We're turning to Mark's Gospel, chapter 4, today, this afternoon. Mark's Gospel, chapter 4, and we'll read from the verse number 35. Mark chapter 4 and the verse number 35. The Word of God says, And the same day when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over on to the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship, and there were also with him other little ships. There arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship asleep on a pillow, and they awaked him and said unto him, Master, Carest thou not that we perish? And he arose and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this? that even the wind and the sea obey Him. Amen. And we'll end this short reading at the end of this chapter. We'll unite in prayer again. Our loving Father, we thank Thee, O God, for this account that we have within Thy Word. We thank Thee for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the one who is all-powerful. We rejoice, O God, in one who is the mighty God of whom angels do worship. Come, dear God, to give thee all of our praise today. And as we sit now under thy word, O God, give us a sight of Christ, we ask. Grant, O God, thy blessing and power and presence even with us. O God, grant the infilling of thy spirit. O God, to preach the word. Let us not rely on our own ability or skill, but, Lord, we lean on thee heavily. O God, we lean on thee entirely. We cry, O God, that therefore that thou wilt come. We pray, O God, that if there be things in our minds, maybe, dear God, a bitter spirit, O God, put it from us. If there be, dear God, in our hearts a hatred, or if there be envy or jealousy, put these things far from us, we pray. We recognize, O God, that these things will hinder and will hamper us hearing the word. O God, grant, therefore, thy blessing and grant, O God, a highway for the word today. Come and shut us in. Lord, bless thy saints wherever they are today, and if they be not in a place of worship, may, O God, they have made the effort to at least have tuned in to somewhere. Lord, have some time of family worship together. O God, we pray that we'll not be missing and we'll not be, O God, found wanting with respect to keeping thy day holy. as we ought and are commanded to do. O God, we pray that the Sabbath would be our delight, and grant, O God, ever the meeting of ourselves together, and Lord, give us ever that desire to be found in the place of prayer and praise. So come and bless our hearts, for we pray these, our prayers, in and through Jesus' precious name. Amen. But today we want to once again behold our God. And to do that we want to focus our attention on another of God's communicable attributes, namely God's power. That attribute we have already considered together in our series on the doctrine of God, because we considered the power of God when we came to think about our omnipotent God. On that occasion we came to understand that God is unlimited. God is unbounded with respect to his power and thus he possesses the attribute of omnipotence, that he is all-powerful. I don't want to repeat what I said on that occasion, but I do want us to consider the power of God in relation to one person specifically within the Trinity, that person being the Son of God. We must remember that what we say about one person within the Trinity can be said about the other two persons within the Trinity. Our catechism reminds us that there are three persons in the Godhead, God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power, and in glory. Now in the introductory remarks of the book of Hebrews, in the chapter number 1, we read that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son, is the expressed image of his person. Colossians 1 verse 15 tells us that the Son of God is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. If we are to understand anything about God, then we are to look through the viewing lens or the viewing glass of God the Son. The Lord Jesus Christ taught that when he said to Philip there in John chapter 14 in the verse number 9, he that has seen me has seen the Father. The thought behind the Savior's words were that the perfections, the attributes that we see in Jesus Christ are to be found also in God the Father as well as in God the Holy Spirit. So our thoughts today, we want to confine them as we think about the power of God We want to confine them to the thoughts of the power of God as it was manifested in the life and in the work and in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you want a title for the message, it is simply this, Behold Your Powerful God in the Person of Jesus Christ. Behold Your Powerful God in the Person of Jesus Christ. As we consider the power of God, as it is revealed to us in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, we come to see, first of all, His power in preaching. His power in preaching. The citizens of Nazareth, His own hometown, wanting nothing to do with the Lord Jesus Christ. Evidenced in their attempt to kill him by throwing him over the brow of the hill upon which Nazareth was situated, we are told in Luke's Gospel in the chapter 4 and the verse number 31 that the Lord Jesus Christ left Nazareth and made his way to the city of Capernaum and preached on to the residents there on the Sabbath days. Now look, chapter 4 in the verse 32 gives us the public's appraisal of the preaching ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are told in that verse that on hearing Christ preaching and teaching, the people of Capernaum were astonished at his doctrine, for his word was with power. That's what their appraisal was. That's what their assessment was as they listened to the preaching ministry and teaching ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, that His word was with power. The word that we have here, translated power, has as its primary thought that of authority. His word was with authority, heaven's authority, bactomo, that Jesus Christ said. But there is a secondary thought connected with this word power, and it is that of force or that of might. It was power. divine, irresistible, authoritative power that clothed the messages that the Son of God preached when he was here on earth. You see, the people were used in their day to hear from their religious leaders dead, formal, lifeless eulogies and orations. Whenever Jesus Christ came to preach, he came with a message from God and with power he preached what God gave him regardless of what the people thought or what the people concerned themselves about. Jesus Christ preached with power and with great authority. And as he did so, he preached with fervency. He did so with authority, not coldness, not indifference that marked the preaching of the religious man of his day. The power that went forth in the preaching ministry of Christ is clearly evident in the fact that men and women, their hearts were touched Their hearts were reached and their hearts were eternally changed. Christ preached and as he did so there was a commanding force in all that he said resulting in the people of this city acknowledging that his word was with power. Now the question arises is where did that power arise? From whence did it come? And if you cast your eyes back to look for verse number 14, you'll see that after the Savior's temptation in the wilderness, we are told that He returned. Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit. into Galilee and there went out a fame of him throughout the region round about. Look at the words of the verse number 18 and 19 of the same chapter. Words that Christ applied to himself that caused the uproar within the synagogue because these words were related to the Messiah and Christ taking these words to himself. He was claiming to be this Messiah which the religious leaders did not want to hear and they did not want to acknowledge. Christ said, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, verse 18, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and the recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Did you notice the repetition? There is a repetition, Luke 4, verse 18 and 19. There is a repetition of what Christ came to do. He came to preach. He came to preach the gospel to the poor. He came to preach deliverance to the captives. He came to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. A three-fold cord cannot be easily broken. Three times the Savior emphasizes that his ministry was a preaching ministry, and he was going to do that by the power of the Spirit of God. God's Spirit was upon the blessed Son of God. The Spirit of God was upon him to do many things, but primarily it was to preach the Word of God. Christ's power to preach came then from the anointing that he received of the Spirit of God. The title Christ reminds us that he is the anointed one, the Messiah. Acts 10 and the verse 38 affirms a source of Christ's power, that it was by the anointing of the Spirit. Let me read the words there, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him. Christ preached with the Holy Ghost and with power. We see His power in His preaching ministry. And brethren and sisters, it is that power, the power of the Spirit, the power that Christ preached with that is necessary for every man to possess who has been called to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Powerless preaching is the curse of today's church. Preaching that leaves men and women, boys and girls, unmoved, undisturbed and unaffected is the scourge of the 21st century church. If preaching does not make people either mad or glad, you can be dead unsure that God's power is missing in such preaching. Brethren and sisters, we need the power of God in preaching. We need the power of God to attend the preaching of God's Word. And so I throw out the challenge to you once again. Coming to the end of another year, let me ask you to take this to heart. Will you take it to your heart to pray that this preacher, along with every other faithful ambassador of Jesus Christ, would know again the power of God in the preaching of God's Word? We need such power. We need what the apostles experienced in Acts 4, in the verse number 33, it tells us there, and they, and with great power, the apostles witnessed of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all, and with great power, with great power. Will you pray to that end? Will you pray that great power, will be upon God's servant to preach the word. Great power would attend the preaching of the word because with great power there comes also great grace, saving grace, sanctifying grace. When the power of God is in the house, thank God, lives are changed, destinies are changed. Thank God, salvation visits. This is what we need, brethren and sisters, great power, great power. Thank God it can come, but it comes in answer to prayer. So let me encourage you to come to pray. What an encouragement it was to see teenagers in the place of prayer today. What an encouragement it is to see older folk together in the place of prayer. Will you join us in the place of prayer? Don't leave it to a mere handful, brethren and sisters. Don't leave it to someone else to pray, but you join together in the house of God to pray down the blessing of God. Oh, for great