you a tongue to speak of Him? Well, on with you go. There's a new life, there's a heart now for Jesus. There's an eye that one by faith looks to Jesus. There's a new walk following Jesus. There's a tongue now to sing of Jesus and to speak of Jesus. What a privilege that is. There's a new life. But what a blessing to have a testimony like the Apostle Paul in Galatians 2 verse 20. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. The life which I now live. Is that your testimony? Is that your testimony? The life which I now live. I once lived a life not believing in the Lord. I once lived a life not putting God first, and I every moment broke that commandment, the first commandment. But now, my heart has been set free by the Savior, and Christ lives within me. I have a new life. Is this your testimony? Can you say there was a time in my life when I was a newborn babe, spiritually? I've been growing for a while. Or is there someone here you can't identify with these signs? You haven't looked unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Well notice these words here, as newborn babes. This life is the way of God addressing you this morning, as newborn babes. Oh for newborn babes today, for new converts, for little lambs. Lovely to see the little lambs, isn't it? We think of the winter at the moment. We haven't arrived at winter, have we? But this past week, we've been reminded that winter's not far away with the snow that has come. But look to the next season, the spring. And if the Lord spares you, don't be long. In early spring, I take my wife out for a little ride, and often she says, stop, stop the car. gets out with her camera and takes a picture of the little lambs. Lovely thing to see, little lambs, isn't it? New converts. Isaiah 40 verse 11, he should feed his flock like a shepherd, he should gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom. Have you been gathered by Christ? What a blessing. little lamb. I've said this before, you who are order, who love the Lord, at times we see ourselves still as lambs, don't we, because we know the weakness within. Ministers of the gospel are known as lambs, send you forth as lambs in the midst of the... lambs. Little children here this morning, if you think of a little lamb, have you held a little lamb in your arm? Have you fed a little lamb with the milk? It's the milk, isn't it? What a precious thing to hold a little lamb. Oh, the Lord Jesus Christ counts it most precious to hold newcomers in his arms, the little lambs. There's life as newborn babes. So let's move on. Secondly, tasting would be briefer. Tasting. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the world, that ye may grow thereby. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Now you see the exhortation. Desire the sincere milk of the world. You desire it. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. You true converts, you have tasted, have a hunger, have a desire to taste more, to know more of the Lord and his word. There in verse two. Now Peter knew the Psalms. And with this in mind, turn with me to Psalm 54, verse eight. O taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. fair or to a shop and somebody calls you over, why don't you taste this? I remember going to the supermarket in Totten years ago and they had many counters and I used to go across to them and the people would say, well you come and taste this, a little bit of cheese, a little bit of pork pie and you would taste it. I was hungry but I gladly received the invitation to taste what they were offering that the Lord is good. Taste. Now when you taste something, you perceive what it's like. You know, don't you? What we consider here, it's a spiritual thing, isn't it? Not physical, but a spiritual thing. To taste, to know, to perceive, to have this experimental knowledge. Now you remember those disciples who were in name but not in truth, they struggled with what the Lord said, the Lord made plain there was a spiritual eating and drinking of him, not a physical of course. But they didn't understand, he's the bread of life and he that eateth spiritually and he's the water of life, he that drinketh, there is life, isn't there? It's spiritual, isn't it? A spiritual tasting. As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby, if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Have you tasted that the Lord is gracious? Have you known? There's this experimental knowledge. You know. Do you know that the Lord is gracious? Has there been the enlightening of the eyes? Now, interesting words from the Old Testament concerning Jonathan. He was weary. And we're told this in 1 Samuel 14, verse 27. But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath. Wherefore, he put forth the end of the rock that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth and his eyes were enlightened. He knows. eyes were enlightened, this is good. Have you tasted that the Lord is good? In the New Testament, in Ephesians 1 verse 18, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened. Now one may say to someone, the Lord is good, but the other person doesn't know it. They've never that the Lord is gracious, that the Lord is good. Do you know this in your heart? Remember those words again in the Apostle, for the witch calls, I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I believe. The saving word, we know the Lord, we who love him and believe in him. Do you know him? Do you know that You've received it, and it's done you good. Do you know the Saviour? John 10, verse 14, I am a good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. He knows the sheep, and they know Him. What does the Lord know about you? And what do you know about Him? Is it a floating knowledge of Him in the head as you hear the Word of God? Or is it a saving knowledge in the heart? Have you tasted that the Lord is gracious? You children here, when you're given a piece of chocolate, what do you do? And then it's gone down. You know! Have you spiritually tasted it? Do you know the Lord? We who love the Lord, we know Him. We've tasted that the Lord is good, Psalm 34 verse 8. So kind, so gracious, so loving, isn't He? We know that because we read it in the Word of God, but we know it because we know it in our hearts, don't we? When we were given faith, we went to him. How gracious he was to save a sinner like me. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. John Newton, he had tasted that the Lord was gracious, so loving, so kind. In times of trial, he comes alongside and we have felt spiritually his uplifting hand. We may have been going through our struggles, low thoughts, but he's come alongside, and he's spoken through the word, and our hearts have been lifted, and we can say, well, we've tasted again that he is so gracious, so compassionate. In our weakness, he strengthens us. In the dark, he leads us. You know, we taste again and again, don't we, that the Lord is gracious. Now sometimes, the believer may say, where is he in the trial? But when there's good time, he makes himself alone, and we find ourselves so feasting on him. Ah, there he is, and his hand was there, and I feel it now. Oh, we've tasted that the Lord is gracious. Oh, taste and see, Psalm 34 verse four. It's the exhortation to exercise faith. Taste and see. Pray to know him. Have you ever prayed to know the Lord? You who love him, pray to know him more. Make trial of his goodness. Rejoice in what he does for you. Again and again, he's good, isn't he? You receive it, and you enjoy it. And you children, what do you do at times? You go out for seconds, don't you? Desire the sincere milk of the Lamb, if so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Oh, the believer, yes, they struggle, and there's sin within, but the believer wants to know more of Jesus. because they've tasted that the Lord is gracious. Well, as we close this morning, very briefly, we consider life, tasting, and now growth. Verse two, as newborn babes desire the same milk of the world, that ye may grow thereby. A little baby is given milk so they will be grown. These new converts, they needed the milk of the word, the simpler things. There are some difficult things in the Bible, but the more we read and the more we're taught, we'll be able to understand a little more, as best as we can, of the more difficult things. But there are the simpler things, that which one needs to do to be saved and how to live their life. The Bible presents to us What were to do? John 20, verse 31, but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name. These things are written. I said, well, here's the mail. If one is to be saved, what must they do? Believe, and what do we read? These are written, that ye might believe. The one who has believed has received the mail. and keep looking at these easier things to receive. That's so important, isn't it? Not to overload a new convert. That's a great mistake. What does Peter write here? As newborn babes desire the same milk of the world, that ye may grow thereby. There's life within. Let's grow. There's to be growth. they might grow. By faith one has looked unto Jesus, and what a saviour they have, and a precious friend. The believer now wants to know more of Jesus. And that's true of us who are older, isn't it? We want to know more of Jesus. Have you the spiritual desire? If you're a new convert, the milk's the bread, but oh, then more is meat as the time passes A desire for the world that He might grow. We want to be growing, don't we? We want to be more like Jesus. In 2 Peter 3 verse 18 we read, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Grow in grace. Life has been put within this principle of grace and there are other graces, faith, love, joy. We want to grow in those, don't we? More love for Jesus. More faith. We do want to look to Him more by faith, don't we? More joy. We long to know more joy. Joy in view of Jesus. Peace. Peace from the Prince of Peace. Oh, that peace in the Gospel. Oh, to know more peace. Long-suffering. Gentleness. Kindness. Goodness. Faith. Meekness. Temperance. So on. We want to grow in these things. Sadly at times there seems to be a winter time. through my soul, O for the springtime, the summertime of growth, growing in love for Jesus. As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby, these new converts grow, as to be your concern. But it's also true of older saints as well. We don't forget those who have walked with the Lord for a number of years, and so we read in Psalm 92, verse 14, they shall still bring forth fruit in old age. And the older we get, what we desire to do is still to be fruitful, growing in grace, but also growing in knowledge, but growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to know him more, that's our desire, isn't it? Do you want to know Jesus more? Do you know him? And you who do know him, do you not desire to know him? He's altogether lovely. He's the fairest of 10,000. He's so kind, so helpful. Do you not desire to know him more? He's meek and lowly. He says, learn of me. Do you not desire to know him more? You children, you're learning, aren't you? Some of you go to school, some of you, you learn at home. You're learning. What a believer wants to learn and learn beyond 16, beyond 18. They want to learn all the days of their life and they look forward to eternity of learning more of Jesus. Have you this desire to learn, to grow in knowledge? You want to learn more of Him. Have you life in your life? Jesus says, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Learn of me. The one that goes, the one who believes, learns from the Savior. Are you learning? Are you desiring to grow? You want to know more of Jesus? Let us pray. O gracious God, we thank thee for thy word. Give us a desire for it, O Lord. For any here who have not that desire in their heart, if it please thee, give them that desire. Open their hearts, like Lydia of old, or may they be found looking unto Jesus. O, we pray that we would have such a hunger after him, that we would have such a thirst, we think of the little baby desiring the milk from the mother. All many of you know is desiring the milk of the word, but then the meats as well, desiring to learn more of Jesus. Help us to be growing in grace. May our faith increase, our love, our joy, our peace. Oh, may these things increase, even in stormy weather. Lord, we pray, help us to desire. We do desire to grow in these things. We do desire to grow in the knowledge of Jesus. Oh, to know him more today, tomorrow, all the days of our life. and then to get to know him even more in heaven. Oh, to know more of Jesus. He loved us, forgave us where we fell. He forgave us the sin within our hearts. For the sin doth not aid the growth, as we considered in verse one today. Oh, Lord, help us in these things. For Christ's sake, have all the glory. For Christ's sake. Amen. We chant our final praise Psalm 34 verses 1 to 9. Psalm 34 verses 1 through to verse 9. God will I bless all times his prayers, my love shall still express. And these are precious words here, the Apostle Peter knew these words well. Verse 7, the angel of the Lord encounters, who think particularly of the angel of the covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son. And then notice verse 8, this great call, oh taste and see that God is good. The Lord is gracious. who trusts in Him is blessed. Tasting, knowing, and one is blessed in trusting. Psalm 34, verses 1 to 9, and the tune is main. But will my little darling be praised? My mouth shall still express My soul shall work in harmony, shall hear with joyfulness, and so alone with me let us exult his name together. I saw the Lord, he heard and did be proud of his deliverer. They looked to Him, and lightened were not shamed when were held their faces. This poor man cried, God heard and saved, In trouble, in distress, and The angel of the Lord in Christ had crowned and conquered death. All those that bowed back to him feared, and then deliver him. O taste and see that all is good, who trusts in him is blest. Dear God, his saints, now the miles in fear, shall be with one oppressed. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen.