I'm a good girl. I love it. It's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, it's just, Okay, look. Yeah. I love you. Hey. What a warrior! What a warrior! I'm going to jump off right away. Yeah. Thank you so much. Good morning, everybody. You can all find your seats. We will start with our call to worship as we read Psalm 46. Please give everyone time here. So Psalm 46. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Salah. There is a river whose streams may glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage. The kingdoms totter. He utters his voice. The earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Salaam. Come behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear. He burns the chariots with fire. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Salaam. One commentary I read on this said that this was actually Martin Luther's psalm that he would actually sing in times of turmoil. And often times when he felt overwhelmed or in distress, he would actually say, let's sing the 46th psalm. And you can actually see that with the God of Jacob being our fortress and refuge. You can kind of obviously see where a big influence was on the hymn that he wrote in A Mighty Fortress is Our God. This song was actually very applicable to me this week. Me and Tiff have been through a lot of just tough things happening. My car broke down. It was like a country song living out in our lives this week. And I kept reading this song over and over just to get my head around it. And it just really brought me so much peace that, especially in this time, you hear about people wanting to talk about the election, wanting to talk about COVID restrictions happening again, wanting to talk about all these earthly things that really will ebb and flow, and you can't have your faith in it, you can't put your trust in that, but yet God is a source of refuge. He is our fortress that we can rely on. And one other thing that me and Tiff have been doing is for our devotions, we've just been simply reading the Valley of the Vision, just reading a prayer every night and just reflecting on it. And the one prayer I was actually going to read for our prayer after I read this psalm just because I thought it was so it was so nice to read and it just is really applicable to this so we're gonna pray and I'm gonna try and read that it's the prayers written in the singular but I'm gonna try and say it as a plural for our congregation as our prayer today so let's pray sovereign commander of the universe We are sadly harassed by doubts, fears, unbelief, in a felt spiritual darkness. Our hearts are full of evil surmisings and disquietude, and we cannot act in faith at all. Our heavenly pilot has disappeared, and we have lost hold of the rock of ages. We sink in deep mire beneath storms and waves, in horror and distress unutterable. Help us, O Lord, to throw ourselves absolutely and wholly on Thee, for better, for worse, without comfort, and all but hopeless. Give us peace of soul, confidence, enlargement of mind, morning joy that comes after night heaviness. Water my soul richly with divine blessings. Grant that we may welcome thy humbling in private, so that we might enjoy thee in public. Give us a mountaintop as high as the valley is low. Thy grace can melt the worst sinner, and we are as vile as he. Yet thou has made us a monument of mercy, a trophy of redeeming power. In our distress, let us not forget this. All-wise God, thy never-failing providence orders every event, sweetens every fear, reveals evil's presence lurking in seeming good, brings real good out of seeming evil, makes unsatisfactory what I set my heart upon. To show us what a short-sighted creature we are, and to teach us to live by faith upon thy blessed self. Out of my sorrow and night, give me the name Naphtali, satisfied with favor. Help us to love Thee as a child and to walk worthy of our heavenly pedigree. Amen. All right, if you could stand with me. We're going to sing a little different version of A Mighty Fortress this morning. And it is more verbatim of the song, but the tune will be very familiar to you. So let's join together and sing A Mighty Fortress is our God. God is our refuge and our strength, our helper whenever He comes. the earth be blue, for God is Thine to cheer us. Although the mountains break, and earth's foundation shake, you. ♪ Where she stands on blue plains ♪ ♪ Of gold round her swelling ♪ ♪ On streams and on its peaks ♪ ♪ From o'er the nation's seas ♪ ♪ The Lord our voice is high ♪ ♪ Our Father's God most high ♪ is our eternal dwelling. You hold by God as the daughter. His wrath brings desolation. His praise shall ♪ We still fully adore ♪ ♪ God of the earth adore ♪ ♪ The Lord of hosts is nigh ♪ ♪ Our Father's love most high ♪ ♪ Gives us all validation ♪ for some different words if you don't know, but let's praise the Lord who gave us a refuge and strength. The next song that we're doing is also a little bit new, so I hope if you're unfamiliar with it that you'll be patient and you'll try to sing along, but if you've heard any of the Gettys music, you've likely heard this song. It's very catchy and it's joyful and I hope that People's praising. You have called us, God of darkness, into your glory. The musical wonders of the music play. In our every breath we tell the news that grow into a song. And from His throne and deep His glory let us fly, with the people's praise. revelations we have of those who come to give their praise. We praise the King of kings, the Lord of all, and we exalt Him always. ♪ Reach far and see to your own ♪ ♪ And from your heav'nly kingdom ♪ ♪ Till made in Christ alone ♪ ♪ With the saints of mercy glorious ♪ ♪ For those who have none ♪ ♪ May songs of praise fill hearts of grace ♪ ♪ To spread the word ♪ ♪ May the peoples praise you ♪ ♪ For the nations we have ♪ ♪ God bless you now that we may praise you ♪ ♪ May praise the name of thy kingdom ♪ you. ♪ Where the nations rejoice ♪ ♪ Joyful hymns of heavenly praise ♪ ♪ We praise the name of Jesus ♪ ♪ Holy is the Lord Almighty ♪ ♪ Holy is the Lord Almighty ♪ ♪ All creation ♪ ♪ Great is your glorious name ♪ ♪ In the peoples name ♪ ♪ Let all nations rejoice ♪ ♪ While you bless the crowns with heavenly praise ♪ In Jesus' name. Good morning, brothers and sisters. Wonderful to see you all out this morning. I'm going to do a few announcements here. It seems lately there's been a lot more announcements. That means things are happening, which is good. September 9, that's this Thursday, right? Yep, I think that's this Thursday, September 9 at 7 p.m. at the church. The Ladies' Study is commencing, and so if you still need a book, make sure to talk to Deanne. There's a few areas in which we need people to step up and serve. And as you see this morning, the Lord's table is out and not in these little prepackaged cups. But this is an area where we need someone to step up and serve in help preparing this every other Sunday. And I know there's always a reluctance to serve in something that is maybe quite repetitive and needs quite a bit of commitment. You know, the more people who step up and do it, the more the load can be shared. And that's really with any ministry. We also still really need people to step up and help in the music ministry as well. And the more people that do it, the more teams there are, the more it becomes less of an every Sunday kind of commitment and everyone shares the load. So there's two areas of service that we are looking for people to help out in and If you think that that's an area that maybe you can serve, please contact myself or any of the elders and we can explain exactly how to get involved. Sunday school will start next Sunday for all ages, so be sure to come out and get involved in that. Our next fellowship meal I believe, well, I kind of just planned it. I think it's going to be on the 19th. I didn't run that by the rest of the elders, but I don't think I needed to. The 19th of September, we're going to have a fellowship meal. So that's in two weeks. So put that on your calendar as well. The Lord's table is today, as you see, and so if you're visiting here this morning and you haven't talked to the elders, we just ask that you abstain this morning. We take very seriously the guarding of the table, that no one takes it in an unworthy manner for any reason. bringing condemnation on themselves. And so we're not trying to be mean or bullies, but we really want the Lord's table to be reverenced and taken in the right manner. So there's that this morning. Also, We hope to start a new round of grace groups at the beginning of October sometime. Most groups that are still meeting at this time are working through Peter, but we will be starting in October, going through the church manual for a number of sessions, and sort of with a theme of ecclesiology being intended there. So if you are not part of a grace group, but you are looking for fellowship in a smaller group, a place to share your burdens, a place to be in the word together, maybe to share a meal, contact myself or Cliff and we would be happy to help get you involved in that. Also, as Nathan said last Sunday, we've been doing a little bit of work on the website and there are things happening there, but more so events, we're trying really hard to make sure that calendar is updated on the website. So if you forgot something in the announcements or you don't know, I encourage you to look at the events section on our website so that you know what's going on. There was a church newsletter sent out this week, and we're also have moved to a new email address. So I just want to encourage everyone to check your email, to check your junk box, because we are going to be sending out communications through this new email address, and we're still working out the little details on that. Almost done. Oh yes, just a note for everyone, and I noticed this morning went really well, We kind of got into a bit of a habit. We just love fellowshipping, right? So between Sunday school and the service, there's lots of mingling and talking and fellowship. And in the past anyways, we've noticed more and more people are still out there. And we've started the service and scripture is being read. But we just encourage you to be mindful of the time and come find your seat before it starts. Last announcement this morning. Everyone knows, I'm sure, that Alberta has put in a mask mandate for all indoor places. And by God's grace, they have made an exemption for places of worship. So if you hadn't been aware of that this morning and you were feeling conflicted in your conscience about what to do or what not to do, for places of worship across Alberta, there's still no mandate for masks. So I just wanted to make sure that everyone knew that and that was clear. Because that's good for announcements this morning. We're going to continue on in our consecutive reading this morning. In Matthew chapter five, we read about halfway through last week, and we're going to finish Matthew chapter five this morning. Feel free to follow along on the screen or in your Bible. You have heard it said, you have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. Whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council. And whoever says you fool will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift on the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother and then come offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court lest your accuser hand you over to the judge and the judge to the guard and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penalty. You have heard it said, you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. It was also said, whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery. and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn. But I say to you, do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply yes or no. Anything more than this comes from evil. You have heard it said that, you have heard it said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him your other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends the rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. As I read this this morning, I was reminded of Ryan's sermon well over a year ago as he preached the very last part of this chapter, and he reminded us that when it calls us to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect, that what Matthew was recording and what we are being called to is to be consistent as our Heavenly Father is. Our Heavenly Father is love. Everything that He does comes from love. And the problem with the Pharisees, who were very much the target of Jesus' words here, was that their lives were inconsistent. Their outward actions did not match their heart. Because they were not born again. They did not have that changed affection. They did not have the new birth. they must have received from the Holy Spirit. And Jesus is teaching. This is more than about externals. This is more than about just doing the law. It's about doing the law with a heart of love. About doing the law for our Father who is in heaven. So that He receives glory for His perfect and righteous. So friends and brothers and sisters, Are you doing what you're doing for God out of a heart of love? Or are you doing what you're doing for God so that others may see you and think you righteous? These are words for us to think about this morning. And possibly, if it is the Lord's will, we feel conviction this morning even at a reading, a simple reading. There's always room for improvement. There's always room for more sanctification in our lives. But we're gonna move to time of prayer, and I'm gonna pray that even this passage this morning has impressed on us the goodness of God's law, but the need for a heart that is truly born again. So let's pray together. Father, you have graciously given us your word. so mercifully preserved it for us, for generations and decades and millennium, so that, Father, we could read it and know the words of life. We could remember the perfect life of Christ our Savior, the one whose perfection has been given to all those who are born again and are now truly in Him. And, Father, as we reflect on these words that we've just read, We know that we cannot accomplish these things that Christ has called us to without a new heart. We cannot live the way we ought without your Spirit indwelling us. And without Him, everything we do is just dead religion, filthy rags. So Father, would you send your Spirit to the hearts in this room this morning who have not known regeneration, who have not been born again, And Father, we pray that you would do your work of salvation through the preaching of the gospel this morning, through the singing of the gospel this morning, and even through these prayer requests that we have. Father, particularly amongst our youth, who need you, who need you to open their hearts. And so Father, as these young people who you've blessed us with, who there's so many in our church, Lord, as they grow up and as they observe parents and friends and peers coming Sunday after Sunday, Lord, would you move in their hearts and would you give them life. Father, would you be with those particularly who are part of our youth ministry, who meet on a monthly basis to enjoy one another's company, but more importantly, impart words of life Lord, would you give them special utterances in those times that the words that they say would sink deep into their young minds and that they would be transformed, that the power of the gospel would do its work as you have promised that it would do. Father, even this morning, we've had many announcements and sometimes announcements may feel cumbersome and distractive, but yet Lord all these things pertain to your kingdom and this church and its well-being. And Father, even as I've asked this morning for people to step up and to help in various ministries and areas of church life, Lord, would you raise up people in all areas to fill roles in all ministries, whether it's music or the supper or in ushering or in cleaning. And Lord, bless those who have stepped up and who regularly, Sunday after Sunday, week or month after month, serve this body, whether they're seen or unseen. Lord, may they know that you see them and they're building treasures in heaven. Father, I pray for the pregnancy care center that we support here in southern Alberta. Lord, I pray that their work would be done in the name of Christ always. And that it would never be just a social gospel that's preached, but that the ladies, the women who come there and use that service, that they would come to know Christ there. That they would experience the love of Jesus from those who serve and work there. And Father, that you would even save the unborn through that ministry. Father, I also lift up Peter and Zoe to you. beloved brothers and sister, brother and sister who have moved on from here to help do the work of the kingdom in southern Saskatchewan. Father, would you bless them this morning? Would you help them to get to know people? Would you give Peter especially just a tremendous love for you, a commitment for you? Would you guard them from sin? And Father, that the church plant that they want to do there, Father, that you would grant them success in that little town that they're working in. people would come to know Christ. Father, we also pray for our leaders in Alberta, our leaders in Canada, premiers and prime minister. Father, would you do a work in them. Lord, we thank you that in our own province here they saw fit to create an exemption for us. Father, that They realize that there's something particularly special about places of worship and that we can benefit from that decision. Thank you, Lord. Give us wisdom moving forward as we see the writing on the wall in some ways that maybe more restrictions will come down and this might be another fall and winter of difficulty. As Ryan encouraged us in the devotional he sent out, Father, would we be a people of unity, putting Christ at the center of everything, thinking of one another higher than ourselves. And so, Father, would you give us grace in this church. May we be a family that truly loves one another. We also think of Vijay and Reach All Nations. Lord, bless their work. Bless their ministry. It's been a difficult year, a trying year. Lord, give Vijay and Abigail strength. Encourage them in the gospel. Send people to encourage them, Lord. We love them and we want to see them, I guess, thrive in their ministry. And even if things are looking bleak for them, Lord, would they be encouraged knowing that through all things, through trials and tribulations, that you never miss out on any glory. they're doing the work and they are in the circumstances they're in because you have brought them there and you will walk them through it. So Father, give them grace. And also for our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan, Father, a place that is in such tremendous turmoil where there's so much fear, rightfully so, families, organizations that don't line up with the new regime threatened with death, uncertain if they will live another day. God, we pray specifically for our brothers and sisters, that you would give them strength and courage, that you would give them a resolve to press on, that you would bind them together, Lord. You would help them to even find one another so that they could be built up, they could help one another. Lord, may the light of Christ in the Christians in Afghanistan shine bright, so that those who are going along with the new regime, Lord, that they might see that there's something so much better, that they might come to see the one true living God, and that they would come to Christ. Finally, Father, this morning, I pray for the preaching of the word. that you would move through Ryan this morning, that you would just bless his words to us, that you would give him all of the conviction and the mindset that he needs to bring your word forth in power this morning through your spirit. We pray these things. And we know that because of your great love for us, you will be here this morning with us, and you will give us what we need. So we thank you. In Jesus' name, amen. All right, please stand up with me and sing Jesus, Lover of my Soul, a song with Stuart Dunn and Chief Getty of Across the Lands. ♪ Jesus, lover of my soul ♪ ♪ Lend me to thy bosom, Father ♪ ♪ While in the earth my soul ♪ ♪ I'll lift every ceiling high ♪ ♪ Lord, in Thee, O my Savior, I'll fly ♪ ♪ Till the sun of my life is gone ♪ ♪ My faith is found ♪ ♪ Sing to our kingdom come ♪ ♪ Oh, receive us, O land of our own ♪ ♪ Of your heavens shall I come ♪ ♪ Praise, my helpless soul, of thee ♪ ♪ Be not weary, mother low, ♪ ♪ Still support and comfort me ♪ ♪ All my troubles I hear, ♪ is is is ♪ Lord of all, in Thee I find ♪ ♪ Raise your heart and hear the pain ♪ ♪ He will save and lead the blind ♪ I am righteous Close and close in an end Thou art full of truth and grace ♪ Praise where he is now ♪ ♪ Praise to offer all thy still ♪ ♪ Let the heathen's streets abound ♪ ♪ Paid and clean in your favor ♪ I know. across the lands. Every man, every sign, every candle has been flashed by a man. Our creation wasn't there, but a power of choice. And the skies are clear, glowing, and the land seems rejoiced. And the cry of glory sounds across the land, that you love the King so. And the angels made to sing their praise for God. And it's changed to joy and reverence for the anguished of Christ. With the prayer he led the hungry, with the prayer he called the sick. you. it's Amen. Well, good morning. If you're able, please open up your Bibles to 1 Peter 3. And when you've found it, would you please stand up for the reading of God's word? And read verses eight through 12. But we're gonna focus primarily on verses nine and following. First Peter, chapter three, verses eight to 12. Hear now the word of God. Finally, all of you have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called that you may inherit a blessing. Four, whoever desires to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. He must turn away from evil and do good. He must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. Let's pray. Father, we are so grateful that we can gather this Lord's Day to sit under the reading of your word and the preaching and teaching of your word. As has been prayed so many times, I pray once more, Father, would you please pour out the Holy Spirit. Would the word of God be sweet to us this morning and life-giving and heart-transforming. May it direct our feet in this dark world I think of the psalmist. I'm a sojourner. Hide not your commandments from me. And so, Father, we pray that you would speak to us. We need not a moral message from a religious man, but we need to meet with the living God. And we know, Father, you have ordained through the preaching and teaching of your word, especially in the gathering of your saints, to speak. And so, Father, we pray, speak. We continue to pray for those in our midst who maybe still are dead in sin and in trespasses. Oh, that this morning would be the day of salvation, that they would be quickened, that new life would be imparted, that you would regenerate them, create within them a love for Christ, and hence a love for His word and commands. which are never grievous to those whose heart belong to him. Father, I thank you for the fact we can celebrate this Lord's table as we sit under the preaching of your word. Would you give us a great hunger for the bread and for the cup? And would you remind us that where we have fallen short of Peter's commands, there is covering for ruined sinners under the blood of Christ, our forgiving Savior. Lord, we ask that as we live by the power of the Spirit feeding on the word of grace, that we would be a light, that we would be salt, that you would be pleased to use us in the extension of your kingdom, and that the message we proclaim with our lips would be supported by a transformed life as well. Father, we thank you for your word. Would you please bless the reading and preaching of it now? As we leave this place, would we be equipped for the work of the ministry, for the building up of your church and the extension of your kingdom through the church, we ask in Jesus' name, amen. Please be seated. Well, we're gonna pick up where we left off last week in verse nine. And if you're reading the New American Standard LSB, you will notice that verse 9 is not a command, it actually is a participle, which means that Peter is not starting a new thought, but he's continuing where he left off. And we saw last week that outreach begins with inreach, but inreach naturally follows with outreach. And so as we live together, seeking by God's grace, feeding upon the word to be a church, to be a city on a hill, to be a peculiar people, as we live with a unity of mind and sympathy and brotherly love and a tender heart and humble mind, that we will reach out to the world. But remember that the world in which these exiles were living is hostile to her. The darkness does not like the light. You can read that in John chapter one. In John chapter three, in John chapter 15, darkness hates the light, and it reviles it, and slanders it, and persecutes it, and mocks it. And so how are we then, as a city on a hill, to conduct ourselves when the hill that we live on hates us? I was thinking of the text of 2 Timothy chapter three, that all scripture is breathed out by God, and all of it is relevant But at times, some of it is more relevant than others. And I believe this text will become increasingly relevant to this church. As restrictions begin to take a chokehold, it just seems like a matter of time. And how will we respond to a world that calls us troublemakers, the resistance? How will we respond when we see our names brought through the mud on Facebook? when they are slurred and slandered from government. Those pesky Christians, those troublemakers, those people who are opposed to any kind of progress as a culture or society. See that's what was happening in the original context of which Peter is writing. The Romans thought that the Pax Romana would be the peace that would be ushered to the ends of the earth, that salvation would come through Rome. And any resistance against Rome was seen as a threat to be quelled or quenched, to be suppressed and persecuted if necessary. See, the Christians called to be a light of the world were not seen by the Romans as a light. They were seen as meddlesome troublemakers, those who were insubordinate, those who refused the good of the culture. Maybe it's just me, and maybe I'm reading all the wrong news sources, but I smell that. I see it festering. Maybe not as overt yet, but I think it's just a matter of time before the clouds that are forming will release its deluge against the church. And there was a time in yesteryear when the church was seen as good for society. And so they would give things like tax exemptions because the church was good for our culture. It was good for a prospering nation. But the tide has turned. And the church is gonna be seen as a nuisance. It's going to be seen as something that restricts and inhibits progress. And things that are untrue will be said against us. And how are we to respond? This is why we're going to need to know the Word of God. And we're going to need to know the example of Christ our Savior. Yes, He has come in to forgive us of our sins, but He has given us also an example of a better way to live. And unless you read this through the lens of the gospel, this is just going to be moralism. As we gather together and we cultivate these fruits of verse 8, it will help us to live rightly in a world that is hostile to us. I was reading in one commentary last night, and in times of persecution, oh how we are going to need the body. I hope that Christ's church becomes increasingly sweet to you, because if and or when persecution comes, we're going to need one another. We're gonna need verse eight to help us live in a world that is contrary to us. We're going to need verse eight in the church if we are to practice verses nine through 12 in the world. Does that make sense? Outreach begins with inreach. And so let us gather on the Lord's day and be equipped to be fed with the spiritual milk, to feast on Christ as we sit under his word but partake of the table as we sing and exhort and encourage and build one another up and pray. We're going to need that because we're going out into a battlefield. And it's always been true. But I think you know with me that the battlefield seems a lot more obvious now. That there is much more resistance against Christ and his church. It seems to me that the darkness and is mustering her forces, and oh, how we need to dwell together in the light, and to salt one another all the more as the day approaches, not forsaking, as is the habit of some, the gathering. Please don't take this as a shah, but this is why the author of Hebrews says it's so important to gather, because we, I think, are going to have to endure for a little while, if necessary, trials that will purify. Well, that was a longer introduction than I intended, Finally, all of you, this is for Christians. If you're not a Christian this morning, you must be born again. Verse eight is going to see like a chore or tedious or an impossible burden. As Charles reminded us from Matthew five, it's impossible to do these things apart from the new heart. Have you been born again? Have you been born again to a living hope? If you have not this living hope, you are not going to be able to endure slander less than even exchange it with blessing. And so I want to encourage you that you must be born again of the living and abiding Word of God, which is why we always preach the Good News. And this word that gives a new birth is not just merely moral precepts or biblical teaching. And this word is the good news that was preached to you. If you have been born again, here's the life to which God has called you to live. And he empowers you by his grace. The indwelling presence of the spirit enables you. to do these things. Verse nine, how are we to live in the world? Verse eight, we live together in the church, and we live together in the church in a world that hates it. Perhaps you've never thought about that. This is just as true in 2021 as it was three years ago. The world has always been opposed to the church. Please don't think that there's something new. Do not be surprised, we'll see in chapter four, as though something strange were happening. You know what the strange thing that has happened in the last hundred years? Is that we, by God's grace and sovereign will, haven't endured what so many Christians right now are enduring. As Charles prayed for the brothers and sisters in Afghanistan. or in China, or North Korea, in so many places. You know what's strange? North America. That, in God's amazing providential grace, being founded on biblical principles, we have enjoyed, for a short season, the blessings of common grace. But those are quickly being erased and eroded. So how are we to live? in a naysaying world, not repaying evil for evil or reviling for reviling. Verse 9 you could just summarize as this, is that we have a spirit of non-retaliation. Meaning what? It's a matter of time before someone says something that hurts your feelings. Now, verse 9, most commentators agree, is dealing with how we live in a world that is opposed to us. But this may even happen in the Church, unfortunately, because you know what? The Church is comprised of sinners who have been declared righteous, who are not yet perfectly righteous. We're being sanctified. We're being made into the image of Christ. And I pray to God, that there would not be evil done in this church or reviling. But even if that were to happen in the church, this is how you are to respond. I do think Peter is speaking primarily to how we are to respond to a world that is opposed to us. But sometimes even brothers and sisters can get all excited and they can say things that they shouldn't say and do things that they shouldn't do. How are we to respond? What is the mind of Christ in this situation? Not repaying evil for evil. It's an interesting Greek word here, apodidomi, to give back something that is owed. And in the Greco-Roman culture, that was just assumed. Right, like if Charles gave me $5, I would repay him back. And what Peter's saying is that we're not to pay back what we owe someone. And in the natural world, this is what people who harm us, this is what we get to pay them back. But not in the spiritual realm, not in the household of God, not in this temple that God is building. Not so among you. You sure want to pay them back, but we're not to. We're not to repay people. Oh, but they paid me. But this is why we are to cultivate the mind of Christ. We are not then to repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling. And you know how I love to show off Greek words, and this is something that I'm going to beat Daryl to. So the Greek word is loiteria. And I thought about putting on the church entrance, no loiteria, instead of no loitering, no reviling. Because this is the old nature. These are the things we've inherited. It's just so natural, isn't it? To want to repay someone. But nothing shows the new nature or Christ-likeness that not only not retaliating, but exchanging evil or exchanging reviling for blessing. and goodness. What does it look like to be these people who proclaim Christ's excellencies? Well, firstly, in a world that is hostile, we are not repaying evil in place of evil. A lot of people think anti-Christ means he's against Christ. The Greek word anti, not what you call your dad's sister, It means in place of. The antichrist is someone who comes in the place of Christ. Of course, he's opposed to Christ, but he's in the place of Christ. And so you do not put evil in place of evil. As we're going to see, actually, you put good and blessing in the place of evil. Is this moralism? Absolutely not. If you have been born again, Romans 6 says, you now have the ability as a slave of doing what is right. And this is what is right in the kingdom. This is what's going to make Christianity salty, in the best sense. Attractive. like a moth drawn towards something that is light. Yeah, it repels the cockroaches, I get it. As we saw in Sunday school this morning, under the doctrine of election, the elect will come. As we preach Christ with our lips, but also as we live out the kingdom in our lives, there will be something that draws and will cause consternation. Why do you live this way? and we will be able to give a reasonable defense for the hope that is in us. Why do you return blessing in place of cursing? This is what Jesus Christ did. Hanging on the cross, covered, right? Think about it. I was gonna be a dentist, and so I'm always looking at people's mouths when they talk to me. We were sharing the gospel with a guy yesterday, and just not the best hygiene. Back in those days, they didn't have fancy dentists and Listerine, let alone floss and toothbrushes. Their mouths were filthy, like a Komodo dragon, covered in that kind of spit. Bad breath, reeking, rotting, festering spittle on the face and beard of our savior. Mocked with a crown, not of gold, but of thorns. Given, not a staff. fitting of a ruler, but of a putrid little stick to mock him, covered in spittle, but also reviling. Aha, aha. Jesus could have called down legions, for he is the Lord of hosts. He could have decimated all of those and all of us. But by grace upon grace, and this one who had the spirit without measure, oh, in that very moment, of climactic insult and reviling and slandering and mocking. In the ultimate sense of those things, he gave us the ultimate blessing instead of the ultimate cursing. And as Charles preached so many weeks ago, for to this you have been called to follow in his footsteps, not gritting your teeth, but carried along in and by the Holy Spirit. This sounds impossible. This is why you must be born again. And this is why you must be filled with the Holy Spirit. So let's make this practical quickly. One, try to stay off Facebook and other platforms. All right, Christina warned me last night. She said, Ryan, don't watch Fox News on Saturday nights. It sneaks out into your Sunday sermons. So I took her up on that. But sometimes places like Facebook can just be a minefield. And maybe it's not Facebook. I don't know. Maybe that's so, like, two years ago. Maybe there's a new platform. I don't know. But stay off of things that kind of churn this up. Those aren't usually the most helpful. But if you have been slandered as a Christian, if you see someone slandering another brother or sister on Facebook, How should you respond? And unfortunately, sometimes I see the responses of Christians, which are visible for so many unbelievers to see, and I don't see this. I actually see people returning evil for evil, or reviling, loitering, if you will, in place of loitering. Well, that's not how we are. to respond, and I hope that this will come to mind. I pray to God, if you have been unfairly, unjustly slandered, oh, those Christians, right? That's what people always do, is they always put us into a nice, convenient little box, and they just assume we're all the same. But how do we respond? Well, says Peter, rather blessing. Not repaying, but rather blessing. both participles, not repaying evil in place of evil, or reviling, which is a very harsh word. It's like slandering, and it's like a really nasty vinegary, if you will, kind of word. Rather, instead of, blessing. You logeo, you means good, logeo means to speak. So instead of speaking evil, you speak good. And I'm talking about lying. If the person is a sinner and they've... I'm not saying that you're tickling ears. What does it mean to bless? How do you bless people? When you go down to the United States, everyone blesses everybody. Everybody's so blessed, even though there are vile sinners who are so clearly unregenerate. I don't watch the Oscars, but sometimes this fornicating adulterers up there, oh, I'm so blessed. What does it mean to be blessed? What does it mean to bless? Oh, bless you for that sweet tea. What does that mean? What does it mean to bless someone Biblically, well, to be blessed biblically ultimately comes from God. And so we cannot, as it were, give that blessing, but we can pray that God would show blessing and mercy and favor to such people. Even as Jesus said, forgive them for they know not what they do. This is how unregenerate people act. And if you grew up like me outside of the church as a young person, it's how you yourself acted. You can put the mask on. Kids, you might be unregenerate, but you know how to act. You're not angry at Christians, probably. But I grew up outside of the church, and I knew what those Christians were about. Now that I've become a Christian, how do I bless those who are opposed and say all kinds of hurtful and untrue things? Well, I bless them. Do I go around with my little cup of holy water, making the sign of the cross, bless you? No. That's not what it looks like. It's to speak good about them. And it's the Hebrew anti-parallelism of cursing. Cursing is saying, God, bring down your wrath upon this person. Well, blessing is the opposite. Oh God, of infinite grace, as you have shown me grace in drawing me to yourself and changing my disposition, changing me from a God-hater and a Christ-rejector to a God-lover and a Christ-follower, would you do the same? Blessing them is ultimately praying for them. Actually, I don't know if you picked it up in the New Testament reading, how providential was it actually that Jesus says this is the very thing we are to do? This is gonna be a trick question. Who wrote first Peter? Peter, and Peter was one of the apostles that Jesus called to himself. Peter was actually there on the mountain when Jesus was preaching to the crowds. And Peter would have probably heard this sermon many times. The Sermon on the Mount. We need to remember Peter's there and he is listening. You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. That's retaliation. But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you and do not refuse the one who would bore from you. Oh, what a countercultural this is. This is what it means to be salt. And oh, how useless the church becomes when she loses her saltiness, her savor. It's no longer good for anything but to be thrown out. We gather together and go through the motions, but we make no lasting change on this world. Jesus goes on to say, you have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemies. But I say to you, love your enemies. This is what it means to bless them. Don't repay with them hate for hate. Anybody can do that. Any old unregenerate person can do that, but with a new heart, by the grace of God, you can do this. I can't. Yes, you can. Reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to righteousness, says Paul. You're a slave of righteousness and God gives you everything you need for life and godliness. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. so that you may be sons of your father. What does that mean? Is this earning salvation? No, that you might be revealed as a son of your father. What, what about girls? What this meant back then is to be a son of something was to say you had the characteristics of the sons of thunder, right? Did thunder get together and give birth to James and John? Sons of thunder? No, the dad's name wasn't Thunder. It's because they had the characteristics of Boanerges, of blowing up and being loud. So then to be a son of the father is to say you have the same characteristics and increasing tendencies of the father who sends his rain upon blasphemers and his sun upon, S-U-N, sunshine, upon the least who deserve it. And so as we live this way, we will be shown to be God's children. Because the work he began in us, he's conforming us into the image of Christ. Philippians 1, 1 John 4. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends a rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? We're to be different, to show that grace actually dwells upon us and has transformed us. And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect. And I'm not going to re-preach what Charles said. Same on the outside as on the inside, which should scare you. if most of your responding to others is evil and reviling. It's the time of confession and asking for God to change you into the image of Christ. Verse 23 of chapter two, when Christ was reviled, he did not revile in return. Same Greek words used. When he suffered, He did not threaten. So how do you do this? Well, he continued entrusting himself, imperfect, tense, to him who judges justly. You keep your eyes fixed on God. God is our refuge and our strength. We sang Jesus, lover of my soul. I love that song. We need to cast ourselves unreservedly upon the God of all grace to help us to do what is humanly or naturally impossible. That's why it's supernatural. We need the Holy Spirit. Well, I'm taking a lot longer than I intended, but instead of this, i.e. repaying, instead of that, this, blessing, saying good things, ultimately in prayer to the God who blesses. We're a priesthood, are we not? Chapter two. Why did God cause us to be born again? born into as living stones, this spiritual temple, to be a holy priesthood. If you were to read Numbers chapter six, one of the great duties of the priests was to invoke God's blessing. And we are to therefore invoke and pray for it. We pray for our leaders. I don't like a lot of the things they do, but we pray for them. We're to be a blessing. And I thought about this. I've heard it said in bad context, but I want to say this not in a social justice context, but are you a blessing to your coworkers? Like, if you were just taken out of their lives, what would they say? Man, what a blessing that was to us. Oh, that church in Diamond City, what a blessing they were. Or like, good, finally, those scourge, insolent troublemakers are gone. I hope not. Are you blessing those who curse you? If so, you are walking, following in the steps of your Savior. For to this you were called. Kaleo. Oh, how we love this in the doctrines of grace. We were called, irresistibly drawn to the Father for this inheritance. Right? You were called out of darkness. You were called into his marvelous light. And this is what marvelous light looks like. Christ in you, and Christ through you. You were not just called to have your sins forgiven, you were actually called to be blessed, to be a blessing. Isn't that crazy? I said it last week, we're not just those who consume blessing. And we do, but we eat and then we share blessing to the world. To this you have been called in order that you might inherit. I don't like how the ESV changed that to obtain. Obtain sounds like working. God called you to inherit a blessing. And as you're reminded of that, as you're reminded in dwelling on heaven, the new earth, which you will dwell forever, that you by grace have been called into, it will change how you live on earth. You live out of the blessing in the future, by blessing in the present. Did that help? You have been blessed with your sins forgiven, but oh, when no eye has seen or ears heard or entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love him. Yes, we taste of the inheritance now, but you were called to a new heavens and a new earth. And as you keep your eyes fixed on that new heavens and new earth, it will change how you live in this present heaven and earth. So here's the illustration. I don't know if it's good. But if you knew that you had billions of dollars waiting for you to be received in two years, how would you live? You'd probably be crazy generous. It's all good. I can be as generous as I want. I can buy McDonald's for everybody in the church. Somebody did that for us last night. What a blessing that was. Showed up, not cheap Happy Meals. Double burgers for the kids, which I consumed and gobbled up after. I just wanted to give a shout out to the person who did that and to encourage others to follow in that same train. But we were called, not just to receive a blessing, but to be and to give a blessing. Do you understand that? God didn't just call you to receive. He called you to receive and then share. And understand, you have everything. You have everything awaiting you in the future. Now live like it in the present. Don't be like me, so cheap. Share that with others. For to this you were called in order that a blessing you might inherit. Verse 10, as Peter is wont to do, he grounds his commandments in the word of God. And I want to just quickly encourage you, the Old Testament believer is just as much for you as the New Testament. I hope you're reading the Old Testament. I hope you have a Bible reading plan that is reading the Old Testament systematically. Whether that's reading the Bible in a year or whatever it is, the Old Testament is our book. Christ the true Jew. We've been called into. And the Psalms, says Peter, are just as much for us Gentiles in Christ as they were for the Jews in the Old Covenant. And so you can apply these. You don't say, oh, that was for them. Peter says, you want a blessing? This is how you are to live, and this is drawn from the Old Testament. And he quotes Psalm 34. I would encourage you to memorize the entirety of it, because the situation was quite similar. Here's David. on the run, unfairly on the run from Saul. Had David ever done anything to Saul? No, he had just been anointed as the Lord's future king, and Saul sure didn't like that, and Saul is hunting him down. And David, what he does is he trusts in the arm of the flesh, you remember, and he goes down south to the king, Abimelech. Remember, speaking of spittle and beards? He made himself look crazy, and I always love Abimelech's answer. Do I not have enough madmen? Remember that answer? Go and read it. It's funny. David is acting like a lunatic. And Abimelech is like, well, he's obviously not going to kill us. Maybe I can exploit David and kill Saul. And so David trusts in the arm of the flesh, and he delivers himself. And I think Psalm 34 is actually his repentance. It says, when David was running away, and he feigned madness, so that he went out, and Abimelech chased him away. And Peter's now quoting from it. In verse 10, for, who is the one who desires, or wants, to love life? Do you want to love life? Do you want to enjoy life, you might say? Do you want to live the good life? And who wants to see good days? Now if you have translations that say many days, that's not in the text. It just says to see good days. As if God will reward such people with many days. To which I would ask, how old was Jesus when he died? He was 33, he was in the prime of his life, Isaiah 53 says. Robert of Merrimack Shane. Didn't even reach 30. David Brainerd. So be very careful of defining blessing from the world. Living 80 years. Maybe you'll get 80. But this doesn't mean the American dream that you have grandchildren and great-grandchildren and a nice house and a cottage and a paid-off car and a big RRSP. That's not blessing. Blessing ultimately is knowing God. And as you live this way, you will experience Him more deeply. You might be poor as can be, and you might be the most blessed person on the face of this earth. So do understand, you want to enjoy this blessing that God gives us in this life and fully in the life to come? And this is how we will enjoy it in this life. Keep your tongue from evil. Wait, is that how they translate it here? Yeah, let him keep his tongue from evil. Or, I translate, he must. You want to enjoy, you want to experience God's blessing in this life? This is not earning it. But kids, you want to enjoy your parents' blessing? Don't curse your siblings out. This is common sense, isn't it? So you will not enjoy God's favor and blessing insofar as your tongue is pouring out and spewing poison and evil. And keep your lips from deceit. That's an interesting work. Dolan. That's what David did. He deceived Abimelech. And David's like, sweet! Many days! I'm living! I'm not dead! Saul didn't get me! And I think he was miserable as can be. Maybe reading into it. But maybe not, because Psalm 32 is just before it. And we always think that Psalm 32 is when David maybe did the unthinkable by killing Uriah after sleeping with Bathsheba. Maybe. But David's a sinner like us and he has a panoply of ways to sin. Maybe, just maybe, David felt terrible for trusting in the arm of the flesh and his own wisdom to deliver himself. Maybe he begins to say, I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all his fears. The angel of the Lord encounters on those who fear him, not those who deliver themselves. I think David is sort of repenting of what he did to trick or deceive, Greek word, abimilach. Keep your lips from deceit. Do not trick people. Do not try to lure them into some way by falseness of words. Let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil. So it's not enough just to not speak it. That's easy. You can still dwell on it and face it. See, living this blessed life, living or following Christ's footsteps takes work. Please don't hear this as a moralistic message. Please, please, please don't hear this. But if you want to experience God's blessing in this life, you must turn away from evil. It's as simple as that. God is a jealous God. Husbands, you want to experience the blessing of your wife? Then turn away from evil. It makes sense in real life. Turn away from evil, and rather, do good. Seek peace, and pursue it. Quickly, I'll give you what these Greek words mean. Zeteo, it just means to think about and to seek it. It's not just like, do, do, do, trip, found it. But there's an intentionality, a planning, if you will. Seek after peace. Seek to bring things together. That's what the Greek word erene means. Bring things together. There's a disparate between the world and the church. Seek. Seek, think, scheme in the best sense of the word. Seek that peace, that unity, not only in the church, but even in the world. And pursue it. Dioko. I know I'm showing off a lot and I'm speaking in tongues, that's okay. It means to persecute. Saul diokoed. after the Christians in the book of Acts. He wasn't like, ah, maybe we'll get some Christians today. Maybe I'll take the road to Damascus. No, he was pursuing it. And if we want to receive and to be a blessing, this is what a blessing looks like to one another and to a world who desperately needs it. So don't only not retaliate, but actively seek to make for peace. Paul says this, if you want, I was gonna quote a lot from Romans 12, just go read it this afternoon. A lot of the commentators thought Peter's drawing from Romans 12. I think Peter is actually. Which reminds me, you don't need to be novel. You don't need to be creative. I'm not a pastor who's like, what new thing can I give to the people? Which is why Pentecostalism is so attractive. Always something new and something I've never seen. Peter is very not like that. I'll quote the Old Testament. I'll quote Jesus. I'll quote Paul. Be original, Peter. I don't need to be. Okay, and Paul says, if possible, insofar as depends on you, live peaceably with all people. Right? That's what Paul says. He says, exchange cursing with blessing. He says a lot of the same things, which means obviously that Peter and Paul are dealing with a lot of Christians who struggle with the same sins. Whether in Rome or scattered abroad, in Asia. Christians struggle with these things, which is why they need to be reminded of what Christ has done and what Christ is doing. So what does it look like for you to seek peace? Maybe in the church? Or maybe an unbeliever that maybe you've said something that offended them. Seek peace, pursue it. Maybe it'll give you an opportunity to share the gospel. This is the motivation, verse 12. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous. Again, he's just quoting. David in Psalm 34. Why should you seek peace, even against those who are harming you? Because the Lord's eye is upon you. He sees everything. Here's the fancy word. Omniscience. He's everywhere. Omnipresence. And he's all-knowing. Omniscience. That should give you a great comfort. And I've said this before. I remember sometimes just running through the coolies. And people had been slandering me. And everything in me wanted to return slander and reviling. And you know what I would sometimes cry out? God, you see. And that was enough. I can give place to the wrath of God, for vengeance is not mine. That's in Romans 12 as well. God, you see. I can leave it there. I can actually do good because God sees that too, and he rewards those who do good. His eyes are upon the righteous, and that has to do with not only his omniscience, but his blessing. And his ears are open to their supplication. That's how I would translate it. There's different words for prayer in the Greek, but deesis has to do with desperation. And I thought of Hagar, remember, when Sarah, this God believer, right, trusted in Yahweh, she does the unthinkable, sends poor Hagar out with Ishmael, and she's crying out. And God sends the angel, and she says, you are the God who sees. She's crying out in desperation and sometimes persecution actually brings us to a state of desperation. There might be a lot more deesis kind of praying in the church. Desperate supplication. And we need all kinds of prayers, I get it. But Peter's talking about people maybe in Afghanistan. God sees them. God sees that. He looks upon his Saints upon his righteous ones and his ears are open Literally Greek just says are towards His ears are not towards Troublemakers, but his ears are towards or as willow often praised his ears inclined the Hebrew means to stretch his year Not awesome if you return evil for evil and His ear's not stretched. But if you cry out to God, even to ask God's blessing, ultimately in their conversion, that's the kind of thing he stretches his ear to hear. Hebrew's a beautiful language. It's very tactile and it's very earthy. God stretches his ear? Yes. But he will not stretch his ear to other words. But the face of the Lord is upon or against doers of evil. Those who are doing evil his face is against. What does that mean? It's the face of displeasure. Come on dads, you know it's called the stink face. When your kids do something and you're smiling and then they do something you don't like, you give them the stink face. That's what it's saying here. Face of God is against those who do evil. He's giving the stink face, or even worse maybe. Yeah, Charles has given Jojo the stink face. And the picture, because I preached Genesis just over a year ago. Remember in Sodom and Gomorrah, in Yahweh within the heavenly council, says that what Sodom and Gomorrah is doing has come to my face. He's opposed to what was happening, the sodomy. and a wickedness, debauchery, strange flesh-seeking afterness. And God was frowning upon it, and in time he judged it. And as one commentator said, yes, this is for the unbelievers to remember as they're doing evil to you, remember that vengeance is the Lord's, and he will judge them. But the commentator also said, Christians need to be reminded of this. So if my neighbor does something that is distasteful to me, I'll give the stink face of disapproval. If my kids do it, I'll do the same thing. Now they're still my children and I still love them, but they still get the stink face. And so Christian, understand, if you want the smiling countenance. Yes, I get it. In Christ, the Father smiles upon us. But do understand that after David killed Uriah, having slept with Bathsheba, it says at the end of the chapter, and David displeased the Lord. Yahweh said he's electing love on David. David would be preserved, right? He was the apple of God's eye. I get it. And yet he still displeased him. And so yes, primarily this text is saying the Lord's face is against unbelievers doing evil and they will get their dessert. But this should also be a motivator to us. Oh, I had all the NLT translate. Do you want to live a prosperous life? Do you want to live the good life, if you will? And follow David's own example and do these things by the grace of God. And as we do, As we have good conduct, some will see, some will be drawn, and some will come to Christ. The others will continue in their obdurate hardness, I get it. But, says chapter two, some will glorify God on the day of visitation. Let me give you a couple ways then that you can bless those who curse you. I got these actually from John MacArthur, so don't think I'm getting all practical now. He says, here's the Christian response. This is what it looks like practically to bless those. Perhaps someone's slandering you. Perhaps you got slandered last night. Perhaps it's all you can think about, just that evil thing, and you're writing up in your mind the perfect rebuttal. Love them unconditionally. Pray for their salvation. Be thankful for them. Speak well of them. Don't lie, right? But speak well of them. Seek their well-being. And I was like, what does that mean? So I put in my own notes, through prayer and actual service. Be a blessing. Don't hide it. And exude a disposition of forgiveness. Be willing to forgive them. It doesn't seem like much, but that's very counter-cultural. If somebody trash talks you, or trash talks your pastor, or trash talks another pastor or church, Don't attack them. Show grace. From the well of grace that you have received from, give to them. I'll leave you with a quote from Dan Allender, who's a friend of Tremper Longman. Nothing cures anger or nothing removes retaliation like dwelling and meditating upon the wonder of grace. So go back to the fount. Go back to the source. Remember so great a salvation you have received. Remember so great a salvation you will receive. And live out of the future in the present, blessing those who curse you. For to this you have been called. God called you to be blessed that you might be a blessing. Go and read Genesis 12. Abraham, I pulled you out of Ur so that through my blessing on you, you would be a blessing to the nations. And that's fulfilled in Christ and being fulfilled through the church. Would you pray that with me right now, that God would make you a blessing, that others would come to Christ and be saved? Father, we want to thank you for your word. This seemed like a very moralistic, legalistic sermon, and so Father, I pray even right now, please don't let people leave thinking they need to try harder. Oh, that we would all be awed afresh at the wonder of grace. Lord, that we would be just completely undone afresh, that you chose to have love on such a sinner as I. Help us to remember how you responded to our sin with grace and mercy. Oh Lord, that we would respond in like. This is impossible for the natural man. And so Father, we pray in the words of Romans 8, that we would set our minds on the things of the Spirit. Would you help us to put to death, to mortify those old Adamic natures, those tendencies, to punch those who punch us or knock a tooth out of those who have hit us? Eye for eye, oh Lord, may it not be so for us. Would we not only not retaliate, but we respond in Christ-likeness, returning a blessing in place of cursing. O Lord, that it would lead to gospel opportunities, that we might adorn the gospel of grace by how we live, even in our online conduct. Father, if it is your will for the church in Canada and North America to go through a season of trials and through the furnace of persecution, would you help us to remember this text? Not to earn your favor, but to show this world the transforming power of Christ in us, the hope of glory. Father, we pray, like honey, we would be sweet to this world and attract your elect bees, we ask. To the praise of the glory of your grace, Father, would you please hear us in Christ's name? Amen. But before we partake of the table, I would remind you again, if you've not talked to one of the elders, please just let it pass this morning and talk to us. We want to protect the beauty of the table. It's a covenant meal for covenant members. And covenant members are those who've been born again and have exhibited the new birth through repentance and faith. that they understand the gospel and put all their trust in it. And if that is you, please come and talk to us, because we would love to share the table with you if that is you. But please let it pass this one time. And before we partake, we will follow the example of Christ in the Gospels and of Paul in 1 Corinthians, who reminds us that this is a sacred meal, and that the Lord Jesus Christ actually, in fulfilling the Passover, reminded us that the broken bread points beyond itself to Christ's broken body, and the cup points beyond itself to the shed blood for the forgiveness or remissions of our sins, and that this table reminds us, as we partake of it, that we belong to a new covenant that is predicated upon better promises, says the author of Hebrews. And so please don't think for a moment that, well, I've been naughty, and I haven't measured up to the table. No, the table says you are naughty, you are a wretched sinner, and Christ loved you and gave himself for you. And repent of your sins right now, yes, but receive afresh the promise of the new covenant, that where there is sins, there is no more remembrance of them. And having been cleansed afresh, believing in the gospel anew, you would be empowered to go out into this world. that this table would actually give you the sustenance and the energy, just like a good meal would. I went running last night, and I was hungry, and I had to take so many stops. Why? Because I didn't eat. I had no energy to do what I needed to do. Christian, you need energy this week. You need grace this week. Would you feed upon Christ afresh by faith as you partake of the table? This isn't magic. And this is a tangible expression of putting your faith in Christ afresh, coming to the source of all grace, coming to the fount of life, and feeding on him like in John 6. So I'm going to ask Charles to give thanks to Christ for the broken bread, and Nathan for the shed blood, and then we will dispense the elements and then partake together after that. Go for it, brother. Father, you sent your son into this world because of your great love for this world, so he could die for our sins, so that we could be cleansed. Lord Jesus, you went willingly to one of the most grotesque, shaming deaths that has ever been on our behalf. We thank you. We thank you for such a work, one that none of us could have accomplished, and yet you accomplished it in full for us. You were beaten, you were mocked, you were spit on. You were reviled for us. So thank you. Thank you for that unconditional love that you poured out on us through the cross. Amen. Father, as we take the symbols of your son's death and we partake of them, help us to truly treasure what you've done for us, we want to thank you for that fountain of cleansing that was opened at such tremendous cost to you and is given freely to us. And Father, as we take the cup, help us to give thanks to Your Name and give glory to You. And remember, too, that this is a symbol not only of Your death, but also of Your promise to bring us to Yourself. May You are waiting to partake with us, once again, as we remind ourselves, as we do it often, of your coming. We pray that you would draw near to us now, strengthen our resolve, and help us, Lord, to gladly take up the cross that you call us to, that we would suffer in a way that is worthy of that calling. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. No. No. ♪ He's made a change in me ♪ I love tradition, so I'm gonna read a short section here. Paul says, for I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, this is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. Brothers and sisters, let us do this in remembrance of Christ. In the same way, also he took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. Four, as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death. daily comes and so we do so. Let us take of the cup brothers and sisters. Grace upon grace. Well please stand if you're able to and we'll sing a song of praise to close. Hope to see the dawn. Hope to see the dawn, of the darkest day, Christ on the road to ♪ Tied by sinful hand ♪ ♪ Torn and beamed in hand ♪ ♪ Hail to the cross of the world ♪ ♪ The place of God, the house of God ♪ ♪ Christ the King ♪ ♪ Saved the world ♪ ♪ Took the blame ♪ ♪ For the bad things that were given man can cause ♪ ♪ To see the King ♪ ♪ Bearing the awesome weight of sin ♪ ♪ Bearing it in your heart ♪ ♪ Bearing it in your heart ♪ of the stars. Rise to be seen in the world. Turn away. O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. It's the victory cry It's the cry ♪ Mother of Christ the King ♪ ♪ Sin was turned away ♪ ♪ Lord, you have risen again at the cross ♪ ♪ Raging in the blues ♪ ♪ Born to you suddenly ♪ ♪ I am free ♪ ♪ In the church of death ♪ ♪ Life is mine to live ♪ ♪ One with yourself ♪ of the cross. Son of God, slain for us. What a power, what a cross He stamped within and crowned forgiven, and given everything that we've ever done, even what we will do, and given a new life, given that eternity to be with Christ. Let these truths sink into our hearts. Let them strengthen us. Let the love of Christ and how He suffered, how He suffered for us, fill our hearts with love for Him and also give us strength to live to love So,