power. Oh, that we might have even but a little of the power that Christ had whenever he preached. As we consider the life and ministry again of the Lord Jesus Christ, we see in the second instance his power over sickness. his power over sickness. Not only were the words of Christ clothed with power, but his works were also marked by divine power. Now miracles, signs and wonders were God's way of confirming the deity of his Son. To prove that Jesus Christ was what he claimed to be the Son of God was affirmed by miracle. Even the Jewish leaders had to reluctantly acknowledge that there was something different about this man, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Whenever Nicodemus came to the Savior by night, when he had that interview with the Son of God, Nicodemus being a ruler of the Jews, what did he say in John 3 verse 2? He said, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles. except that thou doest, except God be with him. No man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Little did they know that God was not with him, but God was in him, because he was God. He was God, he is God, and continues to be God. He was truly God. truly man and as such he was able to perform those miracles those signs and those wonders. Now the miracles of Christ they varied in their nature. Some were creative miracles. I think the most well-known creative miracle was that miracle that Christ performed in the multiplying of the loaves and the fishes to feed 5,000 plus people who came to hear the Savior preach. We read of that in Matthew chapter 14. I think it's the next chapter. And we find him doing it again, feeding this time 4,000 plus individuals. That is known as what is known as a creative miracle. God, by his creative power in the person of his son, creating something out of nothing. Some involve his own person, his miracles. I think of the miracle we have thought about this event in Luke chapter 4. Well, you'll notice whenever they took him to the brow of the hill, we read the words We read there that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ, he made his way through the crowd, verse number 30, but he passing through the midst of them went his way and came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, verse 30 and the verse 31. The Lord Jesus Christ was able to evade the crowd. It is believed that that took a miracle. They were about to throw him over the hill, but Christ was able to make his way through the crowd unhindered because his time of death was not yet to be. Another kind of miracle that Christ performed is spiritual. I think of the miracle of the new birth. That's what I'm thinking of. The miracle of salvation. There were those in the time of Christ who experienced that. When the Savior was on earth, they came to acknowledge Jesus Christ. To be the Son of God, they came to acknowledge Him as Lord and as Savior, and that's the greatest miracle, the miracle of the new birth. However, the majority, I would say, of the Savior's miracles were performed on those who were afflicted with certain illness and diseases that had no cure for in such times. We read of the Savior healing 10 lepers of their leprosy. Luke chapter 17. We read of him healing a centurion paralyzed servant in Capernaum in Matthew chapter 8. We read of him healing a paralytic man in Mark chapter 2. We read of him healing a man with a withered hand in Luke chapter 6. We read of him healing two blind men outside the city of Capernaum in Matthew chapter 5. We read of him healing a dumb man in Matthew chapter 9, a deaf and dumb man in In Mark chapter 7, a woman who had been crippled for 18 years. In Luke chapter 13, a woman who had for 12 years who had hemorrhaged blood. In Luke chapter 13, they healed the right ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest whenever Peter removed it with a sword. In Luke chapter 22. These are miracles that Christ performed. And when I started to think about those cases that the Savior took to dealing with, none of those illnesses None of those illnesses were easy to remedy. You know, it wasn't that the Savior took someone with a runny nose or with a sore throat and healed them. No, rather it was blindness. It was dumbness. It was leprosy. Even the restoration of a body part that the Son of God took to healing by his own power. Some of the cases were long-term. We read of them or spoke of them 18 years, 12 years. long-term difficulties and problems. All, I would say, were impossible cases to heal from a human viewpoint. There was no such thing as medicine, no such thing as treatment in such days to heal leprosy, to heal dumbness, to heal blindness. No, none of these things, none of these things were about in Christ's day. And yet, whenever they were brought to the Savior, no case was too difficult that the power of Christ could not deal with. I read in one of the gospel accounts that the power of Christ was there to heal them all. Multitudes came. The power of Christ was there to heal them all. The amazing thing about the healing ministry of the Savior was that no one was ever referred to another physician. Christ didn't hand them to a consultant that he knew. Someone else who was more gifted with respect to their healing. No, whenever they came to Christ, they found in him a suitable and fitting and able physician of their sickness. And the other thing about the Savior's ministry is that whenever Christ healed an individual, they never came back again. No, they were healed completely, fully. He gave them a perfect and complete healing. Now, as we think of the power of Christ over sickness, you might be