Once again, let me just give thanks to God because of this beautiful moment that the Lord has given us. For it has pleased Him to have such morning and afternoon, some other times, so that He must be exalted through the preaching of His Word. The name of Christ is exalted when we are preaching the singular and only gospel. And there is no any other message that we are to preach that will bring glory to the Lord if it is not the Christ, the crucified one message. Many messages that people preaches or speaks is not preaching. It's not gospel, it's just news. It's news and it's almost the same with the broadcasters, broadcastings that broadcast news from different places. Of course, yes, it has taken the message from the Holy Bible, but speaking things of the Bible without the liberation of the Lord then is not the gospel. In the view of the Bible, there are so many ways in which the Bible can be used to teach us about God. They'll try their level best to try to look after words from the Bibles, the messages that looks similar to the singular gospel that touches the messages that the true and only gospel preaches, but it means nothing. As we are proceeding from the book of Judges, chapter 6, about Gideon, the saviour of his own people, We were on verse 25, turn to verse 31. Let us just read it before we proceed. And it came to pass the same night that the Lord said unto him, take thy father's young barrack, even the second barrack of seven years old, and throw down the outer of bar that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it." 25. And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock. In the order, press and take the second baroque, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the glove which thou shalt cut down. I would like to invite you all to join me in prayer. I would like to invite you all to join me in prayer. Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him. And so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. For many of Gideon, he was having a woman who knew him well, a woman who knew him well, I know. Hello? Hello, John? Yes, Patrick. Do you... Did you follow me? I didn't read the... You were reading the verse 28, right? Yes. And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, they heard the altar of Bara was cast down, and the grove was cut down. That was by it, and the second baroque was offered upon the altar that was built. So, if you go to Mabawa, you will see that the people of Bara are called Gamuga. And they said one to another, who have done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said Gideon, the son of George, have done this thing. Then the men of the city said unto George, bring out thy son, that he may die, because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it. And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye pray for Baal? Will you save him? He that will plead for him, let him be put to death, was to eat his yet morning. If he be a God, yet he let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar. May the good Lord bless the leading of Israel. I get wondered to see the response that Jowash, the father of Gideon, responded even though he was a leader of these people leading to worship Ido Baa. I know that he was a leader of these people. I know that he was a leader of these people. I know that he was a leader of these people. I know that he was a leader of these people. Because the way Gidio, I mean the way Jowash, responded to the people, the congregants of himself, it was like he was not one of the participators that worshipped this God-Bah. If we look at what happened to the people of Anakila, the people of Gurulam, the people of Anam, the people of Kanila, the people of Zinai, the people of Gwabili, the people of Sangari, the people of Sangari-Mozi, the people of Mbembe, the people of Mbembe-Zamungwa, the people of Mbembe-Wapala, which means even though he was worshipping this bar, but he was not of this God. He was to come back to his God, that is the living God of heaven. The second thing, we see God giving the procedure and the way of castering down this God bar of saving people from this bondage. This is a way and the exact means one should fall for salvation to be granted and this is Christ doing the work so that the salvation is to be granted to those that are his. Some of the things that we looked into last week, we saw that sacrifice without an animal is not a sacrifice. You can have knife, you can have firewood, you can have fire, you can have everything, yes, but without an animal, then there is no sacrifice. But the other thing that we should look into it is on verse 26, whereby he said, he should build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock. And the other sentence is that in the ordinary press... which means it's not just to build an altar elsewhere, but there must be a specific place that is worthy for the altar to be elected so that when it's sacrificing, for sure the sacrifice should proceed to the mighty God. Before Christ came into this world, the Israelites have been going to Jerusalem to worship. They were not stopping elsewhere, but going to the exact place appointed so that they should worship there. This is God electing the singular place of worship as a picture of Christ as the only place where a sinner should bow and praise and worship. I am a Christian, and I believe in Jesus Christ. This is why Christ had to come out from Jerusalem with a cross and went to the mountains, not every mountain outside of Jerusalem, no, but a specific place in Golgotha, whereby he erected, whereby the cross was erected and he was crucified there, exact place. This truly shows that it is only when we see Christ of the Scriptures, our sins can be forgiven or has been forgiven. It's not elsewhere but to Christ and Christ alone. If you don't want to see Jesus Christ, you don't have to go to the church to see him. People were repacking and preparing themselves on the way going to Jerusalem. Meaning, they were pointing to Christ as the only place whereby their sins should be read upon and be forgiven. And when you say that you are going to Jerusalem, you mean that you are going to receive Christ Jesus? Even the cross that Christ was crucified wasn't put elsewhere in Jerusalem or outside Jerusalem, but it was to go at a specific place, which means the salvation has gone its own specific way that follows and that one is to be saved from. The other thing here on verse 26, it shows that the clock, I mean the altar was built on the rock. Why on the lock? When we look into the Bible, we found that the lock was Christ Jesus. Which means Gideon has not to do anything out of his wish, but it should go upon a directed place on the log. In other way round, we can say that they were worshipping on the rock because the altar was to be laid on the rock whereby they are to offer their burnt offering, which means prayers proceeded to the rock whereby the rock is Christ Jesus. This is God pointing Gideon to the rock whereby the prayers will be accepted of the people. Why the rock? The answer is the other sentence whereby it says, in the ordinary place. It was a must for the altar to be laid on the rock, to be laid on Christ Jesus. Let me point you, brothers and sisters, to Christ Jesus. That it is only to Christ Jesus whereby our prayers should proceed. No any other way, no any other means. Christ and Christ alone. So, uh, I'm going to go on. The other sentence I said, and offer the burnt offering with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. Then it was worthy for the sacrifice to be done, because the altar is on the rock. Thank you very much. I would like to thank you for the invitation. And again, it is very difficult to understand God if it is not God who helped us open the eyes and ears to hear and see Christ of the Scripture. Because how was the bank offering? They wanted to take an animal and put on the fire and the fire kindled and it came to the stage whereby it was like meat, having a good smell, but it proceeded and it became like charcoal. It's when there was a good aroma before the Lord. That charcoal smelling, it was a smell that God likes. Not the smell of the first stage of the roasted meat on the fire. This was to be in that way as a picture of Christ Jesus on the cross, when he would be nailed on the cross and the whole sunshine would shine on it. And it was like the judgment would be on him and other people would see like he is completely sinned, while he sinned not to accomplish the will of God in serving those that are his. So that kind of smell from this, from the meat that was, uh, roasted and baked completely chocolate was the smell that God likes it and makes God to come down and heal the people and save the people under Gideon. The other thing is found on verse number 28, because verse number 27 we covered it last week. Whereby it says, and when the men of the city arose early in the morning, and behold the altar of Ba was cast down, and grove was cut down, that was by it, and a second baroque was offered upon the altar, that was built. The question might be, Where were these people when the barrack was cut down? Because there was a need of an axe to be cutting down this and it was a great work happening. Why didn't these here, the work outside their house working? I have a question for you. If you were to wake up your mother, she wouldn't be able to see you. She wouldn't be able to see you. She wouldn't be able to see you. If we don't do this, we will be killed. I am telling you, if we don't do this, we will be killed. If we don't do this, we will be killed. I am telling you, if we don't do this, we will be killed. I am telling you, if we don't do this, we will be killed. I am telling you, if we don't do this, we will be killed. I am telling you, if we don't do this, we will be killed. I am telling you, if we don't do this, we will be killed. I am telling you, if we don't do this, we will be killed. I am telling you, if we don't do this, we will be killed. I am telling you, if we don't do this, we will be killed. I am telling you, if we don't do this, we will be killed. I am telling you, if we don't do this, we will be killed. I am telling you, if we don't do this, This is another thing that is very serious, whereby God came by their way and silenced their mind, so that they should hear nothing that was happening outside. We are not going to sit here and wait for God to come and save us. We are going to sit here and wait for God to come and save us. And here is where we can see that it's God who did the work, not Gideon. Because look, chapter two, verse number 34 says, Verse number 34. And Simeon blessed them. Here we can see the blessing that Simeon come up with to Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ of the scripture. Well, for Simeon, He said, Behold, which means he had to pay attention to what the blessing contains with. Say, number one, this child is set for the fall, number two, and rising again of many in the Israel. Second, a blessing and for a sign which shall be spoken. It was decided to be spoken. Now, you can say that God helped Simeon to come up with a kind of blessing that Mary is to be blessed with. which means the sun born. It's a sign of falling down and raising up all many in Israel, which means many are to fall down as well as many to wake up from the fall. Before Christ came, there were religious people, groups of people, that were worshipping, preaching, thinking that they are doing right. When Christ came, they fell down, and he raised up those that are his when he died on the cross. It was a must for Christ to come into this world so that the first