asking yourself the question, if Christ has power over sickness, why do I bear in my body certain illness? You might be saying today, why is it my loved one is lying in hospital? Or why is my loved one at home battling with cancer or some other disease? You may be even saying, why has God not healed me, even when I've prayed the prayer of faith for such a healing? Well, last week's message should help you in answering that question. Though God is infinitely, eternally, and unchangeably powerful, he is also infinitely, eternally, and unchangeably wise. See, God in his wisdom may have higher ends and views. higher ends in view for your life that may require that illness to remain in your body or in the body of that loved one of yours. Because it is by illness we're humbled. We're humbled by God. It is through times of sickness that we are forced to rely more on God. It is in our bodily weakness that we come to prove that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. It is through our sanctified trials that we are conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. And so Christian, if you or someone, loved one of yours, is going through some health issue at this time, I want you to remember God is still wise. Yes, God can heal, but God in his wisdom may not. God has higher ends in view. And oh, if your loved one is not a Christian, you'll bless God for the illness if that illness brings him to Christ and saves him by God's grace. Maybe you're going through, as I've said, some health issue, some problem that no one else knows about, not even the minister. I want to remind you of words, words that we find in John 11 in the verse number 3. These were words that were conveyed to Christ from the sisters of Lazarus who were watching their brother's health deteriorate. They told him these words, they were sent to him by message, Lord behold he whom thy lovest is sick. He whom thy lovest is sick. Sickness is not a sign that God has stopped loving you. Sickness is not a sign that God has stopped caring for you. Sickness is not a sign that God is displeased with you. His eternal love is still directed to you even in your sickness. J.C. Riles, speaking of the subject of sickness in the life of the Christian, gave this counsel. He said, I earnestly entreat all sick believers to remember that they may honor God as much by patient suffering as they can by active work. It often shows more grace to sit still than it does to go to and fro and perform great exploits. I entreat them to remember that Christ cares for them as much when they are sick as he does when they are well. Above all, I entreat them to recollect the sympathy of Jesus for all his weak members. They are always tenderly cared for by him, but never so much as in their time of need." God's power over sickness. But we think, in the third place, as we consider the power of God as displayed in the life and ministry of Christ, we see his power over nature, God's power over nature. The Apostle John, speaking of the divine logos, the incarnate word, the Lord Jesus Christ, said in John 1, in the verse number 3, all things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. The Apostle Paul accredited accredited the creation of all things to the Son of God. He wrote as much in Colossians 1 verse 16, for by him were all things created that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities and powers. All things were created by him and for him. And so all things being created by God, being the creator of all things, every creature or every created force are subservient to Him. All creatures and all created forces are subservient to God, the Son. Let me point you to a number of examples in the Word of God that show the Son of God's power over nature. Consider His power over the animal life. Consider God's power, God the Son's power over the animal life. You see Christ's power over the animal kingdom when He brought into the net of Peter A draft of fishes that had evaded him the whole night in Luke chapter 5. You see Christ's power over the animal kingdom when he caused a fish of the sea with a piece of money in its mouth to affix itself to the hook at the end of the fishing line of Peter in Matthew chapter 17. Can you imagine that? Jesus Christ told Peter, put his fishing line over the side of the boat to cast it into the sea, the sea, most likely the Sea of Galilee. And yet God directed, the Son of God directed a fish to that hook with a piece of money in its mouth. We think of Christ's power over the animal life when he sat on an untamed colt. In other words, a donkey that had never been sat on. I don't know if you've ever been foolish enough to try and sit on a donkey that has never been sat upon, but I can guarantee you that you'll not be sitting on it too long, because that donkey will soon cast you off, it'll soon buck you off, as it would say, never been sat upon. But whenever Christ sat on the animal, it became subservient to its creator. Subservient to its creator. Came under the power of Jesus Christ. The natural tendency of that cult was overridden by the Christ of God. Something supernatural happened to that very ass that took the Savior into Jerusalem. Is that power over animal life? We consider God the Son's power over plant life. In Mark chapter 11, the Savior came to a fig tree, and as he approached it, it all looked very good, so it did from the outside. There were leaves on it, but as the Savior approached that particular fig tree, he found that, yes, full display of leaves, but absolutely no fruit on it. It was the time of fruit. And yet he found nothing but leaves. And on surveying that site, in Mark 11 verse 14, we read that Jesus answered and said unto it, unto the fig tree, no man eat fruit on thee hereafter forever. And the disciples heard it. The Lord Jesus Christ went about his business that day. They went to bed. They got up in the morning, and it tells us the very next morning, and I continue within the narrative, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, calling to remembrance, saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursest is withered away. In obedience to the Savior's command, the fruitless fig tree was destroyed. Christ's power over plant life, but consider Christ's power over the elements. That's why we read this passage in Mark chapter 4. The Savior was caught up in a storm within the particular passage, a storm that was so fierce that even storm-hardened fishermen feared for their lives. Master, carest thou not that we perish? In reply to that we are told in the verse number 39 of Mark 4 that the Son of God arose and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, peace be still. And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. At the display of that power over the elements, the disciples looked at each other and they said these words, what manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey him? You see, whatever part of nature you care to investigate within the Word of God, you'll see that Christ is presented in the scriptures as one over which he exercises his power. It is then no wonder that the psalmist in Psalm number 46 had confidence in God when the earth around him was shaking and when the mountains were being carried into the midst of the sea. He said, God is our refuge and strength. very present help and trouble, because he knew that Christ was over it all. He had power over all, power over nature. He was aware that all of nature is under the triune God's sovereign control, God's over nature. There are a number of other areas in which we see the power of Christ, I want to briefly bring to your attention before I close the meeting. Fourthly, we can see in the Scriptures Christ's power over sin, His power over sin. Mankind is held by the power of sin and darkness, Colossians 1, and the verse 13 reminds us of that. And yet God in the gospel, thank God, is able to overturn that power and deliver sinners from that which binds and feathers in. And the man who was sick of the palsy was brought into the presence of Christ in Matthew chapter number nine. The Savior wanted to prove to his skeptical and prejudiced audience that he had the power, he had power on earth to forgive sins. And to prove that to be the case, the Son of God said to that man who was sick of the palsy, arise, take up thy bed and go unto thy house. to the amazement of the people. That's exactly what that man did. And it proved to that particular congregation that Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, hath power on earth to forgive sins. And thank God Christ does have power. to deliver us from our sins. Many within the congregation have known the power of God in salvation. Thank God they've come to experience what it is to be delivered from their sins. They've found it to be true, the words of Matthew 1 verse 21, that Jesus Christ really does save His people from their sins. Christ has power to deliver men and women from their sins. Now let me ask you today, have you known that power? Have you been delivered by that power from your sins? Are you a Christian? Are you in Christ? Have you been born again of the Spirit of God? I wonder if you've known God's delivering power in your life. Another year is almost gone, yet you're still in your sins. Oh, that you would be delivered by His power. Christ, the power of God, to deliver you from all that binds and fetters you. Oh, that today, this year, would end as you being born of the Spirit, that you would become a child of God, ready for heaven and ready for home. His power over sin. In the fifth place, we see God, in God's word, Christ's power over Satan and his kingdom. We see Christ's power over Satan and his kingdom. Though Satan is powerful, thank God, Christ being God is all-powerful. He is omnipotent. Numerous examples within the scriptures of times whenever Satan and his cohorts came against the Son of God, but had to capitulate, had to surrender to his power and his authority over them. Two examples are found in Luke's gospel. Luke chapter 4, we meet a man in the temple. He was possessed of a spirit of an unclean devil. Christ would rebuke the devil, commanding him to hold his peace and to come out of the man to which he did. We read in the verse 36 of the chapter, the reaction of the people who witnessed Christ's deliverance of the demonically possessed man. And they were all amazed, the chapter says, verse number 36, they were all amazed and spake among themselves saying, what a word is this? For with authority and power, he commanded the unclean spirits and they came out. Christ's power over the devil and the demons of hell. Over the devil's kingdom, thank God, Christ's kingdom rules. All is under his feet. And we thank God for that. In Luke chapter 9, the Savior meets a young man. He's possessed with a devil. The disciples can do nothing for him. And so they bring him to the Savior. We read in verse 42, and the devil threw him down and tear him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the child and delivered him again to his father. Verse 43 tells us the response of those who witnessed the child's deliverance by Christ. And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. They were amazed at the mighty