religion to fall down as the true church of Christ is to be raised up. I am not saying that Jesus Christ was not crucified. I am saying that he was not crucified. I am not saying that he was not crucified. So when we are preaching the gospel, the same time we are preaching, those that are his are waking up and those that are not are falling down. He came to tear down the region that is not of Christ and to raise, to build up the church of Christ. That is his event. The question might be, when did this accomplish the falling down and the raising up? Their answer is, when he was dying on the cross, when he died, he says, it is finished, which means the barrage over, the victory has been won, the keys of Hades is in his hand, and those that are his have been served, and those that are not have been left to themselves. Now, the foreign down as for us, and those that are to leave have been laid down. So, what I would like to say is that the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are listening to me right now, the people who are When we read Matthew chapter 21 verse number 44 says, 21 verse 44. Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken, but on whosoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Here it is going. The powerfulness of Christ Jesus. This fully shows that he is not just a mere person. He is a stumbling block to the unelected, but he is a massive God to the elected sinners. And a story of stumbling and a lot of offense given to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, wherefore also they were appointed. Which means he is a stumbling block, a lot of offense to all the gods God left to themselves and he appointed them to be there. You can't appoint somebody to be at this place, at that place. No, it's God himself appointed them. The question might be when did God appoint them to that place? It was time back when he was electing and it was confirmed when Christ was dying on the cross. So when we go back to Judges chapter 6, we are in verse number 28. Where were these people when the work outside was happening? It was God who gave them a spirit of slumber so that they shouldn't hear what is happening other side. As a picture of the physical people who never understand things spiritual, whatever happens in spirit. Had it been that they are wiser enough, they would have woken up in the night and seen the work that was happening during the night, but they didn't. God gave them a deep sleep as how we the same how when God gave a deep sleep to Adam when he was having when he was making a woman from the Adam side Again, it was a picture to be known that when God is waking, nobody can hinder him, do whatever he wants. He will do it. and finish it without being interrupted by any person, by any human effort. They will never. Nobody can hinder the will of God. So, when we are going to an end of the sermon of today, let us relook verse number twenty-eight of today of Judges chapter number six. Whereby it says, And when the man of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the glove was cut down. That was by it. And second Baruch was offered upon the altar that was built, verse 29. And they said one to another, who have done this? And when they inquired and asked it, they said, Gideon, the son of Jorosh, have done this then the men of the city said unto jewish bring out thy son and that he may die because he hath cast down the altar of god and because of or because he hath cut down the grove that was by it. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question. I would like to ask you a question As we are winding up the sermon of today, the service of today, let us just see these two things that happens to those people that their eyes are blind. Number one, they are always making noise when they see the work of God done. They are full of disturbing, trying to disturb that they cannot manage to disturb. Because here we can see that they were making lots of noise while all the work has already been done. This is another encouragement to us as preachers. When we are preaching this gospel, expect the noise to come out from the people. They will never accept what you are preaching, but the work will be already done, message given, but they will just start following each other. Don't expect people to welcome you and think that whatever you are preaching is most acceptable by many. The second point is that what Gideon did provide division. But the goodness is that what Gideon did when it was coming with that division, it was opening their eyes so that the people should see the difference. Because even though they were met in that lot of quarrels, but when they heard Jawash speaking that let Ba pray for himself, it's when their eyes were opened and see that the little God is never helped by man's hand. The true and only living God is never being helped by man's heart. That's why somebody sang a song, nothing in my hand I bring. Which means there is nothing that can come from a man that can make something to be acceptable before God. We are served by God's grace. We'll wind up by leading a song number 82 in English that speaks about the Lord of Ages' craft for me. Lord of ages, pray for me. Raid me hard, thyself in thee. Let thy water and thy blood from thy lip and side be flowed. The obscene, the double-cured, crimson flow is pure and pure. On the river, on my arms Come fulfill thy Lord's demands Could my zeal, Lord, respond, no? Could my tears, Lord, overflow? O forsaken, not undone Thou my Saviour, Thou my Lord Nothing in my hand I bring Simply to thy cross I creep, Naked calf to thee for dress, Heartless clue to thee for grace, Though I to thee fountain froth. Watch me, say, shall I die, While I draw this fleeting blade, When my eyes shall close in death, As we wind up, brothers from Kasumu, may you read hymn number 39.