power of God as they saw Christ deliver these individuals who were demonically possessed. We fear the devil more than we should, brethren and sisters. Satan is a formidable foe, but Christ is well able to overthrow his power by his own power. We bless God that are greater than he has come. Greater than the devil, greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world. Speaking of the second person of the Trinity, the inspired pen man would write in Hebrews 2 verse 14, for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he, speaking of Christ, also himself took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil. Christ has triumphed and Christ has power over Satan and his kingdom. Sixthly and finally, within the biblical record we see Christ's power over death. His power over death. Jairus' daughter, the widow named son, Lazarus, they were all individuals who came to experience the power that Christ had over death when he would raise them from the dead. But the Son of God's own resurrection is the greatest manifestation of His power over man's last enemy. The Savior said in John 10, 17 and 18, Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I may take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down. and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. Christ has power over death. That's a comfort, child of God, for your heart today. Comfort can be derived from the truth that Christ has met death and triumphed over it, and therefore those who are in union with Him will be raised with Him to be with Him eternally in heaven. Christ has triumphed over death. Death has no power over Christ. Christ has power over death. And that's why the believer can say to the grave, where is thy victory? And that's why the Christian can say to death, where is thy sting? For Christ has met death, and we shall not be hurt of the second death. Oh, we'll pass through the valley, the shadow of death, yes, physically speaking, but thank God, the second death, the death that will take the soul into a Christless eternity, that second death has no power over the believer, because Christ has triumphed. Christ has power over death. And so let me ask you, are you in union with Christ? Are you in union with the one who has met death, who has power over death? Christ, Christ alone has met death. And Christ alone has triumphed over it. And so we behold the power of God in Christ. We see the power of God in Christ. We see His power in His preaching. We see His power over sickness. We see His power over nature itself, over sin, over Satan, and His kingdom over death. And as we consider His power over all of these areas, may it encourage us to know that with our God all things are possible, and that there is nothing that is too hard for Him. All things are possible. because this God is our God. He is and will be our guide even on to death. Behold the power of God in the person of Jesus Christ. May God help us to lovingly adore him, Christ the Lord. Let's bow our heads in prayer, please. Our loving Father, we bow before thee. We thank thee for the darling, thy darling, and thy well-beloved son. We thank thee for the power that is his, that belongs to him. Power belongeth unto God. We bless thee for all power that was invested in Christ, that was his naturally, that was his eternally, from before the worlds were ever created. O God, we bless thee for the the one who had the power and was full of power. God, we bless thee for the Father and the Spirit as well. We thank thee for our omnipotent God. We bless thee that as we stand at an empty tomb today, we see the power of our God. We thank thee that Christ, by his own power, by the eternal Spirit, was raised. Thank thee, O God, that he had the authority and the power to do so. He lay it down and He took it up again. We bless Thee, Father, that because He lives, we shall live also. O God, help us to see Him more and more. Help us to appreciate, O help us to appreciate the Christ even more and more as we behold Him in the Scriptures. And help us, dear Father, O God, to see His power in the lives of those who know not Him. O God, may they be subdued. May they be subdued by His power and brought under His governance. O answer prayer and bless us as we continue in the communion service. For we pray these, our prayers, in and through Jesus' precious name. Amen. Returning to the hymn 91, the hymn number 91, tell me the story of Jesus. Write in my heart every word, tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. The hymn number 91 will stand to sing and those who have to leave can do so as we sing this hymn. Hymn number 91 on the page 213. Tell me the story of Jesus, right from my heart every word. Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. ♪ Where are the angels in chorus ♪ ♪ Sign as they welcome this birth ♪ ♪ Glory to God in the highest ♪ ♪ Peace and good tidings to earth ♪ ♪ Tell me the story of Jesus ♪ Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. I stayed alone in the desert, tell of the days I defied. Our poor city was faded, yet was triumphant at last. Hail, all the years of his labor! Hail, all his sorrows be borne! He was despised and rejected, homeless, afflicted, and burned. Tell me the story of Jesus. be this story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. Tell of the cross where they nailed him. Tell of his anguish and pain. Tell of the rain. again. Love in that story so tender, greater than ever I see. Glory to Jesus forever. He paid the ransom for me Tell me the story of Jesus Write on my heart every word Tell me the story most precious Sweetest that ever was heard